Bay Riffin

How can you possibly say that? you get good reward when you win 4 games or less and in 2007 we were the worst team in the league, a rabble on 4 wins when we entered round 22. The blues cheated and tanked and we lost our second round priority pick that year (2007)and subsequestly could have had picks 1 and 2 in the Watts draft (2008). Make no mistake we were cheated out of draft picks by Carlton, one team we can never go light on in future. Also, we would have got Scully regardless as Trengove is who we obtained because of a priority pick. make a mockery of the draft system? We just claimed what was right. Don’t forget you are rewarded for consecutive years down the bottom and we had 5 then 4 then 4 wins. Imagine if we had 5 then 4 then 5 wins and got virtually nothing but a second round pick whilst the Carlton’s and Hawthorn’s get multiple priority picks.

Would be a very handy key position type at either end of the ground if he ever got that far, but only time will tell if he can. My gut feel is he needs that ability for some key position work to go to the next level and become a true A grade player who influences matches. Expectations would be for he and Watts to present more this year for some contested marking. Too often our long kicks to the forward line have to be contested by Green, Dunn, Petterd, Jurrah so it would be good if someone with height and size could at least present and create a real crumb for a growing fleet of runners and those mentioned above.

Interesting 2 people mentioned Watts took one contested mark. I think he probably has a long way to go in this area.

Martin was our only ruckman fit and firing this time last year. Watched him in the first pre-season and he was terrible up forward. just terrible with no confidence. his season went downhill from there. If there is one bloke i have the least confidence in, it's Martin. Unless he is punching the ball away from a tall forward, I think he has proven very little over the years. He has the athletic ability and size but lacks the competitive grunt I reckon. Love to be proven wrong but he has a long way to go, especially now we have finally invested in some more talls.

That's right, it will be the number of important injuries that will be the key. We can still get off to a great start if we have Jurrah, Morton, Sylvia, Watts all available for round 1 unlike last year. Also would be handy to have Blease, Strauss, Gysberts and Tapscott all up and running as they will put great pressure on the existing players to keep their spots.

Yes and I would be shocked if we back tracked to his midfield days when he finally showed some genuine worth to the team...as a forward !! Keep him there, he may defy most supporters opinions and become a certain pick each, you never know?!?!?

I see Dunn growing into a genuine forward target, and hope we re-try him at full forward this year. he is gaining confidence no doubt and his kicking has become a real weapon. I cannot see why he couldn't fulfill the full forward role in games, he is strong enough to bring the ball to ground and leads up well. His marking is improving, but he is, like Jurrah just a natural forward. He can also be released into tagging roles on guys that suit him like Jobe Watson. Like Bate the year before he was our best big bodied forward this year. Will be interesting how both will go as they are decent forwards but both lack a yard of pace. Dunn adds a bit more though because he does add some mongrel which we lack.

Jaycee, Of the new talls, anyone seem to stand out, or look ready for early selection?

After the first one, they appear to be getting more and more fluffy.

Yes but he did improve throughout the year I thought and after being dropped. He looked soft early days when not going when it was his turn (Collingwood game sticks out), but became more consistent as the year went on. But it would be good to see the same rate of improvement and truelly entrench himself in the side for 2011 as his pace and agility will be a real weapon. Needs to improve his goal kicking too as he misses too many at this stage.

This is what I was after, at least 3 talls but we got 4 new ones. This is not unlike essendon did with their drafting previously. Recently they got Myers first round which some may say is a failure but went talls the next few picks, with the very next one being Pears who was taken second round. a nice get out of there investment in talls. What we are after is one tall to come good, most likely a forward given the higher picks to compliment our existing talls. if 2 of these become established players then BP will be a genius. it's just very hard to develop tall players at the elite level. There is certainly some talent there. Cook ticks a lot of boxes for the modern day footballer. Personally would have liked Darling but if we went for one tall and then smalls I think our chances of success would be slim. we did the right thing...in theory.

ragardless of talent avaialable, I cannot for the life of me understand why we wouldn't draft a big bloke, especially a forward. even a ruckman early. We will just continue to kick it down to the skinniest forwad line in the league and watch us struggle unless we are clear and putting it onto someones chest.

Inmteresting thoughts people have on Maric. Bailey singled him out this time last year as coming back in outstanding condition and very fit. People think if they aren't playing seniors, there is an issue with mental application and working hard. All I ever hear is he is dedicated. If he improves he can make it.

Good to hear this directly form Todd... "Hopefully he keeps developing, and there can be a relationship - if he’s good enough - to be part of the Melbourne footy club.” Jack Viney decision getting closer

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/bombers-axe-five/story-e6frf9jf-1225939119800 is he worth a look as a back up ruckman? Would people rate him above or below Paul Johnson?

put him at full back for Casey and let him re-develop some confidence. is a back man, not a forward.

definitely would be one the least fittest blokes at the club, early season he was fat by normal bloke off the street standards. given that it was promising he started to show something towards the end. Very much due for a full season. we may be smart with his chronic lower back/hamstring injuries and ease off at times, so he doesn't lose weeks of fitness due to injury. He is not unlike Davey whose first years were littered with soft tissue injuries. he showed in some games he is top quality so we need him.

Get fit Wonna. last year you came back fatter than a pig and it was un-professional. Thing is year before he looked a million dollars in the pre-season and had trimmed right down. he needs to get back VERY fit this time and he will improve on 2010.

interesting article pointing to Jack Viney coming to us... http://www.afc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4417/newsid/104084/default.aspx Harper said Viney had made the decision to quit the Crows and return to Melbourne based on what was best for his 16-year-old son, Jack. Harper said it was clear the Viney family expected Jack to play for Melbourne. "Todd and Meagan have got a young son Jack, who is a good footy player and they're a fair way down the track of him going father-son to Melbourne," Harper said. "If that happens he ends up in Melbourne doing Year 12 without his family and trying to play AFL footy, which is probably a recipe for disaster.

Realistically I think we underestimate how good his year was considering over a year off and a foot injury as well. We can expect a better year, and my gut feel is he just concentrated more on just doing his job, whereas in 2008 when he got confidence he was sometimes flying for everything and beating blokes like Buddy. I expect he will improve again with more continuity in his game. he could be something special this kid, and is tracking that way.

If bruce is holding back becuase he wants two years, he is doing the wrong thing by the club. He has had a very good run at Melbourne with good contracts and if blokes like Crawford, Tredrea could spend their last few year playing on 1 year contracts, then so can he. We must stick to 1 year. he is 31, who knows how he will be playing in 2 years.

Terrific year considering he had a hiccup pre-season that looked to extend his time off. thought they almost rushed him back early from that but he played well all year. Started a bit slower but you couldn't ask for much more. Would like him to take it to another level and play on some bigger talls, as he plays on a lot of smalls. if he can start being more key position, we will be looking strong. Garland - Frawley - Grimes. a real strength down back.

call me old fashioned if you just signed a contract you might want to honour it. Same goes for bomber Thompson if he leaves. Wellman can get the same send off as Chris Johnson. do you want this club to have any pride ??

We will see if he can do it again. Ratten did well when we had a good midfield and now can't win a final with an unprecedented amount of top draft picks. the Melbourne backline coach would be an attractive job at the minute. Add in an elite kicker and presto !!

Interesting call to leave a time on the rise to a team on the way down and bottoming out. big risk for himself because if they stay down (which they will) under Hird, his reputation will lose some cred. only thing is Essendons backline is probably their one decent area with Pears and Hurley as the pillars. oh well, I think we will be a juicy carrot for a defensive coach, on the way up, you can get the credit from here.