La Dee-vina Comedia

As much as I like Frawley, Rivers and Garland, none is really able to play on the gorilla's like Cloke and Dawes. Neeld would, of course, have noticed how we were unable to stop Cloke last time we played the Pies. I had thought perhaps Sellar was recruited to play as a big bodied defender, but Neeld's comments suggest otherwise. I like a few astute comments on this board: that any pick over 40 is not really a 'risk' that if he gets a two year contract we can re-assess in 2 years time and if he's made it, great, and if he hasn't not a lot of damage that it allows Watts, Dunn and Bate to play a different role - that of the 4th tall or running players

I like to think I ask the significant questions on this site...has the Melbourne FC ever had a player called Rory before?

Well, it's time to predict the most important thing about draft day. What comments will the clubs, their recruiters and their recruits say? Will we get the time honoured "I couldn't believe player x was still available when it came to our turn" or perhaps "I couldn't read player x's number out fast enough"? How about "We drafted for best available" Or, (a new one, just for this year) "I really had hoped Brendan Fevola would find a new home, but he didn't fit with our plans at this time". Which top ten draft pick will say, "I wasn't sure if I was going to get picked at all...I'm just glad somebody wanted me". And then there's the simple, but effective "I'm stoked". i find this the most exciting thing about draft day. Oops, almost forgot my favourite "We expect player x to be a 200+ game player for us"

Touche.

For what it's worth, I don't think there's any such thing as a good tattoo. Reminds me of a report I received in a previous life where I was advised that a particular individual should not be allowed to do something because he was "involved in a bad murder". I often wonder how that differs from a good murder.

Interesting how much assessment of Prendergast in this thread is based on who we selected and not on who we didn't. I would have thought any proper in-house performance assessment would also consider who wasn't picked (and was available) and the reasons why Prendergast didn't select him. Of course, we know who wasn't selected, but we don't know why.

So is Lynden Dunn's

Yes, he officially won by 31 lengths. Here's a good story from Belmont Stake's official website He started at odds of 1/10 that day. Secretariat also was the highest (of 3) non-human athletes in ESPN's list of 100 top North American athletes of the 20th century. And, I repeat, I'm not a horse racing fan. It just captured my imagination when it happened.

While I'm satisfied with Prendergast's performance, I think only McKenzie and to a lesser extent Bail can be considered from this list to have "made it" and therefore I don't think we should claim he has a "massive strike rate" at this stage. Davis and Lawrence are yet to play a game, Tom Mc has only played two (albeit impressive games) and Evans and Nicholson a handful each. Jurrah's case is different. He only ended up in the PSD because, as I understand it, he was unable because of his remote location to lodge for the National Draft by the due date. If he had been in the National Draft I suspect he would have been picked up there rather than "slipping" through to the PSD. As our Prime Minister would say, probably a bit too much "hyper-bowl".

You may or may not be right. But Prendergast can't be blamed for recruiting players Neeld doesn't want. He could be criticised if he had recruited players Bailey didn't want - but I see no evidence of that. I assume Prendergast followed instructions with respect to what Bailey thought were the needs of the club at that time. I have no doubt one of the instructions given under Bailey was to recruit players with character (although in hindsight I think he failed with a certain Pick No. 1...but that is in hindsight. I don't recall anyone here being critical of the recruitment of Scully at the time). In short, I have no idea whether Neeld wants to retain the services of Prendergast. But, given the almost complete change of assistant coaches and fitness staff since Neeld's arrival, it's not impossible to foresee that this year's drafts may be Prendergast's last.

The (a) and (v) explanations were included in the printed edition of The Age. Although Tom McDonald wasn't.

Two things... 1. Does anyone else find it odd that the Melbourne FC website story quotes Michael Gleeson from The Age as if the only way the club found out about the profit is from the media? 2. Does anyone know whether Melbourne FC received special funding from the AFL last year? if so, perhaps we are still a 'poor' club. But hopefully moving in the right direction.

So Geelong's decision in 2003 was as successful as eleven other selections over 25 years and had no negative salary cap implications.

What nonsense. The list of talented private school boys includes Chris Judd, Brendon Goddard, Cyril Rioli, Jobe Watson, Campbell Brown and many others. Which ones "don't go hard enough"?

There are 30 names on this list. I can understand why there is debate about placing salary caps on coaching and other support staff (which I don't support, by the way). It's clearly going to assist a team if it can fund a higher level of support even when operating under the same salary cap for players as everyone else.

My recollections of Brian Dixon's kicks all involve wobbly efforts. Perhaps someone older than me can advise - was he a good or a poor kick?

Only for the last two weeks. Prior to that it was Michael Newton.

And you're missing an L

I remember Secretariat winning the Triple Crown in 1973. And I'm not a horse racing follower. Secretariat won the final leg, the Belmont by a massive 31 lengths. Imagine a horse winning a major race like the Melbourne Cup by 31 lengths! This clip is amazing. See how the cameraman and director of the footage don't know what to do at about the 1min 30 second mark. Keep two horses in the frame or give up and just show the leader?

I'm tipping that Haiden Schloithe might have Waldhuter and Trengove covered for the most mispronounced and mis-spelt name in the competition!

Let's also keep in mind that many key position forwards find their careers come to an abrupt end due to the physical wear and tear on their bodies. The best example I can think of is Brereton who's career was all but over by the time he was 30 (or earlier). Similarly, Jade Rawlings, while not in the same category as Brereton, was all washed up as a player before his time. Reiwoldt has been playing a bash and crash game for 10 or so years and his body will be struggling now that he's 29.

If data were kept on "getting caught with the ball", I think we'd see how he's gradually improved over the years. Also gets points for durability. My recollection is that he has missed very few games due to either injury or poor form.

Interesting to see if the lower paid GWS players play the same way in 2012.

Wow. Thought you were me for a moment (I was born in November 1957). Then realised what a stupid thing to think...my mother has never seen a game of football in her life.

Sorry, mate. Strongly disagree. Neeld has gone out of his way not to comment on the past, thereby avoiding any commentary on Bailey. Certainly his comments for the future reflect on Bailey's time (eg, the team isn't fit enough) but I believe he's done so with good grace with respect to our former coach and his regime as, by the way, I think Bailey has similarly behaved since his departure.