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May, KK and Pruess would already be training if they were at their old clubs. I think they will be there. They have had their time off.

After the first round I believe the discount becomes 197 draft points So pick 54 can match any pick up to 41 straight up. Adding in pick 61 allows up to match any pick up until 34. Sydney have 26, 33, 38, 39, 40 most of which will be swallowed up by 1 player. North have 42, 47, 48, 49 and 58 most of which will be used on 2 players. Collingwood have 41, 44, 57, 59 and 60 to use on 2 players. Pick 54 and 62 will likely end up as something like pick 48 and 53. When added to a discount that's enough to match pick 26

Our first-to-fourth-year players will return to the club next week. Upcoming Men's Training Session Date: Monday, 19 November Session start time: 10.00am Location: Gosch's Paddock, Olympic Bvd, Melbourne

That's what I liked, from the video.

Melbourne assistant coach Craig Jennings joins Gerard Whateley to talk about his trip to Arnhem Land and increasing the number of indigenous coaches in the game.

Damn, i wold have taken Taj Mahal as the last week in spring is the only race he ever wins!! Good luck at Sha Tin

You didn't miss a great deal from my point of view Wadda ... did a lot of 2nd guessing today and therefore managed to miss with some obvious standouts such as Yogi, Ringerdingding, Cool Passion & The Taj Mahal. Got a decent collect with 'Most Important' saluting in the Stakes race at Doomben but slim-pickings otherwise. However, I fancy my chances in the three Group 2 races at Sha Tin tomorrow ... here's the form. JC Mile G2 1600m Jockey Club Cup G2 2000m JC Sprint G2 1200m

Sorry moving around a lot atm, didnt get a chance to put one in.

Agree to diiffer - the competition with Collingwood/Essendon/Carlton/Hawthorn will never become irrelevant. Teams come and go from UEFA Champions League doesn't male Real Madrids tally less significant.

We were a much better side late in the season when Frost came back in.

Full disclosure; That's Petracca's body with May's head.

My MIssus and daughter turned that Bachelorette thing on last night. So I exited stage left and went upstairs to read and realised this had just started which I'd never heard live. Then when you asked people to ring in, I thought I could do that. No one will know. So I phoned in. Unbeknown to me a friend was listening and mentioned it to his wife, who rang mine and said do you know what your husband's doing at the moment. So I get sprung for doing something secretly upstairs while she's downstairs by someone somewhere else. Can't win.

McCarthy is the problem I see, he seems to think that Rodgers will get them out of every hole he gets them in.

And you had to update it *yourself*? How could anyone live like that?! Nah, we had these when I was in primary school (90s). I remember once in 1995 we were doing a random quiz and the teacher asked which team was at the bottom of the AFL ladder. I put my hand up and confidently answered, “St Kilda”. “Someone check the ladder please.” “It’s Fitzroy”, said some snotty nosed brat. The two teams at that point had spent the whole season jockeying for the spoon and it had been Fitzroy the previous week. Whatever cretin was responsible for keeping it up to date had failed in their crucial duties. I was ropable and refused to look at one of those ever again.

Nope, not me. I don’t actually rate KC’s D that highly whereas the Rams are stacked on D and can go up a notch. Rams by 7

Will likely receive a bid anywhere from 30 onwards, which we would then match. We wouldn't match a bid higher than that and will use both our picks in the 20s to draft others. While Bedford has some good qualities, he doesn't have great output. Across 4 matches in the champs, he averaged 12 touches a game and didn't register a single score whilst playing as a small forward. The potential is there though, so I think he'd be a good addition to the list with a late pick. Definitely better than say Dion Johnstone. If he can build his tank to get to more contests he could have more impact, as he is competitive, loves to tackle and uses his agility to work through traffic well. Will need to start hitting the scoreboard though.

Great interview and was really impressed with the respectful and selfless approach evidently taken by Jennings from listening to the interview. Selfless in the sense that he was looking at things from an industry/sport wide perspective and that by going with Chad Corns, I'm guessing he was really hoping for it not to become (or be seen as) a situation where it wasn't just one club going into these comunities to exploit them of telant without contributing something of substance to the community. It was clear that Jennings got a lot out of the experience from a cultural learning perspective and what was not said is that it was probably in some sence a cultural exchange as I'm sure the local community would have learnt some things from Jennings as well. In more of a selfish sence I'd be interested to know if Jennings learnt something from the indigenous coaching fraternity on tactics. From what I understand, they play the game somewhat differently to how it is played at AFL level and would be interesting if there is something from that which could be applied to gain a compeditive advantage.

A future, tripartite, carrot-top fright machine for the Dees could be taking form: Clarry - so close to the best there is; Ginger Ninja Baker - speed machine flanker with smarts; and Bailey Williams - talents still just underdeveloped but already very obvious as ruck, outside mid, KPF. So let's complete the trio in the draft .... GET WILLIAMS!

BEST 22 B: JETTA, MAY, FRITSCH HB: HIBBERD, O.MCDONALD, SALEM C : KOLODJASHNIJ, OLIVER, BRAYSHAW HF: PETRACCA, WEIDEMAN, NEAL-BULLEN F: GAWN, T.MCDONALD, MELKSHAM FOLL: PREUSS, VINEY, HARMES IC: JONES, LEWIS, VANDENBERG, HANNAN CASEY B: J.SMITH, FROST, PETTY HB: J.WAGNER, KEILTY, HUNT C : STRETCH, MAYNARD, BAKER HF: KENNEDY HARRIS, WILLIAMS, BEDFORD F: GARLETT, T.SMITH, MCLEAN FOLL: BRADTKE, SPARGO, C.WAGNER IC: MCKENZIE, AYTON-DELANEY, LOCKHART, PARTINGTON, WALKER INJ: LEVER PICK 23 : WILLIAMS PICK 28 : MCKENZIE PICK 54 : BEDFORD PICK 62 : AYTON-DELANEY PICK 91 : MCLEAN ROOKIE PICK 14 : C.WAGNER ROOKIE PICK 32 : LOCKHART DELISTED FREE AGENT : PARTINGTON

In 1964 Johnny Farnham had not yet retired.

