MadAsHell

Can he play forward? I honestly don't know.

Given Mahoney's comments today about looking for another ruck who can play forward, but with us not having much to trade with, I suspect the odds of us going after Clarke as a Free Agent have firmed. Only other options I can see on the cheap would be someone like Luke Lowden (DFA) or Shaun McKernan (possible DFA or very late pick).

Mods please merge.

I'd say we already have a replacement for Garland lined up given that we're reportedly into both Tom Lamb and Josh Watts, both of whom are capable of playing that 3rd tall defender role. As for a bigger bodied tall, I don't think there's to many options out there? Abe has mentioned Eric Mackenzie, however I'm not sure what we could offer in a trade for him? Maybe we'd have to look for another clubs version of Dunn on the cheap like a Luke Delaney or Lachie Hansen?

If we can't offload Garland then the club need to look at giving him a different role as a utility with stints up forward and even on a wing or something. Two years of the same role at Casey wont do anyone any good. May as well try something different with him if we can't get any takers.

We should certainly be talking to him. And if we deem he's the right fit and he nominates us then we should ensure we get him. Reckon if we do take him we'll need to part with next years 1st Rounder to get HH and something else back. Port want picks this year, so any deal would have to be something like our 2017 1st Rounder to GWS for Pick 15 & 51 (for example) and we then on trade Pick 15 for HH.

I expect him to be back in 2017. However if he struggles with injury & form again, an early retirement wouldn't surprise me come the end of next season. Fully fit, his run & pace together with that of Melksham could be very beneficial to the team.

Champion player who will clearly be our next skipper. It's guys like Viney, Brayshaw, Oliver, Tommy Mc & Max that are going to drive our standards going forward and bury our demons of the past.

I'm assuming it will be with Channel 7. Can't see him going back to his old role.

Up there with Essendon's efforts in going to Wangaratta for a pre-season match. You always see Hawthorn travel to Launceston after their flags but apparently the Dogs players couldn't do their mad monday on a Tuesday. Very poor effort and takes a bit of the gloss off for mine.

Cause god knows you can't have them at 32.

1h AFL Trade Whisperer ‏@AFLTradeWhisper The Hogan deal. Exclusive details will drop here tonight

Said it before and I'll say it again, the Melbourne team of 2013 that Roos took over was worse then a top up Essendon this year or even Fitzroy of 95' (their 2nd last year). We're coming from a lot further back then the Dogs of 2014 or Melbourne of 75' or 86'. We're tracking well.

Feel for Dawes as I know how much he wants to succeed and repay the faith Melbourne have put into him. His body just wont allow him to however. Time for Dawes to be moved on for mine as Melbourne look to add that 2nd ruck/forward to our structure.

He could be the best of them all Petracca. A real special talent who looks capable of anything. I just hope that he realises his potential.

Think Lamb is more of a dag.

As I've mentioned several times, I'm happy with the clubs current alignment with Casey, however having said that. If the club was to look to create a base closer to the the city where we could have all of training/admin & social facilities there are two options, both of which would cost big $. First and probably the most ideal scenario is that we take over Toorak Park and set up shop there. Obviously this would require an upgrade in facilities including of setting up a social club while helping fund/build other facilities at Orrong Park down the road for Old Xavs & Preston FC & CC to move into. The other, which is a few Km's North of our hearland, but closer then Casey, is to set up at Brunswick Street Oval. Continuing on with PJ & Bartlett's vision of connecting with the city, we all know that Brunswick Street is a Melbourne icon and it would put us in the middle of a massive hub for the younger hipster generation of supporters and business. Again, a lot of $ would be required to get the proper facilities in there, but there's something romantic about re-openning/bringing back to life a former AFL venue. Kick the VAFA Fitzroy team to the back of Edinburgh Gardens on the field that runs along Alfred Cres. But so as not to totally jump on Fitzroy's grave, maybe name the old grandstand the Murray/Neitz stand after two former 300 champions of each club. As i said, either option would cost massive $, however would help us at least establish a proper base for supporters to meet/gather and be part of the club.

Would prefer Jong over WHE.

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.