furious d

Agree Wolfy. GWS would have to make a pretty special offer to get Tom. He won't leave for a little. GWS have the power to do this with their cap concessions but it would compromise their ability to recruit a slightly older high quality player. They won't get Pendelbury and Scully for example. Like the Suns, they'll only be able to afford 1 "marquee" player and if they get the skull he'll be it. If he does go it'll be becase he was made an offer he couln't refuse. I won't be blaming Tom if he goes but I'll be unhappy with the afl and to a lesser extent the club. Schwabby had an opportunity to join Richmond and lobby to protect kids coming out of their first contract last year and chose not to

I thought they were calling Wallet a "Cont" much more recently than that.

Someone earlier hit the nail on the head, "alert, not alarmed." The club should have sent out Johnnie Howard style fridge magnets in the membership packs to calm our more nervous supporters.

They were consistent, he flogged Taylor every time

I'm struggling to see your point RR. What exactly are you trying to say? Do you think we have absolutely no chance at finals? You do realise that young teams have not only made finals but even won the big one before. I think you're putting unrealistic limits on these kids. I'm not saying we must make finals or it's an unmitigated disaster, if we are thereabouts I'd be happy. If we aren't anywhere near the 8, the season will have been a falure and we will have gone backwards.

TIME TO DELIVER Colin Sylvia is adamant inexperience should no longer be a factor. "Our future is now," he said. "We can't keep saying we're a young team anymore. Our goal is set for the top eight . . . it's an achievable goal. I think that's the first time I've heard anyone at the club say we can make finals since the middle of 2007. It's the first time in Bails tenure that I've heard anyone from the club suggest anything other than being competitive as a goal. The rebuild is officially over, we're back in the hunt.

I'm after a copy of the pic of the whole group on top of a mountain at last years Mansfield trip. Anybody have a copy?

Maybe they don't want a 6 day break leading into the first NAB cup match. Makes sense to me

Not that I can recall for a whole season, but Junior and Bruce were co captains after Nietz retired mid season.

The Vilification rules are to protect against abuse for reasons of race, religion or sexual preference, aren't they?. Maybe it's an admission that there's a bit of man love going on down at the Aints. Surely this has nothing to do with vilification unless Sammy Gilbert is admitting to being a bit bi-curious at the very least.

You do realise she has pics of Melbourne players too?

Are they her followers or who she is following? I mean Lohan, Rudd seem unlikely to be following her.

I agree with what you're saying in the Grimes/Trengove example but I don't think it's that much different to any move made by any coach during any game. If Malthouse were to send Steele Sidebottom to a back flank at a crucial time we don't measure it against Collingwoods long term development. Moves will be made, players will occasionally find themselves playing unfamiliar roles, it happens at all clubs. We shouldn't be looking to use it as an excuse. As far as the Gys/Jones example goes, from now on form should dictate. Jones is only 23 next year and I don't think we can afford to just cast off blokes of his age and experience because we've got some shiny new toys. If we are going to develop into the power we all hope this group can become in a few years, we'll need the guys drafted just before we bottomed out to step up. Bate, Bartram, Dunn, Frawley, Garland and Petterd are all important if we're to come on quickly and have a sustained period at or near the top.

Last year I was firmly in the development is more important than wins or ladder position camp, but this year I think we need to aim a little higher. I think the 8 is a reasonable and realistic goal. Last year we still had blokes like Miller, PJ and Bell, who may have given us more on the day than a kid but who weren't in our plans long term. Now we have 10 players who'll be 24 or older rd 1 next year. Only 6 are comfortably best 22, Green, Davey, Jamar, Moloney, Rivers and Sylvia. Warnock and MacDonald are fringe and Martin is playing for his career. Last is Robbie Campbell and he's a roll of the dice. The state of our list pretty much guarentees that young players will get gametime. The last few years we've had to choose between developing young talent in the seniors or persisting with guys we didn't think were up to it or we thought were past it. This is no longer the case. Everyone on our list now is a potential best 22 when our window opens, if they can make the most of their opportunities. Competition for spots should be pretty feirce next year and games should be earned. I see this year as the beginning of the next stage of our development. Last season we managed to become competitive, we were in games longer, won more of them and were seldom blown away. Now we have to move from being competitive to being a contender. First step on that path is to make the 8.

if I could have one wish for Christmas it would be 22 games for Jack Grimes next year, bugger world peace and an end to poverty, I just wanna see this kid's body allow him a decent run at it.

So far so good, cheers Demonland

If Campbell can rediscover his 2007 form the Russian may be doing a little more than just resting up forward. I know Jamar has just had an AA year and it's way, way early to make any call on what sort of impact Campbell may make, but, structure wise it could be just what Bails is after. As someone said earlier, at 28 Robbie is still smack bang in the middle of his prime as a ruckman. If his body is up to it there's no reason he couldn't as good or even better than he was in 07. If he could hold down first ruck, Jamar could be the FF/2nd ruck we're looking for. Jamar was excellent when he pushed forward last year and if he spent most of his time forward would be vastly superior to Hale imo. I think he'd be worth 40-60 goals a year and put a little fear into opposition defences that isn't there now and Watts, Jurrah and the rest would walk a little taller. He could do all the rucking in the forward line so Campbell doesn't have to cover so much ground. We may lose a little in the ruck but we could gain a lot up forward. Not saying it will happen, or even that I want it to happen, but if RC does come good it could be worth considering.

Like a steering wheel in my jocks, it's driving me nuts

It's almost worth picking him up just in hope that it pans out that way. I hate Hawthorn

Can't wait for my MCC membership, only 15-20 more years. It was charity to the club that got me a nomination. If either of the couple that handed me a filled out nom form at the debt demolition luncheon partakes in land, I'd just like to say thanks again. Have to say I agree that it's poor for people that can afford an MCC membership not to get at least the $50 MFC add on. Who provides you the most joy? Who are you more emotionally committed to? The Cricket club or the footy club? If you're sitting on the edge of your seat in the members riding a roller coaster of elation and pain, I'll bet 9 times out of 10 you're watching the Dees. Wouldn't it be worth $50 a year to see us regain our place as a powerhouse of the competition. That's what we'd be if all Melbourne supporting MCC members got the add on. We'd enter the upper echelon of the membership ladder. I think if we can have a successful period with multiple flags a lot of those people will return to the fold. People like to be associated with success. If you're not a member of the football club then you are not a supporter, you are a barracker. There is a difference.

The Weagles have done well

Could we go Atley?

SEN reporting Heppell likely to us, fingers crossed.

Gorringe could potentially fill the role we had bookmarked for Hale from round 1 next year. It's not hard to see why the club might be interested.

Can any mod let me know why this error keeps happening on my iPhone and if there is anything I can do to fix it?