Deeko2

All fair concerns really and I share some similar thoughts there however I don't think the salary cap isn't going to be a concern in a couple years. My thoughts (nothing to back up this mind you) is that we extended Max and Vineys contracts last year to significantly front load some payments once we probably new we were out of the Houston chat. There last couple years I'm thinking will be fairly minimal and more on field coaches - although Gawn won't be shorter so he'll still be impacting. May and TMAC (may not be on much) will surely be gone freeing up some more $$$. We won't lose Melbourne born kids to another Melbourne based club unless we really [censored] the bed as a club IMO. I'm confident that Langford and XL will around for a long time. As mentioned above, I don't think that Trac and Clarrie will be around sadly. Surely we can turn these two into either a gun mid or two or some high quality drafting - plus so free agency.

Just having a look at our age profile with players 25 and under. It looks like we're already well into a re-build with so much youth coming through over the last 24 months. A little snapshot of the team over the next 7-10 years could be: FB: McVee 21 Petty 25 AMW 21 HB: Rivers 23 **** Bowey 22 C: Windsor 19 Langford 19 Lindsay 18 HF: Chandler 25 Van Rooyen 21 Tholstrup 19 FF: Kozzi 23 Jefferson 21 Disco 23 R: **** **** **** Depth: Spargo 25, Sparrow 24, Laurie 23, Sharp 22, Woey 22, Howes 21, Brown 20 I'm (sadly) of the opinion that Trac and Clarrie will go but desperately hope we hold Pickett. If we could turn Trac and Clarrie into say a Butters (24) and another young up and comer, we really shouldn't be bottoming out at all whilst turning over the list well.

Maybe Gawn isn't at 100%. They might want to play TC for a game here and there to reduce Gawns TOG or rest him up forward to keep him going throughout the year rather than just rest him all together. I actually don't mind him having a chop out here and there to prolong him further. Also, interestingly, TC averages more contested marks and more goals per game then Grundy. Obviously Grundy is the better ruckman when he's on, playing as a 4th midfielder. Still - as we all know, the cats will be walking the pill out of the backline with TC or Gawn attempting some defensive pressure.....

Agreed fully. We might be managing some payments down - who knows. He's been a wonderful player for us. Not an AFL great but a Demons great. He'll also be a wonderful on-field coach leader in time and drives a ferocious standard that I'm happy to have around the club to help develop and protect the young crop. Extending his contract (subject to it being for ridiculous coin) is not a concern of mine. What's interesting this year is seeing where he is touching the pill. He's usually roughly on parody between contested and uncontested ball. This season, his uncontested disposals are doubling that of his contested. Looks like a slight different in role/structure for Jack where he is getting more of it on outside. Bit of a worry for mine as he's never been an overly wonderful kick of the ball. Wouldn't mind him back in and under.

Who will he be playing for this year? Interested to keep some tabs and see how he is tracking along.

Agreed - the worst 'supporter' who I can think of. I still remember Jesse Hogan giving him a clip about using personal information gained whilst he worked for the club to get ahead in the world. I couldn't remember what exactly was said but I found this via good ol google. "Honest leech. Had a job at Melbourne football club that was private and used it and leaked private conversations to get a leg up," Hogan wrote. "Not involving me but genuine leech of a personality." Hogan went so far to call Morris a "fake media personality" before tagging his account at the end of the tead. Tom is a supporter of Tom only. I still can't believe he has a job in footy after his previous comments towards a female colleague as well. Absolute pig of a human. But, moving on from that rant, I actually think neither will be with us next year. We'll be loading up for a full re-build whilst holding on to some hard bodies as protection for the young ones coming through in May, Gawn and Viney. No way I'd let Kozzy go however.

Very very impressive highlights. A good leg and some excellent work with the hands in close. I was thrilled when we picked this kid. Looks as hard as cats scone with some impressive marking and kicking skills. The only thing I was slightly worried about was a lack of space but he clearly has no issues in the big time with a quick first step to create space for himself and excellent instincts to create space for his team mates. He's going to have some up and down moments this year as his young body fatigues during the long season but this kid looks a ripper and long term, will be fantastic MFC player. I have no doubts.

