corowa

I think I'd be more interested in how he gets the ball and disposes of it!

You can also add the following players to your list of 'tacklers': Harmes, Jetta, Vandenberg, Oliver

Whilst I'm sorry to see such a talented young player leave MFC, Hogan going is a relief in some ways. We will not spend next season worrying about getting him to sign a new contract or that we will not get adequate compensation if he was to leave as a RFA at the end of 2019. It would seem that May wants to be with us. His dedication to his new club and his on field aggression can only motivate other players. He can also play as a key position forward, if required.

A lot of posts here suggest that we want to trade Hogan more than Fremantle want to recruit him. Nonsense! As such they pay OUR price or miss out. We shouldn't bend over to help them. They won't let Neale go to Brisbane for peanuts! The other point that intrigues me is that many posters believe that selling Hogan means getting May. Is this guaranteed? I would think not. Conceivably we could go into 2019 without Hogan and also without May. Imagine the furore if that happened. What's that old saying ............ 'A bird in the hand .....'

This whole scenario portrays the power of the media. They keep hounding until they get what they want - new Prime Minister - AFL coach losing contract, Hogan leaving MFC and on and on and bloody on! Keeping Hogan would not be the end of the world. Who says he'll just leave at the end of 2019? So might Oliver, or Gawn or Petracca.No one knows - yet the media hypothesize. Mud-rakers and morons like Sam Maclure. Replacing Hogan with May would strengthen our backline but would do nothing for the forwards. What if T Mac or Weideman sustains an injury? How would our forward line look then? And Hogan is 4 years younger than May! At least the backline will see the return of Lever during next season. At one stage this season commentators were speaking volumes of our 'twin towers' up forward - T Mac and Hogan - and what a huge advantage they gave us over most other teams. How has this changed of late? To win matches you have to kick lots of goals - we did this very well most weeks. Why change a successful formula?

My understanding is that Scully looked a terminally ill Jimmy Stynes in the eye and told him he would stay at Melbourne. I don't think that my loathing of Scully can be attributed to 'immaturity'. No matter how good a player he might be, I would hope that he never dons a Melbourne Guernsey again.

From what I've heard of Bennell's attitude, behaviour and social skills, he makes Bomber Thompson look like a choir boy. No thanks!

Yes, the way he rag-dolled Selwood and Dangerfield in the semi final was wonderful. Players as hard as he is are intimidating to opponents and motivational to team mates. Great news!

Only a season or two ago, Preuss kept Goldstein out of North's team, so he must have talent. He is certainly a better back up for Max than any of the options we had this year. However, having both Max and Preuss in the same team might unbalance it. I can't see him playing too many games with Max next season, so I would question his reason for wanting to join us.

What the media thinks Hogan is worth should be of no consequence to us. If Hogan wants to go to Fremantle we set a not negotiable price. If it's not met he stays with us. It will be interesting to see what Fremantle demand and get in return for Lachie Neale. It would seem that Geelong have taken a firm line with Kelly. I hate Geelong but I do admire their recruiting strategies and success with recruiting. We need to take a leaf out of their book. We must not be pushovers.

If the 'deal' for Hogan improves the team for 2019 make it. Otherwise keep him. 2 draft picks will most likely take 3 years or so to reach their potential - if they ever do! Draft picks only of use if traded for high quality players. Our 'time' is 2019 & 2020. We need quality players now.

It's not that many weeks ago that we were extolling the virtue of having a pair of big forwards the equal of the best in the league. We were the highest scoring team this season. I can't see the need to change this style of play. Losing one of the big two KPF will do nothing to maintain our high scores. Or am I missing something?

The success that a team has over a season is greatly influenced by the 'quality' of the 'bottom 6' players and the 'quality' of the next 3 or 4 who replace those who get injured. Our 'bottom 6' this season were 'good' players. Our next 4 were 'OK'. This might not be the case next season if we lose Hogan, VandenBerg, Tyson and Kent.

Or none! We need top players now, not in 4 years time when draft picks might or might not have come good.

