mo64

If we think that King can develop into a forward/ruckman in a few years time, I don't see the point of investing in another one through the draft. It seems like the club is clear on where our ruck stocks are at: Gawn - 1st ruck guaranteed unless he gets injured. Spencer - Backup 1st ruck who isn't good enough as a ruck/forward. Jamar - Retire unless picked up by another club as a FA. Fitzpatrick - The club doesn't see him a a ruck, and isn't good enough as a key position player. Frost - Wouldn't be surprised if he plays as a key back/2nd ruck next year like Jackson Tengove. Assuming Jamar retires, and if Fitzpatrick is traded/delisted, I'd be happy with a Hannath or Lycett.

I'm ok with Dunn, Jetta and Cross as lockdown defenders. We need more creativity in the backline, and if we can't get someone like Yarran, I'd play Brayshaw as a half back/mid. He'd offer more than Grimes/Garland's combined 223 games of experience, for f'all wins. You seem to have too much of an emotional attachment to both. Having said that, I wouldn't be unhappy if Grimes remained at the club on a 1 year deal.

And I'm sure that the player he replaced (Salem) has a worse stat line. That doesn't change the fact that Salem has far more impact on the game than Grimes. Grimes hasn't been awful this year, but for us to improve, we need more creative players in the backline. Grimes and Garland are neither creative nor lock-down backmen, and both need to be replaced.

We've also got the fringe trade-ins: Riley - Won't make it Michie - Unlikely to make it Newton - Hopefully makes it. We are very thin for mids.

I think the idea is possibly trading a late 1st rounder/early 2nd rounder from a Howe trade for the likes of Yarran or Trent McKenzie. Drafted mids in that region can still be hit or miss.

I've followed Bennell closely this year (he's in my Dreamteam) and his workrate and consistency have been unquestionable. As for the off-field incidents, I don't think that any of them were hangable offences, and were minor compared to Jeff Garlett's. He's the sort of mid that we're lacking. And I'd take Dixon in a heartbeat. The deal you've proposed is a massive win for us.

DA, as Django said, quality ball users out of the backline are just as important as a quality mid. Sure, use our high draft pick on a quality mid, but trade for a quality creative backman. It's an area that we've struggled with for years.

It's one thing to have multiple players that play in that position, it's another thing to have players that play that position well. The only two that have played well this year are Salem and Cross. Lumumba has made an effort to take the game on, but has been a little disappointing. And I don't think that either Garland or Grimes impact the game at all. Jetta has also been a disppointment this year. We are in desperate need of a quality creative half back or back pocket to assist Salem. Considering that we mainly play with a spare man in defence, our backmen rarely create any attack. Having said that, I wouldn't be going for Suckling, who is soft. I'd rather have a crack at Trent McKenzie who seems to be out of favour at GC or Yarran.

And to think that some people on here thought at the start of the year that his place in the team would be in jeopardy, and he'd be superceded by the next crop of young mids. Laughable. His appetite for the contest is 2nd to none at the club, and that's something you can't teach.

Dangerfield's manager all but confirmed that it's Adelaide or Geelong, and money isn't the issue. Paul Connors said that being close to his family in Moggs Creek was a huge motivation, and when asked if that meant Geelong, Connors said "yes". Doesn't look like we'll be getting a high profile free agent or quality out of contracted player next year.

11 Years in WA and started playing football there. Fair chance that if he was born and bred in Tathra that he would have taken to Rugby League. Just like Aker was born in Victoria and moved to Qld in his early teens.

Elderly men acting as fanboys around AFL players isn't my idea of comedy. If I had someone I didn't know hanging around my workplace asking inane personal questions, I'd be worried. But I'm sure the AFL players are told to react in a polite way.

Nah. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/richie-the-freshly-minted-demon-20150425-1msxbz.html

Considering that vandenBerg grew up in WA, yeah I don't see the humour.

I'm assuming the thread refers to "best" rather than most talented: 1. Robbie Flower 2. Garry Lyon 3. Greg Wells 4. David Neitz 5. Jim Stynes Apologies to Alves, Hardemann, Schwarz. Farmer and Jakovich would make my most talented list.

Aussies look home despite Brad Haddin, who's not a keeper's a#sehole. Gilchrist was a freak because he was a great keeper/batsman. But unless another Gilchrist comes along, I'd rather have a keeper who only averages high 20s low 30s like Healy did, than a batsman/keeper like Haddin. Give him a game in the shorter form of the game, but that's it. Hopefully they take Wade to England as the 2nd keeper.

Klinger has played half a season of decent cricket, and you want him in the test team? Players like Rogers, David Hussey and Hodge have dominated at state and county level for years, and deserve a place ahead of Klinger. In my opinion, Klinger's not up to test standard. Stonewalling against state attacks is not the credentials of a test player. Katich was recalled to the test team because he came out of his shell, and started dominating state attacks. Since losing to the Poms in 2005, the selectors have tried to manufacture an allrounder, and have picked Symonds and Watson when form hasn't warranted selection. I get the impression that Ponting has had a big say in their selection.

His decision making skills, rather than kicking and handballing skills, don't look all that flash.

Agree. It defies logic. Ponting's captaincy has been a disgrace on this tour. I wanted to back India at Tea, because I thought that Australia would get bowled out chasing anything around 300. The odds were too short. The way the games going, India will still be batting at Tea time tomorrow.

We can call it the MFC Money Laundering Account. I'm sure we'll get a few terrorist groups or drug barons who'd be more than happy with this arrangement. B)

Could a moderator pin the link to the debt demolition website onto the top of the board.

Fantastic effort by all those who attended. It moved me to donate $50 this morning. These statements made by Stynes and Lyon are important if the club is to move forward: "The main thing is, people like Joseph who maybe felt discouraged to be around the club for whatever reason, are encouraged to come back in," Stynes said. Lyon said the days of internal division at Melbourne were over. There are people on this forum who are quick to take potshots at the likes of Gutnick, Johnson, Guest, Ridley and Szondy for things that have happened in the past. If people continue to ridicule those who have given up their time and money to the club for nothing, we will go nowhere. Now is the time to move on, and embrace anyone who can help the club.