Just thought i would throw this topic up, forgive me if its been done. I truly beleive the Matty Bate looms as the most valuable player in our side for 2008. A player who plays tall and small and has great footy smarts. If its not him, then Jarrod Rivers is. We missed his play reading and confidence last year.

Thoughts?

"Master" Bate is definately a valuable player, but he would be even more valuable if he learnt how to run at a decent pace without the ball and also gave more than 60% when trying to chase someone down!!

I am not sure if he is the fastest bloke on a good day, but geez he reminds me of a lazy TJ when not in posession!!

Most important player in 2008 will definately be Nathan Jones!

If he can get a little bit more awareness about him and give the ball off at the first opportunity and not wait until he has avoided 2 tackles and is under immense pressure, then he will by far be our most influential.... Get on him early for the Brownlow Top 5!!!!!

Cale Morton

His all around brilliance and skill will give us another dimension

IMO Nathan Jones

He will continue the form he showed this year in hopefully a winning team

Well Jonesy comes to mind however his loss is somewhat made up by McLean, Bruce, McDonnald to some extent. Jonesy is vital to the midfield however if i had to name 1 player i would say Jarad Rivers. We really missed him this season and is integral to the defence and team winning. Apart from Rivers we only really have Wheels as a running backman and perhaps Pettard if he continues to play there. I still believe our backline is one of the worst in the leigue and further emphersises the need for him

Brock McLean

If the man can have an injury-free season he WILL be a star by the end of 08 - a massive factor behind the melbournefc resurgence in 08

The entire team preforming as one!!

Just thought i would throw this topic up, forgive me if its been done. I truly beleive the Matty Bate looms as the most valuable player in our side for 2008.

When I first read this topic title, as the page loaded Bate slipped into my head somehow, and I was surprised to see him at the top of your list.

On further reflection I think it's probably a bit early in his career to lump him with that kind of expectation. He has some GREAT strengths, but also some glaring weaknesses, and what with AFL defences being so well studied these days I fully expect those weaknesses to be exploited... The only way he'll becom our most important player is if he plays 22 rounds at CHF and presents well for the ENTIRE year. If he plays there, you can bet he'll get the best and most mobile defender (maybe Neita will take him sometimes) and will be curtailed the most of any of our tall forwards. He's still a kid after all...

But the topic is interesting, so I thought I'd do a top 10...

1: Rivers. Was a total non-event last season. We ALL know how important he is, and add to that the fact that we have a young defence in need of quality, particularly in the KPP stocks... Rivers will fill the biggest hole with the biggest presence. Assuming he doesn't succumb to some injury again.

2: McLean. Had his usual impact on maybe 3 games last season. If he gets right, and stays right, he and a 22 round Nathan Jones will start to make opposition coaches worry a bit. More than a bit. Our midfield were arguably more decimated than any area on the ground from last year's injuries. They stand to make a vast improvement. McLean leads the way here. Also factor in TJ. He's gone, and now it's a CERTAINTY that Brock will cop the best tagger until he reaches 32 and they think he's too old to warrant the attention. Sorry to say, we should prepare ourselves for the worst in the coming 8 or so years.

3: Robertson. With Neitz declining and becoming injury prone, and with Juice still SO green, and Bate needed all over the ground, Robbo is the only KPP (sort of) forward currently in his prime. I imagine he may begin to take the league's best defenders... To think we were going to trade him. He has always thrived under pressure greater than what he should be able to cope with. When he was our B&F playing as our CHF was a good example.

4: Bruce. Fix his kicking = damgerous option all over the ground. If it's not fixed, expect nother year of the same. He's always needed help, and does his best work when he has the team's best 10 players fit and firing. Give him too much responsibility and he seems to struggle with so many balls in the air. Assuming our injuries don't repeat, he should recover. Another of only a handful of players in their footballing prime.

5: Green. He's come good, and in as unspectacular a way as you could imagine. He's doing the hard things, has a great work ethic, and like unlike Bruce there are days where he seems to revel in added pressure.

