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Ok, so those that have been here a while know I don't mind looking at the stats and that I also trail off when the stats start to get too depressing to continue capturing but here we go... I think Clearances, Inside 50s, Uncontested Possies, Contested Possies, Score, and Quarters Won are tried and tested measurements of any team at any level. Below is a table that shows our average in all those categories from the last 3 years and also the differential between us and our opponent. For example, in the Clearances column we can see that we averaged 37.6 clearances last year - an increase of 3.3 - but our differential only went down 0.3 so our opponents averaged 3 more clearances than they did in 2014. CL I50 Ups CPs Score QW 2015 Differential -3.1 -9.0 -12.0 -0.9 -21.4 35 2015 Melbourne Ave 37.6 44.5 203.5 135.2 71.5 2014 Differential -4.8 -11.6 -6.5 -1.5 -28.1 30 2014 Melbourne Ave 34.3 40.5 218.4 130.2 60.7 2013 Differential -9.7 -18.0 -56.7 -23.5 -56.2 20 2013 Melbourne Ave 32.5 40.0 191.7 123.7 66.1 I will do this tracking for 2016 and for your benefit here is the NAB Challenge:We are tracking well (still mediocre but better) in Clearances, Inside 50s, Contested Possies, and Score with a drop off in uncontested possies. However, when I took out the 4 games we had against Freo, Syd, and Haw we tracked 11 UPs better off (and yes, I took out the commensurate games against those teams from 2014 to measure against). NAB Ch. Opp Diff 5.3 9.3 27.3 15.0 18.3 7 NAB Ch. Melb Ave 37.3 50.3 210.0 135.3 91.3 All categories are either holding steady at good levels or have improved out of sight. Too bad it doesn't mean anything... Let's hope we see some similar numbers when the proper stuff starts on Saturday.

2017 Dunn, Hogan,Viney, Lumumba 2016 Dawes, Grimes (RFA), Watts (RFA), Michie*, Vince, Tyson*, Kent, M Jones, Spencer, T McDonald, Terlich*, Jetta, Garlett, Stretch, Frost, Newton, Petracca, Brayshaw, Neal-Bullen, O McDonald 2015 Trengove, Jamar (UFA), Garland (RFA), McKenzie, Howe, N Jones (RFA), Gawn, Fitzpatrick, Toumpas, Pedersen, Salem, Kennedy-Harris, Hunt, Cross, Bail, Riley, Harmes ®, King ® * = Require confirmation... List Spots Available: 0 PL, 2 RL Deletions (10 PL, 1 RL): Clark, Frawley, Byrnes, Nicholson, Clisby, Strauss, Blease, Tapscott, Georgiou ®, Barry, Evans Additions (Bolded have places on PL): Jetta (Upgrade), Stretch, Garlett, Lumumba, Frost, Newton, Petracca, Brayshaw, Neal-Bullen, O McDonald, PSD2, RD2, RD20 Actions: Byrnes retired. Jetta upgraded and signed till 2016. Bail, and Riley given (assumed) 1 year deals Terlich given two years (speculation) Nicholson and Clisby delisted. Frawley FA to Hawthorn for ND3. Stretch acquired in F/S for ND42 Garlett acquired for ND61 and a swap of 5th round picks. Clark swapped for Lumumba. Frost, ND40, and ND53 acquired for ND23. Strauss and Blease delisted. Harmes, King retained on RL. Georgiou delisted form RL. Tapscott delisted. Ben Newton acquired through DFA. Barry retires from AFL. Evans delisted and paid out for 2015. Petracca, Brayshaw, Neal-Bullen, and O McDonald added at the ND.

For all you dreamers, wannabe recruiters, and draftee "experts", this is your chance to state your drafting order ahead of the 2014 AFL National Draft. We will do it as the club would (and all other clubs) come draft night. We'll write down our exact orders to select the draftees and if any are selected prior they are crossed off the list and the next in order will be taken. Now this is quite easy this year considering we are dealing with pick 2 and 3, although hopefully in years to come this exercise will get harder as we climb the ladder. It doesn't matter if you know next to nothing about the draft, or if you've watched every highlights package, read every stats sheet, or have been to numerous games, this is just for fun. So now the question is who has the Midas touch or Marty McFly's sports almanac? We'll find out in a few years -------------------------------- Here's mine: 1. Christian Petracca 2. Angus Brayshaw 3. Nakia Cockatoo Why (only if you want to): I consider Petracca and Brayshaw currently the best two talents and both blue chip selections meaning they are most likely to progress well and succeed at the AFL level. As for Cockatoo, he had produced similar games in his past but we just didn't see enough of him this year, I think if we had he would certainly be in everyone's top 3 or 5 equations. He practically has it all, strength, evasiveness, vision & poise, speed, the skills (accurate kicking and clean hands/ both sides), and an excellent attitude. He can play on the outside or get his hands dirty on the inside, he also has a nice leap and can certainly take a mark. As for those mouth watering highlight packages that potential draftees take the entire season to generate, Cockatoo produced his from one game. By obtaining at least one blue chip above I believe Cockatoo is certainly worth "the risk" (foot and lack of 2014 exposure) and finally I feel he's miles ahead of the next few midfielders (for those going by "needs") and likely ready to go come 2015. Who just misses your cut? 4. Patrick McCartin: As much as I would love to see he and Hogan develop and line up next to each other for the next decade, Cockatoo has won me over. -------------------------------- Additional information regarding bios, stats, and highlights can be found here: http://www.afl.com.au/draft/draft-machine

With the release of the draw looming and with a renewed sense of confidence brewing, who would you like to see us take on for Round 1, 2014? Obviously we can rule out Syd, GWS, Carl and Rich. Chances are it will be a bottom 8 side too. Thoughts?

