old dee

I am sure the club cares. Playing in Melbourne allows memberships to be sold and your supporters to attend the game. It also gives a better chance of winning and progressing in the competition which gives more press and TV exposure to the club and a chance of a higher prizemoney win. I am sure the club would love the exposure of a final and the prizemoney and sponsorship enhancement.

Funny how we seem to get sent all over Australia every year. A loss then means playing in the outback out of sight.

Remind me where collingwood is playing.

PS. It has also been suggested that we are playing the first two games in our group, meaning that we will be tired in the second against a fresh side playing on their own dung heap. I think in the last 5 years we have either played the premier of the year before on their ground or played interstate. Would have been nice to draw Tigers and Dons at Etihad for a fair chance for once.

PPS. As for September I note that most sides that have won the NAB cup have gone on to have a good year.

All the points you make are very valid however I have noticed the last two years we have had poor starts as in no NAB cup wins, no practise game wins and a big loss in the first game and still we have had 30 000+ members for the first time ever

and reduce $5 miilion debt to zero.

Seems to me that the football department will take a win if it comes up but are not too worried about games in mid feb.

I find it hard to get excited about any football in mid feb chances are it will be 40+ degrees in Adelaide.

And based on past experiences we cannot beat time with a stick over there.

You mention Nab cup winners have gone well in September that is simply because they are good sides

nothing to do with playing well early.

There are other views about being up to early e.g. The Dogs last year won the NAB cup and had so many injured and tired players by the time September arrived they went out fairly easily.

you will no doubt remember that Sydney did not win a NAB game for 8 years, one of those years they won the flag and the next year were runners up.

lets no forget these are practise games for the main event, if we get through to the second round well and good.

But don't read too much into them either way.

It will be 40 in mid Feb and we play poorly in Adelaide.

Cannot see much to get excited about.

At the end of the day "Do WE Care"?

As mention earlier I am interested in how we play in September not mid February!

Don't know about others, but I am a bit surprised we have left news on our 1st list lodgement so late.

Why are you surprised?

Almost everyone has been in China and no doubt the situation with Bruce is holding up a few decisions

on other players.

I think the first lodgement is not due till next week and then there is another chance after that so we may be last

but it will happen.

I get the feeliing there will only be a couple more players dropped from the list.

What I'm learning more and more each day is that this club is now being run by people not only have a clear vision but the belief and cohunas to see it through , that means sticking to your guns. . Cam, you've had a bloody good run son ; you're lolly bag's been pretty full over the journey . You're either with us or agin us . Sign for a year or quite frankly bugger off. Noharm in you asking the question but it's been answered. Time to do something !

Well Belzebub59 I hope you would use language which is a little more concilatory than that!

Because if you said that to me you would be wondering how to extract a football from your lower regions.

Thank god the Football department is doing the negotations.

If he's a Gun then for 3/4 of most game's he plays he's shooting potato

I agree with you he goes off the boil too often at present.

Also remember in game 2 vs the Pies he put in a poorest example of "foot steps" I have seen at the Dees for a while.

Everyone talks about Petterd droping the mark in the dying seconds but forget about Bennel's effort earlier in the game.

If he keeps his head up he takes the mark or gets a free kick.

Kicks the goal and the Pies are so far down the mine they would have never have got back in the game!

Instead we lose by a point.

He will need to put in a few match winning performances before I get too excited.

Hope I get excited early next year

Yeah but if he sits outside your senior list ... he costs you next to nothing.

If you had the choice of Trapper or a 5th round rookie selection it would be a no brainer. Baring in mind

a/ ND = 90 spots (approx)

b/ Pre Season draft = 10spots (approx)

c/ GWS Rookie draft concessions = First 8 picks

d/ Rookie Drafts Round 1-4 = 70 spots

So in effect he would be pick 179ish in the drafting process. I'm sure you could also give him a year-year contract, again assuming he sits on your veteran list.

If he goes onto your Veterans list its just a "cheap" player that you dont have to upgrade via a rookie list up-grade.

All of the above is fine but what does he give the MFC?

to play him we have to leave out one of the many midfielders we have at present.

I would prefer to find out if Maric / Bennel can play at AFL level than use Travis next year.

Don't get me wrong I am an admirer but I just do not see a spot for him.

As someone said earlier a one year deal at St Kilda might be a good move for them.

But we are not in danger of winning a flag next year. 2013-14 is hopefully our time.

TJ will be long gone by then.

Is he eligible to go onto our Veterans list? or Does anybody know?

You would need to give him a contract and I do not see that happening!

At the very best you might make him a mature age rookie.

but I cannot see that happening either.

