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Think a few bloke are overating Fitzpatrick! Will strugle to make it.

What makes you say that? The club are pretty impressed with his progress so far.

198cm and 104kgs

Turning 23 this month.

Debuted 2008, played 11 games and 4 this year.

Aggressive ruck who moves pretty well for his size. Hard to judge from the minimal games he has played. Always felt he was a better option than Blake though.

yeah, cheers for that.. would defeat the purpose of the rule if gws could just snatch him.. are we able to nominate him early, then get him out playinf for casey in the vfl? similar to david swallow and the gc?

It would probably be his decision where we wants to play. I cant see why he couldn't play for Casey, but I would think he would play school footy.

i dont know if im reading this wrong but the article on the herald sun superfooty site states

"gws COULD nominate him as one of their 17 yr olds next year".. surely this excludes potential f/s selections?

Viney has to agree I think. I read somewhere a club announced a player they will be taking father son a year early so GWS are unable to take them. For some reason Im thinking it was Collingwood. But Im not sure. But whoever it was it sets a precedent as for what other clubs are allowed to do in regards to father son selections.

Found the link - It was Carlton.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/blues-may-move-on-stars-son-to-thwart-gws-20100315-q9pe.html

Just means the club needs to claim them as a father son early. Risky for unknown players, but Viney we know is a gun!

Lets just shoot for the best first before we lower our sights (or as you say take a risk)

Can I ask who the best is? I have no idea which established gems are available for poaching.

When will this actually be announced and who exactly decides?

It will be a player driven vote 'Leading Teams' style. I wouldn't expect it to be announced before the new year.

Ox, just because some do, does not make it desirable. The game is becoming much more professional and technical. Its not just appreciating skills, techniques, tactics etc its also about the psychology of managing young people. All this adds up to attending coaching schools, gaining experience at lower levels and building up a track record of some excellence.

So far all I've heard is that Presti a) was a good player B) was at a good club and c) is a cracker of a person, which is all fine, but nothing about what he would bring to the table as a coach. There are many assistant type coaching roles at an AFL club and Back/Mid/Fwd would be 3 of the major assistant coach roles and I would want the MFC to get a good seasoned experienced Backline coach, not an unknown rookie. If we were not building for a flag and trying to save a few dollars it might be different.

Yeah I understand that. But the thing is, people need a start somewhere. You dont actually know anybody can coach, until they have coached. Sometimes you need to take the risk to get to get a high reward and finding a gem. Scotty West didnt do any of the above, and most have felt his influence to our midfield group has been great. All he had on his resume was super player, super bloke and super respected. Sean Wellman was also one who stepped straight into being an AFL assistant after his career and many are shattered he has left us. Max Hudgeton went straight into a premiership coaching team the year after his retirement. It is usually the norm for ex-players to go about it this way. Its the rare few who are willing to step down to a lower level and try their hand.

But really, whoever the man is that gets appointed (if anybody does at all - maybe we just have a rejig) they will be the right man for the job and we will back them to the hilt, experienced or not.

I'd have thought his first prerequisite was too go out and get some coaching experience first in the VFL (or other/similar)

Or do we now have rookie coaching positions?

You have to get experience somewhere. Most players go straight into AFL level assistant coaching. Hell, if players can go straight into AFL level senior coaching with no experience then Im sure most can go into an assistants role.

I like it, I like it alot!

Good post rpfc, agree entirely.

Prime examples of this exact way of thinking is Ottens but also Jolly for the Pies.

It usually turns out to be the final piece of the puzzle because it's just so hard to find.

I find this hilarious and truly an excellent display of what a true pig Mark Thompson is. Most arrogant piece of s**t i've ever heard in the media and hope he burns with Windy Hill.

On the topic of SpyandSource however, he stated Melbourne would use pick 52 to pick up Josh Hill in the national draft. Wow. I think we have alot of players similar to Hill but he is class and may force Bennell to play better. Good idea for mine if no young talent is left on the board!

He meant on trade pick 52 for Hill. No way Hill would make it to 52 in the ND

Saint Kilda 26 Spoons

Melbourne 12 Spoons

Now lets compare flags! :D

I also see your point, but you need to think a little deeper.

I think we will make finals next year, and that can still be done in a development year. The thing is, we do need to kick more goals like you indicated, but we dont need to bring someone in to do this. The FD didn't just chase the tall option as only a goalkicker. We have plenty of fire power in the forward line, but unfortuntately some of our best missed most of the season. Jurrah adds 3-4 goals a game, Petterd 2 or so a game, and we can expect to see more from a more mature, heavier Jack Watts. Also Wonna missed alot of games who also adds 2+ goals a game from either his own boot or pressure.

