deeboy

I don't post often at all, but this warrants a rare post. This whole effort to scupper the vote on the special resolution is absolutely non-sensical. What the opposition fail to properly grasp is that the alternative constitution being put forward by them is not actually an alternative. It isn't part of the vote. All that will be achieved by getting people to vote against the special resolution is that the current, outdated version will be retained. Even the opposition don't like the current constitution, so they are shooting themselves in the foot and throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Yes, I was there too. Gawn, Brayshaw, Melksham, Dunstan and Mitch Brown all doing a private training session. Was awesome to see how seriously they were taking it and how they have taken Dunstan under their wings. They seem to be intent on going back to back. Brought my son down and they were all very obliging, signing posters and jumpers and taking photos, even though they seemed pretty exhausted.

Lachy Reid‏Verified account @Lachy_Reid 1h1 hour ago Chatted with Jesse Hogan at dinner last night - didn’t have an answer as where he’ll be after today but nervous, hopeful and worn out from all the talk. May have taken the last photo as a Melbourne player with my demon loving kids.

As an aside, unbelievable trade period for Fremantle. Aside from some minor swaps in the late pick they have done: Out: Pick 6 and Neale In: Hogan, Lobb, Picks 14 and 30 They also picked up Conca as a free agent.

I know... but we should

Once the Neale deal goes through, Freo will have picks 6, 11, 19, 23 and 30 and still have to get Hogan and Lobb. Now is precisely the time to call Freo's bluff and demand picks 6 and 11 and a swap of our pick 36 with their pick 23 or keep Hogan. There is no way Fremantle will want to lose Neale and miss out on Hogan. If we hold firm, they will buckle.

Losing Hogan about to enter his prime is getting reamed but seemingly unavoidable. Obviously, we want to maximise the compensation, but unless we were getting an equivalent player in return it will hurt. May is serviceable and fills a need, but is not in the same class as Hogan and draft picks are speculative and are unlikely to have an immediate impact.

Port just got picks 15, 35 and Burton for wingard with a pick swap at the back in Hawthorn's favour. Given Burton would have been worth a first rounder alone, it seems they are going to get a significantly better deal for Wingard than we get for Hogan.

The fact he won't renew is irrelevant. He won't be a free agent next year, so Freo would still have to trade for him or risk us pushing him to the draft or negotiating with West Coast. Bell has played hard ball with Neale even though Neal has said he will walk next year. It can still be done.

Port have 15, so won't be part of Neale deal. Hogan will be 6 and 23.

For all Mahoney's talk of being happy to keep Jesse unless we get a deal up there with the best ever, we are about to capitulate and trade out the best young key forward in the game for significant unders, while in the premiership window. So frustrating and disappointing. For all the rubbish Bell has copped, he has actually done a bloody good job for his football club. Mahoney could actually learn a few things from him with regards to playing hardball.

Tyson won't be part of the May deal Hogan going for 5 and 11. Giving pick 5 to GC for May plus a late pick. If that is how it plays out, a terrible job by us.

It's posts like these that expose the soft underbelly of some supporters. I'm happy to put my hand up and say I am thrilled with the progress we have made, but that doesn't mean we all need to blindly agree with the club on everything and believe that the club doesn't now make mistakes. Perhaps you are easily pleased but I want to win a premiership and believe that a dogmatic, ruthless approach is what is required from here with the dealings with Fremantle.

"He's got to make up his mind whether he wants to leave," Mahoney said. "We have to speak to Fremantle and see if there's a deal that we'd look at. At this stage, we haven't heard anything, so we'd expect Jesse to play with us. "That could change during this week, but that's what trade period is all about. We'll have those discussions early this week." That is not saying he is a required player and we aren't looking to trade him unless we get a ridiculous offer. That's clearly indicating we are prepared to talk and initiate conversation about it. The two first round picks may simply be journalist reports, but it is coming from a reliable source within Melbourne. I deal with the media and assure you that our club like all others speak to media to get out what they want. This is one of those occasions.

Except that Mahoney hasn't done that. He has openly stated we are happy for Jesse to explore going home and will accept two first round picks in return. That is not an absurd deal (perhaps read the rest of my post as to what I say an absurd deal is). It is also not saying he is a required player. Mmkay?

