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A role that's like a combination of Isaac Smith and Jack Gunston.

Some of the angst on this thread about our deals thus far is ridiculous. We got what the market determined, nothing more nothing less. I had a bit of time for Howe but certainly recognised his limitations. People commented on his turnover in the last game following his specy. I thought more typical was that the kick did not lead to the resulting goal, his decision to drag the ball in and get pinged in front of goal did. I just reckon he is not that smart a player. Most on DL don't rate Howe that highly yet some think a professional football club will rate him more highly and offer up a top 20 pick? The whole GC is a furphy, not least because we don't actually know what we would have ended up getting. The Melk? Are people seriously worried about the difference between pick 25 and 29? The Toump? Fact is he had his opportunity to cement his future at the dees and as much as i always maintained it was too early to say if he was a bust as player (and to an extent still in that he might still go up a level) it's not too early to say he was a bust for us. Again most of DL did not rate him yet somehow we were going to get an early second round? If we get bugg for pick 50 then we are on top. As for the fact that he was a pick 4 again it is a furphy and the reality busts happen and clubs also don't always get great deals to happen. Many here seem to laud Collingwood for their shrewd negotiating yet the best they got for Freeman (who didn't even play a game for them), a pick 10, was a swap of picks in the sixties and the saints second rounder next year. If that was us people would be gnashing and wailing. Edit: just watched the replay of the GWS as i had had yet to watch the replay. I remember at the game being annoyed with Howe for his stupidity costing us a goal. He didn't drag the ball in after all. He bloody tapped it out when he should have held it under him. There's no way he would have been pinged as he never really took the ball , just ended up on the bottom of the pack. Broke rule 101 and tapped it out in the back line and they scored. Dim wit.

There goes that ironyometer again. They're the professionals mate, you're the amateur. Not the other way round.

I'd like to see the Dees offer pick 6 to Carlton for Dale Thomas and then when he arrives immediately delist him.

Very underwhelming trade period, but the whinging about this deal is over the top. Toumpas has been terrible and shown little to no development whilst others around him have blossomed. Cut our losses, list clogger. Howe, give me a break, think he played 2 good games in a row once. There's a lot there to work with but I doubt he has the ticker to fight in a struggling team every week. He could have some really good games in a decent team, but he's been no use to us. [censored] him. It was an average deal for average players.

Really interesting tactic the Blues are going for, having no one on the list that has kicked a goal ever. I like it.

Stop trying to be sensible, this is an emotional fan forum and sense has no place on it.

Trade periods are generally always underwhelming and it's only because over the last few seasons we've had no choice but to chase and add immediate talent and experience to our side. Vince, Tyson, Cross etc. Clearly we're still a year or two away from being able to attract top-end developed talent, (stars) from other clubs and all this trade period says to me is exactly that. Rather than hit what is supposedly a shallow draft with selections ranging from second-rounders to fourth-rounders, we've gone the further step and brought in Melksham, Kennedy and soon to be Bugg. All players are further advanced, are harder bodies and will contribute more immediately than any of the draft picks we've had to give up so far. Not only that, but Melksham and Kennedy are both previous top 20 picks. Do posters continually ignore that? Both have enormous scope for improvement. When you've got players like Treloar and Dangerfield moving clubs and so much talk surrounding us targeting a 'big nam' player, it obviously obscures people's views of what is a successful trade period and what isn't. So far we've been going our business and we're improving our list. Little by little. Like others I'm hoping we can improve our draft position by trading a bundle of picks. Not sure how it would look. But it makes sense for us to nail the draft again with that first pick and if we can get closer to the top 5 then it's happy days. The club are clearly confident that our young core are really building and developing the right way. There will be a star or two born from the core. Next year we'll see natural improvement from Brayshaw, Hogan, Salem, Viney, Tyson, Vandenberg and Gawn. If we can stay pretty injury free next year, we're not going to see anywhere near the form slumps we did this season. Melksham, Kennedy and Bugg will contribute to that. Let's bring Dion home next year and perhaps try for another serious talent. We'll be a much more attractive destination. Until then, let's ride the roller-coaster.

That's the spirit. And Jack Watts will win the Brownlow. FFS, Toumpas had the same chance as Viney, and after 3 years, couldn't even get a game when we were crying out for players due to our injury list. Even first year rookies who started the season in the VFL development league were being picked in front of him. We've had a really good development setup in place for the last couple of years at least, and the only player it seem not to have benefited is JT.

