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I think I can already guess it - "Spargo raring to go for preseason to recapture 2018 form".

It's as though someone sat down and wrote out a list of non contentious puff pieces stating the obvious. Give me a few moments and I will try to guess the next one

I’m not intending to stir the pot here, but I reckon we could use this guy’s skills and he’d still absolutely be in our best 22. Watts is simply an elite user of the ball, he has great skills, and he is fundamentally an MFC man - something which I think is relevant to this club right now. In short, there are tangible and intangible reasons to get him back to the club. 2019 was a simply pathetic season, and it was characterised by many poor decisions. Getting Watts back could demonstrate that we know we’ve made some mistakes, and that we’re above our own ego. I reckon it’d also improve our list. As an aside, I was at the Swans B&F last night as a guest of a former Port Adelaide player who knows him. He confirmed that: (a) he’s a ripper bloke; (b) he has extreme skills; and (c) he’s much harder at the contest than a lot of spectators appreciate. Completely unsolicited, he then told me that every club had him as the number 1 in his draft year. I know this is probably accurate because Gubby Allen also confirmed this to me a few years ago. We just developed him completely poorly. Let’s bring this guy back to the club. We really need some more class. PS. I rate our number 31 - I’d just like to see him and Watts operate in tandem for the red and blue.

I think there's a couple of key things that think we'd be mad to let him go. - speed. The games getting faster. Jetta, may and Oscar aren't. He has great closing speed and breaks the lines. - size. Who do we have besides and injury prone May to use on the big forwards? Oh that's right, let's crunch Nev. - improvement. He has consistently improved from being a ball watcher to being more accountable. People keep bagging his disposal but if you watch the second half of this year, you can see he is now stopping and using the short kicks much more and being more accurate. - effort. Something that was lacking at the tail end by quite a few others. He keeps putting in. He has the right attitude. - durability. Nev is getting on, May and Lever are a bit shaky. Do we really want to risk losing one of our best backmen at the moment. He's stayed pretty fit throughout. We are going to regret letting him go.

It's called list management, and salary cap. How many others are to be delisted? How much will that save in cap space? How much money do we have for other players who we might be seeking?. How much do we have to pay existing players, as their contracts mature? If you spend all your tickets before trade period, you can't seriously get involved.

Jack Watts would be laughing at the MFC & thanking his lucky stars that he left. Could never understand why we got rid of him especially when the year before he won 2 games off his own boot & is considered one of the best kicks in the game......something that our current list of players cant do.... Staggering.....

He will always be fondly remembered to me for this. Ran right past us, will never forget the look on my boy's face when he nailed this.....

No one looks good in that jumper. It's a shocker.

Frosty confirmed this morning that we are yet to give him a contract offer, while Hawthorn and one other club have approached his management about his availability. A few quotes here: Hawthorn has contacted Sam Frost's management to ask about its chances of landing the uncontracted Demons defender. Frost confirmed the approach today and said there was a clear expression of interest from at least one other club. He said he is still waiting on a contract offer from Melbourne after playing every game this season. "There is one other club that definitely have (called) and I'm sure there's others that have inquired," he said on SEN this morning. "Based on my age (26) and the year I've had, I imagine there would have been a few phone calls but I don't know how serious a lot of those phone calls are or aren't so I'll just leave that to Anthony (McConville, manager)." Frost said he would catch up with McConville "in the next couple of days" to discuss his options as they wait for a new contract from Melbourne. "There's no deadline or anything like that, so I'm not sure, to be honest (when a Demons offer will come) but obviously time's getting thin so the sooner the better, I suppose. "The longer it goes on waiting on Melbourne is probably the difficult part of it. You never know how these things are going to unfold. "I try and steer clear of a lot of it but as far as I'm told through my management they're having good conversations with Melbourne. That's where I'd like to be."