LJ interested in reviving his career with us? Club has been in constant contact with him during his travailles. Jurrah back playing footy after release from Alice Springs jail

BarnDee mentioned we should have a thread. It will happen. It's an rpfc guarantee.

For those he are squeamish about talking about list turnover in July - this thread is not for you... LIST MANAGEMENT - A Red & Blue October When it comes to deletions from the list every year I like to have a look at what is the minimum amount of talent we want to bring in and tailor the deletions from the list based on what we can bring in. For example, if cutting Tynan brings in ND96 then it would not be worth cutting Tynan. First we should look at what we WILL bring in, as opposed to incoming FAs and trades. 1. Hogan 2. ND2 3. ND21 4. ND41 5. PSD2 6. ND61 7. ND82 8. RU - Magner 9. RU - Clisby (R - has extra year) 10. ND95 11. ND105 12. ND111 Sylvia possibly leaving takes care of itself, I expect a pick following our second round pick (ND22). The possible deletions can be any fringe player of course, but the easiest to move are those out of contract. This is my order of deletion preference for those OOC: MacDonald, Gillies, Jetta, Davis, Sellar, Rodan, Davey, Nicholson, Tynan, Fitzpatrick, Taggert, Gawn, and Watts. From here we evaluate each place on the list against its replacement: MacDonald - Hogan Gillies - ND2 Jetta - ND21 Davis - ND41 Sellar - PSD2 Rodan - ND61 Davey - ND82 Nicholson - Magner Tynan - Clisby Fitzpatrick - ND95 Taggert - ND105 Gawn and Watts are obviously not going to be delisted. Those in green are additions that I think are worth the delisting of that player. So I can see 6 definite changes to the list with the future of Davey and Nicholson dependent on whether we get any draft assistance, can attract FAs and/or whether we can trade out players in much the same way Morton and Gysberts were traded. I find this is useful when posters claim we should get rid of Player X without first thinking about what we would bring in.

I wanted to discuss an aspect of how we can get better in 2014, and what midfieders in their prime the new coach will have at his disposal. I have developed an arbitrary formula for determining when players reach their 'prime' (the experience and time to build your body to consistently give your best). It's a sliding scale of Years in the system OR Games played depending on how old the player was when taken: 18/19: 4 Y, 70G 20: 3Y, 60G 21: 3Y, 50G 22: 2Y, 40G 23: 2Y, 30G 24: 1Y, 20G 25: 1Y, 10G As soon as a player has had their minimum years of experience then the amount of games played against their current age will determine whether they have reached their 'prime.' Basically, Sellar is in his prime because he has played more than 10 games as a 25 year old even though he has not played the 70 games since being drafted as a teenager. From this, admittedly arbitrary, table the following are our prime midfielders this year: Jones, Grimes, Bail, Davey, Rodan, Sylvia, Byrnes and Magner. Prime in 2014 In 2014, these names will be added to that list: M.Jones, McKenzie, Trengove, Blease, Couch, Tapscott, and Howe. This will mean adding 4 or 5 players to the list of midfielders that, assuming they have a decent pre-season, can be counted on to be at their best and ready to contribute consistently. Young Mids with a Elite Facet Added to these names can be those that don't graduate just yet for their prime but bring an elite facet to the AFL from day one; they can contribute immediately. I can see 4 of those amongst our young mids: Viney (clearances), Evans (ball winning), Toumpas (skills), and Kent (skills). Analysis While this is not scientific I think it gives a rough guide to why we have been so poor and how it can turn around. It will come, predominantly, from those players I have named: Jones, M.Jones, Magner, McKenzie, Grimes, Trengove, Bail, Blease, Tapscott, Howe, and Sylvia (if he sticks around). With Viney, Evans, Toumpas, and Kent able to play small roles next year. That list is not fantastic, obviously, but I just wanted to highlight those that should be reaching the point where they should be able to play consistent footy, and for the footy club to make a judgement on these players. If the judgement on M.Jones, Bail, Magner, Tapscott, and Blease is more positive than negative, and if Trengove and Grimes can be healthy this November (and stay healthy) then we will improve in 2014.

B McDonald Frawley Garland HB Grimes Watts Terlich C Jones Toumpas Fitzpatrick HF Howe Hogan^ Clarke F Dawes Gawn Evans R Jamar Trengove Viney IC Sylvia M.Jones Blease Tapscott EM Jetta Bail Magner ® then from… Davis Kent Davey^^ Barry McKenzie Couch ® Spencer Strauss Nicholson Dunn Burnes Sellar Clisby ® Rodan MacDonald Pederson Gillies Stark ® Tynan Taggert ^^davey gone end 2013 ^Hogan for 2014 looking at the optimal list, out team is really rather good, and there is some depth there too, it confuses me how we can peform so bad when the list it quite talented. when they get some more games together under their belt, (nearly half onfield list have played under 30 games) this team will dominate. if we dont self destruct first...