6: Rucks... If White can handle it, we go ok, if not one of PJ/Jamar/Meesen will have to step up. I'm predicting there will be times when we are changing our starting ruckman on a week to week basis, so I don't hold out much hope. But in terms of "importance" we will win and lose lots of games based on what they manage...

7: Whelan. How quickly we forget. This guy has been a GREAT demon. If he's good to go, he'll do what he has always done... his job. How we missed him this year.

8: Carroll. yes he's unfashionable, yes he's not a prodigious kick... but he's reliable. Or reliably mediocre. What brings him into the top 10 here is 2 things... Firstly the lack of other options (Frawley too green, Holland too... well... Holland), and secondly the fact that along with Neita and Brock he's probably the most resilient player in the side. Goes in 100% of the time, sometimes gets knocked out, but always stands his post. If the team were full of tough nuts his importance may not be so great... but there's still some residual red and blue softness around.

9: Bartram. A smoky. He'll relieve McDonald and his pace and heart were sorely missed. Assuming his rehab at the moment goes well he'll slot straight back int the 22 and hopefully PLAY 22 as well. In the coming years he will be as important as JMac, if not moreso.

10: Neitz/Newton. If the big man is injured, and if the little man doesn't live up to the hype, were going to struggle. Simple as that. Rank low in this list due to the fact that it would be good to see what Sylvia, Bate, Dunn and others would do with our forward line in their absence.

Apologies to Bell (important defender, will soon adopt Wrecker's mantle), Moloney (the forgotten superboot, proved in only a few outings this year his importance), Petterd (Was all class, imagine what his experience and another year will do), Sylvia (Could do what Bell did this year, and what Carroll did the year before. Tease us one season then rock our worlds the next), and Wheatley (He's one of only a few in his footballing prime. If he was to EVER become a solid footballer, now would be the time).

Edit: Oops. I forgot Bate. I'd probably slip him in at 4, maybe 3.

this post is not necessarily who will be the most important but who i hope can be the most important....starting with

1)Sylvia: Good pre season hopefully under his belt will let us see the reason for him bieng chosen at Pick 3.

2)Jones: No explenation needed here

3)Brock: Leader, tough, insperational, according the the Sun "dynamic", not much more can be said

4)Davey: I would love to see the skill, speed and agility bieng taken to a new level under the new coach and he could become a real match winner

5)Bruce: Needs to prove himself, I'm still waiting for the consistency and good kicking ability. should have a good season

6)Pick 4: Would love to see him shine

WHELAN - "(The young guys are) gunning for my spot … I’ve got to show them who’s boss.”

Most important player from 2004 and for another 5 or so years is and will be Jared Rivers.

Great topic Demon 3

First things first, Many great times are ahead for our beloved Dee's in 08

1. We will break the premiership drought. This will cause a big top in my jim-jammies.

2. First ever tie for the Brownlow by 2 players From the same team. Jonesy and Brocky. This too will cause a big top in my jim-jammies.

3. I will need an icepack for my wrist in September 08 to reduce the swelling.

Why this will happen.

Gameplan. this year we might actually have one. Hurray.

2nd and 3rd year players hitting their straps ie Dunn, Bode, Pettard etc

I think Dunn will take massive steps this upcoming season and cement himself firmly in our starting 22. He has midfield pace and great hands and is a beautiful finisher. Expect him the feature as BOG for us many times in 08

Rivers will be a massive boost for us as we all know.

Sylvia will break free from the previous no-preseason blues and begin to tear games apart.

Brocky will benefit greatly from the added attention that Jones,Moloney and Dunn will require freeing him up to play his best football and nab him a Brownlow.

Green will finally be used properly by playing in the forward 50 and bagging goal after goal.

Mate all our player will start to believe in themselves and the confidence will boil over like a boiling over thing that always boils over.

But the number one reason why all this will occur and the answer to your question who will be the most important demon in 08 is DEAN BAILEY

It could also just be Chris Connolly. A man who brings a melbourne background who is much loved and respected. I know that the players are loving him being around and i think it is a great move for him to be football manager.

reports i have heard so far is that sylvia is having an injury free pre season so far!!

