Roost It

There's only 1 reason I followed Melbourne as a kid and that reason was Robbie Flower. My Mum and her friends met at the footy nearly every Saturday to knit, gasbag and watch Robbie play. They grew up when Melbourne was a powerhouse but were passing on a club to me that had had it's heart ripped out in 1965. Ron Barassi is remembered by many as the greatest player to ever pull on the red and blue. Bollocks, Robbie Flower is. Barassi played in Premierships like we have hot dinners, ably supported by a cast of champions. He then left, unheard of at the time and a move that sparked the destruction of our once proud club. Do I blame him for that, a little but I mainly blame a board so shortsighted and so far up their own importance that they would let this happen.

Anyway enough of my ramblings on events long gone and back to what saddens me so much today. That Robbie could be gone is beyond sad. It's heartbreaking for all footy people but his family aside it's particularly heartbreaking for a club that has had to mourn so much. Troy Broadbridge, Sean Wight, Jim Stynes, tanking. players leaving, mounting losses, dwindling relevance, not to mention a failed merger attempt. Surely this was enough!

Now we wake up on Saturday without our greatest club Champion, a man who epitomised what football used to be about. He played with grace, an unbelievable grace. He was quick, evaded trouble like no other player, could run but the thing I remember the most was he could mark. Boy, could he mark that ball. His lean arms would reach toward the heavens and he would pluck that ball down, 1 firm and graceful grab. More often than not before he had landed he was off, gliding down the MCG wing right in front of me driving the ball forward in the hope that a goal would amount. In those days it rarely did but not to matter we had Robbie and he had his wing.

Then in 1987 the unthinkable occurred. We made the finals, thanks largely to not just his exploits, including 5 glorious goals in the last round at The Whitten Oval, surely my happiest day as a Melbourne supporter.But also because of his presence. We did "it" for Robbie. The whole club and it's supporters lifted for the man. He inspired us to believe and we did. Then that kick by Gary Buckenara that ended his career and all our hopes and dreams. Who of us hadn't imagined Robbie holding up The Premiership Cup that year. The MCG ablaze in red and blue and Robbie standing their with those arms holding all of us up toward the Heavens.

RIP Robbie, you will be sorely missed.

Spud of the highest order. Morton number 2

Would Roos ever have drafted him, NO

You get Geelong's second round pick which you on trade as part of the Frost or Merret deal

Turns out he's a she and is going steady with Frawley. My source is unreliable at best

Lols at anyone being underwhelmed by a player of Lamumba's calibre wanting to come to our club.

I imagine they're the same folk who questioned the inclusions of Cross and Vince too.

Is it fair to say supporters on this forum are just clueless when it comes to the assessment of our list?

Our lack of skill and ability to break lines and opposition defensive zones in our backhalf is almost non-existent and is evidenced largely by the huge discrepancy in inside 50 counts this year.

Here is a player, who unlike anyone in our back six, has the running ability and boldness to take the game on and provide attacking run off the backflank. He is someone who possesses a desire to lead, is an extremely professional trainer and player and someone who plays as if they care. Same can't be said for still so many on our list.

How can any supporter not be thrilled that a player of those attributes has a desire to come to our club and help reshape it, regardless of his philosophies and beliefs outside of football?

The MFC is changing. We are shedding our old skin. And some supporters are blinded by players who have been on our list for far too long and provide too little.

Take your red and blue glasses off and wake up to the fact that the personality types and lack of professionalism evident in some of the senior players on our list who have been there for years is the reason Roos is targetting players like Lamumba, Cross, Vince etc.

Frawley out is a win on it's own, especially with what we're getting back and the trading potential it gives us. I've said that from the start.

Lamumba is an enormous upgrade on any player we've had running around on the HBF. He's a leader, he works hard, he cares, he's bold.

Wake the [censored] up.

I so love it when you fire up Steve!

By the way i agree with every word.

Does everyone here now just how good looking Steve is!

But if Clark nominates Geelong (for example) then Geelong can just offer Melbourne their last pick and say take it or leave it becuase as was agreed Clark is being delisted by Melbourne, after which he is a Free Agent and can join any team he likes for free.

No he can't

........waiting for Frawley and required compo. Picks 2 and 3 but we'll get Adelaide's first pick back with Danger.

Surely the real reason the club is quiet is because they have spoken to Mitch and his people who have made it clear to them why Mitch needs a fresh start. I don't see Mitch as the bad guy in this. He's doing what's best for him like every one does to a point. As long as we are well compensated for Frawley and Clark I'll be happy. It's all about the midfield

Word has it that clubs have agreed but still waiting on Frawley compo pick. Same source has 3 from 3 so I'm a little excited

I love Scully, thanks to him Hogan and Clark came to Melbourne. Sure Clark will leave but we'll get more than Scully for him at a fraction of the cost. I love how ordinary he is though

I think we had that same hole this year.

Yeh and look how we went

I hope to hell it's not.

I want the virus out.

Out with the old, and in with the new.

With Frawley gone does Frost come in? And if we lose Clark we're 2 key players down. That's quite hole to fill.

Carlton aren't crap because of Judd. They're crap because the rest of their recruiting and trading has been [censored]. They blew a massive chance by not capitalising on Judd. We add dangerfield plus a top 3 pick, put Hogan in, keep Clark, grab Lumumba, Malceski and draft well next year and who knows what will happen and who else we might attract. Well run clubs are generally successful.

Offer Dangerfield whatever he and the Crows want.

Seriously we don't have one game changer in our team

With him and Hogan we potentially have 2

He'll raise his own revenue

Time to be brave Time to own our future

Word is that the Crows threw the kitchen sink at him but he had already verbally agreed to be at Melbourne.

Word also is that the club is totally stoked with the appointment. Rate Goodwin very highly.

He's also very happy to be coaching with Paul Roos. This was the clincher more than money.

Roos is worth every cent

When will he actually sign?

I think he has already

Word strong that Goodwin will sign with Melbourne

my mate did say that was as of early this morning

Heard the same thing about Frost today from a credible source

Also heard we're in Toby Greene's ear in a big way

No surprise but Frawley is gone and compo pick is coming

Dangerfield for Jones

OUT: Toumpas, Watts, Garland, Pick 3

IN: ?

You don't bid unless you want the player, simple really

It didn't hinder Luke Ball all that much.

Didn't seem to bother Greg Williams. He had over 50 disposals against StKilda one day and they were real disposals not the give and gets today.

Edit: 53 disps (25 kicks 28 hballs), 5 marks and 6 goals

Added stats from round 19 1989

Not bad for a 176cm player who was too slow for Sydney

PS- He could handball as far as he could kick.

Both premiership players

We're talking a speculative second round pick

I'd like him to be able to kick 50 metres

Maybe that's just me but in today's game good powerful kicking is a priority

Is it a problem that a soon to be AFL player cant kick 40 metres?

What makes anyone think Roos has changed his no dick head policy

It's quite likely Roos sees him as too big a risk,

The AFL wont let him walk to any club he wants. Trading will have to be done

We have pick 2

Frawley gives us pick 3

Clark will either play for us or we'll trade him to another club Pick around number 15

If we go into the draft/trading period with picks 2,3,15,20 then we are every chance to land 2 excellent midfielders, a half back and a key big man such as Frost.

Personally for the first time in years I feel the club is well enough managed to do very well out of the coming 2 drafts and start to push up the ladder

Just not sure I care anyway.