PaulRB

I think we have less deadwood in our list now after the pruning of the last three years. I think we'd only need to draft 3-4 kids in the 2012 draft, we have Viney, mid first round concession (9) and we trade our second Concession (13) and our 2nd round pick (31) for Gaff (or equivalent) then use our 3rd round pick (49) to gamble on a smokie/dev player.

Did the same with my Brother. Bet him "slave for an hour" any ideas? Back in 1999 had a bet with my other brother that Melbourne would get to a GF before Essendon (alcohol was involved). Which we did when we won the Prelim the following year about 18 hrs before the Dons also won their Prelim... he never paid me.

While the concession picks were the silver lining of the dark cloud of Tom's departure from Melb, being able to enjoy 2012 without fear and loathing about losing a player is another. GWS stirring the pot at Collingwood and Essendon this season will also add a pleasant side note to the footy this year as well.

we won 5 games in 2003 so it don't count. ;-)

Which club is most often represented in this list? Nick Riewoldt (2000), Luke Hodge (2001), Adam Cooney (2003), Brett Deledio (2004), Marc Murphy (2005), Dale Thomas (2005), Matthew Kreuzer (2007) and Tom Scully (2009) Not a Melb player amongst them.

Agree, however I suspect that they would appreciate the AFL pouring in a couple of million dollars even more. Given the development that is now required to get the best out of young players a priority draft pick alone is not going to change the fortunes of a financially struggling club. MFC being a good example where debt demo, sorting our training facilities and development systems will have a greater bearing on our success than picking up Tom Scully (aka two draft concessions) will have...

Just increased the value of our concession picks... I like.

Blease sounds like he's doing well.

If the boy supported Melbourne, and he's what we need, and we can shove it up the other Melb clubs in getting him. Then all guns blazing I say. Gaff and Viney added to our midfield should mean a seriously exciting 2013.

Neeld is exactly what Jack Watts needs to push him to be a great player when he could comfortably slide through as just a good one.

Brad Green had a great year in 2010. Based on that and a derth of alternatives (all too young at that stage) he was given the captaincy. Unfortunatley, and I'm lifting this from Brads interviews, leading into 2011 Brad didn't work as hard during the preseason (perhaps too many Captain related obligations, perhaps he figured he didn't need to), he found that his transition from wing, mid to forward made it difficult for him to impact games when required,... So he, and the MFC, struggled in 2011. My biggest issue with his captaincy (and the culture at the MFC) that put him there is that it was leadership in part based on seniority in the playing group rather than other leadership qualities that are more important than seniority. These would be 1. the ability to lift and inspire your teammates with your efforts and play - for form reasons Brad struggled big time in 2011 on this front. 2. the ability to accept the teams failing is your failing - some of Brads post-match interviews after a loss were painfull to watch, as he cheerfully described that despite the loss we were improving... giggling as he abdicated responsibility for our dissapointment, and even in the latest interview saying how he easily got over losses. I expect the leader of the MFC to be a seething thunderclap after a loss and for the pain of each loss to drive him and the team harder. 3. venom - physical aggression, leaders need to know when and how to up the stakes physically to rally the troops. Neitz would charge a pack like an angry Rhino, Junior would land a ripping tackle, both would use it to intimide the opposition and inspire the troops. Unfortunaely Brad was unable to do that. I love Brad as a player and hope he comes back to his best this year, and I believe that he would have been a much better captain this year for the lessons of last year. That said I think Neeld has made the correct decision re the LG and new Captains, in part because the LG of 2011 should be challenged to lift their contribution and input into the team despite thei losing the captaincy and positions in the LG... Time will tell.

No midfielder is an island and good sides target the oppositions best ball winner. Perhaps a stat you should look for is in the broader MFC midfield group when Brent plays badly. Good teams protect their ball winners, in bad teams its everyone for themselves and team discipline breaks down... Brent is as good a midfielder as Ball, yet Ball is playing in a well oiled and disciplined midfield. I reckon we should ease up on our best player of 2011 and see how he adapts to the new coach and gameplan. Go Demons Go Brent Moloney

I'd hope to see the increased hardness that Neeld has spoken about in the NAB cup, even if we do lose...

Like Watts, TJ , and Silvia, Liam has shown that when he's ON he is elite. However, the swings to date from best to worst is too wide and therefore he's not ON consistently enough to be elite, yet. I'd say Jack Watts is similarly not ON enough. Pleople are disposed to believe that Jack Watts will develop the consistency, the engine and drive to be ON more often, and if he does develop these things then with his obvious talent he should be elite. Liam didn't come throught the classical development and draft system yet in his career to date has displayed he has the talent to be elite. The doubt you are voicing is that he won't develop the consistency, the engine and drive to display his evident talent consistently. I disagree. Liam has had to give up more (his culture and family) and work harder (i.e. learn english) to get to where he is than most of the MFC list, and this to me indicates a resolve that will allow his talent to flourish. Liam will be a star in the sublime mold of the great Robbie Flower.

