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I'm not a Blease fan but the facts are that our game plan and that of Neeld didn't suit Sam. He could make it at Geelong where they are much better placed to use his attributes and other players far better at covering his weaknesses. If he makes it at Geelong so be it but I doubt he'd have ever made it at MFC and it has little to do with development.

I was reading an article today about a woman with a leech up her nose that grew there for a month. It got me thinking about the wonders of ancient medicine and I recalled that leeches produce an anticoagulant that will help blood to move to the area where they are applied. Now I'm sure JT has had enough parasites feeding off him for a lifetime but while he is sitting on the couch playing puzzles I think it would be a great idea to give these suckers a go. I recall hearing that slow blood flow is the reason the navicular takes so long to heal. If I am correct I expect to be hired as club Witch Doctor forthwith and i will put my mind to lifting the curse. Dr Biff,WD.

give him a break. he was only in the system for 6 years...

We all know he's right. Melbourne gave him the worst possible chance to become a top-flight AFL player. But could you imagine Nathan Jones coming out and saying this? The fact he signed with a new club and immediately started placing blame for his time here on the club and hardly on himself is reflective of his poor attitude, which is the primary reason he's not made it yet.

Give your mates from golf a call.

So if we don't use 40 and 53 then the Frost trade was [censored] and we panicked and wasted time and bargaining power by waiting until the last minute then throwing pick 23 just to get it done. We're paying a new head recruiter to recruit players who at 2&3 can basically be picked by any buffoon who can log into Superfooty, and we're not getting full value from a new development team by bringing in as many fresh faces as we could/should. We really are just walking on the spot as a club aren't we? So much for being ruthless this trade period.

Are they perhaps trying to take us over by Stealth? Geelong is a very disciplined side, everyone must do their job and do it well, they have a lot of depth so if you dont follow the game plan and put in then you dont play simple as that, I think Sam will struggle to get a game.

(Chokes on cornflakes)

If Newton comes in and we draft Brayshaw then the competition for mid spots will be fierce. Michie, Riley, Jones M and others will be up for one or two spots. It will be interesting to see who rises to the top especially if Salem, Kennedy Harris and Toumpas start competing.

Dom Tyson had nothing but good things to say about GWS when he left them. I understand Melbourne's culture was probably far worse, but Blease could of AT LEAST said nothing at all instead of taking swipes at us....for example, 'Melbourne have finally got their [censored] together and I see them going places but I feel. like I need a fresh start'. Simple. No hard feelings though...can't see him turning things around.

An AFL contract to play for the VFL? Nice work, Sammy.

I actually think pick 23 for Frost will end up being a great trade for us

Blah blah blah.. Give it up. Blease simply wouldn't do what he was told,. Read the Casey reports each week. Anyone that does that is a dead man walking.

I'd leave Bail out of that mix, he played most games this year and contributed well. I am glad the club resigned him. Terlich, Evans and McKenzie on the other hand I am not so sure about.

I believe if he had played out the year we would all be considering him in our top 3-5 equations. I find it funny that the likes of Lever - a good quality U18 backman is rated by some so highly whilst having the year off, and then there's Cockatoo who I rate higher that may slide so easily after that insane BOG game. Based on this one game he was simply stunning: Strong and easily capable of fending off his opponents whilst holding his feet, then on top of that was incredibly evasive with a lovely sidestep. He played with this insane intensity, physicality, and possessed that lovely dash many envy whilst calm and poised (incredibly rare to possess all). Better yet his combine results showed his lovely kicking skills and as previously mentioned had good hands. As stated he also has a great personality and appears very coach-able. I genuinely can't see his downside other than the lack of exposure in 2014. I really hope the club take a seriously look at him and organize an extra couple of meetings/ independent evaluations. If we chose him at 3 I honestly would not be complaining as I see him as a far better midfield prospect than Laverde. On the other hand if we chose McCartin (on the basis Petracca and Brawshaw were taken prior) I too wouldn't be complaining. I just hope the club take Cockatoo into consideration.

For a bloke that says something like "I realised AFTER the season that I need endurance, so have been working on that with a specialist coach.".. Sheesh! Why didn't the guy build his endurance before, or during? Why wait? And don't you like Roosey's game plan where it is not about one way running? Don't care what he does at Geelong. He was never going to make a difference to Melbourne with that sort of selfish approach. I reckon these are the sorts of elements that need to be weeded out of the club before we can get a culture of success. If it works for Geelong, so be it. He was a list clogger at the demons.

