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Unfortunately, I was interstate at a wedding and unable to attend the GF. The GF has in previous years proven the most fertile field for finding out who we are targeting and what is likely to occur. As such i have no further news on Danger. I will see how I go this week, but alcohol indeed loosens lips. It is disappointing not to be able to take advantage of such an opportunity. For those who are confused, unlike Roos last year, I have never said we will get Danger, I have only said we are going hard at him. We can offer him the most coin and offer AFC the best deal....... but we need to convince a Danger. Obviously this is a tough sell, Roos will need to weave some magic. I am however aware of other A graders we are targeting, some have been mentioned, others if successful will be a suprise to the media and demonland but are very exciting prospects....... much the same as Tyson last year. Danger however is the only superstar on the market this year. I am sure you all understand why it is not in MFCs interest for me to let on who these players are. Particularly since it has become clear that there are those in the media who follow these threads.

Allowing players to pull out their six guns and saying things like "I wont go to a bottom six club" makes any sort of equalization a fairy tale. Top clubs love it and simply cant lose with this sort of behaviour. Revision urgently required on player movement circus, with a little smart thinking needed around all of this. Lower clubs, need to be able protect their roster , be fairly compensated and not be locked out of a fair bidding process. As it stands this isn't the case.

Will go out on a limb here with what has been said and what I have heard as late as this morning. Dangerfield to Dees for pick 2 + Toumpas plus exchange of later picks Shiel to Dees for pick 3 + possible player or exchange of later picks And thats all folks!

Yeah was in the September club with croc media last night at the G... had a chat to him .. basically said no chance but could have been brushing me off as id had a few!! Was nice enought to have a phot with me though!! Haha... in an interesting sub plot.. a well known news reporter (that is a D's man) reckons we will definitely have one of him or Jeremy Cameron..interesting. I also think i signed Dean Cox for $150 a game at my local club... not sure he with remember that though...

That's a bit of a strange one. In most interviews I hear with AFL players they talk about how much they'd hate to play in Grand Final and how happy they are when their season finishes in August. He's a different cat that Paddy.

I have it on good authority that Sydney have been successful in their application for a priority pick.

What lens would he use ?

I spoke to Frawley after the second semi , he'd had a few and I asked him about remaining a Demon, arrogant [censored] said about as much chance of us winning a flag over the next 3 years . I didn't want to share it but he's s [censored]. Good riddance

The guy on the right appears to be looking the coach in the eye. Clearly not Frawley.

You can't say things like that. Ill spend the rest of the arvo refreshing this page now. It's not on.

My cynicism meter just went off the scale

Better analogy would be as much chance of him reading a book. And understanding it.

There are still too many nuff nuff supporters spinning the 'he gave us eight years of service' line as if it excuses the way he carried himself this year. Talking about his past is irrelevant when posters are merely expressing their disappointment with aspects of Frawley's game and behaviour this year. It just amazes me that supporters are still so content with mediocrity. Frawley is part of the virus. It's vlear as day he has little care for helping the club improve and obviously he doesn't see himself as someone who wants to reshape it as others have already pointed out. He doesn't want the responsibility. But then again, I don't believe he has the capacity to help change the club. He is too conditioned. He is too easily influenced and not nearly self-driven or conscious enough to be a player who can be the catalyst for change. He is part of the virus, and I'm looking forward to him going. I don't wish him any success or failure. He is of little significance. A minnow, and one that will be forgotten quickly as our club steadily improves over the years.

when has he committed to anyone?

Tremendous package deal there. Completely satisfying and realistic enough to hope for without feeling dumb. I'd just add securing Billy Stretch and Oscar McDonald. I'm sentimental that way. Oh, and the Rainbow-Vajajay guy, because I just love names that are fun to say.

Why anyone would have a problem with trading draft picks for established players, after seeing the sustained success Roos gave Sydney using the same strategy, is a mystery to me. Bring on the trades. We'll recruit this year's draftees in five years time via trades, once we're a powerhouse club and players are knocking on our door

Eek. Conca is awful. No thanks.

I was at the Sept Club too in the SEN tent...saw Danger who was well and truly past talking at that stage. Don't blame him either. Wouldn't be in the mood to discuss his career with tanked fans m'thinks. Oh, saw a lot of love between Molloy and Tex Walker. I have a sore neck from looking up at Nic Nat. Mathew Richardson, nice bloke, was tired of doing selfies. Used the gents beside Heppell - didn't think it was the right time to mention supplements though.

My understanding having checked with a source (no I won't name the source, choose to disregard if that's not good enough for you): - MFC representatives (players) have met with Dangerfield - New environment for Clark is on advice from his health professional - Pick 2 and/or one of Toumpas or Trengove a possibility to go to Crows if Dangerfield wants to come - Club sees pick 3 compensation as better list management strategic value than keeping Frawley All things that have been floating around these boards and none of them means there is any certain outcome, but that's probably reality for this time of year. Lots of maybes and activity floating around, but nothing locked away and done deal yet.

