Diamond_Jim

it's worth remembering that Richmond sacked its chief recruiter after a number of top ten drafting fails. To say that it is an inexact science is an understatement. Recent events will increase the gap between the haves and the have nots which makes success with this list all the more important.

Just saw the final vote on Jones v Lovett almost 4-1 in favour of Jones... strange Anyway Neitz by the length of the proverbial straight in this vote

doesn't sound like what the Greek State minister is advocating but who knows https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/11489100/greece-holiday-july-british-tourists/

Agree Bradtke out for Brown given that we have Weid and Jackson in the hub... our level of injury makes the choice relatively easy.... I suppose there has to be some upside (if you can call it that) in our misfortune

Here's my attempt assuming you need to leave out 13 players: Injured: Nietschke, Bennell KK, AVB, Preuss, Hannan and Smith (7) Definitely out.... Mitch Brown, Josh Wagner, Hunt (3) Probably: Baker, Chandler, Jordon (3)

Here's the current list as shown in Wikipedia to aid discussion.... Melbourne Football Club Melbourne Football Club view talk edit Senior list Rookie list Coaching staff 1 Steven May 2 Nathan Jones 3 Christian Salem 4 James Harmes 5 Christian Petracca 6 Luke Jackson 7 Jack Viney (vc) 8 Jake Lever 9 Charlie Spargo 10 Angus Brayshaw 11 Max Gawn (c) 12 Toby Bedford 13 Clayton Oliver 14 Michael Hibberd 15 Ed Langdon 16 Kade Kolodjashnij 18 Jake Melksham 19 Mitch Hannan 20 Adam Tomlinson 21 Braydon Preuss 22 Aaron vandenBerg 23 James Jordon 24 Trent Rivers 25 Tom McDonald 26 Sam Weideman 27 Aaron Nietschke 28 Oscar McDonald 29 Jayden Hunt 30 Alex Neal-Bullen 31 Bayley Fritsch 32 Tom Sparrow 33 Oskar Baker 34 Marty Hore 35 Harrison Petty 36 Kysaiah Pickett 39 Neville Jetta 42 Josh Wagner 44 Joel Smith 17 Harley Bennell 37 Kade Chandler 38 Mitch Brown 40 Corey Wagner 41 Jay Lockhart 46 Austin Bradtke (B) 48 Kyle Dunkley Head coach Simon Goodwin Assistant coaches Alan Richardson (director of coaching) Troy Chaplin (defence) Justin Plapp (midfield) Ben Mathews (stoppages) Matthew Egan (head of development) Max Rooke (development) Jordan Lewis (development) Sam Radford (VFL) Legend: (c) Captain(s) (vc) Vice captain(s) (B) Category B rookie italics - Inactive player list Long-term injury

Seems relatively certain that each club will be permitted to take around 32 players into the hub. MFC has 38 players plus seven rookies. The rookies include Lockhart and Dunkley just to mention two. Who would you leave out of the hub?

Don't agree with everything dpositive but well argued and a balanced response.? The closing of the Queensland border in a way that excluded Coolangatta marks a nadir in federalism.

my memory of those days is that in finals at least we did okay at Waverley. It had very wide wings where you could get lost if you didn't stick to the more central parts of the ground.

Interesting to see that the NRL hub concept provides for the Sydney teams at least to continue to live at home. The virus numbers are such in Australia that the complete quarantine hub is arguably not necessary particularly so if figures remain as is through May and June. Switzerland are opening restaurants soon because they are so happy that daily cases are down to 250 a day. Europe is discussing re-opening tourism in mid July. Balance is the key.

And these guys want to go into a quarantine hub....

A wonderfully cerebral article from the Guardian.... The peak-end rule is a heuristic method whereby people judge an experience on how they felt at its peak and at its end, rather than some amalgam of the whole. Consequently, with the right spin, we may find ourselves so overjoyed at the return of sporting endeavour that it warps our perception of what preceded it. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2020/apr/28/playing-the-waiting-game-shutdown-of-sport-is-beginning-to-test-patience

one assumes that if there is a Melbourne hub and an interstate hub that only the interstate teams will relocate at first. That allows for seven rounds until anyone is required to move. Please tell me they wouldn't mix the hubs from day 1 !!! As an aside I am looking forward to Essendon, Collingwood etc playing at Kardinia Park.

Don't worry... Eddie will be onto this and we know what that means !!!

So right !!!

How about we do a three or fourpeat starting this year and then everyone's happy. I think I could manage it.

If it had only been 2009 we could be excused but we all know the list goes on and on. Even the present bunch who are the best in a long time seem to be under-performing relative to what we know they can do.

Agree... it will be relegated to another suburban comp at the low maintenance ovals. The AFL's willingness to ditch many of its peripheral programmes while ignoring the bigger issue of player salaries in a declining revenue period is disheartening.

I think the AFL are banking on the hubs being a relatively short term arrangement ...say eight weeks ...and not the whole 16 games plus finals. Who knows...the only certainty is that they are desperate for money. The NRL are planning for players who live locally to remain at home. I cannot see why the interstate NRL players couldn't rent an apartment if that better suits their family situation.

no argument from me but of course it just puts a hole in next years revenue. Perhaps 20% off for five years would be doable. Unless the GF is played in November, I see little chance of crowds being allowed and even then that would be a big stretch based on what we are being told about social distancing lasting well into 2021. Can you think of something the club could do for you that would not involve significant financial burden. How about a lottery where the prizes included a shared super box with a former player or two, or admission to the rooms or to a player training luncheon. I'm sure there are others but as I said the club needs to engage its members

I think Hardtack the club has assumed it is a donation. Did you expect any different from an industry where the common fan has been taken for granted for years? The reality is that the MFC will go broke if it has to refund the fees but there is a balance that I believe the clubs are in danger of missing. Where that balance is I am not sure but at the least it should encompass more fan engagement by the players who after all are the main beneficiaries of our largesse. Pay cuts will be the norm for many players as TV advertising revenue falls etc etc. Should you ask for a refund of the GF guarantee or the equivalent of an airline voucher as you suggest.Go for it. Should you be entitled to receive it? Probably yes but should that be extended to reserve seat fees, Redleg membership and the list goes on. Caroline Wilson's article about a tax deduction on the basis of a charitable donation missed the point as tax revenues will be stretched for years to come. The fall out from this disastrous virus in an economic sense is just really starting to raise its ugly head. Other than the ubiquitous Amazon and the mega tech companies it is hard to think of one industry that will emerge unscathed. I have always tried to drill into my children that you need to have six months worth of living expenses available in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Of course they laugh at me. Perhaps I should have been advocating for twelve !! Good luck Hardtack in these very difficult times.

we're now starting to see some more of the NRL plan. It seems that players living in a hub city will continue living at home but will have to submit their home to an environmental audit which will include others living in the home. Other guidelines include temperature checks, daily cleaning of equipment, single access to venues and isolation for players in their homes except for travelling to training, playing, doctor’s visits or essential food shopping. Also proposed are restrictions on training in public spaces outside of the club environment, and a ban on using public transport, taxis and car sharing. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/apr/27/queensland-government-open-to-nrl-return-if-strict-biosecurity-measures-are-followed

Just realised the "live" votes we see on the poll above don't include the facebook votes etc. Big turn around on the Farmer v Yze vote for example from what we on this site had voted. Fascinating

The NRL are a strange bunch. Their chairman was on the radio last evening talking seriously about having crowds back at their games sooner rather than later citing the low C19 numbers.

as it's favourite as well as best I will go for Yze simply because he was a one club player. Loved watching the Wiz though.