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Just another case of the AFL having their cake and eating it to. Wouldn't GWS nominating Viney with Pick 1 when he isn't considered the no. 1 kid in the country also draft tampering??? And what about the alleged Victorian clubs lobbying GWS and GC to nominate Viney, surely that's draft tampering also? So either all are cases of draft tampering or none are. Absolute rubbish if we can;t arrange a deal like that!

That's part of why he is going public now - to garner interest from other clubs before his currency drops due to a poor season. Now it is tinged with him being unhappy and seeking greener pastures. Fine with me. But as far as I'm concerned, "We are on a straight line and he can f*** off to Essendon, to wherever. We are on a straight line and will not deviate."

Is any team "in the window" going to pay big bucks for a midfielder who doesn't show up against top teams? Goo luck to him.

and make it a line in the snow

no i'm not proposing we revert to old system. I can't imagine why you thought i would be proposing that. the f/s rule was always seen as somewhat f a "bonus" to clubs and a token towards tradition the old system was just too cheap and was rightly scrapped the new system is full of iniquities, imagine if we finished say 4th, We'd get jv for about pick 16 instead of around pick 3 so why is that the more successful a club is the cheaper the pick for a (high rated) FS? Is this equitable? A better system would be an independent panel rate all the FSs and the club then uses its next highest pick based on that rating that way you always pay unders (even if only slight) on the current system which encourages mischief we look like being the first club to pay overs for a FS

Ahh, the old negotiate by media stunt. One of the most annoying aspects of professional sport.

I'll fess up, right now my morale regarding the footy is at the lowest it's ever been. I go week-in, week-out, but don't even put out the hope that we'll get a win. I'm looking for performances from the younger guys and hoping we don't get flogged too badly. I know long-term it's going to be a good thing, yada yada, but by god it's depressing now. What a win would do for me...

Because this is an online mental hospital for Melbourne fans who have lost the plot ( and the novel). Tappy is redundant Stef Martin is gone-missed a few game-trade him. Watt is basically retarded Trengove too slow Jamar too old This time last year Jones wasnt going to be good enough. Blah Blah Blah.

"Breathe in ... hhhhhhhhmmm ..... Breathe out ... hhhaaaaaaaa .... relaaaaxxxx .... You are getting very sleeeeeepy. Soon you will bliiiiiiissfully ignore the fact you're sitting 0-6 and below the Suns on the ladder. Your midfield is actually muuuuuuch better than the stats suggest. Breathe in ... hhhhhhhhmmm ..... Breathe out ... hhhaaaaaaaa .... relaaaaxxxx."

Note to Brent: The best way to attract a good deal from an AFL club is to ... you know ... play some decent footy against good opposition. Shopping yourself out in the media in early May smacks of desperation.

WYL, here's challenge. Just say one positive thing about Melbourne. One tiny little thing. It can't be that hard.

Jamar is worth more to the club than Moloney in the next 3 years.

Yes, and when Damian Barrett's bird face asks Gubby Allan and Scott Clayton why they didn't bid for Viney, they can just say 'we are pretty happy with the prospects at Pick 1(2) and we didn't feel that Jack was in that category.' Off to trade week - put Pick 3 into the 17 year old draft. We get one for our trouble, GC gets one for shutting up, and GWS gets Pick 3 and some vegies. Everyone goes home happy and the entire football world can kiss my ring.

Anyone noticed the Hun reporters come here get an idea and then use it to get a story.

Essendon will be the main player. They need another bullocking midfielder.

Mmmm. Well, "if"Moloney has indeed given his management his blessing to shop around, I would think our recruiting team would be negligent to find out GWS' interest in Moloney. Perhaps an arrangement of sorts will enable a non bid for Viney.

Exactly, more hypocrisy And I would have thought that e.g. GWS nominating JV in the FS draft if he wasn't a no. 1 prospect and they preferred another could be seen as draft tampering also. Doing a deal with GWS just to bid "honestly" is hardly draft tampering Show some balls MFC and threaten AFL with court action (won't happen of course)

Hate to break it to you, but all of this is wild optimism and far too many 'ifs'. It all sounds nice, but ignores the fact that they have game breakers all over the park and we suck.

22 vs 22. We can win. The dawks don't have a match for clarke. So if jamar and moloney can win plenty of centre clearances and allow the dangerous Sylvia and davey to crumb off the long bomb, it gives us a forward potency similar to roughhead, Cyril and Osborne. I believe garland or frawley can stop Franklin and I would play bennell on Cyril. Mckenzie can stop Mitchell, hodge is out and moloney and sewell can do battle. Trengove should equal Lewis and jones and magner can scrap for the hard pill. Play Howe at chf, bate and dunne on the flanks for the long goal, and we have plenty of avenues going forward. We need to play tapscott for raw strength and grimes can carve up the backline. Most of all, we need to 'click'.

You cant be fair dinkum about Sellar? I'd rather Dunn in the ruck then Sellar. He simply doesn't touch the football. Pretty sure it's handy to have a bloke who can get the pill every now and then. Sellar's only highlights have been when Gerad Healy gave him a bake on the couch and when Mitch clark Smashes through him to take a grab.

