will we finish higher then the dee's

[Gracie]

I know Thomson was carrying a sternum injury this year but he's a poor kick. He was at Port before we got him. You can't afford to carry players with poor footskills no matter how tough they are in and under.

Hislop was still playing HF when Tucky and Cogs were in the VFL and Foley was out injured. He's got to show first if he has the endurance, speed and skill for a midfield role. He's still only 20 so he'll be given time but he's got a long long way to go before he shows he is up to AFL standard.

MT you are saying Thomson is a poor kick but (and I am only going off TV vision here) what I saw of him in the two last games this year his kicking wasn't that bad. Maybe I was just preconditioned not to expect much but he seemed better than Tuck in that his kicks where not up and unders and were more precise.

Only two games so I need to see more but I am just questioning the basis of your poor rating

[mightytiges]

Has Melbourne suddenly become the media darling? For a club that's won back to back wooden spoons they are getting plenty of media friendly stories about their list without showing anything on-field to back up their claims.

No doubt they'll improve next year (they can't finish any lower) and will most likely bypass us  but how can any club be certain they'll thrive in the expanded competition especially one that hasn't won a flag in the past 45 years and is financially at the bottom end of the scale.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/86275/default.aspx

[bushranger]

I think a lot of it has a lot to do with Jim Stynes.
And I'm not trying to be nasty here either.
It is just what I think is helping generate more interest in that club.

[wayne]

They're going to have some top talent on their list, but as for a rise up the ladder next year... well it won't be far.

Watts isn't ready yet, and they have no other forwards.

McLean is a big loss for them, his mature body would help out the kids. We'll see some ripper games from Scully and Trengove, but guys like Jones, Bruce, Green and McDonald will need a blinder of a year.

They have terrible rucks.

Their backline though shows promise, but as with ours, if they have no help from the midfield, they'll be swamped.

[mightytiges]

I think a lot of it has a lot to do with Jim Stynes.
And I'm not trying to be nasty here either.
It is just what I think is helping generate more interest in that club.

Fair enough too when it comes to Jimmy.

I was moreso meaning the attitude of the media towards their list as though the Dees are just destined to become a strong side. It's as though Melbourne's deliberate tanking in the last 2 months of the season has convinced every journo that Melbourne weren't as pathetic as 15th, 16th and 16th in the 3 past years. I guess having Lyon and Mike as supporters as well as leading commentators also gives the Dees sympathetic voices in the media.

[one-eyed]

A comparision of lists although Melbourne are still yet to finalise their delistings. We haven't yet either officially but I've gone with the rumoured delistings.



Melbourne - start of 2010 season

33: McDonald (235)
30: Bruce (203)
29: Green (198 )
-----------------------------------------------------
26: Davey (119), Jamar (73), Miller (127), Moloney (90), Warnock (38 )
25: Bell (66), Johnson (61), Rivers (90)
24: Sylvia (87)
23: Martin (27), Meesen (6), Newton (21), Hughes# (-)
------------------------------------------------------
22: Bartram (59), Bate (68 ), Dunn (52), Garland (20), Jones (70)
21: Bail (1), Frawley (40), Jurrah (9), Pettard (29), Wonaeamirri (18 )
20: Cheney (12), Jetta (15), Maric (11), McNamara (3), Morton (40), Healy# (-), Spencer# (6), Zomer# (-)
19: Bennell (16), Blease (-), Grimes (12), Strauss (-), Watts (3), McKenzie# (3)
18: 2009 draftees (Scully, Trengove, ...)

Oldies:  3
Prime: 13
Youth: 24 + 2009 newbies   


Rucks (5):     Spencer# (203), Meesen (200), Johnson (199), Jamar (198), Martin (198)

Big-Talls (3):   Watts (196), Zomer# (196), Miller (194)

Talls (8 ):         Frawley (193), Newton (193), Dunn (192), Rivers (192), Warnock (192), Garland (191), Jurrah (191), McNamara (190)

Tall-mids (8 ):     Bate (192), Morton (192), Bruce (190), Grimes (187), Bell (186), Sylvia (186), Hughes# (186), McKenzie# (186)

Midsize-mids (9): Pettard (185), Strauss (185), Healy# (185), Blease (184), Cheney (184), Green (184), Bail (183), Moloney (182), Bartram (181)

Small-mids (7):    Jetta (180), Jones (180), McDonald (180), Bennell (179), Maric (178), Davey (177), Wonaeamirri (176)



