The Red Fox

Scratch match in December... bless.

http://six6six.smugmug.com/Training-Photos-Friday/n-kPMNv/i-f8T9ccD/A

Second Round Rookie Pick. Dandenong Stingrays.

And we're done. Full list, no Tapscott. Shame.

White capped off a fine year in the TAC Cup, winning the club champion award.

Mitchell predominantly played as a rebound defender, culminating in a best and fairest for the Stingrays this year. Hes a long, raking left-foot kick, who has really good defensive nous, national recruiting manager Jason Taylor toldmelbournefc.com.au.

Story: White selected at No.20

Highlights: Mitchell White's highlights

Photo: http://bit.ly/1BjD1Sf

Pick 2 in the Rookie Draft. 22 years old. What else do we know about him?

...

Ha. Good banter. Actually wouldn't mind seeing him try.

posted tonight by scooter23 on bomberblitz tonight...

"Let's beat these Melbourne dogs..... I'm running in off the square and taking someone out at the first bounce..... Invoke some fear into the rest of them.... They'll be too scared to put their heads over the ball for the rest of the game" ...

I will point out this individual to you guys before the first bounce...

perhaps we should unchain wise ??

(no, that would be too cruel)...

I'm around from October onwards...

IN: Wise

Who is our new Rollo again?

IN:

Jetta - deserves his spot on senior form.

JKH - two good weeks with Casey, gives us a better small forward option than Salem.

Blease - consistent form with Casey, gives us a line breaker who will speed up our transition or another small to hit the packs around goals.

OUT:

Gawn - team balance.

Salem - no seeing a lot of it playing forward pocket with the firsts. Would benefit from 100 minutes through the midfield with Casey.

Barry - doesn't look like getting near it. Has had a taste, back to Casey to continue development.

Our biggest issue atm is how slow and predictable we are moving into attack. The three ins, guys with line breaking speed and x-factor, should help address that.

Looking at the AFL player ratings, it's encouraging to see every Melbourne listed player, sans three, on an upward curve (see link).

Melbourne listed AFL player ratings

(I know this is stats related and under Roos new game plan we're actually getting our hands on the pill)

Still, how many players in the round 1 team don't have improvement in them?

And, how many players will break into the top 100, top 200 by season end? One for the time capsule...

What's the job entail Rollo? That might help people decide whether they can take it on or not...

All of us who have enjoyed playing over the years owe Rollo a huge debt of gratitude for his efforts and commitment to forum footy, going way back to the inaugural game versus Saintastional at Glenferrie Oval. Thank you mate.

Hope you'll still come down for a watch every so often.

As an aside, I'd love a look at the match records and would be happy to take on the statistician/historian aspect of the gig.

I'm getting a few of the old Shanghai Tigers boys (who have returned to Aus) down for a run. Ollie from the last match was one. Pencil in another couple - maybe up to four.

Sylvia's been going like a busted arse on the track. Been running 12 mins-plus in their 3k time trials.

No chance he's running that slowly...

... surely?

Bloody hell those bombers are a sucker for punishment. I smell a rat though. They may have some new recruits who might be sidelined for a year from their day job. Will whispering jack go toe to toe with bomber Thompson? Wise vs Watson? Might be a tough game. Bookies have demonland by 6 goals.

Can tag.

Really enjoyed Paul Gardner being there last time

Lost more weight and ready to go

PG will be pleased to hear. Jack, do you need an assistant? Has senior experience.

so, we get the ball inside an 12.3 times a game for and extra 4.3 goals a week and we're in the finals

if that seems like an oversimplification look at the table again and realise these stats are incapable of lying

Someone add 4.3 goals to each round's scoreline last year and see how many more games we'd have won? Don't think it'd have us close to finals.

Demonland in 2012 wanted Ollie Wines ... and his form warranted that in 2013.

Freeman seems to be our pick in 2014

Majority of Demonland preferred Toumpas over Wines pre-draft. That all changed round 1.

if you haven't seen him train you should - he is something to behold.