To any melbourne fan who has not yet got a membership please show your passion for this club by getting a membership today. We have had a hard start to the year but mark neeld is showing our players what a strong club is made off. If BIG JIM was still with us we all know he would be very proud to know that all demons fans belive in his vision for our great club to get 40,000 members. Im sure some fans dont have the money to buy a membership but im sure you can talk to the club to get a 3 game membership or do what my family does and get a direct debit membership, I have a Trident membership and im not Rich but when you pay $35 a month it's not so hard and if you got just a normal membership it would be maybe $20 a month. And it is cheaper for Concessions card holders. So please all true demon fans get on board now because if you want to be the best the more money and members you have the stronger your club will be. So dont sit back and wait for the good time's make sure you can say when the chips were down i was there for the club i love. That shows a true fan of the red and blue in my eyes. We all know the demons will have there day soon. 1300 DEMONS OR GO TO THE MFC WEBSITE.

Just a heads up that I understand the game this week will be the ABC televised game. If so, it will be the first time this year after seven rounds that the Scorpions will be featuring either on television or radio despite the fact that they're 5-1). Of course, it makes the day an easy one for me because more people will be posting their views and the scores and I can relax a bit

...and then GWS bid for Viney anyway and when we try and cry foul GWS says 'we never made any deal'.

He kinda reminds me of a slinky descending down some steps.... Lots of movement, but no real speed. But I digress...

Yeah-all those clearances they get as a duo give me the irrits. move em on.

True. And that's why I supported the decision and still do. It was the right one at the time.

The prospect of JV burning it up at another club would be too much to bear. If we miss out on the next Judd because we stayed loyal to a favourite son's son (who is ranked top 10 anyway) then I can live with that.

Two random thoughts: 1. Who was the last top 10 pick under 180cms? 2. If Jack's bout of OP worsens late in the year and the medical opinion is he needs a break, what is stopping him not nominating for the draft until the following year? Sorry, there's been some leftfield, fanciful suggestions in this thread - I just thought I'd add to it!

Wasn't Luke Ball and Colllingwood 'tampering with the draft process'? I'm sick of us getting shafted. RR made the point that we couldn't have matched the GW$ deal for Juda$ - doesn't help when the AFL didn't even let us into the ballpark. Carlton made a deal with Judd, but no, because it's Melbourne the loophole can be closed. Collingwood got away with draft tampering, but oh no, because it's Melbourne they can't do it. Whose soup did we spit in to get white-anted like this?

why are we all talking like he has left already?? He is one of the most consistent players we have had the last few years, and, i think, one of the most loved by supporters. lets all take a deep breath

a yellow line?

Maurie we want our cake and to eat it! If there is a way to take JV with our 2nd rounder we should pursue it ruthlessly and leave no stones unturned I'm sure other (successful) clubs like Essendon, Collingwood, Carlton would It's a 2 percenter issue

I have a real problem with this also. GWS had the choice to put a team on the park that would be competitive immediately but instead they went down the youth path to try and punish us all in 5 years or so. The fact they suck hard now by going down this path shouldn't allow them to just fill their boots with more high picks of the priority variety.

Measured by the D.I.S. meter.

That is how i see it. Viney is a top draft pick. No use trying to deny. Moment we enticed him from Adelaide that was a given. Top draft picks are to entice the best. Use it. Tom $cully not with standing, who was clearly not the best footballer in the country iin 2009. He was the best con artist by far. I wait for Jack Viney to smack Tom $cully in coming years.

I can't believe that this post has slid by with barely a snifter of reaction!! This is the first "official" notice from the club (that I have seen) in regards to what they might do if the situation we are all taking about happens. And what does it say/imply? That the club would consider not picking JV if we had pick 3 and he was only rated top-10! OK, you and I know that they have every intention of getting JV if possible, but Neeld is very clearly here starting the media game of creating doubt in the mind of GWS and GC. This is exactly what Olisik and myself, and some other posters, have said the club would do, and lays to waste the ridiculous posts that some have been putting forward where they claim to have inside knowledge that the club rates him as near enough to a number 1 pick and will be happy to pay anything for him. Again, all the club has to do is create enough doubt in the minds of GWS and GC that they might potentially lose their top 2 pick and have to use a just top-10 pick instead. And, now, the club is starting to do that. Thank you, Neeld.

Viney was best on ground, as an underage player, in the TAC Grand Final and I think people forget that, he will be worth what we pay for him, whether that is 2, 3 or 23 remains to be seen but he will be playing for Melbourne next year and that's that.

Bingo. Playing for draft picks will kill us. IMO we the MFC has to start building our list the way the Sydney Swans do it. Sustained finals appearances. Otherwise we are in grave danger.

Our ruck back up is Max Gawn, a man coming off 2 knee reco's.Spencer isn't up to it, Martin is only a back up and it remains to be seen if he's a good one at that and it's way too early to tell if Fitzpatrick can make it or not. Even if he does he might be more of a backup than a starting ruck. I don't want to lose the one position we actually are competitive in and I don't want to weaken our midfield one bit considering it is a major struggle currently.

maybe we can borrow Dermie's line in the sand

Jack Viney will be a gun looking at his current form. We have to pay tops for him. What's the problem? Just get the deal done. What a nothing story. You can't hide it. We signed him up to keep Adelaide away.

