Leaderboard

If he's a ruck then we've wasted our time and resources. He's a forward, that's what he says he is, that's what Harrington and Neeld say he is, and that's what we need him to be. He can double as insurance if Martin or Jamar go down mid match, but that's just a fringe benefit and not his primary role. No Jamar/Martin injury = 0 minutes ruck time for Clark.

The Saints having to squeeze out a whole bunch of middle of the road players because they cornered themselves with the salary cap is not really that interesting to me. Unless they're going to squeeze Riewoldt out then they can suffer in their jocks. I couldn't be less interested in their middle tier - reckon we're just as likely to get what we need in the draft.

Bit of a no brainer this one in all honesty. Mitch was snitched to fulfill a Key forward role. Simple Its quite possible at times depending on th egame that he might bring his very good rucking talents to bear as a relieiving ruckman or simply as he might be first on the scen in the forward line etc. . He facilitates Jamar to rest in the square if thats the want of the FD. Granted Marti could also but Martins not as much a real kepf as Clark. What is does do is give us one hell of a lot of options we didnt have before. Money well spent

The Bombers are finding themselves in nowhere land with an average list with significant deficiencies. They wont be expecting to finish low enough to get early picks any time soon - the picks they will have are going to be 10+ for the foreseeable future. Free agency may help them snare a good player but he'll be towards the end of his career, they'll struggle to top up on great young talent like Caddy because forcing those players into the draft isn't really an option with other clubs lurking with earlier picks. Let's look on the bright side though, they may get some compo picks for Hurley when he goes to GWS as an uncontracted player next year.

A massive thesaurus.

Who cares.

Scully is gorgeous redhead with a seemingly endless scepticism of the paranormal. That is all.

Stef Martin in the backline as KPD and ruck rotating. Jamar first ruck. Clark FF.

Nah, i disagree. if pick 12 in any draft can offer a 23yr old ready made 200cm key forward with tonnes of mobility youd take it every time. i cant believe we got him for just pick 12. love doing business with the lions!!

Can i have that two minutes back ????

We don't need another Ruckman....We needed a Target to kick to, to straighten us up....We got a 200 cm 99 kg one.. Cool.

The Fat Controller must have enjoyed reading that one out....i didn't watch the telecast, infact never do...it is the most over rated lump of metal in Australia.

Yes, well done to GC - they saw through the BS very early and didn't falter with the PR heat.

Such a lil b....

Haha, already being warned by the coach: @chipa__8 Enjoy that food while it lasts young man, training starts in 10 days

I've always wondered why we don't introduce a strategy similar to this; A forward ruck (perhaps Gawn) to ruck only when the ball is inside F50 A "middle"/main ruck (Jamar) to ruck at centre bounces and around the wings/in the guts A back ruck (perhaps Martin) to ruck in D50 How fresh would that keep Jamar - especially late in the third/all of the last quarter when the opposition rucks are flat on their feet. The parts about how it would work when the opposition ruck goes to a ruck contest outside of where Jamar goes, that's to be worked on...!!!

I hope that Maric gets picked up by GW$ and North miss out on the freebee they thought they'd get.

Agree with all of the above - it's pretty hard to have any sympathy for Essendon. I find it delightful that the two clubs that tried to play sneaky buggers got burned this year. There's a lot to be said for being direct and easy to deal with - let that be a lesson to all the posters who insist we play "hard ball" during trade week or in contract negotiations (admittedly this has waned in recent years).

I don't blame him for taking the $$$ at all. What i do take offence at is how he let others take the heat for the whole year for him, and then too disappear via a phone call. The MFC deserved better than that. But i think we are stronger now because of it. I wonder if his locker has been left untouched??

I wrote this but was banned at the time “An ode to Scully” TOM – IF ONLY Oh Tom, where art though in this time of need? Where art though as others sign and pledge their faith in the Demon rising. Where art though as supporters unite to reduce the debt and sing your praise? Where art though as a new coach and professionalism begins to appear? What is that I hear? More money is your only fear? Be not scared Tom the money is fine right here, plenty for the Jacks to sign Even Colin put pen to paper, for much less than you were offered. Is there more I hear? Not happy with the club, players drinking and having fun not your thing young Tom you Gun. Well [censored] off then you mercenary [censored], We will Boo you like no other, may the crazy man wreak havoc with your plan. May the weight of expectation cause your shoulders to slump and your degenerative knee to collapse, May living in a Bogan castle in Shitsville give you nightmares as you team parties into the night. What is that I hear, you don’t drink or have any friends, not our problem loner, Well enjoy your restricted training program as your knee forces you to become a long forgotten footnote as the most expensive flop in AFL history. I hope the AFL’s corporate spin doctors had a glove on Tom because the anus is a terrible pace for an infection. How does it feel to be a puppet Tom? with that long slimy arm far up your behind. Anyway, good riddance. We will continue to play at the home of football as you see out your days in the recovery room of GWS hoping for a miracle on that troublesome knee. At least you’ll have money Tom, so much in fact that you’ll be able to afford a beautiful big plastic house, filled with beautiful big plastic things and best of all you can watch the Demon rise on your 1200 inch mega plasma HD, 3D, sonar equipped TV and think what might have been. If only, if only, if only, if only you had the courage, the commitment, the guts, the determination to play for the AFL’s oldest and greatest team. Watch us rise Tom, with our hardships, watch our improvement and watch Tom, watch as Jack Watts and Jack Trengove hold the cup aloft and watch as someone in the background flips you the bird as you sit, injured in your McMansion with Mummy holding your hand as you sob, If Only!

