binman

Sometimes JM your negativity just is so boring. The OP wasn't moaning. Please give the bad ju-ju a rest - it is so tiresome and distracts from the positive stuff you often contribute. Scott Thompson is one of my all time fav players full stop. I loved him at the dees and it was a massive loss when he lost him. I'm really pleased for his success at the crows and wish him more success. But this thread topic was about his chance of winning the brownlow (which i actually think is a great bet and i'll be getting on) not a moan about us losing him (even though jurrachane noted it was a bummer we lost him - which it was!)

I'm confused. I think we agree. We will get Viney in the mid 20's. I'm not sure about the propaganda machine though. Neeld will have the final say and if he wants Viney bad enough we won't risk losing him. Conversely if he wants another player more i'm pretty confident he'll do what needs to be done. I don't have any idea of the talent of the under 18's, its enough for me working out our current team. I'll leave the analysis to the professionals.

No i don't agree. We declared our hand before Neeld came on board. I have no doubt Neeld won't be swayed by any previous deal or sentimentality. if he doesn't think Viney is top 5 we won't pick him. He has flagged this already

But as i have said nominating Viney will be a big call from either GWS and GC, they won't do it to just to avoid giving the dees a leg up. If they nominate him and we don't elect to take him well we have the choice of either the best or second best player (as defined by likely top 2 picks by pundits and clubs - and there usually is two stand outs). Mighty big risk for the franchise clubs. High stakes poker and we have the upper hand. They pick Viney, we fold and pick up 1 or 2

I wonder if clubs will steer away from menzel as both older brothers have had (similar) knee problems and i heard Doc Larkins say there can be familial genetic predisposition to certain injuries such as the ones they have had. Hardly sticking my neck out though, more like an anti stick the neck out!

That's just not the case. By any measure he is not a superstar. He may become one, sure (as Watts will) but is in't one at present. What are you basing your assessment on? The game last night? He had 25 possessions, which is good but not earth shattering for a guy who spends so much time on the ball. This is the most possessions he has had in a game at AFL level, ever. He certainly influenced the result with his display in the second half, he was terrific but this one of the few times he has actually done so. Instructively the Hun gave top votes in the game, not to Natanui but Sellwood. If he was a superstar he would be a monty for AA selection this year surely but he won't be selected. Don't get me wrong i reckon he will become one of the best player in the league, a superstar if you will. But so will Watts and i stand by my statement both clubs will have won from the deal.

This is a very interesting situation. The AFL have publicly warned the clubs on this but very hard to prove a deal has been done (eg for a favorable deal in later years, or a quiet agreement not to target out of contract players etc). The really fascinating bit is whether GWS or GC would risk selecting him if they don't really rate him, say top 5. Also both clubs have already drafted alot of mid field talent in i would have thought, Viney may not be the sort of player either clubs is after ATM. I suppose GC could do with some grunt but GWS seem ok in this regard If they did select him they would have to be pretty sure Melbourne is going to take Viney and as much i'd hate not to have him at the dees (we so need a player like him) they won't if it they really think there is a much better option (it would have to be much, much better though given they would be breaking a commitment and we know what Viney can offer). If either club picked them and we called their bluff (ie chose not to take him) we would then get the nominal 1st or 2nd draft pick of the so called super draft. A pretty big gamble for GWS and GC and i don't think when its all said and done a gamble they'll take just to stick it up the dees. Its big business and you don't take that sort of risk out of spite. And beyond the risk of giving up a player who might otherwise go pick 1 or 2 you would make an unnecessary enemy of a club who has money to spend on players and may be looking at some point to use that money to lure some of the young stars they have assembled. I reckon given all of the above there is every chance we will get Viney in the second round, meaning we 'd have 3 first rounders (2 of them high first round) and a gun. Happy days

He's a talent no doubt but there is no way we got the wrong player. In time both clubs will win on this deal.

