stevethemanjordan

Your patience must be through the roof for a player like Watts then... Yarran has proven his ability and performed dominantly a number of times at the top level displaying elite level skills, pace and intensity. Like Garlett last year, he's form is suffering from possibly a number of reasons. Yarran possesses so much of what our list lacks. Speed and elite kicking. I think you're being short-sighted with this one.

He's been dropped to the reserves in order to work on some deficiencies a handful of times. Like many young players.Saying he hasn't been getting games is just a silly thing to say. As for Yarran. He's proven that when he plays at his potential, he's an extremely damaging and great player.

He's been deadly accurate. Whilst this isn't a knock on him, the only thing I can say I've seen that he doesn't possess is distance in his set shot kicking. He doesn't seem to have a huge amount of penetration from 45 + when kicking for goal. As for everything else. He's almost perfect.

Love the entrance

I think for us, players like the ones highlighted are part of the problem. It's the 'scarred mentality' thing. We need players who's game and psychology has not been subject to this MFC conditioning, (for lack of a better term). I'm with you in that we need to improve the depth end of our list just as we need to improve our midfield. There are many areas. And there are several identifiable reasons as to why we are stuck in the [censored]. And why we can concede record breaking opposition goals in halves of football. It's not simply just the 'midfield's' problem. Just as it isn't Garland, Grimes and Watts problem alone. But it's definitely those combined and then some. Moving on some of those more senior players is a non-negotiable and we'll see it happen, even if we're not going to 'get much' in return. If you hold the belief that our recruiting and football development teams are infinitely better than what we've had in seasons gone by then I wouldn't be worrying about what picks we'll be getting. Hogan, Viney, Brayshaw, Salem, Petracca, Toumpas, Frost, JKH, Kent. We need for these guys to remain hungry and competitive at all times and not have them follow in some of the footsteps of 'problem players' that we have. That can't be stressed enough.

Agree with this except for Toumpas. I'd keep him. He is showing the right signs now and once he becomes more and more comfortable in his 'skin' and how he identifies himself within the team, we'll see a really good player. His speed and power are starting to improve and his physicality has improved a lot which has come from greater confidence. He's slowly building and I'm happy with his progress. For those others you mention, I agree we need to be pretty ruthless again and think about list improvement all over the ground. We'll need to lose someone to gain for our team. Whether that's Garland, Howe or Watts I don't mind but it simply has to happen if we ever want to completely break the shackles.

No he's not 'the' problem. But he is most definitely an unfortunate result of one of the many problems we have with our list. One being that we've had so many top 20 draft picks fail over the past 5 + years. Had some of those guys come on like they should have, Matt Jones wouldn't be on our list. The plight of the MFC is complex and there are so many factors that have contributed to it. Our recruiting is simply one of many. I agree with posters who continue to back Roos and ask for patience. It's as if some people live in this fantasy world in which they believe players like Fitzpatrick, McKenzie and Bail will all make it if given enough time. The reality is we've had to hold on to average players over the past couple of seasons simply because we've had no other choice. We've had so many of them and there can only be so many delistings made at the end of each season. As well as being aware of when certain contracts finish etc. There are underperforming and mentally scarred senior players that still need to go just as there are players who are simply not good enough that will need to go. Next year will be the third year that Roos will have had to slowly but surely reshape our list in a mindful way. It's a waiting game. No club has had a list as bad as we've had for this amount of time. No club. It's not that amazing that we capitulate like we have been during games when there are still so many [censored] kickers running around.

When Vanders gets a full AFL pre-season of running in, he'll be a really really valuable mid for us. He reminds me of Dangerfield with his explosive attack on the ball and man. I reckon we'll be pleasantly surprised about how dynamic he'll be once his anaerobic capacity improves. A really good pickup for a rookie.

Few that have been on our list for 7 + years would be deemed 'crucial' players in my eyes, which is only one of many contributing factors as to why we've been so bad for so long. Garland is one of those guys like Frawley and like Grimes who is incredibly up and down. The difference between his best and worst is astonishing. Defensively, when on song, he can be an extremely valuable member of our back six. His offensive drive, intensity, kicking skills and decision making however have all been questionable over the entirety of his career. When he plays a great defensive game and plays with a visible intensity as he did on Sunday, he (like others in the same boat) lift our side enormously. It's again a question of consistency. It's a question of intensity and concentration. He's another senior bloke who seems as if he's been really affected by what he's endured for many years. Of course it's not all the clubs fault as someone like Jones has been able to overcome it. In my opinion, the need for decision making skills and foot skills coming out of our back line is a priority along with adding to the midfield so losing Garland on current form would not worry me in the slightest. Especially considering our success rate for players we've got into the club from losing long time MFC players. He is part of the Dunn, Frawley and Jamar crew era. None of them are club changing players. I think Dunn is the one to hold onto as part of the 'old crew'. Garland leaving will net is something good. Unless he decides to play the remainder of the season like he did on Sunday. (With minimal skill errors).

He's proof that individuals can impact games off limited pre-seasons for those who continuously make excuses for sub-standard footballers on our list. He really highlights those who have been on the list for years but who cannot perform consistently. Vanders has some really solid attributes to his name and is only going to get better as his tank improves.

