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I want to report another one of those crazy clown sightings.

Agreed. With the Hawks not winning this years premiership, is there any word around on when they'll apply for a priority pick?

Doubt it. More likely we're trying to even out our drafts given we have no first rounder this year. A second round pick this year and a first round pick next year is more balanced than both next year and nothing until the third round this year. (This is of course excluding us trading picks for picks which is a high possibility IMO)

Quick summary of Terry Wallace's analysis of our list - Good decision to remove the older players (Dunn, Garland, Dawes) from the team. Allows the youngsters to grow together. - Need a half back with good ball use. Therefore Hibberd will be a good pickup. - We're lacking a bit of ruck depth. Need Gawn to stay fit and uninjured. - Bit of concern regarding our lack of experience in our key position players. Expect some inconsistent performances. - We're a good chance of finals next year. We'll hopefully be a lock in 2018. - Damian Barrett expecting a 'curveball' move from us in trade period this year. Watch this space.

Clearly the AFL have got it right on equalization, as can be seen once again, by where players want to go. Geelong, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Collingwood are 4 of the leading destinations for players. We need these struggling clubs to survive and AFL head office has got it right.

Buckley is desperate to save his job and make finals next season, poor recruiting for the short term only. Wreaks of desperation. I couldn't be happier.

I have a headache. How do you think of all that?

He's a genius. Because we have done it two years running, he's tipping it this year. What a spud he is.

By even he means there's 18 teams.

LIGHT BULB JUST WENT OFF Melbourne Receive: Pick 30 , Pick 52 Melbourne Lose: Lynden Dunn , Pick 46 Brisbane Receive: Lynden Dunn , pick 8 Brisbane Lose: Pearce Hanley, pick 30 Hawthorn Receive: Jaeger, O Meara Hawthorn Lose: Pick 14, pick 52, Kaiden Brand, Will Langford Gold Coast Receive: Pearce Hanley, Kaiden Brand, Pick 14, pick 46, Will Langford, Gold coast lose: Pick 8, Jaeger O Seems like all 4 clubs would agree to that was going to give GCS pick 21 and 22 to Brizzy instead of 8 but pick 8 is more valuable to Brisbane because 21 and 22 give GCS more points for Bowes. THEN: Melbourne Receive: Michael Hibberd Melbourne Lose: 2017 2nd rounder, pick 52 (possibly add 2017 1st if they don't budge) Essendon Receive ; Melbourne 2017 2nd rounder, pick 52 Essendon Lose: Michael Hibberd THEN: Melbourne Receive: Pick 15 Melbourne Lose: Pick 28 and Pick 30 GWS Receive : Pick 28 and Pick 30 GWS Lose: Pick 15 Gws gain 200 points for their academy guns OVERALL TRADE PERIOD Melbourne Receive: Michael Hibberd, Pick 15 Melbourne Lose: Pick 26, Pick 46, 2017 2nd rounder Not bad?

Next years second round pick is fair in my opinion. Especially considering we've had to wait a year for Melksham.

Nah, somebody in the crowd asked Mottlop how many defensive efforts he had made in the game

Now there's a club who's midfield can't take the loss of a player like Gibbs.

I have thought all along our 2nd rounder next year is a better deal. Not sure why Mahoney ever talked our pick this year unless it was to avoid focus on the issue. We lost Melksham for a year. The bombers can wait until next year for the Hibberd pick. Half a chance it ends up a better pick anyway. But for us we need to get in to this draft and there's every chance an even draft a kid we rated in the top 15 or so gets to 28. Too important to give that up.

[censored] Essendon

Apparently the latest rumor is O'meara and Mitchell is compensation for taking Vickery!

Does that give us a chance of beating them in 2017?

Why? Seems odd to choose us

I reckon this is a really bad decision by the Pies, Wells and Mayne are not going to be in their next premiership side, i reckon they have a pretty good young group, and they should be working on that

Hopefully not. It was blindingly obvious early in the season and confirmed later in the season that Frost is much more valuable as a defender than a forward.

I don't even know what a "overly refreshed hawks player" implies.

You either need to change your meds or start taking them.

