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I have watched these boards go into meltdown for the last 4-5 years... "Why do we always draft kids that we have to wait to see the best of" "Why can't we draft anyone thats ready to go". Ï'm sick of being on a development curve" We have been let down by our lack of leadership for many years We have been let down by our mid/older players who have not provided guidance, leadership or backbone for our kids. Moloney gone, Green gone, Rivers probably gone, Davey and Sylvia dropped this year - what does this tell you about our past leaders at the club ? So Neeld comes in and lands us a premiership small forward/mid fielder who is ready to go, a premiership CHF who is ready to go and will straighten us up ( and apparently reeks leadership and work ethic which we have sorely been missing) and is looking to bring in more ready to go players and some posters are upset that we are trading away our draft picks ? I think Hogan could be a beauty but he is 17 - dont expect too much too early ( Jonno Patton - the next big thing - how was his first year ?). Viney looks he will be a man child from day one but that is an exception. Whether this strategy works and falls flat I say - more power to you Mr Neeld - you will not die wondering and have my full support !

This may be a bit early but I want to thank the Melbourne Football club for showing that Aggression is still part of our Club I have been a supporter for a long long time now and I cannot remember a time in recent history where I have been impressed by the way the MFC has approached a trade period such as this with a obvious plan and the aggression and determination to go after what they want the way they have this time around .in this draft period Its my belief that we may actually be beggining to make some progress. At least I now I feel I have something to look forward to again and I believe our time frame has been reduced as a result of this recruitment as to us becoming a real contender . It will still take some time but as a supporter at least for now I can say I am happy to see the way we are heading and my faith in Neeld and the whole MFC team has been reinvigorated. Yes we still have to perform on the field but now I believe we have the players to form the structure needed to do just that and the trade period still isnt over . Maybe too early to say happy days are here again but the clouds are certainly clearing

Saw this great post by a Saints supporter on BF. Dawes jumper:

For those who expected we would be going all out to improve our midfield at all cost rather than yet more KPP's there is one very critical statistic that Neeld mentioned at season's end that seems to have fallen under the radar. Since round 11 we have broken even in inside 50's. This is a massive transformation. Probably the most significant improvement in the team's game since before Daniher left. So if that is already on the improve and we add in the mid's we are getting, we are going to need a Dawes more than any midfielder we could get at pick 20. In the context of the list and how the team is playing it looks like a bit of a no brainer. Even if we have clearly had to pay overs.

Hi Nudge Firstly thanks for your "inside info posts" very enjoyable, of course anyone would be naive to think many or most trades and delistings would come to fruition. as like all clubs the mfc would have a plan of attack and see what transpires. I for one (and probably speak for majority demonlanders) would be dissapointed if you no longer felt you wanted to contribute to this forum.

We are building our list the way it should have been under Bailey/Daniher etc but never was. If you look at Gold Coast and GWS they have fallen for the same trap as we did and have recruited mainly kids who, whilst being good players, don't have the maturity to get you in to and win finals. I'm happy that we didn't just go out and pick another 6 or so 18yo kids who would probably turn out to be ok but not great because they wouldn't have any one to lead them. I've never been a fan of Joel Mac but I'll give him one thing, when he came to Melbourne he was probably the hardest "at the ball player" we had and he was just an ordinary player at Brisbane. It just showed me that our team was made up of kids and some soft Senior players, we were going nowhere but hopefully now we will. Neeld is righting the ship, adding experience and toughness in to a side that has lacked it for years.

Nudge's OP in his first thread ranks as the most "liked" post since we brought the like system in and the OP in this thread ranks 9th. Honestly, if he can't take a pot shot or two in amongst what is highest rated content in the entire site, he must have the world's thinnest skin.

