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I'd take Swallow. He hasn't reached the heights of the other two due, in part due to his age, but has the highest ceiling. But it's all academic. None will be at the club next year.

Hogan is the only player on the list i wouldn't trade under any circumstances, so my comments on Howe are made from that perspective. Some say he lacks defensive pressure, I agree, and it's because he's an instinctive player with flair and hasn't been coached to include that type of pressure in his game. It's purely a mindset. It's silly to think he won't evolve. Howe is the best mark I've ever seen. I've seen Vanders and Knights - individually and toe to toe, amazing really, I've seen Modra, Barker, Snake Baker's grand final exploits, Jezza, Jumping Jack Hawkins, our own Robbie, Russell Robertson, etc, but none hold a candle to Howe. But unlike some I don't consider him a one trick pony. He has top level endurance, pace, usually good footskills, and at 190cm he's a brilliant size for a utility. At 23 with just 56 games under his belt he's one of the last players a club bereft of talent should trade. Especially when he's finally going to have an 'A' grade coach to improve his game. It just doesn't make sense to move such a player on when you can't be sure how good he'll become. Here's a novel approach. As well as trying to quickly inject a bit of midfield talent through trading some early picks how about we start developing our own talent.

Having trouble with our comprehension of the written word, are we...? New Zealand international who was given development time with the Casey second string team. Games CSFC DL 2013 11 Goals CSFC DL 2013 0

I never held it against Cale Morton that he failed to kick on after being selected at pick 4 in the 2007 AFL National Draft but, sure as hell, I'm not impressed about the fact that he failed to tell the MFC recruiting people about the kid who lived next door to him at 8 - 10 Elliott Street, Lake Grace. Two years after we drafted Morton, Nat Fyfe who is my favourite footballer outside Melbourne's list, was taken by Fremantle at pick 20 after we took $cully (1), Trengove (2), Gysberts (11) and Tapscott (18). Damn! Nat Fyfe has come along way from Lake Grace to the AFL's biggest stage

Right Dangerfield won it. The race was run half an hour ago. The Russian's about to cross the finishing line ... now.

Watched him play about 5 of the 11 games, improved every time I saw him. Spoke to him a couple of times as well. He developed, ie picked up the game, quicker than they thought, that he went from coming over to Melbourne during holidays and spending the rest of the time in AFLNZ league, to coming over permanently and playing in the development league. Because of rugby background, he can tackle, has prodigious leap on him, his kicking is getting better and better, played most of the games in defence, watched one incident where opposition isolate him one and one, made three repeat efforts and killed the ball I have him as a real smokey, expect to see him in Casey firsts next year. As for skinny, asked him, fitness staff said he could play at around 90kg, he is still very young, saw his Dad once, of Maori descent, a seriously built guy.

I suppose that makes him slightly less than a 50/50 chance of coaching next year?

You don't have to have played the game to cover it. I really hate this attitude. There'd be significantly fewer people that could be journalists otherwise and places like Demonland would cease to exist.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=jesse+hogan+vfl

and Im not refering to these ....

90% of good kicking is actually having a good option to kick to

Bloody Hell I must have the wrong one. Mine says 93 days to Go.

Mate, I've posted this several times over the last few years. Sure, you need to get the pill BUT we have been champions at giving it straight back. We are the worst disposers in history.

Would be more interesting if they had to bounce a sherrin as they ran.

T McDonald has to improve disposal. Terrible!

Thank **** that season is over.

His second shot was no better. Two shots OOB and now a free against Hodge. Hmmm, wonder if anyone any good lives at No. 4?

If anyone follows Mitch's twitter account for the past few weeks he has been putting photos up of him running and beginning his pre season! great signs

We need players who can have an impact straight away - we are so bad that we need instant improvement. Forget about development players for a year or two, right now we need to recruit and draft to become instantly competitive. Montagna is the kind of player we should be trying to grab, as long as we aren't paying too much for him.

what a joke that Essendon are allowed to take part in the free agency period Basically cancels out their draft penalties as they can just buy players instead Not that anyone would want to play for or be associated with a club that are drug cheats

Keith Greig a dual Brownlow medallist. That still upsets me

Easily my favourite MFC video. I defy anyone who sees that footage for the first time to definitely say Robbie was naturally left or right footed or left or right handed. And that was not a highlights package, it was how he played every week. He made good opposition players look very mortal God I wish we had a Robbie playing for us today

its a real travesty he never won a Brownlow, yet other much more questionable ones have.

Well today's article seems to confirm that he will be playing elsewhere than Geelong next year. I have no problems in Chappy as a short-term project along with Cross, especially if we can pull it off with no compensation.

I hate this argument, if you get good players they help you get to a flag quicker. It's the philosophy that has been used for the past seven years and failed miserably. Besides, I doubt any of us will be around for the next flag tilt the way Melbourne have been going.

Agree entirely D26. We absolutely need to keep Sylvia. That several clubs are interested in him, and that Paul Roos wants to keep him, says it all really. Speaking to an assistant coach after the GWS loss, he essentially said that the only Demon that concerned them was COLIN SYLVIA. Some people here just don't seem to get it. We have the worst midfield in the comp and one that is completely bereft of any older players with class. Sylvia has class. And skills. And muscles. Relevantly, Sylvia is an UFA, and many here are " ... whatever" if he decides to leave. Perhaps I'd get that position if there was a great trade on offer for him - but, here's the rub, there is not. Bloody ridiculous position IMO. Real head in the sand stuff. Must re-sign him asap. Any updates on his negotiation would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know if it was intended that way by Caro or Richmond but I finished reading this piece having a lot more sympathy for Carr and the Martin position than for the Toigs. A player is entitled to have representation by a manager and Richmond have been clearly trying to undermine Carr and the relationship with his client. But even if Caro or the Tigers are trying to send a message to Shane Martin in the article, they probably didn't factor in that the bloke can't read.