LIGHT BULB JUST WENT OFF Melbourne Receive: Pick 30 , Pick 52 Melbourne Lose: Lynden Dunn , Pick 46 Brisbane Receive: Lynden Dunn , pick 8 Brisbane Lose: Pearce Hanley, pick 30 Hawthorn Receive: Jaeger, O Meara Hawthorn Lose: Pick 14, pick 52, Kaiden Brand, Will Langford Gold Coast Receive: Pearce Hanley, Kaiden Brand, Pick 14, pick 46, Will Langford, Seems like all 4 clubs would agree to that was going to give GCS pick 21 and 22 to Brizzy instead of 8 but pick 8 is more valuable to Brisbane because 21 and 22 give GCS more points for Bowes. THEN: Melbourne Receive: Michael Hibberd Melbourne Lose: 2017 2nd rounder, pick 52 (possibly add 2017 1st if they don't budge) Essendon Receive ; Melbourne 2017 2nd rounder, pick 52 Essendon Lose: Michael Hibberd THEN: Melbourne Receive: Pick 15 Melbourne Lose: Pick 28 and Pick 30 GWS Receive : Pick 28 and Pick 30 GWS Lose: Pick 15 Gws gain 200 points for their academy guns OVERALL TRADE PERIOD Melbourne Receive: Michael Hibberd, Pick 15 Melbourne Lose: Pick 26, Pick 46, 2017 2nd rounder Not bad?

love this...playing essendon at their own game of "dancing with shadows !!" Starting to really like the way the club goes about this. It's not perfect , and still dubious about the cost of Milkshake , but we seem a rather lateral mob come a dealings time now.

'Curveball' he said...a mighty step-up from 'scattergun'.

Looking forward to the many falcons he will deliver to Vickery next year.... Both by hand and foot! My hatred for the Hawks has reached levels not seen since Chris Lewis and the West Coast days

they said Mitchell coming to Melbourne... to play with the Hawks...

32 yo gets 3 years for $2 mill? FMD. The world has gone crazy. Bucks should get some tips from The Donald.

Lewis is fighting for premiership favouritism for my most hated player along with Ty Vickery... Would be tough for me to warm to him!

A mate of mine is good friends with the player manager of Jordan Lewis... Discussion's between Clarkson & Lewis have already taken place in regards to where his mind's at & what his playing intentions are for 2017 & beyond. If Lewis does end up leaving the Hawks, the Melbourne FC is where he wants to be.

Three year deal worth nearly two million dollars. Wells is a good player when fit, but he turns 32 at the start of next year. Add Chris Manye reportedly being offered at four year deal on similar coin and you have a stand-up routine suitable for any comedian in the country.

I have nothing to contribute, I just want to post on this thread before it gets locked.

Team Mahoney/Viney/Taylor have demonstrated ability in pulling rabbits of hats, so I hope you're right. I've got to say I've never been as excited by a bunch of bland footy administrators as I am by this team. So boring to listen to, so many runs on the board to date.

How many people who were running the club then are still there now? It wouldn't be hard for Taylor/Viney/Mahoney/Goodwin/whoever to go "yeah yeah sorry, those guys were idiots, the club isn't like that now.". If he still holds a grudge over that, he's probably a sandwich short of a picnic anyway.

Maybe, but he'll still be Vickery everyday

Foot skills will determine frosts future. No point in dashing out of defense only to give it back to the opposition. The whole team need to get better by foot for significant improvement

so, you've changed your mind now? from " nobody foresaw that the EFC players would be banned" to "it could have gone either way"

Giving away our 2nd rounder this year when we don't have a 1st round pick is NOT suitable to us.

Unless Hibberd is prepared to stay at the Bombers on rookie wages, we have them over a barrel. They've renegotiated contracts for the likes of Hurley on the assumption that Hibberd was leaving, and didn't try to match our contract offer to Hibberd. Why would we give them anything other than what suits us, and that is next years 2nd rounder. Take it or leave it.

No. We take the option which best works for us. That's what all clubs do. It's the nature of the business.

Take it or leave it Essendrug...

