MadAsHell

Makes sense that Stanley makes way for Riewoldt, like for likem replacement. Hasn't set the world on fore but I still think he's been reasonable. Hasn't played in a loss yet the young man. With Gardiner and King in the twilight of their careers I have no doubt St. Kilda wont let him go. He'll be their long term no.2 ruck prospect.

If I was giving the 5,4,3,2,1 votes this is the way I'd be going at this stage. 5) Daniel Hannebrey - Named in Sydney's best week in week out and had a huge influence and many of their wins. 4) Jack Trengove - All class who can't help but rack up possessions. Uses the ball well and just glides around the park with ease, looks like the Mark Waugh of AFL. 3) Dustin Martin - Is inelligable to win but can still receive votes. A boy in a mans body, reminds me of Nathan Jones in his first year although Martin uses it better and seems to have a calmer head on his shoulders. 2) Tom Scully - Number 1 draft pick who is a gun. Runs like Chris Judd and he can tell he's going to be an absolute gun once he's fully developed, just needs to tidy up his disposal and he'd already be one of the most dangerous players in the comp. 1) Tom Rockliff - Consistent player who has taken it all before him this year. Hasn't had the same influence on games the above named have but he still racks up plenty of possesions and has turned into a bargain pick for the Lions. So for me Hannebrey pips Trengove, but only just!

If it means keeping Petterd I'll help Bruce move his furniture into the new place!

Agree with you entierly Phoenix. The 2nd ruck/forward role is becoming a very important role in AFL and Nweton very well could fill this role. At the start of the season I was hoping Martin would fill this role, however Stef has unfortunatly sufferd from injury and lack of form. Jack Fitzpatrick is another who I believe could be made for this role, although he's still at least 2 years of development away IMO. Juice however is mature enough to give this role a crack. We know he has a good leap and has decent strength, it will just be a matter of whether or not he can compete with other teams 2nd ruckmen at the centre square. I will say it, there may be hope for Juice Newton yet!

I will formaly submit my appology for the suggestion of Newton coming in despite him being on the rookie list and McKenzie being our allocated rookie promotion and Spencer currently being elevated for Petterd. I was thinking Newton could be elevated for Meesen forgetting that Meesen to is on the rookie list. So in that case I'd have Spencer as an emergency for this weekend instead of Newton.

IN: Bail, McDonald, Morton, Sylvia, Warnock OUT: Grimes (inj), Jetta, MacDonald, Rivers, Spencer FB: Garland, Warnock, Bartram HB: Bruce, Frawley, Cheney C: Morton, McKenzie, Davey HF: Sylvia, Bate, Bail FF: Watts, Green, Bennell FOLL: Jamar, Moloney, McDonald INT: Dunn, Jones, Scully, Trengove EMERG: Jetta, MacDonald, Newton I'd give Jurrah one more week with Casey to get the match fitness up. Also Dunn will have to provide the ruck support for Jamar, was looking to get Newton in for that role but couldn't fit him in. We desperatly need Martin to find some form at Casey so he can play that role as it's still far, far to early for Fitzpatrick. Edit: Forgot the interchange.

I'm about to head there with my fiance who's a saints fan. Hate the ground also but I'm looking forward to seeing what the boys can produce. I'll be wearing my no: 27 guernsey for the occassion. And FYI, if your a Melbourne member you can only sit on the 1st level if you pay for the seating, your membership only gets you a discount which sucks but that's what I'm doing.

Now I'll admit that because my fiance is a Saints fan I do watch a lot of them and have developed a soft spot but they're still nothing on the Mighty Dees! But I thought this deserved it's on thread and to see what everyone thought on his suspension? Now he does play like this reguly and deserved 3-4 weeks IMO but 9 is very, very heavy handed. As a football lover the thing that annoys me is the inconsistency of the match review panel, Judd gets off last week, Kennedy on Sylvia, as did J. Riewoldt when he punched Pears injured hand in round 9 but Baker ends up copping 9 in total for a rib tickler, one whack to the hand and another two to the chin. What's everyone elses thought on this? Fair enough or just grossly inconsistent and over the top?

We got Dunn for Jolly. Got Grimes for TJ.

Not sure if anyone heard on AFL Teams tonight but Tony Shaw made the comment that Melbourne 'will', not might but 'will' win a flag in the next 5 years. Made the comment that we have a lot of good players playing VFL who can't get a game. Also on the show everyone agreed that Jamar would be in the All Australian Team to this point of the year and Pickering was pushing hard for Frawley to be in the All Australian Team also. No major news really, but it is nice to see that some people are starting to take notice.