Tyson for Preuss as a direct swap reminds me of the Gysberts for Pedo swap a few years ago. We traded a slow inside midfielder who was a high pick for a mature age tall and everyone here was up in arms saying we got a bad deal. Turns out the club got it right. Let's have a little faith.

I think it is pretty clear that Hogan is happy to go to Fremantle if a deal can be struck and Melbourne is happy to let him go if we can get sufficient compensation to enable us to get May and have a first round pick. I would hope that we wouldn't trade Hogan unless we have the May deal sewn up. While I understand that Mahoney and co have historically adopted a reasonable and cooperative approach to negotiating trades, and I have no problem with that, the time has come to be a little dogmatic and belligerent. Hogan is contracted for next year and we are finally in a position to challenge for a premiership. I have been extremely disappointed with how the club has been addressing the potential Hogan trade. Surely, the best approach is to simply insist that Hogan is contracted and a required player, but that if an absurd deal was put forward we would consider it. The ball has to be put in Fremantle's court to offer up something so significant that it forces our hand, instead of our approach of setting our price and then negotiating from there. I understand the desire to get May and the belief that it will address a key need, but if the choice is May or Hogan, I would go Hogan. If the club is confident that Weideman is ready to play as our second key forward, then (as much as I would hate it) we can always throw Tom McDonald to full back to play on the gorillas when required. The other issue I have is that the value being placed on Hogan is far too low. What has constantly been overlooked is what we initially paid to get him. In 2012 we gave up picks 3 and 14 for Hogan, Dom Barry (steak knives) and pick 20. We effectively gave up two first round picks for Hogan and a second round pick. At the time he was unproven. Now he is a rising star winner and genuine match winner. Yes, he has had some injuries, but his value now is far higher than it was in 2012 before he had kicked a goal or played a game. However, our demands do not properly reflect the value the club even placed on him. The other comparable trade is Tom Boyd. Boyd had played one season and had not yet proved anything, so was worth less than Hogan is now. However, he was traded for pick 6 and Ryan Griffen. Griffen at the time was a dual best and fairest winner, club captain, all australian and had finished 6th in the AFLPA MVP award a year earlier. His normal value at the time, had Boyd not been involved, would have been two first round picks, with one of them being a top 10 pick. Accordingly, Boyd's value was assessed as effectively three first round picks. Mahoney said that Hogan would be worth more than any other trade in history. He is right, but his demands don't align.

Such terribly sad news. Our thoughts are with the Stynes family today. Jim was a true legend and I can only hope that he is rightfully elevated to legend status in the hall of fame this year. There could be no one more deserving.

I have very high hopes for Watts, but the reality is that he clearly has an issue with his attack on the contest. This isn't something that is new and has just become apparent in the last couple of weeks. It has been an issue his whole, short, career. There is no need for Melbourne supporters to get so defensive everytime someone criticises Watts. He was a number 1 pick and people expect a lot of him. The sad reality is that Malthouse is 100% correct. Jack is way too timid. That has nothing to do with his body development or him still learning the game. You don't need to be huge to attack the ball or jump into a pack. Look at current Melbourne players such as Garland and Rivers, or even a past player like Ferguson. They are/were not big, but they always put their body on the line. Watts needs to get a bit aggro and start crashing packs.

Game time: 65% Kicks: 4 Handballs: 4 Marks: 3 Goals: 0 Efficiency: 73% Position: Half forward/Wing (away from goals) First kick goal? NO I don't expect too much from Watts in his first game. He is a boy amongst men and I think we should be excited for the future but not expect him to do a great deal this year.

Rivers is #27. Newton is #29.

6 - Green 5 - Miller 4 - Sylvia 3 - C. Johnson 2 - Wheatley 1 - Whelan

6 - McLean 5 - Green 4 - Bate 3 - Davey 2 - Garland 1 - Bruce

6 - Jones 5 - Johnson 4 - McLean 3 - Moloney 2 - Garland 1 - Morton

Herald Sun reports that our round 4 game against North Melbourne has been moved to the MCG on Saturday 12th April (2:10pm). I am just very happy that I didn't book flights to the Gold Coast for that weekend, because I was very close to doing so a while back.