Lucifers Hero

Interested to know your thoughts on why.

We could but trading noises suggest the club has other plans for the wing roles. In some respects he is like his great mate Billy Stretch. Just couldn't find a spot to make their own. Whether that was because they were not given a consistent run, didn't have the ability or our game plan kept changing on them, who knows. I do feel it is in Nibbler's interest to look elsewhere.

I hope Harley feels proud of what he has achieved. To come back from the setbacks of the last few years, the public shaming, overcoming injuries and getting fit enough to play AFL again is a huge testament to his grit and determination. Respect. Hope he can get past his current tribulations and recognise his achievements. Feel for Steven May. They seemed like brothers and am guessing he would be worried for his mate who he helped bring to the club.

I don't think it is about how good he is/isn't. If after 6 years a player cannot make the regular 22 he owes it to himself, and a club owes it to him to think beyond contracts. We have players developing that will further overtake ANB's spot in the ranking so it makes sense for him to move elsewhere. He was recruited as a midfielder but is well down the pecking order. A variety of clubs may use his attributes and satisfy his ambitions better than we can. So after 6 years it is best to move on.

Both. (re the bolded part) 1. In the second half of the year Max had some really poor games with centre bounce taps. The taps regularly went to no mans land or to opp midfielders. For some reason Max's taps have become predictable to ops and they shark them. 2. Clubs will often let our midfielders get first touch/possession at centre bounces, force a turnover and beat us on the outside. Many clubs have openly talked about this as 'the way to beat Melbourne' for the last two years. They simply structure up better than us. We are not getting anywhere near enough value from our 'elite' midfield. As a result, I suspect we are low on the scores from centre bounces.

According to the club release /preuss-joins-melbourne 'Preuss will wear the red and blue until at least the end of 2021'. So he has one year left on his contract. Whatever the contract, we don't have the leverage some are suggesting. We said we are open to enquiries for him. So now he looks around will choose a club and we will have to deal with that club.

MELBOURNE "Jack Viney‘s future continues to hang in the balance, with both Carlton and Geelong seeing him as a genuine chance to jump ship. Simon Goodwin is a huge fan of Viney and with the 26-year-old a restricted free agent the club may play hard ball (in true Viney fashion) to force a trade". trade-news-rumours-whispers Based on that, either the club is playing its cards on Jack's extended contract very close to its chest or Viney hasn't signed yet. If he goes for the mooted salary and given his age we would get a first round pick; currently #11. Can't see us getting a better pick by 'forcing a trade' and playing hard ball isn't our style. Also, if Jack chose to go I doubt the club would make it hard. He deserves a clean transition. Jack has until the first week of November (FA week) to decide. Hopefully we know before then so other decision trade can be made. With FA's, the longer it takes for an announcement the person is staying the more likely it is they are not, especially if their chosen club is in the finals.

Am interested to know if that is a Brayshaw or a club initiative. iyv, if we get a draft pick are we likely to go to the draft or use it to trade in a player? Thanks.

Couldn't agree more. The set-up at stoppages, especially field stoppages is one of our weaknesses as there often isn't an outlet player; instead we play 'stacks on the mill'. I agree its a coaching issue; I believe it comes back to the game plan and stoppage structures. Brisbane re-trained Mitch Robinson from the typical see-ball-get-ball inside mid to a wingmen who among other things patrolled his side of the ground and sat outside the pack as the outlet player at stoppages. Mitch is not fast and is not the smartest guy in footy yet he is now one of the best wingmen in the AFL. I think we have the players that could be developed like Mitch was but it looks lie we haven't chosen to or don't know how to.

Apparently, the players voted him out of the Vice captaincy and out of the leadership group this year. Any ideas as to why?

That's a long list of improvements, Ah1 Just not sure Salem is being played in his best position so see it difficult for him to go 'to the next level' until that changes.

Isn't that because of the role he is given: defender and not midfielder. Also most of our field stoppages are taken by the midfielders which would be by design rather than inability on Salem's part. I recall in the 2019 preseason/season he trained/played in the midfield but after a few games he was moved back. imv that was because our 4/5 starting midfielders are so inflexible they can't play other roles (except Petracca) rather than Salem lacking the ability for midfield/stoppages. I'm not sure how he can take the 'next step' you suggest without a positional change. Maybe if we recruit Saad it would free Salem up to play a wing role like Langdon. He could then be the outlet player at stoppages, roam the backline like Langdon and pop up for a few goals.