Yep. Biggest load of crap PR spin i heard. When asked why Caddy and himself only wanted GC to deal with Essendon when he had more chance to come home by opening himself to all clubs. Said it was a delicate situation with Caddy's family. Hoped for some compassionate ground but didn't want to complicate things with other clubs. RRRRRight. How is it complicated? Caddy wants to come home. He should be happy to play for any vic team that satisfies GC.

unlike everyone else on this forum, I still believe him, that he wouldn't decide until the end of the season, and that he hadn't talked until the end of the season, and there is no evidence from managers or him that he didnt stick to his word. If any of you were offered such ridiculous amounts of money, and with no guaranteed fitness with a dodgy knee, playing for a club you hadn't even barracked for as a kid, how could you resist. Would you stay in your current job if offered millions to join another company? So stop this [censored], please. But I did boo each time his name came up on brownlow night!

It's also been said that the Dees being successful in luring Clark to the club has made Jim ecstatic. This can only be a good thing and shouldn't be underestimated, because a little joy for Jim at this current time, means a very big deal to everyone that loves the MFC.

I love the optimists on demonland, but I wish some had a realists approach too. Clark is a fantastic pickup. Quality 23 year old who can play forward and ruck and now with him and Jamar, we have a solid ruck/forward combo. In regards to Stef Martin. All this talk of him having a breakout season. I hope people mean it was a season in which we saw some solid improvement from a an athletic basketballer who is still very much learning the game. There is no way in hell we can rely on him to hold down a position like CHF or CHB. He got a lot of game time because of depleted ruck stocks last year and the guy showed some improvement which I would have thought is a given considering the amount of hours the coaching team have put into him. Martin is no natural footballer. He still has an extremely suss kicking style, is still understanding positional movement and lacks hardness and aggression. There is no way we can stick him at CHF and expect to even hold his own against good sides. I'm happy to persist with him and for him to continue to develop as a footballer but he is never going to set the world on fire and I'm really not pumping my own tyres up here but if you have played the game to a reasonably high standard it's pretty easy to see this. Jamar and Clark - Ruck/forward Martin - Backup incase one of the big fellers go down including Frawley/Riv. Gawn and Fitz - Injury free years and developing at Casey. * I'm not saying don't play Martin/Gawn/Fitz. Obviously if their form warrants a game we should reward them but they all still need lots and lots of development. Even Martin.

His name will always be Sully to me. We did nothing but try our best to accommodate and nurture him, and in the end shown his true colours as a lier and betrayer of trust. He effectively used us for free medical treatment on his ailing knee. Shown signs of apathy and indifference and looked unwilling to try to fit in with the team, Sully is a cold-hearted customer with an eye for cash at the expense of ultimate football glory. His name will always be smirched. I hope he can find comfort in his cash, as we are going places and he traded his ticket for a bag of money. I don't know how he can sleep at night knowing he [censored] all over the club, his team mates and Stynes. Thanks for the compo picks dog. Enjoy the dodgy knee.. I've heard it will either stay dodgy, or get worse. So have fun with that.

I was on to his case from the very beginning. I have no problem with a player being seduced by such a handsome offer but the way he was treating us made my blood boil. As I was saying back in April he should have done the honourable thing and stood down or resigned once the cat was out of the bag. He still kept taking our money despite having 2 million available upfront from GWS and then malingered for the whole season. And how embarrassing it must have been for his team mates to be trotted out to the media every week to tell the world about his virtues. Bitter medicine for us but worth it because he is now gone. I hope we can gain strength from this humiliation. I imagine he will enjoy the cloistered life at the GWS monastery. Looks the part with his shaved head and his obsessive ways. And has demonstrated he can maintain a vow of silence. He can now train 18 hours a day but to ensure he does not get too comfortable I bet he sleeps on a bed of football boot studs.

I just think there's a more logical explanation than abuction by Giants, Mulder.

We have one of, if not the worst midfields in the competition. We don't come close to Carlton, Geelong, Stkilda of Collingwood. Our defence is strong, with Frawley and Garland 2 10-year stars to base a defence around. Our forward line has the makings to be great as well, with huge talent in Jurrah, Watts and Petterd, Clarke also makes a big difference. However, until we get a great midfield we will not make the 8. In my opinion, we need to add two bona fide stars (I'm talking Pendlebury & Thomas quality) IN ADDITION to our current crop to become a great midfield. Hopefully we trade our 2 Scully Compo picks for a midfield star + Viney could do to the trick nicely? Sylvinator from The Netherlands!

