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He's gone from being 'potentially' overrated to now underrated. Ask Barry Hall or Cam Mooney how long it takes to learn the fundamentals and nuances of key forward play. They admitted it was 6 years before they felt like they were close to mastering their craft. They've marveled at how quickly Hogan was able to out-bustle his opponents, push off them, double back and time his leads. A poster above says "sadly" he probably won't be a Buddy or Carey. Strike me dead. He (sadly) may not be equal to arguably the best player of all time and another who may finish top 10 ? They even question whether a 21 year old, 40 game, power forward has reached their "ceiling". Hogan will be twice the player he is now when he's played 100 games. One of the reasons Hawthorn won't win the flag this year is that without Roughead they have no key forward to occupy multiple defenders. They have no-one to take a pack mark. They have no-one to ensure opposition defenders don't mark a finals type bail out kick or to ensure it at least comes to ground. Hogan has had little support throughout his 40 games. Watts was great in 2016, but he doesn't provide the type of support that Darling gives Kennedy. For a young key forward, who has taken the opposition's best defender in every single one of his 41 games, to be talked down like he is is staggering to me. I question whether they genuinely understand the benefits he brings to a team, any team. Outside of scouting Gawn and our work around the stoppages the most effort by opposition analysts goes into Hogan.

Why would you tell him about the thread? Ridiculous.

As interest in the AFL grows, so do the insiders. There are a couple of twitter accounts which summarise the trade news from all of the reputable sources. The three that have been the best so far in backing up their claims have been Trade Whisperer AFL Trade News First and NAB Trade Radio. I bring this on to a separate thread as this morning, there was the first solo post regarding Garland and the Lions. Lions have picks 2, 20, 24, 48, 56, 74 and right now I don't think 48 gets it done. Maybe it is a 20's pick and something back to them. But I don't know if that is best for their development. I'll post anything else that is Melbourne related on here.

If Melbourne got pick 48 for Garland they've made off like bandits.

I'm the opposite these days. A bad loss and I'm the [censored] outta here.

Right here.

None of it is fact. That's why it's called the Trade Whispers thread. The title is self explanatory. If you don't like it chap, don't read it.

F Witts

Why would we want to give Essendon a boost in the draft order? Stuff `em they can have 27!

Witts is a spud. No.

Happy 20th birthday Billy Stretch! Love the way your progressing

Where do i sign!?

...my email bounced. I pasted the address in to facebook and found an active account, so he's still kicking. I'm sure he'll be back sometime.

YM was delisted from 'Land and is now in the bush teaching talented kids to post on rural football web sites.

I'm interested in the talk about a progression to assistant coach, Daniel Cross style. In fact, he may even be seen as a direct future replacement for Cross, who could begin looking for the next step in his coaching career by the end of next year. On his merits, he's was one of the best players in one of the strongest teams for most of his career. The fact that he's played close to every possible game for just about his whole career suggests good professionalism and preparation. If he is able to guide our young players in developing their kicking, vision and reading of the play, he would be priceless. He also has lived the experience that a lot of our young players will now be going through, coming into what was a crapulent team and now pushing up the ladder as a group. But here's the real excitement; Nick dal Santo would become only the second player on our list to have played in a final that Melbourne won!

Anyone knows what's happened to rpfc? Disappeared and hasn't visited here since July 3. Old sparring partner of mine. Has been quieter of recent but has a formidable body of work of over 17,000 posts. I hope he is alright.

Hate to sound like a broken record but to all those who excused our last two games on the basis that we were young or tired.... have a look at what a "TEAM" can do. They had every right after their incredibly bad run with injuries and then ending up with the almost impossible finals assignment to say... we are too young and too tired but they played to their strengths and won easily. Yes ... I am very jealous !!!

There's nothing you can't love about watching West Coast play awfully on their own home ground. It's a lot harder when the umpires don't gift you the game. Amazing that the Dogs have done so well with Stringer having absolutely no impact (until that goal) and the Bont quiet for more than a half. A very well-deserved win.

