Melbourne Discussion

[Big Mac]

It is crazy to think how many players that are 23 or under that are really showing that we have a really good core coming through. Some players play well above their age that we actually forget how old they are.

Angus Brayshaw
Sam Frost
Max Gawn
James Harmes
Jesse Hogan
Jay Kennedy-Harris
Dean Kent
Oscar McDonald
Tom McDonald
Viv Michie
Alex Neal-Bullen
Ben Newton
Christian salem
Billy Stretch
Aaron vandenBerg
Jack Viney

Don't forget Tyson, still only 22!

I forgot that Gawn was that young, feels like he's been around for ages.

Jones, who has won the past three Melbourne best and fairest awards, is a chance to win his fourth when the club holds its Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy count at Crown Palladium on Friday night.

Would've thought Bernie Vince is a bit of a lock?

He'd be the favourite. But his last 5 weeks weren't great.

I actually kinda think Hulk might win it  :-X

Not sure he's been good enough

Definitely played some ripper games but had a fair few quiet ones too

I'd have the top 5 as:
Vince
Jones
Viney
Tmac
Cross

[Big Mac]

Final Bluey placings:

Vince
Viney
TMac
Hogan
Jones

Absolutely mammoth effort from Viney considering he missed 6 games! Vince beat him by a single vote!

Melbourne FC ‏@melbournefc  12h12 hours ago
Roos: We want to come back next year as a finals team... we're very driven for success.

Melbourne FC ‏@melbournefc  11h11 hours ago
Jones: We're driven to not only achieve the pinnacle but achieve sustained success and be successful for a long time.

Melbourne FC ‏@melbournefc  11h11 hours ago
Hogan: If we've got that confidence and belief then the sky's the limit as to what we can achieve.

Melbourne FC ‏@melbournefc  11h11 hours ago
McDonald: One of the proudest days of my life was when I got to run out with my little brother for the first time.

[Barra13]

Yeah Viney did have an awesome year. He is going to be an absolute gun.

[GoLions]

What's the dealio with Jayden Hunt fellas? From what I heard, had some good games in the VFL, but then also some not-so-good games :P

Any chance of getting any games in 2016 or nah?

[Purple 77]

What's the dealio with Jayden Hunt fellas? From what I heard, had some good games in the VFL, but then also some not-so-good games :P

Any chance of getting any games in 2016 or nah?

Jayden Hunt! What a gun!

Don't think he ever got more than 10 disposals in a game, but he got 10 goals in 3 games ! :o

First of all, I think he will just earn another contract.

Second of all, he MIGHT get a few games as a forward, but he will never be a good fantasy scorer.

[GoLions]

What's the dealio with Jayden Hunt fellas? From what I heard, had some good games in the VFL, but then also some not-so-good games :P

Any chance of getting any games in 2016 or nah?

Jayden Hunt! What a gun!

Don't think he ever got more than 10 disposals in a game, but he got 10 goals in 3 games ! :o

First of all, I think he will just earn another contract.

Second of all, he MIGHT get a few games as a forward, but he will never be a good fantasy scorer.

Ah ok, cheers Purps!

[Barra13]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-09-17/exdogs-coach-mccartney-in-mix-for-bombers

[Purple 77]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-09-17/exdogs-coach-mccartney-in-mix-for-bombers

Please stay McCartney  :-X

[kilbluff1985]

god i hope we dont get him i want a coach who has had success

[Big Mac]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-09-17/exdogs-coach-mccartney-in-mix-for-bombers

Please stay McCartney  :-X

[Big Mac]

god i hope we dont get him i want a coach who has had success

Yeh McCartney is terrible you don't want him

[elephants]

god i hope we dont get him i want a coach who has had success

Yeh McCartney is terrible you don't want him

If he's terrible he'd be a great fit at the Bombers

[Barra13]

HERITIER Lumumba says his first season at Melbourne was an “action packed” journey, but a challenging one and he is certain he will have a greater impact at the club in 2016.

Speaking to Dee TV, Lumumba said starting life at a new club, after 10 seasons at Collingwood, couldn’t be underestimated.

Lumumba played 19 matches in his first season at Melbourne â€" including his 200th AFL match in the club’s opening round win over the Gold Coast Suns at the MCG â€" but missed three matches in the second half of the season through injury.

He said with a season under his belt at the Demons, he is adamant his form will be at a higher level next year.

“Going into a whole new environment forces you out of your comfort zone. Every day was a new challenge,” he said.

“There were new philosophies to learn and new personalities to work with. That can be unsettling and I found that to be a challenge, but one that I knew I had to take on and really be mindful of every step on the way.

“The teammates that I have â€" you wouldn’t find a nicer bunch of guys and a closer bunch of guys who genuinely care for one another. I hadn’t experienced that to this level â€" the amount of unity that this playing group has with one another and the care.”

Despite having played 199 matches with Collingwood, including the 2010 premiership, Lumumba said in many ways it was like being a new draftee again.

