FarNorthernD

I know it doesn't have the alliteration value of Rhino Richards but if Nathan is delivered to us, and he proves to be the irrepressible force he is supposed to be can we call him Rhino anyway? Always loved the physicality of the original

Thankyou for the update KC There were many weekends this year where keeping track of Casey games was infinitely more rewarding and interesting than Melbourne ones. I'm hoping next year the Scorps will benefit from having a host of fully fit Demon players pushing hard for spots in the winning senior side

"Godfrey's kick was magnificent" (Eddie at 7.30)..... Not a sentence you heard every weekend Nice vid thanks

If Hogan can consistently kick pressure goals he'll have surpassed Neitz

The first time I looked at his highlight video he reminded me of Brent Grgic. I don't mean that in a nasty way; soft hands in marking contests and a nice Rolls Royce smooth style. And he seems to possess a more aggressive nature that Brent lacked. It was only a 3 minute vid but I will be interested to see where Blake gets picked up and what he does in the future. He has something about him

Does anyone know where to find the link that magically puts the fixture into iCal? Someone has posted on the equivalent thread for the past couple of years and it is a winner

I actually hope that Neeld is an assistant coach for the Saints. Some of the Rnd 1 Melbourne team will step up in his honour and I'll be putting a couple of dollars on Watts for 3 brownlow votes

Thankyou for those stats rpfc. A couple of things really surprised me Firstly, 62% of all top 10 picks fail to play 100 games. It is interesting that so few have long careers given they are this countries absolute best at 17/18 years old. But even more curious is that picks in the 30s are substantially more successful than picks in the 20s. Is that stat right? Any ideas why?

That would be such a Melbourne strategy.. Pass on our first few picks and then strike when everyone else is done and dusted, casually picking up the hidden gems at picks 92, 110 and 128....

I'm guessing over pre-season Nick Riewoldt will again be practicing his "exasperated/I've been hardly done by/shake my head around in frustration/give me an easy free" look for when Tom McDonald spoils a mark and then runs off him

12 gone out of a list of 44. It is a brutal sport. I'll never complain again that footballers are paid too much (Unless Dan Nicholsons kicking doesn't improve over pre-season)

I am very happy to have Daniel at our club and believe that he will be a valuable contributor for us on the field and as a role model off the field for some of our younger players. As the thread title suggests, I welcome him to the MFC However, I also wish he could have finished with the Bulldogs as a one club player. I wish the same for Paul Chapman. They were linchpins of their teams who will always be associated with their original clubs. Whilst the circumstances are different, there was something very wrong seeing Dal Santo in a North jumper. Brereton in a Swans guernsey and Junior in orange. I understand why it has to happen but I still find it sad

I like Watts more than most here but I reckon that 2.82 is a fairy tale. Perhaps there was only 19m between the gates that day, a howling tailwind or the course was on a downhill section of Arthur's seat. Has anyone actually seen Jack look that fast on the field? I've never seen that sort of brutal acceleration or withering closing speed from him. Given our development of players of late perhaps we have knocked it out of him but until proven otherwise I will put his 2.82 into the same basket as Elvis sightings and alien abductions

I think the story was that Daniher said he wanted the toughest, strongest, no backward steps footballer of the draft. The recruiting department delivered Luke Molan to the Rev. Luke's story is below but it would be fair to say he had a harsh run with injuries. If you were looking for a symbol of Melbourne's luck over the past decade the nearly number 14 would make a fair mascot. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/a-super-unlucky-pick-from-the-superdraft-20091124-j5uy.html

That would do the confidence wonders - Start the year in Perth against one this years grand finalists who are only going to get better A traditional round 1 shellacking with a cherry on the top 25 possession, 5 goal breakout game by our Col And I'm an optimist

I very much want Willy Rioli to make it onto an AFL list. Then there would one AFL footballer that I'm both taller and lighter than

Good point

And to take this to an illogical conclusion Opening bounce, centre square round 1 Ruckman Kennedy Jones and Vince First rotation Viney Second Cross Third Toumpas Fourth Tyson Some speed, polish, grunt and lots of attack

I was thinking of Frawley but Sydney are trying to clear salary cap space and Frawley, quite rightly, wouldn't come cheap.. Has to be pick 9 + a young up and comer who doesn't cost the earth I can't believe we are talking about this.

Congratulations for the best rumour in 165 pages. Just enough believability (easy to picture Buddy being an arrogant knobhead) And Kennedy may follow the guy who helped make him the player he is 95% unlikely to happen but love it anyway

And looking at the footage posted on the Viv thread he goes to some lengths not to kick on his left

I am a fan. Michael just needs a fair run from the injury gods. He is part of the solution, not the problem

Wow, that is impressive. Puts the ball, by both hand and foot, to the advantage of the player receiving it. Not a lot of that happening in Melbourne sides of late Also seems to have a left footers accuracy which, in combination with Vince, will help delivery to feed the triumvirate of terror Nice goal from on the fifty too If Dom can repeat this sort of game on the G it will be happy days for us Melbourne supporters

True, Zac has to be chosen on merit alone. But if our pick comes down to two players of equal ability then Jones Jnr should get the nod. Yes footy is a business but there should also be room for sentiment and heart.

A bit of history of pick 20 2003-10 and the number of games for each player Butler. 108 Polo. 77 Bower. 70 Hislop. 27 Notte. 2 Swift. 34 Fyfe. 72 Pitt. 10 With Fyfe being the standout exception, which of those players would you have starting their careers with us now rather than grabbing Vince? Assuming Bernie averages, say 18 games a year, for the next 3 then we get 54 games from a 188cm/86kg experienced midfielder who will walk into our side as the 2nd best midfielder. Nathan Jones must be a very happy boy this afternoon. He is exactly what we need and pick 20 is not overs