OK, ProDee, I'll take your bait! My ranking of our players is based primarily on a geriatric 71 year old's assessment of our 2018 performances : 1. Gawn 2. Oliver 3. T McDonald 4. Lever 5. Viney 6. Jetta 7. Hogan 8. Harmes 9. Hibberd 10. Brayshaw 11. Salem 12. Petracca 13. Melksham 14. Vandenberg 15. Fritsch 16. Frost 17. Jones 18. Weideman 19. Lewis 20. Neil-Bullen 21. Jones 22. O McDonald 23. Hannan 24. J Smith 25. Spargo 26. Tyson 27. Garlett

I won't rank our 'best 20' as, in my opinion, 'best 20' is meaningless. Best at what? How do you judge 'best'? Is Tom McDonald better than Neville Jetta? Do we down grade a brilliant tackler because he turns the ball over more by foot than someone who kicks accurately but rarely tackles? We need all types with a range of skills. My comments supporting AVB were regarding his ferocious attack on the ball, including 'hurting' opposition players and intimidating them. We haven't done this as a team for years. Now we are as tough as any other team and tougher than most. AVB is in our top group of players who do this regularly. In my opinion this increased pressure has contributed significantly to our success this season. As such, AVB is better value than 'bottom 6'.

I would certainly rate him higher than 'bottom 6'. One of our biggest improvements of late has been the consistent pressure we have been able to apply. I would rate AVB up there with our best tacklers - that is Viney & Harmes. The loss of his hardness at the ball would be very noticeable and most regrettable. I'd be working at keeping him as a top priority.

Our window of opportunity is the immediate 3 or 4 years. We want 'good' players now, not high draft picks who might or might not develop into players as good as, or better than Hogan. And who might take 4 or 5 years to reach that level. Too risky! Past experience shows this in spades. Trade Hogan only if the trade immediately strengthens our team and prospects of winning the GF next year.

I agree with you 100%. Why would you trade a 'good', young, big man? What for? Draft picks?? When you have a talent like Hogan you don't discard him for one or even two kids with 'high' potential. Do you remember Cale Morton and Jimmy Toumpas? Early picks, great potential, but failed to excite. Perhaps we could throw in Max Gawn and get another two 'may bes' with potential. Better still, add Oliver and Viney. We could end up with 10 picks in the top 20. And how many would be any good? Going on our history, not many! The grass might be greener, but I'd stick with what we've got - youth, skill, passion, great recent improvement and lots more to come next year.

I was talking to a mate about the Demons at tennis the other night when one of the opponents butted in and said 'I thought you'd be up at the snow'. When he said he was a Collingwood supporter I asked him if Barwon Prison had let him out on day release to play tennis. He wasn't happy, but I made my point.

I travelled down from Corowa (southern NSW) at the age of 17 on the morning of the GF. We had won 5 grand finals in my 10 years as a Dees supporter, so I was brashly confident. Not so confident late in the last quarter when Collingwood hit the front. A great trip back home - the three hours passed quickly. I'm now 71 and no way would I have ever thought that we'd be 54 years from our 1964 win and still without another premiership. I guess I'm blessed to have seen us win one. But I would love another!

I was at Princes Park the day that dirty mongrel, Leigh Matthews, king hit Stephen Smith. He woke up in the dressing room some minutes later, minus several teeth. And people speak of Matthews as a super hero. Hero, my ar.....m pit! He deserved to be charged for assault and suffered the ignominy of being found guilty (before getting off on appeal). To argue that violence on the field that would see you before the court and facing gaol time if done on the street, is not subject to the laws of the land is astounding. What if a player actually died? Having said that, I'd still welcome Gaff at MFC if we could get him. Do the crime, do the time. Forgive and forget. We have our own skeletons in the closet. I still love Rod Grinter, who took fisticuffs to a much higher level, though I don't condone his level of aggression.

I was 17 when I saw us win our Grand Final in 1964. I didn't think I'd reach 71 without us winning another!

Carlton owe us - and big time. They got Ron Barassi, Greg Wells & Earl Spalding . We got Vin Catoggio and a couple of 'could be's' who quickly showed they were 'won't be's'. We don't need broken down 29 year olds. Aim high - we're a club of destination - chase the big names who are in their prime.

Keith (Bluey) Truscott Stuart Spencer