Jaded No More

Of course it doesn't. I was just pointing out that Jones and Buckley are regarded around here as future key midfielders, and they both lack smarts and awareness at times. So to simply dismiss the idea of Bell playing in the midfield (not referring to you) based on the fact that he gets caught a lot (he doesn't by the way, it's just that when he gets caught in the backline the cost is magnified and so it seems he does it more often than not), is silly. IMO Bell's disposal is better than Jones' and Buckley's and he wouldn't struggle in a foot race against Buckley. With Davey, Aussie and Maric I think we have enough medium/small forwards, but we could really use some more pace in the middle Tried finding one for ages, but couldn't.

Which of course never happens to Buckley or Jones

Initially Bell was recruited with a midfield role in mind. The hope was to get McLean, Sylvia, Bell and Moloney to become the nucleus of our midfield for the future. Clearly that plan bombed, however Bell does have midfield credentials. Secondly, Bell has extremely good pace. He is one of the fastest players at the club, however his long struggle with injuries, especially an ongoing groin complaint, have really stopped him from developing and understanding how to best use his run. Whether he can or can't play as a permanent midfielder successfully I don't know. I don't have a crystal ball and I don't predict the future very well, however it is certainly worth trying him out.

Absolutely he won't be delisted. It has been my dream ever since I adopted Bell into my 'Love Child' brigade to see him play in the midfield. Injuries have stopped him from doing that, but I hope that maybe next year he can progress into that role. He has the advantage of being strong yet quick, and that is something we could use.

I can't see W.A. clubs taking Watts simply because Watts is dead set on finishing year 12 in Victoria. If he got a sniff that one of Freo or West Coast would draft him, he wouldn't nominate for the draft. This is why I think we'll pick him up, and also why I wouldn't mind swapping picks with Freo for Warnock (but only if we knew with 100% certainly that we can still get our man).

$1.6mil over 4 years = insane His perceived worth seems completely disproportionate to his achievements thus far. Potential is not worth $1.6 million.

My heart breaks a little every time I read about Jared Rivers these days... it's never truly good news. That it had to happen to such an enormously talented player is just so cruel, especially given he is so young.

I don't for a second doubt that we should have courted him or shown interest, not at all. However, initially I don't think the club thought it would cost us so much to get his services. Now that the scum of the earth from Carlton have got involved, it appears that Warnock's price has over-inflated, and I'd be happy to see us walk away and not fall into Carlton and Freo's game. We've been sucked into players' demands too many times in the past. I'd hate to see it happen again. By the way, Freo were/are the masters of bad trades and player pick-ups...

And potential is NOT worth 4 years, well over a million dollars and an early draft pick. We're all moaning and bitching over the fact that Yze and White were given such long and expensive contracts, yet we're happy to offer longer and more expensive contract to someone who has proven very little and couldn't get a game with a bottom 4 side? We've definitely been sucked in hard by the hype if we're stupid enough to think Warnock is worth that much. You have to think of the residual cost here, in 3 years time if Warnock has proven to be nothing more than a middle of the road ruckman, and we're looking to re-sign Morton, Maric, Grimes, McLean etc..., we may just not have enough money to do so because we're tied to such a ridiculously massive contract.

He'd be fighting for a position with Kreuzer for the rest of his career. And Judd turned down Essendon and Collingwood (two clubs who have played more finals in recent times, and whos brand is as strong if not stronger than Carlton's) in favour of Carlton. This has nothing to do with culture or the chance of maybe playing finals next year.

Yes, because it's Carlton's culture that attracted Judd and Warnock If a player is chasing the money above all else, then us and 14 other clubs can't compete with Carlton at the moment. Lets see how long it takes the AFL to actually do something about it!

As with Judd, if a player chooses to chase the money above all else, I don't want him at the MFC. Warnock clearly chose the dollar over being the no.1 ruck for the next 10 years and playing alongside his brother. Good on him. Lets move on and concentrate on getting players who WANT to play for our great club.

*sigh*

Completely agree. Try as we may, we can't compete with the financial rewards that Carlton can offer Warnock. It will basically come down to money or playing with his brother... and not that I have a brother, but if I did I'd just take the money and buy me another one

I will quite literally have to burn down the CFC if we lose yet another player to those cheating bastards. There is no LEGAL way that they can afford Judd, Fev, Stevens, and now Kerr and Warnock. Trust the AFL to investigate us for talking to Warnock, but letting the "Judd is now Visy's ambassador" thing slide. Typical!

I'm sorry, but we were paying Yze and White over a million dollars combined? :o *Insert many swear words* Unbelievable!

People underrate his season. Indeed, he finished second in Demonland's B&F despite missing half the season. With the exception of the first 2 games (where everyone was terrible), Brock was one of our best and most consistent. To put it simple, without him we have no midfield and we lack serious leadership. It's sad but true.

And why is that? Btw, it still doesn't make the post any less irritating.

I love that at 21 and with barely any experience, this kid has the luxury of choosing his next club... shades of Judd

Meh Geelong by 100.

No I'm not joking. Buckley breaking the lines is great, but Buckley running into trouble is not. I understand that he's a kid and he is still developing, but his disposal and reading of the play is something that he needs to work on right now so that it doesn't become an issue in the future (and the same goes for many of our players). Pace is great, but it's only one small element in becoming an elite midfielder which I would dearly love for him to become. By the way, football smarts is IMO the only thing you can't teach a player. Either you have it, or you don't.

This club is going to be about as exciting as a wet paper bag. That mascot looks to me like he's going to drown himself in the ocean any minute now, and why wouldn't you when you've been given the ever original name of Gazza from the Gold Coast

A little less speed and a little more football smarts would be fantastic. Needs to learn to control his kicking.

And yet every other Melbourne player managed to behave themselves and stay out of the media. Therefore, their alcohol consumption, while I'm sure very heavy, was not excessive. You only get into trouble and start acting like a tool when the amount of alcohol you've consumed, starts to consume your personality and your behaviour. At their age, every single footballer should know their tolerance to alcohol.

I don't care that he was out drinking, I care that he can't handle his alcohol and that his drinking caused our club negative publicity. Players can go out and party and celebrate and let their hair down, they can't however get intoxicated beyond control, especially if they know they act like complete morons when drunk. Carroll's behaviour on Mad Monday, plus his many previous indiscretions which people may or may not know about, make him a complete waste of time for the MFC. You're kidding yourself if you think Carroll just had one too many beers, and Holland slipped over and that's the end of the story.