At the top of this thread, I'm reading the concern for rpfc on RUOK day, and I'm thinking how compassionate demonlanders have become. By the time I got to the bottom, reality is well and truly restored.

Ha ha laughing at the west coast fans booing the umpires because for once the umps are umping properly and not getting sucked into the home crowd. Geez the dogs are a good smothering team. Boyd had a much better 2nd quarter. Stringer needs to stop looking for the easy handball over the back and actually go into get it. But its a tough and great game. Hope the dogs win.

If big Max ever registers...

If rpfc isn't attracted by the prospect of renaming himself Spewy, I'm out of ideas.

It would hardly be unusual for a 21 year old to wax and wane on their feelings about staying with their mates or going home to family and familiarity. It wouldn't make sense if these emotions hadn't ebbed and flowed. When it comes to the crunch I'll back him to stay with his mates.

Every player we want to trade in will be seen as a spud by someone here.. Every player we want to trade out will be seen as a (potential) star by someone here. Sometimes even the same person. Off-season.

I said on here when we got him, it was the best bit of business we did, I asked Hunt about the big hug he gave McCartney when he got the award and he said 'he's earned it'

Hi, welcome to an internet forum: a place where like minded people are encouraged to share thoughts and feelings about certain topics. You have stumbled upon a Melbourne Demons supporter forum. Here you may find discussions based around the Melbourne Football Club or more discussions of a more broad nature such as rules, trade rumours, or the occasional off topic commentary. Pleasefeel feel free to join the discussion, or not. Happy foruming

If Jesse wanted to go back west next year, he would have to tell us within the next 4 weeks, as trade week starts then. We can assume then, that if we are not told that by the end of trade week, that he is probably happy to extend his contract with us. I don't see him playing an extra year with us, if he wants to go home and then allowing Freo to screw us, when he is uncontracted. We have been good to him, paid a lot for him and paid him for a year, when he was out injured. I think he would want us to be treated fairly, if he chose to leave.

But he's a lovely bloke. Always happy to chat to supporters and tell them things usually not disclosed. Soccer fan as well I believe.

Seeing as Clarke is an unrestricted free agent it's not only unrealistic but ludicrous.

Supporters need to get used to the fact that Garland is now a VFL player, albeit an experienced one. Pick 48 would be very fair. When one considers players like the McDonalds at 53 and Hunt at 57 I'd be confident in an even draft that 48 would eke a good return. Although something creative, as mentioned by a poster above, may work.

Or we do that Hibberd trade straight away and then trade Garland away afterwards, to get back into the second round.

Personally I'd still prefer Harvey. His disposal is as good as Dal Santo and he still has that exceptional pace. Obviously a professional trainer and would set a great example off the field. Probably doesn't have the coaching aspirations and might not be the on field leader Thompson/Dal Santo could be, but wow he'd fill a need. Fully agree with Goodwin chasing an older head. Jones and Vince aren't getting any better, and Petracca, Brayshaw, Salem and Oliver effectively all in just their 2nd season. It will still be 3-4 seasons before these young guys can produce the goods week in, week out, leaving an awful lot of work to Gawn and Viney. Hibberd and Melksham, and an extra pre-season does not guarantee finals. Goodwin knows this. If a Thompson or Dal Santo can come in at the expense of a fringe player like Bugg, vandenBerg or Matt Jones, and provide the on field leadership we needed in those Essendon and Carlton debacles, I'm all for it.

To be able to notice potential draftees, clubs need to have a group of talent spotters. I vaguely recall something being written or said about Melbourne not having the resources or structure in place in the Daniher and Bailey years (and maybe the Neeld years) to have a properly functioning team of spotters. (Terry Wallace has also talked about how amateurish Richmond was in this regard when he was coach there.) I expect one of the great improvements under Peter Jackson has been a better structure to put talent spotting on a sounder footing. Drafting players such as Hunt, vandenBerg and Wagner are the results of otherwise unknown players being noticed by the right people.

