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Great news! Two more years for TMAC http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-07-10/mcdonald-locked-in-at-Melbourne http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-07-10/dom-a-demon-until-at-least-2016

Pedersen not a gut runner???? Have you watched agame this year. His workrate is right up there not sure his skill are in the same category.

Tappys best footy was back in 2011 when he was playing as a Half Back Flanker doing the kickouts, playing like a seasoned veteran back into packs and putting his body on the line. I use to always say he was going to be our next Shannon Hurn. That debut game against Sydney was one of the best 1st gamer from a player I had seen ever from a MFC playing point of view. When Neeld came on board Tappy went forward and has stayed there ever since. To say his career I reckon throw him back for the rest of the year and let him go at it again. I would much rather Tappy down there then Terlich and Grimes. Thoughts?

Great news on T-Mac. Re: Barry, welcome to a world where kids are given time to develop as long as they are showing the right attributes. The kid can run and will now know he has time to develop his frame and game accordingly.

Wines probably had his appendix removed as a kid.. just sayin

He can't officially be on the senior list for 2015 until we pick him as part of the national draft with a later pick (4th of 5th rounder)

Butcher. Could there be a more aptly named footballer?

i have it on good account that definitely missionary

it's easy to forget that Tom is only 21. He's done amazingly well to hold his spot in a backline under so much pressure. A really good signing and hopefully he will be a Dee for life. Can't understand the knockers.

Good luck Tappy. I have low expectations but hope for his sake that he can conjure up a Jetta like reversal.

Now this club has two exits...there and over there Those wanting to stay get on with training...get cracking otherwise.... Hmmm I wonder if he knows ???

What I take away is Barry has had ONE year with Roos and Co..hes come a fair way in that year. They must like what they see. In Roos we trust

I get where you're coming from, but the kid has clearly show one ability that Roos and co. like - working hard at his game. He's come along way this year to earn a run in the seniors and from all reports he works very hard to improve and he takes everything on board. For a kid his age he deserves the opportunity to improve again and a 2 year contract doesn't hurt us all that much if he doesn't.

Great news on McDonald but Barry is an interesting one. I really thought he'd be in trouble at the expiry of his contract but it's good to see that Roosy must see a bit in him as a player.

Had the names mixed up and proven to have bought and paid for TB4 I feel sorry for Essendon because all of the circumstances are being twisted and misinterpreted to make them look guilty of something they cant prove they didn't do. With all this false circumstantial evidence mounting up its no wonder the only option to prove their innocence is to ensure it never sees then light of day. I agree with Little and Hird, how can a government authority possibly believe numerous corroborating peices of evidence when Essendon have clearly and consistently stated they did nothing wrong. It beggers belief!!!!

I think Tapscott was a sound selection at 18 (or whatever he went) in whichever draft - 2009 perhaps. I was very happy we landed him. My recollection is that he was by no means a left field selection, unlike, for instance, Strauss over Zaharakis at pick 19 in the, I think, 2008 draft. Or Lucas Cook at pick 12 over the next 30 or so players in his draft. To date though, but for some small glimpses, Tapscott has been completely underwhelming. I don't think he was a poor selection - it seems he may very well be another victim of poor development under the MFC during that time. In fairness, he's also been unlucky with injuries. Whatever the reason, it's been absolutely tragic how many first round draft picks we've had who simply haven't come through. And it's especially so when, at the start of the year, I excitedly looked to the likes of Michie, Riley and Evans as the future of the club, all of whom were third round selections and below. How did we stuff it up so badly?! It's bordering on criminal. Thank God we have Paul Roos.

If we nominate him as a promoted rookie, then other clubs can't nab him, and he'll become our 'last' draft pick. Edit: And in response to the original question on this: no, you don't wait until draft day, you tell him your plans for him well in advance, so he is able to nominate for the draft if he doesn't like what you're putting on the table. As far as I know, the promoted rookies don't actually nominate for the draft at all.

Westrupp getting his first run in the seniors.

No real harm in a first year player getting a taste then going back to the ressies for a while

I really like Tappy and hope he makes the most of his opportunity. If he plays his role he will stay in the senior team which seems to be the basis of being kept in the seniors. Good luck Tappy, show em what u got.

Well done to both boys. They both deserve the extension and whilst at different stages of maturity, there's a common theme here which both players speak about during their interview. Their desire to improve. Barry has come a long way in my view. Melbourne supporters haven't been used to young kids being held back and developed through the reaerves for a long time and Barry is one. Showed great energy and work rate against the dogs. He's learning defensive structures. It will all help. Tommy Mac has come a very long way too and obviously is a big contributor for us. Great to hear him talk about his self belief. Once we get some half back flankers who can use the ball, we won't have to worry about Tommy kicking it so much. (Altnough it still needs some serious work). Great news for the MFC.

