Pates

Love that Max is front and centre on the AFL website!

Let's not go crazy! Besides I think people are entitled to feel aggrieved at the AFL if they do give one to the Lions after denying us the pick based on the idea that we weren't that bad. At the end of the day giving a PP is based on struggling on field performance and the Brisbane team this year would probably trounce the Melbourne team from that year! As you say, giving them a bucketload of picks won't make a bit of difference. Didn't realise their debt had reached $13m.

I think that sums him up very well. Like it or not he's got Melbourne in his heart along side Fitzroy and Sydney (understandably Sydney probably occupies more space). When he was asked about the last round it did upset me because you can tell it hurt him, but I think what upset me the most is he's annoyed with himself about it, that he failed. Definitely didn't deserve to bow out after his worst ever loss. But a very good interview from Mike, Roos was pretty honest and measured with his responses (wouldn't expect anything less from him). For me the most interesting part was him talking about his time as captain at Fitzroy and how he was put in a difficult position with players and match payments. I get the feeling that a few Melbourne captains have lived through that as well.

Not that we were expecting anything different but congratulations Maxy! BIG part of why we were improved this year, his synergy with Tyson, Viney, and Jones was a joy to watch. If Tyson continues his form from the second half on 2016 he could be up there for AA consideration next year, particularly if he and Maxy continue to work so well together. Very well deserved Max! #fearthebeard

Look that's definitely true, we may not have got the priority pick but what we got was better. It was club changing for the long term. That said I always thought the AFL set a dangerous precedent by giving us nothing that year. They could have given us another second round draft pick and that could have at least satisfied the idea of lending a hand through draft picks. The AFL doesn't have a Paul Roos type coach available to do what he did with us again though. Roosy definitely sounded like he was ready for it to finish after Carlton and after Geelong that would be enough to beat any last thoughts out of him.

I do feel it's more likely he'll stay a crow, he seems to have close ties in Adelaide and it wouldn't surprise me if he sees a potential move into coaching in SA.

I totally agree with your assessment. The best power forwards didn't stage for free kicks they stood up against the pulling and tugging and simply got on with the job. He is a bit of a flopper, I hate seeing opposition players do it and I hate seeing our players do it. Two things I want him to work on over the summer: his kicking routine for goal and getting penetration over 40m, and standing up to opponents and their tactics. He's a powerful guy, he just didn't seem to be using it in the second half of the year.

1. Gawn 2. Viney 3. Watts 4. Tyson 5. Jones 6. Jetta 7. Vince 8. Tmac 9. Hunt 10. Hogan Coaches Award: Jetta Leadership Award: Viney Best Young Player: Hunt There's my little prediction!

I know this is a Thompson thread but I gotta disagree with that point. While I wouldn't have him in a regular best 22 spot, I still see him as a valued pest for opposition players. He'll get games in 2017, probably similar to the amount he got this year. Thinking more on the Thompson side of things I would personally be leaning towards no, mainly because I don't feel like he is what we need. I won't be upset or annoyed if we do get him but he's not someone I would go after.

Reckon that top 10 will be very close to the B&F. Can see Hunt potentially higher than Hogan and Jetta above Vince, but the 10 itself is what I would envisage. Can anyone put the relative 2015 results next to their names? Would be curious to see comparisons.

Would be a great addition, hopefully we can get him across the line.

In terms of what happened in the past, it wouldn't affect my feeling on him coming to Melbourne. In terms of him playing and moving into a coaching role, it's an interesting thought. Clearly very respected given Goodwin's attempts to bring him across, would he essentially be a playing assistant coach of sorts? What he can add to the team for 2017 is the question though, we have Chunk, Viney, Oliver, and Brayshaw as "see ball get ball" in and under players with Tyson also another contested ball winner. To steal a line from North, would he be taking the spot of a younger player? Is that the point, that we still have such a young team and Goody's trying to ease their burden so they can continue to develop at Casey? I would be happy with it, would be strangely sentimental to see him in Red and Blue again even if his best is past him.

I really want to hear Demonlanders getting behind the scorps this finals series. They've had a great season and have been an excellent feeder for the seniors this year. Maybe the Demon Army can organise to have a cheersquad there for the games? Let the boys know that just because the MFC season has ended doesn't mean we're not behind them. Who qualifies and who plays? Are there any that the club want to wrap in cotton wool for the end of the season?

Ah so close!!!! Now they've got the double chance anything can happen for them. Damn!