Richmond

35: Richo (282)
31: Cousins (253), Simmonds (190)
-----------------------------
28: Tuck (110)
27: Newman (154)
26: McMahon (148 ), King (41), Moore (65)
25: -
24: Foley (84)
23: Jackson (69), Polo (52), Thomson (30), Thursfield (53), McGuane (54), Morton (50), Tambling (95)
------------------------------
22: Deledio (106), Graham (18 ), White (54), Nahas# (19)
21: Hislop (19), Collins (10), Connors (10), Edwards (47), Riewoldt (46)
20: Post (7), Rance (15), Farmer (3)
19: Cotchin (25), Vickery (9), Browne# (1), Gilligan# (-)
18: 2009 draftees (Martin, ...)

Oldies: 3
Prime: 13
Youth: 16 + 2009 newbies



Rucks (4):     Browne# (205), Graham (200), Vickery (200), Simmonds (197)

Big Talls (2):   Richo (195), Post (194)

Talls (5 ):        Rance (192), Riewoldt (192), McGuane (191), Thursfield (191), Moore (189)

Tall-mids (5 ):    Deledio (189), Jackson (187), Polo (187)

Midsize-mids (7): Cotchin (185), Hislop (185), Morton (185), Collins (184), Connors (184), Thomson (184), Newman (183)

Small-mids (8 ):    Edwards (180), Farmer (180), Tambling (180), White (179), Foley (177), Gilligan (177), Nahas (176), King (174)

[Hellenic Tiger]

I think a lot of it has a lot to do with Jim Stynes.
And I'm not trying to be nasty here either.
It is just what I think is helping generate more interest in that club.

Fair enough too when it comes to Jimmy.

I was moreso meaning the attitude of the media towards their list as though the Dees are just destined to become a strong side. It's as though Melbourne's deliberate tanking in the last 2 months of the season has convinced every journo that Melbourne weren't as pathetic as 15th, 16th and 16th in the 3 past years. I guess having Lyon and Mike as supporters as well as leading commentators also gives the Dees sympathetic voices in the media.

What is hapenning to Jimmy is tragic as it would be for anybody in any vocation.
He is showing courage and the likeability of Jimmy and what is going through will be newsworthy until he beats this which I hope he does as anyone who is diagnosed with this awful disease.

This will therefore deflect attention way from Melbourne's financial predicament and the fact they have won the last two spoons. I do get the feeling that the Dees will finish above us next year and that our 9th place in 2008 has kept us back a year or two in development compared to the Dees and then supplement that with us remaining on or near the bottom for the next few years with compromised drafts until we hopefully start climbing the ladder.


In hindsight our ninth placed finish in 2008 and those winning culture victories in rd 17 and 18 where we only have 1 pick inside the first round rather than two or three have will see us looking up at the Dees on the ladder rather than looking down on them. At least for the next two year the Dees will have our measure. The question that cannot be answered is whether the Dees kids will take the next step first or will the development of our kids taking the next step occur quicker. Right know the Dees are in front due to their more advanced rebuild alone.

[bojangles17]

They're going to have some top talent on their list, but as for a rise up the ladder next year... well it won't be far.

Watts isn't ready yet, and they have no other forwards.

McLean is a big loss for them, his mature body would help out the kids. We'll see some ripper games from Scully and Trengove, but guys like Jones, Bruce, Green and McDonald will need a blinder of a year.

They have terrible rucks.

Their backline though shows promise, but as with ours, if they have no help from the midfield, they'll be swamped.

you summed it up well, their aspirations are based on some high R draft picks that have yet to demonstrate any form at the levl in watts and blease...cleve hughes looked more advanced in Year one than watts did...this draft will be a telling one for both clubs , right now I would have thought we have a few more mature players in the likes of Lids, Foley and Cuz  to complement our youth that will give sides a bit to think about

[wayne]

I can just imagine the papers next year after a Melbourne win compared to a Richmond win.

After a Melbourne win:
Melbourne's young guns look exciting, Melbourne has a bright future, Look out for the Demons in 2011.

After a Richmond win:
The opposition had a down day, the opposition really missed injured star, the opposition kicked themselves out of the game.

[tiger101]

we play them in round 4 at MCG.
hopefully we get a win if we dont could hurt confidence of supports for the 2010 season.

