TeamPlayedFine39

Good player who would be a great addition. But gees... a 24-25 year old free agent doesn't seem right to me.

If the medicos said that his foot had recovered - absolutely. Far too talented and passionate to delist.

I doubt he'll play this year - it's probably his last chance to make sure he gets his foot right. I'd anticipate they'll give leave in August and get him back into training October so he's ready for a full preseason next year. If fit, he's starting 22.

This is exactly how a leadership group should be in a footy club. You need to have the experience and wisdom that can only come from playing the game at the highest level for a number of years. We, for a number of reasons, have been missing the wise older heads at our club for many years. Too often the LG has been seen as a way of giving the younger players a 'taste' of responsibility. Without a strong list and culture, this responsibility has been overwhelming for them. I'm glad that Tyson, Viney, etc have been left out of this. Let them play, let them develop, let them kick down the door of the leadership group in two/three years time.

What pleases me about our recruiting over the last two years is the hypothetical teams are not entirely composed of 18-19 year olds. Over previous years the team predictions and training reports have been dominated by kids who were drafted three months before. I would suspect that if this were 2010, the teams in this thread would feature Oscar McDonald (CHB), Neal-Bullen ( C ) and Stretch (W), so we can get 'as many games into the kids as possible'. This pressure and expectation is no longer lumped onto the kids at the MFC and the fans and media attention is placed upon older, more developed shoulders. It's a positive position for the club that the training reports are not solely focused on Brayshaw, Petracca and co. and how they will burst onto the scene and 'make an immediate impact'.

I'll have a go at my preNAB team for round one. B: GARLAND DUNN JETTA HB: GRIMES MCDONALD HOWE C: WATTS JONES LAMUMBA HF: VINCE PEDERSEN KENT F: GARLETT HOGAN GAWN Foll: JAMAR TYSON VINEY Int: TOUMPAS NEWTON CROSS Sub: SALEM (it is very frustrating that Dawes had that brain-fart at the end of last year. He plays an important role in the team and he's going to be missed in round one, where we'll be looking to make a strong start to the year)

I assumed he'd be snapped up by a SANFL of VFL team. It must have been a terribly frustrating time for him - his body not allowing him to play as he'd like to. Might need a year of low-key footy to get back the love for the game that may be, quite understandably, wavering...

I'd like to see Howe play high half forward/wing in tandem with Watts. He's building a pretty good tank and is able to exploit his greatest asset (his high marking) if he has some space to move in.

Was touted as a future captain from the day he was drafted - unfortunately, he was lumped with the responsibility too early. Focus on his football. The captaincy is a huge burden, and that is manifested ten-fold if you're down on form. All the best Grimey.

I'm in shock! What's the source of the pic? He's starting from even further behind than anyone's been letting on.

I really like this pick up. He looks raw, but has some talent and a great build to work off. It's great to see brothers play together. Fortunately for Oscar he was picked up at 53, so he will have time to develop out of the spotlight.

Nowadays there has to be a third tall / second ruckman, doesn't there? For me, that means that the team has to have either Pedersen or Fitzpatrick. Gawn, Jamar and Spencer seem to be pure, full-time rucks, who offer little when spending time in the forward line. We have to have someone who can play predominantly as a forward, but give a good chop-out in the ruck. Dawes, like what Malthouse believed, would be perfect if he had the tank / desire to play this role. Unfortunately, he believed that this was the main reason for his form plummeting, and then ultimately leaving Collingwood.

Love Neita but also believe it can only benefit him to experience the other football clubs go about things- especially if he wants to make a careers of coaching/assistant coaching. It shocks me that some players, after spending fifteen years playing at one club, then shift straight in to coaching at that club. Players like Buckley, Voss, Hird, etc. could have got an assistant job at any club in the country; but instead, they stuck around the same people, structures and cultures that they'd always had. It's hardly conducive to innovation and fresh ideas. Would be wrapt if Neita did some coaching elsewhere, soaked up us much knowledge as he can, then one day landed back at the MFC.

Huge vote of confidence in big Maxy's knees and ability to hand him the number 11. He's a fan favorite - especially with the kids so the best of luck to him. Out of curiosity, look likes every player to don the number 11 since Jimmy has been a ruckman: Simmonds, Jolly, Johnson, Clark now Gawn. Anyone know of another club that has a positional jumper tradition number like this?

Nev Jetta's the real shock for me. Bulked up significantly!

My predicted top three: 1) Petracca 2) Brayshaw 3) McCartin All are talented, strong, big-bodied players able to play in the congestion of the modern game. Whether it be bursting from a pack (Petracca) running through a back (Brayshaw) or busting a marking pack (McCartin). Then to round out the top 5: 4) Lever 5) Laverde

Best of luck to Dom. Was always a project player who the coaches obviously saw a lot in. He wasn't in my 2015 best 22 for Round 1 or Round 22.

I must say that if I was an AFL player, who had played matches in the seniors, there's no way I would want to change my number. I'd much prefer to make whichever number I had, my own. There's a lot of superstition around player numbers. Was it 1999 that the Wiz changed numbers to from 33 to 8 and his form plummeted, leading him to change back? Number 1 or number 50, make it your own.

Appreciate the repost. "HE'S SPINNING THE BALL ON HIS FINGER!!! TAKE IT!!! TAKE THE BALL!!!" Classic Krusty. Nothing like a Simpsons quote to provide a little context to a report...

At work and can't access Facebook... Any chance someone could cut and paste it?? (giving credit to the original source of course)

I think it's great to see Dawes being able to use a football in the preseason full-stop. Since his arrival at the club he's been restricted running laps at training over summer due to injuries. This will (fingers crossed) be his first preseason in a long time and I can't wait to see him running round next year fully fit rather than being forced to play catch-up. Thanks for the training reports too everyone who's contributed... my excitement is BUILDING! (again)

I too am absolutely no expert at all, but I will suggest this... he's not going to get any smaller. McCartin, like Brown, Roughhead, Hawkins, etc is a great big lump of a kid, who is going to grow into an even bigger lump of a man. He has good pace of the mark, good athleticism and agility and if he can maintain these through further access to elite training, then he should develop into a big, bustle power forward. He is not a skinny kid that needs to bulk up in his early twenties, and we certainly won't be looking at preseason training with crossed fingers to see if he's added and muscle to his frame. If anything, his big frame is a huge advantage as he starts in the AFL because he is not going to be rag-dolled like many recruits.

So happy for the Wanderers and their fans. Just goes to show what happens when you build a team to win from the very first, rather than build a team of children that might win seven years down the track.

The knee is a concern for an athletic big man. His frame, talent and athleticism lead to a huge strain on his body. I'm not doubting his leadership and abilities, but he hasn't played footy in a year and when a KPP does his knee in match simulations... It's gotta start some alarm bells ringing. If we do pick him, I can see myself holding my breath with every weave and baulk.

A real shame it hasnt worked out for Tappy. I'm sure he'll get picked up by someone as a DFA or a rookie at the very least. He's never lacked desire or commitment, it's just never really come together for him. I'd have no trouble with him being Jetta'd and picked up again by us.