All well life goes on, after all he has been their for 10 years and managed to snag a few beautys but in reality, with the picks he has had by us being the most inconsistent team in the comp for the past 10 years, we should be alot better off then we are at the moment. I think we have a good team but there is no standout superstars, but hey some of them will hopefully take the next step next season.

well done CAC! thanks for many years of loyal service to the mfc

I'm not disputing there are more elements than simply recruiting but recruiting is the biggest factor in the process.

It wasn't intended to lay blame directly at Craig but his role is recruitment and as such he shares the lions share of the blame.

So do the hard yards of analysis and answer the question.

"So which stars did CAC not recruit that he had ready access to in the draft, taking into account the list needs at the time he recruited them and the fact that during his time MFC endured two years of draft penalties?"

CAC is not perfect and has had his good picks and not so good picks over the years. His strike rate is good against his peers and I believe his best has occurred in the past 4 to 5 years.

I think your nexus of the lack of stars at MFC and CAC's recruitment performance is flawed and lack the analysis necessary to back such a statement.

This can not be true!!!

Come on Craig, leaving the Demons to go Richmond? RICHMOND?

WHy the hell would you want to work under Terry Solarium Wallet and that dirty rat Greg Miller?

Whoever you draft, Wallet will ruin them. The bloke has NO IDEA!!! Worst coach in the AFL. He is going to make your draft picks look like [censored] cos he CANT COACH.

Very dissappointing, Craig.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/rich...6036893779.html

Thanks Craig.. all the best

very sorry to see you go

Me too.

I must say personally I am very disappointed to hear the news.

Craig has been a very good recruiter for the MFC and a nice bloke as well. He will be sorely missed.

I would like to know some time in the future what were the reasons he chose to go. If it it was primarily to be at Richmond, given his connection to the Tigers, it would be understandable. This was obviously the opportunity.

Craig, I wish you all the best, especially with the PSD/Rookie drafts and for your future. Hopefully you can look back at the careers of some of your Melbourne recruits and feel a part of the success they had with the Dees.

Col, Brock, and Jones have shown potential but alas, I don't actually see superstar quality in any of them, lets look at this:

Collingwood even had Buckley and Pendlebury is going to be very very special

.

You think Pendlebury will be better than McLean, or Jones?

No chance.

FCS, he has been with us for 11 years. Everyone needs new challenges.

Surely a premiership with the club whose list you have selected yourself is the biggest and most rewarding challenge.

I too would like to know some reasons for the decision in the future.

It's a big loss. CAC has been very, very good.

Whats in it for CAC to try his butt off for a successful rookie-draft for Melbourne, now that he's heading to the opposition? Reputation?

Surely a premiership with the club whose list you have selected yourself is the biggest and most rewarding challenge.

I too would like to know some reasons for the decision in the future.

It's a big loss. CAC has been very, very good.

There was a post a little while back that had all the years drafts with who we took with what pick when CAC was in charge, does anyone know where this is or have this info?

I'm sorry to see him go also, but am thankful that I think he has left us in a good position with our youth.

Whats in it for CAC to try his butt off for a successful rookie-draft for Melbourne, now that he's heading to the opposition? Reputation?

Believe it or not CAC doesn't make every recruiting decision by himself.

Maybe he's been seduced by the raft of early picks he'll get at the Toiges.

Very upset by this. Not at CAC, but moreso Richmond and their poaching tactics :angry:

Oh well, hopefully karma gets back at them through us poaching Cotchin. But as said earlier, it ain't the drafting but developing that counts. Something that Wallet is unable to do, as he's too busy trying to get a tan and watching himself on TV.

Very disappointed if CAC is leaving.

His strike rate is fantastic and the more experience in recruiting you have, the more chance you have in weeding out the lemons. As seen by his record since '03.

I just want to know what information/research will or is he required to leave behind? He would've had names/lists of draftees coming up in the next 2-3 years so does he take all that info to Shitmond?

This was a long time coming. Clubs have been looking to get CAC for years and he has been here for over a decade.

Although, this is more turnover (90% in the last 12 months) for the club, and more cash that has to be spent on finding a replacement...

Steve Harris - He really engenders people to work for him.

Is it true that CAC used to post here on Demonland from time to time?

If so I feel he should post us a "parting gift" by giving a full and complete run down on his thoughts of our newly drafted players, their strengths and weaknesses, maybe a player he would have like to draft but didn't.... and so on and so forth.

If we are owed anything then we are owed that.

Very upset by this. Not at CAC, but moreso Richmond and their poaching tactics :angry:

Oh well, hopefully karma gets back at them through us poaching Cotchin. But as said earlier, it ain't the drafting but developing that counts. Something that Wallet is unable to do, as he's too busy trying to get a tan and watching himself on TV.

Has the MFC commented on or confirmed any of this?? Nothing on Website. Is important enough issue for MFC to make a statement about as soon as possible. Is dissappointing if is the case that such news comes out via leak to the press OR even worse if is not a done deal.

With CAC going does this mean only Paul Williams (with 2 year contract to end of 2008?) plus Steve Harris only ones remaining from 2007????

Nah, he did a job and we paid him. Owing nothing.

And contracts mean jack sh!t these days too.

3 month waiver? Can't even get that on FIFA Manager 2007. Maybe 2008 then.

He was a Tigers supporter growing up - however he signed a contract not long ago for a 3 year term, so it would be pretty poor if he pulled out.

It would probably be as simple as Richmond paying it out (remembering they made a $1,000,000 profit) and maybe CAC had a clause in his contract?

Is it true that CAC used to post here on Demonland from time to time?

If so I feel he should post us a "parting gift" by giving a full and complete run down on his thoughts of our newly drafted players, their strengths and weaknesses, maybe a player he would have like to draft but didn't.... and so on and so forth.