I never understood the amount of angst and invective directed at Jack Watts. When I sat at the football I would hear supporters pick him out for things he did or did not do.What about some of the other players? I used to think. Were they doing so much better? Yes, expectations were high for a number one pick, but he was never going to live up to the unreachable standards everyone expected of him. I ask everyone to consider this- today there was a service for a lovable, funny guy, who seemed to have not a care in the world, from outward appearances. But he was open about what he suffered from. We do not know how some people really are, just by seeing them from a distance, and the front they put on for the world. I seem to remember Jack was interviewed on the field after a game this year and he alluded to the fact he was in a dark place at times from all the attention and pressure of being the number one pick. We don't know how low he was in these moments. We should be mindful of the fact our criticism of people can be damaging sometimes. I well remember the article in a English music paper which disparaged Karen Carpenter for wearing a white dress which made her hips look big. I found out years later this caused her anorexia and she died too young from the effects. We can all take better care of each other. Yes, have Watts back. Why not? Life is too short for grudges over football.

Caleb Serong is a Communist? ?

When he got to Port they gave him the nickname ‘Basil.

Rubbish

I heard Gary Lyon on SEN. this morning and I thought..... does he watch Melbourne games, or is he too busy in his job watching the “big games”, unfortunately not involving the Dees? Gary’s opinion was based on on his kicking, which I think has improved immensely over the last two years, but he didn’t seem to recognise that. I’m a Frost fan, but I think his deficiencies are in decision making, not kicking. But I think Frosty has improved year by year in that respect. In my opinion his improvement with experience vastly outweighs his tendency for “ clangers”. Clarkson’s interest in Frost should raise alarm bells in Melbourne list managers. There aren’t too many like him around.Please keep him!

Yes pick 5. Rowell Anderson Ash and Young are top 4. Brodie Kemp is the smoky. Could be best of the batch but knee injury killed his year after starring at the champs.

And he shut down big forwards that usually kill us. Walker, Hawkins, Brown, Franklin, Kennedy. We would be MAD to let him go. Sign him up now.

I really don't know what you guys expect. Of course there will be these 'puff' pieces. What would you write if you were in the PR department? If they upset you so much, just don't read them. You know what they will say, so save yourselves the grief and don't look.

Next thing I’ll be reading is Oscar McDonald is looking to hit the gym over summer so he can compete with the big forwards.

Ha you haven't thought hard about this comment have you. This is the same Jack Watts that came out publicly last year and said he was hurt knowing the Dees were playing finals last year. He's played 2 games this year and his own club yet AGAIN have missed out on finals. Yeah he would be laughing alright ... ?‍♂️ only thing that's laughable is your post??

^^^

I also love watching the other videos of this that have different commentary over the top. Even though he's not with the club anymore, watching this still puts a massive smile on my face.

Seemed like the kind of interviews de-listed players have in the lead up to the draft and in particular the pre-season supplementary selection period last year.Guys like Nathan Freemon, Jimmy Toumpas, Hugh Goddard etc. all did similar on SEN.

the interview was interesting; it sounds like he doesn't really have anyone that keen to recruit him, and we're 'open to options' in terms of whether or not we keep him he wouldn't be the first player to have thought he was worth more than he really is, and finds that the reality is a long way removed from what he wishes was the case he's a good, ordinary player if we keep him, we keep him if we don't, we'll get some dribs and drabs for him

The offers would have come before this year, they would have come on the back of what he did in the finals and what he would have been projected to do. We'll never know of course, but I have no doubt if we put both on the market we'd get a whole lot more for Weid than Frost.

Weid had just come off a finals series where he was very good, as a 21 year old key position forward. He would have had a huge amount of suitors. Frost has just played his best season, but still has massive limitations, and is best as the 2nd key back and can only be used in certain structures, so it would rule out a lot of clubs.

Time to get serious about hosting a home and away game at Casey. Sell 12k tickets and profit all the cash rather than write a cheque for playing at Marvel.

Moderating the Post Game threads ...

Say what you want about Watts, but we currently have two key forwards on our list, neither of whom have played since round 16. In the past three post seasons Goodwin has presided over the departures of Watts, Hogan, Pedersen, T.Smith and Keilty and has brought in the grand sum of zero tall forwards. Our forward line was a complete shambles this year. At some point we are going to need to recruit some key forwards who are ready to play. They don't grow on trees, so I'd like to see a list of better options that could be available if we ask the right questions.

