Older demon

Smithy came to Melbourne from Ormond amateurs as a CHF and played his early days there. He had a lot of hamstring problems and I believe that led to his move down back where there was less twisting and turning. Turned into a great full back

Smithy is a demon true blue. I see him at all the MFC games and he wrote a beautiful eulogy for Robbie Flower. He has been the MFC delegate to the MCC in the past so this can only be good for the club. It is customary for the MCC president to attend the Ashes so I suspect he will miss a few games mid July. I ran into Smithy in 2013 at Lords as a guest of the other MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) and saw the out going president Paul Sheahan also there.

Trengove is assisting with the coaching for Old Collegians in premier div amateurs. Still on crutches I believe, so a long way of from doing any running, but keeping involved in footy and midfield coaching with the blessing of both clubs.

I read with interest the article written by David King titled "Melbourne Blueprint: Paul Roos’ legacy at Melbourne will be decided in 2015." He makes some good points and I like the way the stats graphic at the end is presented and that you can see the various bar graphs for each player by kicks, marks etc. but it is so obvious how uneven the workload is spread Who would believe that Pederson and Watts are the leading score assist men! Frawley easily the most marks and significant goal contribution ! Only 4 players with more than 60 clearances ouch! Statistically Bail had a very good year despite the constant criticism on here. I think I can safely say is that there is a lot of room for improvement.

No comparison between Neeld and Luke. One had no man management skills and Luke is brilliant at player management.

Saw them on the park this morning. Checked with a friend at the club who told me it was voluntary on the players part with first session starting next week for the younger players. Older blokes and rehab will start later. Forget AFLPA as this was voluntary and I applaud the players keen enough to start ball work so soon.

Will he fill the role left vacant by George Stones retirement??

Middle row second from the right Andrew Chisholm was also recruited to MFC form Ormond Amateurs along with Steven Smith (200 game player). Chis played Under 19's and Reserves in 1974 and 1975 but did not play a senior game and returned to Ormond in the amateurs after his time at Melbourne ended (DemonWiki). Another friend has a photo of her year 11 class at Murrumbeena high in 1972. It is easy to recognise the bespectacled Robbie Flower.

Lever missed the entire 2014 season recovering from an ACL repair must be a speculative pick at best for pick 10-12

If the Pies won't accept pick 5 and 25 because they want an established player to replace Beams what makes everyone think they will take 3 and 12? They loaded up on kids last season and so far in negotiations with Brisbane have been adamant that they want a quality player not more kids. Just as Roos has stated we wont be bringing in too many kids why throw away JT for pick 12 and another kid, not to mention giving up pick 23. Personally I hope we consider the offer for about 10 seconds and politely refuse and hope that JT doesn't take it too badly

Don't like it, and consider Trenners and 23 for pick 12 is overs. Good on Richmond for making and enquiry and to MFC for being upfront and not denying it. My next step would be a polite response of thanks but NO THANKS. If they want Trengove then offer pick 12 alone, we keep pick 23 and even then I don't like trading out a respected, experienced player coming back from injury for a kid.

From a friend that coached Frosty at Wesley note that Sam can play at both ends. He has played down back at GWS but is equally as comfortable up forward. I note in the "Potential trades" thread that many think we don't need another back man well Frosty is a potential swingman in the same way Frawley was this year.

Seeing the EPL got mentioned do not forget that player movement involves all of Europe in fact the world. EPL clubs gain and lose players to a variety of markets. AFL free trade is too limited to model on free trade in any of the overseas markets. This is where the AFPLA and AFL have got it wrong. What we are seeing is free gents choosing to go to successful clubs and big coin and we are seeing clubs de list players to make space. Nett effect is that only 4 clubs max will be in a premiership window and the top 10 players in these teams will take the lions share of the salary cap. Some of our younger players took front ended contracts so that we could pay 90% of the salary cap and free up salary cap space for new aquisitions. I hope offering Danger the once in a lifetime deal doesn't upset the internal pecking order or mean we shed others as the playing list improves...and it will improve.

A true champion and the most skilled player I have seen at the club. I was at Western Oval on June 4th 1973 and saw this skinny kid with huge black glasses on and thought gee he can play. A week later he debuted against Geelong still shy of his 18th birthday. I was in awe as he was 2 weeks younger than me playing for my beloved D's. I was constantly amazed at his skill and courage in such a frail looking frame and I hated Dipper for cleaning him up in his final game the only time I think he ever got cleaned up. I am so glad I had the joy of following his magnificent career. His record is a lesson for us all as he played in just 88 wins and 184 losses and was there in some very dark times. He only made a finals appearance in his final season, 1987. So fitting that the current wearer of the number 2 epitomises the spirit of Robbie. I am so sad at his passing and offer my condolences to his family R.I.P.

