Ron Burgundy

Don't know about that. I just asked him who on the GWS did he expect to have a big season next year. He didn't know I was a Melbourne supporter. And he immediately responded 'Tom Scully'. Seemed to be a genuinely held opinion. Had I been thinking straight, I would've asked him what he thought of Dom Tyson, although he did proffer that they were very happy to have picks 1&2 in the draft. The other assistant coaches I spoke to following our loss to GWS a few months ago also said they thought Scully would show a lot next year, as did several of the players. That said, there's no doubt that, to date, he's been a woeful pick 1 and that GWS paid far too much for him. Personally, I'm very happy the little nerd's no longer at the club.

I voted for Scharenberg, but it seems pretty unlikely that he'll be in the mix at pick 9. Freeman, Lennon, Sheed or Salem look more likely. They all look pretty good to me.

Given the compo we received, and cash saved, I'm actually pleased Scully left the club. That said, GWS reckon he's going to have a break out season next year. Something confirmed by Kevin Sheedy when I spoke to him at the taxi queue at Sydney Airport only last week. To date, he's not delivered any value to GWS though. They clearly paid far too much for him.

I don't like the emblem. It looks cheap, and the narrative underlying it is too obvious.

Surely we'll take Scharenberg if he's available. Freeman next. But, from what I've read, I wouldn't be disappointed with Dunstan, Sheed, Acres or Lennon. I'll back Viney et ors to get this right. I'm confident they will. I'm slightly gun shy because of the MFC's howlers in recent years. But none of those decision makers are at the club anymore - so it's clearly just paranoia causing that concern.

A comparison with North over that same period, I expect, would be just as unflattering.

Always rated Nev's endeavour and personality, be he consistently seemed to be out of his depth at AFL level. Nicho's only chance will be as a relentless 'in your face' tagger. His decision making ability, and skills, are not even close to where they need to be. It must've been line ball as to whether he also got delisted this year. Whilst Roos clearly wants hard bodies who've been in the system for a while, Travis Tuck would excite me more as a player on our list than Nicholson.

I had a few mates who were at the Lavazza tent in the birdscage at Derby Day last week. Franklin turned up late in the day and demanded entry and they refused to let him in. He was hammered. One of my mates asked some guy there why they didn't let him in. He apparently said 'never again. He was out of control last year. He kept dropping his bag of coke in front of everyone and couldn't give a stuff. Very uncool behaviour'. Make of that what you will - only hearsay obviously, but it stacks up. Sydney's recruited a little ripper in Buddy. He'll be coaching Auskick in Bondi for the last 6 years of his contract.

He clearly puts his head over the ball, and does the team oriented stuff. They're both hard ball gets. Risks injury there.

Pity we didn't land Hale or Jacobs in that draft period.

I just don't reckon the Michie trade is that speculative. He was a required player at Freo. I'm very confident that he will be a bloody good pick up. Never heard of Riley before reading this thread. Given that he's been delisted by the Crows, he's clearly more speculative - but I do like the fact that he's as hard as a cat's head. And that he's been described as a 'clearance machine'.

Clearance specialist. Would he be worth pick 57? No use rookie-ing him. Don't see why we'd recruit a 25 year old hard bodied on baller just to have them play at Casey all year.

I'm really excited about Michie - perhaps moreso than Tyson and Vince. The reason being, I think we've got an absolute bargain here. Whilst I don't think we paid 'overs' to land Tyson and Vince, we certainly traded quite a bit to secure them. I'm hoping for really good output from Cross too. We finally have some 'inside' bench strength.

Technically speaking, driving 61 kmph in a 60 zone is illegal. Don't know if I'd put that in the same category as a serious assault charge though.

Whilst I agree with your analysis Goodoil, the reason I think Michie will prove to be a bloody great pick up is that: 1. He was a required player at Freo - they wanted to keep him; and 2. Freo has one of the best midfields in the competition. I'll be absolutely stunned if he's not in our best 22 in 5 months from now.

I'm with Ben Hur. I sincerely hope, and believe, that Hogan will be better than Neitz. If he's not, I'll be disappointed.

With Roos there is now hope. Chip's mates aren't at the GC Suns - they're at the MFC. We just need to demonstrate that he can achieve the same, if not more, with his mates at the MFC. I believe the new crew can help engender that belief. If they can, he will stay.

I should know this, but, when fit, what's Clark's engine like? I assume it's good enough for him to go with the likes of Bellchambers around the ground.

Matt Thomas from Port would be a much better bet for us than Scotland IMO.

Sloane wanted to be picked up by Melbourne. Wines wanted to be picked up by Melbourne. Makes me want to cry, especially when one considers that the likes of Ball, Adams and Wellingham won't even agree to talk to us.

I won't be disappointed if, after checking him out for a while, Roos anoints Rawlings as his successor. I also got the feeling that Roos was genuinely happy with the mids we were able to bring in. I suspect the type of mid we'll get with pick 9 won't be that far from whom we would've secured with pick 2, and he clearly rates Tyson highly. So this was a win for us in the circumstances. Vince was clearly a complete left field bonus. And Michie - well, I think he'll turn a few heads in the next few years. Still gaps in the list though - even though he didn't say, I'd love to know where he thinks those gaps are. He rates our bookends and has plugged some obvious deficiencies in the midfield. So where exactly? Rucks? Half back flankers? Back/forward pocket? Will be interesting to see who we rookie list this year (ie, whether we elect to go for some senior bodies, or go the youth track).

Amino, I'm not sure I agree. When managing people in a group, I feel it is very important to inject positivity and confidence into the group. One generally doesn't do this by running individuals down and micro managing everyone within an inch of their life. Hiring the right people, and then giving them clean air to perform their respective roles, is the key. It builds trust and typically enables individuals, and therefore the group, to perform at their best. Clearly Neeld didn't do this, or even recognise the importance of this. Roos does. And, relevantly, he is also a very experienced, knowledgeable and competent coach. We'll see a huge turnaround next season IMO. Our list is simply not that bad. We now have a decent coach. And the makings of a midfield. I'm excited.

Cross could quite quickly become a favourite for me.

I am still stunned that the Dogs cut him free. Surely you'd keep him for depth/off field leadership etc. Absolutely pumped he was though and that he then chose us.

Boyd and possibly Kelly aside, it seems to me that this is one of the least predictable drafts in many years. It's almost certain that there will be some very good players still in the mix at pick 9. Pick 2 and Tyson for pick 9 was an absolute no brainer.