MadAsHell

Great year by Jack, yet my heart remains in my mouth every time he goes into the ruck despite him playing the role admirably. The sooner we get a 2nd ruck/fwd to allow Jack to play the 3rd tall forward, the better IMO.

I'm hoping next year is the year for Salem to really stamp himself at Senior level. I know it was VFL, but Salem in the first half of the prelim really did show what he's capable of. The silky skills of Trapper mixed with the hardness of Guy Rigoni. Calling it now. Most improved in 2017!

Wouldn't get us back into the 1st Round, although would have us close to it. Is there a chance (I'm not saying I'm for or against) that we'd trade our 2017 1st Round Pick to Essendon for Hibberd & Pick 19?

IMO has become the clubs best midfielder and arguably player in the last 20 years.

Still tracking to be a gun and integral part of our team going forward. The sooner we know what's happening re: his future, the better.

Your not wrong Nasher, however not all of the Dolphins problems are of their own accord. Things started to go downhill when the old grandstand burnt down because of squatters that were living underneath it. http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/fire-destroys-historic-grandstand/2008/02/13/1202760336572.html The Dolphins were then badly let down by a combination of Frankston City Council, St Kilda FC, the AFL and State Government who couldn't find a way to raise the necessary 5 million dollars to allow St Kilda to build their new facilities at the site and in the end St Kilda moved to Seaford instead, and we all know how that worked out. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/saints-move-to-seaford/story-e6frf9if-1111117508958 Before the fire the Dolphins were regular finals competitors and it's no coincidence that since then the wheels at Frankston have fallen off due to debt and lack of talent/resources. What's the solution/plan going forward? I'm not sure? One thing that's always disappointed me over the years is that you never see any of the good Frankston/Mornington Peninsula players go back and spend a season or two representing Frankston in their premier sporting team. Think of some players over just the last 10 years like Jeff White, Travis Johnstone, Paul Johnson, the Lonie twins, Jarred Moore etc. Now these players are rightly entitled to do what they like post their AFL career. But it's a shame when you here of some playing in the EFL or for Williamstown/Port Melbourne in the VFL, but never the Dolphins. I'd love to maybe see something where the Frankston City Council in partnership with the Mornington Shire can pay maybe up to half a dozen recently retired or delisted AFL players from that area up to 75K a year for a maximum of 2 years to play for the Dolphins and act as an ambassador for Frankston & the Mornington peninsula region. That would obviously include appearances at certain events in the area such as Sandcastle exhibition the Guitar festival etc. I can honestly say after 13 years in the public service (I don't and never have worked at either of the councils mentioned) that there are plenty of jobs/positions created in the public service for around that pay scale (often higher) that contribute very little if not nothing as far as benefit to the community goes. Often they're positions for the sake of having them. And having spent the majority of my first 25 years in Frankston, parking is that expensive there, thatt 75K x6 a year should be small change for the council to be able to make up. So add half a dozen recently retired/delisted AFL players from the Frankston/Mornington region into their squad and obviously their competitiveness should improve as well as crowds and the bottom line. The councils should get a benefit from it also. That's the type of plan I think they should embark on anyway.

Exactly right BA. That's why the rumor about us the other week of being into Josh Watts doesn't surprise me either. We need tall defenders, rucks, ruck/fwd's and outside mids this off season.

Congratulations to all the award winners last night. Hutchins a deserved winner, he was rock solid all year. Michie & Grimes very stiff to miss the top 3.

Not against the idea of Jong. One of he, Hartlett, Motlop, Wells, Harvey or Dal Santo would be beneficial to the outside of our midfield. I'm not as fond of Barlow though. Think we have enough one paced inside mids.

It does at least mean he wont be a free agent when he's next out of contract. Means we're better placed for compensation.

I am, but unfortunately being a past player with the Kananook Bombers, I don't get a heap of Melbourne intel.

Greg

Online/Facebook. If he was a betting man, reckons he'll sign a long term deal.

I get the feeling that was all this talk between Jesse's manager and the club & media, Jesse is nothing more then the: "The eight of us march forward, not back. To protect our king from foes attack'. in this ongoing shemozzle.

Thanks for sharing WJ. Just signed and chipped in a little also.

