Lord Travis

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.

1. Moloney 2. Davey 3. Warnock 4. Frawley 5. Sylvia With Morton, Bate, Bruce, Brock, Jones to round out the top 10.

That he is Freak. Played at CHB and running off the HBF this year, but he did go forward a few times with moderate success. If we drafted him we would try to mould him into a key forward.

I would do that trade, and likely not even use the pick. We need to get rid of 3 more players so we can use all picks up to 34 and PSD1.

It's late and I've been studying My point was he isn't as bad as people make out, but I don't see him as part of our future now. We're struggling with delisting a few more, with the likes of Newton still with a year on their contract. If we can trade players like Bell, Newton, Bartram, even if it's for peanuts, then we should. It's better than just delisting them, as most of them could play AFL footy in other teams, but are now battling more talented high draft picks we've acquired in bulk the last 3 years. Guys like them could still have a career elsewhere, and I'd prefer helping them to achieve that than just delisting them.

Bell isn't that bad. He's had a bad run of injury/form the last 1-2 years, and has become a bit of a whipping boy on here. He was great in 2007, and his game against Adelaide mid 07 was the best defensive game I've ever seen from a Melbourne player. He spoiled and tackled like mad that day. Unfortunately he hasn't come on since then, and we are now faced with list issues. If we can move him on for anything, we should. I cant see him as an integral of our future now with other young talent acquired. We still need to get rid of 2-3 players so we can maximize this draft. I'd trade him for anything. If Carlton are offering anything, even pick 100, we take it, even if we're not going to use it. We cut our losses, and we make room on our list for the coming draft/PSD.

Yeah that's a steal IMO. Hawks are obviously right at the limit of their salary cap, especially now getting Burgoyne, so they're having to offload some younger talent to hold the core of their side together. Swans have done well here.

Butcher, Tapscott, Talia, Panos, Carlisle In that order. We go KPP, unless Tapscott is there, as he is a real talent with a great kick, who may slip. We'll go KPP again at 18, likely on Carlisle, Black, or whoever is around.

I think he is a realistic chance of being our Pick 18. We will take a slider at 11, such as Butcher, Talia, Tapscott. This guy would be perfect at 18 if he is there.

The club wouldn't be stupid enough to use anything lower than pick 34 on this guy. He is a big lump with a good kick, but that's it. No way we use anything earlier than 34. Cant believe I see people with mock drafts wanting him at 11?! Are you mental? Talia, Tapscott, Butcher, Panos, Carlisle and a host more are all far more talented and better prospects.

Ball is a good player. I think people are under-rating him. He's a 2 time All Australian already, ex club captain and B&F winner. I'd go as far to say that until OP cut him down he was right up there with Judd and ahead of Hodge. He was better than Brock, and to suggest otherwise is stupid. He was at the level we hoped Brock would get to. It's a shame injury has slowed him, but he could still be a very important part to our midfield. If we could nab him in the PSD it would be fantastic. He's a great leader, and could be a great role model and mentor for some of our younger players. He's 25, which puts him in a good age bracket for us, as our weakness is leadership and good players amongst the 24-26 year old group moving forward. He could become our main extractor along with Moloney, and leave Jones to swing between midfield and rest forward, as he has shown he can be dangerous and kick goals. He'd be a good pick up in the short and medium term I think anyway, especially to mentor guys like Scully coming through. I also think the grand final proved he still has what it takes. At just above 50% gametime he notched up 22 touches a 7 tackles, basically eclipsing most of his teammates in alot less gametime. People questioned whether he only played that amount of gametime due to his injuries, but their coach Lyon said it wasnt due to injury and it was a mistake he wasnt played more in hindsight. Mark Thompson was quoted earlier this year as saying they liked having about 15 guys rotate through there midfield, and on Grand Final day they did exactly that. From a Melbourne point of view, over the next few years it would be good if we had a midfield rotation that looked like this: Scully, Trengove, Grimes, Moloney, Jones, Sylvia, Morton, Ball, Green, Bruce, Blease, Strauss, Bennell, Jetta, Maric, Bate That's 16, with rotations, but a really good core in Scully, Trengove, Grimes, Moloney, Sylvia, and a good mix of players rotating through, both inside and outside players.

