Sam Reid's market

[Nico]

Not sure if the article has been linked here, but one of the Melbourne papers had a story about the old man who played 86 games for the Dogs but was moved on by the new coach Bluey Hampshire and went on to play for the Blues after that. 14 games short of having Ben & Sam as F/S choices - ouch! What would the Dogs give for those two right now?

By far the dogs have the worst history on moving on or losing players and have it come back to bite them super big time.

[Velour&Ruffles]

I keep watching it over and over and it just keeps getting better.

Big pack flies and Sam, looking huge, just flies from behind scattering players like nine pins. Comes down with the ball, clean one grab mark. Looks injured but shakes himself off and gets up.

It's what I'd call an old fashion pack mark of the type that Wayne Carey and Gary Ablett used to take. Not a a classic speccy, but a pack busting fly showing strength, judgement and timing.

This kid is seriously good. I hope he plays for us for his whole career, but whatever happens, we are going to see many more wonderful things from Sam over his career.

I'm 45 years old and a lifelong Sth Melbourne/Sydney fan. We have not had a key position prosepect like this guy in my memory. The great key position players we have had have either been imports (eg Lockett, Hall) or guys with the talent and guts to punch way above their weight (eg D Carroll, Bayes, Dunkley, C Bolton - C Bolts also an import). I can't remember a single one who we had from game one who had the talent and the natural attributes of Mr Reid. We have had a couple of mirages - Ryan Fitzgerald, Shane Fell and David Brown come to mind. But Sam Reid is far the best of them and I think he is the real deal. I just hope we can keep hold of him because in a year or two he is going to be seriously hot property.

[Velour&Ruffles]

I'm just really hoping Ben gets a niggle next year, is in and out of the team, Nathan Brown and Keefe cement a spot, Collingwood make the GF and Ben can't crack the team. Meanwhile, our Sammy starts to really dominate, Big Bro's not happy with his treatment, gets on the phone to mum who suggests the Swans might be a good fit, Sam sells it to Ben, who walks out on the Pies, telling them it's Sydney or the PSD, and we get him for a second rounder.

Suck that you Jolly-stealing scum.

I have been rather critical of Jolly, and Mrs Jolly in particular, on this forum. But I heard Jolly interviewed a few months back and he mentioned the reason he came back to Melbourne was because his wife suffered from post-natal depression and needed some support from her loved ones. He was still abolutely match-losingly crap in the 2006 Grand Final but I can't really hold it against him anymore.

[elastic]

This kid has the potential to be a star if his shoulders stay attached to his body. He is the kind of player you can build a team around. Definitely the most exciting prospect we've had in years.

[BSA5]

I have been rather critical of Jolly, and Mrs Jolly in particular, on this forum. But I heard Jolly interviewed a few months back and he mentioned the reason he came back to Melbourne was because his wife suffered from post-natal depression and needed some support from her loved ones. He was still abolutely match-losingly crap in the 2006 Grand Final but I can't really hold it against him anymore.

Then why let Collingwood bend us over? If she needed support from loved ones, he could have picked any team in Melbourne. But no, he had to force us to deal with Collingwood. Hell, if anything that makes it worse. He was contracted, so he didn't have that bargaining power, but if we'd refused to let him go to Collingwood, it would have looked like we were denying his wife support in her time of need.

He should never have nominated Collingwood. If we'd been able to get other clubs in on the negotiation and drive up prices then fine, but we had to settle for less than he's worth because it was either go to Collingwood or his wife would suffer.