Melbourne: what do we make of them

[Sweet Jesus]

I have them as premiership favorites at this stage.

You mean they're your tip for the flag?

That doesn't make them favourites.

 

[Drunkcat]

Just waiting for Melbourne to be Melbourne happens most years

 

[Duckimus Prime]

We would have taken Butters with the May pick. Would have been a gun for us well after May retires, definitely, but May is definitely a huge part of how we’ve gotten to where we are now from that 2018 prelim. Our current backline is greater than the sums of its parts etc I think, they all make each other better players.

No way that Melbourne take Butters with pick 6 when King and Smith are still on the table.

Zak has been absolutely great, but theres no way he jumps up into a top 6 pick in that draft line up without two years of hindsight.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

No way that Melbourne take Butters with pick 6 when King and Smith are still on the table.

Zak has been absolutely great, but theres no way he jumps up into a top 6 pick in that draft line up without two years of hindsight.

He was near the top of our draft board. Jason Taylor is on the record as saying he was the player we wanted.

 

[Bluelegs]

No way that Melbourne take Butters with pick 6 when King and Smith are still on the table.

Zak has been absolutely great, but theres no way he jumps up into a top 6 pick in that draft line up without two years of hindsight.

Saw an article a couple of weeks back that we were trying to buy back into the draft to get Ports pick at 12. Would have lost our 2019 first rounder if it went ahead which ended up being Jackson so not super mad it didn't eventuate.

 

[Blackas87]

He was near the top of our draft board. Jason Taylor is on the record as saying he was the player we wanted.

Melbourne was keen on Butters but I don’t think we ever planned on taking pick 6 to the draft. The talk was always we can only get May if we trade Hogan.

We did though try to trade our future 1st to Port Adelaide on draft night with the intention of taking Butters. Port knocked that back with Melbourne coming off a prelim and took Butters themselves.

Melbourne dropped to 17th and that future pick ended up being pick 3 which we selected Luke Jackson.

 

[schmuttt]

I still have Dogs, Port, Tigers ahead of us but we are building nicely.

Due to drop one at some stage which is fine as long as it doesn't turn into a rut.

Still think we're 1 top mid short but improvements in defence, wing and half back run and general ball movement and pressure is good.

Basically my thoughts. We are at best the 4th best team in it but we also have some improvement left of our own with our offence imo.

 

[Topkent]

Maybe. I think it remains an open question whether May was worth it, given his age and the kids they had to forego to get him. Imagine their side with King, Smith or Butters coming through as well.

I guarantee we are a better shot at winning a flag the next 3 years with May in the side than Butters.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

I guarantee we are a better shot at winning a flag the next 3 years with May in the side than Butters.

And what about the 10 years after that?

 

[Duckimus Prime]

Basically my thoughts. We are at best the 4th best team in it but we also have some improvement left of our own with our offence imo.

Dees biggest problem is going to be the late season Burgess Burn Out.

 

[Stabby McGee]

And what about the 10 years after that?

We win a flag I’m gonna be drunk for 10 years and won’t care

 

[Blackas87]

And what about the 10 years after that?

May once he retires wouldn’t help Melbourne win a premiership more than Butters during his prime years, but would Melbourne have a contending team once Butters gets to his prime? Melbourne have been planning on trying to contend with Gawn at his peak, Petracca, Oliver ect.. hitting their primes and May fits that plan better than Butters.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

May once he retires wouldn’t help Melbourne win a premiership more than Butters during his prime years, but would Melbourne have a contending team once Butters gets to his prime? Melbourne have been planning on trying to contend with Gawn at his peak, Petracca, Oliver ect.. hitting their primes and May fits that plan better than Butters.

Fundamentally, you are comparing May's short-term value and possible contribution to a premiership tilt to the longer-term pay-off of a kid who'll likely play 250 games and be a top-liner for a fair chunk of that.

May will have to be pretty spectacular in the next three years to come out ahead in that comparison.

 

[LeverPuller]

Dees biggest problem is going to be the late season Burgess Burn Out.

Yeah this worries me tbh. That said it’s only year 2 of the Burgess program - year 2 with Port saw them lose a prelim by 3 to Hawthorn.

