stevethemanjordan

Fair enough then.. But I still wouldn't feel comfortable even with one of those top 5 picks for Mitchell and a player. Just wouldn't sit well with me.

I don't think you understood the conversation that was going on.. A poster was suggesting two top 5/10 picks for those two players, not me.

Because it would be Tom Mitchell and Gar Rohan for potentially two top 5 picks.... Are you mad?

As for Tom Mitchell, yes he's a decent player.. But not one I'd be wanting to pay overs for. He's a 180 cm contested ball winner who doesn't provide much else and we're screaming out for classy mids who can provide our midfield with some flair. Viney Jones Cross Tyson They're all hard at it contested ball winners. We need some power mids who can break games open with their speed, penetrating kicking and decision making. Players that opposition players will hate dealing with. Yes I'm talking about you Dangerfield...

Trading our first round picks including the one we'd receive if Frawley left and receiving Tom Mitchell and Gary Rohan would be nothing short of a disastrous off-season..

Sounds like the star mid we've been waiting to draft for how many years now?

So, can someone tell me how good this Petracca bloke is? (Regardless that the info is from demonland) Have we got some posters that have seen this guy play live? Are we talking the 'Oli Wines' of 2015? Looks like they've both got similar physical attributes. Similar height and both heavy boys. What's his kicking/vision/decision making like? Anything would be great.

He's hands off at this moment in time BB. We've got a big bodied guerrilla defender who may be leaving our club at seasons end and our list is hardly full of great one-on-one defenders so I think it's fair to say he's on the untouchables list for this season.. It may be a different case if our list was teaming with top end KPP backmen but T Mac has shown his worth as a standout close checking defender. As others have pointed out, if we had some elite rebound half back flankers with elite skills coming out of our backline, Tom would be made to look a lot better than he is as he'd be assigned to play to his strengths and not worry about being the rebound player himself. We all know about his decision making/kicking deficiencies.

Of course missed opportunities in front of goal don't help but look at our inside 50 numbers. Again, absolutely shocking which says that we constantly butcher the ball in our backline and midfield. That's where the problem is. We just don't have quality decision makers or ball users.

Petracca or Brayshaw and Danger for the beginning of the 2015 is what's on my mind. Make it happen MFC.

Yes, I'm sure Roos would keep him.. But I'm also sure the ammunition we'd receive from Frawley would also be on Roos' mind. I definitely don't think it's a 'must keep Frawley at all costs' type situation.

I'll answer your last paragraph even though I've just posted something similar in the 'Players to target at the end of the year' thread.Billy, the situation is more complex then you're making out. Frawley's qualities as a player to the clubs that are supposedly interested are very different from ours clearly. Hawthorn, Freo, Geelong and Gold Coast are all clubs said to be interested. What do they have in common? They're clubs with strong lists, leaders, culture and they're ALL in flag winning positions, (bar GC but not for long). If they pay overs for a bloke who's number one attribute is his one on one defending on the big boys of the competition it's because they're in flag winning positions and have identified a certain gap that needs filling. There's no doubt whatsoever, he'd perform well in that role at any of those clubs and be made to look a million bucks for doing something he does best. Where are the MFC at the moment when it comes to culture/environment, strong personalities, leaders etc? Absolutely in an infancy stage. Has Frawley or is Frawley going to contribute to any of the above for our club going forward? I say no. Do we have the chance of securing a player who could provide those characteristics our club so desperately needs to become strong again if Frawley leaves on a big contract on big money? Absolutely we do. It's not as black and white as you're making out. Our list, culture, leaders etc still need changing. That's the number one priority for me in all of this Frawley talk.

And for the for every other poster out there who continually brings up the old, 'well look at what early draft picks have done for the club in recent years'..... Give it a [censored] rest. If you STILL can't see that our FD was clearly absolutely incompetent back then (which included coaches, development coaches, recruiters and even the leaders of our club at the time), then you'd realise the draft picks we inherited and their performance for us/performances still for us WERE A DIRECT RESULT of the failed FD. New FD, competent coaches, (some of the best in Roos and Stone), real leaders, (Cross, Jones and Dawes) and a beefed up recruiting team with a very highly regarded head recruiter. It's clear as [censored] day that our draft picks are in a lot better hands these days.

Surely you're more comfortable, (even if not 100% comfortable) in knowing we are in much better hands as a club and a much more attractive option for players with the obvious changes in personell, list changes and the way we're now playing..I won't argue with the genius comment. The possibility of bringing a genuine A grade mid to this club would clearly be hugely increased with the departure of Frawley I think what I think about most is the future of the club and how we're going to jump from being where we are now, to one of the dominant clubs of the AFL. The most important question regarding the Frawley situation is this: If he stays, will he be a genuine leader and inspire this next young group of players in Viney, Tyson, JKH, Salem etc to push themselves to a level they never knew existed? Will he be the catalyst to inspire further positive change at this club? My answer is no, he won't. He doesn't possess the personality not does he command that from the players. He's been in our system for too long and he doesn't get it. When you view the situation in that context, and then think about the pick we'd be getting for him and the potential return for it. Which could be anything from a star mid/player who has the ability to POSITIVELY inspire and influence our young brigade and club or a gem in the draft who might take some time but could be the player we need to help take us forward, the choice is easy.. Frawley is a passenger. He always will be. There is no chance of him being our 'Luke Hodge, Buddy Franklin, Gary Ablett', (insert any genuine list/club chaner). Sure aspects of his game are handy and he's a big monster of a bloke, but if you think about what our club is DESPERATE for... Then you'd be welcoming the prospect of him leaving. Paul Roos has stated we're crying out for midfield game breakers and class. If that doesn't say to you that we'll be going hard again for players at the end of the year, I don't know what will. I know he's said he'd like Frawley to stay but I'm not so sure that's the honest truth. He'd know we still need to bring in fresh minds, strong personalities and genuine club changers. Demonland, it's time to let go of some of your beloved players for growth of our club. Realise that we need to take these opportunities if we want to see Melbourne rise strongly. Be confident that we can nab a star or at least pick well and develop that player the right way with fantastic coaches and leaders. It's time.