Moloney can leave to be honest - he's a flat track bully who seems to be part of the problem and not the solution. He'll get 40 posessions and 22 clearances against Gold Coast when he is not tagged. However, as soon as a decent team tag him he goes missing every time! It seems he is walking around with a chip on his shoulder. The fact that he was overlooked by 2 kids for the Captaincy and couldn't make the leadership group says to me that the playing group and coaching staff have little to no faith in him as a leader.

We could send him undercover and he could just hurt players in the intra club matches! Imagine Gws #1 draft pick jack viney destroys smaller Gws recruits in intra club match, leaving their list decimated! But seriously if he was picked up by one of them what is to stop him having compassionate leave or not resigning on after his initial two years. The other thing is we could trade our first round pick from next year for him, as otherwise they would get nothing

at the end of this weekend it is more than likely we will be second from the bottom. if gws and gc play out a draw we will be stone motherless last. a sobering thought.

Wasnt it Beamer who was castigating, filthy on Brock for wanting to seek greener pastures ? The reality is the environment inwhichplayers seek to earn a crust is about to change dramatically with free-agency. Some will go, some will stay and others will arrive. The grass will still be green and the sun will still rise and we all soldier on regardless. Its a profession, its their jobs and they can do what they like ( within reason ) Id like to keep the Russian.. Id like to get decent compensation for Moloney...Id also like to win Lotto. Life can be disappointing sometimes..lol

Argh!!! You are so frustrating!!! Stop contradicting yourself- Viney is worth our first round pick. Whether we have pick 10, 5 or 1- Viney is worth it. We CANNOT pay "OVERS" for Viney as he is invaluable to us! How can you not understand that no matter what number the pick we use on Viney ends up being, we will not be paying overs? He is solid, and he is already a demon. Get this "overs" notion out of your head. And nobody thinks anything is "ok coz we have the compo pick," we all realise this is a seperate issue.

Go the biff

Don't think your efforts aren't greatly appreciated though, KC.

Because in his 4th year I don't see any improvement when it comes to his physicality in marking contests. Once again, I need to stress, this isn't a "crash and bash" request, this is simply wanting Watts to compete at an acceptable level in the hardest physical position on the ground. You seem to think that it will be easy to fix. I don't. In fact I've seen enough of his DNA to doubt he ever will, well not to the levels required of a CHF. He may be able to carve out a reasonable career in defence, or up the ground, but I judge him on his capacity to impact games as a key forward. And I suspect the coach does too. About 8 or so years ago on the old Demonland site I was very critical of Aaron Davey getting a top 3 placement in the B&F. I was roundly condemned for my stance, but for me Davey was soft and whilst he had a good year there was no way I'd reward a player that didn't go in nearly hard enough with such a high ranking. Daniher never set a standard for Davey and basically was saying to Davey and his teammates that it's ok not to put your head over the ball. Davey's pitiful effots in the hardness stakes also stemmed from the mind and they remain to this day. Footy is about standards and non negotiables. Someone on here said that Watts was having a crack. Clearly it's very difficult for me to have any influence on someone's opinion when we view Watts' efforts so differently. Every time I bring up a skinny 19 year old Cameron and his manic attack on an aerial contest, or a skinny Nate Fyfe, or even a lightly framed Jack Riewoldt, I'm met with the same banal comments about Watts needing time, etc. One day people will realise that Watts simply doesn't have the appetite for an aggressive marking contest. Even in juniors he relied on his guile and speed. He's never played the way he'll need to in the AFL. I also accept that he'll need confidence in his body and strength to undertake a more physical approach, but it's not just confidence, it's knowing that he needs to change the way he approaches contests. That's going to take a massive shift in mindset, not to mention much time. So, while we're in furious agreement that it's all in the mind when it comes to Watts, we're in furious disagreement when it comes to how easily he'll be able to change it. Well, certainly to the levels I'd find acceptable and the levels he'd need to get to to impact games consistently as a key forward. There is a reason that Watts is viewed as soft in the AFL community. People that have been involved in the game can spot a timid approach a mile away. The ball is in Watts' court to change it. It won't be easy, hence the doom and gloom.

I'm liking Cale's new physicality. He will never be big and will always have skinny arms but what has impressed me recently is his willingness for the contest. He is listed at 87kg which incidently, is the same weight as Moloney. Yes, I know that he is 4 inches taller than Moloney, but 87kgs is a fair mass to stop when it is running at you, skinny arms or not. I expect that Cale has developed a pretty strong core because, unlike Jack Watts atm, Cale usually maintains his footing. My biggest worry is still his kicking under pressure, and I have stated many times before, he has a flawed kicking action with a very iffy ball-drop (no peurile comments please). It requires him to be very balanced and when in traffic this is difficult. However, I have been very encouraged by his recent form.