FFS, I can't handle this any bloody more.

Surely the real reason the club is quiet is because they have spoken to Mitch and his people who have made it clear to them why Mitch needs a fresh start. I don't see Mitch as the bad guy in this. He's doing what's best for him like every one does to a point. As long as we are well compensated for Frawley and Clark I'll be happy. It's all about the midfield

Word has it that clubs have agreed but still waiting on Frawley compo pick. Same source has 3 from 3 so I'm a little excited

Lethal reckons Hird should resign..... stand in the queue there Mathews..... Crameri contemplating dealing ( off the front foot ) with ASADA The dams going burst wide open soon .

Got positive whispers this morning

Back on topic. Re Cameron, Roos has called for mids mids and more mids. Given that we just saw Hawthorn smash a team with forward line containing Franklin, Tippet, Reid and Goodes (handy 4th forward), it reinforces the view that building an A Grade midfield first makes more sense.

Whether defending Frawley or not, whether he's a product of MFC performance or part of the cause, he's just simply not a good enough footballer, consistently enough, to justify in me any sense of loss. Assuming pick 3 as compensation well used, that pick is simply of much higher value than James Frawley. No disrespect to his efforts or years, but he's not essential, or worthy of that sentiment. If we were in the same position with Nathan Jones future, THAT would be a sense of great loss.

Anyone still think the loyal country boy will stay with the club? Geez there was some pathetic stuff posted on this thread a couple of months ago. Those posters should feel embarrassed.

And that was their downfall, they didn't give any back. They had 7 tackles in the first quarter of a GF. Pathetic.

Essendon SHOULD be shut down. Attrocious and despicable attitude. No remorse on arrogance. A blight on the game and embarrassing to the ideal of fair sport.

I'll try and keep this based on the names linked with Melbourne at the moment and not complete nonsense of a Blease/Strauss for Ablett variety. Here goes: Free agency commences with Frawley quickly signing for large dollars elsewhere. Melbourne enters Monday week's trading period with pick 3 as compensation. Father-son bidding sees Melbourne take Billy Stretch with the bargain price of a third round pick. After the Frawley compensation pick, and Waite and Higgins netting their clubs second round picks, this pick becomes 42. Melbourne pulls off its biggest coup in goodness knows how long by adding Patrick Dangerfield and pick 49 to Adelaide for Jimmy Toumpas, and picks 2, 23 and 60. Roos waves his magic wand again and Melbourne lands Dylan Shiel from GWS along with Sam Frost for picks 3 and 49. After Collingwood demands the universe for Heretier Lumumba for much of trade week, the clubs eventually agree upon the trade expected for weeks, with the Demons sending Mitch Clark to the Pies in a straight swap for Lumumba. Melbourne takes James Gwilt as a delisted free agent Melbourne enters the national draft with three picks - 42 (Stretch), 78 and 96 (Jetta upgrade) Melbourne's list changes for 2015: OUT - Clark, Frawley, Toumpas, Blease, Tapscott, Strauss, Byrnes, Clisby, Nicholson. IN: Dangerfield, Shiel, Jetta (upgraded), Lumumba, Frost, Gwilt, Stretch, pick 78. It's obviously pie in the sky getting Dangerfield AND Shiel, but this is Santa's wishlist we're talking about. How exciting would the lead-up to 2015 be if we were able to snare those two? The midfield all of a sudden starts to look ok, with some serious upside, the backline gets a bit of run, and there's still Hogan to return to the forwardline. Time to add the Grand Final guarantee to the membership package!

In life there is hope. In wine there is truth. Goodnight!

But one you get free and the other you pay heavily for.

I don't want either of them!

Indeed. The only people who told us Clark wanted to go to Collingwood, were Collingwood. Clark and the MFC have said sweet sod all. I'm of the view we know as much as we did from the very start: nothing.

If I were Crameri or Monfries my lawyer would've been on speed dial less than an hour after losing my last match for the year. Time to throw the EFC/Hird/Dank under the ASADA bus and spill the beans. Every man and their dog at AFL House will be supporting you.

As I have said on the trading thread I am not so sure we should go after the big star recruit, i still remember previous stars we have wooed, i.e. Diamond Jim Tillbrook, Kelvin Templeton, Peter Moore, MC all who failed to live up to the hype. I would rather we get a couple of good players instead and save our $$'s for those of our players that perform and hopefully for a time when stars want to come to melbourne because of our culture and future not because we offer sh!tloads more $$'s than anyone else.

If that happens, I'm out. Seriously. Conca is no Tyson, he is now what he'll always be.