Funny... I live amongst filth, that and two very good mates are filthy too. Neither is particularly laughing. A comment from one is actually interesting : " seems clearer what you guys are doing than what Bucks is !!" Funny one can actually see what many here cant. The exchange of picks is not a cop out to us, it wont matter. It was a nothing pick to us. We get Dawes, and still have a pick if we want. Its all lucky dip down there anyways. "you guys are going to be hard to man up on now!!" thats the thing 2+2 = 5 ; some dont get it

No, not quite yet. We all know actions on the footy field speak far louder than the actions off- field however for the first team since arguably late 80's early 90's I'm sensing something from the outside that hasn't been smelt for years. Fear. Tell me the last time you had a friend say Wow Melbourne are having a dip. Tell me the last time we've been this aggressive and unrelenting in the trade period. Neeld and co. are bringing change to the MFC and boy is it refreshing! After 2 and a half weeks of the trade period, and really 22 weeks of the AFL season Melbourne were knocked pillar to post by the media, and rather than other years were the spotlight was taken off us due to other clubs equal ineptitude, we forced them to back up. Denham, Bartlett & Barrett all look like absolute fools because we have shown players we do have a light at the end of the tunnel, and we are an attractive proposition; finally. The most important thing for the club is to get supporters and members on side. I'd argue we have done too much in the 5-10 years in bringing this club off it's knees to a self-sufficient unit. Now was the MFC's time to deliver back to us. I'm so impressed to see we're not going to die trying. I made the thread earlier in the off-season saying the 8 next year is not out of realms of probability. It's still highly unlikely, but the pulse is beating again at AAMI Park. The moves the Football Department have made will set up Melbourne Football Club to have a crack with the big guys in a 3-7 year period, it's now the responsibility of the players and the coaches to develop and grow together and bring the Red and the Blue what we so desperately yearn for. Can anyone else feel the quivering?

I think Chris Dawes is still overseas but can we get a photo of him in a MFC jumper asap. I am already jack of seeing him in a pies jumber on the MFC web site. Hurry I am going crazy!

Here we go again! You do this every year. Stop being so bloody defensive. IT IS THE INTERNET. Now start another thread this afternoon with some more rumours. If I tell people to do something, they do it. I assume.

Given our needs, I think Dawes is an absolute bargain at pick 20. For those not sharing this view, the bottom line has to be this - no longer can any opposition coach seek to triple team Clark to neutralise our entire forward line. It now has dimensionality - Clark, Dawes and Byrnes in addition to several other options (eg, Sylvia, Howe, Davey etc) rotating through now make our forward line difficult to match up on. Last season it was a rabble. On any construction, this is an unbelievable transformation, the likes of which I've never seen before for this club during a draft period. I don't expect there's anyone happier in Australia than our number 11 at the moment - he could win AA selection next year on the back of this draft period. Fingers crossed that we now land Wines with pick 4, Pederson and one of Ray or Broughton. If we do, the football department has just delivered us a perfect 10.

We are no longer the hunted.....WE ARE THE HUNTER!!! I am 28 years old and have been a Dees supporter since the tender age of 8. I can NEVER remember a time in that period we have been so agressive at the trade table. We have secured our twin towers for the next 5-10 years with Clark, Dawes and Hogan Picked up a premiership forward pocket in Shannon Byrnes AND....I get to see another Viney run around in a headband ;-) Now if you will excuse me...I need to go clean myself up!

Bundling players. Hmmmph. 0+0+0+0 still equals 0.

Another thing I like about the experience that's come into the club with Clark, Byrnes & now Dawes is that they generally play up to a certain standard week in week out. This is something we haven't had from our experienced players since we lost Junior & to a lesser extent Bruce (who, for all his deficiencies, was at least consistent), leaving us with experienced players who could be great one week and awful the next - Moloney, Davey & Sylvia in particular, and to some extent Rivers & Jamar. You expect young players to be up & down in their level of performance from game to game, and rely on experienced players to make a consistent strong performance in every game to keep you in the contest, no matter who you play against. Looking at the top teams, there's probably a critical mass of maybe 8 or 10 players who can be relied on to do this. In 2011, we relied on Clark (for half the season), Jones, Grimes & Trengove for consistent strong performance, who were just overwhelmed by the numbers on the other side. But adding Dawes & Byrnes to this group, and continued improvement from the likes of Sylvia (whose consistency improved thru the season) & Jamar & hopefully Frawley & perhaps even Watts, it's likely that we'll get much closer to that critical mass, and therefore we'll be in more games for longer, with a better chance of winning. So Dawes & Byrnes bring consistency & reliability, in addition to leadership & professionalism & structure.

