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There seems to be a growing consensus that Howe is a one trick pony and limited in what he can offer. I don't agree. He's been in the system for only three years, usually has great skills, is young, has a great tank, and is unbelievably athletic. In a diabolical era with no support from senior players (because they don't exist) he's performed remarkably well. I accept he went missing in the second half of the year, but like Watts, he's been moved around a lot. I'm genuinely surprised at the willingness to move him on. He's played 56 games and only just coming into his best years. We're not so full of riches that I'd trade a guy of his talent. A must keep for me.

MELBOURNE Nathan Jones 6 Jack Watts 3 Shannon Byrnes, Aaron Davey, Jack Viney 2 Dean Terlich 1 Came equal 7th in our Brownlow voting, not sure if we could afford to lose him.

Plus not having to watch Dunn play is another bonus

No where. We need Sylvia to hang around.

I have never posted a rumour based post as I have no connections to the club or players but I was told of one today that really excited me. Tom Rockliff has agreed to terms with the MFC and will wear the red and blue next season and beyond. I heard he and his girlfriend have become home sick(she is from benalla), and Tom is sick of the off field crap going on up there. My source is my mates sisters best friend is the girlfriend Don't shoot the messenger, but I thought I would put it out there for all demonlanders to know

Pick 3 is very ambitious. Lucas Cook at pick 12 ambitious.

Jeez you'd have to be thick or desperate to go to Essendon. While this drugs thing is still lingering you'd have to think it'd be the new Melbourne in terms of rank unattractiveness for a player.

For me, Col was the standout player for the season. We expect excellence from Nat Jones but Col lifted his game in the face of huge adversity. He has improved every aspect of his game and its a credit to his character.

The rumor about ROCKLIFF amuses me. Back in the year he was drafter he missed in the national draft and then trained with Melbourne who told him we would take him as either in the pre season draft or as a rookie. We took JARRAH, then a few picks later ROCKLIFF was taken by Brisbane. Another great blunder of the time.

Despite the free agency situation, Essendon have offered a very unusual transfer fee. Two crates of unused syringes 28 packets containing AOD9604 and An autographed copy of The Dank Diaries.

And call me biased but as a long time half back, back pocket type later in my second rate suburban football career, after being an old style centre man, when you are getting pumped week after week, there is no worse place to be than in the back line. It is just relentless pressure and every failure is pillioried by the crowd. But gee I am talking about an era when it was largely pick it up and kick it stuff, running in numbers, hand balling had just started. I would hate to be a half back these days in a poor side. You can't win, you are a sitting duck as the midfielders stream down the ground and all the forwards just take off in all directions. No place for the faint hearted. I have a lot of time for Col and Chip for what they have had to endure these past 5 years.

I like hearing Garland speak more than any other player on the list cos he comes across as the most genuine. Love ya Col.

I agree with the thought of floating the trading of Howe to get what we need. People need to see this not as having a go at Howe but recognising that he is a quality player who will have value (just as most on here see). With Clark, Dawes, Hogan, Fitz he is a nice to have and forward surplus to fix our immediate requirement which is to get a quality midfield. If people have confidence that he is more than a goal kicking half forward flank and can become a true mid then I understand but he is a legitimate option in the right deal in my mind. NB: People that say we cant do this because of his marketability need to understand that people will come to see us win games moreso than the occasional spectacular mark.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/sydney-backed-on-dew-decision-20130925-2uell.html According to the AGE - Dew is just applying to be a line coach, I don't think the Swans are doing anything wrong by insisting Dew see out his contract. There are clearly other issues here for Sydney to deal with but legally they seem to be in the right I reckon they are pi$$ed at Roos and their position on Dew is reflection of that

Wad one of our most consistent all year, and played his role. Had two obvious flaws: takes to long to make decisions and stuffs up the occassional short pass either through skill error or flat or brain fade but otherwise can be a lovely kick. Hopefully with a bit of Roos induced confidence in both Dunn and the team these two mistakes can be addressed because he defended well. He does a lot of things right and ironing out the crap may allow him to hold down a spot and allow us to focus recruiting on other areas.

Don't forget that his primary goal is to play footy for another year or two. You would think that in our midfield there's a spot for him for as long as he's still up to it. Is the same true for Carlton? I'm feeling very optimistic that we will get him and will be disappointed if we don't.

I know I'll be accused of being a fence-sitter as usual, but we don't really know what went on. You could equally argue that Colless should have spoken to Roos before going to the press criticising him in such a brutal manner based on facts Roos denies. Since Colless apparently struck the first public blow, I'm not at all convinced Roos is at fault. Do we really want him to be walked over just to increase our chances of doing trades etc with Sydney? That's not the toughen-up/be hated message that many on here as keen on. edit to add: On reflection, I'd remove the word 'equally' from the second sentence and replace it with "more strongly".

Paul Roos seen mowing the lawn at Rory Sloane's parents house in Upwey...

Pretty sure Hogan = Jehovah himself.

But there's no-one on our list like Howe. I'd rather float Fitzpatrick, who is one of many taller marking forwards.

He's a free agent, so it's a moot point

Pick three would be hilarious, pick 18 still extremely humorous. But you never know the AFL might give us a bit of mercy due to the PP not being granted. Then probably not. If there is a way to eke out a genuine young midfielder out of losing Sylvia then I'm all for it.

I'm expecting big things of Strauss next year. Reckon Roos will will work his magic here and turn him into a consistent HB/Wingman.

