Leaderboard

Brian Royal gone, rejoice!

Ill wait until the players play like a football club...

Hogan and Viney to collide and tear a hole in space/time.

I find it impossible to believe that Trengove doesn't have groin issues. Problems with the groin greatly effect your power off the mark and the young Trengove I saw didn't run like he had concrete in his boots.

Roos is set to fly to Perth to **meet with and interview Scott Burns** whilst also catching up with Hoges for a beer and a steak. Just as likely.

I won't rejoice even though I have wanted him replaced for years. He didn't keep offering himself contracts, others did that. Thanks for your effort.

Haha gold, something else for North to whinge about! "MFC get bankrolled by the AFL and steal our coaches"

Best of luck to all players who to my knowledge gave their all, appear of decent character and achieved what most of us can only dream of and played at the highest level and more importantly for our great club. All wise decisions but this thread should not be one for bagging player.

A bloody good one. Rover.....back when such things existed Some pretty graceless comments on here. He's tries to run a midfield with only one midfielder up to scratch & predictably got poor results. I doubt he was trying to fail and I'm sure he gave his best efforts for the MFC ! For some hero on here to describe him as a disease is a [censored] disgrace.

I have a good feeling about Jetta under Roos. Glad we've kept him.

Someone goes out of their way to provide some inside information and even though it isn't exactly groundbreaking you need to be a smartass about it?

Nice. Let's not be too uncharitable. It's hard to assess how much blame should be apportioned to Royal when one considers the cattle he had to work with.

I really think there are only two things missing from Watts' game at the moment, but they sure make a difference; Collision play. I wouldn't say soft, just not enthusiastic or confident. It's much like when people hover around an unfamiliar photocopier; they know how it works but they feel like there might be something different that they'll miss and that'll screw the whole thing up, so they linger, stuck in a mental fog. Straight-line running. Great lateral movement, pretty good acceleration, but it's not often you see Watts steaming along at top speed for sustained stretches, whether to get the handball receive or break a line. Obviously Adam Goodes is the pinnacle example of a tall player doing this (and a big part of why he is a champion) but for Watts it is completely missing at the moment. Both aspects are trainable, I'd say. And both are very much between the ears more than they are a physical limitation. So, we could see Watts make a dramatic step up, no doubt about it.

Just made the scariest bet ever with a diehard Carlton Supporter: If Jack Watts stays at Melbourne he has to wear a Melbourne Jumper with Number 4 on the back to Melbourne vs Carlton next year. If Jack Watts leaves and goes to Carlton then I have to wear a Carlton jumper with number 14 on the back. Please Jack don't let me down!! I couldn't take having to wear that scummy jumper to the footy!!!

Jesus I thought you wanted to make Trenners our sprint coach.

I was sitting in the front row on the boundary and a pack formed right on the boundary line and Jack was sitting in the seat next to me waiting for the ball to come out.

I remember everyone saying this when Neeld came on board.

Roosy's Checklist: Burnsy Hogansy Selwoodsy Sheuy Sumichy Qantasclubsy

By now he must be on first name terms with the crew of that 5:30am long haul flight, surely!

The most significant change IMO is the midfield coach going.

Nathan Jones to stop skirting packs and start winning some hard ball every now and then.

Neither can/could Zac Dawson, Matt De Boer, Clint Jones, Rohan Jones or Steven Baker but they all give 100% and perform their role. Chris Mayne and Clancee Pearce had shocking disposal a couple of years ago which has improved with confidence but they have a high work ethic and solid attitude. Can't say I have witnessed it from afar but the same has also been said of Keiran Jack when he was first on the scene at the Swans his kicking was shocking. Bail & Nicho's work ethic is to their advantage

On another new staff appointment, George Stone is definitely coming from Sydney. The source is the closest to GS possible, and I can't be more specific, so don't ask. Announcement won't be made til after Sydney's season wraps.

I completely disagree with the point that 'you can't just have a best 22 and kids'. I think that is EXACTLY how to run the show in the current game. A high-low approach to the salary cap, as it were. Make sure the team has a good core of reliable, high quality AFL players, then hve a steady churn of fresh draft picks as you look for new talent to continuously boost your list. If you have an injury-ruined year, so be it, collect your earlier picks, move on. It's not like having three or four extra Joel MacDonalds in your team was going to win you the premiership that year. And if instead of those depth players you have one extra young gun on your list long-term, well, it's a pretty good deal. But the super-years come when that core mostly stays on the field, and the churn of youngsters mean you have a bit of surprise packet talent coming through as well. It's not a coincidence that Geelong, Hawthorn and Sydney all punched through for premierships in years where they got the 'bonus' ready to go elite players like Selwood, Rioli, and Hannebury. ven Collingwood took the extra step largely because a collection of young mids pushed to the next level at the same time. That is how you keep the 'window' open - an elite core, then keep on trying to ride a wave of young talent that peaks together if you're lucky. Maybe I'm just embittered by the fact that we missed out on Dylan Grimes for no reason except to give Newton a seventh year. But that is a salient example of what I'm talking about.

Sylvia to have a breakout season.

