Lord Travis

It's good there was no song and dance, just a clear message that we've now got everything in place, made the necessary changes, got who we think are the right people on board, and everything now comes down to hard work. No false hope, no timelines, just we're going to go hard. I liked it. I loved Neeld and Craig. Craig is not the most expressive speaker, but he gives some really great insight and is obviously an extremely intelligent man. We're lucky to have him on board. Also great to have Greg Healy on board, who is a successful businessman and Melbourne through and through. Yet another good get in what has been probably the biggest few months of change I can remember in my time supporting the club. Neeld was right in that we're not going to die wondering!

There are a few videos on the Melbourne website under the DeeTV section. I've just watched Don Mclardys speech, but the Mark Neeld one keeps freezing about 3 mins in for me Anyone else having this issue or is it just me?

Thanks for everything Jimmy. You're a legend to us all and a great human being. Time to focus on yourself now.

Joined your league H_T. Currently called Deestroyers

I believe it was a closed session today. Next open session is on Friday.

He has mild OP and is being eased into training to build up his workload over the next year. Even though we have committed to drafting him, he hasnt actually been drafted yet, so there is zero chance he will play in the NAB since he isnt listed at an AFL club yet! We have permission from the AFL for him to train with us and play VFL next year if he wishes.

We need more class in our midfield, it is definitely our weakness now, and probably one of the worst in the league. Trengove is the only one who looks set to become A-grade, with others showing glimpses but being inconsistent form or injury wise. With the loss of he who shan't be named, getting Deledio or Pendlebury at the end of this season would be perfect for us going forward.

C - Green VC - Moloney LG - Grimes, Trengove, Jones, Frawley It's too early for Trengove to become captain. He'd be the youngest captain in history. While he is my favorite player and a star in the making, he still has a ways to go to prove himself onfield. Let Green or Moloney captain for a year nd then reassess next year once Trengove, Grimes, Watts all have more experience and consistency under their belt.

Watching that reminds me how much I loved the Danher era. Those are the players I grew up watching, and we were a far better team back then. Even just 5 years ago footy was much more free-flowing and IMO more enjoyable to watch. Here'es hoping the current trend of press' gets torn apart by coaches and we return to free flowing run and long kicking to big forwards.

Agreed. He was phenomenal that day and won my heart. The most talented player I've witnessed in the red and blue, and it's sad to see his career finish this way when he could have been a superstar of the game. I'll never forget him running down the wings of the MCG spearing passes into 50. Was a joy to watch. Here's hoping the new high draft pick mids in Scully and Trengove can reach higher heights than Trapper did and take us to that elusive premiership we're all waiting for!

If that article is correct, then that is downright embarrassing. How can a team that's played multiple finals series and a Grand Final in that time have won less games than Freo and Richmond, perennial losers who have made finals once in the last 15 years? That doesn't seem to make sense to me. If it's true, then it shows how up and down we have been. Surely that cant be right though! Let's hope for sustained success in the future!

If I HAD to make comparisons, I'd go with: Scully - Judd. Got the same burst of speed from the packs, with slick hands like Simon Black. Trengove - Bartel. Good mark for his size, reads the play well, gets to the right spots, uses his body to put bumps and block for others, and bring team mates into the game. Also reminds me of Buckley with his kicking. It's pointless doing comparisons though. They will be Tom Scully and Jack Trengove; Melbourne champions who lead us to our next flag, and have people compared to them in the future.

Jack Trengove will be the best player to don the Red n Blue since Robbie Flower. Write that down.

Jack Trengove. He will become the best player in the competition at some stage. Absolute gun. They will all be good though. Scully, Watts, Grimes, Trengove, Morton Frawley. That is the core of our next premiership team right there.

Who is destined to play CHF for the dees? Little known guy by the name of Jack Watts. Keep an eye on him, in a few years people will know his name

Green playing on a forward flank sounds good to me. He's obviously a great kick for goal, but he's always been good at leading to the right spots IMO. Watching him in his earlier years was a delight, and he was one of those players in the Daniher era that got forced into a midfielder role when his best position was forward. I reckon if he plays FP/HF he could kick a big tally of goals for the year. Also, great news on Trengove's performance. He's looked great all preseason. He's put his head down, worked hard, commited to the club, and is reaping rewards already. Really happy with his progress, as he looks a future star and worthy of a Rising Star bet from me I didnt expect Scully to step up straight away, as he's had the knee surgery in the off-season and his body still needs more bulk on it to bustle in the packs. I suspect they'll use him as an outside mid/flanker in his first year or two until his body is ready to maneuver through the packs where it belongs. You can see already though that he has the endurance needed, and his reflexes and skills, by hand in particular, are fantastic.

I did a bit of research on the Port forums. They seem to think with Rodan and both the Burgoynes gone, that Broadbent is a shoe in for either midfield or HBF time, and will likely play all year from Round 1. Moore is abit of a punt. They're split on whether he will make the Round 1 team, but think he will get games this year, it's a matter of how early. The forward rookies are the worst part of this year, so it's going to have to be abit of pick and hope work I think. There are basically unlimited mid rookies, a few back rookies, but forwards are stuffed >

Agreed. Jetta showed some real glimpses right near the end of the season, with some good field passing and real aggression. I still think Bennell will be better, but both showed something at different stages. Jetta should play midfield, as that's his natural position. I actually think his pace is a worry for someone his size. He should be a rocket like Bennell, but instead he struggles to outrun average plodders. He doesnt have a crumbing forwards style of play, and to play him as a purely defensive forward is a waste of a spot in the team IMO. He is surprisingly good in the air for someone his size. Like it's been said here though, I'm not sure he has the body or skills to make it in our midfield when competing with some of the young talent we have in the mids (Scully, Trengove, Grimes, Morton, Gysberts, Blease, Jones etc). Bennell on the other hand looks like he could be a great rebounding HBF/BP. His speed and evasive skills are good, and his kicking skills have generally been pretty good, with the exception of a few high pressure situations. I see him playing as a small defender, with stints on the wing utilizing his pace. He's already run around on a few players like Cousins and Akermanis to gain valuable experience.

