stevethemanjordan

I'm not glossing over. I just don't care. The root of the problem here is wholeheartedly to do with the state of our club at present and also over the past decade or so. The tweaking, changing or creating of rules wouldn't be a talking point for Melbourne supporters if we were consistently challenging for finals as was predicted at this point of our rebuild. We finished second last this year, so of course supporters need to direct their anger and frustration somewhere.

The answer is yes.

"Body-of-work". Let's say it together. Ready? "Bodyyyy Offff Worrkkkkk".

All AFL clubs had the chance to ready themselves for the draft concessions that both the Gold Coast and GWS were given in their first few seasons in the AFL. Our club didn't ready itself. It is completely and utterly nonsensical for a Melbourne supporter to think it's 'unfair' that Gold Coast have been given more handouts.

That's it. That is where all energy needs to be.

Why would you use the same thought process? One is the newest AFL club trying to establish itself in Rugby's heartland and they're under ten years old as a club. Clearly they're going to need help if the AFL want to grow the game nationally, which is obviously the point here. Of course that's not to say the club figureheads need to take some responsibility for the way things have panned out, but what's the alternative? They don't have one and they need assistance from the AFL until a solid foundation is there. Compare that to us, the oldest sporting club in world's history, still relying on the AFL for financial assistance, received a priority pick as recently as 2009 and asked for another one which was rejected as recently as 2014. That's five years ago. Think about that for a minute. Our club started the AFL. Without wanting to sound condescending, the 'logic' you speak of is completely absent in your post, not mine. Comparing the two and using the same thought process is where you've gone wrong.

Right, but the posters who kept bringing up his prelim game a year or so back have a legitimate point yeh? Tomlinson has been at GWS since their inception and has never been more than a bit player. The fact that he was dropped in a final this year as a mature player says far more about how he valued. It's about his body of work. I expect he'll help with our depth and provide competition for spots but as far as 'value' to our best 22 goes, I don't see much.

Is it weird that I get great joy in listening to Melbourne supporters blame the AFL and Gill which is really only disguised as deep-seated anger and disappointment in their own club's complete mismanagement and incompetence over the past decade and then some. I'll always be a Melbourne supporter and love the club. I'll also always be the first to say that we've got nobody but ourselves to blame for where we are now.

As Wiseblood stated, you're incorrect. Let's just disagree. It's hard to argue with someone who doesn't rate Jack Martin but believes that Sam Frost shut down key forwards all year..

Frost was a rookie pick due to his glaringly obvious weaknesses as a footballer. Not because he was injured in his draft year or some other excuse. We made a prelim last year and had the same foot speed as this year. Tell me how that works? Also, the bloke who won a brownlow last night was a second round pick in a draft that wasn't considered a super draft. You take talent upgrades where possible and back your club to develop. We haven't had a crack at top end talent for a couple of years now and if someone were to offer a second round pick for Frost, I'd jump at it. Also gives us the ammunition to on- trade for something else or bundle up to move higher up the draft. Frost is so overrated by certain posters, it's unbelievable.

We could potentially do very well out of a Frost trade this off-season. If we could land a second rounder somehow with a swap of picks, we'd be laughing.

No, just a balanced view. The big picture is that he is wildly inconsistent. Have you wondered why he hasn't been offered a contract yet or?

Other than giving his opinion on the matter, what exactly did he confirm? Or did he just confirm his opinion?

Would rather his running power on a wing over anyone else we have. Could be a good plug for a couple of years for a packet of chips. Certainly helps with our obvious inside/outside imbalance. Maybe he's the perfect moneyball trade.

Either that or there was little trust in picking anyone else..

Frost on a wing lols.

You ended your post with: "why wouldn't Elliott think the same?" You were arguing against the notion that he wouldn't be interested in coming. And within that, also stating to your mind why we are not a rabble. Let's just disagree. As I've said many many times already. If pre-season and in season injuries were the main factor as to why we finished 17th on the ladder this year, it seems awful strange that Jennings, McCartney, Rawlings and Viney have all departed. And there still may be more to go yet. Apparently it's all coincidence though and I'm a conspiracy theorist for thinking it's 'odd'.

Yes, well that's clearly a factor if he's after security. Did Jake actually report that Elliot is interested? Or just that we've made an offer?

Basically because he's not a Melbourne supporter. Looking at our club through the slightly more objective eyes of a player like Elliot, I can't imagine he'd share the same level of buoyancy that you've shown in your detailed post, even if some of your points are valid. I could jot down just as many reasons why he'd choose not to come to us, even if the money was slightly more. Off the top of my head? - Collingwood played in a GF last year and are massive chance to win it this year. We've finished second last, no matter the reasons. - The success that both clubs have had over the past decade and what that looks like going forward? - Collingwood are a big four club and get huge crowd numbers to games weekly, he is extremely tight-knit with many of his team mates. - There's no 'go home' factor like there is with Tomlinson or Langdon so the comparison is silly Both of those boys are Victorian and one of them was dropped last week in a final having been on their list for six + years. Security for Tomlinson is another factor. Sure we may be a more favourable club of choice than St Kilda or North Melbourne for Tomlinson or Langdon, but that's a separate argument. We're Talking about Elliot. I could go on. I don't share the same view and I highly doubt Elliot does. Unless of course he likes dollars and we're offering an amount that can't be resisted. We've been a rabble for over a decade. Our finish this year had a very 'Melbourne of old' feel to it. It would be completely naive to believe that a player like Elliot wouldn't think about that sort of thing coming from a big and successful club like Collingwood.

Weird flex, but okay.

He was dropped last week after how many summers?

Would absolutely love him but can't see him in a Melbourne jumper for the life of me. Regardless of the money, I get the feeling he'd have no interest in coming to us given the rabble we're in.

To the first sentence, well done. You've just further indicated to me that no matter how many training sessions you attend, you genuinely don't know the intricacies of off-season preparation and what coming back 'underdone' means at this level. And to the second paragraph, Goodwin has now stated numerous times that we had far too many players go through an interrupted pre-season which had a direct impact on our season. For someone who consistently repeats the words of MFC coaches, it really doesn't make any sense whatsoever that you 'don't believe it should be an excuse'.

@mauriesy thoughts?

Scratch the surfice. There's a whole new world of understanding out there.