PaulRB

Welcome Hail. The challenge with Cale is that his confidence and form is so brittle. As a result I'm sure some team mates doubt him, as we fans have started to.

Add 1 win to my tally (now at 11) for the introduction of Rodan. Needed some shimmy and pressure at the feet of Clark, Dawes Howe and co...

Neeld has a plan and if Rodan is part of it, I'm all for it. Welcome to the Melbourne Football Club, kick goals and raise the bar and we'll love you for it.

I did enjoy yelling "MORTON!!!" during the GF. He's a canary player for me, if we can turn Cale into a regular AFL player we will be well on the way. Keeper for me.

Looks likely to be a slow motion car crash, with lawyers, possible court case and [censored] off fans. Doubt the AFL can/will be able to come up with a penalty that maintains the integrity of their laws and ensures some of the parties don't go "legal" before 1:30 tomorrow.

Surely if he entered the draft and GWS didn't take him early, the Doggies would...

I'd pass. Too high flight risk.

The AFL will need to rule on this today, so the trades can be completed tomorrow. Can not see how they can allow the Tippett deal to stand (and him go to the Swans) given the deal was outside the rules of the AFL, salary cap etc... So a scenario that may benefit the MFC is a big fine for Adelaide and Tippett goes into the National Draft (i.e. Adelaide get nothing for him and he loses right to determine where he ends up), this would ideally see GWS using one of their first three picks on Tippett... pushing Toumpass or Grundy to be available to us at pick 4...

With the Tippett deal now in limbo, could Tippett fall into the national draft if a trade does not get done before tomorrows deadline? If so, I'd suggest it likely that GWS would pick him up with one of their first three picks in the ND which would give us another young prospect available at our pick 4. Interesting to see what the AFL do about this one, and who's likely to benefit.

I don't think so, according to AFL article - "Toy seeks Victorian Club", could be good?

We have pick 3 in the pre-season draft (which is not till Dec). As opposed to pick 4 in the National Draft... which I too would not use on Toy.

Interested in Toy for GC speculating about throwing his name into the pre-season draft if he does not get traded to Vic club in next day and a half. Given we are the Vic club with the first pick would we select Toy or are there others likely to slip through..?

Plenty to like about Melbourne’s off-season moves

no, but nor were the Hawks in 2007.

You never know, Maybe Rodan can be our Stewart Dew!!! or not.

On the upside, if we do keep Jordan, the process and scrutiny he's undergone during this period and the rumoured* low offers for his services should provide a rocket of motivation come pre-season. Maybe* the FD is actually giving Gys a month long reality check? *indicates speculation on my behalf and is based on the information I have gleaned from the internet, Stuie.

Danger in the "will trading this player bite us on the bum" is to become too focused on the individual aspect of the trade and forget where that player's replacement may sit in or assist the team. For example, if we'd traded Martin and Gys for Dawes, and Gys does well at his next club, we may still have done better from the deal due to the type of player DAwes is and the role that he plays in the team Vs the role Gys would have played...

Good draw, places us against teams we should be looking to catch up with (or get closer to) in 2013.

Would have to be a ménages à trois with these two.

We could certainly do with a Cinderella story in 2013. I think the AFL banned the Cinderella story with the intro of the expansion teams.

And builds confidence.

Stuie the articles are from reporters who talk to the footy industry, The first article suggests that Dawes may go to Melbourne, Rivers to Geelong, and Caddy and McIntosh to Geelong... If you only want to listen to the voice inside your head, thats ok. I'd prefer to read about the latest discussions and proposals going on inside the AFL from those professional reporters (greg Denham aside) being paid to report on them.

F#&king oath we do. I like the experienced recruiting, partly cause it will give us some wins, but mainly because it will allow Neeld to implement the game style he want to imprint on the team now, rather than waiting another couple of years for the young players to grow up.

good point. and so sad.

Given the AFL draw will have us playing in the shallow end of the AFL draw in 2013 I am hoping for around 10 wins. That said, I agree with Jose that it will be other "intangibles" that will show where we are really heading. Things like the quality of those times we are on song, how well we hold up against a superior team, how well we are building a team structure, game style and team ethos capable of winning finals are all as important as win/loss in 2013. I'm looking for us to build a team capable of winning a flag, and the signs of that won't be clear in the W/L next year.