Jaded No More

You can take out Bruce, Junior and probably Green. None will be around in 2015.

Melbourne supporters have been patiently waiting for over 40 years. I think I speak for us all when I say, "are we there yet"??

I don't rate him as highly as some, and to be honest, if it wasn't for my fear in regards to Jurrah and Aussie struggling to make it without his guidance, I'd trade him for a good deal. But Davey is more than just a good player, he is a fan favourite, a kids favourite. He brings people to games and whether we like it or not, he is a big reason why Jurrah has come on so quickly and strongly. The other fear is, what does losing two fan favourites in the space of a week does to the mentality of supporters? It's pathetic if we lose members over it, but the reality is, we probably will. For a club struggling to form an identity and struggling to break even, we can't afford these sorts of setbacks. Davey's worth off the field is matched by his worth on the field. You could compensate for his on field absence fairly easily, but you couldn't do the same off the field. Four years is a ridiculous contract offer, but to lose him for the sake of one year is equally as ridiculous. Of course, if someone makes an agreement in principle and breaks it, you probably shouldn't go out of your way to honour their wishes. Hopefully the 3 year deal agreement is the only real 'rumour' and this bloody issue can be put to rest ASAP.

I too believe that Essendon are pulling a payback for the huge deal we allegedly threw at Alwyn a couple of years ago. However, if Alwyn didn't leave, why would Davey? I don't know who started the 'McDonald goes home from Bali to talk to Davey' rumour, but is there any proof that Davey didn't go on the end of season trip to begin with? It would make sense that a principle agreement was made, Davey jetted off to Bali, and hence nothing will be made official until he signs the contract upon his return from the trip. All of this could of course be me making up theories in my head... I hate the trade period!

My reliable sources* tell me the same thing... *childhood friends of his

Miller for a second round pick? Where the hell do I sign??!!

This is surely garbage, but all I can think is that Karma's a [censored]! :D

Unless Davey didn't go on the end of season trip (and why wouldn't he), it's not possible that he met with Collingwood since the news of his apparent 3 year deal agreement came to hand.

On a slightly separate note, are we overestimating our need for talls (forwards)? Could we not challenge for a premiership with Watts, Bate and Jurrah as the three talls? I look at Geelong and they have only two big talls in their side (of questionable quality), same with St Kilda (high quality). If Watts becomes as good as we think he will, do we really need another tall clogging his space? Of course there is always the issue of placing all your eggs into one basket.

He is no ordinary gun either, he is a semi-automated machine gun. Captain 2011?

This couldn't be happening to a nicer bunch

I'd rather take a risk on the go home factor, than blow pick 2 on someone who is not best available due to fear. You pick the best player with picks 1 & 2, period. Worrying about what may eventuate in 2/5/8 years time is pointless. What if Scully gets an Egan-like injury and never recovers? All you can do is draft based on what is happening today. Today, Trengove is proving to be a worthy second pick. Today, we need gun midfielders who can win the ball, dispose of the ball, and stand up in finals.

Nope, all that means is that nobody can come on here and throw around useless stats like "Scully is the 3rd fastest, shortest vertical leap player to run a 18.9 beep test in under 10 seconds"

Gotta love players who stand up in finals and under tough conditions. From the very very small amount of knowledge that I have, I would be ecstatic to get another Jack to Melbourne. Thanks so much for the running commentary KrazyJay!

If he improves his disposal by about 15%, he'll become an A grader. Until such time, he has got to work on his kicking. Interestingly his goal kicking is pretty good, but under pressure his field kicking is very much hit and miss.

I'm pretty sure Garland is contracted, and hence if we don't want to lose him (I'm 100% sure of that), we won't.

Agreed, and that's why you have grand final parties where you drink, have a bet (made $70 on Chapman! Woo :D) and discuss how your team is gonna be there next year (or not ). Then the game gets started, you pick a side (Go Cats) and away you go. Can I also add that I love Joel Selwood and would trade picks 1, 2 and my left arm to get him in a Melbourne jumper! Edit: very good match, despite low quality due to the conditions. Taylor was robbed of the NSM, but I'm not complaining.

I think Essendon should now look to trade him to Melbourne :D

He'll be about 87 in 2015. No thanks.

