Dee*ceiving

Agree wholeheartedly Fan. If Dunn can offer as strong a contest across CHF with bigger and stronger CHBs on him that Miller before seasons end, while I will be very happy i will be totally surprised. Having said that Dunn is very close to best 22 and will only need a good showing in the NAB cup to prove it. IMO He does have a role to play in the side with or without Miller at CHF. Meanwhile Miller is definitely best option CHF first up. If he turns into a blubbering mess by round 3 or 4 the coaching staff will have to deal with it then.

This is a great topic but difficult for a majority of the posters on board to comment on since they may not have the longevity of Jarka. Considering that how about we open it up to people who can nominate the best 5 MFC players they have seen in their time. Might be worthwhile indicating what you consider your time beforehand. In my case I would say I really started following footy properly around 1991 at the age of 10. That being said my best 5, in no particular order would be. 1. Garry Lyon 2. David Neitz 3. Jim Stynes 4. David Shwarz 5. Todd Viney Close but no cigar: Cameron Bruce, Adem Yze, Travis Johnstone, Stephen Tingay, Allen Jakovich, Brett Lovett, Glen Lovett, Sean Wight & Paul Hopgood. Really a tough thing to do, its a real shame but I think this top 5 of the past 16 years would get smashed to smithereens by the top 5 of probably 13 other clubs throughout the same period. Very sad. P.S. Hoppy was a joke, just checking if your paying attention.

There is no reaso why we cannot play all 4 of Neitz, Robbo, Miller and Dunn in the forward 6. As stated previously Neitz and Robbo play their best footy deep around the goal mouth and Miller up around the wing between 55 and 75 from goal. That leaves Dunn a ton of space around and inside the 50 metre line to patrol and make his own. Plus with teams forced to play a tall on him Robbo is more likley to get a smaller opponent as deanox mentioned

The Backline is pretty steady IMO. Holland will go round again next year as the Gorilla minder and Riv and Carrol will be in the first 12 selected for several years to come. Wheels is the best small defender going around and Daniel Bell and Clint Bartram will improve again. No reason why Wardy can't have another good year in 2007. The forward line is also ok for 2007 and will improve heaps with a fitter Robbo and a permanent Yze. Not to mention potentially Lynden Dunn. Midfield is definitely the key, either we bank on Bate, Jones, Sylvia and Moloney to take the next step or inject some ready made players. it seems we are ok in the toughness department but some more pace could make a difference. 2 more players capable of breaking the lines with running bounces and long accurate kicking ala Heath Black would be the way to go for mine. 2007 is a real chance and 2008 might be the last chance before a complete rebuild.

correct dee'viator re: Jason Akermanis' contract

Newton kicked 7 in the Sandy Reserves at the weekend. Will get promoted to Sandy seniors next week me thinks with Miller coming up to the Dees...i hope

"Why not take them to the Elwood Canal and let them loose?" I love it!

Sorry mate you have really lost me now. Both those guys were fantastic, Wight for a number of years, a great brave FB. And Smith we picked up at a mature age and he gave us sensational service in a number of positions with better and more experienced players such as Shwarta and Lyon constantly injured

Richard Griffiths...ugh!

David Grant, he actually had a pretty decent career at StKilda i think. Wouldn't have played many games for MFC. Must have been about 30 when we picked him up. There has been quite a few player transfers between st kilda and mfc over the years. Stephen Newport & Stephen Powell come to mind immediately and of course Luke (the drink) Beveridge

i remember Prymke, actually I reckon he was a pretty good player before he had that back problem. What did the Dees do to deserve all those great players in the 90's having horrible runs with injury. Lyon, Schwarz, Charles, Tingay, G Lovett, Prymke, Jakovich. Man we were stiff. Also what was it with Melnourne picking up all those dud brothers? Both Cockatoo boys were dissappointing, not that Che was a superstar but he left them for dead. Damien Gaspar, possibly the worst AFL footballer every to pull on a jumper, makes Nicho look like full back of the century by comparison. Luke Ottens, come on! Allen Jakovich, not saying he was a dud because he was sensational when on the park but man we really could have used the 300 games Glen put on for the Eagles. Theres probably a few others that I can't think of ATM.

I also recall a Darren o'Brien playing for the Dees in the mid 90s. They picked him up as a mature age recruit from WA. I recall Luke Norman taking a big hanger in the goal square in one of his early games only to go back and kick it stright into the post. Apparently he was a black belt in tae kwon do or something. Is there such thing as an early game when you only play 10? Andrew Lamprill was another that promise plenty and delivered naught. He too took some big marks in the red and blue.

What a dissappointment Brent turned out to be. Looked a future superstar in his first 20 games until he progressively became more and more useless. My fondest memory of him was against the filth, he played CHF and took 12 marks and kicked 4 goals in a BOG performance.

TOA came over from SA with huge wraps. I remember Talking Footy showing footage of him taking a massive grab in an SANFL game

Another recruit that Garry gave a wrap only to see him go bust was Nick Pesch. We got him from the Crows in the mid 90's and he gave us nothing, he had chrinic hamstrings or something from memory. A similar experiment was Craig Turley, another one that blew up in our faces. He had a terrible back problem and never regained his early 90's form with the Eagles or the Demons.

I recall James Cook struggling to keep his fitness up and weight down which no doubt contributed to his injuries. I believe he took an absolute screamer in his early days playing for Carlton, may have won mark of the year? Not to cast any dispersions but I heard a rumour that Gary Moorcroft had a habit of thieveng from teammates at both Essendon and Carlton and that may have contributed to him getting the flick from both clubs.

I remember Matthew Collins having a reasonable season in a back pocket HBF in 2000. Was ok in the GF as well. He always wore the forearm protector which confirms the chronic arm injuries he suffered. Did he play another game for the MFC following the 2000 GF. Does anyone remember the Cockatoo-Collins boys from the mid 90s, absolutely useless both of 'em. Sean Charles played some great games for the MFC as well before his chronic injuries caught up with him. Actually had pace and a game style similar to our current Flash.

Ben Beams will have a special place in all Demons supporters hearts. It was he that broke his leg just before half time on Queens Birthday against the Pies that saw a previously dragged Jeff Farmer return to the ground to boot 9 goals in the second half. One of the most remarkable performances I have ever seen live, and ever likely to see. All the more special because it came against Collingwood and resulted in a 12 goal or so win. I have a feeling Ben never played another game for the MFC after that but he is currently the Captain of Tasmania in the VFL and a very good player in that competition.

Craig Smoker was a classic, he really came on the scene with a burst and blew away just as fast. Glenn Molloy is another I can remember, reckon he kicked a few goals in his early games and dissappeared soon after. I remember Cuthbertson taking a massive hanger in that game against the pies.