Jizz in my pants

Very glad that [censored] has signed on for a few more years. I personally think he will be a star. He has the ability to become a star midfielder in the Ablett mold if his body lets him build up his tank and core strength. His reflexes and disposal skills around the ground (barring his first game this year) have been outstanding. Funnily enough his set shots werent great, despite being the most accurate set shot ever recorded in the under age competition! Look forward to big things from Maric in a few years time!

Yeah ok. Let's ignore the fact Mclean won a final off his own boot when we needed it back in 2006, at the ripe old age of 20. Let's ignore the fact he is a leader and possible future captain of the club. Let's ignore the fact that he has been our best midfielder and tagged since an insanely young age. Let's ignore the fact he played injured this year, and was average by the high standards he's set thus far. ...He still played though Mclean half fit was still worth more to the side than a fully fit Newton. All these issues with speed I'm hearing are stupid. Brock has never been the quickest player, but he had a limited preseason coming off a serious ankle injury. Ofcourse he wasn't going to come out running people off their feet! I know for a fact that early on in the year he was getting jabs to get through games, which meant his foot was numb and his kicking and running suffered, exactly like Brad Green in 2007. If Brock gets a preseason under his belt, he will tear it up next year. I cant believe the amount of sh*t I'm reading about him on here. He was the poster boy here for years until recently where he has suffered from loss of form due to injury and fitness. Newton on the other hand will likely be delisted end of next season. He couldnt even cement a spot in the bottom placed, double wooden spoon winning team, that has a clear lack of key forwards. That is how well he is traveling, and how much upside the club sees in him. Unless he miraculously transforms overnight, he will be gone. There is no way a team could win a premiership with Newton up forward. NOW AS FOR TRENGOVE He looks great. I've been on his bandwagon for a while, as I don't think Morabito has the skills to warrant pick 2. I wouldn't compare Trengove to Voss though. Voss was tough as nails, and laid big hits. Trengove is not like that. He himself says the hard stuff doesn't come naturally to him, and he's having to force/learn how to cope with it. He is very well rounded as a player, but for his earlier years will be more outside, likely playing on a HFF. He is a goal kicker, which we lack, so having him play as a HFF while he gets experience and lets his body mature before a fulltime shift into midfield will be the path the club will take with him (if selected). Wish the draft was tomorrow. I hate waiting and reading all the tripe people come up with!

What?!

FB: Mcdonald Warnock Frawley HB: Grimes Rivers Sylvia C: Morton Moloney Davey HF: Green Garland Bate FF: Watts Jurrah Maric R: Jamar Jones McLean I: Scully Bruce Martin Petterd Pick 2, Wonna, Bennell, Jetta, Blease, Strauss, Dunn, Meesen, Buckley and probably more I'm forgetting will all be pushing for selection if fit

6. Sylvia 5. Morton 4. Jurrah 3. Jamar 2. Moloney 1. Mcdonald

1. Moloney 2. Davey 3. Warnock/Frawley I expect the defenders to poll well as they have all had good years IMO Beamer to be the deserving winner.

It should be noted he received a knock early that day, and played the game out with his nose taped to stop bleeding, similar to Judd early his year. It effected his breathing and probably effected his game. Usually his kicking is good. He is equally capable on both feet, and has good penetration. He's no Gilbee, Hodge etc, but he is more than capable and would be ranked towards the top end of prospective draftees. His handball is the best I've ever seen at that level. It's Simon Back-like. His reflexes are amazing also, I'd compare them to Aaron Davey. He's got good pace, and is a decent mark for his size. He will at worst be a good midfielder for us. He definitely has the potential to be a great player though (hence his #1 pick status ).