If I was Mark Neeld...

[Maca24]

With the appointment of Mark Neeld, it has made me curious to review the melbourne list.
If I was Mark Neeld these are the things I'd be doing in the preseason, up to round 1.

1. List

First off I'd be analyzing the list closely. Obviously Melbourne aren't a short term premiership threat, so start building for the long term. First thing I will do is put together a best 22 that all should be around for when melbourne hits it's peak (4yrs)

B: C.Garland (23), J.Frawley (23), L.Tapscott (20)
HB: J.Grimes (22), J.Rivers (27), B.Green (30)
C: J.Trengove (20), J.McKenzie (21), C.Morton (21)
HF: M.Bate (24), J.Watts (20), J.Howe (21)
F: L.Jurrah (23), J.Gunston (20), R.Petterd (23)
R: S.Martin (25), B.Moloney (27), N.Jones (23)
INT: A.Maric (21), S.Blease (20), J.Gysberts (20), M.Gawn (20)

RESERVES: L.Cook (18), T.McDonald (18), J.Fitzpatrick (20), J.Bennell (21), J.Strauss (21), A.Wonaemirri (23), R.Bail (23), L.Dunn (24),

So their list isn't to bad. Rivers can be a short term fix until they can find a solid young CHB.
Back line is very strong and young, good signs for melbourne.
I'd play Brad Green off a half back flank. His leadership down back would be a great help, plus he can provide nice rebound. I believe a fresh start in this position could give him a longer career and produce better football out of him.

In the Ruck departement I believe Jamar is below par. I would be looking at trading him on.
They should have Stefan Martin who is 25 and had a great year at the helm, with one of the youngsters
(Fitzpatrick, Gawn, Spencer) playing 2nd ruck.

In the middle the Dees have a lot of promise. I'd be keeping Moloney as he is their best midfielder and can teach the youngsters well until he retires. Nathan Jones is the hard nut in their with a guy I rate highly, Jordie McKenzie.
Jack Trengove and Cale Morton are the future, and will develop into solid club players atleast.
Jack Grimes will play a lot of on ball aswell with Blease and Gysberts switching through also.

Onto the Forwards. You may have noticed that I have Jack Gunston at Full-Forward! I'd be doing everything I can to secure him from Adelaide as Melbourne lack tall targets down forward. Alongside him are Jurrah and Petterd, with a great youngster in Howe at half forward. Watts is the future CHF while Bate provides a good lead up target and is worth having IMO.
Tom McDonald and Lucas Cook are guys that Melbourne are grooming for key forward roles. When these players are ready I believe they can fit in there with Gunston and Watts. Worst case scenario one of them gets traded on for a nice pick.

2. Trade Table

I have left out Sylvia, Jamar and Davey out of my team. I'd be looking at getting Gunston and some good picks with these players. Sylvia could attract a lot of interest at the trade table, and at 26 seems to be a better fit at a premiership contending club. Jamar is past it IMO, while Davey could be kept but may as well try and get something good for him.

Negotiate: Jamar, Davey and Sylvia.

Pursue: Gunston and Picks.

I think Melbourne get two first rounders for Scully? That should help them a long way along with their normal first round pick. That is 3 first round picks so if necessary we could give up one of these for Gunston, but preference would be Aaron Davey.
Colin Sylvia could attract a first round pick plus something else from a top club like Geelong, Collingwood or Carlton.

3. Train and Develop

Acquire the best possible recruiting and developement staff to ensure that youngsters continue to be developed to their potential, while recruiting top players in the future drafts.


Thats my opinions on Melbourne, hope it was worth reading :P

[MTTY]

Nice summary, but the main thing i disagree with is Jamar, is one of our best players when he is fit and it shows when we do not have him. Moloney possessions both contested and uncontested are down not to mention Martin at this stage gives away to many frees, and is better as a Leigh Brown type player.