Ben, I'd trade Howe because he's a lot of not that much. He can play forward but I'm not sure how much he will once all the forwards are fit. He can play mid, but his defensive side and awareness are, IMO, pretty poor. He is an outside mid at best, but not that quick and not that skillful. His handball is not creative. So I actually think he is a half-forward who can run but he isn't a midfielder really and certainly not a defender. So we are then left with considering his role, whether than could be done by anyone else and whether trading him would address a deficit. IMO the deficit (genuine mids) is a greater need to address than keeping a player who is a one-role player, and not that important a role at that. Now maybe roos can develop him...I think that is a big 'maybe'.

I'm not sure how Paul Roos is going to take to Blease. I was once a fan but have been let down far too often to the point where I'm thinking he might even be of more value to us on the trade table than anywhere else. To think that when he was playing for Vic Metro in the under 18 championships, I rated him well ahead of the likes of Zaharakis and others who are now so far in front of him that it's not funny.

Seeing that you have called many of our players pathetic I reckon that means I am within my rights to calling many of your posts moronic. Why don't you take your "Special" comments and start your own thread about the team and its weakness and leave my thread for the posters who want to discuss Col Garland's words of Resolve. The thread is about Col Garlands words of character and strength.To show that when faced with the pains of constant criticism and loss that a player like Col is able to say I will not break, we will not break and we will keep fighting. If you want to debate that then go ahead don't make broad moronic statements about the teams ability and whether the MFC should be publishing players review from 2013.

"G'day mate, large Big Mac meal and some nuggets...... by the way did you hear? Taylor Adams for second round pick..... oh, and no pickles...."

Perhaps. I'd happily trade him for anything useful - I think he could be used to upgrade a third rounder in to a second, for example. I wouldn't trade him for scrap though (ala Martin and Morton trades), might as well just give him one more year and see if Roos can salvage anything from his career if there are no worthwhile offers. I'm not confident of a happy ending though, has all the hallmarks of another blown top 20 pick I think.

I console myself with the thought that the FA compensation for Sylvia might be right on the appropriate range to get Zac Jones without paying overs. I'm really worried that the AFL still haven't figured out the loophole they've created with Free Agency, where recruiting a free agent is effectively gaining a draft selection for free (in list terms). Essendon +1 Goddard +1 Sylvia That's two top-5 draft picks, without having to make the development investment either. And next year? LeCras? Kade Simpson? Anyway, I'm not keen on Heath Shaw, myself, but, I guess he fills a role we'd need. But at what cost?

Sometimes they're the best parties...

If you are talking about Shaw on output alone you are comparing one of the best and most consistent half backs to a struggling half forward who has only momentary impact in a few games a year. Shaw has proven to be a much better footballer, there is no comparison.

well you wouldn't be replacing one with the other anyway col is a fa and we would get fa for him shaw would cost a high pick or a player trade so it would be a net loss (at least on paper), not a one for one

Excellent. LOL

This is exactly I thought the Bombers should have been excluded from free agency this year in addition to the first tw rounds of the draft (with also no ability to trade back in). They will get it done in FA and most likely trade back into the first two rounds, which effectively means no penalty. I do hope Col stays.

Yep you do realise we are talking col here, lol

Pick 3? WTF?! Dreaming. 3rd round pick.

I've given up the dreams of him becoming an elite player, it's not going to happen. The fact is we are very short on players of Sylvia's age group, more so on ones that can earn a game each week. His footy this season wasn't bad at all and although he won't become the gun we all wanted, he is a solid contributer and we have too few of these as it is. He is required going forward.

Exactly, where do we sign for what? What is the deal for us? Col may not be a world beater but he has a mature body and talent, which automatically puts him in our best. Is it a MFC thing to get rid of experience every single year? It's not working out so well, is it?

I wasn't happy when they recruited him,or Pedersen and Gillies for that matter. Rodan for a yr I thought was ok. Wish they never gave him 2 yrs or Pedersen 3. Hopefully they won't renew contract. Tired of being a retirement home for NQR's.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Please, Strauss wouldn't ave any currency. He's 5 years into the system and can't get a game for one of the worst teams in the competition.

I don't care who we draft but to be an elite mid you have to win your own contested ball when taggers start coming your way. I would favour the player who has the ability to win both the contested ball and the loose ball now rather than hope he develops either of those skills after we draft him. We can't muck this up.

Your capacity to make one nonsense post after another is astounding.

I'll make it simple. Is intentional contact allowed ? No. I'm not saying basketball isn't a tough game. Just that it's for pea-hearts who like wearing dresses.

The bloke seems full of hot air to me.

For me, it will be how often I walk to Richmond station before 3 quarter time. 5 this year. 3 would be better.

Because you'll never learn if you don't look to the past. Most players can learn a thing or two by having a look at how they went in 2013.

No club in Victoria uses this business model, simply because it requires spending a buckeload of capital to see a facility used probably for 15 days a year, and only a couple of hours each time at that. Even Collingwood have worked out that the couple of cents made on each beer barely pays the barmans wages, so they use facilities in the Ponsford stand post match. It wasn't even financially viable to obtain an interest in the cafe at AAMI park because there is not enough passing traffic to make it work. Social clubs are, as others have pointed out, a 1960's anachronism. If you want to hang around with other Demons supporters, the Bentleigh club or the Leighoak work just fine. Or join one of the many supporter groups where you can have a beer or 6 after the match and the club benefits from the higher membership level payment.

DeeLuded may i suggest you go to the Bentleigh Club for a Drink and a Surf n Turf We already own this place As a paid up member and MCC Member i do not want my finances tied up in off site ventures (loans interest etc) i want my money spent on the Football Department and Staff to run the club so we can win games in late September.

give this man a cigar