Deeoldfart

Nice article. Spot on with the facts and adjectives. So glad Clarry is ours!

Looks like Clubs (including ours) will be in a better position to start serious consideration of potential pay offers around the end of July: Players' CBA possible by end of July: AFL

A few random points that I think are pertinent: Hogan's worth to the team cannot be simply measured by goals scored. He has played more time up the ground this year (even starting in the centre square on a few occasions), and he has been important in these stints with his defensive marking, tackling and creativity. Part of the Roos / Goodwin "all players need to be flexible" philosophy, I suspect, and it also frees him up a bit from the double teaming that he cops constantly as a KPF; if he decided to leave it would more than likely put a significant 'brake' on achieving our membership aspirations (another important reason for getting his signature); if team success is an important consideration for him (as seems to be the case), then we need to maintain at least good solid form throughout this year. We wouldn't want 3 or 4 game losing streaks; the continued development and promise of Weideman and/or Hulett is important. Hogan will relish the day when there is another strong KPF to take some of the opposition attention away from him; his bond / friendship with team-mates seems to be important to him. In this context I was happy to read in the Harmes' RS interview that Hogan, N.Jones and Harmes had been surfing together before the GC game.

Yep. I'm sure we are in very competent hands ....... and they don't need advice from the likes of you and me.

Maybe, but we wouldn't want to be putting too many eggs in the Hogan basket, because we have quite a few emerging players who will warrant very solid coin when their next contract comes around. Hopefully, mateship, loyalty and the strong prospect of team success will keep them in the red and blue. I'd expect Freo to to be pretty flush next season with Pav and possibly Sandi and others expected to retire.

Reported on ABC (Canberra) radio this morning that Freo have now turned their attention to securing Jesse, following Hooker's signing at Essendon. It was most likely just a 'gap filler' on their sports report, and I doubt that anything much has changed because Jesse has probably never been off their radar. Anyways, if both Melbourne and Freo keep playing like they are at present, I can't see Jesse seeking a trade to Freo, no matter what they might throw at him.

Nev is the epitome of an honest footballer who knows his limits, plays within them, and gets the job done week in, week out, without any fuss or fanfare. Would be in the first hand-full Demons picked each week, I reckon. And just one request from me please Nev .......... no more serious head knocks or concussions!

So spot on that it's bleeding obvious JV!. I'll enjoy my red even more tonight now that I feel reassured.

So many positives on here about Oliver (hard to disagree with any of it) but the greatest positive of all is that he didn't slip through our fingers. He's a Demon, and part of a developing midfield that oozes strength, determination and power. The sort of midfield that premierships are built around.

100% reasonable and sensible decision by Jesse, his management and the MFC. I would wager that there wouldn't be a single sound-minded Demonlander who wouldn't make the same decision if faced with the same predicament.

................... but player managers are only interested in the first part of that equation, and my gut feeling is that they probably have too much influence, particularly where youngsters are concerned.

Obviously it's very early days, but I'd love to get a feel from fellow Demonlanders who have seen him, about how Ollie is shaping up at training. For example, how does he compare to Gus and Track 12 months ago ............yeah, I know I'm starved for a bit of post Christmas Melbourne footy news, but there's only so many times that you can watch the AGM interviews, or revisit the great training pics provided by 666.

Mine too 'bub, not 'prongs' but nails. The umps inspected them before every game to ensure that the stops weren't worn down with the nail heads protruding. You could inflict a nice flesh wound with a pair of well worn stops.

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!

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.

Like you Mach, I'm surprised. At his best Myers is pretty good, but he is rarely on the park. Averages around 10 games a year over close to 8 seasons, and only one senior appearance so far in 2015. Maybe Goodwin likes what he has seen, and he certainly fits the bill as a Roos type mid (tall, good pace with a raking left foot). However, we'd need to be confident about his durability and positive about any Essendrug fallout, before I'd have any more than a passing interest in him. No doubt if the story about our interest is true, the good judges at the MFC will have these issues front and centre.

I guess it depends on where you are coming from Ron. I really like Garlo, and think he's been a very 'solid citizen' of the Melbourne Footy Club over some really tough times. Does that make him a quality player? ........ not by my preferred definition. In describing players as 'quality', I immediately think of match-winning qualities, and I just don't see them in Garlo. There are dozens of 'solid citizens' on every list (all teams needs them!), but without a healthy serve of players with match-winning qualities, teams are going nowhere in today's competition ........ and Melbourne has fewer match-winners than most. If Garlo leaves as a RFA, I will be among the first to acknowledge his good service, and to wish him well at his new club. I will also be looking forward to the prospect of adding potential match-winning qualities to our very meagre list. Of course there are no guarantees in recruiting, but we desperately need to do everything possible to raise the bar! In summary: "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got".

I really like Col Garland. He's been a very 'solid citizen' of our Club through an extremely tough era, and in my eyes, he's still a 'best 22' player. However, this is surely not the point. If we want to improve as a team we need to raise the bar! Inevitably, some of today's 'solid citizens' will need to make way for players who bring (or have clear potential to bring), more to the team. There's an important part of me that says we should remain loyal to 'solid citizens' like Col, and another part that screams for team success. For me, in this scenario, team success beats loyalty every day of the week!

I hope so Sir Paul. He has an excellent CV, and would be a fantastic addition to our midfield. If he is indeed contemplating a move south, the Dees would seem to be an obvious choice. Pick 5 would be fair and reasonable if we are satisfied that his knee will stand up.

I'd be very, very disappointed if that happened. I thought his family moved from WA to Melbourne when he was drafted.

Agree ..... nice story though!

Without fear, and manic at the ball and the man .... that encapsulates Jack Viney's football prowess for me

Well, I feel better now.

Don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but easily Lockett / Dunstall good, plus some!

Base a decision purely on merit. Using the the write-ups, Tyler would be a 'project' player (probably a rookie) and not likely to be pressing for senior selection until well into Roosy's final year as senior coach. In any event, I wouldn't be the least bit concerned by having the pair at Melbourne. I recall quite a few around here having concerns about the Vineys' but there doesn't seem to be any downside to that, and going back to a different era, it worked outstandingly well for Norm and Barass. And just an afterthought, having Tyler on our list might even prolong Roosy's involvement in our Club in some capacity. That wouldn't be a bad thing.