Little Richard

Apologies, Deeluded has pointed out that Frawleys contract runs until next year, not this year.

So I got a bit bored and decided to do my own little assessment of our list post round 4. Here it is (2-26), the rest will be up before the Carlton game. Hope you find it interesting. · (2) Nathan Jones: Clearly our best midfielder. Has strength, good disposal and generally good decision making skills. Leads from the front (has a fantastic work ethic) and is probably our most consistent player. I look forward to the day Jonesy is the third best mid because that will mean we are a good side. · (4) Jack Watts: I really feel for Watts. I have always had faith in him and encouraged people to give him time as he is often unfairly maligned. There is a very good player in there – he has excellent skills, reads the play very well, is super composed and very athletic but lacks toughness and appetite for the contest. I think Jack could make a name for himself up forward as a third tall while rotating up the wing as a link man, but I guess time will tell. · (5) Jimmy Toumpas: Toumpas will be a great player for the Dees and the idiots on here who are calling for his head after a couple of games are off their heads. He is very skilled and will find a spot on a wing/flank I feel. · (6) Chris Dawes: Can’t say too much as am yet to see him in the red and blue. I have heard his off field leadership has been very good and he is clearly a very clever and level headed guy. I was pretty pumped when we picked him up and am equally pumped to see how he goes when he plays (possibly this week?). · (7) Jack Viney: He will be a star and a captain of the club one day. Love his tough game and aggro – it has been sorely lacking for a long time. Great to watch in the clinches as he goes at the ball like a little bulldog. · (8) James Frawley: This year is a dangerous one for the club regarding Frawley and contract status. Out of contract and doesn’t look to be enjoying his footy at the moment, and I don’t really blame him as losing for so long must take its toll. He is our best defender and on his day can curb any key forward with strength, agility and an ability to read the play. He hasn’t played his best footy so far this year but the amount of ball raining down on the back six and the fact that they clearly don’t give each other a chop out doesn’t help at all. It will kill me if Frawley goes elsewhere at the end of the season but I could understand if he did. Please hang around Chippa! · (9) Jack Trengove: The co-captain has struggled lately due to mostly unknown factors, however the defensive side of his game has been good. I personally believe he should have been made a vice captain with Grimes the stand alone captain and that the captaincy is burdening him. There is a very good player in Jack, which we saw partly in his first year or two and he’ll be back. A long term player and leader for the club. · (10) Shannon Byrnes: I think Byrnes has been a solid pick up for the club in terms of leadership (especially coming from such a successful club) and adding a small forward which was a much needed component to the side. He looked to be finding his feat the first two games but against GWS and Brisbane he was very good and adds a bit of run to the midfield/half forward line. Not sure of his contract status but at 29 he should have a year or two left after this. · (11) Mitch Clark: A star and the only one we can boast. Strong marking, super athletic and aggressive, Clark can definitely teach the rest of the guys a thing or two. Shattered to hear about the surgery on his foot but hopefully he isn’t rushed back. Has had a great impact so far on and off the field. · (12) Colin Sylvia: Love and hate him. He has frustrated the shite out of me for so long as Col could be absolutely anything. He has all the attributes to be a top line midfielder but has always been lazy, disinterested or injured. However the end of last season and this season so far has been his most consistent patch so it may not be too late for Colin. Here’s hoping he can be a solid contributor or more for the rest of his career. · (13) Jordie McKenzie: I have been a fan of Jordie in the past but he has become too one dimensional in my eyes. Tackles as good as anyone in the side but needs to win more of the ball, find some more run and improve his skills to hang around for much longer. Will be superseded pretty soon if he doesn’t add another string or two to his bow. · (14) Lynden Dunn: I don’t see him becoming more than a bit part player, ever. Has a big kick, height which never seems to be used, moderate pace and is aggressive but doesn’t ever seem good enough to make his mark on a match or really dominate. Will be delisted/traded when spots are required I believe, though Neeld might like his hardness and hold on to him. · (15) David Rodan: Bit of a mystery this one. I hope his contract was only a year because he has added little to nothing so far. Maybe he’ll pick up later in the season but I can’t see it happening as he is 29 and his body has been through hell. · (17) Sam Blease: Flash in the pan player. The end of last year he played well and I think he had an interrupted preseason but needs to build on his fitness and not fade in and out of games as he currently does. If this continues, I can’t see a long future for him. If he works hard, he could be a very handy run and carry player or small forward. · (19) James Strauss: Not a good year last year in the firsts and hasn’t appeared this year though his VFL form has been promising. He was looking to be making a spot for himself when he broke his leg in 2011 and I think he can be a handy player in the future with his foot skills but needs to find more of the ball. Looking forward to seeing how he goes this season when he appears. · (20) Colin Garland: Second best backman. Can play small or tall and can be very handy or very frustrating imo. First couple of games were average, last two were quite good. I feel that Garland has had issues with Neeld that may have been resolved in the last few weeks. He is an important cog in the backline going forward. · (21) Cam Pedersen: I always thought he was a good VFL player and so far from what I’ve seen I haven’t been wrong. A highlight was when he threw Tom Scully on the ground and there hasn’t been much else. Only on the list until we find someone better or need to free up a spot I feel. · (23) Josh Tynan: I liked what I saw early last year and think he can be a good contributor if he can find some form in the VFL and break into the firsts. Has a bit of time but could play a wing/flanking role effectively. · (25) Tom McDonald: I think he has the potential to be a very good key defender and was very impressive last year. Has been unfairly put down since the start of the season, having a bit of a form slump but this links to an interrupted preseason and not enough match fitness. He is very important to the backline heading into the future and I hope will be at the MFC for a long time yet. · (26) Daniel Nicholson: Not good enough, yet or maybe never. Has pace but his kicking leaves a lot to be desired. Attacks the contest but isn’t nearly smart enough about it. At another team he would really struggle to get a game. If we improve, I don’t think he’ll be on the list in a few years. But that is a big if. More to come...

