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Many of us thought the same thing when Neeld took over. I hate myself for posting that.

I'm not interested in doing reports this year and nor do I have anything like the spare time I had last year, but I did manage to get down for an hour yesterday. Just a couple of observations, as it's obviously very early in the year: Skills were rubbish in the few centre square stoppages I witnessed. Missed handballs and kicks were on show. It's nothing concerning, more a reality at this time of year when skills are rusty. I loved seeing ROOOOSY. He operates so differently to Nerd it's not funny. Roos is a real observer. He doesn't chat too much with his fellow coaches if there's information to dissect. He studied the 200 and 400 metre run throughs intently. He was seeing who was keeping up and who was dropping off and at the beginning of the runs he was close to the group seeing who were the vocal leaders encouraging each other on. He doesn't miss a beat. During the same exercises last year Nerd was 100 metres away chatting in groups. The contrast was Stark. The other noticeable was Toumpas. i was surprised to see how fit he was. He ran with Jones the whole session and kept up to his pace right til the end. Matt Jones also shaded Trengove, but it was pretty close.

It is based on the number of players on your primary list. AFL clubs must have a minimum of 38 players on their senior list and a maximum of 40. Technically you are allowed then to top up with rookies up to a maximum overall list size of 47. But player 45 to 47 (any players above 44 players on the list) must be what are called category B rookies (academy players, international rookies, players who've been unregistered in football for 3 years et cetera) In relation to Melbourne we will have a list of 40. Which enables us a maximum of 7 rookies - four rookies proper and 3 category B rookies. Likely we will have 4 rookie picks in the rookie draft and perhaps add Maia Westrupp as a category B rookie. If a club has a senior list of 38 they can have 6 rookies and 3 category Bs. Some clubs could do this to massage its total player playments under the salary cap as rookie list contracts are less burdensome on TPP. That is why we see different rookie sizes. Brisbane and Sydney's are usually larger because they can add their local state academy players as catagory B players. Other teams who have international rookies on their list will have larger rookie list sizes. Some clubs with one Irishman will have 5, clubs without 4 et cetera et cetera. Gold Coast and GWS have different list sizes rules altogether at the moment as well.

Sylvia, I think he is due this year... Oh wait... Nevemind

god this shirts me he lies awake screaming about how he got tackled that one time and bounced up immediately to receive a free kick. It's like he was in Vietnam. get real FCS

I do. We've had sponsors in the past whose stability to say the least left a lot to be desired, then we had some jump in to pick up cheap publicity as the white knights and now we have a sponsor who is stable and wanting to be with us for at least the next 3 years. It gives us stability at the start of the pre season, something we haven't had for a while and it matters to our football club, I don't care what other clubs give a toss about. They haven't had our level of poor administration and off field disasters leading to a total on field melt down. Good work Jackson and Bartlett. Apart from anything else it means one less forum topic for the next 3 years.

It's time to let go of the Neeld bashing. He's not the first or last coach to not make it at a struggling club. For all its worth, the guy is now trying to find work back in the teaching game as his prospects in senior coaching were absolutely destroyed by the media and the club's performances in general. Maybe let him be hey fellas.

asx200 is down .4% again today just saying.....hope it wasn't related to mfc's announcement

It's because he thinks that because he attends training and chats to the players, he's one of the boys and knows all the issues going on at the club. In his mind, if he hadn't heard it, it mustn't have happened. I wouldn't normally like to criticise people who go out of their way to report on things (like training) that I have no access to, but the poster you're responding to is completely deluded about his place in the world.

Freeman is a not a great kick, but he's not a complete ball butcher either. If you're assessing Salem v Freeman. You're looking at Salem's versatility ( he can probably play in defence/run with roles) his kicking, probably a more consistent player, up against an outstanding physical specimen in Freeman, who loves to take the game on, has tested sensationally all through his junior career, but is more of a haphazard but destructive player, with an OK, but not piercing kick. Its an interesting conundrum, you could argue that getting Cross, Michie, Vince, Tyson, Riley gives you the freedom to swing for the fences and take Freeman. But then again Salem probably fits the mould of the player Paul Roos has historically used, with the more rounded game.

I've read this thread start to finish, and I conclude that anyone who thinks Ben-Hur has bagged Neitz has a severe reading comprehension problem.

27 disposals in his last game of the season. Against us. He doesn't need to be reborn. He just has to be Eveready. Keep on Keeping On.

^^ I spoke to senior Dogs player last weekend (was mates with his older brother at school). The players are upset that Cross is gone and rolled his eyes when he mentioned "list management, whatever that means". Also said he'll be great for our young players. Mentioned also that the last match of this year when we played them was a tough match and we hit em hard - obviously not hard enough to win though.

You obviously don't have kids.

Daniel Nicholson.... This thread is talking about contracts right?

The whole team will rip it up! We will be the surprise packet. Watch out for the meteoric rise into the 8! Feeling confident because it's November!

But Dangerfield himself was picked at number 10 in his draft or thereabouts I believe... That doesn't make sense.

