Maldonboy38

I agree Hulk. Neeld has shown a very clear hand of what he wants, and has been uncompromising in his focus. Big mature bodies, or mature disciplined minds. If Wines is available at pick 4,MFC will swoop. My prefernce is for Toumpas but he will be gone by pick four and I reckon Neeld will aim for Wines anyway.

I feel a little bit the same, but I am a lot angrier with our player development staff than I am with our recruiters. I have no problem recruiting players like Morton, Gysberts and Cook. At the time, most clubs would have had them rated at about the position MFC drafted them. Gysberts aside - who didn't develop mainly through injury - we develop mediocre footballers. Mick Malthouse annoys the carp out of me but I will give him this: he turns boys into men who become aggressive, talented, hard working footballers. Colin Sylvia is the most obvious MFC case in point. Can you imagine him at Geelong, Hawthorn, WCE? Why did the Club/Board/L:eadership allow our player development to remain so poor for so long without action?

I really like what MFC and Neeld have done during trade period and at one stage I was in favour of Pederson. But I remain unconvinced about him. I can't see him fitting in to our 22 easily, and we seem to have gone from no power forwards to a surplus. But I am an outside observer and will try and see a plan emerging from our coaching and recruiting staff. So Pedro, welcome to MFC. And I have a horrible feeling that Gysberts will do at North what Thompson did at Adelaide.

We don't NEED Pederson. He will be a stop-gap player when a big body like Clark, Dawes, Sellar or Frawley are injured. Gysberts should be kept. He has a lot of untapped potential, but he must get fitter and bigger.

Trengove. He is really angry and disappointed about 2012 and I reckon he is bursting to show he is a bloody good footballer. B&F beckons. Blease. His last 5 games of 2012 were outstanding and with another preseason, we will see a genuine superstar emerge. Frawley. If our midfield improves even 20% and actually helps out with defensive pressure, Frawley will become Scarlett-like. He will have more freedom to run and set up attack for play makers like Watts, Trengove, Jones and Davey.

Can't say I am unhappy to see Morton looking for opportunity elsewhere. I am one who thought he had all the qualities of being an exceptional player, but he has worn out any kudos he might have earnt through lack of application. He goes down n history as another naturally gifted player who couldn't make the leap from being a great junior into a consistent AFL performer. However, MFC's dysfunctional player development over the past decade probably contributed.

Hated Alves and Wells leaving. Two very bright stars in an otherwise dull period. I was young and cried like it. I never really understood Woewodin going. Surely we could have cut others before him? Farmer was a superstar - people would jump to their feet when he got the ball in case he did something amazing, which he usually did. And where did he go? FREO???? I was a Brock McLean fan and grumpy for days when he departed. I am even more grumpy now that the real reasons behind it have been revealed. I am slightly disappointed at losing Jurrah, but will be severely miffed if Port take him. And off topic - the era 94 to 96 - oh what could have been. This remains the best Melbourne side I have seen. Two issues stuffed it up. 1) injuries 2) A dysfunctional club I have to stop here, it gets too depressing. Every time I think of what could have been the Glenfiddich begins calling again.

I rate him and reckon he is in our best 22 - if and when he can get fit. If he gets a big injury again this year then it is over. He isn't Sydney Swans Jetta quick but is surely not slow. His first 3 or 4 steps away from trouble are quite quick and you will find he does get space when he has the ball which means he has time to deliver it. And he can kick all right, so that puts him ahead of a many of our hackers (Bartram, MacDonald, Bail).

I was really surprised by the photos on th MFC website - Taggart looks so much stronger. He definitely has the skill, pace and endeavour. If he also produces hard work on the training track then I agree with DemonWA, I reckon he will be like an extra draft pick this year.

I really like the option of Dean Towers. I am unsure if we have the right trade personnel and/or draft pick numbers to get him but he appears ready to play. But is he the outside runner with great skills that we need like Isaac Smith, Christ Yarran, Daisy Thomas, Daniel Wells etc...? I really want Toumpas but he won't make it thrugh to pick #4 unless some behind the scenes deal was included in the Hogan/Barry deal that allows him to slip through. Hey, I am allowed to dream!

Best of luck to Rivers - he has been a pillar of strength and consistency after a few early injury-riddled years. But I reckon it is a poor decision on his behalf. The Cats have lost Ottens, Harley, Ling, Scarlett, Wojinski, and probably others I have forgotten over the past 2 years and I see them sliding gradually out of the top 8. And as good as Rivers was for the Dees, there is no way he fills the Scarlett hole. What it does emphasise though is Neeld's take on our past leaders. He preferred Grimes and a very young Trengove to any of Davey, Moloney, Green, Rivers, and did not express much disatisfaction at Rivers' desire to move on. This is beginning to feel a little bit like Blight taking over Adelaide in the mid 90's.