 

[Blackas87]

Fundamentally, you are comparing May's short-term value and possible contribution to a premiership tilt to the longer-term pay-off of a kid who'll likely play 250 games and be a top-liner for a fair chunk of that.

May will have to be pretty spectacular in the next three years to come out ahead in that comparison.

If Melbourne win their first premiership in 55+ years then its a decision that will come out ahead IMO considering the strength of Melbourne’s backline is possibly the number one reason for Melbourne’s early success this year.

Stat kept since 1999


But I don’t think it was a decision between May or Butters. Melbourne always moved Hogan on (with intentions of a McDonald Weideman forward line) to get May, Melbourne received pick 6 from Freo and passed it on the the Gold Coast 20 minutes later. Melbourne never had intentions of drafting Butters with pick 6 or use that pick at all.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

If Melbourne win their first premiership in 55+ years then its a decision that will come out ahead IMO considering the strength of Melbourne’s backline is possibly the number one reason for Melbourne’s early success this year.

Stat kept since 1999
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But I don’t think it was a decision between May or Butters. Melbourne always moved Hogan on (with intentions of a McDonald Weideman forward line) to get May, Melbourne received pick 6 from Freo and passed it on the the Gold Coast 20 minutes later. Melbourne never had intentions of drafting Butters with pick 6 or use that pick at all.

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Yeah, Melbourne have gambled short term because they want to contend. I don't think further explanation is required. That doesn't mean the younger player they had to forego won't have a better career overall than whatever May does for the Demons.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

May has turned out to be a fantastic recruit for Melbourne, worth what they paid for him (Lever top for that matter)

Too many footy fans (and the media) are obsessed with trades and the concept of paying unders or overs (esp for stars)

Goodwin was on the firing line this year, and too his credit, has added a couple of big names to his coaching panel, and the Dees are doing bloody well so far.

Let their long suffering fans enjoy their first 6-0 start to a season since 1965 without trying to discredit or downplay it.

The Dees are probably the feel good story of 2021 so far.

 

[Blackas87]

Yeah, Melbourne have gambled short term because they want to contend. I don't think further explanation is required. That doesn't mean the younger player they had to forego won't have a better career overall than whatever May does for the Demons.

Yes Melbourne forego’d Hogan for May, good see he’ll make his GWS debut this week, hopefully he can get his career back on track.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

Yes Melbourne forego’d Hogan for May, good see he’ll make his GWS debut this week, hopefully he can get his career back on track.

They then on-traded that pick, potentially foregoing one of King, Smith and Butters.

It's a straightforward trade-off, taking short-term improvement over a longer-term draft prospect. It happens all the time. You don't have to spin it just because your team is involved.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

They then on-traded that pick, potentially foregoing one of King, Smith and Butters.

It's a straightforward trade-off, taking short-term improvement over a longer-term draft prospect. It happens all the time. You don't have to spin it just because your team is involved.

Does that really matter right now ?

They cannot revisit history and are doing very well right now without the three players you mentioned.

L

 

[Blackas87]

They then on-traded that pick, potentially foregoing one of King, Smith and Butters.

It's a straightforward trade-off, taking short-term improvement over a longer-term draft prospect. It happens all the time. You don't have to spin it just because your team is involved.

Not spinning anything, it’ll be good to see Hogan getting back at AFL level. At the time I did not want to lose him for May.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

Not spinning anything

Righto.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

They then on-traded that pick, potentially foregoing one of King, Smith and Butters.

It's a straightforward trade-off, taking short-term improvement over a longer-term draft prospect. It happens all the time. You don't have to spin it just because your team is involved.

It's also taking a sure thing over a 50/50 prospect in the draft.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

It's also taking a sure thing over a 50/50 prospect in the draft.

Also known as trading a draft pick for a player.

How about you give WC your first-rounder for Jackson Nelson this year? It's a sure thing over a 50/50 prospect. Who could say no to that?

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Also known as trading a draft pick for a player.

How about you give WC your first-rounder for Jackson Nelson this year? It's a sure thing over a 50/50 prospect. Who could say no to that?

I don't know who Jackson Nelson is but he doesn't sound like a sure thing compared to May who had already proven himself and was captain of another AFL club. Poor example.