leucopogon

You're putting Bruce in the same class as Judd, ha! As for the comparison between McLean and Judd. Let me remind you that Judd's already a brownlow medallist, premiership captain, durable, a proven superstar, the best player in the competition, supported the Dee's as a boy.....what more could you ask for. McLean is not untradeable in my mind when you consider Judd's track record.

So Jaded, are you saying that you wouldn't trade McLean for Judd? Even though I love McLean's work, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

I think you'll find it will take more than probably both Bruce and Green plus a first round pick to get Judd. My guess is that its going to cost us McLean plus Bruce and draft picks. I'd consider this because I reckon Judd's definitely the best player in the comp (just in front of Ben Cousins) and is much more durable than McLean who has been very injury prone in his first four seasons.

No offence taken Dees_rule, I realise we're all hurting after yesterday's loss. The worrying thing about what you write is: he probably is the closest thing we have to a superstar which is very concerning to me because there are far better players out there. For example I'd have probably 5 Eagles players ahead of Bruce. For what its worth, I rate Robbo and McLean as the closest thing we have to superstars.

You don't even see the real reason why I advocate trading Bruce do you? He's a good player I don't argue that, but, he's no superstar and if we want to get a superstar here, we need to cut loose some good players at our club that have trade value in the eyes of the other 15 clubs in the comp. In my eyes, Cam Bruce fits this bill to a tee. Sorry if I didn't spell this out more clearly above. P.S. I'm not a clown

I advocate a big clear out at MFC (because what's occured in the past 10 years is just inexcusable). Playing finals every second year (with the exception of the last 3) yo-yo form that's just unnacceptable. Change has to occur at the top, but ND isn't the only culprit. We have a cancerous core of players that are champagne on their day but lack the consistency to do it week in week out. They have become too comfortable at the club and should be cut loose before they spread the cancer to our up and coming core of future stars.

For those calling me a clown, would you put your red and blue blinkers down for a second and look at reality? The honest to God truth is that Bruce while being a servicable footballer is just not the kind of player that sets a good example for the young brigade. He's a flake with increasingly poor disposal and poor decision making. Lets use him to trade for someone better, because I doubt any of you would dispute that there are better players out there than Cam Bruce. I'd rather have someone else on our team than Bruce, someone like Embley.

Yeah I forgot about Byron, he's a waste of a spot on the list as well. On a different tact I'm going to put a list of the untradable's on our list. McLean Jones Robertson Whelan Rivers Davey Neitz White McDonald Bate Geez, I can't think of any others, a scary thought considering that nearly half of that list are in the twilight of their careers with no obvious step up replacements (possibly with the exception of McDonald). Worrying.

Here's my list (drastic yes but the players at our club are the ones that do (or don't do) the business week in week out, year after year, the coaching staff should also go): Cam Bruce - Butter soft and getting worse each year, skills departing him rated by many as one of our best players so probably has good trade value, lets trade him and try to get a genuine super star. Wheatley - Delist, he's not AFL standard Ward - Ditto Ferguson - Cursed with injuries, not likely to make it as an AFL footballer, de-list or try to trade for a less injury prone backup KP defender. Yze - Used to be my favorite player but can't stand him now. So soft and skills have been on the wane for years now. De-list to free up some salary cap to try and get in a Judd or a Pav. Jamar - Trade-bait, PJ looks the better back up to Jeff. I just hope we can develop a long term replacement for Jeff from somewhere, Neaves? Miller - God I almost forgot. This guy frustrates me more than any other MFC player. Just get rid of him for whatever we can get. Brad Green - If ND stays on as coach (unlikely) then lets just cut our losses with Greeny and trade him. He's a great player but ND insists on turning a naturally gifted forward into a hapless tagger/midfielder/defender, so what's the point? Would have good trade value. If we get a new coach, I'd love to see Green stay as I'm sure he'd be employed as a permanent FP playing out of the goal square where he'll become a 50+ goalkicker a season with ease. When he first started out I always predicted Green would be our version of Matthew Lloyd, oh how Daniher has screwed my vision. Nathan Brown - De-list. Please drop Brown and play CJ for the rest of the year Daniher. Those that are on the fringe in my eyes TJ - skilful but so lackadazical (spelling?) and inconsistenet. Just frustrating to watch really, epitomises MFC. The only reason I'd keep him is because he can hit targets going inside F50 unlike most of our team, which is vital to the team's success. Holland - Leave him on the list to take on the Gorillas like Richo, Gehrig, Lynch etc. but for the love of God, don't play him when we don't have a match up like yesterday. What we need? A superstar - eg. Fevola, Pavlich, Jonathon Brown, Judd, Ben Cousins, Daniel Kerr that can really tear a game apart or win it off his own boot. I'd use a combination of Bruce, Green, Miller and first round draft picks to secure such a deal. More skill all over the ground - the skill level of our team is atrocious at the minute so we need to either draft in players that can hit targets more often than not or trade for them. This is probably the biggest weakness we have. I think our draft policy for this year and the next few should emphasise good skills and pace.

I wouldn't mind seeing Mark WIlliams from Sandy given a crack.

Miller - Oh my God! or Miller - Please debut Newton!!!

