MadAsHell

Really difficult question, but I like it. Of current players special mention to Trengove, Chip & Jurrah but I have to go with the guy who's number I have on my jumper, Jarred Rivers! Back in 2004 looked like he was going to be anything but hasn't developed as we would have all hoped due to injuries. However he still reads the play as good as anyone in our back line and never backs away from a contest. Is hard as anything and that's why I still love him despite some of his short comings. Of past players special mention to Woewodin, Farmer & Ricky Jackson (first player who's number I had on my back. Don't remember much about him apart from yelling his name out as a 6 year old!) But I have to go with Garry Lyon. Growing up Garry was Melbourne, could play up forward, down back and even went into the midfield when needed, the man had red & blue blood flowing through his veins. Also still the only Melbourne player I've seen kick 10 goals in a match when I went to the 94' semi fianl vs Footscray.

Watts will stay, they'll give him at least 5 or 6 matches to try and shown something before they look at dropping him. NO CHANGE: Frawley should have at least 1, possibly 2 games with Casey before coming in. Same with Morton.

FB: Garland, Warnock, Bartram HB: MacDonald, Rivers, Bennell C: Grimes, Moloney, Davey HF: Watts, Dunn, Green FF: Martin, Jurrah, Maric FOLL: Jamar, Sylvia, Jones INT: Petterd, Tapscott, Trengove SUB: Gysberts EMERG: Bail, Bate, Jetta Even with Frawley, Scully, McKenzie, Morton & Wonna out I can't find room for Bail or Jetta, especially seeing as we now know that Tapscott is playing. This is a great sign for Melbourne of competition for spots. IMO Maric's pre-season form means he has to play and Martin has to play as the 2nd ruckman as Newton's still injured as is Fitzpatrick.

FB: Garland, Frawley, Bartram HB: MacDonald, Rivers, Grimes C: Sylvia, McKenzie, Davey HF: Watts, Dunn, Green FF: Martin, Jurrah, Wonna FOLL: Jamar, Moloney, Scully INT: Jones, Petterd, Trengove S/SUB: Morton EMERG: Bate, Bail, Bennell Morton's the ideal Super Sub with his ability to play anywhere and being a great height to play tall or smaller. Martin makes the team purely to play as 2nd ruck. IMO one of Martin, Newton or Fitzpatrick will have to play every week to cover this role.

Ok, maybe I've been watching far to much of the World Cup and am sleep deprived and that's why I've come up with this crazy (possibly stupid idea) on how to improve the development of other countries in test match cricket. An EPL style division system where countries can be promoted and relegated from one division to another after a three year period of solid or poor performances. This idea has come about mainly because of Ireland's impressive first 2 performances of this World Cup & the last also. In 2007 they had victories over Pakistan & Bangladesh and drew with Zimbabwe, while in this World Cup they've already beaten England and should of beaten Bangladesh in their first match if it weren't for loosing their last 5 wickets for about 20 runs when they only needed another 50 to win. I had also been impressed with Zimbabwe's openning performances, although they were pretty ordinary last night against New Zealand to be honest. So the way my idea works is the top 7 nations form say the premier division. This being India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Australia, Pakistan & New Zealand. These nations over a three year period must play a home & an away test series against one another. Usual min of 2 tests, max of 5. Where as the current 8th & 9th ranked nations West Indies & Bangladesh form a secondary division along with at first Zimbabwe & Ireland where all of these nations must play a home & away test series against one another over a three year period. These should probably all be 5 test series as there's only 4 teams in this secondary division. The second division counts as a test match and all records, wickets & runs would count towards test match averages and stats. After the initial 3 year period the bottom 2 nations from the premier division are relegated to the 2nd division, the top nation from the 2nd division is promoted to the premier division. Then to try and even everything out, the next highest ranked minow country in the Intercontinental Cup (not sure how many people know about this comp) can also be promoted to test status and start playing in the 2nd division. (This would probably be Afghanistan if anyone's been watching their improvement in the last few years, they're the most improved country by a long way and are reguly beating higher ranked countries like Kenya, Scotland etc). So this way after the initial 3 years there would be 6 countries in the premire division, 6 countries in the 2nd division, and then every 3 years the top 2 teams from 2nd division are promoted while the bottom 2 from premier are demoted. The reason why I like this idea is because it serves a couple of important issues in World cricket. 1: It means the higher ranked countries get to play more often only against the other top countries. Australia wouldn't of had to worry about this series against Bangladesh after the World Cup for example or any of those top end series as there's less countries to play against. Also it means because we have to play everyone inside 3 years it means the headline touring nation from year to year goes England, India & South Africa, and then starts again whith no lull year. 2: It allows Ireland, Zimbabwe & possibly Afghanistan eventually to gain test experience against decent opposition like the West Indies & Bangladesh. They get to play against them more often allowing their skills and experience to improve also. And while many may feel it does little for the likes of the West Indies & Bangladesh, it does give them the chance to create a winning culture, and after 3 years they will have the opportunity to take that culture in against more hardened opposition. 3: The relegation & demotion system would mean that it wont always be the same countries stuck in one division all the time as every 3 years they have the oppotunity to swap over if their performances have warranted it. So I'm curious as to people's thoughts. Obviously I don't expect everyone to love it, and I'm sure there are holes in it. But I just thought I'd see what everyone's thoughts are on expanding the game to include other countries??? Edit: Changed Ireland beating Ireland, to Ireland beating England.