Because he Falcons himself every other session!?

We know he has speed; if he's got elite endurance, and this is news to me, then (I'm going to say it) a Goodes style midfield role beckons.

Let's throw down a fairly typical 2014 line-up... and add games played for the MCF in 2013 next to each player

B: Dunn (18) Frawley (17) Garland (21)

HB: Grimes (15) McDonald (17) Clisby (8)

C: Watts (18) Vince (0) Cross (0)

HF: Howe (21) Dawes (12) Trengove (20)

FF: Hogan (0) Clark (4) Blease (10)

R: Jamar (9) Jones (22) Viney (13)

Int: Miche (0) Tyson (0) Toumpas (14)

Sub/Emg: M Jones (22), Terlich (20), Kent (15), McKenzie (12), Tappy (16), Byrnes (17), Jetta (5), Fitzy (11), Gawn (13)... you name it.

Of the starting 21, only 8 played more than 15 games for us last year.

They combine for 239 games in total, at an average of 11.3 games per player. There's half a season missing for each player.

Someone might want to look at the Freo and Haw Grand Final teams and let us know what the average games per player was.

We have the squad, continuity is the absolute key and it's what'll drive this club up the ladder.

While the AFL player rankings aren't definitive, they give a good insight into a players standing, over their last 40 games.

Interesting to note that Vince was Adelaide's 5th best player (4th best Mid), and Cross was still the Dogs 9th best player (5th best Mid).

They'll sit #2 and #6 respectively in Melbourne's current rankings, and #2 and #3 of the Midfielders. They give us 3 mids inside the AFL top 200 players. Hawthorn, the benchmark team, has 6, Sydney 8 and Freo 6.

Where do the other 3-5 come from?

Dom Tyson & Jack Viney have only played 13 games each. Multiply their scores based on 40 games and both would be on the cusp of the top 200 based on output from their debut seasons alone. They'll be players.

Then we need a couple of either, Viv Michie, Toumpas, Trenners, Grimes, Watts (if he plays mid) to hit their straps.

Any of McKenzie, M Jones, Kent, Evans, Taggert developing into an A-Grade would be a bonus. Can't see it though.

When can we expect to see 6+ mids in the top 200 and a genuinely competitive unit? 2015 you'd think.

I do, but still... consider it gospel.

I've been asked not to reveal the source.

I've got enough detail to know its true beyond a doubt.

Why aren't they announcing it?

Jeez Rollo... I'm 33 next week, why do I get the feeling I am about to get 'list managed' into retirement?

We've signed on a high profile coach. We've just come of a 20 goal win. I think the team is in pretty good order.

... Glad someone is future planning though.

Why would Sydnbey be interested

Their premiership window is well and truly open forthe next 5 years, so why would they trade an established gun for pick 2?

They need the salary cap breathing space.

This way they get that and maintain a level of list quality.

- Taylor Adams says NO THANKS to Dees (follows the Judd, Hale, Burgoyne, Ball footsteps)

Judd actually wanted to come to Melbourne and all things (contracts) being equal he would have. MFC just couldn't get close to Carlton's salary offer (thanks to the Visy third party deal), so he went hip pocket over heat and signed with the Blues. But let's not revisit this...

BREAKING NEWS...

On the eve of the big game, Demonland has finally signed on a new coach.

Happy to announce the appointment of former Melbourne Football Club President, Paul Gardner, as match day Demonland coach.

The man who hired Dean Bailey had better perform better in the hot seat tomorrow.

Get around him boys. He's been a great servant of our club.

See you all at the ground in the morning.

I've secured a little midfield grunt and an outside, roving, tip rat of a forward. Hoping a couple of old team mates from the Shanghai Tigers days get along as well.

Looks like we've got a healthy squad.

First injured (and that won't take long) assumes coaching duties for the remainder of the afternoon.

Just don't try to drag me.

Rollo, as always, great work.