BAMF

100% on the same page as you. I have no doubt that an interview would not have made a lick of difference in the outcome. I'm not trying to say that we missed out on the best kid in the draft. Scully was clearly the number 1 pick at the time. The debate at the time was if Trengove or Butcher would be pick 2 and I still think that Trenners would have been great if he wasn't injured. But not even interviewing the other candidates? It makes me angry.

I'm unable to find the smoking gun. I was told that it came directly from Martin's mouth during an interview. Basically the interviewer was discussing how he was a potential number 1 draft pick and Martin said that he knew he wasn't going to Melbourne as they didn't interview him. I did find this. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/dustin-martin-s-afl-dalliances-with-sydney "Every club knew his background but I don't think anybody was scared off by anything. There was no questioning his character and whether to draft him." Yet Melbourne were so confident about the skills of Scully and Jack Trengove they didn't interview Martin. The Tigers have copped plenty in recent years about their various draft failures, but the Demons' mistake is arguably worse given they had the first two picks of 2009. There is another article out there which interviews Predergast where be mentions that he thought Dusty was hot and cold in terms of performance in the draft year.

We didn't even interview Dustin Martin.

2 years? Getting rid of Goodwin will make the Roos years redundant and therefore a waste. It's much more than 2 years. That's why a number of us refuse to believe that Goodwin is the problem.

Indeed. He has had a bad year and comes across as a thick yob. But if you haven't seen Tex play well and can't see his strengths then I question how many non-demon games you watch.

I swear there was a paragraph about him getting positive feedback that has now disappeared from the article

That's not official is it?

I did almost exactly the same exercise at around round 19 albeit only for the Dees and based on my own best 22 picked in the preseason. Basically the same result. We averaged over a third of our best 22 out in every game this year. Even this does not tell the whole story of our woes. So many of our players were forced back earlier that recommended to cover the losses. Viney couldn't even run in round 1 and IMO should not have got a game until about round 5 TMac played injured all year and had little impact most games he played Hannan played 6 games when it was clear to most that he should have played none. Melksham played 12 games after injury and was rushed in with no fitness base Jetta got injured. Missed a few games and rushed back before a season ending injury

It wasn't really a choice between the two though was it? Scully was never coming back even if we wanted him too.

Not sure if this is serious.

He isn't a free agent. So a trade would need to be agreed upon or he would have to enter one of the draft. If he was to go then you would have wished he was a free agent as we would have got pick 3 as compo. We lose if he decides to leave and to be honest, I would not blame him for leaving.

It begins.

Wow. Amazing.

I was at the ground today. There was something fundamentaly wrong with Nathan Jones. His body language reeked. He offered no leadership and no one looked to him for it. My mother watches about 1/2 a game every three weeks and it was her second live AFL game ever. She said it was either 1) his last game for the club or 2) he had just been told that he would not be captain effective immediately. The last time (and first ever) she came to a game she said Jack Watts was playing with no confidence and would be traded at year's end. He was.

Just on the bus heading home from the ground. Happy with the effort from most of the boys. Gawny and Fritsch were amazing. Frost never gave up and I owe him an apology for writing him off at the start of the year.

Has looked to be on the verge of being a good player for a number of years but never seems to get there.

If we miss out on Anderson with pick 2 and go to the draft with pick 3, I would rather pick up Young or Ash. Both could slot into a HBF in their first year and could push to a wing later on. Serong has had a great year from what I have read but wouldnt compliment what we already have.

Hunt dropped. Cannot say it is undeserved. He has been playing like a guy who is just seeing the season out. Some disgraceful positioning and pressure efforts. I hate to say it, but he could be traded come the end of the year.

Tigers certainly have a number of smalls who are gettable. Baker, Bolton and Butler. Butler will likely be the one to make way.

Depends what you define as a key role. You could say that just about any player in the league with a few years under their belt and a healthy body would have gotten a game with us this year. Tomlinson plays ok in a team surrounded by great players. He is tall and can play both ends of the ground which is handy. I'm just not sure about Ellis. He has buyer beware written all over him. He could plug a gap for a few years, but is that really going to help us long term? Especially considering we would be paying overs in salary. If he wasn't a free agent would we look twice at him?

Because in a year's time they could be playing for Casey on good coin. We could be in the box seat to land a big fish free agent but not quite have enough cash because we have overpaid a depth player because they were 'free'. I agree that we need to be smart. Will these players be getting a game in their second year? I'm not opposed to getting them.

I saw this kid’s name mentioned in an article on the AFL website regarding the 2020 draft. He is tied to us as part of our Dandenong Stingrays NGA. He’s 179cm tall and has kicked a few goals so must be a forward. Recruiters split on quality of 2020 draft, big calls loom Deakyn Smith

I just don't think we have that luxury. We are short on outside mids which extends to the half back flank. They tried Salem in the guts at the start of last year and he was ineffective. At best he broke even. If Salem leaves the HBF it would have to be to take up a position on the wings. Does he have the endurance? His disposal is a weapon on the half back flank. We need another HBF who has pace and good disposal. Lachlan Ash is a youngster who we could potentially look at in the draft but would likely go around pick 5-12.

I'm Melbourne