DeeSpencer

I'm pretty sure senior players start back 2 weeks after the others. I'm not sure who qualifies as a senior player though - McDonald, Bruce, Green would be about it! Maybe Riv, Warnock, Moloney, Jamar, Miller, Davey can have a bit more rest. I just hope we get some good numbers on the track and minimalise injuries. Hopefully as many as possible can have full preseasons, and we get some good improvers similar to Frawley. I would expect Watts to be training sporadically until the end of his exams, and then crank it up towards December, likewise with Blease. I'd like to Watts just go from private school boy to strong young tall. I'm not expecting him to look like Riewoldt but if he starts to get a frame that looks like a young man with a physical presence it would be nice. As for big improvers - Martin, Bate, Petterd, Morton and Maric are my tips to go from boys to men over the summer.

I hope we lock this bloke in soon, and get a good preseason into him. Is a lovely run and carry and kick of the footy. In 2 years he has only battled away at VFL but his AFL games were very very solid. Whilst I don't think he'll ever be a true tall defender if he can be a handy defensive player he has a great attacking game with his run and foot skills. Reminds me off a young and exciting Darren Milburn.

Timing could be the issue. McDonald will surely have his last year this year, and then we will be looking to hand over the captaincy. Davey and Moloney seem to be the logical fan favs at the moment, as the idea is that Bruce and Green have missed their shots, and younger guys like Grimes, Jones won't be ready. If Ball had a super debut season with us then he could be in the same area as Davey and Moloney, but he would have to win over the players. I think we should to see if we get him first! This years leadership group will also be interesting. McDonald, Davey, Moloney, Bruce will be certainties. Green probably gets in. Miller will again push, despite being such an average player, but who else will get a call up - Rivers, Warnock?

I think taking a player to get us there isn't the worst idea though. Aaron Hamill and Rob Harvey aren't at the saints any more, but I think they really helped get them in the right direction. Ball could do similar for us. Medicals will be so important for both Smith and Ball. Playing on the lush surface of the MCG should be good for both of them!

If he goes ND, I can see Essendon with picks 24,26 snapping him up. They are dying for someone to help Watson out in the middle. Can we convince Ball that we are a better place to go than Essendon - I think we could.

Yes but I'm sure we can ask the AFL for permission for him to train with us, just like Carlton did with Chris Johnson last year. The whole situation firstly depends on how badly he has fallen out with Ross Lyon and the rest of the saints. I'm sure we will get a Ball weighing up options article in one of the papers soon which will give us more of a clue on what his plans are.

Early or Late sorts it out.

Mumford has great skills for a ruckman and gets around the ground well. Probably doesn't have the physicality of Jamar, and we'll need to work on his hit outs to go from good to very good or even top line. But he's a player I'd love to have for a PSD pick, or pick 34 or later. Not sure I'd give him 1mil of 3 years though.

Marribynong to Casey is a fair hike, I get that. But you're a footballer getting a great wad of cash- move house!!! You're not a student with no cash who is practically forced to live at home. Considering that you are driving against the majority of traffic, and the M1 up grade is nearing completion, as a Melbourne player you can live in a vast array of eastern suburbs - expensive or inexpensive leafy or bayside, and be at Casey in around 40 minutes. Plus you are closer to Junction oval and our future base at Olympic park.

So you are saying he would be more of a stopp-ing defender?

Hmm, if tanking caused him to leave it comes down to: Pick 2 and Pick 11 or Brock McLean. I know what I'd choose!

He looks a nice player but with Bate, Sylvia, Jurrah surely we have a lot of nice sized goal kicking marking forwards, and what we really need is some support for Watts. Only take him at 11 if he is that far clear of the best tall forward.

The swans managed to convince Ryan O'Keefe to stay when he was going all trade week and then he had a great season. I don't want it to come to that but the point is that you can get players back on board. The latest from bigfooty Gas Mask He told Melbourne over the weekend that he wants a trade to the Dons. McDonald has since left Bali and flown to Darwin to convince him otherwise. river man James Mcdonald has cut his trip to bali short to fly back and meet beetle bailey in darwin to try and convince aaron to stay with the dees.

Probably would have switched on enough to play a few good games early in the year, but there wouldn't be a chance in hell he would have kept Maxy out.

Good luck at the scum

The thing about Wona is that whilst he isn't particularly skillful (nice short pass), quick (handy but not lightning), tough or strong, he's a very good footballer. Reads the game faster than most, and takes the right option most times. The number of goals he was able to kick in a poor side highlights this. Next year I expect some very exciting moments from him!

Thats a positive view of it, the other side to it is that the big fish trades stall the progress and stop the trading of the little fish, which is where trade week can be beneficial to everyone. A lot of little nothing deals end up working out pretty well for a lot of players - Farren Ray, Rhys Shaw.

Very promising in his first year. This year he has baulked up and trimmed down the hair but hasn't played too many games and besides a good game against Collingwood as a mainly second ruck he's had an average year. I thought he was initially best suited as a mobile athletic third tall, who could defend adequately but also give good run from defence. I still think thats his best go. Due to his position on the ground I wouldn't want to offer much for his services. But definitely worth taking with a PSD pick if it all gets ugly.

I'm generally not a fan of tatts, and therefore by extension a whole sleeve of the things. However Beamer should take Newton with him, his forearm stars are as pathetic as his football.

Stuff Mission, its David Misson from StKilda who we missed out on. He's there elite perfromance manager and has got them fit and firing.

Plus keep an eye on Cunnington, Christensen and a few others from the falcons.

Not sure if Brighton is 3 weeks or 2, but either way you can't spend the whole time studying. I remember it like yesterday with the teachers ranting on about how much work we should do but also saying taking a few days off is a great idea. If he stays out of trouble, then returns home to get stuck into some hard work then he'll get just as good a score as he would have anyway. Here's another way of looking at it described by a mate of mine- "I've always had a theory that the best footballers are the ones with no future to cloud there minds anyway! The true bogans like you're Careys, Abletts, Dane Swan etc. Not having something to fall back on will only increase Jack's desire to become a superstar of the comp!"

Forward. He'll be dangerous on the lead, won't get beaten one on one and will be useful when the ball hits the ground. Plus he can make the repeat efforts around half forward to help out Bate. I don't believe in the changing positions ruined a career line. If he doesn't make it as a forward then revert him to the backline, but geez his worth a go up forward.

My Dad mentioned this to me. So I asked him whether he though Ian Thorp should have swum second last in all those relays where he beat the yanks, or whether Julia Gillard should be running the country so Ruddy has less pressure. He then agreed with me it was a stupid idea, but we were both undecided on the Gillard idea. The point is, the champs strive on pressure. They soak it up and just put there head down, do the hard work and back themselves and their talent. There is no way being pick 2 would have taken any pressure of Watts, either way he still would have a bucket load. He also still would have been 17, going to school, and built like a teenager (which he is!).

He might have been pick 4 but I'm pretty sure it was in the PSD, but he did cost us a top 20 pick so I think it would be fair to add him. Where as Meesen didn't cost us a first round pick so I wouldn't accept him. Bell and Nick Smith could also be included.