Grand New Flag

1. SCULLY 2. TRENGOVE 11. BUTCHER 18. BALL 34. GRIMES 50. PATRICK PSD: MCDONALD I may be a little optimistic, but I feel the football cookie could crumble in our favour........................ for once. Would not mind collecting Thorp either but I have a feeling he may have failed his attitude and injury tests with the Dees. If not he could replace Grimes or Patrick if they have already gone.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/ne...8824670415.html Bailey and Connolly try again to meet Ball. It does not sound as if Ball has any chance of getting to Collingwood. Further it seems far from a guarentee that Melbourne will get him at 18 (though I feel this is probable if we want him).

Plus we get Joel McDonald for nothing. Many here don't realise that Joel is actually a very good player who will slot straight into our best 22. He was only delisted by Brisbane as he wanted out and no deal could be completed at trade week. Thanks Vossy!!

I agree that we have a number of players lining up for delisting next year, who would have been in trouble this year if it was not for being in contract, however, Dunn is not one of them. Did you watch the second half of the season. His form was nothing short of outstanding. I too thought he was in trouble of being delisted at the mid season break but he was tough, consitent, and damaging to the opposition in the second half of the season. This did not go unnoticed by the FD and I am pretty sure he was rewarded with a new two year contract which ends after the 2011 season. How about this for 2010 delistings/retirements: Newton Meeson PJ Bell McDonald With the compromised draft I can't see more than 5 going next year. Possibly less. All these guys have one foot out the door. In Newtons case one foot and 4 toes. You could also add to the list: Jamar (looking to be traded) Miller (one eye on GC) Because of the new teams taking all the picks in the next two years, delistings will be significantly lower.

If Ball fails to come to agreement with St.Kilda and can't get to a team with its Premiership window open (which he can't), Luke will no longer be reluctant to becoming a Demon.

Personally I consider the fact that Ball is yet to sign with St.Kilda as a good sign. The facts still remain, if St.Kilda and Ball can't sort their differences or if St.Kilda fails to offer a compeditive contract, Ball will end up a Demon. The fact that Ball has not said "No" to the Demons also further suggests this. Ball wants to go to a team with its Premiership window open, he does not have a problem with Melbourne specifically just all bottom teams. Unfortunently for Luke Ball if he does not re-sign with the saints this is impossible and he will have to settle for a bottom team. He will have to settle with the Demons. I still think Melbourne is a fair chance to pick Luke up.

.................... and thats exactly why there is no announcement yet. Ball knows this, he is taking this risk staying at the Saints. I still say he may not want to be a player at a rebuilding team (and thats the issue not MFC specific).......... but he may end up with little realistic choice and thus he may still end up in the red and blue. At the end of the day Collingwood have dished Ball by not offering anything realistic for him. What Collingwood was offering was as good as nothing so St.Kilda thought why should we give him up for nothing to a team that could challenge us for a flag. If we are going to give him up for nothing it maze well be to a bottom team so as it does not come back to bite us in the butt. If the Saints don't offer Ball a compeditive contract I feel he could well still end up at the Dees.

Sure odds seem against a Ball to Demon outcome...... But the fat lady has not sung yet. There is still some chance, more chance than most consider.

Hannibal: I beleive you are probably 100% correct. However, Ball could still end up a Demon, his attitude may well soften when he realises he has little choice and realises that we are not the basket case he initially thought. I have no doubt he would prefer to go to a club with its premeirship window open, problem is unless he goes back to St.Kilda he can't, so its St.Kilda or Melbourne or another bottom eight team in the ND.

This is old news from weeks ago. Times have changed. Ball has not spoken to anyone outside his manager on a possible decision or made a decision. He only got back to Australia yesterday and will be speaking to our FD next week before he makes a decision. Initially he was not interested in coming to Melbourne as he thought our list was along way behind the competition but as I mentioned in an earlier thread, Paul Connors has set his straight on this, told him we would make the finals in 2011 and that we would press for a premiership in his career. This comes from a friend of mine who knows him well and spoke to him at an old xav end of season [censored] up 2 weeks ago before he went on holiday. Greg Denham is not on the ball with Ball. Ball will either be a Saint or a Demon.

A joke of an article from someone who clearly knows little about the Dees. The article is on nothing. Our FD refused to make comment on Bradshaw and on this an article is writen. What a joke.

Now we are not tanking we have no need for him. He was awesome for us when we were trying to lose..... and for this we should be thankful to him. In his own way Juice has helped us to the PP and maybe in time this will prove to be influential in our 13th premiership. At the end of the day his influence can be compared very closely to our favourite non-Melbourne player Jordan McMahon. Thankyou Juice!

I think Robbo will get picked up, probably by the Blues but if not someone else. I know people on this site disagree with me, but Robbo was let go too young and too early. He still kicks alot of goals. He came off a major 12 month injury with no preseason and kick at 2.5 goals per game with terrible delivery in the worst team in the comp. If he plays all season for a good team he will kick 50 goals.