Somehow he's taken a different route to so many other drafted at a similar time. Consistently working as hard as he can to work on his game. When you hear him speak you can hear how badly he wants to be the best defender in the league. He's hell bent on it and all of this hard work and concentration is paying off. He's following in the footsteps of Nathan Jones. Similar personalities. Just wanting to do everything they can to better themselves as players and letting nothing stop them. We certainly need more personalities like that at our club. Liked reading what a previous poster wrote in that he, like Nathan in his earlier years sometimes does a bit much/has a brain fade and sometimes it's God ugly but it's forgivable if 95% of the game he is perfect. The only thing I'd like to see is those 'what was he thinking' moments slowly disappear. He is not someone possessed with amazing skill, awareness or what I'd term 'natural' ability. So he needs to keep taking the first option most times. His marking and defending have been astonishing. It's his offensive drive that has really improved but as I said, the odd brain fade is still there and they need to go. Overall, another blessing in disguise in regards to Frawley's departure? I think so.

The fact that the draft is such an 'event' now really doesn't help these young kids either. It's pretty disgusting really. The AFL are just constantly looking for $ signs wherever they can. We should be easing these kids into the next phase of their footballing careers. Not building it up. Because the reality is, many of these kids who had really great years at under 18's level won't be doing the same at AFL level ever. Petracca has some really exciting attributes to his name. His aerobic ability has never been a 'strength'. I'm glad that session on Monday was a shock to all the draftees because they'll now know the amount of work they have to put in to reap the rewards. Petracca will be absolutely fine as long as his desire to improve is fierce. Thank god we have blokes like Jones, Viney and Cross as players to look up to at training. I'm looking forward to him showing glimpses in the games that he plays next year. That's all I want from Petracca and Brayshaw next year. Glimpses.

I think it's time to let it go big fella. It's just not catching on.

The fact that they are both much more physically mature than both Scully and Trengove, (especially Scully) is one of many reasons why these two are much more likely to have a genuine impact early. I'm pretty sure both weigh more than Scully and Trengove even now. Not only that. These two are much more aggressive in the way that they play.The other reasons are obvious. They'll be developed appropriately. They'll be playing in a deeper and more competitive midfield. Under the tutelage of competent and driven leaders. The list goes on. Supporters have the right to be excited. I find it baffling that there are still comparisons of these two with drafts of previous years. There are differences on so many levels. They just don't compare. We were always bound to get our club to a stage where it is ready to develop the right talent. And I'm confident this will be it. We've never been in a more solid position.

Except he's not a [censored]. It's clear he is self driven. Something Sylvia never was. The fact he is confident in his ability is a positive. Landing Petracca and Brayshaw under our current FD format and environment will, in my eyes, be the break we've been longing for. It's time.

Agree. Glad we're not in the position of the 'aints. All three of Brayshaw, McCartin and Petracca have had pretty dominant years and it's hard to split them.

I assure you, you'll be the only one using that nickname.

Petracca and Laverde or Brayshaw and Laverde if we happen to do a 'Tyson type' deal with either pick 2 or 3 with 21 for a good mid and a pick in the top 10. That would be my dream. Laverde might just be the player of the draft.

You would have a point if we were going to the draft had the club not changed: - The recruiting team and head recruiter. - The senior coach, assistant coaches and development coaches. - The list and core group of experienced players that now lead the club Nutbean. Your post, and posts of that nature are nothing but ignorant and infuriating. No [censored] every pick has an element of risk, but all of those things I've pointed out have changed drastically at our club but under past management, they're the very reason all of those names you mentioned have all failed. Is it it that [censored] hard to understand?

If we end up with pick 2 and 3, (thanks to the Frawley compo), I'd be wanting to take Petracca and Brayshaw providing they're both there. Development for young players coming to our club is a non issue now that we have the right people in place and these two guys look to good to pass up. However, if we do decide to offer one pick up for a player and a later pick back like the 'Tyson' deal last year, I'd want to pick up Laverde. The guy looks unbelievable.

Your man crush is out of control.

Was lucky enough to see some more vision this week of Brayshaw and I completely take back what I said! I thought Brayshaw was a right footer. It's clear his ambidextrous but his left foot does look like his preferred foot and actually looks fairly neat. Glad I saw that. What a gift to have. It's clear it doesn't faze him which side he kicks on but his left looks smooth. I might need to pipe down about Petracca after all. This bloke looks pretty special too. Along with Weller.

We'll soon find out, Machsy.

I reckon he's a lot smarter than you give him credit for.For me, his awareness and peripheral vision in close is elite and it's clear that's a result of his Bball background. I know people are sick of hearing that but if you watch how he moves in close and seems to wait for the right option to open up before giving it, you'll see what I mean. That's rare. He takes players on and gives off to the best option. At this level also, players who are exceptionally quick thinkers can sometimes dictate where they want a teammate to run etc. Petracca's awareness and decision making in close would be amplified at AFL level. Unlike Sylvia, he is a smart, determined and self driven player who works extremely hard to get the best out of himself. He'll get a tank and he'll get the best out of himself. You only need to listen to the way he speaks. All other attributes of his are at a high standard which is why he's rated so highly. He can pretty much do it all with a couple of standout and elite attributes being great hands, explosiveness and power, goal kicking ability, awareness and time in close, contested ball winning. His field kicking and technique is the only thing he'll need to work on and I hardly see it as a weakness anyway. He makes good decisions when in open space. Just my view.

Which is strange because I keep hearing Brayshaw is a good user of the ball.Petracca reminds me of an Oli Wines kick. Definitely not a weapon, but effective enough when under no pressure.