Deeoldfart

I'm loving this! Almost as good as beating Geelong at the Cattery and the Filth at the 'G'.

I think Josh Mahoney may now be owed a few apologies!

I sincerely hope not! Not that it will help, but my fingers will be firmly crossed that we wouldn't be so stupid.

Howe vs Kennedy ........ a tale of two horses Howe is a show pony, who prances around and has a genuine go when it suits him. Kennedy is a work-horse, who has a red-hot go whenever the opportunity presents. I know who I want wearing red and blue!

...... but we back ourselves to turn him into an AFL standard player. I like it!

If you really feel that our Footy Department are contemplating recruitment of players because "they think they have to do something" then you are naive (and that's being very generous!). Maybe their selections will work out, and maybe they won't, but to suggest that players would be recruited for the sake of appearances and not because they are expected to improve our team, is being disrespectful towards our recruiters who have an excellent record in their player selections over the last couple of years.

I can see one positive in the Howe situation ie. we now know for sure and certain that he does not have the sort of character that fits with the culture we are building at Melbourne. Good riddance Howie! Go to the filth, where I'm sure you will be welcomed by some like-minded low-lights.

I'm a underwhelmed by Jake's more recent form, and very concerned by the 'sword of WADA' hanging over his head. None-the-less, I have confidence in Roos and the rest of the Football Dept. to make the right call. Where does that leave me on this issue? Buggered if I know what to make of it!

'Climate change' in the AFL is sucking all life out of the pond. The big fish are gone, and only minnows remain. It's the way of professional sport!

I love the way Nev plays. Not the most talented player going around, but his effort and will to succeed are undeniable. He had a solid season in 2015, dulled a bit by head knocks and concussion injuries. He seems vulnerable in this area, which is a bit of a worry going forward.

I loved Jordie as a player, simply because he he gave every ounce of himself every time he entered the field of play for the mighty Demons. It's a trait a lot more talented players on our list could learn from. What's more, he was a 'heart and soul' player for Casey, when it would have been easy to have dropped his head when the writing was clearly on the wall about his playing future. Well done and good luck Jordie, you can be proud of your achievements as a Demon.

Outstanding second half of the year by Big Max. Close to the most improved player in the AFL in 2015, and a huge part of our future if he can stay fit. Put a decent team of mids around him, and we will very quickly move from 'nowhere' to competitive.

Yep, and especially for Demonlanders!

Jay didn't seem to come on at all in 2015, after a fairly promising debut season. I hope it was just a bad case of 'second year blues', but somehow I doubt it. Needs to add a 'point of difference' to his game, and a very big summer is required to build up his tank.

We missed Cam after he was injured, which suggests he is 'best 22' (or thereabouts) given our current list. He's no world beater, but he is a versatile tall, and at worst provides strong depth, even more so now that Fitz has been de-listed. I hope we can recruit or develop a strong KPF or 2nd ruck option, but until we have a player who is a lock for these roles, then Pedo is a 'must keep' I reckon.

IIRC, Bastinac was a ball magnet and goal kicker as a junior, and showed loads of promise in his first season or two. I suspect that the Kangas might think there's not a lot more upside, and are happy to move him on the strength of that. In the few games that that I've seen him play this year, I thought that he showed some solid ball winning attributes, but was let down by questionable disposal and decision making. A definite regular 'best 22' in our current midfield, but on recent form I don't see him lifting the standards by very much. I'd really like to be aiming higher, unless we can get him cheap.

I'm sure I got the gist and tense correct LDvC, but as others said, Healy may well have ballsed it up.

I'm not a great fan of Melksham as a player, but if all the 'noise' about him coming to Melbourne turns out to be true, I will trust that our current administration see something in him that I don't, and that he will be recruited on a deal that they regard as fair and reasonable to all. If he then fails to add value as a player, I will adopt a 'you win some / you lose some' attitude, and seek to move on quickly. However, I will be absolutely livid if he becomes a Demon, and is then rubbed out because of his involvement in the Essendon drugs scandal. That would be unforgivable imo.

IMO, Crossy was a great pick-up given the state of our list at the time we recruited him. He made a valuable contribution on the field, and (from all reports) an even greater one on the track. It's always sad when a great veteran gets a 'tap on the shoulder', but in Crossy's case, I really think it was time for him to move on, and leave the on-field stuff to the younger brigade who will be part of our future. He retired as a clear 'best 22' and that's how his playing time at Melbourne should be remembered (much the same as when he 'retired' from the Bulldogs two years earlier). Having said that, I really hope he remains a Demon in an off-field capacity, where his professionalism can still be of great value. Well done Daniel, on a great career across two clubs..

I hate bringing this up, but I was just listening to the pre-match discussions on Fox Footy. They interviewed Swans Assistant, Stuart Dew, and made the observation that he will one day make a very good Senior Coach. They went on to mention that he had missed out on the Carlton gig, but was still in the running for Essendon and Adelaide. Then Healy piped in with the fleeting comment that, depending on contract discussions at Melbourne, he could yet end up a Demon. What the hell was Healy referring to? ......... or did I completely mishear what Healy said? They were definitely talking about the role of senior coach. Someone please put my mind at ease. I need the sleep tonight!

All fingers tightly crossed, firstly for Trenners the bloke, and second for Trenners the player!! At his pre-injury best, he was a very good footballer!

Brilliant. Martin Flanagan's text reads like poetry.

Kenty has considerable potential, and the attributes to really complement our structures, but we haven't seen enough of him. Needs to get more of the ball, develop his engine so that he can have occasional runs through the midfield, and most of all, get a reasonable run without injury. If he can meet these requirements, I would expect him to become a very important part of long-term success at the MFC.

After all the early previews about his light frame and not being 'AFL ready', I didn't expect him to debut this year. He did, and he surprised me greatly, in a very positive way. A very smart footballer with excellent ball use, traits which his old man had in spades. If 'Billy the Kid' can contribute to the MFC as well as Steve did, then he will be a ripper. Early indications (for me) are that he can do just that, or even better. A very strong part of our future!

Spot-on GTG.