hoopla

I think you need to extrapolate how MacDonald will serve us to over the next 3 or 4 years rather than just looking at our list for the next 5 minutes of next year and thinking hmmm, where will I put him?

I agree.... that is why I thought that this was an unhelpful poll!

If he is a strong team-orientated character ( I hope he is... I am asking the question?) then he should be an asset over the next few years - although his value will fall over time as our youngsters develop and mature.

well that being players registered with the governing body.

and since we are struggling for space so badly in this country...

Well most Mums find it easier to lock their kids into the path towards soccer's governing body than they do to allow them to learn to play physically demanding games involving full on body contact.....

The space is in the desert - and the Yuendumu for one has made its choice!!

Why ?

Because it is artificial to select a defence without nominating a midfield, a game plan,a rotation plan - and an opponent etc .... and it calls for a direct comparison between two entirely different types of players - Rivers and MacDonald

It also assumes that rain hail or shine MacDonald is in our best 22 - which is far from proven. Don't forget that Brisbane which lacks experienced defenders is letting this bloke go......

If anything the only thing this strange poll shows is that MacDonald does not fill an obvious need - except the need for depth - unless he has leadership qualities etc - which would only make Brisbane's decision even more puzzling.

I can take him or leave him

hate to break it to you but soccer is the most participated in sport in this country.

Hate to break it to you ...but that doesn't make it the best sport. It makes it a sport that is easy to play in a confined space... with less chance of injury!

Has anybody seen Levi Casboult play?

The videos on draft machine show him taking contested mark after contested mark - and kicking the ball along way. I note that he's not in Shifta's top 30. He's a big boy - and he appears relatively agile for his size.Has he got an attitude problem - or does the draft machine just flatter him? I'm not necessarily suggesting him for #11 - but perhaps a later pick?

Bub - you are spot on - vote 'no' to the World Cup.

Unfortunately soccer is a threat to our great game - because of the convaluted logic which says that a sport must somehow be superior simply because it is played in a lot of countries around the world !It's one thing to compete - its another to deprive us of our game - and to prosper from the use of facilities we have built!!

The AFL is right to demand significant compensation. If it wasn't for stadiums built by the AFL for the AFL - Australia would not be in a position to bid for the World Cup. The international soccer community is not poor. It can afford to compensate us for destroying our season - and it should do so generously.

Betray your heritage and contribute something worthwhile for a change.

I reckon your asking for the impossible there

If Ball is draft tampering - then Eddie and his mates from Broady and Xavier are in it up to their armpits

This is complete rubbish bub. Some of your worst work.

Rivers is not limited to spoiling. He consistently peels off his opponent to help Frawley and Warnock with theirs. He zones well in the 50, he isn't afraid to push up the ground (despite his kicking) and he reads the play brilliantly so that he makes more contests than not.

He's not too slow for CHB, but he doesn't have to play there, as we have Frawley and Warnock. Rivers is ideally suited to a third tall.

MacDonald is OK, but gives away too much height to be playing tall.

You don't like Rivers. Fine. But basically nothing you've said in this post is accurate.

You've got it , Titan .The comparison is spurious anyway - because Rivers and MacDonald are not competing for the same position

Roost It knows what he's talking about as well

Id rate Macdonald above Rivers in defence. Faster..better disposal

I'm one of those who think that a lot of supporters are being too hard on Rivers..He's a leader whose ability to read the play and fill the hole is exceptional.He's now fronting up for his first pre-season in 3-4 years........................

Anyway I don't think its valid to compare him to McDonald. Rivers plays as a tall defender - whereas MacDonald is a utility back best suited to a running role.

News up here in Brisbane is that he just wanted to play footy in Melbourne. Was getting enough regular games and form wasn't an issue?!

You'd think that we'd only take a 24-25 year old if he had outstanding leadership qualities - or topped us up in a position of need. It's not as if we are short of options for a mid sized defender.He may. of course, be an exceptional bloke - but other than that I can't get too excited about picking him up.

You'd think that if he is on a promise for the psd , he'd at least be training with us by now.

( Did you see him at the club, Darren?)

'G O - S O M E W H E R E - E L S E. - Y O U - A R E - N O T - W E L C O M E - H E R E'

Correct. I'm just not sure whether the worst thing about this bloke is the fact that he barracks for Collingwood or the fact that he went to Xavier - and is proud of it !!

GOOD NEWS !!!

Just speaking to Col. He will start running next week and is happy about the recovery from his foot. Very confident

That really is good news ..he is a very exciting prospect if he can get back to full fitness.

If he can take up where he left off he will be a very important part of our side .... wherever he plays.

I don't think best available applies to the same extent with the psd. In the psd he'll have a 3 year contract at reasonable $$ on his head. He might be the best available but he's not worth a 3 year deal to us at this point in time IMO, i'd rather us take a punt on someone like Thorp with the last spot on the list.

I wouldn't give McPhee a second thought.

Ask an Essendon supporter - he is inconsistent and unreliable. He is 27 .. with a history of injuries - and he is holding out for a 3 year contract because he is concerned that he might start to struggle in year 2.