[The return]

keep jamer, but nice read. Future coach maca :P

yeah must rebuld the list and play young players i like how you said gunston they must try and secure him

[CrowsFan]

So you want to get Gunston, but what do you actually think you would need to get him? I wouldn't want any of those 3 players mentioned at Adelaide. Obviously one of the two the concession picks would be nice, but which would you give? The middle of first round pick, or the pick directly after the clubs first round pick? I wouldn't mind getting Jurrah for Gunston...

[MTTY]

1. List

Nucleus of the team

Backs - Frawley, Garland, Tapscott, Grimes, Rivers, Strauss, McDonald, Davey, Bartram

Midfielders - Trengove, Gysberts, Bail, Sylvia, Blease, Jones, McKenzie, Moloney, Evans

Rucks - Jamar, Gawn, Martin, Fitzpatrick

Forwards - Bennell, Dunn, Cook, Green, Howe, Jetta, Wonaeamirri, Jurrah, Maric, Petterd, Watts, Newton

Backs - We have a solid group of talls at the back, but where we lack is the small backs, that is why i think Davey and Grimes must stay there, they shouldn't move into the midfield simply due to the fact that there disposal is top knotch and if we are going to have any drive back there and it must be from them. However Bartram is back there cause he is very underated, he's a tough nut who can take the oppositions best small forward and simply get under his skin. Strauss (When he hopefully comes back from that horrible injury) and McDonald have shown their ability to play on the third and forth talls at a very young age, and both have very good disposal which is important in the modern game.

Midfielders - Obviously we lack a superstar quality in the midfield, but i believe that void can easily be filled by Jack Trengove he oozes class, but i believe him to be a better outside player than inside player at this stage of his career. Sylvia had show what eh can do in the middle thats why he needs to be placed in there can get the hard ball and break away from packs. McKenzie i see as being a very good tagger in the future much what he does at the moment, but he could also develop into a very good inside player. We have two hard nuts in there with Moloney and Jones, who give us a lot of contested ball. Overall the midfield just lacks quality with he young players at the moment.

Rucks - Jamar forms a formidable combo with Moloney and that may continue for some years. Had injuries this year and in that time the dees lost critical games. Is essential to our structure. Gawn has shown he will be a great ruckman when his body matures and at 208 cm i believe, he will be very hard to go up against. Fitzpatrick can play as a backup ruck, as he was drafted for but also go and play as a key forward. Martin is in the same mold but i see him as a better backman when he isnt in the ruck.

Forwards - We still lack that FF figure. I believe that is all we need, we have Watts as a developing CHF with his speed and below knee skills. We have pressure forwards in Bennell, Jetta and Dunn. We have marking 3rd/4th talls in Jurrah, Petterd, Green, Newton and Howe. Cook is a developing prospect but i believe he is suited to a similar role as Watts. Maric(Who i believe will eventually move into the midfield) and Wonaeamirri offer the role of the skillful smaller forwards with the bag of tricks. Green i believe should be nowhere else but Forward he lacks the speed to be playing anywhere but as a FP, he gives us a target and takes pressure off of our other marking forwards.

2. Trade Table

The player we need to move on are;

Warnock - We clearly don't need or play him so  he could offer value to a club in need of a decent KB.

Bate - Wouldn't be suprised if he had actually asked for one with the little oppurtunites he got. Would like to keep him but we have too many leading/Marking forwards. He could offer value in a trade for a FF.

Spencer - For teams in need of a young ruckman he may give us some currency.

Morton - I just don't see his ability for the time being or a suitable position, i think he needs to be traded on.

Pursue

Jack Gunston - Clearly with a need to come back to Vic and our need for a KF, we need to pursue him and offer one of the above and possibly a 2nd round pick in the draft. Personally i would be offering Bate and our second round pick.

Draft

It will be a shallow draft this year, and with the need to look for a replacement for Tom Scully and a FF type. There are two main players that could slip to 12, that we should go for;

Taylor Adams - A classy midfielder.
OR
Todd Elton - A Ruck/Forward KPP.