My team (which will likely wind up completely different by the time it starts ) I've finished Top 1000 the last 2 years with a few weeks in the Top 10 here and there. The key is picking the right rookies/cheapies to get both points and cash. Generally I dont bother with mid-priced players unless they're really underpriced coming back from an injury. Good example of this is Rhys Palmer this year. He's underpriced and would make you 100k while netting you 80 points a week. Problem is he just had a hiccup with his knee and is now not expected back until Round 5-6. It's a risk you take when you pick them, but hopefully it pays off. I still believe the most important part is picking the right rookies, so you'll wind up with more cash to upgrade, and have a team full of superstars by the end. Backs Enright Kelly Hodge Waite Broadbent Ladson Hunt (Sheppard, Davis) Centres Ablett (captain) Vince (vice captain) Thompson Cooney Trengove Martin (Scully, Cunnington) Rucks Sandilands Tippett (Warnock, Lobbe) Forwards Sylvia Pavlich Giansiracusa Franklin Ziebell Dangerfield Moore (Dennis-Lane, Tapscott)

It's a good opportunity for Martin to cement his spot in the team. He has been played in various positions, but we are still unsure which he will make his own. I'm of the opinion that a player needs to cement a certain position and stick to it, I don't like the "versatility" crap that gets thrown about. I understand it's good to trial young players in different positions, but sooner or later they need to be given one and given a chance to shine there or they'll end up like Lynden Dunn; talented, adequate in various roles, but ultimately not cementing there spot after years and staring down the barrel despite talent and athleticism. I hope Martin uses his speed and athleticism for his side and really shows something in the ruck. It sounds like we're going to need it with all the injuries to our ruckmen

Very impressive from the youngsters then, as Morton and Jones both have elite endurance. We knew Scully was a determined fitness freak, but to be beating Jones and Morton already is impressive!

2010 Ladder position and record: 13th with 7 wins B & F Winner: Brent Moloney Most Brownlow Votes: Colin Sylvia Most Rising Star Votes: Jack Trengove Most Improved: Addam Maric (aka [censored]) Our 5 most important players at the end of the season will be: Warnock, Bate, Jurrah, Davey, Sylvia (with Frawley, Grimes, Morton, Green and Jamar next in line) 2010 Premier: Adelaide Wooden Spoon: Fremantle Brownlow: Bernie Vince Coleman: Lance Franklin

Don't expect much from these 2 in 2010. Blease has missed over a year of football, and hasn't even played against others since his U18 days over 12 months ago. He is in the rehab group, just recently began running again, and will be lucky to be fit for Round 1, let alone be up to speed football-wise and competing for a spot. I wouldn't expect to see him until the second half of 2010, and even then I don't think he will have much of an impact. Let's hope his broken leg didn't rob him of his main asset; his pace. Strauss is also suffering the effects of an injury riddled first year. He lost 6-8kgs after his shoulder operation, and is still putting back on the weight. He is currently SMALLER than when we drafted him, and also has an injured hand, so he is in the rehab group. Luckily for him they think he will begin training with the main group in January. He is more likely to play in 2010 than Blease, but I wouldn't expect much. He struggled at VFL level this year when he played. He showed a few flashes of his talent, but overall he barely found the pill and was very timid with the physical side of the game. He will have to work on this before he steps up to AFL level. Both Blease and Strauss are currently in worse condition than when we drafted them to the club over 12 months ago. Half out luck! Noone should expect much from them in 2010, and if they play and go alright, then it's a bonus. We really got shat on with injuries. Expect the main improvement to come from the guys who have had a few years in the system. Guys like Morton, Frawley, Jones, Grimes, Maric etc From our new draftees, Scully and Trengove will play at some point when they're fit and ready. Tapscott will definitely play straight up. He is already built like a bull, has the skills and hardness to step up to AFL straight away. I'm expecting him to have an impact in his first season. Looks a great player in the making!

Colin Sylvia. We saw what he could do in 2009 after his first pre-season ever, and having his OP managed properly. He played well all over the ground, and we finally saw him using his strength to push opponents aside and take off, not to mention some of his long bomb goals which he wasn't capable of in the past. Hopefully he gets his second full preseason under his belt heading into 2010 fit and firing. If he does, he will be very dangerous, and likely our best player. Cale Morton. He is still lightly built, but with 2 years experience now in a variety of positions, he could very well explode. His game at CHB on Goodes was fantastic, and his 3 goal haul up forward in a short period against the Cats was also very promising. Not to mention a 37 disposal rebounding game from defence. He's going to be verging on elite sooner or later, and will be a head-ache of a match up for oppositions in the future. He could very well turn out to be the ultimate utility, though I hope to see him make a name for himself as an elite marking wingman in the Richo 2008 mould. There's still alot of young talent to come too in Watts, Scully, Trengove et all! B)

1 - Scully 2 - Trengove 11 - Butcher if he slides to here. If not then one of Tapscott, Talia, Lucas or whoever else slides 18 - Vardy. If he is gone at this pick then one of Black, Griffiths, Panos, 34 - Fitzpatrick, Gawn, or some other big boy. It's abit of a random pick really in this weak draft, and we may not use it due to list restraints PSD1 - Ball. If not then Smith or Thorpe? If we got Scully, Trengove, Butcher, Vardy I would be ecstatic. 2 gun mids, a big FF to compliment Watts at CHF, and a talented developing ruckman to add to our stocks.