Subject to his training form - and attitude - Thorp has an upside that Mc Phee doesn't

Don24, unlike you, my view is based on facts and the way in which this issue has unfolded (to date).

6. Despite this, from ALL reports, Ball is unwilling to genuinely engage with the MFC.

7. Ball's conduct in entering the national draft reinforces this, since, if he had any legitimate interest in the MFC, he would have entered the PSD (as this course would ensure the MFC retained its high draft picks for potential future stars).

So, in short, get your head out of the sand, Don24. I don't want anyone bagging this club as unprofessional, particularly if their own conduct is, objectively, a mile off the pace.

Ball is entitled to have a preference.

Whether or not he has abruptly or politely spoken with Melbourne - and whether or not his manager has properly conveyed his sentiments- is pure speculation.

For all we know he might be worried that he won't be able to give of his best if he isn't confronted with the immediate challenge of playing finals footy .He might have decided that it is less offensive to clubs down the ladder to keep his distance than it is to meet with them when his heart wants to be somewhere else. His approach may be utterly professional - and his motives may be entirely honourable.

We should not take offence. At the end of the day it is his loss.

[ Quote Don 24

Still seems to be a boy? What basis are you making these judgments? Having spoken very very little in the media about this, no one really knows what has gone on in Balls decision making process. We are just guessing from the end result.

As someone who knows Ball i can assure you he is an extremely mature and professional person, in general let alone for his age. Let's talk about professionalism in the business world that you seem to know about. Is judging a person or a situation, with no knowledge of the facts or the people involved, and making negative statements about someone in a public environment professional? No, it just shows your lack of professionalism in that you have let your support the dees and your feelings of being let down by not getting Ball cloud making a rational evaluation of events.

Back to the drawing board mate, you have no idea...]

Got to say that I agree with you

Clearly it is a complex issue

At the end of the day I don't think the whole situation reflects well on Ross Lyon. He narrowly lost a Grand Final after ignoring Max Hudgton in favour of Raph Clarke - and leaving one of his key clearance players ( Ball) on the bench for most of the second half. Now he has effectively pushed a popular former captain out the door without compensation

If anything happens to Lenny Hayes, St Kilda will be screaming for Luke Ball...... and Ross Lyon's philosophies will come under the microscope.

This isn't all good - Essendon will be laughing!!!

We got a brilliant deal out of a situation, How would have you improved it?

Good to see that all of the 25 posters to date have dismissed this irrelevant time trial time trial.

I'm looking forward to supporting pick #11

History didn't start 51 years ago, over a much shorter journey, we've been quite a more successful club than yours with less resources.

That is an absurd statement. For goodness sake teach one of your other supporters to read and write so that you can argue with him about things you understand like the big game temperament of Leon Davis or the benefits of holidays in the grand canyon

I tend to agree with this. It's not like he's even stuffed us around in the way that say, Judd arguably did. In fact he's been nothing if not absolutely forthright; he didn't express any interest in us at any stage, so he hasn't led us on. When you consider that Ball spent the first few years of his career in a rebuilding side stacked with promising but then un-proven high-end draft picks, it's not surprising that our "exciting young list" isn't a major selling point for him- he's been there and done that, and I don't think he's being overly arrogant in wanting to get to a side who'll be playing finals next year instead of going through it all again.

I do agree that he's being a bit short-sighted; I don't really rate Collingwood as a serious premiership contender even with Jolly, and the gap between Melbourne and Essendon is smaller than people think. In four years time, I'd be surprised if we're not a long way ahead of Collingwood, and probably Essendon. Then again, the way his body is, maybe Ball and Connors arent sure he'll even still be playing by then, and see the short-term solution as the best one for him.

I reckon this is about right. Ball'd be worried that by the time we challenge, his body will just about have given out.

So as I said you have achieved the most spectacular failure rate ever seen in AFL history.

Not only that - but as so few of their supporters can read and write, their literate minority have to come to other club's sites to get a bit of intelligent debate!

Well, is he?

I don't think anyone's answered this yet- Is he training with us or isn't he?

Bloody oath Ritchie Benaud is like Part of the Family.

WSC Cricket started when i was 15 & Ritchie was there, i am now 46!!

When he goes, i will go up to sydney to pay my respects man. Ahh "What a shot" he gets excited !!!

Just wish the 12th Man would make one more cd.... Boned was fantastic

Richo was one of my favorite non-MFC players. Hated him when he played us though, he always smashed us...

Big Al ("Sideshow Bob") Nicholson beat Richo once. Other than that , he used to beat us off his own boot.

Well played Richo

When we got Bailey we didnt become better,

Do you think Richmond and North will be because of this change better?

You'll note I put in a question mark?

My overall point remains though. It's easy to say that we'll be 10th or 11th. The hard part is to find the 5 or 6 teams we expect to finish below us

Are we to extrapolate that we've been inadvertently kissed on the dick by the blues?

Given that one Blue at least has the option of getting favours from Rebecca Twigley, we're doing pretty well