Young Dee

Don't we get compensation for unrestricted free agents?

Can they award mid first round picks (10-12?) isn't that what the Saints got for Goddard? If we could get something like pick 12 for Sylvia - that would be overs and definitely worth considering. We could then make a play for Adams with that pick. The problem lies with getting rid of one of the only experienced players. It would only further weaken our midfield aswell. We desperately need to see improvement for the players and fans so for that reason I would say keep him. (unless we can get a pick like 12 and trade it for a better established midfielder)

My opinion is if you want some experienced leaders to help develop your young players they have to be good (be able to lead by example on-field). Byrnes/Rodan are not the kind of players that inspire youth on-field. Would rather have a couple late draft picks with potential then some senior fringe players. Having said that I don't know what influence they have had off-field.

Sounds a bit like Gysberts from Demonland reports. I guess that could come down to his character and/or club culture - that Frawely and Watts group seem to be the back class slackers of the team. I wonder how much influence a group like that has on the rest of the team.

I agree our improvement will all come down to our midfield. Hopefully as well as picking up two quality young mids (trade) and a quality experienced mid (Free agency) we will also have Grimes returning, a new Trengove and Sylvia and an improved Vineyand Toumpas. I also have my doubts about Grimes but to say he is not AFL standard? He is ahead of Matt Jones in my opinion (Grimes was our 2nd best mid at the start of year - he just lacks the finesse of a good player). As for Taggert I think he and Strauss will turn a few heads next season.

He could have been a poor pick or he could have been poorly developed. I think we always jump to the conclusion that its a poor pick if a player doesn't meet our expectations. I don't believe where we are now comes down to poor selection. Watts, Scully, Trengove, Morton, Strauss, Blease, Tappy, Cook, Gysberts - You can't just blame that on poor selection. Look at all those players does any have what you would call an AFL body/endurance? All those players where high draft picks but none have performed as expected. To use a really bad metaphor: Building a list is like baking a cake, you can buy the best quality ingredients (players) but if you suck at baking (developing) then your cake is not going to taste very good. How does Geelong turn late draft picks into good players? - it doesn't just come down to good drafting. However there are obviously some who have been poor selections and possibly Blease was one of those - we will never know.

Very disappointing season. Like so many of our players I just don't know where he stands. IMO he is not a midfielder, not a forward, not a back man - could be a wingmen? As said above he is going to need to learn to run both ways if he wants to stick around under Roos - in a similar boat to Tappy

I actually would not be to upset at losing Howe. He is to much of a highlight reel player. Has talent but very inconsistent - doesn't really have a set position either. Having said that I could see him being a forward flank and drifting up the ground (taking marks on the wing). We have plenty of tall forwards, no real mid sized or small forwards so it would be a lose there (maybe Kent/Barry - I more see them as future mids/wingmen). If Sylvia and Howe left we would need to look at getting some medium-small forwards but that should be easier than getting A grade mids.

Here is something to dream about: - Paul Roos joins Melb - Quality young successor joins (Burns/Simpson) - Watts signs a 3 year contract - Club lures two quality young midfielders through trade - Jurrah is Rookie listed by Melbourne We have already ticked off 2 of the harder ones - now for the other 3. Sit back and watch membership and crowd numbers double.

That's kind of disrespectful! Anyway - I am not really concerned about wins I just want to see every Melbourne player giving their best and us to be competitive. I want to be able to watch games week in week out. I want to go into a game thinking that we can win it - not that we will get smashed by +100. Thats all I want from next year (so basically a different team).

I think we need a couple mids at his age and experience but if we do get players in that age bracket they need to be good players which will lead by example. We need quality players that can help develop our youth but also have an impact on the ground. (IMOP Rodan and Byrnes are not those kind of players). A good list like Geelong seems to consist of two types of players youth with potential and experienced players that lead by example. You don't build a list with mature fringe players (Pedersen).

How long is he contracted for? Can we only talk with him when either his contract is up or Sydney allows us to?

After a whole year on the sidelines he is not going to be in peak fitness but I don't think he has to be in order to have an impact. With Dawes, Hogan and Watts in the team Clark can stay in the forward 50m if he has to whilst the other three can push up the ground and crash packs. The MFC was saying that he could return before the end of the year - that surely means his fitness can't be to bad? (a couple months ago half of demonland were saying he would never return). Like all of our team he needs a big injury free preseason (lets hope Arizona helps out Clark and Dawes). Its interesting that Neeld didn't go for high altitude training after coming from Colingwood (they did a lot of research into high altitude training). Anyway it will be great having Clark back out there and he and Dawes will have an immense impact I think (they wont be dropping their heads after we get a few goals kicked against us).

http://www.foxsports.com.au/video?v=roos-on-tension-with-swans_1226726501856&vc=212 I assume this is what you are talking about? - I don't have fox Roos distancing himself from Sydney will only strengthen his bond with us hopefully. Maybe may make him stay on at the dees in another role. Sydney clearly have no sense of respect or have short memory spans. Roos is an honest good bloke doing nothing more than his job. Just because he used to be part of the club does not mean he needs to bow down every time he runs into them (if anything should be the other way round). For so long we have been to weak to have rival clubs - maybe this is a sign that times are changing. I want rivals. I want to play dirty.

Good news if true! As said that means they haven't taken anyone we considered a worthy successor. Now lets just hope WCE don't take anyone on our radar - they can have Craig. We will take Burns and Simpson please.

Good on you Watts - I hope through this time he has had a long hard look at himself and said no matter which club I go to if I want to be a good player I am going to have to work hard and go in hard. I think we will see a different Watts next year - a determined Watts!

The delistings were OK it was who replaced the delistings that was questionable. Rodan, Pedersen, Sellar etc. I would have kept Gysberts over Pedersen (provided he didn't interfere with the work ethic/culture)

So just to get things straight - this money package they are talking about is not an additional package but the one we received a while ago?

Is this the same Brad Miller that everyone usesd to love to payout? Is this good news? An inexperienced coach? And was no star Sorry to be negative but it is strange. He must have good characteristics and I guess coaches have to start somewhere. Do we really need four threads for this?

Its better having a bench warmer with leadership than just a plain bench warmer. If you want to start making changes to the list I suggest you start else where. Football matches are not just won on the field but are the result of all the little things such as having people in your team with a high work ethic (Jones, Viney and Dawes), people who lead by example both on and off the field.

Agreed I would be happy with pick 10 and accept pick 19

Don't worry by the time a Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn or Essendon team begins to fall down the ladder the rules will be changed.

Seems like a really good character but as said above he was thrown into the deep end. Could have kept him in the VFL for the year - no shame in that.

Not much to really say - basically our only genuine midfield prospect going forward. I would have liked to have seen what he could do with an injury free year.

I was surprised when I heard he had played 12 games as well - I guess he played games in clusters between injuries. I think he will surprise a lot of people next year - provided he can go a full year without injuries. His leadership is just as important to our team as his skill set.