rjay

That may well be a positive.

...and that's about it 'Macca', whatever it's called that's what we did.

Neil Craig, and he is a top appointment doing a great job.

Thanks for the Neeld quote above I couldn't remember what he said but remember it being in the 60's, he also said something about needing to put some weight on him so maybe the 78kg is a bit overstated. Have noticed the same and it's the only knock I have on him. Will be interested to watch him on match day.

Yeah I think on the whole Rohan has been supportive of Melbourne although I'm not sure what point he was trying to make with the Freo game, pro or negative, I'm not sure he knew. I think he feels this whole inquiry is a bit of a mess and hard to fathom, he seems bemused by the whole thing. He is the only journo I know of who thinks our recruiting approach was on the mark and that we will surprise a few people this year and improve a fair bit.

The main difference was that they had the infrastructure to make it work. FD, training facilities, development program, recruiting department and senior players to lead the way. We've been playing catch up and now we are in position to take advantage. ...by the way did anyone notice Matt Rendell in Collingwood gear walking around the ground at training on Friday. I guess that answers the questions about Jason Taylor joining us.

I think that's going to be it, he will play as many as the FD think he is capable of whether that's none or 22. He is a good runner both endurance and pace wise which will be a real bonus as the game starts to flow a bit more with less packs and interchange as the AFL are working towards. Would love to see him show something in the NAB cup to push his name up for selection. If he can realise his potential then this really looks to have been a great draft for the club and the move of picking him up with Hogan will be a master stroke.

You will only know this once he starts playing, Bennell struggled to find the ball enough among other things. Barry has the makings of a player but time will tell.

...and whoever leaked the stuff about Aaron Davey and Mark Neeld last year. That was a disgrace, friends in high places.

You do really have to ask why we have been picked out. It's not a matter of feeling insecure or conspiracy theories or anything else, I mean I'm not paranoid by why is everyone picking on me. Have we just been unlucky, we don't seem to have left ourselves any more open than Richmond or Carlton to name a couple where senior people have come out with some statements that would cast some doubt on their actions. Is Brock a more substantial voice than Wallace or Libba, how about Fev. ...and the actions of the other clubs you mentioned have all been dubious in relation to how they got priority and or high draft picks.

You might also want to have a look at WC at it again in 2010 'Macca'. Interesting how they came back up so quickly. Injuries yes but Gaff and don't mention the war, Darling the priority pick certainly helped.

Blow the whistle and start the game.

That's great news 'WJ'.

I understand your point but watching him at training I think he has improved, he looks in good shape and looks like he should be there. Those positions down back are going to be very, very competitive. Jamar is looking good on the track and marking well, injury interrupted his last season and I would expect him to hold down the number one spot with Spencer and Gawn keeping him honest.

Good to see the turnout this morning, the club must be happy with the support. As for training the reports are pretty much on the mark. A few things I will add are that there seems to be a lot of competition for places this year with a good even balance of players across the board. NAB cup form will have a big say in who makes it into the starting 22 this year particularly for the likes of Jetta, Strauss, Tynan, Taggert, Nicho and a long list of players who have yet to consolidate a place. Neeld showed last year he will pick a player who puts in early by picking Tynan in the first game. There is no doubt about Barry's skill and his running ability and if it translates on match day then we may see a bit of him this year, I hope so. A couple of passes into Dawes in the drills had his eyes light up. He will be a happy man if he gets this sort of service from Barry, Davey, Toumpas and Watts on game day. Interesting to watch big Max and Jesse Hogan kicking on the far side of the ground for a while. Everything was timed, videoed and accounted for, they weren't there to fill in time. They must be itching to get into the main group though. The year that Hogan gets at the club in advance of his peers where he gets to train and play in an AFL environment will pay off big time. It will be great watching him at Casey this year, I wonder if the club will get him a run in the NAB cup like GC did last year. Watching Jack Viney kicking before training with NIcho and he is a very good kick over shorter distance, low, hard and accurate. Like Joel Selwood I think he will be ready to go from game one, he is made for AFL.

Gosch's at 9.30 'WJ', I think a lot of us will be down to support the club. Cheers

Would like to think it was out of the way before we hit the NAB cup. With the evidence to date you would have to think it will be a distant memory by then.

The way we are going we're going to blow the first one out of the water.

Yes we are.

...and would add DM to that list.

We might just make the magic number before this is over.

Actually it was very funny commentary when they talked about the mismatch with Brown. Johnson read the ball better, was in better position and over ran it. Brown kicked the goal. It was a simple ground ball that sometimes Johnson got, sometimes he didn't and that's why he's not playing at AFL level anymore.

Yes you are entitled to your opinion and I understand where you are coming from in trying to lesson the impact on the club, but I don't think it is so easy to prove that we have done anything wrong or anything more than could be construed as list management which was condoned by the head of the AFL at the time. My opinion on the evidence to date is that we don't have a case to answer as there is no proof so why admit we have done something wrong when it was a part of AFL culture at the time and still is judging by some of the selection and coaching manoeuvres last season. This of course all changes if there is the so called "smoking gun", if that's the case then the club would be wise to take your preferred course of action. I do think however if this evidence did exist we would have heard about it by now.

That's not the point. Can you prove it.

Prove it!