Chelly

Who said "chip"?

Our cause would be enhanced if the AFL announced it was considering scrapping FA compo as from next year.

Dayne Beams to Bris, Stef Martin to Melb, Chris Dawes to Coll.

You have to throw in Brent Moloney to Melbourne as well. No wait ... he retired, didn't he?

Ok, throw in Zorko.

After reading the comings and goings on the Paddy Dangerfield thread I realise that we're missing something.

This thread is for off beat trade and draft rumours, not the ones that have been endorsed as possible by members of the journalistic profession but by normal, everyday people, like the local barber or your cousin from Ballarat.

You know, really authoritative stuff from posters like Nudge and Chilliboy who are right there at the coal face.

Anyone like to kick things off?

Does this Dangerfield stuff have any basis in reality at all?

For those going out to Visy Park today to see Angus Brayshaw, here's an appetiser -

And for more, Paige Cardona's Phantom Draft currently has us taking

Brayshaw at # 2 but note the caveat at the end about his ankle injury:

Pick 2: Melbourne Angus Brayshaw

Position: Midfielder

Height: 187 cm, Weight: 87 kg, DOB: 09/01/1996

Club: Sandringham Dragons

Projected draft range: 2-10

Player comparison: Sam Mitchell

Make no mistake about it, Angus Brayshaw is adored by Paul Roos. Should the Demons hold onto their first round pick, you can put the house on the Demons selecting Brayshaw the son of Mark and nephew of James with their very first selection. Brayshaw has his fans because what you see is what you get: he is a serious footballer who is professional in every aspect of his game. Brayshaw is a diligent trainer and preparer, and leaves no stone unturned in ensuring he ticks boxes in his recovery. From a footballing aspect, Brayshaw is tough and courageous, dominating clearances and wins his own ball. He can move forward to kick goals, and when he isnt doing that, hes setting them up or inspiring his teammates with acts of desperation. Despite being largely inside, Brayshaw rates in the upper echelon in metres gained, loving to take the game on by backing himself to break lines and fend off opponents. Likely to feature in a clubs leadership group within three years, the All Australian, AFL-AIS member and Dragons skipper will automatically improve Melbournes list alongside some very promising kids on Melbournes books.

Player Update: He suffered a nasty ankle injury in the semi-final last week against North Ballarat. Has been named to take on Oakleigh; expected to line up. Also named on-baller of the TAC Cup team of the year.

As for Roos being there, I should think he would because apart from seeing the draftable talent, he has a fatherly interest in one of the players.

Would this bloke be able to work together in harmony with the rest of the team?

He will end up at the Bulldogs.

Just announced that Mitch will appear on this week's edition of The Recruit as an intruder but if he gets through the programme he can get a contract with the AFL club of his choice.

6. Lynden Dunn

5. Matt Jones

4. Nathan Jones

3. Bernie Vince

2. Cam Pedersen

1. Tom McDonald

Worst thread ever.

Correct.

I think you've both committed a breach by alluding to the unmentionable and should be banned.

Jones will be all over Gaz. ... did a great tagging job last week whilst getting plenty himself.

It's worth noting that Gaz is a different beast to Marc Murphy.

I have a good cure for the curse as handed down to me by an old Creole lady from New Orleans.

First, you gather thirteen chicken bones and put them in the sun to dry for three days. Then when they are ready, you work yourself up into a frenzied lather to add to the potency of the cure. You then began the incantation saying, 'With these bones I now do crush this curse and all my enemies".

Then you take a hammer or alternatively use your feet to stomp and crush the bones as if they were your enemy.

When you are completed, you sweep up the dust and place it in a bag.

You then sprinkle the dust and remains of the bones on your enemy's property or, as in this case, around their grounds.

Anyway, that should do the trick.

It's early but the HUN Barometer has it

MELBOURNE

INJURIES

Jesse Hogan (back) 2-3 weeks

Max Gawn (hamstring) test

Viv Michie (jaw) 3 weeks

Colin Garland (ankle) test

ON THE BLOCK: After Melbourne’s first win for the season it’s hard to see Paul Roos making any major changes for the game against Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon. Dean Terlich has been down in form over the past two weeks and so has Bernie Vince, but they were two of Melbourne’s best in the pre-season. Jeremy Howe is still not yet his usual self, but we saw glimpses of his aerial skills on the weekend and only needs a few touches to have an impact.

ON THE CUSP: Mark Jamar played his second game at VFL level on the weekend and, form permitting, he won’t be too far off returning to the senior team. Jack Trengove wasn’t among Casey’s very best players on the weekend, but it’s only a matter of time before he returns to AFL level. The form player at Casey is rookie Neville Jetta, but he will have to bide his time on the rookie list for now. The Demons are starting to get their full team on the park and Jesse Hogan is 2-3 weeks away, having resumed running in the past 10 days.

ADAM BALDWIN’S FORECAST: There is nothing like a win to restore hope and happiness to a football club. Jack Viney admitted on radio this morning the players felt like they had gone backwards following the Round 1 thumping from West Coast and the win over Carlton will be a huge boost to the confidence of the players in Paul Roos’ game plan. They must build on this momentum and Gold Coast at the MCG will be another challenge. Chris Dawes straightened the side up on the weekend and with almost a full complement of players available, we should start to get a better idea of where the Demons are at.

I reckon that whatever juice Essendon might or might not have been on started wearing off yesterday afternoon at Subiaco.

Roos on 360: "We can't do the same thing again, that's the conclusion I've come to today. The players have got to feel it's new. Forget the past, I'm sick of talking about the past now. They've got to run out Sunday against the Giants feeling like this is a new team. I don't mean wholesale changes. I mean internally within the team. They play in different positions. There's a bit of same ol same ol. That's probably my biggest task this week, is to put a team on the field that's a completely different team. This could be a different team and players in completely different positions when we run out Sunday."

Looks like a bit of a shake up on the cards.

Hopefully this isn't the panic button being hit after two rounds.

Concerned that he's emphasis is on changing positions and a different team rather than changing the way they play - i.e become a little more attacking perhaps?

I have to confess that I did swipe it from another site but it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Whoever we go for the first thing we need to do with the player is ensure that we have adequate insurance cover.

THE ESSENDON DOPING SAGA PLAYED OUT ON FACEBOOK

Jon Ralph of the Herald Sun tweeted overnight:-

"@RalphyHeraldSun: Stunned by Melbournes critics. No Hogan, Dawes, Clark. No Garland/Gawn/Jamar. McDonald hobbled, The Fitz off. That's 8 of 10 best talls out"

Says it all.

The club tells us that Tommy should be right next week, so he covers the other. This leaves us with Dunn and Grimes to play on LeCras, so no real changes needed there.

Sorry, but if the club's telling us that, then I don't expect to see him back until Round 5 or 6.

Meanwhile the club website's official injury list still dates back to the Richmond NAB Challenge:-

Injury list: NAB Challenge, round one v Richmond
Mitch Clark (hamstring) – 3-4 weeks
Colin Garland (ankle) 4-6 weeks
Aidan Riley (leg) – 8 weeks

For the last couple of seasons I have been making the outrageous prediction that Melbourne would win in round one and we've been smashed. I won't make any predictions this year.