I believe he's the epitome of Melbourne's ongoing woes as a footy club. Brilliant one minute, ordinary the next. Not consistent enough, makes silly skill errors when there's no pressure on him. I reckon a player like Bruce and probably to a lesser extent Green might have fairly good trade value because in my opinion they are fairly respected by other teams fans and the media in general, but to be honest, I wouldn't be frightened seeing Bruce line up against Melbourne in the future, in fact I can't wait for the day. Lets use Bruce in a deal to try and get a REAL superstar.

one bad year in 10, did you conveniently forget all the other odd years bar 2005? ND has to go, we are looking very stale as a footy club with him in charge, time for some fresh ideas and a real good clear out of dead-wood.

That loss wasn't ND's fault, our players are absolutely woeful with their skill and committment to playing 4 quarters of football. Maybe its the coaches fault at its root but what I saw today was just shocking. A clear out is required at the club, ND should go for sure, the whole coaching staff should follow and I'd be looking to trade away players like Green, TJ, and Bruce among others. Furious at our so-called senior players.

Sorry calabreseboy, but there really are hardly any PL night matches just the monday night games and the occasional midweek game. It probably seems like most of them are at night because it gets dark so bloody early in England during winter. My opinion, stick with the afternoon tradition.

I'd consider Brett Ratten if he's available, and take on Voss as an assistant. More likely we'll probably end up with Mark Williams (not Chocko) the other one that coaches our two's.

"We can still win the flag this year" Grow up!

I too am starting to believe its a case of now or never for the Demons. It's sad to see legends of the AFL bow out without ever having tasted premiership glory like Rohan Smith. I'd hate that to happen to Neita as well. I think we must trade heavily our draft picks for established key defenders, like we did when we got Jamie Shanahan and Anthony Ingerson (two decent, established key position backmen that then helped us build up towards a premiership tilt in 2000, albeit an unsuccessful one). I think we need to do the same this upcoming post-season. I can't think of who we could try to target though. They have to be ready to make an immediate impact like Pickett did this season. I don't think we can afford to trade for someone like Polak for example who's unproven. Trouble is, good key defenders are probably the most valuable members of a squad so at what cost will a good one be traded for? Our two top picks plus a fringey like Wheatley? What about our top pick plus Yze and Holland, I'm probably dreaming. Our good key backmen are undersized (Carrol and Rivers). I'm not sure I agree with the need for another key midfielder, I think we're about right in this department, I reckon McLean, Sylvia and Jones are going to scorch the turf next season, particularly Brock and really step up. We have enough outsiders (TJ, Bruce, Green, Ward, Yze) so I reckon that leaves us needing some decent small players. Davey can't do the crumbing all by himself we need another good small forward for back up to Davey at least. Someone who can play tall and small like an understudy to Robbo would be good, can't think of who though, any suggestions? And of course some versatile defenders would be nice, another Whelan type. Hopefully Bell can really lock down a spot in the back six next season. I'm confident in him after his job on Farmer in the semi. The only problem I can see with trying to tilt at the flag next year is that teams like West Coast and Freo are just so young and bursting at the seams with talent and versatility. Surely these sides will be coming into their prime over the next two seasons. A scary prospect indeed.

Are you mad Pates? I'm dismayed at how a supposed running team like Melbourne hasn't utilised the quick kick in rule to advantage like some other teams have. We seem to have played our football this year as if no rules had even changed. I get so [censored] off when I see someone look up for the quick kick in only to put the ball on the deck and wait for Travis or Whelan to slowly trot back to the square and take the kick. I swear about half of our kick ins take that long the AFL are going to probably start pushing for 15 second ad breaks when our opponents score a behind.

I don't see how tapping the ball over your shoulder without looking on the last line of defence is playing it safe, exactly the opposite, playing it safe would have been backing yourself to take possession free up your arms and be ready to give it off to a teammate in better position. Instead Miller heard footsteps and showed his lack of class and awareness in one fell swoop. Now as for that footsteps incident with the dropped chestmark in defensive 50 over at Subi, I've never looked at Miller in the same light since then. He's a shadow and should never be allowed inside defensive 50 ever again as far as I'm concerned.

If you call getting involved in jumper punching incidents before the ball is bounced and getting a subsequent 2 week suspension as "flying the flag" then heaven help any football side you ever end up coaching. Dunn's lack of hardness is totally to do with the fact it's his first year and he usually gets a big-bodied opponent. Sure courage and selflessness are good attributes in footy but then again, a little self-preservation when you're just learning the ropes in your first year is forgiveable. If I was Neale Daniher I'd be seriously thinking of a trade involving Miller (not for Aker) but for another big-bodied CHF/CHB type. No idea who though.

You are having a laugh aren't you. Hard at the ball Miller? Did you even see his games against the Eagles and Brisbane this season? Some of the most insipid, soft pieces of play I've EVER witnessed from a supposed tough guy and team leader. I'll take Dunn any day of the week, month or year over Miller.

I haven't seen much of Adelaide's Rutten this year so can't really comment but I reckon its a toss of the coin between Carroll and Antoni Grover for the All-Australian fullback spot. I'd lean towards Carroll though just due to his story and because he's a Demon