“It is very similar to the draft process where you’re inducted into a new club. The advantages are having the experience of playing the game and knowing how to prepare, what standards get certain results. In that regard, that’s a huge advantage coming across [to a new club] with the experience,” he said.

“I was petrified walking in here for the first time. If I didn’t have Chris Dawes here â€" I may as well have just held his hand for the first two weeks â€" [I don’t know what I would’ve done] because I was petrified coming across to a brand new club.

“From having public turmoil and not knowing how it would be received, it was scary. I had a great mate of mine, who could help me through it, but I soon found out I was embraced immediately by coaches, support staff and players, so it made it very easy.”

Lumumba said he was most excited by the club’s younger brigade coming through. 

“We have some absolute guns playing in our team. I was actually speaking to [former Collingwood teammate] Nick Maxwell about it [and saying] if you could pick any key forward and any key defender in the AFL, you’d pick Tom McDonald and you’d pick Jesse Hogan for the future,” he said.

“I didn’t know how good our young players would be. Christian Salem makes a huge difference to the team. He reminds me of Alan Didak with the way he is with his foot skills â€" it’s just beautiful to watch.

“Then you have someone like Jack Viney who is just a beast â€" he’s actually scary with how intense he is and how much better he is going to get, simply because he just wills himself to get the most out of himself every moment he is here and away from the football club.”

“Guys like Angus Brayshaw, Alex Neal-Bullen and Billy Stretch are more conditioned and know what’s required. We have a really good core leadership group, but I do believe the success of our football club will be determined by the development of the younger list.

Lumumba said he was “very confident” about having a greater impact next year and had already set his sights on a big pre-season campaign. He also backed the club to go to the next level in 2016.

“We’re in great hands with the coaching staff. All of the coaches are fantastic, they’re highly professional, they’re passionate and they care for us players as human beings. We have a playing group who are hungry,” he said.

“Having been at Collingwood and winning a premiership with the young list … I’m very confident with this list. I don’t know how much longer I have to play, but I do think that this football club will win a premiership in the future.

“With the talent, development, framework and coaches we have â€" it’s certainly possible.”

[Purple 77]

Was actually a good read ^^

Lumumba was doing OK in the first half of the season I felt, but he fell away badly.

Expecting a much bigger on-field impact next year.

[Barra13]

JESSE Hogan says he feels chuffed that he’s become such a fan favourite among the Melbourne supporters and that they are desperate for him to remain a Demon for life.

The Western Australian-born Hogan, who is contracted until at least the end of 2017, says he is rapt that the Melbourne faithful have taken to him and want to see him in red and blue colours for the rest of his playing days.

“Well, at least they want me here. You could be on the other end where they don’t want you here,” he told Dee TV. 

“That’s always going to be in the back of people’s minds, that I am from Perth and I do enjoy Perth, but I am thoroughly enjoying my footy [at Melbourne].

“I’m signed on for another few years and I’m really enjoying myself and am taking it one week at a time, one month at a time and one year at a time. I try not to think about it too much, but it’s nice that people want me here.”

Hogan said it couldn’t be underestimated how challenging it was to adjust moving from the other side of the country to play at the highest level.

In his case, he moved from Perth to Melbourne at just 17 years old in 2012, but he has since overcome the initial hurdles.

“It’s pretty hard to be settled as a footballer because every week is so intense but compared to last year, I was really struggling to be honest with my back,” he said.

“I was trying to get away from footy and how do you get away from footy when you’re in the heart of Melbourne and footy is everything?

“This year, I’ve had a really good balance between footy, surfing and going to down to Torquay with Nathan Jones and James Harmes and the boys. I’m finding that balance and am still finding my feet, but this year I did enjoy myself.”

Looking ahead to 2016, Hogan said he was excited about gaining some teammates back from injury to create a revamped forward line, including Sam Frost and Dean Kent.

“It’s really exciting. Sam Frost, who has also come in [from GWS], is one of our key players internally and he’s super exciting,” he said.

“I don’t think I’ve seen many athletes like him. He’s lightening quick, so we’ll hopefully have him up there next year playing alongside me, which would be handy.

“Kenty as well, is another player inside our four walls who is highly rated and probably does the team roles better than anyone else at the club, so it’s a super exciting prospect.

“Even though we have all of these young players, we also have Jeffy [Garlett] and Dawsey (Chris Dawes), so we’ve got that good mix and balance. We all get along well, so it’s really exciting.”

Hogan said 2016 shaped as a big season.

“For me personally, my next year is probably even more important than this one. I’ve had a pretty good season. A lot of the time you see those players who’ve had a good first season â€" they don’t get complacent, but they don’t have that drive to prove themselves,” he said.

“This off-season is huge for us as a team and for myself and to see how we can develop as a team. Personally, I can’t wait to get into it.

“I can’t wait to develop myself to another level and not get complacent and just really strive to be part of the collective.”