DemonWheels

Must be tired already - a few weeks before it happened last year.

Melbourne paying $4.00 to WC $1.26 which is interesting - thought it would be a lot closer than that. Makes me even happier to pop $10 on and make the game even more interesting. Go Dees!

In one of his center clearances in the past two games (can't remember which game) he came up with the ball as he ran through the pack and held a body position looking like he was about to offload with a handball. This caused all the opposition players to start looking towards their own opposition and he just spun around with time as they spread away from him - giving him ample time to kick. i reckon we'll see more of that.

This is so good. Thank you. This is what TV broadcasting should use as a template in my opinion.

Just beat me to it

At the ground where we just kicked into the wind. Was howling when Wieds took his kick hence the poor trajectory. Positives: - Smith is a player - Salem is all class and involved a lot - Jones and Viney involved in everything - VB Cans only $5 - Trac and Bradshaw both busy Negatives - too Hogan conscious in the first quarter - need some beater kicks and not bombing going inside 50 - easy goals from WB from half forward - TMac having a pretty sour game so far

Foxtel are now hosting the International AFL broadcast online this year – I used it last year (Its called WatchAFL) and I was able to use a VPN to watch all Melbourne games on my laptop no matter where I was, for example in Hawthorn. This saved me having to fork out and purchase Foxtel. But I signed up again last night and it wouldn't load up with the VPN running – had a quick look at their FAQs and it mentions you will be unable to view the feed if you're running a VPN. Not sure what the next work around might be now!

You're not really missing much (crappy game) - but it's working fine for me. Make sure your AFL app is up to date as I've had issues before when it was a version behind.

Yep I'm a member – but haven't paid up for this year yet so assumed I wouldn't get the option to 'upgrade' until I have paid. Cost was $22.50 including fees. Can't wait!

Just bought my ticket – I wasn't able to purchase a General Admission Grandstand Seat (which was one of the options) so I assume they are sold out. I'll have to slum it on Ground Level – Never been to the ground so hoping for a good viewing experience.

Angus second from right

Agreed - there should be a 'next in line' or 'unlucky to miss out' list with each line on the field. The 'emergency' list would often provide this but it's regularly left out.

Much Appreciated!

Pretty happy this has all been finalized before the end of the year so everyone can move on ( most importantly the MFC). Wishing 'H' all the best with whatever comes next - I hope you leave us with good feelings about the club you've spent the last couple of years with. In my memory of 'H' over the last few years, he isn't involved in a lot of pivotal memories (on ground) but what I do know is that he joined us when we were basically a basket case club / team - how can anyone really quantify his influence? He won a premiership medal in 2010(?) and spent every day with our young team for the last 2 years - so in my mind I still see us gaining a lot out of this trade compared to those who see us gaining nothing after the Clarke / Varcoe / Lamumba deal. Super impressed with MFC management on this one too - this is the sort of thing that historically lingers and plays out in the media - Golf claps all round!

Corrrrrrrrrect. With so much AFL devoted media still needing to earn a pay check to get them through Christmas and January it's no surprise that they start pumping up Collingwood and Richmond - they do it EVERY YEAR - Why? Because their crazed fans (no different to us) click onto the articles on the Newspaper websites, on the AFL website, facebok posts through FOX and SEN, as well as picking up the paper (all of which sells advertising space). Same can be said for Freo and WC over there in the West. The media will try and make a news story out of nothing to sell some space and attract attention their way - even when there isn't really a story to tell. With regards to the article itself (I haven't read it) - I know where we stand and who we are better than in the league. We have a bloody tough, honest and hardworking midfield now with some spark and flair developing on the edges, probably lacking a bit of pace but we're easily the most competitive (and 'potentially' talented) bunch of players I've seen in my time (30+ years). Next year will tell us a lot about where we're at and our prospects for the next few years. Fingers crossed all goes to plan.

Awesome thread, love hearing everyone's expectations and thoughts for next year. In my opinion our list has definitely improved over the off season - by exactly how much is hard to say - but I'd suggest with Melksham, Hibberd and Lewis at the very least joining our best 25 we are adding some extra quality. Include a fit Salem and some more fitness into last years recruits and we're looking even better. Our depth across the board is pretty solid and I reckon if we get a decent run with injuries we can improve on last year with a similar bump up in wins from the year previous. Looking for at least 12 wins. If everything is truly right in the world and 2017 treats us nicely - then North will plummet, Pies lose their coach and implode, similar story with Tigers if they don't fire, Carlton begin to stumble, Port have the pressure on and are almost in the same boat, Weat Coast might drop away again in an off year, Hawks might have lost their soul and most importantly St Kilda begin to top out with a lack of true talent (they worry me) then we might just jump a few more places than previously expected and imbed ourselves in the finals. Can't wait!

Hawthorn trade out Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis. Their first pick at 76: Michell Lewis

A quick google gives me this but I don't know much else: http://m.westernbulldogs.com.au/video/2016-04-12/hannans-vfl-screamer

So happy to not see a Melbourne jumper in the traditional photo of the 'Top Ten' picks (on AFL site now) - we're ready to take the next step now and look forward to seeing some magic from Jason Taylor in picking late picks for us to develop.

Exactly. Whats stopping him from playing and having an awesome year next year and earning another contract as opposed to having it 'triggered'. Just get on with it.

Awesome thread, thanks everyone for all the clear and concise information. I don't live too far away so I look forward to contributing where I can. Particularly looking forward to seeing the new players - for some reason I feel like Maynard and Smith might be bigger players than their Rookie status might suggest but I'm keen to see them in the flesh before I commit to that statement. Go Dees.

Some more images here for those interested in the new faces: http://www.aflphotos.com.au/galleries/results/?q=collection:AFL 2016 Training - Melbourne 071116&image_id=478305

I'm getting burnt to a crisp in Bali on my honeymoon and couldn't thank you enough to all the posters contributing to this thread with rumours, whispers, possible trade deals and draft pick possibilities - no matter what happens I've loved the entertainment and the hope that this period brings. The last few years I've felt desperate during this period for news of a star joining us but it's always felt a bit far fetched with where our team was at. But we now have a solid core group of professional and talented players that are set on a journey towards some form of growth and success that I can believe in the possibility of A grade players joining us to make the team even better. Cant wait to see what the next few days brings. I remember when there was a heap of speculation about the possibility of Paul Roos joining us and to me it just felt right. All the talk of Dangerfield / Parker / Treloar / Kennedy / Shuey over the past few years never felt real enough to me but this time around - with Lewis, Rocky and Hibberd - it feels like a real possibility and hope the Dees can pull it off. In Taylor / Mahoney / Goodwin we trust!

Although I would have loved to watch the Casey game, this Ess V Cats game is pretty good to watch - lots of goals and good quality footy.

Seriously lucky we're not down by 6 goals or more already - they've kept us in the game through bad kicking. We have to tighten up and start playing footy not whatever that was in the first quarter. Feeling a lot like the same game last year - if we've improved as a club we need to come out and take the game on.