Neeld is correct in saying that we matched 50/50 for contested ball in the midfield over the last half of 2012 season. It is the next ball movement, those players 5-7 metres away who receive the ball, who can run and carry and deliver. Forward spread players who are vital in the modern game. Watts can do it down back. Blease will be a gun. Bail is still in the potential versus performance stakes Byrnes will deomstrate this in the forward half of the ground. Tynan, Taggart are unknown quantities at this stage. Barry was recruited for this job and I reckon we will recruit another like him in the draft.

"Going to be some very serious competition for many spots now. The bar's been lifted. Itl be beyond some and for others a goal. More wheat Will be sorted, more chaff moved on." I agree 100% belzebub59. For the first time in a long time we have players having to work hard to get into the 22, and even harder to stay in it. We have a lot of people able to play down back and now at leat 6 who can play forward. The next step is to develop 8-10 who can rotate through the midfield and play at 4 quarter consistent AFL standard. We might not get the midfield up to speed in 2013 but then again who knows? But what it does mean is that players like Viney, Jones, Trengove, Grimes, McKenzie, Sylvia, Blease, Bail and maybe also Gysberts and Barry have got to out-do each other at training, in the VFL, and/or the AFL to stay in the side. It feels a but like the early days of Yze, Rigoni, Leoncelli, Glen Lovett, etc... actually it feels better than those days. But again - the proof will be in the 2013 season.

Dad born in South Melb and a life-long a Swans supporter. Eldest brother also follows Swans - lucky bast..d Mum a mad Dees supporter. Next older brother followed Dees until 1974 when we got beaten bad and he jumped to the filth. Remains unforgiven and on the outer. I loved Greg Wells and Stan Alves, and cried when Hardeman lost the Brownlow to one of the softest players of all time - Keith Greig. I was emotionally hooked from that day on. What kept me going during the 70's? One thing: Robert Flower. What keeps me going now? I have absolutely no idea. But I remain red and blue through and through.

It is too early to be doing this but I can't help myself. B: Garland Frawley Strauss HB: Dunn McDonald Watts C: Howe Jones Trengove HF: Tapscott Dawes Byrnes F: Davey Clark Jetta R: Jamar Grimes Sylvia Int: Gawn McKenzie Viney Sub: Bail or Tynan Neeld appears to be a fan of Joel MacDonald so he will probably push one player out. The list above is probably who I want to be in there, not who will be.

Toumpas. We have : 2 proven in-and unders in Jones and McKenzie. 2 stop gap in-an-unders in Magner and Couch 2 potential in-and-unders, Viney and Gysberts. We NEED outside brilliance. Toumpas - but I don't reckon he will get to pick 4.

HF: Byrnes Dawes Sylvia (or Tappy) F: Davey Clark Jetta I agree with above - a lot of onballers will rotate through. Can't see Pederson forcing his way into the 22 yet.

Neeld is proving himself in many areas of coaching - recruiting, development, dedication to training, strategy and planning - but he has not proven match day abiity yet. I still reserve judgement on this. In 2012 his playing list and performance gave us little opportunity to assess his match day coaching ability but this year we will get a clear indication. But boy does it feel good to see his determination and clear focus.

I get optimistic every preseason only to get my hopes so often dashed. But this year feels so different. It feels aggressive, determined and very clearly "my way or the highway" for players and coaches. I go to a lot of preaseason training - really looking forward to it in a few weeks.

Gumby has a horrible kicking action - a bit like James Hirds. Just lets the ball drop with two hands. But his kicking efficiency is good despite how ordinary his action is. His marking ability is amazing. He is fit, but can it hold together? I would trade our pick 45 for him, but I reckon the Bombers won't let him go for that. Pick 20 is probably too much for him.

If we don't secure Dawes in a trade, then lock in Towers. If he is available at pick 20 we cannot let him get through.

Yes, but I just sifted through and gave insights on the candidates that looked strong to me.

IN: FA - Byrnes Draft no. 13 - Barry Draft no. 20 - Draft no. 26 - Viney Draft no. 45 - Draft no. 64 - Draft no. 82 - Draft no. 100 Draft no. 118 Rookie upgrade Dan Nicholson POSSIBLE TRADE IN: Dawes. COLL Pederson. NMFC Thomas. PA Ray. STK DEFINITE OUT: Lawrence Jurrah Green Moloney POSSIBLEOUT: Morton Petterd Bate Bennell Martin Rivers Gysberts Davis Cook

"Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone". Pink Floyd

If we take a quick outside midfielder with pick 4, then I am happy with Dawes being traded for Pick 20. However, the comment above about Ben Holland fills me with the jitters. If we can't/don't get Dawes at 20, then I'd take draftee Dean Towers, planning to develop Hogan in this spot in 2014. Use Martin, Fitzy, Sellar for 2013. If we want Pederson or Gumbleton, take them at pick 45. May need to inclide Morton/Petterd/Bate to pick up Gumbleton this late.