Worst player to pull on the red and blue, a gun lol I would put money on he doesn't play a game and is delistedfter his 12 months is up

"And that my liege is how i know the Earth to be banana shaped""Tell me more of this great learning Sir Bedevere & how sheeps bladders can be used to stop earquakes" "Certainly Sir...."

McCartin, Petracca and Brayshaw are the only ones i'm considering.

... and the story is not new either ~ http://m.theage.com.au/national/scientist-heads-distribution-network-20130208-2e404.htmlIf you click on the link "Thymosin" on the Medical Rejuvenation Clinic site - http://mrcpeptides.com.au/products.php - you are taken straight to TB4 (not the "good" thymosin which some Bombers said they thought they were given). This message is at the bottom of the post on TB4 (also the one on AOD9604): AFL players have it constantly drummed into them that they're responsible for what goes into their bodies. The promoters of peptides openly tell you what sort of thymosin they recommend and use and the players are claiming they're innocent. They are professional athletes who, as part of their preparation were administered:(i) an infant formula, (ii) a cure for cancer, or (iii) a performance enhancing product. This is what the much maligned former Essendon player Kyle Reimers said in an early interview with Damien Barrett:- Reimers: "After a couple of months away from it, it does seem very odd, the type of stuff we were taking." Barrett: "What was it? What'd it do?" Reimers: "It's just basically a supplement to increase muscle growth and stimulate the body a lot quicker so it helps recovery because they wanted to put size on us and help with putting on size." Baby formula? Innocent players? Cancer cure, Tommo (pay the fine,idiot)? The Essendon Football Club doctor has never been sanctioned for his role in this. Where are the medical authorities and why are they not questioning someone about the maintenance of records for the thousands of injections used in this programme? Where's Work Safe? The saga still has a way to go ...

this sort of talk (no matter how accurate or not) is just plain dumb and burns bridges unnecessarily how is slagging off mfc going to help in any way possible in his future he's at the cats now and the only thing that will help him is completely up to him alone telling the world he is damaged goods does himself a disservice and highlights immaturity bad move sammy

so he gives the club a whack on the way out. [censored] him. Hope he fails dismally and is delisted after 12 months of one way running. Regardless of whether he was right, you just don't say things like that publicly, it's such a small industry, if he stays in it if any fashion there's going to be a pretty high chance he'll work with someone who he just offended. He's shown himself to be an arrogant and self centred little [censored], he can gagf

I want whatever he's having !!!

Biffen your constant exploitation of crack whores has hardened you to the beauties of this world! I picture Sam sprinting through a field of blue and white flowers. His velocity causing petals to whirl and cascade around him! And ...finally ... a white robed Stevie J opening his arms and heart in welcome to the land called 186!!

Well I take that back. Whack away everyone. I hope you rot along side Clark in the VFL you hack. Only took him 5 years to realise you need to be able to play defence and he says that's the coaches fault? Players like that are the biggest thing wrong with this club. Expects everything done for him. Get ya head of your arse Blease

And if not, a word or two about Bert wouldn't go astray either.

Frost is a beauty - wait and see.

Qwerty30 is right. I wasn't making a case for Bailey being a great coach, only that he was significantly better than Neeld. If you don't think that's right fine. There is so much groupthink on DL it's frightening. Bailey and his reputation for "bruise free" footy is rubbish. He has the youngest side in the competition until the Suns came in and the list simply wasn't able to compete physically. So what did he do?. He coached a brand of footy that didn't rely on strength in contests. He coached a fantastic brand of running footy where players who had the skill set of our list could compete. Sure we got knocked around by physically stronger sides that were better than us (gosh, who would have thought) but the alternative was the tripe that Neeld dished up. As the list developed Bailey would have been able to add strength to the game style and we would have developed as the ability to apply those skills became available. So many seem unable to recognize the results Bailey got regardless of those that followed. Put simply footy is about winning. In his last two years Bailey was better than anyone since Danihers 2006 - significantly. He got very good results given the players he had. I'm not suggesting Bailey was a great coach. I don't think he was the coach to take us to finals. But the garbage that gets trotted out on this site about him and others is disappointing. I remember being pretty much a lone voice regarding Daniher. I'm happy with my stance on Bailey and those that followed.

...and Geelong gave up pick 21 for a bloke who can't play footy.

Keeping on a couple of fringe/depth players as against taking speculative picks in the 3rd and 4th rounds of a weak draft is NOT the reason why the club is where it is.

What does it matter where he was selected? He was a targeted player, the club got him, the sacrifice can't be judged yet. I agree that not using ND40 diminishes the worth of that trade, but we won't know the value for a few years. Personally, I would delist a rookie a player to use ND40 but I can understand the desire not to do that. Not getting ND40 is not the thing that make or break our future, what we do with ND2 and ND3 however...

