rpfc

Fat in the face? I'm giggling in my seat. Ahhh, the off-season... It affects all of us.

So he has weaknesses, but not really...? I have a higher opinion than RR of the bloke and I will go out on a limb and say that he will be on a list or RL somewhere in 2010. Difficult to see a spot for him as is, even harder if we get Ball.

Well that's backtracking of the highest order. Let me get this straight - you have gone through all of this for the sake of 8-ish places in the draft?! Oh, yes Hannibal, I am making Land unreadable...

Well said, FD. But every year except this year, the draft age moves back 12 months in eligibility. Always 12 months. In 2009, the eligibility rules have been altered to give GC17 every advantage at picking up talent in 2010 - the eligibility age has increased by 4 months and that means there is only an 8 months block of new talent to choose from. This article speaks of BP's misgivings about the draft.

Then who is it to be? Grimes? Watts? Jones? Morton? Did I hear Sylvia? I didn't? Good. Stupid suggestion. We have those two at the 26 year old mark, and our next leaders will 22 or younger in 2011. You gotta pay someone, and someone's gotta be Captain. Two universal rules of AFL. There are probably more but I can't be stuffed listing them.

Another 2 votes and Frawley would have finished outright 5th... He did finish 'around that mark.' From Bate, 4th, to McDonald/Morton, =9th, was the grand total of 5 votes. There were three standouts (Moloney, Davey, and Bruce) then a blanket could have been thrown over Bate, Jones, Warnock, Sylvia, Frawley, McDonald, Morton, McLean, and Rivers (8 votes). And that sounds about right to me (with apologies to Grimes).

I think they both could be Captain. I would agree that there is a dearth of real leaders at the club, but I would say that one of those you mentioned will be tapped on the shoulder at the start of 2011. They are leaders of men, in their own very distinct way. Choko has done a reasonable job describing Beamer's style (although completely misses the mark with his judgement of Beamer's very consistent season. But that is beside the point). Aaron is very much in the quiet, 'do as I do' model of leadership, that has served James McDonald very well. Both would do a fine job.

Had a chat to BP. He said it's about a third of the kids. My sig explains why. I discussed a couple of months ago with some other nuff-nuff - the 34 = 50 statement is not scientific, it is just a rough extrapolation of the pick number times by 1.5. I would get rid of Batram for Pick 34 in a NY minute, but the club might think that one day he will able to hit that barn's back side and want to keep him. PSD1 is more valuable than Pick 34 IMO. That's where I am coming from.

I get that crap, as we all do, from friends and well wishers. But they all have this look in their eye that they don't quite believe their own nonsense. By the end of this draft we will have on our list Picks 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, plus Jurrah, Wonaeamirri, Petterd, Garland, and Bennell, and they are all 24 or younger. I would wager at least 4/5ths of these players will be around for a long time and if a few turn into stars we will be an excellent footy side. That is why they have that wavering look in their eye; their subconscious knows the truth - the Melbourne Football Club is very well situated to grab the AFL by the balls. And remember, if you have got them by the balls - their hearts and minds will follow.

My sig explains how this draft is compromised. I could take or leave Pick 34. It would be around Pick 50 in any other draft.

This is actually the first time I have gone into a Board other than the main two, and I am really sorry I didn't visit before today. Like Nasher and a few others have said - I have nothing profound to say, and feel uneasy about PMing someone I clearly don't know. But I will say this - TSJ - “Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense” Churchill was a monumental [censored] but he knew how to get the most out of himself and his life. Good luck.

As the discussion has already moved past this point, I will only say one thing - why the passive aggressiveness?

You're kidding me, right? And even if you are not, 2 question marks, and 4 exclamation marks? It is a contract. When Richmond got rid of Wallace and paid him out - was that 'honouring' his contract?

When Green was injured at the start of 2008, the players had a vote and he didn't even make the leadership group. I asked the question then, and I will ask it now - how can someone be such a ghost when he is injured that the players don't see him, or his leadership? I just don't see Brad Green as a leader of men. And if we are going on best player - Aaron Davey would be captain. One last point - James McDonald is the most decorated player on our list; 2 Blueys and an AA selection. He deserves his 2nd year of Captaincy above anyone else.