If we are owed anything then we are owed that.

i agree with you and surely he will read this at some stage....CAC??

Has the MFC commented on or confirmed any of this?? Nothing on Website. Is important enough issue for MFC to make a statement about as soon as possible. Is dissappointing if is the case that such news comes out via leak to the press OR even worse if is not a done deal.

With CAC going does this mean only Paul Williams (with 2 year contract to end of 2008?) plus Steve Harris only ones remaining from 2007????

nooo....there are still a plethroa of staff remaining at the club, maybe not in terms of direct coaching though, paul williams is the only full time coach to remain but there is heaps of staff and things left, including the president... i cant be bothered to name them all so go to this link

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/TheClub/Staf...93/Default.aspx

If true, it's a big loss for MFC. Craig Cameron has done a great job as recruiter. I'm taking it hard. Recruiting is a refined art and he's had plenty of experience now and I think particularly in the last 5 or so years he has really peaked (of course it remains to be seen about the 2007 crop but the trend is very good). We're fortunate to have had the benefit of his experience over this period. Typical of his commitment that Craig has seen out this vital recruiting cycle for us and 11 years is a very strong effort at a club with such limited resources.

The recruiter is equal most important person in the FD along with the coach and the football manager, I don't think a flag can be won without great skill in each area. There are other great recruiters out there and we need to do every thing we can to secure one. Maybe Steven Wells at Geelong thinks the job is done there and is looking for a new challenge. It appear that Collingwood's Derek Hine was a good pick up, so a decent replacement can be found - must be found! Quite frankly a club like ours with limited resources needs all the breaks it can get and we really need excellence in each key area to compete - that's why having CAC has been so important.

If true, then all the best to Craig for the future, he will be sorely missed. Richmond is an interesting choice and I guess old loyalties come into play - either they'll make the eight the next few years and he wont have early picks or he'll be working with a new coach very quickly - wonder what he'd think if they appointed Kevin Sheedy?

Gutted.

Strangely, I think he's my favourite Demon.

Is there anything we can do? I guess not.

Best wishes to him, I hope Richmond's next five year plan for failure focuses on the general coaching rather than the recruiting.

Congratulations CAC on setting us up with a young list that can realisitically make a tilt at glory.

And we'll miss your smokeys.

Now, if you could land us a star fullback and a ruckman from the PSD/Rookie drafts before you go, that'd be the complete package!

Now, who do we bring in? Tough gig, big shoes to fill.

Well done on 10 years of excellent service CAC to the MFC

You will be missed in the recruting department

Best of wishes at the Tigers

I always said the only thing melbourne had been pretty good at off feild was drafting. Now CAC is gone... FFS.

CAC can you please post here and tell us why youve gone

CAC can you please post here and tell us why youve gone

I doubt he will. He does not owe you, or anyone here an explanation. Does it really matter anyway?

Good luck working with the two all time great AFL spinners in Miller and Wallace, both have no ability in there roles but they can talk and find excuses. In fact that is the Richmond footy club all talk.

If this is true good luck CAC thanks for your service. On good thing about Richmond you will always get a top 5 pick in the draft.

I'd like to add a little perspective to this thread.

Yes Craig has made some fairly handy late draft decisions. yes Craig has probably got it right over the last couple of years, BUT

11 years in charge of recruiting and still Melbourne are absolutely starless. We have craved a superstar since the retirement of Robbie and to be perfectly honest, The Ox aside, there hasn't been anyone go close.

Col, Brock, and Jones have shown potential but alas, I don't actually see superstar quality in any of them, lets look at this:

Brisbane have had so many stars I couldn't name them all

Collingwood even had Buckley and Pendlebury is going to be very very special

The Dogs, Brad Johnson, Scott West.......

West Coast, I don't have time to name them all

Adelaide, Roo, McLeod\

Sydney, Up until recently Bazza H, Adam Goodes

Port Adelaide, Shaun Burgoyne an arguement could be made to ad Chad to this status

Freo - Pav

Essendon - Have had plenty, Hird, Lloyd, Fletcher

Geelong - Scarlett, Ablett, Bartel, now Selwood

Carlton - Fev is a superstar, regardless of his idiot behaviour, add to that Murphy

St Kilda - Dal Santo, Reiwoldt, Harvey

Kangaroos - Brent Harvey

Hawthorn - Crawford, Hodge, Buddy, a history of having champions

Richmond and Us are about the only ones not to.

I can't say I'm upset, maybe it is time for a new recruitment strategy.

It's a fair comment that we haven't had a "star" at Melbourne in a long time, but they are not easy to come by.

Sleeve's list is interesting.

Brisbane: Brown, Voss, Akermanis, Lynch and Leppa were never available to CAC. Black was missed in 1997, so too was Power but I don't rate him a star.

Collingwood: Both Buckley and Pendlebury were never available to us.

WC: Judd, Cousins and Glass never available to us. Cox available to everyone (rookie), Kerr missed for Scott Thompson.

Adelaide: McLeod and Roo never available to us.

Sydney: Goodes not available to us and Hall not available to CAC.

PA: Cornes available but we took TJ. Shaun Burgoyne never available to us.

Freo: Pav never available to us.

Essendon: Hird not in CAC's time, Lloyd and Lucas not available.

Geelong: Scarlett, Ablett, Bartel and Selwood never available.

Saints: Harvey pre CAC, Reiwoldt never available, Del Santo missed.

Kangaroos: Harvey.. pre CAC

Hawks: Crawford pre CAC, Franklin and Hodge never available.

So in 10 years 4 players could be considered "missed". If you're going to have a crack at CAC at least get the facts right.