MFC seems firmly fixed on youth!

So where does a 30 year old fit? we do not seem to want to give Bruce two years

And he is still playing well.

why would we give a spot to Travis?

Yep, has some good qualities for a bloke his size.

Kicking isn't one of them though. Yet.

I think we all may be pleasantly surprised by this kid.

I have watched him at Casey quite a bit and he impresses me.

He has put in some good games but has a long way to go IMO

However never seems to give up even when things are not going his way.

Saw him against Williamstown mid season when we got belted.

I thought he was the only guy that played well for Casey that day.

It will be interesting to see him in 2011, probably needs a couple of years to show his full potential.

Look how long it took Jamar!

I have my fingers crossed but feel positive.

Given where it is, and that Bailey seems to have exactly 0 interest in NAB cups I wouldn't hold your breath.

Agree with you Jacka.

If Bailey has little interest in the NAB cup he has my vote.

Mid Feb in Adelaide it could be 40.

This competition is too early, too hot and too hard!

We Will see how keen Bailey is when we send over a team with only 10 of our best 22.

Wait for Spencer as first ruck, no Scully, Trengove Green Davies or anyone older than 23 for that manner.

If we get past the first round I will be very surprised

and to be honest I don't care much I want us playing well in September not February.

Important part of the side now. His run is unending. Backs up every time. And his kicking is pretty good as well. Definitely 'Best 22' material.

Great pick up from late in the draft.

Could not agree more.

Just proves that there are gems later in the draft.

Not all the gold is in the first twenty.

My view is to judge the recruiting depart by their later picks

I could have worked out to pick Scully and Trengove.

But choosing Bail takes skill!

Don't be surprised if they see Newton in that role. Did well in Shanghai in defence and ruck and in a couple of real games he competed well in the ruck. If, like me, you have written him off because he's not up to it as a fwd then maybe the club knows better. They clearly see something that eludes the rest of us!

I have seen Newton play this role at Casey and do a good job Yes I know it was at Casey.

Not getting Hale might have saved Newton for another year.

The next couple of weeks will be interesting when the MFC come up with their final player list.

I will not be surprised if Newton gets a one year contract.

He played AFL. Even a player with average commitment, works harder at it, beard on no beard, than anything I'm ever likely to work at. You can say it's a reflection, but to draw conclusions from it is drawing a long bow. Had he played every game like he did the Adelaide final in '02 he could play with a 2 foot hot-pink mohawk, and I wouldn't care. Though, I know Jaded would...

Am I the only one who can easily look on his career with fondness? He played enough good footy over a decade at the club to be considered our most dangerous player by one of the great coaches in Matthews. Then when the club courageously and wisely decided to let him go we got a first round draft pick, from which we got a player who is odds on to outstrip him when his own career wraps up? We can easily be negative on here, but ten years of ok/sometimes brilliant footy, then a first round draft pick is cause for celebration in my book. Even with the #1 draft pick tag, which the longer I go, the less I care about.

You are not the only one Dappa Dan. I enjoyed him.

There are few perfect people in the world and he had his flaws!

There have been a lot worse players at Melbourne than Travis.

I know he was inconsistant but when on song I loved to watch him.

Still think was the best kick the demons have had in the last 20 years.

Sad to see it end like this, come back to victoria Travis I would go to see him in the VFL!

*Fitzpatrick, not McKenzie.

I hope we do see a lot more improvement & aggression from Jake in 2011.

I'd love for us to find ourselves in the position Carlton just found themselves in.

Sorry you are correct!

adc the problem is when people pump up the tyres of certain players who haven't done anything to deserve it and have had plenty of chances, then others are entitled to come in and try to "correct" the situation

if noone was pumping up newton's tyres i don't think there would be so much criticism. I know i wouldn't, i'd just keep my peace and wait for him to be delisted

now if the fd do decide to keep him on, i'll be disappointed and i'll think they made the wrong decision. But i'll accept it because they run the fd not me.

Well said daisycutter. I had hoped Newton would make it but so far he has not.

I have seen him quite a few times at Casey and he plays well at that level especially as a ruckman/ forward. Even had a couple of good games taking marks in the back line.

However he seems to very good at VFL level and not good enough at AFL level.

Like you I think it is time to cut him however I will not be bitter and twisted if he stays!

Nev is a long way off being the classiest player on our list, but he does some things really well. His chasing and tackling are very strong attributes, but I'd like to see him add a couple more strings to his bow (particularly goalkicking). I'd also like to see more consistency throughout a game, and hopefully this will come as he develops a bigger tank. He's an interesting player ...... down the track I'm not sure where he will fit into our best 22 (small forward, midfield, back pocket perhaps?), or even whether he will make it. Definately not writing him off, but for me the jury is still out.