If anyone tries to nominate Bedford in the 20s, they are joking. He is good but lots more development needed. Needs to get the footy more. 10 touches a game is not enough at TAC level to warrant.

One of the worst ideas this year. Makes 6-6-6 look like a drop in the ocean. This is not a ‘best of series’ sport. We don’t have 100 game seasons with games every few days. It would never work

I’m definitely in the Williams camp as well but we don’t know what the recruiters are thinking. The player I also like is Bytel but his selection would depend very much on his medicals after an injury-affected year has seen him plummet from a top 10 prospect to a late second rounder.

I can’t see us taking McLennan. Looks a great prospect and ready-to-play for mine, but he’d wither on the vine waiting for a chance to play in our backline. Stack is an exciting player, great potential, but doesn’t seem a good cultural fit to me. I get the feeling he doesn’t suit Taylor’s MO.

The foundations are loosening.

the interesting and probably disappointing comment from josh was that Jesse was happy to stay if we couldn't broker a satisfactory trade .Doesn't seem that we were forced to take 6 and 23 because Jesse was insisting on a trade ,more just a statement of preference.A tragedy if this becomes the difference in winning or not winning this years flag .

Bailey Williams and Fraser Turner. That would be 2 very very good youngsters. Wait and see.

If Menzel kicks 4 against Geelong I'll be very happy.

The Full Monty T

There’s A Saturday in September unless you play all 3 on the last Saturday, Pies could quickly add to 26 lost GFs.

They've got guns...don't have to push them out like the others.

How's that grin on Oscar! Hasn't his workload in the backline just got easier, no wonder he' happy!

Im so Footy hungry Im trying to read into the photo things like 1) oh no theres seven going into a back half of 6, who misses out? 2) where is Frosty?, 3) Why is May 2 spots in front of Lever? Why are 2 not folding arms? Is Paul dead? etc

Our season has suddenly gone from pre-season plus about 20 rounds to pre-season plus 26 rounds over 2/3 years. Thats why we need 26 or 28 firsts. Frost, Hunt and Vanders will all get a good chance to stay in the team. For example Spargo has faded in some observers sights because he just was not suited to the distance and we are in a position to rest rather than inject/strap/push players into finals. Spargo and Fritz especially. We were really burnt out against the Hawks but got over the line. Eagles we were totally exposed. Thats my understanding of why we are shoring up all suspect areas, and why Jayden Hunt for one is in for a big comeback.

Agree. That’s why I rate Xavier O’halloran so highly.

vandenBerg is definitely best 22. I know Hunt's faults, but it would be great if he has a big year. Oscar Baker has the outside size and traits we need. It will be an interesting summer for him.

Yes I like the team but hope we can weave in Preuss and Vanders into our best 22 as I would love us to be a physically intimidating team that can match it with the best sides in talent as well. A lot of premierships have been won by nasty sides who blend mongrel with talent.

Oscar v Frost will be an interesting one as I cant see both of them in the same team if Lever returns to good form.

would like Vandenberg in that team but otherwise spot on

You be the judge.

Thanks guys. Enjoyed it as usual. The highlight for me was Josh saying that Jake Lever will be travelling to the States in January, to undertake the same intensive post knee reco rehab program that Tracc did. I hadn't heard that before.

you guys can thank me later

Yeah ... and I don’t know why Port Adelaide are so keen to get Lukosius when they already have a tall blond key forward in Jack Watts.

Bigfooty did their phantom recently for anyone that wants a look. https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/2018-big-footy-phantom-draft.1208310/ I'm feeling pretty relaxed about this draft. Times have changed a lot since the BP days. There's a few names in the mix for our early picks that excite me but I won't be disappointed if they're available and we pass on them. Some of BP's picks had me screaming at the screen. Tapscott and Gysberts come to mind as there were players I wanted still available. Jason Taylor has the runs on the board. I'd love Sturt, Williams or a few others with our early picks but if Taylor passes on them I'll back him in. These days I'd doubt the ability of our non selection rather than doubting our recruiting dept. Thank you JT.

@Demonland I'd love it if you could spend some time on questions regarding the structure of the club, his role. We have an executive (CEO), then we have a series of departments such as Coaching, Football Operations, List Management, Fitness and Conditioning (all of which would be considered the "football department" by some but are apparently independently managed groups which interact) as well as Marketing, Finance etc. (which I'm less interested in). There are a lot of names on our staff list, many of whom we never hear about, but I'm sure they play important and valuable roles. It would be great to know more about how they interact to achieve success and how or by who particular decisions (inc. decisions to trade, recruit, draft etc.) are made. http://m.melbournefc.com.au/club/people/staff-members Within the public football supporting community (such as us on demonland) this often isn't clear, and the media don't really help as they often just pick the public face and heap praise. Edit: I figure the "why did we trade Hogan", "are you happy working with Pert" and "are we interested in Kelly" type questions will get a lot of straight bat / standard public answers, but questions on the above areas will allow Josh to elaborate in an insider way for the benefit of the listeners.