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What a crock! Do you actually have any idea how he is travelling? Do you see the time he puts into the girls program? How much work does he puts into developing our young key forwards during the season? If he was completely cooked and had no chance of getting through a season, do you really think he would be continuing?

You can look at it 2 ways. First, the media hate us and are out to get us line. We know the journos bias for their own teams and their dislike of Melb. At the same time, the club and its players and officials have given them lots of material. Our attitudes are influenced by our own bias. Second, an alternative view is that despite the “bad press”, we clearly are an important club. We do matter. Our history, recent successes, growing membership, and playing list full of A graders means we can’t be ignored. Don’t forget our glory years of the 50s and 60s brought unparalleled success and unparalleled hatred from other clubs and their supporters. For 100 years Collingwood has drawn great strength from being a hated club. So maybe we should embrace the hatred and like the Pies stand loud and proud. And ignore the footy media scribes. Perhaps feel sorry for anyone who has to trawl the gutter to maintain their profile, keep a job, be universally disliked and perhaps feel occasional shame in belonging to the footy media. Doesn’t do much for their CV and future career prospects.

So then move him into a development specialist role undertaking the women's and men's program full time. No one is saying to completely toss Brown off to the side as his role within the women's program is vital for their development. But I can understand @Wizard of Kozpoint of view from a list management perspective. His body is absolutely cooked and hasn't played a full 22 game season since 2019. His body has slowly been on the decline since and there is a level of frustration that each year he's missing games with knee injuries time after time when our forward line has been at its vulnerable. I love Benny B and what he's done for this club off field. But to be honest I'd rather have a developing tall or the extra list spot for a fit and healthy kid who can just develope away then a guy that really is injury prone and missing games through the same injury he's battled throughout his AFL career. If we can find him a full time off field role in any capacity then that's a huge win for us.

This thread has now closed to further, sock related, replies.

@Demon Dynasty - you can rest easy - if all of Watson, Sanders, Curtin and Caddy are gone by our pick at 7, along with certainties Reid and Walter, that would be a stupendous result because we'd have the choice of McKercher and Duursma. Unfortunately that's not going to happen.

I have a few sons in Tassie who work close to sport and Government there, and their word is No team there for at least five possibly ten years to go.

I'm no expert on this so we have to bow to @Lucifers Hero and the list and contract status thread: My reading is that potentially we could use pick 42 now (3 in total), but have one less Rookie pick ( now 1.) The big advantage of rookie over primary list is that $80K of Melkshams salary is removed from the cap. That can be used to front load someone elses salary for next year. But using 42 means longer contract and salary obligations AFAIK. If we were to use 42, there would have to be a good reason, since the individual will in all likelihood be available ( and cheaper) in the rookie draft.

I think what many are missing is the cultural aspect of keeping him on, and Tmac as well. It's very hard to ask Petts to stay and honour his contract if you force BBB or Tmac to take early retirement particularly when it will most likely cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars. I like the fact we are honouring our word, it sends a strong message that can have substantial benefits in unseen areas. These issues are never clear or easy but a balancing act to find the best overall solution. We don't know all the facts and I suggest you support the Club in its decision.

OD, you do not need to tell us that you have no interest in the “girls game”. I’m sure it’s not intended but it sounds condescending and disrespectful. The development of AFLW has been amazing and the performance of the Demons fantastic. We should be interested and supportive.

Only 5 more votes than Trac, yet Neale has won 2 medals in that time. I’d say the 169 votes combined for Trac and Clarrie has something to do with Trac not snagging a medal. The consistency from our two the last four seasons has been nothing short of remarkable.

I don't think that's entirely fair on Ben. Though I would agree it would be difficult for a player with an active contract that guarantees several hundred thousand dollars in salary to retire. Unlike others in the workplace he doesn't collect superannuation or pension when retiring from AFL at age 33.

Bizarre that Schace was re signed, especially with Fullarton coming in. Brown McDonald Schace all playing for Casey will hinder Jefferson’s develop as well

They won us a flag, gave Daisy a fitting send-off, won us a bunch of supporters and and helped win the McClelland, so all upside. Go girls!

Totally agree Ernest. We obviously haven't been successful for a long, long time or we'd be used to this "tall poppy syndrome". Expect this behaviour while we are successful and wear it as a badge of honour.

I dont even bother reading these [censored] now. Its the off season there's no news stories but this one...but soon it will be replaced but something/ someone else. The media spotlight gets brighter, more dangerous for the individuals involved and more pathetic each year. I refuse to listen to Barrett and Cornes any more...I'll only put down that ban if we ever win another flag,

Make no mistake, Melksham is not here to just rehab. He wants a spot in a premiership side in 2024. He's hungry for success.

From my understanding we do have the flexibility to take Brown, either with a late pick or a rookie pick depending on what happens on draft night. It would mean we would have one extra on the primary list and one less rookie than last year. Given the amount of cap space we let go this off-season I feel like that is a possibility (believe rookie listed playrs have a certain allocation outside the cap). I feel like we will wait and see what happens and by saying we are only taking 2 picks at the draft, they may hope that puts other teams off making a bid on him and he slides through to the rookie draft.

This is what a clunky, injured, top heavy mess looks like. Having Brown on the list next year is a huge liability. Will always respect and love the guy for 21 but reality is he is the most overcooked player I can remember ever going into an AFL season for any club. And it absolutely denies an 18 y.o an opportunity. Maybe not Kynan Brown but definitely some 18 year old.

