Grand New Flag

Surely if Fev goes to Sydney, Sydney and Carlton would do a Hall/Fevola swap. This would leave the dogs high and dry. That would probably be good news for Robertson, who may then get interest from the Dogs.

I thought he was a year older. Is he not playing u16 again next year? Turning 16yo in April would allow him to play u16 next season and would make him eligible for the 2011 draft.

As previously mentioned I am very close with a high ranking Carlton official. I was having a beer with this official yesterday. Carlton are odds on to sack Fev today and put him up for trade. He was already on his last strike before the Brownlow disgrace. Several Carton officials have previously moved to have him fired but these officials are now supported by Judd. Fevs verbal abuse to Chris Judd on National TV was the final straw in that camels back for Juddy who has to this point always supported Fev despite finding Fev "very difficult". Judd now wants him out and believes Carlton can't win a premiership with him on the list. Judd blames Fev for constantly stirring the pot and undermining his Captaincy resulting in unhealthy player politics rather than the team family thing Judd believes is necessary to win a Premiership. (I am really enjoying this) Problem is that Carlton may not be able to win a Premiership with Fev, they also certainly can't win a Premiership without Fev........... could not happen to a nicer mob. Apparently Sydney and other clubs have already put their hand up.

I am good friends with Jack Viney's old coach. His coach of the last couple of seasons until he went back to Adelaide this season as his old man became assistant coach in Adelaide after a long stint at Hawthorn. Anyway, his old coach (who is a die hard Melbourne supporter) is extremely excited about this kid. He said he had "never seen a player take apart a game like Jack Viney". He also said that he is fast, has all the skills on both sides of his body, is a superb kick and is very, very tough. He said he was the best u15 player (2008 season) he had ever seen and that if the draft for this group was today he would likely go number one. Jack Viney is a Hawthorn supporter after being brought up at Hawthorn with his dad assistant coach. However, he has already excepted he is highly likely to become a Demon. Simply as a first round prospect he will have a choice of either signing to go to West Sydney or taking father son as a Demon. He chooses us. The MFC is in regular contact with Jack Viney, if his form continues over the next two seasons he will be picked up f/s and become a demon, further adding to a impressive list of midfielders.

Davis is only good when Collingwood are on fire. He has rarely if ever performed in a big game. Davis has the worst GF record of any player in the competition. In 2002 is was on the field for 98% of game time for 1 possesion. In 2003 he played 100% of the game for 3 possessions. In the last 3 perliminary finals he has also been virtually unsighted. Sure he comes good from time to time when his team is up by 5 goals, playing at home, but his magical abilities don't come out when they are most required in the matches that count. If he did not play for Collingwood he would not have been given All Australian honours. He is a chocker, in the Greg Norman mold.

As I have said before, anyone who believes Brook was not pushed is smoking the good stuff. Well done to DB, BP and the football Department. A perfect trade. We now get the best two classy, quality outside mids (Scully & Trengrove), plus the chance to trade and recrute for another tall KPF to develop with Watts and Jurrah (pick 11) and the opportunity to trade for the likes of Junior Davey or Lovett (pick 18). Simply outstanding list management!! Finally someone is running the club with the intellegence, lack of emotion, streagth and realistic attitude to take us to a premiership. This is the what I have longed for and also the first time I have seen it at the MFC in 30 odd years of fruitless supporting. I could not be happier with the performance of our FD since the turnover in board, CEO and coaching staff. I am more exited now than at any point since at least 2000.

Agree with you Grazman. Jaded I have got to the stage I don't even read your opinions. Just scroll down to the next one everytime I see your name. Can't be bothered waisting my time with your banta.

Trust me Mclean was pushed. Please read my post #382 in the McLean thread.