Would love Dunstan at the Dees! He may not be the most athletically gifted but he has all the attributes that we need. He is a strong leader that will give 100% all day, he can win his own ball and make good decisions. It's time we stop picking on 'potential' and get players that aren't afraid to put their head over it and get the pill. Seeing Viney and Dunstan in the centre square for the next decade is something that should excite supporters. Just because Freeman is big and fast doesn't mean he will be anything like Dangerfield. He could easily become a cross between Tapscott and Blease, leaving us once again with a first round flop. It's time we look at those with runs on the board as opposed to those with a higher 'ceiling.' Last year everyone was worried about Wines going to us because they didn't think he had as much improvement in him as others, but now it would be hard to find a single person that wouldn't pick him. Play it safe Melbourne and go the ready made player rather than the possible once in a generation player.

I have my own answers about what happened to Nathan and from what I have heard it stinks. Suffice it to say, those on the rookie list are treated like the underclass of the playing group and if you have the misfortune to be injured then you are ignored almost entirely. The system has more to answer for than the club, but I hope Roos helps build a culture that is more inclusive. And get rid of the Rookie List - any kid that gets taken in the ND gets an automatic 2 year contract, any rookie can end up like Stark - oft injured, and cast off after a year.

I wouldn't have thought I was saying anything particularly controversial there, given that he's been on the list for 5 years and never came close to cementing his place. I'm not being critical, I've already stated in this thread that I like the guy and his attitude for the game, I just don't agree with hanging on to NQRs forever. Spots on the list are valuable - even on the rookie list - and should be treated as such.

Has anyone noticed at training whether we are looking at point kick in strategies? Here is one area where I hope Roos is looking at. Bit early I admit but gee I hope we construct some competitive strategies for getting the ball out of our backline and conversely how do we hold the ball in from opposition kick outs. Some serious progress in these areas would help stem the beltings we saw last year and the years before that.

Agree Trengove's arms look bigger but doesn't seem to look hard and defined - still looks like a teenager with puppy fat.

You wouldn't rookie him. He's had every chance and wasn't up to the grade. Pity. Players like Neville that had a crack will never cop the wrath of any supporter. Always a Demon. Congrats.

Realy want To see Tappy stay on the park and start putting in when it counts. Would love to see Blease making his mark also.

You prefer [censored] dead ones Moon?

Looking forward to seeing the architect of our modern economy tonight . PJK was a master parliamentarian and did well battling the "gutless spivs,intellectual hoboes,painted, perfumed gigolos and guttersnipes" of his time. I'll record it for Rob and Ben so they can see how a guy with half a brain can answer a question without having to stammer for 2 minutes while he thinks of nothing to say. Left school at 14 and still makes the monk look like a brain injury patient despite the Rhodes Scholarship the church gave him.

Little Richard. Failing him, 28 Days. I'm gonna say Strauss for the third year running. Carn Straussy, fire up son!

Many thought that when Ian Ridley took over, when Bobby Skilton took over, when Big Carl came over, when The Messiah frocked up in '81, when John Northey took us to the mountain etc etc... We need to wait until at least the first quarter v. The Saints and get Stan Alves' and his mate's summary to gain a clearer picture. Pre-season is like the night series of the 60's and 70's - seriously misleading.

PJ has been the best thing to happen the MFC in a long long time.

Given this is an internet forum, I take most of what I read as unproven but interesting. I don't really expect anyone to divulge the source of their information. But when the information alludes to something (eg Stark's mistreatment), I would kind of expect some level of detail. Else why bother to bring it up?

Yes I agree with you, but we move on, to keep revisiting the same old thing gets boring, yes we all learn but we have new people in place, who knows if they are doing the right thing I don't continually go back and wonder how and why my first marriage failed, I celebrate that my second relationship has lasted 25 years and counting........the kings of hindsight on here I find tiresome, we are supposedly discussing why Nev Jetta may get a rookie spot and you can put your opinion on that, starting the post with "in my opinion....

That's right, I very much appreciate your training reports, with work and uni the times don't match up well for me so I never get to go, but like all things there's nothing wrong with having differing views. I like that you have a relationship with most players, I have an incredibly close relationship with a couple myself and it's better than hearing it from the Baker's wife. I have no incentive to tell anything but the truth to the forum. If we don't accept and acknowledge our past failings, it's too easy to let it occur again. In this day and age of social media, everyone gets their say. Club officials check these sites and supporter disharmony had alot to do with Mark leaving, funnily enough very rarely do club employees see the writing on the wall before the supporters! Once the supporter forums put out the concept there is a finite amount of time the coach has left and it occurs in every sport. We as a whole need to inspire the club to not settle for the number 1 pick in the draft, to not settle for below satisfactory development and not settle for the poor and absent coaching of our lesser players. Just because I love the MFC, doesn't mean I agree with the atrocious decisions to train fitness all summer with little to no ball control work. It showed all year last year. I dint agree with not meriting good performances in the VFL, and not punishing poor performances from Messrs Watts, Trengove et cetera. I love your optimism and hope it never stops but I won't be the same sucker who believed Schwabs Chinese sponsorship deal or Neelds plan to be the toughest team to play against. I've learnt my lesson.