Super excited about Tommy Mac!

You will get yourself burned at the stake as a heretic if you are not careful

Dom is progressing steadily, as shown by the fact that at this time last year he was struggling to break into Casey seniors. Roosy obviously thinks he has significant upside and I'm very happy to back his judgement on this.

Time to cut the crap Chip.

PLENTY of development left in Barry, excited about his extension. Ditto T-Mac.

Everytime I open this thread I am always searching for the "I was speaking to a friend who told me that Chip has decided to leave/stay as they were speaking to a relative who used to share a house with the sister of a close friend who went to uni with the cousin of the team physio's best mate". Can anyone tell I am a little distracted and bored at work?

Not injured, just not a great footballer. Port have built their forward line around Schultz, the Hoff and a rotation of about 6 mids, Butcher just gets in the way and doesn't contribute defensively.

The tank is on for young & old, pelchens Sainters & Lions buy they're necessity,,, Dees & Dogs with youth-full lists still building, Malty's Blues buy h??k or buy cr??k, & Tiges by being themselves. But "Appendicitis" is "Appendicitis"... there is no hiding that truth. ah, reminiscing blZb oh, & that bloody desk

Perhaps it is a case of the players in the VFL not getting direct one on one review with Roos or the senior coaches? I can't imagine for a minute that some of the development coaches aren't speaking with those players to discuss their game, but it might not be Roos or Stone.

Again I say, Dom Tyson and Jack Viney, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Christian Salem, Dean Kent, Tom Mcdonald are all under 21 and making a difference Nominations are irrelevant imo, we don't need those to tell us our young list is on the improve

If I was Roos, I'd be talking to Gold Coast about trading picks 4 and 24 for picks 11, 15 & 31. I'm sure GCS would like to move up in the draft and consolidate their talent, especially having to trim their list further as it shrinks, while we still need to bring in weight of numbers. Of course, this is all predicated on being able to select Stretch with our 3rd rounder, and Frawley leaving so that we'd finish with picks 3, 11, 15, 31 and Stretch.

His problem is that he's not a great runner. Has footy skills, toughness etc, but if you can't run in the modern game then you're stuffed. He needs to get his running up to AFL standard.

Heard the powers that be are not that impressed with his aerobic ability and skin folds. Need to give him a few games to get his trade value up. Blease is in the same boat.

I think he's too slow, and lacks footy smarts (at least the ability to win the footy) to make it at AFL level.

With Harmes and especially King - why bother taking them if you get rid of them after 1 season? That is a rhetorical question - they will both be retained.

Was that the doing of Appendagast again?

Prob removed it with his bare hands...

was that pun intended od?

I have no problem with the reports. They are just honest. They aren't belittling, they simply outline what they did well, what they didn't do well and what the main focus for them is. Good, constructive feedback. We, as supporters, just aren't used to hearing it.

Because it would be Tom Mitchell and Gar Rohan for potentially two top 5 picks.... Are you mad?

I reckon if he gets another game you will remember...just how bad he is. Last year when he kicked 6 in the VFL everyone was asking why he wasn't in the side, and then he came in and gave us next to nothing. Only worth having him to smash some players around, but the way the game's adjudicated these days, it might not even be worth it

an anonymous one at that

Time to call Frawley in and demand an answer! Does he or does he not want to play with us next year. Give him a week, pitch our offer to him and hammer him for a decision. No more of this I'm still making up my mind bulltish. The fact he must surely know what other offers are out there. SO WEIGH IT UP SON AND LET THE FOOTY WORLD KNOW! Either he is in or out! Time for us to show some gonads in our negotiations! He knows, why aint he saying??? Well ?

He came across as another Windy Apologist to be honest

To be fair to Caro and Barrett, they're at least trying. On the other hand, Robbo, Chip Le Grand and a few others should be embarrassed about their work and I read a real stinker today from John Ralph that I wouldn't use for toilet paper.

I admit that while I despise how she treated us I get a fair amount of schadenfreude from her attacks on Essendon. However that doesn't stop me thinking of her as a vicious gossip columnist, with no real insight on how the game is played, and solely reliant on other viscous and self serving people to feed her information. And in case anyone missed it: vicious. A pit bull with lipstick.

If there's anything amusing about this whole Essendon issue it's hearing some media commentators complain that the issue is getting too much media attention...and then talking or writing about it some more.

Just imagine if you took all the talent from GWS and divided it amongst the heavily struggling bottom 8 teams. The entire make up of the league would be miles better for it, with less blow outs, more even teams, a chance for any team to make finals in any given year. But no, let's keep pushing ahead with a doomed Western Sydney experiment.

Its a fundamental part of what makes the game different. Leave it alone.