Hi level humor there boys, loving your insightful contributions! You forgot to mention random tweets by searching"demons trade", my very favorite resource! Feel free not to read anytime I don't know how many times I need to clarify that all I do is type the things I hear in my workplace, using a min 2 source rule as the only filter. It seems while many appreciate the info, (of which many were never mentioned in any media before here & have afterwards mind you, not that I really concern myself with that but its accurate) & have the adequate IQ to both understand how to take it, whilst also being fully aware of just how many deals/swaps/players/picks etc get mooted about by AFL clubs, Managers, players etc at this time of year - thus knowing that at best, 1-2% of all discussed deals will ever get past mild discussion, let alone actually be submitted - thats just how it is! So that'll do from me, as I said when I returned this year - I wanted to give some info to those who would enjoy it & being a mad Demons man, I know how much I like hearing all the random football scuttlebutt from people in the business. So, Iam done reading snide remarks from members of this board (albeit few) & wasting my time responding - so Its time I bid farewell! cheers

At the time of Neeld's appointment the holes in our list were obvious- we had no forward target, very scarce midfield class and no rebounding defender. I feel those were our holes. The forward line now has targets; Clark, Dawes, Hogan (2014) and Byrnes. Holes plugged, forward line fixed. The midfield now has Viney and pick #4 (hopefully Wines) and possibly a trade which is yet to happen. Although still a work in progress the addition of Viney and pick 4 should not be underestimated. All of a sudden Jones isn't the sole target of the opposition, and if Trengove can find his burst again our midfield is back to being at least competitive. The midfield holes aren't plugged yet, but they are definitely on our way. Midfield mended and on the improve. The backline has been seen by many to be the strongest line in our team. We have a mix to cover most forward lines and with the revelation which has been Tommy Mac, and Watts new found form as a floating backman of sorts, we now find ourselves with an embarrassment of riches tall backs. Rivers can be considered excess stock now. I feel we still lack a genuine small back that can break lines and shut down opposition smalls. I don't think we have this covered right now, although I can see Barry doing this. Much water to go under the bridge before we can assess that though. So in my view the only holes in our list right now is a rebounding small back with pace and accuracy, and one or two more classy mids. I think 3 holes now (1 defender 2 classy mids), as opposed to 8 (IMO) when Neeld started is much better. There aren't as many holes in our bucket dear Liza anymore.

Saying Trengove is not a walk up start for me is where is stopped reading

No, you usually associate that with Meth Coast.

I'm cautious, there will be improvement there is no doubt we will be older and fitter and have bigger bodies. Neeld and the new FD have turned the club upside down and it will take time just hope we can all see the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer but still a bit off. He gave the list a chance for 12 months had a look and now it is his team, getting in the bigger bodies required to play his brand, who knows with the bigger bodies around them and a decent pre season in them some of the skinnier kids may flourish. I also expect improvement in Trenners, Blease, Grimes & Howe so whilst I think the future is bright , we are not back, we are on the way back. But at least we have made a statement and had a line in the sand moment this pre season. As John Kennedy said "Don't think, Do". And Neeld has done the "Do" so at lease we wont die wondering. I believe it may take another year but he will deliver on his promise of making us a very hard side to play against and for that reason if he is available Wines is a monty to us at pick 4. Go Dees

Bailey would have asked the player who they wanted.