Had a morning suprise! Went for my morning run on the tan and was excited to see a group of about 10 Melbourne players training hard, hill runs, cone drills excetera. Among the players were LJ, Miller, Meesen, Jamar, Wona, Cheaney, Bates and Bartam. The forwards group it would seem. Had a quick chat to LJ who was sitting out a drill (though 100% fit). I shook his hand....... his hand was massive! He was happy to have a quick chat and said we was looking forward to the season. Anyway I guess this means Bartam is still in the building.

It would appear that our tanking.......... sorry I meant experimentation is about to pay off big time with Scully and Trengove. Well done to our FD.

I can confirm that Luke ball went overseas last Sunday the day after the Old Xav end of season [censored] up.

A mate of mine is an Old Xav player and friends of Luke Ball. Last Saturday Old Xavs had an end of season [censored] up which Luke Ball attended. My mate told me that late in the day after about 10+ beers Luke was asked about the likelihood of coming to Melbourne. Luke said that initially he was not that interested as he thought that Melbourne had a weak list and was a long way behind the competition, however, he now realises that Melbourne has a very exciting young list. Paul Connors has told him Melbourne will make the finals in 2011 and that he expects Melbourne to be pressing for a flag inside Luke Balls career. My mate told me that although Luke did not say he was coming to Melbourne he gave all the impression that this was the likely outcome.

True, if the deal is no good for St.Kilda (pick 34 and a B grade player), St.kilda may feel its better to get nothing and not strengthen one of its main competitors list. After all Collingwoods premiership window is also open. St.Kilda's best team will not benefit from the trade but Collingwoods would. Ball going to Melb could not come back and haunt St.Kilda but him going to Collingwood without strengthening their best 25 could.

I was thinking the same thing. There are 13 other clubs that could potentially get in the way, so this would need be a Friday deal.

Don't believe everything official that you read. Brock was pushed. Our FD opened the possibility at the end of season review of him being put up for trade, Brock understood the situation with all our hard in and under midfielders, spoke to his manager who quickly found a trade with Carlton who may have approached him during the season expressing interest (I am not sure of this bit). It was in both Brocks best interest and Melbourne FCs best interest to part ways saying Brock walked out. Both parties agreed that the "walk out" story was the best way forward. Brocks gets a much better contract and Melbourne get more for the trade. In other words his value is higher. Think about it, we would have been lucky to get pick 30 if it had come out that we wanted to trade him rather than him wanting to go on. Brock is also better off as he can demand a bigger contract. We got one back on Carlton with Brocky. Gumboots McLean is injury prone and slow. He must be the slowest 23yo midfielder in the AFL and not worth pick 11. He has about 4 seasons left before the game passes him by, and will never be better than an average player. Well done Dee's..

I know enough Carlton dirt to make a real mess. However, I am very close friends with a certain very high ranking individual and it would be simply the wrong thing for me to do to discuss further, let alone end a friendship that is close and important to me. I already question myself on whether I have gone too far on what I have already said.

If Brisbane deal is true, it is a terrible deal for Carlton. This would show how much Carlton are over him. As I said they are prepared to take anything they can get for him. Also, when I said there were more Fev skelletons in the cupboard, I was not talking about the other instances at the Browlow (of which only some of the above rumoured list are true), rather other Fev acts that have occured over the years that have not come out but have been covered up by Carlton. I am told that these are so bad that if they came out publically no other club would have any interest............ end of story.

In this situation this is not my analysis, this is directly from a very high ranking person at Carlton.

I agree JCash that this is the logical situation, however, sadly for Carlton it is not true. The Carlton board has been unhappy with Fev for sometime, and there have been people on that board who have wanted Fev to be traded for years. He is considered a “cancer” to the playing group. Fev sets a terrible example to the young players, takes them gambling and drinking, drops his head, put himself first. However, his biggest problem has been his chips on his shoulder and jealousy of Judd. He walks around the club calling Judd "messiah", undermines Judds captaincy, continually makes smart arse comments while Judd is making speeches to the playing group etc. On Brownlow night Judd tried on several occasions to quietly move Fev on, but was instead meet with Fevs complete lack of respect for his captain. The Carlton board then discussed, dismissing Fev, but before making a final decision asked Judd his thoughts. Judd was left in no illusion that if he said “cut him” that is what would happen. Judd took a few days to contemplate the situation. On Grand Final day, Judd discussed the situation with Robert Harvey who is the Carlton mid-field coach. Robert Harvey said his great regret from his days as captain was not standing up and getting rid of the "cancers" that were at that time in the St. Kilda football club. There were those players taking drugs, those who were sleeping with other players girl friends and wife’s and those who simply undermined the captain. Robert Harvey told Judd that keeping these players cost St. Kilda premierships. He told Judd the best thing St.Kilda ever did was to get rid of Lockett who was at the time undermining Harvey in a similar way to which Fev undermines Judd. In the end Judd made the decision, let the board know of his thoughts and Fev was put up to trade. There is still more to this story. All the skeletons in Fevs cupboard are not out. Fev has done other worse things that only Carlton Football Club knows about. Carlton fear that if these things came out no club would take Fev. As a result you will find that at the end of trade week Carlton will take what ever they can get. Fev will not be playing for the blues next season. This comes directly from high up in the CFC.

Thats exactly what I was thinking.