I see what you're saying Stuie but these days we'll need far more than 5 midfielders to be a good side. Need at least 10 who can rotate through there each game.

I'm a melbourne supporter and therefore have lost the ability to laugh

I don't think we are physically soft/bruise free as in the past, we are just terrible now or lazy or unfit and simply not good enough. I think the image of softness has been forgotten now that we have a few players who play tough like Jones, Sylvia, Magner and Terlich and have jettisoned the weight (albeit there wasn't much of that) of one Cale Morton.

Don't be so quick to pigeon-hole players Stuie. Remember when everyone was saying Jones is just a grunt and would never be anything more? Now he is our best mid by a mile and not just cos we barely have a midfield - he'd be quality in any team. I reckon these guys could still be good quality players if they keep up their work ethic. I don't think anyone on the list would match Magners drive and appetite for hard work and those qualities should never ever be underestimated.

I don't think we are soft anymore, just rubbish

Man i hate Nicholas Cage

Rusty, please tell me that is sarcasm?

Neeld did say earlier this season after Kent was playing well in the seconds that he needed to develop the defensive side of his game before he would get a game in the firsts. Not sure if it was in writing or a press conference but I distinctly remember it because I was asking the same questions about whether Kent was going to get a game in the firsts.

No, defensively he didn't and Neeld stated this numerous times. We have enough fresh faces at the moment in my opinion, we can't be running around with an average games of 3. Edit: If his form warrants it later in the year, bring him in but preferably not at the expense of a much more experienced player.

Trying to make the best of a bad situation, bring on Magner if Clark can be put on the long term list.

Here's hoping and this is what Misson and Neeld said last year but people seem to have forgotten about that.

It can be done and skills are a lot more learnable than other attributes such as toughness/good work ethic. But to improve skills (and anything for that matter) you need the right attitude, motivation and good teachers and all these are lacking at the football club i fear.

Here's hoping that Barry adds some much needed pace to the midfield, eventually.

Could we drag T.O out of retirement? Or is he still playing?

No it's not, keep going. An inside 50 doesn't show that we were soundly beaten in a passage of play as a scoring shot does. I'm not saying that every scoring shot should be considered a goal but the score line isn't always indicitive of the performance put in.

Not a bad point Deeluded but he was taking the big forwards last year before Rivers. He will be a good player, people need to stop writing him off especially after a fantastic season last year. Confidence and fitness will help a lot.

Actually go back a few pages and you'll see I contributed quite a bit. And in fact the last point I made in response to you was ignored, which according to your own learned opinion means 'it is clear they have no friggin idea what they are talking about'.

Clearly you are more interested in personally attacking posters than coming up with new points

We should be building as close a relationship with the Storm as possible considering how close our facilities are to them. I remember something a couple of years ago about training with them but this should be done as much as possible. I'm sure there is a heap we could learn off them, not least more physicality and toughness. Maybe something could be done with the club regarding membership, ie a joint Storm/Demons membership?

I don't think Nicholson should come in at all. His form hasn't warranted it in my opinion.

This thread is ridiculous - clearly the vast majority of people are backing Frawley, as they should. The op is a good old fashioned trolling

Understatement of the year! There isn't much he can do considering the amount of times the ball is entering the opposition forward 50.

I agree, but I'm holding my breath... this is the melbourne footy club