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I attended a forum conducted at AAMI Park this evening on the MFC's approach to free agency, trading and drafting. The Melbourne Business Community function was hosted by Chris Connolly with speakers Mark Neeld and Tim Harrington. Some of the general information about FA and trades has been published on the websites of the AFL or club or discussed at previous meetings while there were some mildly sensitive issues that can't really be expanded on publicly but no specific players who we were seeking over the next month or in the draft were named. Suffice to say we did gain an insight into the type of player the club is seeking but that was predictable. We should know by now that Neeld wants those who play hard contested football. He wants players who uncompromisingly want to be the best in the game. Those who are happy just to be AFL footballers need not apply. Neeld says things will be different in 2013. The players now know how they are expected to present themselves on 29 October when the pre season starts. The volume and intensity will be lifted from 60% to around 75% of the optimum as part of a 3 year plan to get the team up to the standard of the leading clubs. One of the innovations we will see is the introduction of combatative training designed to harden players in mind and body. Naturally there was discussion on players (there was the usual Jack Viney stuff but we need to wait seven days for the outcome) and while I won't elaborate here and now, it's clear that most of the rumours we've been hearing and reading about are simply not true. I can say that we never made a 7 year offer for Cloke and were never seriously interested (for various different reasons) in the four free agents confirmed earlier today (Goddard, Pearce, Chaplin and Knights) or in Lynch or Tippett, nor has there been an offer made for Wellingham. In some cases to bid for these players at 8% of the salary cap is not warranted in the stage at which the club is at present. In short, the rumour files and such threads both here and elsewhere on the Internet are way, way off the mark. Some of the stuff is complete bollocks! The club will get involved in the right deals and we should get what hopefully will be a good mix of 18 year olds and more seasoned players including possibly some from the state leagues but the scuttlebutt and innuendo is just that! Anyway, I just wanted to say well done to the club for keeping us informed. The lack of any sizzling news might disappoint some but I was impressed at how these guys are sticking to what they call their "premiership plans" and persevering undaunted with their programme to rebuild this football club.