The heart beats true

I LOVE THIS TRADE. We currently can't attract A grade talent to our club - but VERY importantly there is actually very few A grade players that move clubs relative to the amount of teams. So what we've essentially said here is that we will back ourselves to bring in quality players through the draft and then if that makes us a more desirable team to FA's because our future looks bright then so be it - but if not we still have quality coming through. I also love it because it signals a desire to get better immediately without sacrificing longevity. Next year our first pick may be a lot higher and to be honest thats what we ALL want. Our footy club is being well managed. It almost makes me want to cry.

Mate you can't go back, you can only go forward. Toumpas couldn't make it in a team that was bottom 6. It doesn't matter if he 'was' pick 4. It only matters what he's worth now. We needed to get someone else in and see what they can do. If nothing changes then nothing changes.

Good of Howe to pull this on the club at this stage. Comes back from holidays and nominates a different club than the one we were told he was interested in, and they have very, very little to negotiate with. I like that the club is saying Kennedy is a seperate trade. Letting Collingwood know they have to give something substantial to gain something. I'm hoping we'll get a decent Pies player and Kennedy for Howe and late pick.

I'll take him in our best 22 over Jordie, Bail, Terlich and Riley. Sometimes drafting is just about improving the middle to bottom end of your best team. That's what this deal seems like for me. Don't understand all the hand wringing over this really. You guys could be accused of being overly 'negative'. Welcome Jake. Play well. Go Dees.

Jack Gunston is a nice comparison for a manager throw out there. Pity about the elite kicking thing though. Just a minor issue in a game called 'foot' ball.

I was basing my research on Wikipiedia Clint - which says they got Hodge. Lesson learnt

Hodgey and Roughead as Priority picks didn't hurt them. They got a strong list at the same time as the league had multiple compromised drafts and the introduction of FA. Priority picks get scrapped and that didn't help. Hawthorn are a strong club at the moment, no doubt, but they've also been fortunate with timing.

The AFL got his one dead right. The players wanted FA so they had more options but it's terrible for club supporters. All they can provide to us is hope and hope in the AFL means draft picks. The problem is that it created a weird precedent where clubs like Carlton this year would be better off to trade free agents and get more picks and therefore it motivates teams to loose. At least it worked in our advantage before they wised up. But it's not a great look that a player leaves a struggling club for more money and 12 months later plays in a premiership. In the 80s Robbie Flower kept this clubs supporters going. Can't see that sort of thing happening in the future, which I reckon is really sad.

The Priority Pick system helped them immeasurably in uncompromised drafts. It's not that simple, but gees it's a bloody good start. Now we have Free Agency for them to top up with - McEvoy, Lake, Frawley. It's not the playing field it was a decade ago. I'd argue that priority picks are more important now under FA. Allow the bottom 4 clubs to bring in more talent and then give them time to develop it. If not then the players now have the ability to leave and chase success, or even ask for a mutually beneficial trade (look at how FA has impacted negotiations for none FA players). If Carlton had 2 top 5 picks this year then they could trade one of them for a player who a club might lose under FA the next year, and still bring in a young player for the future. So maybe the answer is a 'must trade' top 5 pick. I haven't done the math on it - but I bet if the rumours are correct Adelaide are kicking themselves for not taking the Dangerfield trade for a top 2 pick from Melbourne last year. Clubs will get better at it, and will wrestle back the player skewed system as it stands currently. The AFL could help with a tweak to the system too.

Yeah, that Sydney rumour (and variations on it) ive heard from 3 different sources today. It's certainly building momentum. Interesting few weeks ahead I'd think.

I want Jack gone for one very simple reason: I'll never have to read about should he stay or should he go again on D'Land

#negativity

Guys, he's just not up to it. It's that simple. It's not a conspiracy, it's not part of a bigger plan. He's had a lot of opportunity this year and in the last 5-6 weeks his form has been ordinary. He was clearly set some tasks and he didn't do them. It's a game designed for consistent winners. If we don't change a team that's made up of players that don't win their roles then how can we expect a winning team?

We aren't very good (you're welcome for that incredible insight). BUT footy on the TV is ruined by both networks pandering to clubs with bigger supporter bases. We get absolutely annihilated in the commentary, often at times being spoken to in reference to what the opposition team is doing even when running into goal. Meanwhile I've had the misfortune of watching Essendon games on TV over the last few weeks and the way they are spoken about, even though they are struggling, makes me sick. Doggies copped it until this year, Saints get it a fair bit too. It's just another nail in the coffin of smaller teams, but thats not what annoys me - what annoys me is it's a short sighted strategy, as it actually makes 80% of the games poor viewing, and will damage an audiences interest long term.

I'm acutely aware of the irony of being on Demonland and talking about what he said but I'll paraphrase it here: We as a club (not just a team of players, but as supporters, administrators, everyone) are overly negative. We say things like 'of course we'll lose to Carlton'. We manifest poor behaviour. He didn't excuse himself from it, he just said it was unique to Melbourne as a club. He said we need to turn that around as a group. All of us. Sadly I know exactly what he was talking about. Not sure yet what we can do, but it's got to be something.

I'd like to second whoever it was in the game day thread that had a go at Trengorve for potting supporters who have a crack at players. AFL is actually an easy sport to evaluate. Did you beat your opponent? Did enough of you beat your opponent to win? If not you lost. It's not a nice reality but it is a reality. We are a losing team and supporters are VERY entitled to feel let down by the playing group because we've had different coaches, regimes and styles. The players need to be held accountable for us not being good enough. It's why they earn on average 4 time what the average person earns. They aren't good enough and sadly as a rusted on supporter I can accept a lack of ability. I can't accept a lack of effort and mental preparation. That's what I got today and it's not acceptable.

I don't understand what this means, but gees I hope I've misinterpreted you.

Bulldogs have improved a lot this year, but they play like millionaires at that basketball stadium masquerading as a football oval. All the tenants at that ground have the same problem. It can make you look quick and skilful, but it ain't going to help you come September.

You could watch that quarter and try to explain the holding the ball rule to a new fan of the game and they'd be so confused. Congratulations AFL. In trying to make the game more marketable you've actually made it impossible to follow. Boys were much better that quarter. We have improved - because 2 years ago we would have been rolled by 120 points.

Gees I'm glad I don't work in the marketing department for the footy club. Must be bloody hard work.

Good to see Demonland is staying true to form. (rolls eyes) Today id rather be a Melbourne supporter than a North supporter. They have topped up for a premiership that they can never win with a bunch of forward running flash in the pan types. Meanwhile you throw Salem, Frost and Petracca alongside Hogan, Brayshaw, Viney and Tyson and we have a very exciting future. Thought Dawes was very good today too.

Life is better when I don't engage and watch the games. Sadly that's been the case for 90% of our supporter base for the better part of 50 years.

Tyson needs a rocket. He's a bloody selfish player. Drop him and teach him a lesson

Jesus, worst call of the decade?

That Jetta turn over was everything wrong with our footy club. It was high possession, quick hands play from one Melbourne player to another, yet we simply lacked the skills to execute it under absolutely no pressure. They crossed to the box and Roos just looked disinterested. He knows it - every time we try to step up the intensity and take the next step as a team we simply don't have the players to be able to do it. I hate to say it, but as club be just make up the numbers. Not a lot of point thinking we'll be anything but for the next 3-4 years too with the draft concessions given to the expansion teams. So that'll be 20 years in the wilderness giving us no junior interested and no sponsor interest. Makes me want to throw up.