I know as a fact that Miller wants to leave. If we can trade him we will. May get a pick about 30 for him. Davey is not going anywhere. He is very tight with the brothers, he is very happy at our club and he is likely to be the next captain of the club. He has set up a Northern Territory scholarship with the MFC. He is not about to walk out on Wonna, Jarrah, Jetta, Bennell and the MFC. The MFC has been his family. Just because he has yet to sign a new contract does not mean he wants to leave. I believe we are a good chance of picking up Burgoyne in the PSD as Hawthorn will need to bend over backwards in trade terms and salary cap terms to get him. I also believe we are in a great position to go for Awyan and/or Lovett with our picks this year.

If Andrejs has the same attitude as his brother I don't want him. I always had a very low opinion of his brother. A bit like Fev, all about himself and came accross as not really caring about his club or other players. Also his brother had massive chips on his shoulder about establishment, wealth and private schools (like Fev). His brother hated the MFC as he saw their supporters as this sort. If Andrejs has this attitude he will clash with the MCC, and the likes of Watt, Blease etc. I would prefer not to take the risk.

I know as a fact Miller is interested in being traded. This has been known around the AFL traps for at least a month. I know he was floated to Carlton about a month ago, but they had no interest. The direct quote from a senior Carlton official that I am close with was, "Miller wants to leave Melb", I said "You can have him" he said "Carlton only has room for one Cloke".

I also believe that there is a about a 25% chance the Burgoyne will slip through to the PS Draft. Hawthorn will have to bend over backwards to get the Burgoyne trade done on both a salary cap and trade level. Personally I think their is some chance we will either pick up Lovett or Davey with pick 18.

This rumour has no logic to it and is thus bs. No way Freo would give up pick 4 for Lovett. Who in their right mind........ not even Freo. Personally I think their is some chance we will either pick up Lovett or Davey with pick 18. I also believe that there is a about a 25% chance the Burgoyne will slip through to the PS Draft. Hawthorn will have to bend over backwards to get the Burgoyne trade done on both a salary cap and trade level.

Here, Here

One last comment before I go to bed. The more I think about this the happier I am and the more impressed I am with our FD. This is the sort of intelligent, ruthlessness that our club has been missing my entire life time.................... a life time without a Melbourne flag. Well done and good work to the FD. Those who can leave their emotion behind and can intelligently assess this situation will agree.

Sounds like sour grapes to me. Further strengthens my beliefs.

QUOTE He is understood to have become increasingly frustrated with the negative roles assigned him this year by coach Dean Bailey. While there is a major query on his pace, he is strong and brave, and will make life much more comfortable for Chris Judd at stoppages. McLean's exit from Melbourne ends a deteriorating relationship between club and player. He is understood to have been hurt and disappointed recently when asked to take a pay cut after spending $15,000 at a Demons auction night and, last year, donating $10,000 to the club's Debt Demolition program. He was also unimpressed with assessments by Melbourne officials that the club was as long as 4-6 years away from success. After reading this I am even more convinced with my theory.

Some people need to take out the emotion on this and think about it with some logic. Mclean is a very, very slow player. He is injury prone and is expendable due to our long list of quality, tough inside midfielders. Pick 11 is a fair deal at worst. We can now get the fast, classy outside mids we require (with pick 1 & 2) and another quality tall KP forward to develop with Watts and Jarrah. This is excellent list management and PB should be congratulated. This is Hawthorn 2004 like and we will get rewarded for this tough decision. I know the press release reads that Mclean asked to be traded....... but there is definitely more to the story. I suggest he was eased out with a significantly lower contract (confirmed "the AGE") and poor end of season review (confirmed, public review now blocked for those who did not read it). I also suggest a deal was done with Mclean to talk him up to potential suitors to a: increase his trade value, b: enable McLean to negotiate a better paying contract. This was done in part by making it sound as if Mclean dumped us rather than the other way around. Read the press release carefully. Considering we are trying to get the best possible trade for him and that no trade can be confirmed until trade week it would be very, very foolish to suggest we dumped him rather than he wanted to leave. If other clubs realised we had dumped him, they would say "why" more questions would be asked and his trade vale would half. We would be lucky to get pick 25. I hope I am right about this, to me this is logical and how I would play it if I was BP. If so we have screwed Carlton. I also don't believe the Davey rumour. I believe there is far more chance that Arwan is traded to us than the other way around. Lovett has left, Lovett-Murry has his problems and is unsettling and Arwan Davey almost came to Melbourne last year. The evidence suggests the brothers are not happy at Essendon, which is from all accounts exactly the contrary to the brotherhood at the demons. Aaron Davey is going nowhere, leads the brothers and must be close to favourite to be the next captain. Time will tell but at this point I am taking my hat off to our FD. Excellent list management.