Honestly no. What I hear is people scoffing that we have spent pick 20 on Dawes and lured a 'hack' in Shannon Byrnes to the club. But when I hear them laugh at these sorts of things I think 'Just you wait until next year, because we won't be a joke anymore, we might just beat your team', and I feel better and I have more faith. For the record I think everything Neeld and co have done so far is fantastic and I can't wait for next season just to prove some of these smug pr**ks wrong.

He would still see your posts even if you had him on ignore.

If I could find the ignore button I would.

Our first live pick is pick 4. And we've got Jack in the back pocket at pick 26. Two of the best 5 midfielders in this draft. It has been described as a top draft for midfielders, and also has been described as a Superdraft by some quarters although as the season has panned out that has been retracted by experts as a draft not as super as first thought, but with quality at the pointy end - of which we've got 3 picks (including Hogan) overall.

The reality bus is with us. We cannot have another year at the bottom, It's simple. We will be a basket case if that happens. We need to get competitive and quickly. Neeld has clearly decided the cattle he has contains glaring weaknesses. And there was no senior leadership at the club. He wasn't going to get stuck with someone else's list. Might as well get shot for his own list that he has control over and who will do what he wants. For that I applaud him. Free agency means we have an opportunity to dramatically reshape our list in a way that was not available previously. Its not quite North Melbourne circa 1975 but it has similarities. We wil be a dramatically different team in 2013 and that is a good thing. Whether that means we will pay for it in 4 years time because we lack young talent coming through is something I can live with now. I can't do another year like 2012. I'd give it away I reckon.

Melbourne supporters... [media=]

pick 20 might be overs for most clubs, but he is a big key forward, which are hard to get and something we badly need. He has physical presence which is something we also lack. He also has valuable experience which is something we also lack. He is obviously ready to go without years of development, so should help us WIN GAMES NOW which is really important for the club. That is not to say he is a short term solution as he probably has a good 6 years left in him, he is the perfect age for us. The only relevant thing is what we could have got with pick 20, and you know for certain that player would not have ticked ANY of the above boxes. Worth every bit of pick 20 FOR US

Pick 4 Hogan Barry Viney Dawes Byrnes That is a seriously impressive haul. Hard to believe the difference Scully's desertion has made, it has turned out to be a godsend

I remember people said something similar after the Cook draft. I agree, I am happy with the aggressive way the club has gone about it, but let's review in a few years.

And I am not flush with what seemed like an unending supply 20 years ago. I am in no rush to start the 2013 season Deeoldfart it will mean another 4 months of my life will have flashed by. I am happy to take our time to get to late March. I am going to enjoy the preseason and all the positive spin the club puts out between now and then In the knowledge we will not lose one game over the next three months Only positives ahead while I wait.

Is this Demonland or Punt Road End?? You don't win games in October. Nobody fears us, nor should they. Nor should it matter. and we most certainly aren't back. we've been dug out of the rubble, taken to the hospital and out of ICU. still on long way to go to full health. Lets win some games first and all the periphery stuff will fall into place.

We are weird lot us Dees supporters. For most of us, season 2012 couldn't end quickly enough, and now, just a few weeks later, many of us can't wait 'till the start of season 2013. We are wishing our bloody lives away, but just you gotta love our resilience and spirit!

Nudge rocks...

Half as ugly, but.

dawes > bate + dunn + pettered + any other mfc

Just reviewing our mids and re-read this on Taggert who has yet to play a game 187cm 85kgs Taggert is a strong midfielder who recorded a 14.8 beep test at the Draft Combine and was rated third in the vertical leap and in the top 10 for the clean hands test. Is a good athlete and penetrating kick but will need time to adjust to the pace and pressures of AFL football. The Horsham product moved to St Pat’s College Ballarat in his final year of school to play for the North Ballarat Rebels. If he can get his body right he could fit right in there with Viney, Pick 4, Grimes, Howe, Jones, Trengove, Jordie etc