Firstly, not all those players were re-signed during Roos tenure! What is so sacrosanct about using all the draft picks??! Surely it is the resultant list that counts not the method of getting them on to the list. Consider our list (with known recruits): -Only 7 players have played more than 100 games. 7 !!!!! -There are 7 players under 20 years of age, 5 aged 21, 10 aged 22 to 25. This age/experience profile is totally out of sinc with other AFL lists. So why worry about using pick 40 and 53 in a 'lottery' for more 18 year olds. It also may explains why Roos offered the other players in your post a contract...we need some experience!!! If a good prospect with experience comes up, who MFC consider offers more than a contracted player I am sure they will have the fortitude to delist that player. Otherwise draft pick 2 and 3 it is!!

I don't think there is any way we will pass on 40, as to 53 I am not certain. I hope we are able to use both.

Is this a reason to, or not to sign up in 2015?

Delisted players from this club seem to find new homes more than rejects from any other club. I put it down to other club arrogance, "we can un-Melbourne him" type attitude. Almost without fail, these players don't get "un-Melbourned". They stay the same. I doubt Blease will be any different. Paul Roos is only human like the rest of us, and thus can make mistakes, but he is one of the best judges of AFL talent that there has ever been. If he doesn't rate Blease, then that's good enough for me. That being said, I wish Sam all the best. I really thought he had something back in 2011/12.

Any actual news on Ben Newton ?

Wow. Another supporter that thinks because the club gave these players contracts it must be the right decision. THE CLUB HAS WON 40 GAMES IN 8 YEARS - NOT MANY PLAYERS ARE ANY GOOD! I would much rather Brendan McCartney, the best Development Coach in the AFL, be given two raw 18 year old midfielders with picks 40 and 53 than hold onto players like McKenzie and Evans who have had years in the system and still can't get a kick at Casey. Oh, and if you don't want an 18 year old then take Greg Broughton with 53. A better half back than Grimes and Terlich who, with Lamumba, might actually help us get the ball out of the backline. Has been squeezed out of Gold Coast because of the plethora of silky half backs they have. But again you probably think Grimes is a beauty too.

one good preseason , thats all it takes you know !!

He will be all Australian, kick 40 goals

didn't set the vfl on fire either

Good luck to him. No need to have a crack at him on the way out the door.

Fancy that.

After the Ollie Wines debacle, if what we are left with is Brayshaw and Mc Cartin and we don't take Mc Cartin and he does what Ollie has done this year, I reckon there will be a few around he that will be pushed close to the edge,.... Including me! We simply must take him given the write-ups and info. As you all know I love in an under mids , but I reckon we are some way down the track with rectifying this. FCS Take the next best key forward and it is Patrick Mc Cartin! I would hate to see what happens around here if we don't take him and he becomes a gun Forward!?? Eh?

So this is what it feels like to have your team win two in a row.

Everyone in the draft is a punt.

The contrast in the performance of our current recruiters to years past is amazing. We are landing desirable players not just NQRs and beating other clubs in the process. Looks to be another good get and our list is becoming immeasurably improved.

Petracca aint perfect.

I've never understood the whole 'I'm not renewing my membership because the team doesn't deserve it' thing. If you're not paying up this year, do you think that has some sort of positive effect on the team? Or, do you think that by not renewing you are sending some sort of message that hasn't already been received by the low crowds, the booing, the hate mail, and the general obvious nature of how bad we have been? All you are doing by not paying up is hurting the club's bottom line. Worst thing is, when the club gets good again you are going to jump back on and say you made some sort of difference or that they have 'earned' your membership, when all you did was throw a hissy fit when you weren't happy. If it's a financial decision that's a different story but if you're simply choosing not to renew when you are able to, I don't rate you as a supporter.

Reason to: you are a Melbourne FC supporter. Reason not to: you are not. Pretty easy. Melbourne is my team. Regardless of their performance, they are my team. If I withdraw support when they struggle, what sort of supporter am I? Melbourne do not have to demonstrate anything for me to choose that they are my team. I keep proving that I am a worthy member by paying my membership. Each to their own. If you wish, there are easier teams to barrack for. They are not for me. I am not cut from the Mitch Clark "run away when it gets tough" school of life. Last season, when we knocked off the Toigs and I was sitting at the city end- that moment paid for my membership. I expect more. But please, Hawthorn or Sydney beckon. Or else you are a real supporter.

Always renew the membership, downgrade if you have to but always renew.