Our 100+ loss and losing to Carlton to the end of the season has brought us that ridiculous gift. Neither should have happened. We've been clearly better than the pies this season but could finish below them. Man i'm p!ssed at the players for finishing the year with such a disgraceful performance. On your choice, I still want pies to win. Hopefully they only win by a point though. But seeing Hawks not win the premiership trumps a little pride for our ladder position.

Don't really understand why you're so outright upset about this decision Picket. On the question of how many games did he play? He was emergency for many games and we had an extremely good run of injuries this year. Another year he might've played 10+ games. Is he expected to improve and keep pace? Of course, like every player on the list. A full pre-season under his belt will no doubt assist that. He was ready to go to Punt Rd? Yes, at our request when we put him on the market. He failed the fitness test and re-injured his foot, and we proceeded to aid in his recovery and rehab. I'm quite happy to see the club is seeing that through to the end. Yes Picket we need depth. We need competition for spots. We need to make sure that any young player coming through the ranks next year knows there's a keen as mustard Jack Trengove nipping at his heels in case his form drops. It's not all about the 22 blokes who are going to win the next premiership. And yes signing a one year contract allows us the use of him as depth and the possibility that he can fulfil his natural abilities and potential. As I said, I don't know why you're so emotional about it.

I actually thought Eddie Betts handled it really well, tried to play it down and prevent it from blowing up. He's accepted the apology of the girl who threw it and I take him to be the sort of guy that encourages forgiveness and education. As for Tex, I don't see much of a need for him to show support for Eddie as I think most people have given Betts praise but I'm sure he appreciated it anyway.

It'll be a rare occasion, but I would love it if the Pies won this week. Would pretty much mean the Hawks would finish out of the top 4! I certainly don't think it'll happen, but wouldn't it be nice!

Yeah I was thinking Adelaide had a real crack at it this year but to drop against WC (who are coming good at the right time) at home is very costly. Just had a look at the ladder predictor, I didn't realise that if we caused a massive upset over the weekend Geelong can go as low as 5th. In fact if we do we then potentially means North might be better served losing to GWS as they would get a final in Melbourne as opposed to traveling to Adelaide (uh oh, tanking talk!). I would get enormous pleasure out of us stuffing up the cats finals! (Can't see it happening though)

I've become so accustomed to Roos being our coach it's kind of surreal to think that it's come to the end. It's also been forever since there has been a genuine handover rather than sacking. Neale Daniher's was I guess smooth in comparison to the years that followed but even then it was exactly clean. We say goodbye to Roosy with heavy hearts because he has been a comfort to have at the helm. For the most part, no matter how bad things were the supporters went to the mantra of "in Roos we trust". He's done his job, it's a shame the players couldn't send him off with one last finals campaign but we weren't ready. Best of luck to you Paul; you were a Roy, then you were a Blood, but you'll also now always be a Demon!

The comp is barely a blip when it's all said and done. We were all happy for Jesse last year, as we were for Rivers (and Flash runner up) all those years ago but at the end of the day it means very little. Hunt's had a great year (totally out of the blue for me), I think Roosy's praise and recognition by the club and teammates will be worth more.

I'm happy about this, I feel that they've had a frank and honest discussion about where he's at and where the club is at and Trenners is backing himself to get back to what he can be after a full pre-season. I wouldn't discount him but at the same time I do feel a lot of players have gone past him. I think he will be a fringe player in 2017 but who really knows. I feel it's a pretty low risk decision for both parties.

I mean he's not the crash and bash traditional inside player like Viney, Jones, and Oliver. He's more silky than them, I suppose he's able to find the ball with more finesse. Dunno what else to tell you, for me I haven't seen him as that much of an inside player. More outside with good inside abilities. Obviously I was wrong!

It's funny, Dom doesn't strike me as an inside player but he does get a lot of his own ball. His first year was excellent, second year was pretty poor by his own admission and I think most on here knew he was playing injured, but his second half of the year has been fantastic. He has been a sensational recruit from Roos and Co, if we can get Salem right then that is an absolute win on that trade.

Tough call on him. I don't know if there's room for both Dawes and Pederson at the club next year with hopefully Weeds getting more games into him. For me I feel Pedders adds more when he comes in, and Watts has shown decent ability as a chop out ruck (although I'm not sure that's a good long term option). Dawes frustrates me a lot, I would be comfortable with the club holding on to him but if it's a choice between him and Pedders I would choose Pedders. And of course I'd like it to be on our terms given the big 4 year deal we gave him to bring him over.