We also need some experience, why not go after the regining JJ.Liston winner for the past two years, Shane Valenti, was previously cut from our list for some bizarre reason time to get him back into our midfield.

[Maca24]

So you want to get Gunston, but what do you actually think you would need to get him? I wouldn't want any of those 3 players mentioned at Adelaide. Obviously one of the two the concession picks would be nice, but which would you give? The middle of first round pick, or the pick directly after the clubs first round pick? I wouldn't mind getting Jurrah for Gunston...

Thanks for all the opinions fellas, perhaps I was a bit off with Jamar  :P but just my opinion.
CF, I would probably give one of the concession picks. Probably the latest one.
Gunston could just nominate for the draft anway so adelaide would take that offer IMO.

MTTY - Taylor Adams would be the one i'd take.
Key forwards and rucks are sewed up if they secure Gunston.
Plus the midfield is very light.

[ajjewell]

As a Carlton supporter I wouldn't mind if Neeld wanted Brock McLean back in exchange for Colin Sylvia I think that would be a fair trade

[Maca24]

As a Carlton supporter I wouldn't mind if Neeld wanted Brock McLean back in exchange for Colin Sylvia I think that would be a fair trade

How on earth is that a fair trade? lol
Don't think Melbourne would accept that.

[MTTY]

As a Carlton supporter I wouldn't mind if Neeld wanted Brock McLean back in exchange for Colin Sylvia I think that would be a fair trade

How on earth is that a fair trade? lol
Don't think Melbourne would accept that.

I agree in no way is that fair.

[CrowsFan]

So you want to get Gunston, but what do you actually think you would need to get him? I wouldn't want any of those 3 players mentioned at Adelaide. Obviously one of the two the concession picks would be nice, but which would you give? The middle of first round pick, or the pick directly after the clubs first round pick? I wouldn't mind getting Jurrah for Gunston...

Thanks for all the opinions fellas, perhaps I was a bit off with Jamar  :P but just my opinion.
CF, I would probably give one of the concession picks. Probably the latest one.
Gunston could just nominate for the draft anway so adelaide would take that offer IMO.

Yeah but you don't know which of the concession picks will be the later one. Because they obviously wouldn't use the pick this year and so would depend when they decide to use it and where they are on the ladder at that time.
Yeah I know he could just nominate from the draft, but as I said in the Adelaide board there has been a lot of interest for Gunston so with a few clubs after him they should be able to work out a good deal for him :)

[Maca24]

So you want to get Gunston, but what do you actually think you would need to get him? I wouldn't want any of those 3 players mentioned at Adelaide. Obviously one of the two the concession picks would be nice, but which would you give? The middle of first round pick, or the pick directly after the clubs first round pick? I wouldn't mind getting Jurrah for Gunston...

Thanks for all the opinions fellas, perhaps I was a bit off with Jamar  :P but just my opinion.
CF, I would probably give one of the concession picks. Probably the latest one.
Gunston could just nominate for the draft anway so adelaide would take that offer IMO.

Yeah but you don't know which of the concession picks will be the later one. Because they obviously wouldn't use the pick this year and so would depend when they decide to use it and where they are on the ladder at that time.
Yeah I know he could just nominate from the draft, but as I said in the Adelaide board there has been a lot of interest for Gunston so with a few clubs after him they should be able to work out a good deal for him :)

Yea well in that case i'm not sure..
For Adelaides sake I hope you do :)
Would like to see him at Essendon with big Hurley  8)

[CrowsFan]

Obviously no decisions about where he goes will be made until Adelaide appoint a coach. I assume that will be soon though...

[Maca24]

Obviously no decisions about where he goes will be made until Adelaide appoint a coach. I assume that will be soon though...

Burns?

[CrowsFan]

Yeah seems like he is going to get the job. Just wish they would announce something

[Maca24]

Burns, Eade, Harvey are the only chances yeah?