I'm ok whit what's happened. In brief I don't think we wanted either Howe or Toumpas on the list but we did want Kennedy and Melksham. We got 29 and 50 thrown in and if we can use 50 on Bugg we get three players we want for two we don't for a drop of 4 spots from 25 to 29.

Finally someone has the courage to say it.

If we ran society based on votes on the AFL website, Eddie McGuire would be President of Australia. And Adam Goodes would have his citizenship cancelled.

lol

Well that's one of the dumbest things I've read here in a while

I think perhaps sometimes we hang too much on statements like this. It raises a few issues. Firstly drafting decisions should not be made by the coach- the club invests a lot of resources getting this right, the coach will be involved, but rarely (as history has shown) are they necessarily the best judges of junior talent. Secondly as the club has publicly announced its now Goodwin's list- Roos is going to take a back seat. Finally the statement isn't an all or nothing proposition. If Roos was ever in the position (and he never was) of having a very early pick and an elite KPP like a Jesse Hogan or Nick Riewoldt or Jarryd Roughead were available we cannot assume he would have overlooked them. I think his comments more reflect the price paid for guys like Lucas Cook or Fergus Watts or any number of KPP that were reasonable junior KPP, but not dominant. Now the question is what bracket the club see Weideman as a KPP?

I don't mind the Melksham, Kennedy and Bugg pick ups. I'm a bit disappointed we gave pick 25 for Melksham rather than 29 but that's what you get when you have a coach obsessed with win-win, fair deals (remember Jolly for pick 15?), and if every club held off in the hope of using different picks later in trade-week no deals would ever get done. The disappointing thing in my opinion is some of the gaping holes in our list that have not been addressed at all. Outside pace - no interest in Seedsman or Freeman. Elite kicks off half back - no interest in Suckling. Help for Hogan up forward - no interest in Walker. Help for Gawn - no interest in Smith, Simpson, Giles, Currie. For a coach that talked up how aggressive we would be in trade week I'm a bit surprised.

Crumbs for peanuts, sounds about fair. I ain't even angry, this is all so small stakes- were talking about an exchange of C graders- who cares?

In basic terms Melbourne began the exchange period with: - Picks 6, 24, 42 and 60, Jeremy Howe and Jimmy Toumpas It now sits with: - Picks 6, 29, 46 and 50, Jake Melksham and Ben Kennedy

I would

why don't people look past the trade and just simply look at the highlights of Ben Kennedy and keep this in mind when doing so ......................player attributes ! We traded out two players that just don't/won't/can't have a genuine dip for long enough, one cant tackle , one wont chase to put on a tackle, both don't get in and under and win their own ball. Both don't really want to be here. What good are they too us really? Yes I wanted more out of the trade in return. But did it happen, no, lets move on. Yes BK might have been on the cusp at the filth , been solid in the reserves and not given much of a go by Bucks and therefore we instinctively think he is not starting 22 quality, but if he brings those qualities and willingness to the MFC shown in the footage, then FFS give him a chance to have a dip for the club we all love. (as with any other recruits we get)

I am interested to see who we chasing as the forward to help Hogan, that was spoken about as a priority.

Seriously? When did this happen? Kent has some attributes and I hope he comes on, but when has he ever played consistent football for a stretch? Gee, Kent is overrated on Demonland.

We are getting Prestia next year if my mail is correct.

He was sub 12 times in 25 games... If you look at Time On Ground % - Toumpas averaged 72% compared to Kennedy's 59% in 2015. Kennedy hasn't averaged more than 59% TOG in his three years. In his 3 full games last year he had 15, 12, and 15 touches. Not prolific but they would play different roles these two - similar but different.

That makes no sense. His manager states that it's Essendon or us, and you say that it's a scrap of info? It was pretty categoric if you ask me, and proved to be correct.

Just like GC offered more for Howe. How did that turn out for us? Once an uncontracted player commits to a club as his destination, 99% of the time that's where he'll end up. Which is why we held the upperhand on the Melksham deal.

Mate, really?

Don't shoot the messenger champ - not one of mine! I don't post anything I hear first hand anymore remember, fear of angry Mob syndrome etc.. Mate text me this saying he heard this in Melb and that were pitching to his Mgmt I assumed it was out there already! Clearly not - But we are Brisbane's preferred option apparently.

Still amazed how many posters are privy to so much inside information to form these black and white judgements.

I do think that what's at play here is the club is slowly but surely cutting ties with bad draft choices and locker room cancers from the Bailey and Neeld eras. You can lose players and actually gain from that without receiving something tangible in return. I think it was pretty obvious that Melbourne just didn't really want to keep Howe. He seems like a hot-head bogan that's ahead of himself. Toump was just a bad draft pick and needs a fresh start.

