Pates

Coming from a distance behind the pack in the best 22 stake, I'd say he just squeezes into the best 26 which means it could be a year that has him named as emergency quite a few times. If he gets to 300, he'll have earned it no matter what people may say. What is his best position of a value when he plays? HB? His disposal is even more suspect now, and did some disastrous turnovers in games. Middle? Too many players gone passed him to play him there, all of them similar style to him but faster and better. HF? Possibly his best spot but the speed of the game is only getting faster and he's getting slower. Doesn't do enough to put pressure on the ball coming out. FP? Maybe another spot for him, but same issues as above with lack of forward pressure. Love the bloke and have high admiration/respect for him, I just don't know where he fits. He'll get games if we have injuries, if we get a clean run it could be difficult.

Gobsmacked he missed AA, sensational season. Shows the difference between proper preparation and coming back underdone. For me he should be an official member of the leadership group (dep VC) for 2021.

I actually wonder if one of the reasons they’re doing it is to cram MORE games in, say get it up to 25 games for the year to make up for the absence of games last year (and renegotiate a cheeky broadcast deal). Perhaps even go down the Amazon TV path like the premier league. The one good thing about that is that in some ways it makes the season fairer where you play more teams twice, but of course what happens if in the frenzy run you play tough matches vs a team that gets a softer draw. It could make or break your season.

That's a big one for me, not being able to plan for interstate games months in advance or even just allocating games through the year that you might go to with mates. Rolling 4 week fixture only works if they expect the season to be once again disrupted by COVID, if they haven't been able to come up with better contingency plans by now they really have rocks in their heads.

He was for me our best player this year. I know others have said Max, others have said Clarry, and that's absolutely fine but to me he was our match winner and game breaker. He is using his talent and making the competition take notice, it was striking that in some of his poor matches he reverted back to some of his bad habits of overhead handballs to no one, and over possessing with his teammates. He is at his best when he takes on the mantle as "the man" and just does his thing. I hope the coaches are giving him license to do that and saying the same to Clarry, give them direction on the style of footy but when you have guys that can do what they can do just let them play to instincts. That match winning goal vs St Kilda was insane. He could be our next Brownlow medalist.

I wasn't a fan, unless they can find ways to ensure that there aren't clear discrepancies in the two teams breaks (ie one team coming off 4 days and the other coming off 7 days) it's going to create more issues of unfair advantages for some teams. I could get on board with just midweek fixtures for a period but the every day footy thing just became almost too much, and would say give the entire competition one week off at the same time afterwards to avoid again unfair advantages but unfair doesn't seem to bother the AFL.

I'll just throw one out there from us: Michael Newton. Ironically another KPP, delisted at 24 in 2011. I'm sure there would be more if I really wanted to look.

Thanks! You're picks sound like good prospects!

If we end up using these two picks I hope we look for outside run with some skill thrown in for at least one of the picks. The other I wouldn't mind us tacking a little gamble on someone with a bit of flair but some question marks around him.

I'll be filthy if they get special dispensation to pay Beams outside of the salary cap given that we have (and I believe will continue to pay next year) KK inside the cap. Much like how they've dealt with Treloar they thought at the time "oh we're being super smart and super coy with getting these guys to the club", they've made their bed now they should lie in it. Pure arrogance from them, and yes if the AFL allow it then we should be allowed to pay KK outside the cap next season.

"Unprecedented" might just be the most overused and wrongly used word in the world right now.

True that is very open to exploitation in the dying couple of minutes, and what happens if a team is down to zero anyway? Docked rotations for the next match?

He's definitely a journeyman depth/role player. Happy with keeping him on the list, he's shown he can come in and play solid footy, will probably be even better for having the 2nd tier competition running next year.

Hypothetically if we can get TMac into being a solid 2nd tall to May being our number 1 tall defender we could play Lever is a true interception CHB position. He's getting there but definitely not reaching his dizzying Adelaide heights, no doubt the knee injury has put his development behind. Fingers crossed it can all come good next year.

One year is better than nothing, his manager might be banking on him hitting his straps during his third year to get a big fat long term contract.