I'd prefer to keep Frawley if we were simply taking the pick to the draft, but I'm almost certain that won't be Roos' plan and neither should it be. His comp pick has to earn us an A grade mid. The earlier mooted trade of pick 2 for Dangerfield and pick 3 for Shiel is the stuff of wet dreams. If it came off (pun not intended), I'd be expecting between 8-10 wins next year - that is if we can get Hogan on the park and maybe [censored] a Reid or Jaksch. EDIT. Lol, s-n-a-t-c-h is censored. Sorry about that.

Time to put your money where your mouth is NSC Cover yourself in glory or go down in flames

The entire structure of the AFL is now around 2 tiers: the 'elite' top 8 or 10, and the 'feeder / development clubs' where young draftees can start their careers, prior to being promoted to 'important teams'. Free agency, the draft....that is what the whole 'competition' revolves around. The top clubs get the prime time TV games, and hence get richer and greater followings; the 'development clubs' get crappy times so get poorer sponsorship, and so the wheel revolves while staying still. EPL all over again.

First pleasant thing I have heard from him.

Clark isn't a free agent, so he has to be traded or he has to nominate for the draft. Lumumba is contracted for next year, so he has to be traded. I've no idea how Blease could water down any compo? He's not eligible for free agency, so he has to be traded or nominate for the draft. Just on MC. Whilst I'll be disappointed that he seems intent on taking his talents elsewhere (although a part of me will be relieved that it's one less player I have to worry about reaching his potential), I'm not really worried about where he decides to go, The fact that a lot of this has been played out in the media bodes well for us. His agent has stated that he want the Dees to be well compensated by his departure. That coupled with the backlash his exit has received in the AFL community and media says to me they have backed themselves into a corner. If they do nominate the Pies, the onus is on them to make the trade work. If there's a standoff with the Pies refusing to cough up a decent trade, then it falls back on MC and his agent. I don't think they can afford for us to be held hostage over this.

Machsy. I see it a little differently to your goodself I would put it thats its very much a case of mediocrity breeding mediocrity. I dont blame Frawley for our mediocrity but hes very much a part of it. Hes every bit a part of it as he is a product. Teams become great and successful when individuals look to themselves and not others to become great. You create your success , you dont bludge off anothers.. It strikes me that he , and a number of his team mates, are waiting for the 'winning" bus instead of building it themselves. They seem to think its about others building their career for them. They clearly dont get it.

If this came true my wife wouldn't need to worry about me for months, I'd be well satisfied.

Can't believe people are falling for this chasing success crap. Chip is chasing the dollars - made that perfectly clear when his manager floated the $700,000 for 7 years price tag. The Cats are in trouble and no more likely to get a flag than us in the next few years. Very happy to see him go for pick 3, as is the club I believe.

What was he meant to do? Become our premier midfielder? Join the recruiting team? Become a development coach? We're not Geelong, with all that dormant talent simmering away, just waiting for a Paul Chapman to ignite it with a heartfelt speech. We've got awful players on our list playing in the middle none of which is Frawley's fault; Frawley has consistently been one of our better players, he's done his bit I think. Nathan Jones has been on our list the whole time we've been crud too - by your logic, he must be waiting around for someone else to get us going too. Get off our list Jones, you hack.

Why is there a Liam Jones thread?

And what was he doing to make us better for all this time? Waiting for someone else to come along and get us going.

It was the most boring Grand Final since 2007

Fair call. Let's breathe some life into this thread then. As some of you may remember, I coach a bit of footy. And more and more I focus on coaching girls (school, underage rep and club) and have coached senior women as well but couldn't continue to commit the necessary hours with a young family. At a period in time when it's not always easy owning up to being a Melbourne fan, I've been incredibly proud of what our club has done for women's football. Our sponsorship of the Victorian League and our support of the exhibition game concept has been huge. I was a little disappointed in the quality of the first exhibition game, mainly because I knew how many quality players weren't playing but this year's game was a ripper. The standard rose significantly. I was pretty excited on a personal level to see a certain young lady in red and blue steal the show because I've been fortunate to coach her in a couple of different teams over the past three years. The female game is expanding rapidly with participation levels through the roof. The 2020 vision is something I thought was a bit of a pipe dream a few years ago but now I'm hopeful we may well have a national competition in the very near future. But I'm am wary when every time the women's game is mentioned on any footy forum the responses still contain some real low brow garbage. I just hope Melbourne members understand how passionate the girls involved in our Indigenous game are and how focused they are on improvement. Like me, you should be proud of what our club is doing and I hope you continue to support our involvement. When I coach, I always tell my teams that the most respectful thing I can do is to treat them no differently to a male team. Please do likewise when you discuss the concept and the future of the female game and do so with an understanding and hopefully an appreciation of the professional and dedicated commitment of the participants.