whatwhat say what

No other club will want the likes of Jamar, JMc2.0, Nicholson, etc.

Adams wants to return to Victoria, from all reports, but like Caddy last year he will want to go to a contender not the likes of us. Tigers are reportedly super-keen.

Because we are at rock-bottom in terms of our appeal to free agents, players wanting to 'come home', etc., I don't see how we have any choice but to build through the draft.

Which means using pick #2 (plus hopefully a priority pick straight after it) on two mids from this year's draft.

The only way I could see this changing was if we were handed the #1 ahead of GWS, and then the effective rights to Boyd would be up for grabs.

Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle, Port, Richmond, Saints, and especially Footscray would all be super-keen you would think as all need a young key forward that they can mould then build around to various degrees.

Who knows, if we got the pick it may be a super-complicated deal where we trade to GWS who on-trade to a third club.

But there's a lot of water to go under the bridge before then; judging by yesterday's respective performances, there's every chance GWS may snag a couple of cheeky wins and move past us on the ladder on the run home.

A lot will depend upon the AFL Commission and their decision regarding a priority pick otherwise.

It's more a question of what would clubs offer?

They certainly wouldn't offer up the players we'd want.

I'm not sure we'd get quality players offered in return.

if we get a priority pick ahead of gws, absolutely we should be trading it.

but trade pick #2? no. apart from boyd, this is a midfielder's draft.

the only players i'd be willing to trade a pick 2 in the draft for would be:

dangerfield (but they wouldn't do the deal)

murphy, with their first round pick

thomas, with their first round pick

heppell

fyfe, with their first round pick

selwood (but they wouldn't do the deal)

prestia, with their first round pick

adams, with their mid-first round compensation pick, and their second round pick

boak

cotchin or martin

kieren jack or tom mitchell

in short, it ain't gonna happen.

The poor guy must be so ill.

We are clearly cursed, that bit I definitely agree with.

And we definitely have the best jumpers in the competition.

It's not that I think we deserve a priority pick; we require one. Actually I kind of think we do deserve one. If seven years of non stop disaster do not qualify for a priority pick then nothing should.

And I'd like it to be BEFORE the start of the draft, so we can trade the pick for Boyd, haha!

They touched the ball, lord weaver??

With Roos? About the same.

Without Roos? 27k.

So if GWS hold onto theirbhalf time lead against the Pies...and then if they best us next week...we will be bottom of the ladder won't we? So...who wants Boyd now, eh???

i don't understand why craig is playing an 8 man defence.

not only is it not working, but it makes for incredibly ugly football.

Pedersen didn't push back hard off the mark, then kicked off one step, straight into the man on the mark.

Ffs.

Really looking forward to seeing how he goes against North at Docklands.

It's clear he puts a lot of pressure on himself to perform, and in the wake of the near donuts last week, here's hoping he just goes out and enjoys himself.

Good luck to him.

we'd have to be in the box set.

hawks aren't looking for someone to fill this role - they poached fantasia from the bulldogs to service this exact role, unfortunately he's been very ill since jumping from dogs to hawks.

so these clubs are looking for the (equivalent of) gmfo:

melbourne

collingwood

footscray

walsh would be ideal for all three, but he's just left one of them...

very weird what's going on at the pies at the moment.

there's also a strong possibility that there'll be a vacancy at the peptides in this role.

Hope not.

Haha, good work Beelzebub.

It's time knows where it's at.

And I agree - it will be disappointing if we don't land Roos. Otherwise I'll be okay with Eade.

Great stuff.

Watts next, and a Frawley extension please!

I don't think anyone is calling him as finished in his first year, just that there's genuine concern as to what it is that he's bringing to the game so far.

Agree with Ben-Hur.

His neat kicking is reminiscent of Montagna or Camporeale, but he doesn't have the burst speed of either player.

As an outside mid to not have genuine pace is a big weakness, not to mention the lack of 'oomph' that he has in his game so far.

oh, mad bad. when i read it last night i thought you were saying jimmy t's first year was sensational, which i just couldn't understand at all.

further to my disagreement that toumpas' first year has been "sensational"

- he has regularly ducked his head in contested situations (against gold coast in particular he was poor before being injured)

- his tackling attempts are often one-arm reaches rather than dedicated attempts

- he doesn't one-two run as outside players should, i.e. he doesn't get the ball, dispose of it, then make himself an option further afield

- he doesn't look remotely fit enough (see the photo posted on the mfc facebook page of him in a recycle bin ice-bath? he's nowhere near as ripped as other players, and looks a bit porky)

- he's not quick for an outside player

players i can think of off the top of my head who've had better first years than him in 2013:

- jaeger o'meara (the kid is a freak)

- ollie wines

- brad crouch

- lachie whitfield

- sam dwyer

- jamie elliott

- sam mayes

- nick vlastuin

- jake neade

and that's just 2013.

melbourne players who i can think of off the top of my head who've had more impressive first years than him in recent times:

- nathan jones

- clint bartram

- matthew bate

- jamie bennell

- jack trengove

- tom scully

- cale morton

- ricky petterd

irrespective of his hip injury, we were told he was 'ready to go' by nearly every story on him prior to the draft. he looks far, far away from that.

the damning fact for me is that cale morton produced superior football to toumpas in his first year in 2008, when we were probably even worse than we are in 2013.

fortunately, from what we've seen he is a very nice kick, but he has a long way to go to be what i was expecting we were getting when we drafted him.

a sensational first year? not on your life.

It's still one of the best first seasons I've seen. .

Gotta disagree with that.

anybody seen the photo of him in the ice bath up in darwin?

no wonder he's slow.

Sylvia lowered the eyes and hit up the leading Howe.

Missed the difficult shot

74-88 now

So dumb by Watts.

great persistence by trengove.

he may be slow as a wet week but he doesn't stop trying. perceived pressure on handley contributed to him not being able to control the ball.

blease is a natural around goal.

back to 5 point lead to them.