Melbourne Official Release.

[EssendonPride]

With the closing of the trade period, the Melbourne side appears settled.
Melbourne were extremely active during the period, finishing with 16 new players.

The list currently sits on 37 (35 + 2 vets), with another 1-3 possible delistings to come.

Melbourne
Manager
EssendonPride
Senior List
1. Jed Adcock - $131.75K
2. Steven Armstrong - $151.75K
3. Daniel Bell - $117.75K
4. Peter Bell - $329.00K
5. Craig Bolton - $201.00K
6. Jude Bolton - $284.00K
7. Patrick Bowden - $182.75K
8. Cameron Bruce - $276.25K
9. Amon Buchanan - $151.00K
10. Edward Clarke - $40.00K
11. Joel Corey - $320.50K
12. Mark Coughlan - $317.00K
13. Matthew Davis - $40.00K
14. Nathan Eagleton - $283.75K
15. Brett Ebert - $157.00K
16. Stefan Garrubba - $40.00K
17. Mark Johnson - $283.75K
18. Scott Lucas - $284.75K
19. Martin Mattner - $186.50K
20. Mark McVeigh - $230.00K
21. Daniel Merrett - $94.75K
22. Darren D Milburn - $308.25K
23. Karl Norman - $108.25K
24. Nick Ries - $196.00K
25. Justin Sherman - $40.00K
26. Troy Simmonds - $234.25K
27. Trent Sporn - $138.00K
28. Colin Sylvia - $124.50K
29. Paul Thomas - $42.25K
30. Iszac Thompson - $40.00K
31. Bret Thornton - $166.75K
32. Nathan Van Berlo - $42.25K
33. Andrew Welsh - $231.00K
34. Matthew Whelan - $214.50K
35. Adem Yze - $269.75K
Compulsory Draft Picks
36. Pick 77 - $39.25K
37. Pick 82 - $39.25K
38. Pick 93 - $39.25K
39. Pick 98 - $39.25K
Eligible Veterans on Senior List
Promoted Rookies
Veterans List
40. Clint Bizzell ($219.25K)
41. David Neitz ($195.25K)
Rookie List

Total Player Payments: $6,416,000 (+$116,000)
List Size: Minimum 1 to be cut[/b]


The side for next season is expected to look something like this

FB A.Welsh B.Thornton N.Adcock
CHB D.Milburn C.Bolton M.Johnson
C J.Corey M.Coughlan N.Eagleton
CHF A.Buchanan S.Lucas C.Bruce
FF C.Sylvia D.Neitz A.Yze
Foll T.Simmonds P.Bell M.Mattner

Int Sherman Whelan Merret C.Bizzel

More to come

 

[EssendonPride]

Now for an in depth look at our trades.
Melbourne were perhaps the most active during trade week, as new manager, EssendonPride took over, and demanded an overhaul.

In his few games at the end of the season, the main problem was actually fielding 18 players, which has now been changed dramatically.

Brent Moloney -> Melbourne
Steve Johnson -> Geelong

We simply saw more potential in Moloney than Johnson. A pretty even trade in the end

Simon Goodwin >> Sydney
Mark McVeigh and Craig Bolton >> Melbourne

Well, we really were struggling for numbers, and with Goodwin turning 30 next year, a new home was on the cards.
Bolton is a solid backman, with the ability to play tall and short, which will be invaluable.
McVeigh had a pretty down year, but a change of homes should be able to turn it around.

Mattner, Bruce, Sherman ----> Melbourne
G.Ablett, Mitchel, McDougal, Jolly ----> Adelaide

Well.. This was perhaps our biggest trade, but i still beleive we did well. We were well over the Salary Cap, and as well as receiving 3 top quality players, we were also able to lower our TPP a fair bit.
Expect Sherman to star next year, after a fantastic debut.

S.Doyle ----> Port
B.Ebert ----> Melbourne

Well unfortunately for Doyle, in what was earmarked as a make or break season, he managed just one game for the season, once again succumbing to injury.
Ebert has shown glimpses, and hopefully can recover past form.

Ferguson, pearce, Harry O'brien, pick 29 and 45 >>> Freo
Eagleton, Bell , pick 36 >>>> Melb

This was the trade that had to happen. Struggling to field a full side, 3 promising youngsters were traded for 2 experienced regulars.
After getting to the semi's this season, we've decided to chase the premiership in the coming couple of years, Bell and Eagleton will be invaluable.

Ottens, Pick 36, Prismall >>> Westcoast.

M.Johnson + N.Ries >>> Geelong

Well Ottens just wasn't performing well enough for the money, and Prismall was another one of the promising youngsters just not ready enough to take the next step and become a regular.
M.Johnson had a standout year, which hopefully he can reproduce. Ries has struggled for opportunities, but the board see's alot of promise.

J.Rivers >>> West Coast
Picks 18, 82 and 98 >>> Melbourne

Rivers had a dissapointing year, and the first round pick would be needed to land a big name player.

Scott lucas --- melbourne
pick 13+18 ----- freo

Here it was.. Scott Lucas is simply a star, while picks 13 and 18 (in a somewhat weak draft) will prove to be more valuable over their careers than the years we get from Lucas, we needed ready made players.

To Melbourne: Jude Bolton + Jed Adcock + Daniel Merrett
To Geelong: Jonathan Brown + Matt Egan + Will Slade

As much as we wanted to keep Jon Brown at the club, he revealed he wasn't entirely happy at the club. Matt Egan is promising, but Jude Bolton and Jed Adcock played the entire season, and Merrett is looking the goods.

Brent Moloney >>>> Freo
Troy Simmonds >>> Melbourne

Would have liked to keep Moloney, but we needed a top class ruckmen, and other clubs simply wanted too much. This worked out being Steve Johnson for Troy Simmonds.

patrick bowden >>> melbourne
pick 61 >>> freo

The trade that almost didn't make it. Not a huge one, but hopefully bowden can come good. Whilst he would most likely have been delisted anyway, pick 61 in a draft like this meant nothing.

Gained ------------------ Lost
Jed Adcock ------------ Steve Johnson
Peter Bell ------------- Simon Goodwin
Craig Bolton ----------- Garry Ablett
Jude Bolton ----------- Sam Mitchell
Patrick Bowden --------- Darren Jolly
Cameron Bruce --------- Andrew MacDougal
Nathan Eagleton -------- Stephen Doyle
Brett Ebert ------------- Ryan Ferguson
Mark Johnson ---------- Danyle Pearce
Scott Lucas ----------- Brad Ottens
Martin Mattner --------- Brent Prismall
Mark McVeigh --------- Jonathon Brown
Daniel Merret ---------- Matt Egan
Nick Ries -------------- Will Slade
Troy Simmonds -------- Pick 13
Pick 82 ---------------- Pick 29
Pick 98 ---------------- Pick 45
----------------------- Pick 61

Lost alot of youth, but gained 10-11 of our starting 18 next year.
Looking forward to it

 

[EssendonPride]

As well as trades, C.Bizzel has now been placed onto the Veterans List.

So far, 2 players have been delisted.

David Spriggs, Shane Harvey, we wish you the best with your future, be it at another afl club or somewhere else.

At least 1 more delisting to come, with the possibility of 2-3 more.

Stay tuned.