2008 AFL Season Review: Melbourne
Most Valuable Player: Brad Green
Most Improved Player: Simon Buckley
Comeback Player: Ricky Petterd
If Only He Wasn't Injured: Jared Rivers
Underutilized By The Coach: Shane Valenti
Best Player From 2007 Drafts: Cale Morton
Ready For A Breakout Season In 2009: Matthew Bate
Had An Ugly 2008: Brock McLean
Most Improved Player: Simon Buckley
Comeback Player: Ricky Petterd
If Only He Wasn't Injured: Jared Rivers
Underutilized By The Coach: Shane Valenti
Best Player From 2007 Drafts: Cale Morton
Ready For A Breakout Season In 2009: Matthew Bate
Had An Ugly 2008: Brock McLean
I respect it's in your opinion, but it is terribly ill informed or under researched.
First of all, Brock Mclean was Melbourne's best player for the season by a long long way, he finished 2nd in the best and fairest from 14 games, his season was in no way ugly.
I'd be calling Simon Buckley ready for a breakout season in 09, Matthew Bate has already had his, and even though he had a down year, he was a solid contributer.
Cale Morton was the best, and will be the best of last years draft.
No Melbourne player was really 'underutilized' by the coach as the injury list was huge, however Shane Valenti did play 9 matches, and there were few others(less than 5) where he was available to play but wasn't selected.
Jared Rivers is arguably Melbourne's most important player, so his injury was bad, but David Neitz/ Brock Mclean could definitely make claims to the 'if only' award.
Ricky Petterd played 2, read it, 2 !!! games this year, he was injured for more than 16 weeks of the season this year, how exactly can that be considered a 'comeback'?
Simon Buckley improved, but Colin Garland is the most improved by an absolute mile, he not only cemented his spot in the Melbourne defence(and would get a game in any teams defense), but he is one of the best young defenders in the competition, and is on a par with Nathan Brown of Collingwood.
No complaints with Brad Green being Melbourne's best player.
However I'd hardly call one game a 'comeback'.
As for Mclean, do you have a personal vendetta against him? The guy's 21. One punch on in Europe, standing up for a team mate(Nathan Carroll), and one burn-out in a carpark aren't worth condemning him for, especially as it was during the off season.
Kind of ironic that you compare Mclean to Judd :
Really Long Link
Judd collects half a possession more a game and has a lower efficiency than Mclean. Judd's handball to kick ratio is also bigger than Mcleans. By your logic, Judd had a terrible year too.