I was a fan of the trade from the start because we have traded in a B-grade (not knocking him) 24-year-old KPF whose value has never been lower. If he turns into a premier lead up forward (even Brad Miller nailed it occasionally), he will have Howe, Clark and eventually Hogan to deliver it to. I honestly believe that could be one of the best forward lines in the game. It's been a long time since we had two legitimate KPF up-front. Mark Neeld hinted he was going to go beserk this trading period and f**k me, it's been a lot of fun.

if you are dying of thirst, how much is a drink of water worth? Our scoring has been drying up and we need someone to kick goals so it was a fair price for us but may be overs for a club that has a solid forward line, it's all relevant and to be quite honest who gives a [censored] what anyone on BigFooty has to say? Let them rabbit on, we'll see who is right when the season begins to unfold.

These's hacks we have picked up will bring the younger guys into the game, show them what is all about and turn this club around faster. For the record I don,t believe we have picked badly in the past the club has just not shown player how to grow. All that has changed.

Olisik, I understand your hesitation. I understand your pessimism. That is definitely your choice. However, try not to sap the life and hope out of many Demons supporters at a time where hope is being restored. Go for your life after a shocking loss, but not at this MEGA AWESOME TIME OF EXCITEMENT!!! How about a post like: Byrnes could be a speedy midfielder who will fill a gap and bring in some professionalism. Barry looks a classy outside left footer with great run and carry and oozing talent. Dawes, a talented professional gorilla who will help our team massively structurally. Viney, the best inside mid of the draft and exactly what our team needs. Hogan, could be the best forward since Franklin. Can't wait to see what they achieve on the field all playing together!

Let me get this straight: 29 year old ruckman/25 year old potential ruckman + flaky medium forward/flaky yet determined medium back = Pick 3? W.T.F.

Hey Tona the off season is doing you wonders! A positive post great to see! Glad you can see the vision. Go dees!

He was treated atrociously on his exit from Collingwood. A club that under Malthouse saw Dawes excel and become a genuine gun forward (coincidentally when Cloke was peaking too). Buckley, in 12 months destroyed Malthouse's development of the kid. Playing him out of position, scrutinizing him in the Media and completely under rating his skill. The tweets from Collingwood coming out really support the notion that there was genuinely a lack of respect for Dawes. I really hope he takes all this as fuel to become the leagues best forward. Neeld and Leigh Brown know exactly what he needs to be a star. Really excited.

Big footy,Facebook, pies supporters I know all skeptical of the deal.... It makes me sick when the armchair critic says "you paid overs" ..such an ignorant and ill informed comment... Melbourne needed a spine.... All of a sudden weare building one... Pick 45 for pick 58? Merely an exchange of late picks... It's effectively Dawes for pick 20... And if no one can see the positivity and ambition in getting a player that is 193cms, 105 kgs, has won a premiership, has proven he can play great football... For pick 20....seriously, you need your head examined... How canyon pay overs for something you don't really know will eventuate? Morton was atop 10 pick for god's sake! There are No guarantees....but he'll, the footy club are going out and being aggressive and getting players that have had success...hopefully they can grow with our youngsters..instead of having a team of developing drafts picks..

Something I particularly like about all this aggressive (and mature age) recruiting is that Neeld is giving himself no excuses or dark spaces to crawl into. He is putting himself in a position where if this team is not performing well by the end of his initial contract, he'll be let go. He knows it, he's ok with it. In perhaps the only way a coach really can, he is demonstrating a willingness to be held to the elite standaes that he is expecting from his players.

I'm not used to seeing the MFC get what they want, I nearly shed a man tear. Good work Dees, just made Mitch's job easier, put him down for 80 goals. Then in the 2nd half of the season...

Clarke Dawes and hogan make for a massive headache for the opposition. We have more gorillas then the Melbourne zoo!

Mark Neeld is going to win this club a flag. Of that, I'm absolutely convinced.