Wrong Reid variety.

My point was, (in that particular post) that he's not walking for nothing. We will be getting good compensation. And my belief is that our list will benefit greatly from Frawley's departure with the potential for luring a star or going to the draft with the pick we receive. Of course we don't know, but it's my view. The pick would significantly increase our chances of nabbing a star midfielder..

What do you mean walk out the door easily?! It's free agency? And we'll be receiving band one compo? I give up.

Frawley's biggest asset to us which will help the future of our club is the compo pick that we'd receive for him if he left. Midfield > Frawley.

Please refer back to my recent posts in regards to his contract situation and my position on it. I can't be bothered explaining but it's hilarious that you and a few others keep dropping that dribble about 'making myself feel better'. Decent backmen don't grow on trees? Its pointless arguing with someone who clearly can't see that our backline happens to be functioning fine without him at present. Team defence > an individual backman's defence. Dunn, McDonald, Garland all seem to be pretty good one on one defenders.

Yes but this is demonland... And there are posters on here who will vehemently defend any player that plays for us, regardless of their ability, value to the CLUB or any other logical reasoning suggesting that individual is not worth persisting with. It's great.

No surprises that Gary has chipped in, (excuse the pun).. I'm sure now that we've had someone of 'some' level of stature criticise his performance, posters will start looking at the bloke with keener eyes. It's funny what one 'All Australian Year' does for supporters perceptions. It's as if the player is suddenly put in an elite bracket whereby no matter how they perform from then on, there'll always be the 'he's our AA fullback' comments which count for absolutely zilch when we're talking about the here and now. His form at present. It's the very thing that supporters who don't want to see him go are continually blinded by. One good year of performance. As a leader of a team who are crying out for a culture change and for leaders to set the highest of standards, Frawley is failing big time. One thing I know for certain we haven't done well in the past when it comes to recruiting is identifying strong personalities with an intense and burning desire to do everything they can to get the most out of themselves which over years rubs off on others.. Frawley is one of many who doesn't have the capacity as a human being to realise this and it's extremely unfortunate for us as a club as you build clubs around personalities like Dawes', Jones', Viney', Hogan' etc.. Frawley, as player and onfield performer at PRESENT is absolutely without doubt overrated by the same posters who throw the 'he's an AA fullback' line. The fact he has put off contract talks is not the issue and not one that bothers me or many other, including Gary I'm sure. The issue is that as a 26-27 year old player who is in the leadership group, Frawley has already stated some unbelievably stupid things to the media in regards to 'what he wanted to see from the club/what he wants to see'. Initially it was where the club was heading. (Clearly, it's north). Secondly he wanted to know about Roos. (Who has already stated he'll be around after a successor takes over). He's also trowb in some gems about the fact that finals is draw card for him to leave, yet I've heard him state 'we'll hopefully be playing finals within the next couple of years'. And then of course there's his 'loyalty as a country boy' line. If Frawley had even the faintest of ideas, he'd either shut his gob and play like somebody who drives standards at a club, or he'd at least choose his words much more carefully then he has. He is dumb. He is not as skilled as people believe. He's decision making and kicking are absolutely without doubt questionable at times and lastly, he is clearly still affected by the old Melbourne. I'm not sure what will happen, but I'd take the compo pick in a heart beat if I had the choice.

You do understand that development, environment, coaching and the recruiters a club possesses determines greatly the talent you bring to your club and the way that talent develops? And you do understand that we have a COMPLETELY different football department of coaches and recruiters as well as an improved environment for young players to develop in? Meaning the past 7 years counts for absolutely nothing. As for Frawley, if he resigns, all I hope is that we see a player who's actions on-field indicate he wants to do everything he can to help this club improve and not just 'go through the motions' ala Sylvia... Because that will do nothing for us and I'd rather take the chance of landing a beauty who could help win this clubs next flag.

Well I can tell you right now that I won't be one bit disappointed if Frawley leaves. You and a few others keep saying that, which is clearly ridiculous as we'll be receiving high band compensation if he leaves. That's the reason myself and others don't care, it's got nothing to do with 'prepping myself for disappointment'.

Barry showed enough 'team acts' in the small portion of the game he played to earn him another run, and I applaud him for it. He was unlucky not to be paid holding the ball on a couple of occasions, especially that one on Bob Murphy late in the last. The kid showed tenacity and urgency and while he didn't get much of the ball, his pressure was exactly the kind of stuff we need in our forwardline weekly. Well don Dom.

The players, staff and die hard supporters that actually give a [censored] about the club and the effort of each individual on gameday. Wake up.