Has to be the No1 ruckman, and be dominant. Not enough strings on his bow to be anything else. Good luck to him. Low risk, high reward.

That's messy. Contracts are meant to be honoured. If a contract is undesirable to the MFC, it is the club's fault for penning it. I expect Newton, PJ, Bell, and Meesen to be here in 2010. After that I don't know, but not honouring contracts is a risky business.

The 'off-season' happened to me. How could anyone, let alone you, take this place seriously with all the drivel that is posted at this time of the year? I am trying desperately to entertain myself and, yes, I know I am being annoying and tiresome, but at least I am not - - jumping at shadows with 'OMG! This player is leaving!' nonsense. - constantly whinging about how 'nobody wants to come to Melbourne, why is it so, Mommy?' and the 'AFL never gives us a good draw even though we are back-to-back woodenspooners, it's crazy, Daddy!' - getting pseudo-sociological with the reasons why nobody comes to see the worst team play football. This makes Land unreadable for me. Different strokes, Hannibal. I'll get serious when this place gets serious. Which will be around (looking at my watch) March.

Gotta pay someone. We are currently around $500k short of the minimum to the cap. Ball would be godsend for more than just onfield reasons. I don't want to spread that money around our talented youth, lest they keep their inflated salaries in 5 years time and push a player out the door because of cap pressure.

You leave him be, HT. He's happy with what he's doing and that's the main thing. You keep it up, son.

I have more faith in James McDonald than a lot of people on here. His last 6 weeks were very good. He is a late bloomer aswell; winning the 06 and 07 Blueys and being AA in 06. For those who don't think he should be on the list - you must have a severe fondness for Rookie Selection 50. Because that is the spot he is taking. For those who don't think he is the best leader of the club - you have a narrow, and naive, view of leadership. Your view of leadership is not something to be attacked, but to be pitied. You can lead in many different ways, and James McDonald is an honest leader who has been able to get the most out himself and if he can inspire the younger players at our club to do the same - we will be fine as a club.

Uggghh, you are such a bully! He said 'possibly'?! OK? You just leave him alone!! Leave Britney alone!! Have we gone past the point where a reference to that guy crying for Britney is funny? Oh, we never got to that point? Oh. Damn.

Green is eligible in 2011. And for those who think Bruce cannot provide something should have a chat with the FD; they just voted him the 3rd best player after voting him the best player the year before. I'm sure they would tell you why he is value beyond his, at times, shoddy disposal. Also, Bruce and Green will not play a lot of time in the middle from now on, and nor should they. But they will be value at either ends of the ground for the foreseeable future: Bruce down back, and Green up forward. Time for the kids to get in the guts.

Good. 48 isn't a footy number. It's Greg Blewett's average at WACA against New Zealand. I don't really know if it is, but the guy was rubbish. Front foot pullshots? Get your hand off it... Oh, and Robbo has kicked the third most goals by anyone in our history. So, nuts to you, if you're going to sit there in your armchair-jury box and indict the guy for being bitter.

Bored, yeah, what of it. Want to fight about it? Looking at when players move into VL eligibility throws up the prospect that Bruce could be kept on the VL until 2012. Observe: Jamar and Miller don't become eligible until 2013. Davey 2014. Moloney, Rivers, Sylvia, Bell, Johnson 2015. Warnock, Newton, Bate, Dunn 2017. Now we all have our misgivings over whether some of those players will still be playing but Jamar and Davey are very good bets to be the two on the VL after Bruce and Green. Does this gaurantee, injury permitting, the retention of Bruce until the end of 2012, and Green until the end of 2013? Remember, a VL spot only takes the place of a RL spot, not one of the 38 Primary List spots. Very interesting...

I could make a joke here about 'turning tricks' but I am above that. And is the rest of this saying I shouldn't be anonymous? It's a little hard to follow. I don't see how my name changes anything. I think most on here would have gleaned that I am a facetious, patronising bloke in his 20s, with a penchant for obscure references and jocular remarks. I also bake. That is all. And back to the thread - err, yeah, I think he is going to stay in Melbourne too. Because I have a modicum of faith in the people at the club not to completely eff up.