I thought he had a pretty good game but yes this was a bad turnover in terms of timing as he had multiple players free, which if hit could have taken the ball inside 50 and perhaps we might have got a goal. My mate, a demon fan, said to me - as soon as Morton hesitated - "he's gonna stuff this up" and sure enough he did. But a bit of perspective. Both Watts and Trengove each turned the ball over with a poor kick and a direct goal and on both occasions each player elected to kick left footers (when they could have used their natural foot).

I reckon this is the explanation for his loss of leg speed. As i have said on other threads, i suspect they will ease the load for the second half of the year and if so it will be interesting to see if Trenners improves his run etc. In fact with the load business i reckon they will have already started easing off as they will want to be cherry for GWS and that would take 2-3 weeks of tapering i guess. I think we have seen the fruit of this already with the essendon win and matching Coll for 3 quarters. Worth noting in this context that until the essendon game we had not won a single second half quarter. Against collingwood we looked the fresher side for much of the second half

Bollocks, absolute bollocks. Terrible turnover but to say he plays without pride form himself or the jumper is rubbish. I thought he played ok today and to stand up later in the game to save a certain goal shows his pride. Generally hate the phrase key board warrior but applies to the above quote.

Hurley's not the brightest - he can't do more than 2 things at once so once he's crashed or bashed he can't tackle, if he starts tackling he'll lose his crash and bash

This interview, supposedly about Jamr's resigning but also the dees trading and drafting strategies features some of the longest answers i've ever heard. Time stood still for me at one point. It goes for about 9 mins and Burgan only asks a few questions! Sounds like Cam has been having Whiteboard Wednesday withdrawals: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/tabid/8667/contentid/457705/default.aspx It has to be said though he keeps ticking the boxes.

This is huge IMO. A real show of faith in the club, he would have had real currency in the market. To me it really reinforces what i have been saying about the improved sense of unity seeming to be coming out of the club. Deserves three years and i hope he is on good coin. The timing also shows real leadership. Love it. Did i say this is huge? Go dees!

Perhaps this has something to do with why Neeld chose Beamer to sit beside him in the presser following our first win of the year (ie recognition of his leadership).And i agree with the previous poster about the sense of unity that seems to be evident at present. Great signs i reckon

Perhaps, but i heard the sen interview with AD. Those guys are so soft and sycophantic it defies belief. I was crying out for them to ask the dead obvious question, which they never did of course. If indeed it was a joke by jolly ([censored]) andy d why did he choose North as the club, why not any other club. Even in jest picking North surely indicates they were/are worried about how it is being run. And please AD don't trot out the rubbish about private conversations, only jokes, can't we say anything when out in our free time etc etc. The AFL exec on the turps at a public function? Button your lip and be a bit discreet, of course it will get out otherwise. I can just picture it, a bunch of over weight middle age blokes who think they rule the world telling everyone in ear shot how they were going to fix all the problems.They'd soon take a club CEO to task if they were say, bagging the AFL in a similar public forum Also they didn't ask the other obvious question which is was it ever raised on another occasion? Which the very next day Cook volunteers it was, in a more formal way it would seem

My prediction of 5-6 wins a couple of weeks back is looking pretty good. I'll stick with that.

Is the bus to go looking at property to buy?

Lets trade him now while he has some currency! reason for edit: to clarify this is a joke

Charlie-Horse-Quick

After a bullet pass from the point guard playing the role of the sweeping quarter back court general

"The thing about Jack I have learnt is he does not take a backward step, whether that is someone confronting him physically or the media commenting on him or constructive criticism from the coaches.'' - Leigh Brown from article at link below Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/birthday-boy-20120606-1zwqc.html#ixzz1x1TkdIun

In Misson's injury wrap he said he is reasonably confident of Blease coming up with the 8 day break - "a solid cork to pubic bone" - "should be available to play" assuming he gets through training according to one of the more serious dudes in footy

Funny you should say that the dufus commentary team on 7 called Fletcher a goal keeper on a few occasions (amongst a million variations of the terms sweeper)

Very good. A three pointer?