Their secret was Wallet taking Tambling...

Rockcliff, Parker and Sloane are players that sides have overlooked - without real explanation. Recruiters are like sheep and for a few years there they believed with the game speeding up - that athletic types were the future. I enjoyed Rocky as a junior, he was always classy around the goals, not surprised he has gone on with it.

A few years ago that construction would have been an upgrade from the Junction Oval facilities.

Well done to Rohan Welsh who has been reappointed coach of the Scorpions.

I don't mind a bit of speculation, guesswork or even, on occasion, unbridled optimism and even fantasy. However, I reckon the Jurrah thing has been done to death and now should be cremated and put on the mantelpiece and admired for the memories it evokes.

Thought he was playing some good footy before he got injured towards the end of the year.

Chrlst I hope they havent buggered him up. Looking forward to his presence on the fileld once again. Quite a few stand taller when hes out there. Clark Dawes Hogan.....could be anything Get back out there Mitch....put your camera down son lol

Gday Demonland members, I have a very well constructed dog house in the mighty Demons colours that we are giving away. Our family is moving interstate and I thought I would offer this great kennel to another Demons supporter rather than throwing it away. It is about chest high and would suit most dogs. Waterproofed and great paint job. The kennel is free, so all you would need to do is arrange to pick it up from my factory in Moorabbin. Please let me know if you are interested? David

'Ben', I think pick 2 will be from Aish, Scharenberg and Kelly. They all look good players on the limited viewing, admittedly not live. Would trust the recruiters we have now to make the choice. I really like Crouch in this draft but I don't think we will take him this high, he is probably the best contested ball winner and clearance player in the draft, similar to Viney,he would kill to get the ball. Wouldn't be unhappy with Scharenberg.

Black and Brown on their last legs. Staker too. Merrett not far off. 5 good young kids, high draft picks, all looking to bolt. Turmoil at board level. I'd be most worried about their forward line. We make an attractive alternative if you're looking to move out of there and back to Victoria. Roos as coach, established spine. Forward line and back line set for talls, just needing a handful of smalls to come on to round it out. Just need to sort the midfield. We have Jones. Trengove is better than he has shown, and players will know this. Viney. Toumpas. A bloke like Rockliff would be able to see the impact he'd be able to have. I don't think it's a hard sell.

it isn't all down to the recruiters though - in the end they don't determine the style of football being played by the club. If they want to go with the running types then that's what they look closely for. To simply blame them for others being overlooked is short sighted at best.

It's difficult to project the strengths of a player years down the track. Fyfe and Mundy started off as flankers and now they're the big mids that everyone wants to emulate. Scharenberg very much seems that type.

Revisionism here is comical. Prendergast didn't have issues with Rockliff - he just rated Jurrah higher. We were set to take him with pick 1 in the rookie draft if he lasted through the PSD, after he had impressed when training with us following the ND. Rockliff was taken with the 2nd last pick of the PSD. There was a lot of talent in that rookie draft - Mike Pyke, Suckling, De Boer, Sam Jacobs, Broughton, Clancee Pearce, Luke Breust, Liam Picken, Tom Simpkin, Jarryd Blair, Luke Delaney, Zac Dawson, Ricky Henderson, Robin Nahas, Jeff Garlett, Jordie McKenzie, and of course Casey Sibosado. Anyway, BH has a good recollection of Rockliff. He was played at FF for the majority of the season, and topped the TAC Cup goalkicking, in the Murray Bushrangers GF winning side. Was overshadowed by Sidebottom in the GF. Again, the problem with Rockliff was where he would play. Didn't really have the athleticism or size to dominate as a KPF at AFL level. He just had an innate ability to win the footy, and then use it well. I remember well, because I myself couldn't see how Rockliff's clear ability to make things happen, would translate to AFL. He seemed too much of a tweener, and in the end he was, but had what it took to reinvent himself when given a chance. Much like Cameron Ling before him, Rockliff was drafted as a FF with poor fitness, and it was his determination and work ethic that saw him eventually develop the tank to be a top line AFL midfielder. I'd love him, but I worry pick 2 would be a bit too much. We'd want a pick back in return. Love the idea of getting him though.

Thought this was a Daniel Cross thread.

I would trade Howe on the premise that I reckon he is one player that we could actually get more for than he is actually worth and we have greater needs. Having said that it's unlikely to happen this year.

That'd be me champ, and just because a few of these turkeys are lapping your guesses up, doesn't mean that your words count for diddly squat. Happy for you to highlight the info you have provided that has eventuated. But I reckon you might struggle there. You're nothing more than an attention seeker... In fact you remind me of someone else on here... gee, who might that be?

Great dog house! Maybe the club should buy it for Daniel Cross

I thought it was worth a shot at the time when we took him, but it wasn't to be. Offered a couple of really exciting moments, but at the end of the day the man that arrived at our club had a body that had taken a lot of punishment and it took the ultimate toll in the end. Thanks for trying David. Sorry your career ended on such a sour note.

"Those who know the quote about how those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it are doomed to repeat it." ― Chook