We have the cattle to kick big scores, we just havent had them all on the park at the same time.

Who shall we play as second ruck then? maybe Spenser or perhaps Gawn or even Fitzy, which one would you choose?

I think with the sub coming in Robbie alot of teams wont play a second ruck. I would keep him for if Jamar goes down

So although he is going to stay in China do you think Bailey will still give Cheney a run now he's no longer a Demon? Would be a bit odd having a hawks player playing a game for the dees...

The Hawks wont allow him to play, so no, he wont be getting a run.

Alright, I will give it a crack. Its tough!

Garland Frawley Bartram

Grimes Rivers Bruce

Morton Moloney Davey

Sylvia Watts Green

Dunn Jurrah Petterd

Jamar Scully Trengove

INT: Dunn, McKenzie, Bail

SUB: Bennell

A bit shattered we din't get him to be honest. Don't quite understand why we were hoping to fill an obvious need with Hale, but when that didn't eventuate, we didn't make a play for someone else to fill that need.

So, while the FD are saying that we need a big body to free up Jurrah and Watts, we haven't actually done that, and unless some miracle happens and we get someone via PSD, we will still have that hole for the next 12 months? Interesting decision, obviously made for a reason.

Another development year folks, be prepared for early September holidays!

How do you know we didn't make a play for someone else to fill that need?? Because it wasn't out in the media or on SpyandSource's twitter?

I cant see how you can say just because we didn't get a big forward we wanted (at the right price) that we are not a chance for the 8. I would have thought at this stage every year is a development year, and I would have thought most of us understood that - obviously not. You are developing until your window is open - ours isnt open. The luxury we have is that we have time on our side to get the big forward/relief ruckman we want. Hell, we might even have him on our list already, and we just need him, to dare I say it, develop.

Now... many people here know how much I fancy the read-head. I rate him as a great future prospect and love his style of play.

BUT TO HEAR OF THIS TRADE MAKES ME CRINGE!!!

Cheney PLUS pick 66 for Hawthorn's pick 52????? :/ How does that equate???

Oh well... I hope he carves it up for Hawthorn.

And no one will get to hear me bang on about him anymore

Whats a read-head? Settle down DeezMan, Kyle wanted more opportunity so we moved him on. Dont blow a gasket over it, or you might end up needing your head-read.

I was just on the MFC site looking at our list quickly and i noticed that Newton was on the senoir list of Melbourne.

Then i went to the rookie list and noticed that meesen, Mckenzie, and Spencer were on the rookie list.

I know Spencer and McKenzie will be upgraded and meesen has been de-listed. But why is Newton on the senoir list. Is it just a mistake?

I noticed this during the year.

I am pretty sure when he was elevated to the senior list during the year for the handful of games he played he was moved on the website from Rookie to Senior and just stayed there. That doesnt explain McKenzie though. Probably just an error - wouldnt read anything into it.

We make him available! And he ain't as skinny as what people think anymore. Another 5kgs maybe handy! But not absolutely necessary... Perfect fit for mine!

I hope the FD seriously consider a player like Westoff who still has plenty of upside and improvement. He is a player who needs to go to the next level and our FD will take him there. He looks a little stale at Port and a move could do him a world of wonders!

To me he has a bit too much of the TJ syndrome about him

scully was missed in that list!

Or he is the second name on the list...

They do get to take players over 2 years, so any player out of contract 2011 or 2012 is up for grabs.

Those coming out of contract at the end of next year are:

Sylvia, Scully, Gysberts, Morton, Wonna, Maric, Martin, Fitzpatrick, Gawn, Cheney

Could someone please direct me to the topic where I might find some information regarding progress of the David Hale trade wheeling and dealing?

Just checking...are you in any way an employee of the MFC who has been sent to gauge opinion on the David Hale move? If so, mass consensus is divided about 50/50, but it's still a mass consensus either way. If so, We thank you for your time in listening to what we want, as we are certainly more qualified than those paid to make the tough decisions.

IMO, he's heard of our concerns & is doing his bit to alleviate those. It's totally parallel to what we've been discussing.

I honestly really feel sorry for you. This just isn't a level playing field.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103873/default.aspx

Tim Harrington:

"There's obviously competitive tension is all these deals but before you go into it, you've got to be very clear what your starting point and ending point might be.

"One thing that can happen is you can individually and collectively as a team and a club get caught up in the chase."

All up, Harrington said talks with the Kangaroos had been pleasing throughout the trade period.

He also says Hale will be an important addition to the Demons despite the fact he is unlikely to improve physically at the age of 26.

I'd love to know what your point is? Am I missing something? Does it say somewhere there that he listened to the deluded one?