Good news. Just confirmed on afl.com.au Roos target pick one, Dee to go on, big Dog to stay DEE TO GO ON MELBOURNE veteran Jake Melksham is set to go on at the Demons next year after his knee reconstruction late this season.

The 32-year-old has been out of contract and an unrestricted free agent after going down with the season-ending knee injury in round 24 against Sydney and missing the Demons’ finals series. But the popular forward is set to play on in 2024, with details still to be worked through around whether he will be senior or rookie-listed in the deal. The injury will likely see him sidelined until past midway through next season.

Most of you won't know that I produce the TikToks for the Demon Army. Most of you also won't know I'm on the committee for the Ruby Demons. Today I got to combine both those roles. Ruby Dees were invited by MFC to represent Dees fans at the AFLW Pride Round launch at IKON. All 10 Victorian clubs were represented, and I made a TikTok of the morning. Plus it also meant Katie, Nikki and I got to hang out with the always wonderful Blaithin Mackin, who is an absolute delight. Hope you enjoy!

2023 was the first time in 5 years for Gawn and 6 years for Oliver that either of them didn't crack ten Brownlow votes, and in both cases injury was the core of it. Meanwhile, Petracca has been going at a vote a game ever since the proverbial penny dropped in season 2020. Strange to think about Jack Viney's Brownlow counts. His early career numbers stifled by the sheer weight of losses and being second behind designated 'played well in a poor side' champion Nathan Jones. Then as we began to improve he was heavily slowed by persistent injury problems, before finally he was left as the third arm behind two of the greatest midfielders of the modern era. If he'd played for St Kilda over the same period he'd have twice the Brownlow votes (see Jack Steele) but on the other hand he'd have no premierships and be playing for St Kilda. Poor Mr Steele.

I'm comfortable in my own skin Neil.

Ummm, that makes our ND11 into ND13 or ND14… Also this whole question is about getting one the best ten kids and ND11 won’t before the academy players and it won’t after.

I think the way it works is he is now a Delsited Free Agent' and doesn't need to nominate for the rookie draft. We sign him as a DFA Any club can sign him as a DFA; just as North swooped on Greenwood a few years ago when GCS delisted him to then rookie him. Caught GCS unawares. I very much doubt Melksham would want to join another club.

Season just started 7 weeks ago and its already the last game what a joke

Hey, DZ. I'm not sure there is anything to worry about. We don't know yet whether we have/haven't committed to taking him. Let's assume we have decided to not match a bid. If he doesn't get drafted we can have him train with us over summer and decide whether to take him as an A rookie. We did the same with Farmer who eventually we did not sign on. I'm with @deanox that if we don't take him it is because we have enough of his type of player and we need a bit more variety in our list.

To get back on track is there anyone on the site that has any inkling what has transpired between the Brown family and the MFC. I find it a bit distressing that the MFC have not commented on Kynan or his aspirations.!!

We're only "exploiting" the rookie list because it's called a "rookie list". If it was called a supplementary list, no-one would blink an eyelid. For what it's worth, I like the original idea of having a rookie list for young players only (eg, under the age of, say, 21) or for what's now classified as Category B.

Grundy wanted to leave us and we accommodated that. We can still rookie a ruck backup like Lycett, or whoever, for next year. I agree with Slartibartfast that list decisions need to be looked at in totality, not in isolation. There are many more factors that go into list decisions, beyond thinking a player may not be at his best in the final year of a contract. FWIW, BBB’s knee is apparently better, so he might be able to provide another key forward option next season. Personally, I see Tom Mac and Schache having little input at senior level next season, which I see as their last with us.

That’s actually not true. He would get his contract amount whether he played or not and was delisted or retired. Usually retiring players compromise their salary, given they are not providing any service, or doing all the training, thereby allowing them extra money from different sources, like playing at a lower level, coaching, or a new income stream of some sort.

I never said it was ideal, I don't like it. Perhaps Brown doesn't move to us if we don't offer the length of contract we did, perhaps if Tmac doesn't extend we can't afford to sign Trac or Clarrie to long term contracts. Perhaps this is the unfortunate results of other decisions that have benefited greatly, like flags, like having our elite players on long term contracts. All I'm saying is there is more to it than just "he won't play a part next year let's try and get rid of him somehow" and we don't know what the "more" is. And I agree that the Schache decision is odd, I wouldn't have done it. As for Grundy I think most recognize that it was something that we tried and it didn't work. Grundy wanted out, we didn't push him and for getting him where he wanted to go for what I and others think was well "unders" is a good thing for culture and that would be recognized by the players.

Forget the culture of the MFC, maybe we need to discuss the culture of Demonland.

I agree with you Red. Moving this thread is [censored]! Demonland has become unfathomable of late!

I have 2 eyes! You have one obviously. Money, money and money. That's why he is telling himself he is not cooked.

No.

Didnt we also want Georgides and Holmes.

I have complete faith in our recruitment team and whomever is selected by Jason Taylor and his colleagues, it will guarantee no Moore, Harmes, Dunn.

Has been delisted and will be re-rookied for the 2024 season. https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1459119/list-update-melksham

Does anyone remember painting goal posts on their dad's shed?

got to keep Hutchy in burgers

Older readers will remember Essendon ruckman and later media commentator, Geoff Leek. Billy Baxter on The Coodabeen Champions said that he saw Geoff Leek and Doug Wade off the ground.

This guy has Hird, Fyfe, Fritta, Lever, Matthews, Lockett, Carey, Flower, Hawkins (cats and dogs version) vibes to him. Will be better than Whitten!