PaulRB

Roos has done a great job, but is only 2/3 of his way through his term as coach. My sense of this season is that it's all ready to click into a higher gear, our pre-season is about game plans and a balanced attack and defence, instead of the grinding fitness/strength catch up focus of the past couple of years Max Gawn has finally arrived and is ready and capable to give us first touch more often Our midfield is finally running deep and with talent, if still a bit raw. Our defence is solid and very experienced Our attack unearthed a couple of goal kicking gems (Hogan and Garlett) with more to add (Kent, Petracca, Weideman) Our next coach is in his second year as assistant, knows the players club and is starting to implement his game style Our current coach is an icon in his last year having restored some pride to the Red and Blue. I reckon this season will be a ripper and Roos is at the centre of it.

All 18 clubs scoured the country for talent a couple of months ago. Any "talent' the Don dig up will have been passed up by the entire competition then. The myth making in the AFL is in full swing to convince us (especially Dons) fans that they are going to pick up something special from aged disgards and almost make its... If the Don pick up a player with their "top up twelve" that the is more than a stop gap player for a year, I'll be shocked.

Don't we need a Rising Star winning year on the footy field before we can label any aspect of his journey a "blessing"? Perhaps we should say "it's been an as yet undetermined result in disguise"?

Video footage in of Petracca's accident...

All games missed so far were a result of an injury at training. He'll miss no games from this, has given us fans better odds for him winning the rising star, and the opportunity for some to construct another self righteous mountain out of a mole hill... whats the problem?! ?

I think Melksham is vastly under estimated in terms of what he could add to the team in 2016. Marure mid, hbf with run and penetrating kick. Will do damage.

Having the integrity to clean up dirty corrupt practices in the MFC should be applauded EVERY time. Take a look the the EFC to see where a lack of Integrity and a disregard for the competitions rules leads. Why should he consult with those in the club whom were quite likely approving or tacitly allowing these practices to go on? Given the club has been borderline bankrupt for several decades, tipping his own (substantial) monies in should NOT be downplayed. And he appointed the coach who took us to the GF, which is as much as any good president could hope to do, and more than most presidents of the MFC have done, in this regard.

Do you think we'd "...have been better without the cash and the huge disruption..." because those previous Presidents that lead us into the position of wanting to merge (wiki refered to this period as the "decades of disappointment") did better? or because the disruption included the appointment of Daniher who led us to our first GF appearance in a decade? Our club had just given up and agreed to merger, which was defeated by Hawks... It was then thrown to Gutnick to lead, he lead the fund raising with his own cash, appointed Neale Daniher, had us believe in the red and blue again, ... From Wiki- history - "In the aftermath of the merger meetings, Ridley focused on a compromise with the Demons Alternative to ensure that Melbourne could continue as a viable business. His board co-opted Gutnick and Mark Jenkins onto the board and a truce of sorts was struck between all parties. In the months following the 1996 merger vote, the businessman and Joseph Gutnick became president. He put $3 million of his own money into the club, and sacked Balme as coach midway through the 1997 season. In 1998, under new coach Neale Daniher, the club spent most of the season in the top eight and beat the eventual premiers Adelaide in the Qualifying Final. Melbourne also eliminated St Kilda, but lost to North Melbourne in the Preliminary Final. In 1999 Melbourne finished in the bottom three. In 2000 Daniher took Melbourne to the Grand Final, but the Demons were convincingly beaten by a rampaging Essendon. The members had expected a new era of success, but in 2001 it was same old story: Melbourne finished 11th. In 2002, although Melbourne again made the finals, Gutnick was voted out by the members."

Hahaha "he only tipped in $2.75m."! You're a <someone who throws things...> Feel free to name those other MFC President(s) who have contributed more cash?

Didn't he tip in a couple of mill of his own money? Not a great President, but was there when we needed him, committed to the red and blue, and no worse than most presidents we've had. Why the desire to bring him down? BTW, who was the President who sacked Norm Smith and started "the curse"?

I reckon Tom looked in the mirror and asked himself "Am I as good as Judd or Ablett?" And honestly answered "No", and then giggled to himself about all the money he'd been offered... To paraphrase Packer "You only get one GWS (Alan Bond)" ... if he'd stayed on the huge salaries being floated we'd all have forgotten about Jack Watts and be whipping the shizen out of Tom. Was a good thing he left, even if handled in an average way. Lets move on, Jimmy's gone, Tom's gone.

For a couple of years there he kept me coming to games, despite the hopelessness of the team.. Would have him back in a flash. https://youtu.be/0Fyap0IWMIg

Another big improvement by our current FD is their ability to identify early good players who were open to leaving and whom had some value. Frawley, a very good backman who as too old to feature in our next tilt for pick 3 - Brayshaw or Petracca, was an inspired working of the system. Howe, for pick XY, Melksham or whomever (is it clear who we got for Howe's picks?) may prove to be likewise. They've taken our loss of good players and built a better team, it seems...

Interesting that we were lining up a replacement half back in Melksham, 6 months ago...

It's interesting to contemplate what one would do - growing up a rabid Dee's supporter, then at 18 finding yourself drafted to another club... A couple (or more) years later an opportunity arises to play for your childhood team, do you take that opportunity? I would. Howe did. And we're all hoping Prestia will.

Vandenberg hits the play, player and ball with aggro and an intention to have an impact. Improving his fitness will increase his capacity to do this, hit more contests and make better decisions. Increasing his experience at this level (AFL) will improve his damage and ability to hurt the opposition. Big fan.

Kent and Garlett too

Mate, in a thread celebrating Jake Melksham's arrival and potential for the club, that is all of 28 posts long, you've made the same OBVIOUS point 4 times... Find a new tune.

beelzebub, ease up on your drum! FFS We ALL KNOW he was at Dons and may have WADA issues, so do our club who, last month recruited him to the club. The MFC obviously see the upside as outweighing the risk.

Don't mind the Hogan hype, reckon it will create a lot of opportunities for our other forwards as opposition teams get too Hogan-centric... plus put intense pressure on any defender who finds themselves one out with Jesse... as our mids pump it long.

Earl "the perl" Spalding! Shane Woewodin Both Boys from WA too...

If Hogan kicks a ton, we're on our way to September...!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/j2Y0x0ZKJLE

You guys are like a lynch mob out of an old Western! Rattling around reasons to string em up! Yiiihaaar!

That Roos has done it before, successfully, and learnt much out of the first time, fills me with confidence that we're in good hands. Are there other coaches in the AFL who have successfully apprenticed their successor? Shows great character and class from all parties.