I don't like the zone locking of a player from each team into a goal square for stoppages (I know it's 2nd tier but it's usually an earmark for where they're going). 3 in each 50m arc isn't the worst idea though. This "reduced lateral movement for player on mark" I'm not sure about, and the umpires should be instructed to be more vigilant about players moving off the mark from a free kick/mark. At this stage the AFL rule makers are being as stubborn as Trump about the nomination rule for rucks; nobody likes it, nobody wants it, there is no evidence to suggest it helps, and almost every match we find a situation where there's confusion brought on because of it. Another rule I wouldn't be against them look at is play on for kicks backward, or perhaps a similar basketball idea where once you pass the halfway line you can't go behind it.

I'm genuinely surprised there isn't a heritage listing placed on the Jack Dyer stand, there aren't many of those old classic stands left over (I suppose for good reason). As for us, I actually also am of the opinion if he have a good proposal to put forward to the government then it will be supported, it would just be interesting to know what plans we have brewing (it's felt like they've been going forever).

Or they knew he would likely be delisted and decided to wait to pick him up for nothing. As a random aside, the club must have known a little while ago that he wasn’t going to be retained for next year. Why didn’t they just delist him prior to the trade period, did we actually think we’d potentially get something of trade value for him? I wish people would actually show him a little bloody respect, it’s like him being on the list has somehow been offensive. He wore the red and blue, played some good games in 2018 (our happiest year for a while); thanks for the service and good luck.

So if another team picks him up he is AFL standard yeah?

Just noticed that the club actually released an article on the clubs website announcing he's been delisted. Best of luck to him. https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/836671/mcdonald-s-time-with-melbourne-comes-to-an-end

Not sure about the classy tag but no doubt he's a gun. What I would like to see from him in 2021 is him trusting himself more, similar to what Petracca did to take his next step. It's all well and good to be a team player and bring others into the game, but sometimes I'd prefer he just back himself to break the line and deliver the ball. He's our best full time midfielder, despite the (deserved) praise here I think he has higher levels to go to. Tidy up disposal by foot, stop handballing like it's a hot potato, back himself to do things that others can't (he could be that sort of player), and he could be one of the best to don the Red and Blue. If there is an opportunity to sign him to a 4-5 year contract we should take it.

I'm not against the two tackler thing but like you I hate the "stacks on" when the ball is buried at the bottom of the pack so what you've suggested is a really interesting idea. The game is so fast moving that I think you still need to allow two players to tackle someone with the ball but perhaps say that one needs to let go once they're grounded. I also agree that a 25m penalty rule could be a good thing to bring in, this can be used for indiscretions such as all the time wasting tactics, encroaching in the protected area/crossing the mark, and general backchat that isn't offensive. The 50m penalty can be used for violent conduct, late contact after marks, and offensive chat back to the umpires. I would also like a sin bin to be considered where a player gets sent off for 5 minutes of game time leaving the other team short one for that period for clear rough/violent acts that leave the player unable to continue. These can also be directed to the on field umpires by the video review umpires. My biggest reasoning for that is that how often do we see a team do this and the only team that reaps the benefits are their opponents next week. The team on the day/night should be punished. As an example Nibbler would've been sin binned for 5min against Adelaide for his sling tackle. I also hate the ruck nomination, as soon as the players are up and the ball is in the umpires hand they should throw it up. No nominations just get it moving, same with throw ins just get it going as quickly as possible.

He's young and developing, I liked some of the things he did and he could well eventually take Jetta's role as the small defender permanently. For now he's in a bit of a battle to get a spot in the team.

My concern with Gus this year was that he seemed to be going through the motions a little at times, I don't know whether that was due to a lack of understanding, trust, and/or cohesion with his fellow on ballers. He played some games that are much more to his standard, especially when he was given more responsibility in the middle. I'm a big fan of Viney but I think for the good of the team these two need to rotate between a half forward and guts roles, Jack would bring his manic "see ball get ball" style, and Gus has a better overhead mark and penetrating kick. Not sold on his golf swing goal celebrations.

Spargo's issues continue to be the same: he's small but not quick, disposal is suspect, and doesn't have a lot of tricks. That said he played some good games at the back end of the season and did more than the likes of AvB, ANB, and Jones, he also is at least a little creative when he gets the ball on the edge of 50 to look for options rather than just blasting to the top of the square. I think a two year extension was fair for a player who had a solid place in the team during our 2018 surge, like a few others 2021 could be an important year for him.