Have you ever known me to care about anyone's opinion of my posting? I think you should probably read what I wrote again, if you think I'm knee capping anyone. People react differently to different situations, and should be allowed to express that in any way they like as long as they are not being offensive. To have their opinion categorized as hysterical by other posters who feel like jumping on their high horse and lecture those who feel differently to them, is poor and highly annoying. As I've said, nobody here was hysterical, but everyone reacts differently and if people don't like the so-called hysteria, they shouldn't read these boards. Nobody should be apologizing for expressing how they feel, as long as they do so respectfully. Nasher's post was patronising and did nothing to promote the discussion.

You know what else Demonland needs? A few more high horses for posters to ride on and tell other posters how they should feel or react to certain news. Nothing shits me more than anonymous keyboard heroes telling other anonymous posters how they should act or dismissing their views because they don't match their own. In the last 24 hours we have lost a big fan favourite in a shock decision, and only one poster out of the millions of randoms who came here yesterday, had a mini meltdown and proclaimed they won't buy a membership next year (and they were probably talking out of anger and won't follow through). So where's this cliff you're talking about? Posters are allowed to question wtf is going on when this has seemingly come from nowhere. There were plenty more meltdowns when TJ left and he was a 28 year old with many issues. It's also difficult to assess this decision when pick 11 is, so far, just a number. In 2-3 years time I might change my view on the situation, and so will others. That Davey/Sylvia rumours are also circulating is also concerning, and until something concrete is announced people will continue to react to the situation in ways that may not fit your own model of behaviour. Tough [censored].

My sarcasm was obviously lost on you, so let me explain it to you in simpler terms. I've supported the club's quest to rebuild the list, and was a big advocate of tanking. I completely understand the 4-6 year statement, but to me that does not coincide with the Lake or Burgoyne inquiries (that's where the sarcasm re Burgoyne and Davey came in), both excellent players but both likely to hit 33 before we win a flag according to the club. Now if you're 6 years away, it is unlikely that you're only missing one or two key elements from your list, and hence topping up the list makes no sense. We traded away a 23 year old, who apparently is surplus stock, for more picks. That screams kids kids and more kids to me, not "let's chase the big players". Now maybe we did that to [censored] other clubs off and raise the stakes, maybe we were hoping to score a freebie in the PSD (dream on), or maybe as I've said, the 6 year timeframe is something we're using to justify questionable moves. And if we really are 6 years away, should we maybe move on someone like Davey, who has reached top market value but is going to be 32 when we're planning on winning one? I note with interest that following Hawthorn's premiership victory last year, the official rebuild phase was shorter than it is this year (according to Bailey and co on the radio) when St Kilda, led by Nick Reiwoldt, are playing off in a grand final. Are we just following whoever is on trend at the moment, hoping to fluke one along the way (see Richmond comment), and is there a risk that we'll be overtaken by a club like the CG (even Cam Schwabb made a comment about this on his twitter page)? I wasn't being hysterical, I was being sarcastic after what was a long and very unpleasantly surprising day. Again, my deepest apologies for confusing and irritating you to the point where you had to 'hysterically' reply to my comments I'll wait 6 years for a flag, as long as we don't contradict this plan along the way as a means of justifying questionable moves. McLean would not have left because he didn't want to wait 6 years (he's only 23!), he would have left because the club told him he wouldn't get a game in 6 years. Fine, so be it, but don't go chasing 27 year olds if you're getting rid of 23 year olds with the vision that maybe in 4 to 6 seasons they won't be part of our starting midfield (hedging our bets on kids yet to be drafted worries me, but that's another story altogether). On no, whatever shall I do?!

That's fine, we've waited 40+ years, what's another 6? But then why pursue Lake or Burgoyne? It conflicts with our clock position.

Why, because I'm questioning the conflicting decisions of tanking, getting rid of senior players and then inquiring about a 27 year old? Ffs I didn't realise we weren't allowed to question anything the club does. Maybe they tell those they want to push out that we're 6 years away and those they want to keep that we could win one in 3?

I want Davey there too, but unlike McLean, Davey has never stood up in a final. In fact, he completely lost his [censored] in many of the big games that we've had. This isn't an issue of getting rid of McLean or retaining Davey, this is an issue of the club seemingly pushing away that premiership further and further away as if to appease the masses into some sort of false sense of security. I was a big tanking advocate, and am all for growing a young talented list, but if we're talking 6 years before we're a serious threat, then wake me up in 2015, and I can stop caring about anything that happens between now and then. Hiding behind these grand 5-year plans never seems to work for anyone, just ask Richmond. We should be planning for success starting in 2010, regardless of whether Jack Watts becomes Reiwoldt v.2 by then.