Speaking as someone who's seen a lot of St. Kilda over the last few years (fiance's a massive Saints fan) I reckon your not far wrong. Next year will be their last role of the dice IMO before their window slams shut for some years. I reckon they'll do some big trading this period in order to try and pinch one in 2011. I hope we have a say in denying them!

There's reports that all of Adelaide, Hawthorn & Western Bulldogs are going to use their compensation picks (at end of first round) during this years draft/trade period which would push our 2nd round pick down to 35. Maybe Maric & Pick 35 to St. Kilda for pick 24? Maric while he wouldn't get a wlk up start at St. Kilda would be on the cusp there as they don't have a lot of depth. With Gardiner, Blake, King, Milne, Baker & Hayes all over 30 he wouldn't have to wait long to be in their best 22.

I'm not happy at all about the prospect of us giving up a 2nd round draft pick for Hale. Makes me think it's likely that both Warnock & Maric will be involved in trades now to allow us to still have our 2nd pick around the 30 mark?

Ok I'm going to talk about the elephant in the room in Marcus North, another duck! Shouldering arms to a quick who's getting the ball to reverse, what a ........... If the selectors are looking for someone to make a string if low scores while getting handsomely paid and traveling the globe I'm willing to my hand up! How long are we going to carry this guy? Had a nice start but disapointing end to the day. Hopefully Watson, Paine & the tail can make a good fist of it and get us to at least 350 so we're right in the match. Really hope we can get a series win here although I highly doubt it.

After the latest bout of trade rumors I now have the ultimate 6 way trade! Melbourne: Warnock to Carlton Carlton: Grigg to Richmond Richmond: Thursfield to Fremantle Fremantle: Tarrant to Collingwood Collingwood: Anthony to North Melbourne North Melbourne: Hale to Melbourne!

Mitch Clark to freo in exchange for Zac Clarke & their 1st round pick maybe? Maybe Melbourne can have a word in his ear and convince him to give Melbourne a go. Pick 12 & Jones thanks!

That's why we still have Martin & McNamara on the list. Also MacDonald & Bruce are capable of playing tall.

That's a worry seeing as it's been 9 years since I've had the luxury of school holidays.

Could it be a one year deal on the rookie list?

Just wait for trade week to start, then it gets completely out of control!

If he lost a bit of weight and became more disciplined he could be a handy 2nd ruck. On current form though I'm not a fan.

I hate to say it but I'm going to back up E25 here. I'm not a big wrap for Cameron Cloke at all but he does fit the bill for what we're after and if we can't get a reasonable deal for a David Hale, Will Minson or Josh Fraser type then Cameron Cloke should be considered in the rookie draft. Ok you can all abuse me now. Although in my defence I did only get 4 hours sleep last night and am really struggling through my last hour of work.

Not quite the same as A: Tall defenders is an area where we have depth & Richmond don't B: Watts is a younger,more talented and has far, far more upside then Thursfiled. To find a comparison would be if Mark Jamar requested a trade. We'd then probably trade someone like Jones and a draft pick for a quality ruckman or Gysberts on his own for one of the better ruckmen in the comp.

That does make it souns like it probably wouldn't happen your right.

Only in order to cover their tall defender shortage. Thursfile dleaving leaves them with Moore, Rance & McGuane. And lets face it Kelvin Moore's a bit like Joel MacDoanld in that he can play on the talls if you really need him to but he's more of a rebounding running defender. In the ruck Angus Graham & Andrew Browne are currently ahead of Vickery, and they're experimenting with Post as a 2nd ruck also.

I reckon he moves ok, needs to work on his agility a bit but overal I think he moves reasonably for his size. He does need to harden up though I'll give you that.

It's just been reported that Will Thursfield will be seeking a trade out of Richmond which means that they will now be a tall defender down. If you ask me this represents the perfect opportunity for Melbourne to strike and land an ideal 2nd ruckman/forward. Former no 8 draft pick from the same draft as Jack Watts, Tyrone Vickery, Back in the 2008 draft before Melbouren announced that Watts would be the player they would select with pick no 1 they said they were mainly deciding between Watts, Nik Nat, Rich & you guesed it, Vickery. Vickery has now had two years under his belt and has been exposed to AFL football. He can ruck & play forward and we know Melbourne obviously rate him highly. Imagine if we poached Vickery from Richmond, then in a few years even when Jamar has retired we'd have the giant Max Gawn and Vickery & Fitzpatrick battling it out for no 2 ruck role, or Vickery possibly battling Gawn for the no 1 role? Obviosuly this wouldn't come cheaply, I'm talking of Warnock & Pick 12, we might then get say pick 46 thrown back our way with Vickery, with Richmond now without Thursfield they'll be looking for another key defender & Warnock would walk staright in at Punt rd. Personally I think I'd be a great get by us and I for one would be fully behind it! What do others think?

When I say last year I mean season 2009 not the season just about gone sorry, should have made that more clear. I don't disagree that it isn't his natural position but neither is it Leigh Brown's.

Talked to a mate at work today who's a huge North Melbourne fan and goes to watch them play every week (must be the only one). And he reckons he'd be more then happy for a 3rd or 4th round pick for Hale. Says he's decent but wont be a world beater & that North are in no position to demand anymore as he only played about 7 games in 2010 and is behing McIntosh, Goldstein, Petrie & Tarrant. Also reckons North will want to clear him out in order to help speed up Majak Daw's development. So on the sounds of that if we can get Hale for a 3rd or even a 4th round pick I'd have to be happy with that deal.

Jesse's probabaly more in the mould of a forward who can ruck. Kind of like Ox, obviously he's not as good a player as Ox though. He was 2nd ruck at Sydney for most of last season. Especially the first half of the season.