rpfc

He's 198cm with the agility of a midfielder...and agile midfielder. Think Franklin, Goodes, and Brisbane didn't need anyone - they had stars all over the place. He should do the centre bounce and then play as a mid.

Guide the younger players?! They have been an integral part of a leadership group that has been entrencehed in the top 4 deep into 2004, 2005, and 2006 and floundered to zero top 4 finishes and only one final win. BUT we should retain them because of their guidance and leadership? Give me a break, if they are still here next year it is because we couldn't get a suitable deal done and nothing else.

Depressing? I can see the reality of the situation and it tells me that Bruce and Green will not be football players when we are pushing for a flag in 5 years time. They may be on a wing or a pocket as we finish 6th in three years time but who cares about that? Finals are great fun, but you have to finish top 4 to have any chance - that means 16 wins. We will not be a 16 win team for 5 years. We have won 6 of our last 33 and it is going to take a while to get to 16 out of 22 in one year. With that in mind, let us prepare for that time in the best way we can by looking at our list and asking ourselves who will be around playing good footy at that stage. Bruce, Green won't be. Rivers, with his body and the way he plays, might not be either. It kills me to say it. But, again, I don't care about careers, I care about winning a flag.

I understand what you mean. I want Jim to give us a list of things, concrete things, to do to save the club and allow it to thrive. Caro's piece left me with the impression that he is the only one lined up at this stage to come onto the board - that no-one has definitely been enlisted by Jimmy. I guess Sat night will be interesting, as will Monday afternoon, and knowing Caro - Monday night.

We have been far too protective of careers. If a club comes to us with a top 20 pick for Bruce or Green (Robbo has 1 year left, and White may not have any) we take it. Otherwise we will enjoy their careers peetering out as we languish and wait for our next window; as that future is weakened by the fact that we didn't make the tough decisions... We are 6 wins from our last 32 and I expect us to be 9 from our last 45 by the end of the year. No-one is, or at least should be, expendable from the desire to build for a flag in 5 years time. Considering Green and Bruce will not be around in 5 years - they should be first shopped around. Again I say, if they do stay, I will cheer them on but I will take a flag over a tearful MCG shoulder-carry for a 32 yr old who played 250 games for the club.

The only numbers I have seen were from 2006 and we were at around 100%. Since then we have seen Bizzell, Brown, Pickett, and half of TJ off the salary cap (around $900k). And next season we will have the other half of TJ, Holland, half of Neitz (vet outside), Yze, Whelan, and possibly White (vet inside) off the salary cap (around $1.3m). We have added kids since then and our re-signings wouldn't get near what we have cleared from the cap.

If Rivers is traded it is after Bruce and Green have also been traded. The value of Rivers is his footy IQ in the backline, not a true KPP in the strictest sense, but his value is his leadership of the backline and his courage to provide his body to help his teammates. Frankly I think he has 5 years left in the game, considering the way he plays. Will we be threat inside that? I don't know... I hope so... Anyway, no club is going to give what we expect in trade week, due to his injury concerns.

Agree with Dunn as CHF/HFF and Garland to stay as an attacking backman. Dunn isn't quick enough to be a tagger but he leads well and can mark. Fatten him up and make him a forward, really don't understand why this hasn't been tried. Because there wasn't room in the fwd line with Neita and Robbo? Great forward planning... FWD LINE: Bate, Miller, Wonaeamirri, Dunn, Holland, and Green. Other options: Newton (hopefully takes Holland's spot shortly), Maric, Valenti, and Yze (FORM permitting, last week's 3 goals was not good form). Sylvia has got to play up the park for his own development. Davey is past development into a wingman, he is a wingman. And is required up the ground.

I believe that those numbers were from 2006 and sice then we have moved on half of TJ, Pickett, Bizz, Brown, etc. And now half of TJ ($200 000), half of Neita (veterans list - $200 000), White ($400 000), Yze ($300 000), Holland ($150 000), Whelan ($150 000). I think they are pretty conservative numbers, and they total more than $1.4 million.

I want Moloney to stay. There would be no value during trade week and his kick will be valuable when we get this run and carry business right. He also gets his fair share of clearances and tackles. But more than that, his attitude around the club is great. Notably well received whenever representing the club off the field and fiercely proud on the field. Anyone watching him get frustrated Neita-like when we are losing can attest to that. And, lastly, his first year at the club was brilliant. He come 4th in the Bluey and showed that when he gets some footy under his belt after a couple of injury plagued seasons he will be a good player for the Melbourne footy club.

Elite mids are value but our deficiencies are not in midfield: McLean, Jones, Moloney, Davey, Batram, and Grimes are good enough to demand games even if they are a little one paced. With exception of Davey, and possibly Batram. To that end we need a pacy wingman to break the lines as McLean, Jones and Moloney will get enough out of the stoppages we need some pace for them to handpass to. With that in mind the top 3 pick that we will have should be used on a KPP as wingman are easier to find further down the draft.

All i'm saying is the canary yellow used in 99 cricket world cup was derided by all and then they won 7 games in a row. And nary a peep...

I think we should ask the AFL to allow us to to be under the 92.5 for a year or two. Otherwise will be overrewarding players, unless we get Brown on a mil for 5 years, frontloaded contract.

Jamar is contracted for 2009. They would only trade if we were very confident of picking up a ruckman in one of the drafts or that White is going to stick around for another year. Personally, I would move him on for the right price, maybe a pick in the region of 25 - 40.

We are 1 and 9 and it's going to get worse... We should be taking solace from an extremely talented midfielder who happens to 20 years old rather than picking faults that we have seen over his fledgling career. He makes mistakes...well sh!t, he's a kid.

No, I don't think you would.

Clash jumpers always look sh!t when the team plays like sh!t.

How do you justify that? Did not play for 12 months and 10 games in he's going to be delisted? This year? Next year? Batram is 20, is currently playing as a tagger on some of the best players, and is willing and selfless. He is young enough and good enough to be around for our next window. Show some calm people...

Of all the hand wringing in this thread that is the most offensive and idiotic thing you've read?! Green will not be around when and if we get to our next premiership window. To me this is an indisputable assertion based on where we are at right now and how far Green has to go. If he can provide a draft pick toward that end - of a flag - then we trade him. We have been, with the exception of Woewodin, far too protective of careers. Let's go for a flag, and sacrifices will have to be made.

You cannot trade a PSD pick.

You can't have two beanpole ruckman that are useless around the ground. Need a PJ type that can contribute at either end or be a link in midfield.

I will support them, absolutely. But I expect, come trade week, that the club will offload them if given the right price. If their value to this club achieving a flag is high draft picks then so be it. I love the players, but I love the club more.

He's retiring at the end of the season and we have won 6 of the last 32 games. He was lucky to play on this season. Selection is tough, but quit the club? Come on.

I don't know, he's proficient in all skills without being outstanding in any but his attitude (on the park) leads me to believe that he will reach a very high level of sustained performance by sheer force of will. May be unquantifiable, but the kid is driven. PS. That isn't a pun.

Yeah, what that person said. Without the condescension...