If Frosty comes to Melbourne, that will be another addition to the 21-22 y.o players Roos is trying to build. Sam was rookied in 2011 from the Sandy Dragons and played with Jarryd Lyons (taken pick 61 in 2010). He is a Wesley boy a year behind Viv Michie who came from the Oakleigh chargers in 2010. The Chargers in 2011 were an interesting group with Tyson were Tomlinson, Greene, Tom Curran (Kangas) and Daniel Pearce (Bulldogs). Maybe the plan is to reunite or build a solid group of 20 to 23 year olds.

On reflection remember Roos words "No one player will turn the club around, forget drafting kids and thinking they will be the saviou". I suspect the thinks the same about players and if we land Dangerfield good but I suspect Roos wants more than just 1 superstar. He wants to build the midfield depth and has a preference for tall strong mid's. Be interested to see how it pans out. Note Hawthorn got Burgoyne, 3 time premiership player, for pick 9 and traded Mark (shotgun) Williams.

Gerard Whately on AFL 360 hinted Saints No 1 pick to go to GWS for an undisclosed player as they want Petracca real bad

So many Pies fans crying foul over Beams and demanding their pick four yet think it is OK to [censored] Clark and give MFC nothing or a late pick. Karma.............. They have a reputation as the most difficult club to deal with in trading and expect the world in return for peanuts.

If danger is available just get him Putting aside the how, I think it is the why that counts. Judd to Carlton (and that cost them Kennedy) and Ablett to Gold Coast has shown that a marquee superstar has worked at developing a club and getting over that hump to clear the bottom. Murphy and Gibbs have developed with Judd there to take the heat as have the GCS players with Ablett there to take the heat. The downside is that even now when Judd & Ablett don't play the team slips back. GWS didn't really go for a marquee mid and still struggle or should I say their elite mids have taken longer. You can never have enough A grade mids and you want them to kick goals. Selwood went at I think. I still think the club would like to keep a high pick and go after Brayshaw as he did a pre season with us at our invite and would be still on our radar.

Damn, Dangerfields price will go through the roof after the brownlow.

It just occurred to me and may have been mentioned earlier. Roos has been i a similar situation before and again with Collingwood. Darren Jolly requested a trade back to Victoria from the Swans for family reasons which was granted with Roos blessing. History shows that Mrs Jolly suffered post natal depression and Sydney did the right thing. What compensation did Sydney get from the Pies for a premiership ruckman? I always thought Roos was most reasonable and understanding of Jolly's plight as he has here with Mitch and lets move on building a better forward line.

Fox tonight Eddie very contrite when asked about Buckley's comment. Aware of discussion but nothing has come to the board. What a hypocrite! if it was a Pies player being poached he would be making all sorts of idle threats. Every year at trade there are 2 teams that give nothing but expect the world, they are Essendon and Collingwood. They are both miserable at the trade table. They will give precious little for Clark and probably are already patting themselves on the back for a recruiting coup. If HL is on offer then take it cos we won't get anything else.

Holy Cow "Fremantle offers James Frawley $3 million five-year deal" latest headline from the Herald Sun. Serious money now on offer and way better than Geelong. No thinking needed take the money and run Chip

Well at least Chris Scott has admitted that they are enamoured with Chip and think he is a great player. It is also worth noting that Adelaide lost Bock and Phil Davis in successive seasons, their CHB and replacement CHB and still managed to come up with a good defence. Geelong lost Ablett and the Hawks Buddy so free agency will hurt but we can move on as I doubt that Geelong will provide all the footy success Chip wants. And don't forget PJ has already stated based on our offer to Chip he wont be leaving for money.

2012 draft Whitfield (25 games), O'Rourke (9), Plowman (11), Toumpas (18), Stringer (23), MacRae(30), Wines (33), Mayes(39), Vlastuin(35), Daniher (26 & FS pick), Menzel (26), Jaksch form the top 12. So after 2 years pick 2 and 12 are allegedly returning to Victoria and many here want to trade Toumpas. Whitfield looks all class but has been injured a lot. Maybe the success of Wines is colouring everyones view as all these draftees are expected to be at his level. Mayes has been equally impressive but being in a lesser team there isn't as much written about him. In terms of a career they all have a lot of developing to do, these guys are babies and I imagine GWS losing 2 top 12 draft picks will not be happy.