Diamond_Jim

This 6-6-6 business which I freely admit I have no idea about could suit Garlett.

The Melksham "non block"springs to mind as something that should have been questioned but as usual nothing. A bit like hanging Oliver out to dry last year when the umpires continuously called him for throwing the ball. In so many areas we are irrelevant. Where for example is our view on the priority picks. As the team most recently denied such a pick our public stance is very relevant...but nothing.

no...it makes them a lot easier to hand out and we are the losers. No way would they give round 1 picks but top of round 2... just watch this space

Looks like we are all being softened up for the priority pick that is not a priority pick. Given the MFC has no round 1 pick this is extremely important to us

now that is a juxtaposition of themes... do they serve rum on board ? I have just been reliving some of my train trips across India.... definitely no rum ! Richmond 24..bombers 15... Tiges on top ... Bombers getting some favourable umpire interpretations

spin it as you like... five changes = instability in anyone's books

you may be right. It's just that after the disappointments of 2016 and 2017 so much more was expected of this season. To not beat a side etc etc...you know what I mean

Contracted until the end of 2019. Hard decision..trade (would we get much) or retain. I think he will want to go somewhere that he gets game time and the game plan suits him. Our relatively crowded forward line does not suit him in my view.

So do we now say goodbye to Messrs Bugg and Kennedy Harris. Garlett traded perhaps as well. (What a difference a season makes).

do you disagree that changing out one quarter of the team with two games to go shows that we are not travelling well. Fact is this season ended last week if not a few weeks before.

5 changes...signs of almost desperation ...two for improvement and one forced but it does not augur well. What a disappointment this season has been

Bombers have a first round pick ... we don't. Whether it will be enough to tempt GWS is the question? Here's a good article about Carlton trading for Shiels and why. https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2018-can-carlton-and-gws-do-a-deal-for-midfielder-dylan-shiel-and-should-they/news-story/2fb2e6e538fc8f41edcbd4ab5b3e0287

He becomes a Restricted free Agent at the and of 2019. Why would he not wait until then and maximise the bidding war. It's GWS who would benefit from trading at the end of 2018. We need a separate thread on free agency as the pros and cons not to mention the permutations are starting to do my head in. I assume that although clubs are precluded from talking to players there is no restriction on clubs talking to managers. Out of interest when is the player allowed to commit in principle or otherwise.

Nail on the head. Free Agency probably adds 20% to the amount a club will pay for a player as no need for a trade.

Hard to see anyone around that we would not have to trade for. Big decisions to be made

I posted a few days back that the North offer is longer at seven years and is worth almost $2M more. The only way he would come to Melbourne is on the hope that he would be able to make up the difference on his next contract. Not much hope.

Last year he was almost continuously pushed under the ball and lacked leading skills. This year his ability to stand his ground has improved and he has added relief rucking to his repertoire. Definitely improvement but remember the VFL skill level has probably been on the decrease and most of the other back up AFL affiliated clubs are not necessarily full of KPD's. So yes... he's worth a go... Would he have been selected int he absence of injury to Hogan...probably no.

Agree ... he has not shown much more than Sam but the difference is he was payed all last year. Tom Mac playing forward has really made it difficult for Sam. Not sure how it will play out in the 2019/2020 timeframe. Perhaps his relief ruck work will help him but he has to have another few strings to his bow. PS: I see in the Trade Hogan thread mention is made of playing Sam at CHB. A possibility. The jury is still very much out on whether it has worked for Moore.

Interesting point and I probably agree. Out of interest what do you think Moore and McCartin would command on the trade market. Not much more than the Weid perhaps a second round.

Why am I suffering flashbacks to the Juice ? Mind you his form at VFL level was pretty stunning before he got his call up.

yep... of the three games we all knew Sydney was the easiest if there is such a thing.Not much mention on the board about how lucky we were that Buddy kicked 1:5. In a way it would be very Melbourne to beat WCE and then fall to GWS. The unfortunate reality is that while our VFL team kicks butt in their competition they have produced very little even by way of depth for the senior team. Not one inclusion has stayed the course. I thought we had found something in Tim Smith but that failed as well. PS: I rate Spargo as a worthwhile product but I am not sure he qualifies as coming from the VFL as he only played about 6 games at that level.

you must still have some optimism BB. Season officially ended I think last weekend. WCE and GWS much better than the Swans.

agree... time to see if Weideman has improved... A game in good conditions in Perth should suit him. After last weekend I have zero expectations for the remainder of the season so a few good games from Weideman may be a little fillip to take into the off season.

This season just keeps on giving.... Oh well Weideman has got two weeks to show if he has improved this year. Personally that just about does me for this year... time to pick a team to watch in the finals as usual

I suspect Hogan is on around 600k but is likely to go to 800k next contract renewal if his 2019 form justifies it. Lynch arguable 1.2M. Worth doing the sums but I would want Brayshaw and Freo's first rounder for Hogan. Might work.