Not sure why it's so hard to understand that a person can be dissatisfied with all the current political offerings. Not everything is black and white. Or red, blue and green I guess. For example - I love the Green's platform of free education. Both my tertiary educated parents benefited greatly from it. But I'm not going to vote for the Greens because of one policy I agree with, especially considering their long list of "out-there" policies.

I was really hoping this thread wouldn't last this long. He's yet to play a single senior game.

It's public knowledge now that Magner was pi55ed with the club & said as such to the herald sun about how he was handled last year by Neeld & the coaches. If it happened to Magner I'm sure he wasn't the only one. Why do you have to blindly defend the club? They weren't, aren't & never will be a perfect organisation. This is a forum where people are entitled to voice there opinions or things they have heard etc. Your blind faith or one sidedness only diminishes your credibility IMO. I'm appreciative that you make posts about training etc & you have some good info to pass on about players you talk to, but you could be a little bit more objective when others have an opinion that doesn't match your own.

Not a fan of Abbott or the Libs but WTF else can he do? I would've been more shocked if there wasn't any surveillance of Indonesian officials. I'd be equally as stunned if they weren't doing it to our leaders. It is also noteworthy that Indonesia has elections coming up - there is plenty of political mileage to be gained from chest beating about foreigners spying on national leaders. Just as there is nothing for Abbott to gain by saying: "we're weally sowwy it won't happen again".

Well, let me attempt to say this delicately - the players are unlikely to spill to a stranger at training are they? I was quite impressed that with all the disharmony with Neeld - the players never publicly let there feelings known. It helped to not have to deal with that during this awful year. Nathan had to endure some issues that I hope can be rectified, but I don't think they will be fully rectified until the Rookie List is abolished.

I think it's somewhat wasteful to give the spot to a player who we're (I'm) already pretty convinced won't make it. But by the same token, due to the qualities he has, I wouldn't begrudge a player like Jetta the opportunity at one last ditch effort under a competent coach.

I'm still coming to terms with Collingwood landing Grundy at pick 18 last year ...

Chance of this thread being bumped in a few years: strong.

As the truth began to emerge in the final days, and the press releases and actions of the club became more and more disconnected with reality, I was very angry at Don and co for the mess they made of things, but I find it impossible to believe that these people wanted anything less than the best for the club. Egos may have over ruled common sense, and there was a very real rot from the core, but these things didn't happen in a vacuum. This whole ugly mess was a good decade in the making, and a reasonable amount of the chaos was because we (the lot of us) were trying to become a professional outfit, without any real idea what one looked like. I think that there was a fair bit of spade work done in the last couple of years that will benefit us in the future, but it was probably done to quickly, too ruthlessly and too inefficiently for the effects to be anything but painful in the short term. Maybe we just need to take a step back while the wounds are still raw, and have another look at the ugly years five or so years from now.

This deal is significantly more than Webjet and Opel. With the NT deal, we are above mid table in sponsorship revenue. A remarkable achievement coming off 2 (7?) years of disaster.

Tapscott was not out of left field. He was a slider (to the outside world) if anything.

That's like asking a 4 year old if he's prefer to have the Brussels Sprouts or the Cabbage for Dessert, not a great choice there.

Personally I actually don't mind the clash jumper. If they allowed us to wear blue shorts with it then it would look much better. However, if they did permit us to use red as the primary colour, then I think something like this would look decent. I really like the MFC crest. Should be utilised more often.

Hasn't. He ain't dead.

How anyone - let alone anyone that calls themselves a demons supporter could bag Neita is beyond me. People saying he is Arrogant, Selfish, etc obviously havnt spent more then 1 second with the guy. I've been at the Childrens Hospital many times when my brother was in there for 6 months and he was the most frequent visitor out of any football player I noticed. He would rock up after training sessions still in his training gear and play video games with kids and sit and talk with parents, bring in signed gear for kids. No TV cameras or Jurnos around documenting any of this just out of his on good will. As for on the football feild, he arguably could be considered to be one of the most courageous captians of his era. He would lead from the front, stand up for team mates and would have a crack 100% of the time even if it meant he would get layed out. Sure he didnt kick as many goals as Lloyd, didnt have the polish or number of brownlow votes as Vossy, Hird, or Bucks. But he bled RED AND BLUE and you knew if he was anywhere near a contest he would try his best to make an impact for his team. As for compairing Neita and Hogan. If he can play over 300 games, Kick over 600 Goals and lead from the front like #9 did then i think we should count our lucky stars. With there being less then 70 players in the 300 games club and only 53 players in the 500 + Goals Club I think we should tone down the expectations on the kid. Let him play without the weight of expectation and If he only manages 150 games and 300 goals he will still go down as a success.

Acres is very green.

Here is a hint, hh, if a picture has a watermark on it - you need permission to use it. If it is used on a website or forum such as this, it is the owners and moderators of the site in question that is responsible for the infraction. Get it?

I'm not pushing for (or against) Zak Jones, but I suspect his older brother's durability will have helped his cause. Conversely, Troy Menzel feel down the draft order because of his and his brother's propensity for knee injuries.