There is no doubt that Sylvia looms as a huge x-factor for us in 2008. he has teased and struggled with fitness, but if he is right to go, and his input increases, then yeah, he may just be the most important demon in 08! i would love to see him finally arrive.

Then there should be no excuses for Sylvia. He needs to deliver on his potential being in his fifth season on the list. Lets hope he is mentally focussed and physically capable to do so.

Here here, if he's fit, then he should be the [censored]!

well..to be a little different....for a change !! lol

Most important Demon ?

easy

Dean Bailey !!!

He will either get these guys going with new verve and vigour....or .......

His attitude and efforts will hopefully permeate down through the team

Actually, I think it'll be some veterans who step up.

We'll see good growth and development from the young squad, and that will make for an exciting accumulation as players like Jones, Mclean and Bate put in consistent great games.

But I honestly think we'll see something special from Neitz, Robertson, Bruce and Green in 08.

I've said in another thread that Neitz returning to fitness would be a bankable 50+ goals, he remains a star full forward, Robertson really should be aiming to pass 50 as well, he's being underperforming these last two years and we know it, he knows it, and the coach knows it.

Bruce and Green will play better with Johnstone gone. They will have physical and psychological space that used to be monopolised by Johnstone. They are now our top line veteran midfielders, we know it, they know it, the coach knows it.

We also all know that they can deliver, despite frustrationsin the past.

These four stand up, the kids get to play with confidence in the team, everything starts to tick along beautifully.

Certainly, if we're going to be a top-tier side as soon as next year, the core veterans have to deliver.

Otherwise, well, I guess we look to 09-10 as the young guns we've got start to peak in a big way.

Davey has to learn to deal with the close attention, if he does he is a freak and his speed will be required in the midfield. He is one player that when on song can spark the team and even more imprtantly bring spectators to our games.

It could also just be Chris Connolly. A man who brings a melbourne background who is much loved and respected. I know that the players are loving him being around and i think it is a great move for him to be football manager.

here here...i was speaking to a source (not a chris judd one) and he thinks that there will be a good cop bad cop scenario at melbourne and it will allow dean bailey and chris conolly to have a really important working relationship, rather than the fagan, daniher situation where daniher was playing both roles....its funny how ive gone from hating chris conolly to loving him

here here...i was speaking to a source (not a chris judd one) and he thinks that there will be a good cop bad cop scenario at melbourne and it will allow dean bailey and chris conolly to have a really important working relationship, rather than the fagan, daniher situation where daniher was playing both roles....its funny how ive gone from hating chris conolly to loving him

I've actually heard similar things.

I was told that Connolly is fairly involved in the coaching side of things, and that the program the players are undertaking this pre-season is completely different to anything they've ever done.

Also heard that Bailey is a complete hardarse who won't take crap from anyone, and has already put a number of players on notice!

It left me smiling all night after I heard that.

reports i have heard so far is that sylvia is having an injury free pre season so far!!

That is music to everyones ears

In fact, it is the best news possible from preseason training

There is simply nothing that could excite me more before the season starts than The Kid having an uninterupted pre-season

1: Rivers. Was a total non-event last season. We ALL know how important he is, and add to that the fact that we have a young defence in need of quality, particularly in the KPP stocks... Rivers will fill the biggest hole with the biggest presence. Assuming he doesn't succumb to some injury again.

This about sums up my thinking. Defence is our weakest area and his return to full strength and fitness will be a deciding factor in many games.

This about sums up my thinking. Defence is our weakest area and his return to full strength and fitness will be a deciding factor in many games.

1) Matthew Bate- We drafted him as the youngest player in the draft at 191cm. now coming into his 4th season, he is bigger, stronger and now 194cm! 3rd in the b&f is a great return last year, but i think this year he can become our star CHF.

spine in the future-

Frawley

Rivers (Garland/McNamara third tall)

Bate (Morton could develop into a KPP in 3 yrs time)

Newton

2) Sylvia, Dunn, Moloney and Bartram to all play permanently in the midfield. all 4 had injury interrupted season, which meant that Sylvia and Dunn were played more across HalfForward. Add them, plus Grimes, to Mclean, Jones and McDonald and we have ourselves a midfield.