[tiger101]

any new views on the issue now draft is over well the national draft

[crannyvegas]

The further away from last season we get, the more optimistic i become... I don't really rate their  "exciting" players (i.e Jurrah, Sylvia Wonaeamerri) as they go missing for entire quarters/games. The have the worst captain in the comp- dont know how that enters into the equation, i just like to state that as often as possible.

I think my optimism comes from the unknown of what a fully fit Cotchin, Foley & Collins can bring to the side. Couple that with a new game plan and some likely type kids and we may finish higher than expected. I don't care as long as it is hard, team-orientated football!

[peggles]

i think they will really regret not taking tall forwards this draft (gawn and fitzpatrick are rucks and their remaining 2 rookie spots are appparently promised to newton and meeson so they get the same rubbish back to their club). 

apart from watts and jarrah (not enough), they have nothing of substance in the forwardline.

[Judge Roughneck]

A comparision of lists although Melbourne are still yet to finalise their delistings. We haven't yet either officially but I've gone with the rumoured delistings.



Melbourne - start of 2010 season

33: McDonald (235)
30: Bruce (203)
29: Green (198 )
-----------------------------------------------------
26: Davey (119), Jamar (73), Miller (127), Moloney (90), Warnock (38 )
25: Bell (66), Johnson (61), Rivers (90)
24: Sylvia (87)
23: Martin (27), Meesen (6), Newton (21), Hughes# (-)
------------------------------------------------------
22: Bartram (59), Bate (68 ), Dunn (52), Garland (20), Jones (70)
21: Bail (1), Frawley (40), Jurrah (9), Pettard (29), Wonaeamirri (18 )
20: Cheney (12), Jetta (15), Maric (11), McNamara (3), Morton (40), Healy# (-), Spencer# (6), Zomer# (-)
19: Bennell (16), Blease (-), Grimes (12), Strauss (-), Watts (3), McKenzie# (3)
18: 2009 draftees (Scully, Trengove, ...)

Oldies:  3
Prime: 13
Youth: 24 + 2009 newbies   


Rucks (5):     Spencer# (203), Meesen (200), Johnson (199), Jamar (198), Martin (198)

Big-Talls (3):   Watts (196), Zomer# (196), Miller (194)

Talls (8 ):         Frawley (193), Newton (193), Dunn (192), Rivers (192), Warnock (192), Garland (191), Jurrah (191), McNamara (190)

Tall-mids (8 ):     Bate (192), Morton (192), Bruce (190), Grimes (187), Bell (186), Sylvia (186), Hughes# (186), McKenzie# (186)

Midsize-mids (9): Pettard (185), Strauss (185), Healy# (185), Blease (184), Cheney (184), Green (184), Bail (183), Moloney (182), Bartram (181)

Small-mids (7):    Jetta (180), Jones (180), McDonald (180), Bennell (179), Maric (178), Davey (177), Wonaeamirri (176)



Richmond

35: Richo (282)
31: Cousins (253), Simmonds (190)
-----------------------------
28: Tuck (110)
27: Newman (154)
26: McMahon (148 ), King (41), Moore (65)
25: -
24: Foley (84)
23: Jackson (69), Polo (52), Thomson (30), Thursfield (53), McGuane (54), Morton (50), Tambling (95)
------------------------------
22: Deledio (106), Graham (18 ), White (54), Nahas# (19)
21: Hislop (19), Collins (10), Connors (10), Edwards (47), Riewoldt (46)
20: Post (7), Rance (15), Farmer (3)
19: Cotchin (25), Vickery (9), Browne# (1), Gilligan# (-)
18: 2009 draftees (Martin, ...)

Oldies: 3
Prime: 13
Youth: 16 + 2009 newbies



Rucks (4):     Browne# (205), Graham (200), Vickery (200), Simmonds (197)

Big Talls (2):   Richo (195), Post (194)

Talls (5 ):        Rance (192), Riewoldt (192), McGuane (191), Thursfield (191), Moore (189)

Tall-mids (5 ):    Deledio (189), Jackson (187), Polo (187)

Midsize-mids (7): Cotchin (185), Hislop (185), Morton (185), Collins (184), Connors (184), Thomson (184), Newman (183)

Small-mids (8 ):    Edwards (180), Farmer (180), Tambling (180), White (179), Foley (177), Gilligan (177), Nahas (176), King (174)

If Miller keeps playing CHF we should beat these wankers

[richmondrules]

Has Melbourne suddenly become the media darling? For a club that's won back to back wooden spoons they are getting plenty of media friendly stories about their list without showing anything on-field to back up their claims.

They're welcome to the attention MT.