I think that's where they thought Josh Walker would help them, but he certainly didn't have the year they would have been hoping. Brisbane actually have some promising young talls. Schache, Freeman, Andrew, Hipwood, Gardiner, Cutler and Paparone is a reasonable depth tall. I think the club is just so poorly run that they're performing a lot worse then their list should be producing. They could do with some good leaders as I think the likes of Rockliff are devisive and I'm not sure what sort of leaders Beams & Christensen are. Grimes could be a good fit for them, however after recruiting the likes of Bastinac & Bell last year to little effect, they may be a little gun shy.

He was very good for Dromana after he left Melbourne FC.

So in the last few days, both Dr Turf & Steven Stretch have publicly expressed that they have a feeling/expect him to sign a long term deal. This on-top of both Roos & Goodwin recently saying they expect him to stay. Only good signs one can assume?

I'll admit that I am starting to warm to the idea of him as opposed to 17 hours ago. Wouldn't want to give up more then a 2nd Round Pick for him though. Pick 26 for Motlop, 2017 2nd Round Pick for Hibberd?

Fair enough Wiseblood. We're obviously at a point in the club where we're looking to raise the bar of what/who we should look for. Sounds like we'll have to agree to disagree with some of the players mentioned, and that's fine as it creates healthy debate. I guess my point of view with guys like Lamb is that it gets in talent (and the kid has serious talent) at minimal cost in a weak draft year where we're lacking picks. Lowden who at Adelaide was behind the Jacobs/Jenkins combo is playing good SANFL football and I think of guys like Ceglar who was cast out by Collingwood or Jenkins who was traded for peanuts by Essendon as examples of big men who have been cast off at one club and gone on to do well at another. As I said earlier though, my thoughts on many of these players could drastically change however come Friday morning next week if there's an announcement of Hogan wanting a trade to Freo for Fyfe and Melbourne taking Zac Clarke as a free agent. Who knows what will happen?

To be fair, not every player i've either started a thread on or commented on is one that i necessarily want to recruit, more so players that i think are worth looking at. Main reason for so many young state league players/fringe young players in other teams lists is that given it's a reasonably shallow draft and we likely wont be coming into it until around pick 40 odd. Someone like Lamb orJosh Watts for me are low risk, high reward type recruits. They're young (both just completed their 2nd year on an AFL list) with plenty of upside who haven't reched their potential for different reasons. Lamb (work rate/commitment) Watts (injury/poor development). Right environment with someone like Macca or Jennings as mentors could do the world of good to them. And better yet, if it doesn't we'd likely be able to cut them after one year as DFA's rather then two years for a kid picked 80 odd. And for the record I can say that the players I'm most keen on are: Hibberd (2nd round pick), Tom Lamb (DFA or trade for late pick), Luke Lowden (DFA, fills 2nd ruck/fwd need), one of Harvey or Dal Santo (DFA, experienced mid). Try and get 3 picks inside the top 50 by trading out Dunn & Garland and bring in Steven Sliming & Brennan Cox who represented SA in the U18's, Spilling an outside mid/hb with pace and Cox a young key defender. And Darcy Cameron from Claremont in the WAFL. Another 2nd ruck/fwd to compete with Lowden. 22 next year I believe. Then at rookie draft i'd seriously consider Dan Allsop from the Stingrays as I doubt he'll last till our category B rookie spot. Young quick crumbing fwd. Tyler Keitel grom West Perth in the WAFL. 21 next year I believe and named at Full Back in the WAFL team of the year. We'll be light on for tall backs. And finally Josh Watts who was delisted by Brisbane who similar to Lamb is a utility who could play the Garland role. Looks to take the game on. Obviously my opinions may change as to who I think will be a good fit pending who the recruiters look to be targeting over the free agent/trade period and if Hogan were to request a trade. But they're the players I'm keen on at the moment.

Jason Bennett for the VFL and Huddo on Foxtel are alright. It ends there.

In relation to the above post I think that's unfair on the club. Grimes played 18 games in 2014 (Roos first year) and another 12 lasy year, so it's not as though he wasn't given a chance to cement a spot in that time. He played more games (given more chances) then any of Matt Jones, Terlich, Bail & Michie over that period, and rightly so . So I don't see what's a disgrace? Will always have a soft spot for Grimey however. As others have said better then I have, he gave it his all and really did bleed for the club. Would love to see him end up at another club next year and get some success. In fact already heard whispers that Geelong maybe interested. Best of luck Jack, and I hope when your career is over, we see you in the stands at the G watching the mighty Dees!

Tigers massive winners & Crows massive loosers if that were to occur.

No, no, no, no, no