Ah good ol' Saty. Would he ever say different? Why i have him on block. Didn't have time to question the source and there was a reluctance to go further anyway so who knows, Saty could be correct or he might be just sprouting what's said to him publicly. Either way, Burgess looks to be a significant upgrade. Agreed on the first part. If we were talking a runner or physio etc neither here nor there.

I think he's Olisik's younger brother.

The low ball comment no doubt came from his manager, mcconville. Standard manager trick to pout some bultish rumor out via a sympathetic news gossip and seed a couple of footy forums. Same trick Jone's manager used. Works a treat when gullible football forum posters repeat it like it is fact Might have misread the room on this one methinks.

Absolute toss, Misson was regarded as one of the best, the team was fit, every player had done required loads, issue was consistency and cohesion We needed a top replacement Burgess was available after being sacked by Arsenal, is that a good reference? In hindsight

Stats in the wrong hands are dangerous. To get an accurate view of this turnovers you need to assess the % turnovers/disposals. It's pretty common for mids to have the highest turnovers and other stats for that matter

Love your work Ron. You knew you’d cop a whack for this one and you did it anyway. Kudos. The idea doesn’t make me want to punch kittens like it does others, but there was a definite statement made in letting Watts go so an about face is hard to envisage. Will never happen while Goodwin is coach. I only see it possibly happening at the very end of his career and under a new coach but still highly unlikely. Quality pot stirring though.

As the curtain closes on the Marrara Stadium stage we're both feeling fortunate and a trifle torn. Living up here remote from the goings on at the centre of the Demon universe. The annual visit by the mighty Dees to the outer antipodes of the AFL world has been a local social and sporting event. Always anticipated with great enthusiasm but given recent history more measured optimism. Will treasure some great memories of past and present players stepping into the limelight. Sometimes sparkling for the briefest of cameos, Liam Jurrah with the ball bouncing it in a graceful arc or the more theatrical heroics of Jack Trengrove athletically jumping at the forward pocket boundary throw-in, late in the last quarter to punch the winning behind against the power. Or the almost galvanising goal from Jayden Hunt's monster torpedo punt. The post-demonic alternatives don't quite have the same appeal, Melbourne in the depth of winter? only if the demons have the will to win. The 3000 km return journey road trip to Alice, scenic, but endlessly overtaking road trains and avoiding wandering grey nomads, steers and other ferals with Gerry constantly taking the p!ss. You would have to question your sanity and dedication to the cause. Well as George Harrison most effusively crooned " All Things Must Pass"?

For the Suns it will be the first time they have ever played in front of a full house for a home game.

I like you Ron, but this is a shocker.

All of that hard work ethos took us to 17th. IMO an effective group requires a broad range of skill sets and personality types - some hard working, some gifted. One thing I’ve always observed is that poor managers always simplistically reward try-hardedness and diligence over effectiveness and talent. It’s the very reason why Mark Neeld drove a Mack truck through our list - he loved the untalented C graders who tried their guts out over those with class.

He likes t#ts and swimming, but never liked going when it was it his turn.

Right up there with the best news I've heard all season. Good luck Vanders!

Vanders absolutely dismantled several blokes in both our finals wins last year. More than that, it made me and 45000+21 others stand taller after every tackle. Ridiculously important player for us.

Let's abandoned the draft totally. We only missed on Max King last year for a 28 year old. We gave away 2 first rounders in a super draft the year before. We have no rising star winners for ages. Our 18-21 void will cost us in 4-5 years. Goodwin is going all-in on short-termism.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, though. He was fresh off playing his best footy for the club and looked fit. At the time I think we were all happy to offer him that deal and keep him on board. He looked to be over the injury and had a terrific finals series. Of course it's easy to look at the deal in a less than favourable light after he missed all of this season, but the fact he is still just 27 and is seemingly headed in the right direction is a good sign for all involved. And what if it happens all over again? He may well retire like Tim Smith has just done, and therefore we move on from that contract. I'm going to back him in to be in our side come Round 1 next year.

Don't think he has the brains, either.

Coming from GC to Melbourne I underestimated how much fitter I needed to be - Stephen May

Our skills coach this year, thankfully he has moved on...