Very Jaded

It was a gamble we took that landed us Oliver was it not? If history has taught us anything is that drafting key position players is such a big big risk. We've drafted a few with early picks and only Hogan has proven to be worth the price. Lever is a proven gun defender and he is only 21. We essentially drafted a top 10 player but he is ready to go and is AFL proven who has 10+ years left in the game! That is a very very difficult thing to achieve, and the chances of doing this in the draft are I would say less than 20%. How many draftees go on to be A grade players who play 10+ seasons? We obviously think our window is about to open, and are trading for the now. Anyone who watched us last season knows that we desperately needed help in defence, especially if TMac ends up forward (which I suspect he will). We never really recovered down back with the loss of Frawley, and Lever more than fills that gap for us now. Midfielders, especially outside runners, can be found later in the draft, and are a cheaper commodity on the trade table. Besides, who knows what pick 35 has in store for us, or what we will get for Watts.

It's a good deal and there's nothing to say we can't trade back into the first round next year. Glad we got it done.

We're just getting too old for this

Why are people worried about a salary of a player? I trust our club can manage the books OK. Lets worry about getting the deal done.

Anyone hear Scully saying Kelly should stay at GWS because money isn't everything? Oh the irony of that pathetic little lying turd!

If you wouldn't give up Frost to get Lever, you are crazy. Frost is a very ordinary user of the ball and an average at best defender.

And how do you propose we keep and pay all these good players if we add Kelly at $1mil+ a season?

We can't afford it and frankly I wouldn't want to spend so much money on one individual. Yes he's a gun but how do we propose to pay all the other young guns on our list if we blow over a million a season on this kid? A team full of C graders like North can afford it. We can't. Besides is a false dawn strategy. We need to build a good team not a team built around 1 good player.

Jokes. I definitely was not a fan of his recruitment or indeed of him as a player. He's winning me over though.

As much as it pains me to say it, he is our match sealer. Very good goal kicking and has been good playing wing and half forward this season.

Probably because even these idiots know that no gun player would want to leave the MFC right now... not to mention all our stars are signed!

Understatement of the century. Much like time to win a flag, and Jetta is a good player.

At least that superstar Schofield is free to play. His 6 touches will be vital.

Not surprising when you look at how few games he's missed in that time, and how awful a football team we were.

Now for the second most important embarrassing record of them all... smashing those pretenders North Melbourne. I live for the day we beat them. They don't even deserve the name Melbourne in their title!

Will definitely finish top 5 Other contenders at this stage: Oliver, Jetta, Jones, Watts

Stretch is the only player with serious future potential on the list. They'd literally slam the door in our face if we offered any of the others. We also don't have a lot of currency if we want to trade future picks, as I think most clubs will bank on us finishing top 8 next year. I would love Lever, and believe we are one KPD away from being a serious premiership threat, but I don't think we have much to trade, and since he isn't a free agent, it could get tricky!

Doesn't lose enough contest one on one to tackle? Still should tackle more, but I think the plan for him is to get ball and attack, rather than play a more shut down role.

I don't care enough about Essendon to know for sure, but all I know is my friend who is a die hard Essendon supporter was devastated to lose him! He said at the time he'll be in our top 5 best players, and I lol'ed and told him to get stuffed because Essendon just want to rip us off. Now every week all I do is curse him for Melksham and thank him for Hibberd. He hates me.

Wagner and OMac play totally different roles, how you can compare the two I don't know. Case in point Wagner was dropped for Salem in the half back attacking flanker role. And they played OMac for some of last season because we knew Dunn and to a certain extent Garland were not in our future plans and we needed to develop some options, and with Frost injured for most of the year, he was our only option. I have great faith in his ability to become a very good solid defender, but he is simply not yet ready to be that great player we need him to be, but the experience he is gaining is great and he is improving. IMO when Max and Hogan are back, Oscar will be the one dropped and dominating some VFL games would actually be great for his confidence, as was yesterday's second half. You haven't suggested who you would drop to make way for Hogan and Gawn?

Firstly we did not play Spencer this weekend because we obviously felt he wasn't ready in terms of fitness. In my opinion that was almost a very costly mistake, as we got smashed in the ruck and at the contest in the first half. It was something like 11 clearances to 2 in the first quarter alone! Secondly we played Oscar and Weids at the start of the year which was obviously a tactic to give them some development time and a taste of AFL but both were subsequently dropped. They were only recalled out of necessity, and I feel the one tall who will make way for the two talls returning, will be Oscar. You wouldn't drop Tom or Frost, and it would be stupid and unfair to drop Pedo, as he gives us a lot up forward and allows Watts to not be the backup ruck to Gawn. Unless we are playing a team with 3 genuine tall forwards, you wouldn't want to carry Tom, Oscar and Frost in the backline. I'd rather an extra runner.

After a facepalm worthy first half, he really lifted his intensity and played a lot better in the second and was instrumental in not just stopping goals but actually creating some forward drive from the back half. We forget how young he is, and realistically he would not be playing AFL if we did not need Tom to ruck and play forward in the absence of both a ruckman and our key forward. Good for him for sticking to the task, despite always being weaker and less experienced than his opponent. Playing in the backline is a tough gig, and he never drops his head, which is a credit to him and our coaching staff. I still think he needs to go back to the VFL when Max and Hogan are back, but this game would give him a lot of confidence. I strongly believe both he and Weids will make it, but they need time and experience and many burgers!

I would, but that would probably be relationship deal breaker, and he's kind of alright. He already knows he has to come to every/all finals, and the kids will be Melbourne supporters. My work here is done.

I'll be there to help. I swear to god we better beat these front runners. For years, they have destroyed us with absolutely no reason. I hate every single one of their players, and their coach. We owe them a massive smashing! I'm even dragging my partner along. Never lost a game when he comes, so I'm doing my bit. He hates me deeply, but it's worth it. Time to smash that embarrassing record!

Pretty pathetic from Essendon fans to boo any of the players who left after being injected with god knows what. But then again, what more would you expect from a club that is labelling this season a "comeback" as if they are some hero soldiers returning from war, and not a bunch of drug cheaters returning from a suspension!