I think you have nailed it. Jury still out for me too, 2011 would need to be alot better.

Actually Im not..and thats the real tenet of the post. But it does become somewhat intriguing that when the pressure is off he has a few tricks in his bag. Many would have him as a candidate for the MFC Tuber award, for many hes still that work in progress; for some hes just this side of an enigma.

There's obviously 'something' there. Hes now on the Senior list...it must be time soon ?

Here it is from my view point.

I know Jake through a family member.

He played well in QLD and MFC saw something and gave him a rookie spot.

So far he has shown only rare moments of his potential.

He has been plagued by injury since the MFC put him on the list.

Has also had a problem of not appreciating the work needed to succeed at AFL level.

Has been given a two year deal but understands he needs to show a lot more dedication and affort to make it.

He knows he has a two year start on Gawn and Mckenzie however 2011 is the year, it is put up time.

Has also been told to "go for it" being timid will not get you a long career in the AFL.

So the long bomb was proberbly due to a more "go for it" attitude.

I expect we will see a more agressive Jake in 2011.

My message "don't die wondering Jake"

Having said all the above I am concerned in the injurys he seems to sustain on a constant basis.

Also not sure he is good enough!

However the ball is firmly in his court now.

in my day getting the jack had a whole different meaning

Spot on!

Get fit Wonna. last year you came back fatter than a pig and it was un-professional. Thing is year before he looked a million dollars in the pre-season and had trimmed right down. he needs to get back VERY fit this time and he will improve on 2010.

Hope you are right but he seems to go misssing for long periods in the games I have seen him play.

Hope that is just a fitness thing.

He needs to have an injury free 2011 and play a lot better than this year.

Until then The jury is still out for me.

Indeed.

The sub rule also helps IMO, since it's even less likely teams will play two bona fide rucks.

Newton is a keep for me - as he's on the rookie list, the opportunity cost is low.

And he has gone to China that says something!

What it says I am not sure

But why take him if he is for the high jump!

I think Cheney wanted to leave as he did not see much chance of a regular gig at Melbourne.

It freed up a spot ( and salary ) for melb and because he was contracted we did the right thing by him.

I doubt we will use the draft pick don't believe we were too worried about which one we got.

It does of course stop Hawthorn using it.

Good Luck Kyle I though you were a honest goer who gave his best every game.

I think we'll do very similar to last year with Meesan and Newton, who were both contracted, but were delisted & re-rookied so at least we didn't have to pay out their contracts and get nothing in return.

What we'll do imo is Delist PJ & McNamara and re-rookie them. We should have no problems in getting them in the rookie draft, they would not be on any other team's radars.

That way we'll use pick 12, 32, 49 and 52 in the national draft.

We'll also have room to still make 3-4 rookie selections, since McKenzie & Spenser upgraded, Meesan and probably Healy & Hughes delisted, maybe Newton delisted as well

I would rather keep Hughes than McNamara!

As with Newton and Meesen, Mcnamara will nominate for the drafts. If not picked up he may be rookied.

FWIW I reckon Mcnamara will be a much better chance at getting picked up in the draft than Newton and Meesen.

Thats the risk but does any one think Mcnamara has much to offer!

I have seen him a few times at Casey and thought he was an average VFL player.

McNamara to rookie list? May get an offer elsewhere, pretty sure he signed a 1 year deal only for this is year

PJ to mature age rookie spot as ngr tall.er ruck insurance.. or delist..

Last year Meeson and Newton I seem to remember had 1 year contracts to run.

We told them to nominate for the draft and if they were not picked up we would

put them on the mature age rookie list.Which is what happened.

If we want spots to use picks this could happen to any or all of the three you have listed.

Not a bad idea with PJ as he would be available if we had a long term ruck injury.

But the risk is another side can pick them in the draft. Probably not much of a risk with PJ.

But why does everyone thing we want to use the fourth round pick!

First three seems fine to me.

Cheney and Martin are contracted. Unless you do a gratuitous trade for Cheney then he stays.

PJ,TMac are in the gun.

Upgrading from the rookie list counts as taking up draft picks. Jordie and Jake count for 2.

Atm we only have room for pick 12.

As another poster pointed out, PJ and TMac are not on the plane to China. Hmmm!

Thanks Rhino I forgot about the upgrades must have been too much red over the weekend!

While I am not a big fan of PJ if we let him go and then Jamar gets injured we will be in the poo!

There is also the matter of Cam Bruce Have you heard anything lately?