I can see both dropping in the not too distant future. They're running out of ammo and making desperation moves. The Cat's first desperation move in Clarke has been a bust with a few more to follow, the Hawks are heading down a similar path.

Think OD meant he'd love the Dees to be hated in the same fashion as the Hawks - me too. Don't think Mitchell is a big loss in terms of a trade target. Won't thrive when S. Mitchell, Lewis and Hodge are gone and all the weight is on his shoulders. He has had Parker, Kennedy, Jack etc to work with at the Swans and will be exposed IMO.

Hard to see Hawthorn and Geelong ever dropping to the bottom half when they get to top up their lists with decent players year after year. They might have to trade for their targets, but once a player 'nominates' them, the gun is loaded and finger on the trigger.

It'd make things a lot clearer if coverage of movements (especially on radio) used 'Victoria' instead of 'Melbourne, the city', and just used 'Melbourne' for the FC. 'X player interested in a move to Victoria' is clear. 'X player interested in a move to Melbourne' just confuses people.

Was never meant to be played as a forward, despite this awesome effort. Although he's a big hulking and imposing figure, he never looked much of a threat inside the forward 50. Couldn't quite get a mark to stick and didn't hit the scoreboard often enough. He's much better suited in defence. Loved watching him take the game on from the back half inthe second half of the season. There was a terrific moment in the Hawthorn game which summed up our attitude for the day where he played on from the wing and pulled the 'don't argue' out on Luke Hodge. He then proceeded to run along the wing and bomb the ball inside 50 where Max Gawn plucked a beauty and goaled. Like many of our other players, the fact he's still only 22/23 shows how much improvement he still has in him. I think he'll prove to be a fantastic investment. And boy can he run!

If you can't beat them, join them.

I expect a quantum leap in team performance next year and look forward to the subsequent wins. The game plan is heart in mouth type stuff at the moment and the overuse of handball needs addressing. The young guys will be more composed and trusting with another pre season under their belt. Logic would suggest that this will translate into more efficient ball movement by foot and therefore reduce the pressure handballs. I have concerns about the 'team defence' we employ. The mis-matches that invariably occur usually result in scoring and I understand that the risk we take on here is contrasted by the benefit of a sling shot play when it comes off. I expect Goodwin and co will put considerable time into this area during pre season. Midfield is looking the goods. Number 4 in the league with the young blokes is a real credit to them. God help us if Gawn goes down! The forward line needs to drastically improve if we're to make finals. So many wasted entries, so many bombs that get rebounded. If we can sort this out we'll score heavily. Watts will go to another level, Garlett needs to rediscover some confidence because he can is clearly a damaging small when up and about. Kent, I love his aggression but he needs to focus on the ball more than the man and I believe he will transform into an exceptional and tough mid/forward. Hogan will deliver in spades next year In general and with a little bias, I think we have the best young list second only to the Giants. The desire shown by the Dogs this year coupled with the bye round prior to the final series, has opened up a whole new level of opportunity for any team in the top eight. We can no longer afford to put in pissweak showings and drop of the face of the Earth at seasons end like we do so often. The players need to go into the season expecting to play more than 23 games. Go Demons!

This year, unless I am wrong, Michie, Newton, ANB, Bugg, Wagner all got games. None of them are in Rockliff's class. To be honest, I am not convinced that Vince isn't on the way down and you have him in your starting midfield. I see Petracca more as a burst forward and occasional mid, as opposed to a starting mid, so no issue. He is best 22 anyway. We always have injuries and Rockliff is simply best 22 at Melbourne, every day of the week. If that deal that was rumoured is true, fantastic.

Most of us are excited by his talent, and it's easy to forget he's just a baby still. Was 19 for the duration of the season. If he plays every game and a final next year he'll play his 50th game in the final, in the week of his 21st birthday. Unlikely to happen in reality, but it paints a picture of just how far away he is from full tilt yet. Great example of sensible development of young talent by the MFC. Has played low minutes and missed games to date, meaning the experience he has accumulated has been under less pressure. Looking forward to Billy's workload being ramped up over the next 2-3 years as he clearly has the ability and drive.