I'm ready to ride the Melky Way in 2016 #ridethemelkyway

This trade period is an utter disappointment. If you had told any Melbourne supporter in the last couple of years that Toumpas and Howe would leave for a no-name Collingwood player and a pick around 30 they would be devastated. Josh Mahoney's trade career has been as in and out as his football career. Had enough of him.

He's pretty meh for mine.

Shipping out a Pick 4 after three injury interrupted seasons in exchange for pick 50 has the potential to be an outrageously poor decision. It's a massive gamble to be showing him the door this quickly for peanuts. In fact if there was any way to make the Toumpas over Wines decision worse, it is giving Toumpas the flick only to then watch him blossom at another club. Port fans can not believe their luck at the moment. Pick 50 for a half unwrapped top 10 talent. We'll wait and see how that one pans out, though the thought of Wines and Toumpas running around together for another side in September is almost too funny to actually be disturbing. The whole Toumpas fiasco has been so ridiculous and yet so, so Melbourne. If we look back in a couple of years on this period as coming out winners then I'll tip my hat to Mahoney cause he should rightly be lauded a master. At the moment, it takes some ingenuity to be looking at this as all sunshine and lollipops. Fortunately we didn't recruit Bastinac otherwise I may have had to switch off entirely and just follow the rugby. That said, as much as we may have been bent over the trade table, the squad can certainly withstand the losses of Howe and Toumpas whilst continuing to move forward at an accelerated rate. The Howe move especially had to get done for all parties. The gains of Melksham, Kennedy and Bugg all have the potential to become mainstays. Melksham and Kennedy nominated the MFC as their destination. If they are buying in to what the club is trying to do and where it wants to get to, they get my unqualified support.

Wouldn't have known Ben Kennedy, but watching his highlights pack the one thing that stands out is competitive aggression. If those of you naysayers can't see what this club are trying to create, or should I say re-create, then you aren't paying attention. So far we have Kennedy and Melksham, and seemingly Bugg. What is the MAIN thing these guys have that Toumpas and Howe don't? Hunger for the hard ball and the contest. It's THAT obvious, and it makes me very happy.

I read that today but thought it was a typo and they meant Nth Melbourne?

Agree. The contract that we offered Melksham blew any other potential suitor (if any) out of the ballpark. We could have sat on this trade until the Howe deal was finalised.

Another problematic and virus-like player gone. See-ya.

how would you have any clue what we 'could' have done? We WANTED Melksham and Kennedy and that's what they COST. We can't just TELL a club what we would like to give up for their players.

Today is a Howe free and Toumpas free day. Life's good.

If Kennedy turns out to be the next Ablett, be it Gary Snr or Jnr, I reckon we win.

Sort of reminds me of a smaller Brian Lake. (Looks)

I've watched the Dees v GWS game a couple of times and while you can't judge on a single game, I thought Tomlinson looked very average.

Unfortunately, I'm not convinced he'd be an upgrade on either.

Maybe so, but what if he costs a 2nd rounder and the only other options you have to help Hogan are Dawes & Pedersen? Makes the decision pretty easy in my eyes.

i don't think the club should say anything publicly about their intentions (or privately to reporters) during the whole trade period, except obviously for completed deals

I'd like us to propose a trade of #6, #29, #46, #50, #64 & 2016 third rounder for Bugg, #7, #8.

Bloody hell, Mahoney is the mouth piece of the MFC during trade period. It could be Taylor, or Viney... The only reason some of you Henson characters are lining him up is because of this fact, not because you think he's incompetent.

No point sweating the small stuff. Decide who you want, do the deal, move on. The difference a few places in the draft make (outside of the first 10) is neither here nor there, and what happens on draft night is something of a lottery. No-one could have foreseen that we'd get ANB and then Oscar Mac at the picks we did, or that a lowly pick like Vandenberg would end up being a decent enough player to pick up Brownlow votes. Melksham for 25, Toumpas for Kennedy etc. - these aren't in themselves deals that are going to make or break the club. On the other hand, bringing in three young hard-at-the-ball players, regardless of their deficiencies, does start to shift the culture of the club and set a precedent, especially for players that will be competing for the same or similar roles.

If you seriously think we would have drafted Kennedy at 4 over Wines, Stringer or Macrae then you're either an idiot or deliberately talking [censored] to try and placate the masses.