bing181

As per title, Bruce has been appointed development coach at Hawthorn. Starting down the long road to senior coaching perhaps.

Yep. The early bird catches the wor

Probably only from people who don't understand how grim things have been. The key for me here though is what he'll bring to the club OFF the field as well (along with Byrnes). It's not just troops we've been lacking, it's experience and leadership, and the benefit of a solid citizen like Dawes around the club for players like Hogan, Watts and even the backs (Tommy Mac etc.) is invaluable. It'll also help players like Howe, Blease, Tapscott etc. stand tall with Clark and Dawes alongside them. BTW, there were very very few who rated the Hale to Hawthorn trade either.

Twitter from AFL News that Dawes deal is done, pick 20 and exchange of later picks. FWIW ... not lodged officially. Yet.

Agreed. To be honest, I'm not all that fussed about how Dawes (and Byrnes) go. They've played in premierships, they know what it takes, they know what it's like, and both are reportedly solid trainers and good leaders. On-field success starts off-field - Sydney are as good an example of this as any team around. Get the "culture" right, put in the hard yards, and it's surprising how far you can get.

And many other supporters who don't feel like you and don't waste their time here.

Articles appearing saying that Dawes has decided he wants to come to Melb. So does Pederson it seems. Not sure what we have (left) to trade for these two together, unless it's going to be players. We could end up with only one live pick in the draft at this rate.

Following your argument to its logical conclusion, we'd have every club in the AFL knocking on our door to sign up Cale Morton because the club sent out a message that he's a top bloke, is hitting the gym, and is about to turn the corner. Rival football clubs would have a very clear idea of Moloney's capabilities, strengths and weaknesses, regardless of anything the club does and says. One of the arguments often trotted out on these boards in regards to Prendergast and co is that "they're professionals, they're paid to get it right". That's true, and no club is going to go putting players on $200K a year on the basis of some spin from a rival head coach.

Which he'll be able to do from first day of pre-season, as opposed to having to wait till the end of November.

Indeed. But we don't have either of them for the moment, so maybe we should wait to see how it plays out.

As it was summed up in another place: Allround athlete of the combine: Dominic Barry: 10th running vertical jump, 9th in repeat sprints, 9th in beep test, and 3rd in 3km time trial.

Hogan is 17. He's an investment in the future. Dawes and Pederson are investments in the present.

Actually drafted by the one and only Barry P. Spot of revisionism going on on the boards.

It has been fairly widely reported that we want at least one "live" trade in the top 10, i.e., pick 4 (or 3 or whatever is left).

Who says we have to go backwards to go forwards? And what issues are you referring to. Poor original post, unsupported by any facts.

I'd be happy wherever we take him, for some/all of the reasons given in this thread. Taking him at 3 isn't all doom and gloom, as it leaves us with a live pick 26, which is probably going to be much more useful in trades. We're not going to get much with our next available selection, pick 45, and I would have thought that even for a player like Pederson, North would be wanting more. Though perhaps we can pick up a nice second round pick as FA compo on Moloney and/or Rivers.

Oh come on, she also tweeted a while back that she didn't understand the fuss about us taking him at 3.

At the end of the day, that's all that matters.

No it doesn't. All clubs have different needs and perspectives, different game plans, are at different stages in their development etc. etc. One club's pick 3 could be another club's pick 10. Viney is definitely our pick 3.

The only mess we got ourselves into was the one that came about through only winning 4 games and finishing 3rd bottom. Had we finished 8th, everyone would have been over the moon at getting Viney at pick 14 or whatever.

Not by himself, any more than any single player would, but you build a house brick by brick, and he's a more than useful brick to have, both onfield and off. We've all been calling out for strong, experienced, older players at the club, and he seems to tick all those boxes. Neeld, Craig and co. know what they're doing.

Just to add to that, as an interesting aside for those interested, English English spelling is also the official spelling of English not just in Australia, NZ etc., but throughout Europe. As I'm sure Jared Rivers is aware ...

We're not Geelong.

You're being a bit selective there, only Franklin was pick 5, and in any case, all are about the best picks of their respective years. You could have easily picked out Cale Morton, Mitch Thorp or Richard Tambling, all of whom went around pick 5 as well.

Viney will be the best pick up Melb has made in the last 10 years .... you just watch. As Emma Quayle tweeted "future captain". So pick 3 - no sweat.