Deeoldfart

Hopefully in the top 8 for the first time in a while!

Nah. I don't begrudge Riv one last shot at success and perhaps the few more $s that Geelong were offering. We are clearly on a longer journey, and he wouldn't be around to enjoy the success that Neeld is building.

Good luck Riv. Loved your reading of the play and your unflinching courage across half back. A great pity that you won't be a one club player, but I'm sure you will always be welcome back at Melbourne. Time to move on for both Melbourne and you. Now for the compensation picks.

I live interstate so unfortunately I won't be at the game, but I can think of a few senior players who are pretty good spectators (LOL)

You're talking my language and era Sdemons, but I'm not sure Trevor Rollinson would make my list. I would probably replace him with Johnny Beckwith. Very hard to go past Gary Hardeman for number one billing imo: 200 odd games, a regular in the Big V, and consistently polled well in Brownlows. Small and lightly framed for a KPP but rarely beaten. CHB in Melbourne Team of the Century.

Surely it all depends on what value we can get for them, and given that all three have live contracts (I think), whether they are prepared to be traded. Personally I'm not fussed either way, but perhaps Gysberts may warrant another year more than the other two, in the hope that he can have a bit more luck injury-wise, and get the other parts of his act together.

Geez, you are fired up old dee. Seems that rejuvenation of our list has rejuvenated your spirit as well. I think I can even detect a hint of optimism in a couple of your recent posts. Well done, and welcome back! (LOL)

We are weird lot us Dees supporters. For most of us, season 2012 couldn't end quickly enough, and now, just a few weeks later, many of us can't wait 'till the start of season 2013. We are wishing our bloody lives away, but just you gotta love our resilience and spirit!

Do you honestly expect us to believe that olisik????

.......... and hopefully steps towards the September we have to have!

I've always been a proud Melbourne man, but the 'proud' bit has been sorely tested over the last few years. My pride has been fully restored in part of one Free Agency / Trade period. Well done Neeldy & Co. I know we are in good hands!!

Sorry to disappoint Chippy, but I think they are saying Maxy's fitness levels / strength are +30% on where they were at the beginning of last pre season.

Just to add to the good news about Maxy, the following extract from his 2012 player review on the MFC website sounds promising: "..... He’s gone above and beyond what the Club’s expected of him, not only with his rehab and his recovery, but with his involvements with the Club - his DeeTV, and his capacity to work with other players and try and get the best out of the whole Club, not just himself. His body has completely changed from the way it looked twelve months ago, he’s in a position where he’ll be able to start full training when we come back, and already he’s - we’d estimate - thirty per cent ahead of where he was at this time last pre-season. So, he’s really set himself up this year. .............." Aaron Greaves (midfield development coach) Fingers crossed, we have seen the last of his knee problems.

If the trade goes ahead, the next couple of seasons will tell if you are correct jnr. In the mean time, I'm happy for our new FD to make a call about the 'worth' of the deal. Right now it seems reasonable to me. Edit: Last sentence added

As my name suggests, I've been around a while. My folks were 'one eyed' Bomber supporters, but when Melbourne beat them in the '48 Grand Final replay, I became a Demon for life. Not sure why really, 'cos I really liked Mum and Dad.

Wines for me. From what I've read and heard about him he is a perfect 'fit' for Neeld's plan to make Melbourne "the hardest team in the AFL to play against" and I really like that plan.

Dunny will be a stayer (as I think he should be). I'm sure I read somewhere that he and the club are close to finalising a new contract.

I like the sound of it, if it comes to fruition. It bolsters our mid and forward divisions and adds to our experience quota.. Thanks Nudge.

True, but I suspect someone may have whispered in his (Gysberts) ear about his future at Melbourne.

I agree that the cake is looking better, but there is still a fair bit of stale and / or poor quality dried fruit that needs to be consigned to the bin before collection day ........... and we definitely need a couple more prime cherries to sit atop the icing. If we can add a few cheap but tasty late pick morsels to the mix, so much the better. Then comes the all important blending.

Beamer's form during the year was deplorable, but it was the way he carried himself that ended his career at Melbourne. The team is far bigger than the individual under the new regime at our Club, and that's exactly how it must be. Unfortunately, I don't think Beamer saw it that way. IMO Melbourne are clear winners at this stage, but I will have no regrets if he gives Brisbane a couple of decent years.

Sorry Oucher, but if he's prone to losing confidence that easily he's not up to AFL level. That's not to say Meredith would be any better, and based on most of the views expressed here, that seems unlikely.

I just want to thank our recruiting / coaching staff. Every contributor to Demonland knows that we have been cellar-dwellers for way too long, and a clear plan for the future and an associated injection of talent is essential if we are to move forward in a very tough competition. It seems to me that after only two days of the trade period we have already ticked a couple of critical boxes in the plan. Clearly it's too early to congratulate our recruitment / coaching staff (that can't come for a year or two yet), but by jees, I have more confidence in the direction and the path that we are now taking than I have for a bloody long time!

Welcome Jack and well done MFC! Best news in a very dismal year, and hopefully signifies the start of a long term change of luck for the Dees.

Sheahan's response was both lazy and thoughtless. If he felt he had to (again) sink the boot into my team, he should have at least had the decency to acknowledge the impact of the off-field issues that we had to deal with through the season. More appropriately however, he should have looked at the game as a whole, and not focussed on one team. How about the inconsistency of the MRP or the flaws in the third umpire goal review system for example? Pizz weak as usual Mr Sheahan!