Absolutely correct. He is not 'one of the quickest', he IS the quickest, and as such will reinvent the big wing/goal kicking forward role. For all those concerned about our midfield, remember that next year is an extra year of maturity for those who have been just developing, particularly Gysberts, Trengove and McKenzie, whose games will be more rounded, and more resilient. Nathan Jones begins his peak form years next year, and a fit Rohan Bail and Michael Evans will give us so much more flexibility. If Moloney holds form (and I think he'll get better as he has to shoulder less of the load), and Neeld can get consistency from Sylvia, then I think we can relax about the midfield. As a bit of a smokey, I have a suspicion Matthew Bate may be looked at as a midfielder now. Logically, that is the only reason we would require him, and to be fair to him, he tore it up at Casey in the midfield, and was BOG in the only game he played there for the Dees. If it worked, it would be an amazing reinvention. As to Stefan Martin, he is a better all round footballer than Mark Jamar, and I actually see him as our no.1 mobile ruckman next year, unless Neeld puts Martin at CHB, which admittedly he would absolutely own. Mark Jamar needs to develop a higher possession game, because his tap-rucking can be a little one-dimensional, and was too easily sharked this year, and he gave us nothing around the ground. I also worry that he is still injury prone. The Mitch Clark get is a HUGE coup for the Dees........when does the season start??????????

I like the look of this! Maybe swap Martin and Watts around though? Then Watts can go back to CHB when Martin is needed in the Ruck and Jamar can rest up forward? Its great to see how many options have opened up with the addition of just one player. Great pick up Dees!!!

I agree, I think he has a huge role to play for many years to come. will be in our starting 22 most weeks I'd say. We need to get a few games into big Gawn along the way too. He will perfect to take over from Jamar as number one ruckman in a few years time.

The alternative is to look at trading Jamar in 2012 or 2013 and building our ruck stocks around Gawn (and Martin). Keeping Jamar and losing Gawn is like repeating the White/Jolly scenario.

Martin will do far more than struggle for a game!!! Geez he was one shining light from an awful 2011..... Talented Boy.

A take most interesting Yoda...Deep but ultimately right!!!

.......cough........cough...........i'm in agreeance with RobbieF on this one! I have seen nothing factual to suggest Cameron has done anything but bleed for our club and try to put them in the strongest position possible. Whether he overstepped or not- no one here knows and will unlikely ever know. But what we know is that ever since 186 and more importantly, in the last 4 weeks, our club has shown that it can be strong, decisive, get their men on multiple occasions and will do whatever it takes to achieve it's goals. All without a leak in sight. I will keep beating the same drum- i have absolute faith in the current administration of this club and what they are working to achieve. I have not seen one reason to think otherwise.

Bingo.

Blease off HB is potentially a real weapon. I would not be suprised if sylvia can be re invented as a real goer in the engine room as well. If so, him along with moloney and jones and eventually viney can inject some real muscle around the ball. Sylvia is a bit lazy around the ball at times but if neeld can give him a good kick up the **** the side has some real inside strength

I do not understand why Dun's name keeps coming up in these discussions! One of the few big bodies we have that regularly kicks goals from outside 50m and is willing to get up the nose of the opposition. His report was a moment of craziness this year, but there are a few head of him - there is no way that Newton could be retained again!

But a player is always given additional value when he has yet to display that he is ordinary at AFL level

Surely Maric is delisted, then we delist Wona with the thought of picking him up again as a rookie. It'd be cruel to delist Joel Mac. Is supurb back up and just a class act and genuine good bloke to have around the club.

I don't think we have either. Posted this thought on the Mitch Clark thread but worth pasting here ... What many of the media numbskulls can't get through their heads is that the $600 grand plus a year (if that's accurate) we're paying for him is money spent not only on the player, but also on a much needed marketing and morale boost for the club. So we threw an extra hundred grand a year at him than most thought we should. So what! It was time for our club to be bold.

What can we do with pick 39 that we can't do with bate? i'd keep bate.

Hell -- I hadn't really appreciated that that trio, who must, sadly, be amongst the most thyped yet greatest underachievers in a long time all came down in the same shower. How really disappointing. I guess one big question to answer is -- how did we get them all so wrong in the one year, or was it some systemic inability to develop talent? If the latter, thankfully we have had a huge turnover off field and things can only get better.

Should we check with Paul Johnson to see if its OK? Only kidding. Indeed. Paul Wheatley was blood sucking money grabber.

Ah,amazing how a recent premiership player who's only played a few seasons is deemed not worthy for us so easily. We sure have big tickets on ourselves. Must be his bad hair.

I would have both of ours before McCaffer.

Played like Superman for one quarter against North. Unfortunately one quarter in 7 years ain't quite enough. Curtains.

One thing I hadn't thought of through all the excitement of getting Clark is that he is a great backup if Juice Newton breaks down.

this kid will get a huge reception we he first runs out on the G! Can't wait!