So much for all the people who repeatedly say Salem is slow. #Salomyths

Another accolade: He is in the midfield for the AFL Team Of The Year.

TOTY makes some AA team selections look quite arbitrary. The AA 'selectors' would do well to add "Players are only eligible for their most-played position" from the TOTY criteria. Stats aren't the be all, end all but at least their is some objectivity to them. Good to see Christian still made the team and Oliver on the bench.

What would you like to see from him?

From afar it looks like North has taken ruthlessness to a whole new level of dogged stubborness. The guy wanted 4 years instead of 3. Yet North couldn't find a way to get the deal done. One has to wonder whether they even considered a contract with "triggers" for a 4th year or other trade offs. Shaw is making some big calls for someone with only one year on his coaching contract. Putting his eggs in the 'drafting talent' basket. May end up with lots of egg on face.

Interesting. He has a breadth of experience: player, club captain (Fitzroy), [censored] coach/match-day tactician (Saints) and recruitment manager (Adelaide) and until this year was at the Pies.. He has a well rounded footy background. He played with Gary Pert for a decade. Would he be a candidate for GM Football, should the position become vacant?

I don't wish to deflect this thread from Oliver but I feel it is important to clarify that statement. He has shown consistent improvement since he started playing. Year 1 - 2015. Out injured with ACL. Interrupted preseason. Year 2 - 2016. Out injured (toe). Interrupted preseason. Debuted rmd 6. Played mainly fwd. Kicked 12.11 Year 3 - 2017. First full pre-season. Played mainly fwd. Kicked 22.6 Year 4 - 2018. Played mainly fwd. Had poor goal kicking 19.23 Year 5 - 2019 Played fwd and mid. Leading club goal kicker 22.14. Came 5th in BnF. Year 6 - 2020 A stellar year. So it took him approx 3.5 years not 6 (mid 2016 to the start of 2020) to reach his "one good season". Players don't suddenly have one good season. It is built on hard work with consistent growth and improvement. imv it is a bit unfair to say he wants to walk into a premiership contender. Perhaps he wants to be at a club where everyone (on and off the field) works as hard as he does at being the best they can be. I've heard he is fully committed to winning a premiership at the dees. He plays like he does.

Thought his achievements this year are worthy of special acknowledgement: Keith "Bluey" Truscott winner AA team on first nomination 2nd in the AFLCA coaches award which was won by Neale 3rd in the MVP awards, second to Neale and Boak Reflecting on those in total: he is voted the best by club coaches, AA by 'independent' AFL figures, top 2 by all coaches that saw him play and 3rd by his peers; some 800+ players. He has been building to this for several years and as he said has areas to improve and won't that be awesome! He graciously credited teammates, coaches and fitness staff at the Bluey. He has carried himself with maturity and humility. For the first time in eons we not only have a club champion we have an AFL champion, an elite player. Regardless of how mfc fortunes go in future he will be a joy to watch and people will go to games just to see his class. Rapt for him.

He will never leave the bulldogs. He is our Jack Viney in terms of family connection, loving the jumper and is as tenacious and as loyal as a bulldog.

Final Leaderboard 385 – Christian Petracca 362 – Steven May 311 – Jack Viney 296 – Ed Langdon 291 – Clayton Oliver 234 – Max Gawn 208 – Christian Salem 186 – Angus Brayshaw 179 – Michael Hibberd 172 – Sam Weideman 165 – Jake Lever 154 – Bayley Fritsch 119 – Jake Melksham 102 – Kysaiah Pickett 94 – Trent Rivers 92 – Adam Tomlinson 90 – Aaron vandenBerg 80 – Charlie Spargo 79 – Luke Jackson 72 – Mitch Hannan Hope that helps.

That bodes well. The AFL website said they may not know for a few weeks the final list sizes but clubs are working on 38 senior players plus 2 rookies, which I think wast he worst case scenario. As a reference, after this weeks delistings we have 39 senior players and 4 Rookies (ecxl Bradtke). So hopefully it all works out and Harley can stay.

I really hope @pinksharkdoesn't respond to that. You are just trying to create a platform to continue to denigrate Jack. You didn't value him fine. But let others that did show their love, respect and appreciation. No needs to explain how they feel.

Interestingly, he came to the club with Roos and the only one left from Roos' days. He learnt his trade from a master and good to see he is still delivering and the players think highly of him.