Look at the Giants compared to Gold Coast. You can see what happens when you surround your youth with experienced heads, compared to when you don't. Promise you the recruitment of Dal Santo, Thompson types will help our youngsters development immensely

I spoke to him at a function near the end of the season, just ran out of petrol after coming from NEAFL part time to AFL full time, coaches didn't want to break him, so rested, didn't have an injury as such, we joked that the only part of his body that wasn't sore were his eyebrows

A fantastic story on Jayden Hunt http://www.aflplayers.com.au/article/hunting-jayden/

How impressive is Brendan McCartney. I think his impact on the group can't be underestimated.

Are really can not see any way he can keep the medal under the rules they have, it is impossible. If the AFL had any integrity.........oh, I better stop there.

Almost everyone on here was averse to the idea of Stevie J when I threw that up last year and look how that's turned out for the Giants. Wells has that X factor and smarts that the likes of Petracca and Kent would benefit massively from. He would offer very good value in comparison to the other veterans we're discussing.

You might have to be a Victorian to fully appreciate this comment from Titus O'Reily Titus O'Reily ‏@TitusOReily 11m11 minutes ago One of Essendon's banned players Tayte Pears, has retired to become a firefighter in Victoria's scandal free emergency services.

Of course it's hard to go past our crime luminaries. With the game spreading to China, I do see a role for Sam Dastyari within the club. I'm just a little short on specifics at this stage.

Agree, as long as the two rucks are mobile and can take a grab. My concern is that if we go with Maxy alone with a chop out from part-time pinch hitters, we not only become over dependent on him which becomes a problem in the event of injury and game plan, we also risk running Max into the ground. He was fantastic this year but we are going to shorten his career if he asked to do the same amount of work in 2017 and beyond.

He is a 23 year old ruckman who is 209cm. He is always going to take time to develop but I don't think he is a spud.

I think Grimes will walk and who could blame him, Dawes, Garland and HL are done at the MFC, IMO. I would keep Dunn and Pedo who are versatile and in come Hibberd and Melksham. With Jones, Vince, Watts and maybe a NDS added, we have the experience.

The EFC players are still within the cocoon of the club and the AFL. Later in life as these factors recede into the background and they think about their personal legacy the bitterness will grow, To some extent it would have been good for them to go to other clubs and express their disappointment (even anger) with the EFC but that is not to be the case. Many lessons to be learnt but it may take many years for it to sink in. The next "lesson" will be the removal of Jobe Watson's Brownlow. No doubt there will be an outpouring of sympathy but perhaps in time it will be regarded in the same way as we now look at the Olympic medalists who are being stripped of their medals.

Garland & Dunn would be well known players to the FD's of other clubs ... a legacy of getting better is that certain players become excess to needs and therefore become real tradable players who may bring the club a decent return. Players want to play so it may not be the club trying to offload these types of players ... those type of players being told their chances might be limited could be the catalyst moment for those players possibly requesting a move. A few of our younger players may become targets too ... there are obviously a number of untouchables but we may end up trading quite vigorously to offset the lack of a first round pick in the draft. Taylor looks like he's got a real eye for talent and he may have his eye on a few players that may end up being drafted in the 2nd or 3rd round ... and if we want more draft picks in that area we'll need to trade in a clever manner. Trading up to picks 3 & 7 in last year's draft caught most by surprise but 3 off-seasons ago we were also creative in securing Tyson & Salem. I expect more of the same but we'll have to make the odd tough decision to be a real player. Even when we did the obvious in drafting Petracca & Brayshaw we used some creative thinking in the Frost trade (ANB & Oscar were drafted as a result) ... and in that same trade period we picked up Garlett at a bargain price (basically pick 61) Another important aspect to remember is that Goodwin was coached by Blight and Blight made some tough decisions on certain players before he coached his first game for Adelaide.

Stu cracked a joke, this thread really is out of control.

it's Jack Watts fault we're now blaming Jesse Hogan.

So cute.