Agree with both the above. It's going to be an amazing upgrade to the area and the community will get a lot more benefits than what they're getting there. I have actually read a few comments from people against it on social media and following a couple pages out of interest. Some of the straw clutching and rhetoric shared is just fear mongering and silly. The comments remain so far off the mark advising that a football club is just going to completely take the area over and there will no access. It is clearly not true as we all know that even on the 17 hours a week we're using the ovals - the community will still have access to the rest of the entire area which will see massive improvements. It's such a common sense project IMO and will have amazing outcomes for the recreation community using it. I say this without my red and blue coloured glasses on.

Cripps/Green are the best comparisons - he doesn't have the explosive power of Petracca (as very very few do). I was super excited we were able to get him draft night. Strikes me as one of those lads who's just been born tough and will have no issue meeting the expectations of his hard nosed team mates. Very much a no-nonsense type and just a bloody good footballer with good skills from what I have seen. I think he'll start on the HFF as his marking prowess looks the goods with some solid sessions in the midfield.

Obviously all of these things impact but its rare that any player is ever 100% - or even close to it. One of the best senior coaches I have ever had mentioned a saying which has always stuck true in that, "you'll always find an excuse if you look for one." I'm possibly Claytons biggest fan. But truth be told, injured or not injured, he was very poor last year. Unfortunately, there was no one really kicking the door down in the twos who would have been better. Just like last year year, he started this preseason looking a lot heavier. I was very worried thinking he may only be a niggle or slight injury set back which could see another poor season in which he wouldn't be able to catch up aerobically to impact on games. We're very fortunate he's gotten through nearly ever session so far and gets solid 2 months of hard training completed, he's going to be exciting to watch come round 1.

Its marked pretty clearly within our feasibility study that the land we're interested in for our base isn't the freehold land. Feasibility study complete | Creating our home You can wander down to the image of the layout and you will see the freehold land the school has purchased. Definitely doesn't impact us.

Thanks GW - appreciate the response. I'm so fascinated by what he's been doing and what his needs are to continually see him on a tailored training session and still not assimilating into the main group. Obviously I don't expect (or want) you to pry. The couple games I remember him at Adelaide I was so impressed with his speed and chase down tackling and opportunistic scores. I really rate him but do worry if he'll be able to get his body right again for that to happen. Anyways, apologies to all about de-railing the Roy George thread. Is Roy on the track again today?

I really rate this kid as a high quality role player in the back half. Can lock down well whilst showing he has excellent rebounding skills with his sharp pace, good decision making and efficient kicking. Not a fan of seeing him in the midfield. Don't mind they gave it a crack late in the year with nothing to lose to see how he'd go, but he's far more valuable as an asset down back. I'd be amazed if West Coast and Fremantle weren't fair dinkum having a crack at this kid. That's just the price you pay for having good players at your club. Just like I'd be amazed if we weren't continually talking to every Victorian kid with talent who plays in SA, NSW, QLD or WA. I'm not a believer of him being a future All-Australian or anything like that - primarily as he's a defender who defends instead of zoning off getting 25 touches - but there is no reason he won't be a 200-250 gamer for the club and finish multiple Melbourne B&Fs in the top 10.

I'm a believer in Shane's skillset and think at his best he's a best 22 player. The question marks I have are how much more time do you give a bloke who unfortunately has a body that doesn't seem to stand up to AFL footy consistently? The fact he isn't in the main group and still effectively only completing 'run-throughs' is also a worry to me. I have no idea why and would be very curious to know why when his last game was mid August. Did he need any off season surgery? Or if its fitness based, why wouldn't he have kept up his training regime to ensure preseason day 1 that he's good to go with the main group? Is there any chance 'Ghostwriter' you could maybe get some details how he is tracking?

Petty is too good of a player to not be in our best 22. I actually rated him as a forward when he started - I think we all did. He had sticky mits, kicked straight and applied decent pressure. In hindsight, we did him no favours rushing him back with little training/fitness last year. Doesn't help playing the hardest spot on the ground against multiple defenders. He looked a completely differently unit and it was hard to watch. The only way we can play the 'Big 4' together is TMac and Petty taking the tall forwards, Lever back to an intercept/third tall defender whilst Stevey takes the medium/small forwards. May has completed some amazing jobs on quick smalls in the past but that was a few years back now when he would have had a little more spring in his step but playing him on a medium forward would be hell of them.