There seems to be confusion on this. Does anyone have an updated list of MFC players that are yet to sign for the 2010 season?

Like all trade rumours at this time of year this has a low probability of being true. However, if we were to trade for another first round pick or KPF, Mclean would be of a very few MFC players who would a: be tradable for a first round or developing KPF. b: make sense to trade due to our over supply of tough inside midfielders. With midfielders Scully and Trengove almost certainly on their way to our club the door is open to trade one of our tough inside midfielders either for a developing Key Position Forward or draft pick to get a KPF. Personally I think this is something our FD would try for, but this does not mean it would be successful in this endeavour and this is only an educated guess on what the MFC might do based on my evaluation on the current strengths and weaknesses of our list. Unlike many on this site I don’t pretend “knowledge” to try and give credit to my educated guesses or personal beliefs.

Disaster!!!!! Garlands career must now be in the balance. Could well be all over.

I spoke with a relative of his last Tuesday (who is a client of mine). At that point Garland was going great guns, pretty much 100% and his relative said how much mussel he had put on and how conservative he was being handled and that he was looking to a massive 2010. As of such I think (pray) this is bs. I am due to catch up with his relative during this week and will ask the question if this dirty rumour has not been proven or disproven by then.

Some of you guys need to have more faith that our club will do the right thing....... whatever that may be. They will properly evaluate everything and make the right decision if we are indeed selected as the preferred club. I am certain that our club will not over pay him or over trade for him. They know best. Relax if he ends up at the Dees he will be on $500 - $700k. Remember he would walk into our club as its best player and as such would be paid the most. Melbourne trade over the price but as someone suggested Pick 18 + Mclean or Pick 18 + PSD Pick 1 may do it. Whatever the case SB is going to declare his preferred club on Monday. If Melb is the preferred club we will need to trade but will hold all the aces if not we can hope he falls through to the PSD. I feel there is some hope of this. Either way I am not losing sleep.

If I was Burgoyne I would be doing exactly the same thing he is. I believe it is true that he wants to go to a Victorian team where he already has many close friends and family and that these teams are Hawthorn, Melbourne, and Essendon in that order of preference. His preference for Hawthorn is because it offers immediate finals football, big games, and a very high probability of a premiership. Thus he naturally is prepared to ask for less from a team that can offer more in terms of imminent success. If I was Burgoyne I would also be talking up my price. The first offer is never the last. When I am negotiating a new package after a promotion or new position I talk up my worth and ask for more than I am likely to get. Not once has what I asked for been met. Every time my work place and I have agreed at a level somewhere between what they want to pay me and what I want to get paid. Its called normal negotiation. Burgoyne is simply doing the same thing. Personally I would be prepared to pay him $600k - $700k. He is an absolute champion and will walk into the MFC as the best player, thus he deserves this level of pay. My concern is with what Port are wanting for him. He is 27yo next year not a 24yo like Judd was when he left West Coke nor is he as good as Judd. I feel pick 18 plus pick 1 in the PSD plus Rivers or Warnock nothing more. Otherwise forget it and hope he falls through to the pre-season draft. I now feel Hawthorn will offer pick 9 plus a decent player though so I now feel we will not get him.

here here, sounds about right on a trade level.