Agreed...I liken Royal's task in coaching our midfield to that wonderful line from the film Christine - "you cant polish a turd". Roos was always going to bring his own people in. Does Roos know how good BR is or isnt in the two days he has been with us ? I suspect he has asked people with knowledge prior to his in the club if there are any coaches that are really worth keeping hence it looks like Rawlings is the only one who is staying. If anyone outside the inner sanctum would like to judge our assistants coaches - every one of them including Rawling should go and Viney as well for the complete lack of development. Lets get rid of the new recruiter as well because Toumpas hasnt done as well as Wines. Misson certainly has to go. Glad Craig is goingto after our last two seasons. I find it amusing that we stick the boots into Royal but we give respect to Craig as he comes across as a good bloke - but the main reason Craig was brought in was to mentor, council and and help mould the first time coach in Neeld - how did he do with that task ? From an outsiders perspective Craig was as epic a fail as Royal was. I think we have little insight to these things and if Roos wants them to stay thats good and if he wants them gone thats also good - but I won't slag off any of the departing.

Paul Roos wants players who run hard back and forth all game. To think that Nicholson and Bail would be delisted is lunacy when you go through the list of pea-hearts who have yet to be kicked out.

Get this through your head, Roos and other coaches of a similar ilk such as Lyon love players who run and have discipline to do abasic job which fits into the structure. One thing Nicho has is a tank which is to his advantage, players who can perform roles whilst getting occassional runs through the midfield as run with or just to give other mids a breather are a strong chance to at least be looked at or held over until after the trade period.

I'm all for bringing in hardened experience and so forth, but I'd prefer we avoided players who are clearly finished.

There are a few posters I would willing trade to get Didak on this site.

Junior was a very good captain, a great team man, and a quality leader. But let's not tangle those qualities up with "deservings". The jobs-for-the-boys mentality stuffed up what could have been a great era under the leadership of Jim Stynes. No-one, not Ox, Lyon, Junior, Ooze "deserve" any position or role in our club or any other because of their football record. They "deserve" to be honoured at our club functions, to be recorded as guns in our history, to represent us in the media etc... I would love to see Junior back at MFC, but only if he is right person for the right role, well detached from his achievements for the club.

Smells like Dee's spirit

I'd be happy if he became our Ted Fidge. We can reset his goals from there

Strauss to play every game next year and top 5 in the B&F

Might as well have a chat with Gaff, Shuey and S Selwood while he's here.

I believe he's over here to put that house he bought in Wembley Downs back on the market too.

Well said. Bit hard being the mid field coach of a mid field acknowledged as the league's worst for depth , & Roos' highest priority in the rebuild. Losing T$ didn't help this either. Would prefer we acknowledged his efforts, over 2 stints with us, and wish him the best.

Brian Royal "We hardly knew ye." "But we judged ye, and compared ye against other assistant coaches. We looked like a sheep walking on its hind legs."

On MFC website. I'm not going to dance on his grave, but I'm glad change is happening.

The only one that gives me a slight pause for thought on that list is Tynan.

Well, just maybe Junior is remembering who took him in when he was no longer wanted and unceremoniously dumped. Perhaps the fact that GWS had faith in him and reaffirmed that faith by giving him an assistant coaching role, means that Junior feels not only an obligation, but a desire to continue his contribution. The fact that he was at the Blueys would indicate that he is not bearing any kind of a grudge, and the fact that he sees fit to continue helping the club that threw him a lifeline speaks volumes for his character. I have nothing but admiration for his choice.

1000/1 looks mor appropriate to me

Touch me again and I'll eat you. He reminds me of a big old crocodile.

Amazing this thread has so quickly turned to a debate on priority picks and "I'm a better supporter than you are." Wasn't this about Brett Allison? Anyway, I always thought he looked like a bloke you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Heard he's a quality coach and a quality bloke too. A good appointment.

Normally when a player is out of contract I'm either concerned he will go or will be happy to see the back of him. With Jack I genuinely don't care either way, I just don't think Jack and Connors have handled this in a way that sees him in a positive light. Every comment on "how much he loves the club" or how "loyal he is", seems to be followed with a but and thus what is said is irrelevant. All indications seem to be he'll stay, when he does I don't want hollow comments I want him to state that he wants to be one of the guys to make the MFC great again. That's the sort of person I want.

I spoke to a client today, who has a connection to the Watts family. Apparently, Paul Connors (Watts' manager) has been desperately trying to convince Jack to get a deal done with Carlton. However, after meeting with Roos on a couple of occasions now, Jack has been so impressed that he will almost definitely re-sign.

It won't be surprising if all the assistant coaches go. Its clear Roos will choose his own team.

I don't believe that anyone is doing Junior or the club any favours by dredging out this stuff ad infinitum. Junior was 33 years old, slowing down appreciably and had spent most of the last half of the season recovering from a hamstring injury. It was a fair call on the part of the football department to pull the plug. Unfortunately, the way it was handled by Dean Bailey was poor and this has been acknowledged long ago. If Junior wants to honour his commitments with GWS then so be it. There's no need to make political statements about he situation. It's pretty much irrelevant now.