To praha123 - I'd suggest looking at other aspects of your life that may be driving your feelings of frustration and impotence, cause the club is in a better place than it has been for several decades in terms of our ability to compete for flag over the coming seasons.

I reckon Neeld doesn't need a mentor, he seems focused and sure that his way will bear the fruit we are all seeking.

Quicksilver owners are Cats fans

Easy to argue the opposite, as Liam will be up against the third best defender with Clark and Watts likely to get the bigger defenders. That said, it would be unlikely the team would go through him as often as last year... Depends also where he fit's into the Game plan, perhaps he'll be used like Krakouer at the Pies, or running back into space, or leading out of the goal square, or on the flank...to state the obvious time will tell and his class will prevail... Given he can be so damaging, especially in bursts he's a proven weapon. Go Dees

I don't agree that only the best midfielders are the elite. Football requires a number of positions have great players in them, and the best backs and forwards are also "elite", even if the Brownlow and media etc miss them. I reckon All Aust defines you as elite as the position is taken into account.

Johnson - 175 games for 363 goals = 2.07 per game Milne - 236 games for 490 goals = 2.07 per game Jurrah - 35 Games for 81 goals = 2.3 per game

Stevie J at the Cats and Steve Milne at the Saints are elite. There is no reason LJ can't reach those heights...

Put a motor into LJ and his line breaking and delivery from the wings into a forward line would be mouth watering...

Funny how everyone has dropped off Liam Jurrah for elite... LJ - Aged 23 - 35 Games 81 goals - freakish talent with clear areas for improvement. JW - Aged 21 - 40 games 33 goals - loads of upside...

Thats fair enough. Looking forward to seeing it rolled out.

A couple of factors seem to have been important to Neeld in selecting the LG as highlighted by the selections and his comments as to why they were selected and his general coaching approach. The captains and most of the LG are articulate students of footy, great representatives of Neeld's Football University approach. They would have soaked up Neeld teachings and game plan and are the type of characters who are keen to communicate, explain and encourage their team mates in their also learning the new game plan. Most of them have had to work hard on themselves due to injury (Grimes), position (Jamar and Clark) or due to weaknesses in their game (Bartram, Jones). Most of them seem to have their best footy in front of them and have completely signed up to the Neeld reign. To the discussion points: Moloney - Love his grunt, passion and rawness, but suspect a couple of thing prevented him being in the LG, namely: he's an instinctual player who I suspect reverts to his gut approach when the pressure is on and drifts off what his contribution to the game plan should be. He also seems to go into his shell when the team or he is struggling. His butt wacking approach to team motivation may work on some players sometimes (saw him gee up Jnr before a game with a series of butt wacks and Jnr was on fire) I suspect that it is too full on or one dimensional for others. I think he need to focus this year on learning how his game style can be adapted to suit Neelds new game plan, I think this is a fair challenge for Beamer. I noticed last year when Scully was in a clearance set up with Moloney, it was Scully who was telling everyone (incl Moloney) where to be. Garland - Love the "Undertaker" reckon he's a student of the game who, like many in the leadership group, has the ability to both hold his position and do his role while also assisting his team mates do theirs. I think both he and Frawley had/have a great mentor in Jared Rivers in this regard. He's aware of the flow of the game and rarely takes the wrong path out of the backline. I'd hope that being in the LG gives him the confidence to be more aggressive and assert himself more on the game. Frawley can already do this, Garland should be able to do more damage than he does. I think Garland will be looking after Cale this year. Bartram - Barty rocks, solid, honest and couragous. Puts his body where it will inspire teammates, does all the 1percenters and works hard all the time. Reminds me of "Wheels". Should be interesting to see how he has steped up to the LG. Jamar - We are blessed with the Russian, he's a kick arse ruckman when uninjured and if he's taken up the new Game Plan and its establishment and implementation in the heat of battle his value only increases. He'll be an awesome mentor to our up and coming rucks, and a very physical presence around the ball. Clark - Forward line presence we've lacked. Don't know enough about him to say too much, but the fact that Neeld and co we so keen to get him and now promote him means he is integral to taking our forward line up a notch or two, either directly or indirectly. On the Neeld's Game Plan, our Game plan this year, I think it is simplistic to say it will be X or Y. I think that the game has evolved to the extent that there are half a dozen or more "Game styles" the team will learn and the real skill of the LG and coaches is playing the right one at the right time. Chipping around the boundary won't be the style against teams who leave the corridor unprotected, for example. Horses for courses, hence the value of our LG being articulate footy thinkers... Go Dees, looking forward to 2012 big time.