Thankyou Demon Jack 16 for restoring some sanity and perspective into this thread. Lets not forget that a lot of these players are still teenagers playing in a team that before the weekend were 8-1, and I didn't hear to many people saying Strauss wasn't going to make it then? Lets just take a breath people, if they put that type of performance in for the next few weeks then maybe there's some questions to be asked. Young players will be inconsistent, all we need is time and patience people!

IN: McDonald, Sylvia OUT: McKenzie, Watts FB: Frawley, Warnock, Bartram HB: Garland, Rivers, Grimes C: Morton, Scully, Davey HF: Bruce, Bate, Sylvia FF: Green, Miller, Jetta FOLL: Jamar, Moloney, McDonald INT: Dunn, Gysberts, Jones, Trengove EMERG: Bennell, McKenzie, Watts

I really don't get all this talk of dropping Jetta, I thought he was very good on QB. Especially in the 2nd & 3rd quarters so can't see him getting dropped. Assuming McDonald & Sylvia come in then I'd say drop McKenzie & Watts. McKenzie: Hasn't been the same since he missed the North game in round 6, him being out will allow Scull and Treners a bigger run in the middle. Watts: Hasn't done a lot wrong, but with Miller & Dunn's impressive efforts the other week their form needs to be rewarded. Giving Watts another 2 games with Casey wont hurt him get some more confidence, will also help him qualify for VFL finals.

I'm also getting sick of Russell talking up Dustin Martin like he's a shoe in to get the most votes in the rising star award. Don't get me wrong Martin's a very good young player, but the stats will tell you Scully and Tengove get the ball just as much, Trengove uses it better, Scully takes more marks around the ground and they both lay more tackles then Martin does. Just gets under my skin when I hear him go on and on about Martin, and the most I've ever heard him say about Scully and Trengove are that they're 'promising looking players'!

PJ - Delist Bell - Delist Miller - Delist McDonald - I suspect will retire Petterd - I suspect wll be GC17 bound, but I hope I'm wrong ROOKIES: McKenzie - Promote Spencer - Promote Healy - Delist Hughes - Delist Meesen - Delist Newton - Delist This allows Melbourne to draft 3 players in the national draft and 6 rookies in the rookie draft. TRADE BAIT: Rivers

Beau Dowler may be ok, and I reckon we could get him pretty cheap also which would help!

I'd be happy with that, have Melbourne play Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn & Richmond twice and all other teams once. I'd also be happy to keep final 8 or at most go to top 10. A top 12 which is being mentioned is far to much!

I was at the game and missed the on air interview. What was said HT?

Had him in my team, not sure why so few leave him out.

Can I suggest this. We forgo the entry of GC17 and GWS, pull Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Fremantle & West Coast from the competition. Bring back Fitzroy and South Melbourne and have a 12 team VFL competition where everyone plays eachother twice over 22 rounds and we have a final 6. Now that I'd like to see!

I suspect that is what will happen.

FB: Bate, Warnock, Strauss HB: Garland, Frawley, Grimes C: Gysberts, McKenzie, Davey (vc) HF: Sylvia, Watts, Tapscott FF: Jurrah, Fitzpatrick, Wonaemirri FOLL: Jamar, Trengove, Scully INT: Blease, Jones, Moloney ©, Morton EMERG: Cheney, Jetta, Martin McDonald retire end of 2010, Bruce 2011, Green 2012. Petterd to go to GC17 end of 2010, Maric GWS end of 2011.

I think the only way we'll ever get back to ever being an even competition is if we ever get to a 24 team competition and have 2 confrences of 12 teams. You'd play all the teams in your conference twice and each conference would have a top 8. You play an elimination finals series till you have 2 conference champs and then the grand final amongst the two conference champions. This would require having 6 more teams enter the comp such as Hobart, Launceston, Canberra, Darwin, Cairns & Ballarat or maybe Newcastle? Obviously this would be 20 years off!

I hope your right. I'd be more then happy keeping the same system and probably expanding the finals series to a top 10.

The AFL are now considering setting up a conference system once GWS the 18th team comes into the competition. http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/96547/default.aspx What's everyone's thoughts? I'm not a big fan but if they were to do one I'd say the three conferences and then maybe the top 2 from each conference make up a finals series? Could be something like Southern Conference: Carlton Collingwood Hawthorn Melbourne Richmond St. Kilda South Western Conference: Adelaide Essendon Geelong North Melbourne Port Adelaide Western Bulldogs Greater Australian Conference: Brisbane Fremantle Gold Coast Greater Western Sydney Sydney West Coast What do we all think?