Roger Mellie

Footy Tragic's Top 50 is worth a look (it's his own top 50, in reverse, not a phantom draft)

Freeman makes me the most nervous of our possible picks. Also wouldn't be disappointed but my visions of Luke Shuey occasionally get clouded with Kane Tenace (just occasionally)

What's his name = Simon McPhee

They were interviewing two of the St Kilda assistants - Adam Kingsley and what''s his name - clearly searching far and wide!

Quite possibly, but I would rather ditch or swap the channel now (better still a month ago) than find out on 29th that it's not on.

I believe the idiots have finally scrapped it - reported earlier in the year.I planned to ditch the sports channels on poxtel after the draft (until Round 1). I will be extremely miffed if it's not televised.

Definitely going for Acres then - WCE are the shiftiest club when it comes to the draft

I dont get all the grief for BP. Yes, he was an out an out dud but it was management opting to give the recruiting role to BP rather than getting a proven, experienced recruiting manager from outside the club. Whether we couldn't get who we wanted or we couldn't afford them, I don't know, but in hindsight it was up there as one of the more shocking decisions of the MFC. It was always going to take sometime to find out BP was a dud because the draftees wouldn't necessarily come on straight away and then there's the poor development to cloud the issue.

I remember when Neeld started, Malthouse advised him to take complete control of everything to avoid being put in a Bailey type situation. I suspect he gave similar advice to Watters with StKFC and MFC both being weak dysfunctional clubs. If you've been around as long as Mick, it's probably not that hard to do, but in your first gig as senior coach? IMO this has as much to do with it as anything else. - Mick could balance the 'my way or the highway' approach with his obligation to get the best out of every player on the list. I don't think Neeld or Watters could or would.

It sounds like he was given tagging roles when he cracked the seniors. Probably don't need another but if he finds the pill he might be worth a rookie spot

The guy from Casey who used to play cricket (his name escapes me)

Bartram was devoted to preparation and improving his limited ability. Weller has ability but appears more devoted to himself

Wont be long now

Except it will be competition between Nahas and Nathan Page

Bail has been cleared to play and has played since his issues with concussion. You cant therefore just flick him using concussion as an excuse. You cant just get rid of contracted players. In the very rare instance that you do, there's a good or acceptable reason - eg Nathan Carroll. If you pay out contracts of spuds: 1) The Players' Association would be up in arms 2) No player manager/agent would want to deal with Melbourne as they don't honour their contracts 3) Players would not want to come to MFC (even more so than usual) 4) We would have to answer to the AFL and explain why, in our parlous financial state, we felt in any position to pay out contracted players for Pick 70 odd (etc) in the draft IT WONT HAPPEN SO LETS DROP IT

It would explain why Nettlefold did a runner (at St Kilda that is)

If Hawthorn are happy to facilitate a trade for him, the asking price wont be high

How do you get end of Round 1 pick as compensation? It's highly unlikely. If Sylvia's chasing a premiership, he might not be offered huge coin (which so far seems the major determinant of compensation picks.) As RFPC says, we'll likely get a Band 3 or possibly worse - depending on the coin involved. I wish him well, but he's in for a hell of a shock trying to keep up with Freo's work rate.

Dunno about that. If they lose Polec, Yeo, Docherty, Karnezis and Longer (any others?) they'll end up with some handy draft picks. I'm thinking they'll just say no - but stranger things have happened

And, then there's Andrew Newbold who went along to formulate strategies to thwart it

If the Lions are losing un-contracted players left, right and centre, there's no way they'll let go of a contracted gun.

He's practically a gazelle

I suspect we were until he (his manager) told us to sod off... such is our appeal. I thought the only way of landing him would be if GWS played hardball and said you'll go to the Victorian club that offers us the best deal

The $2m over 4 years deal for Shaw was on 7 news last night. The actuality is more like....we are interested in Shaw

Agree with everything you say about Shaw Deeko, and we definitely need a good user of the footy coming out of the back line. I just see our needs as more pressing in the middle, unless we got him reasonably cheaply. If our interest is genuine, I could only see it happening once we've sown up an Adams or similar (as well as Cross).