In the words of , of all people a Saints fan :

"no, Melbourne had the perfect season -set themselves to win four games, selected the ones they would win, and played it out to a tee!

Bailey - coach of the year! "

Respect indeed...

Whether you actually think that Bailey is the right or wrong man to deliver us the Holy Grail you must begrudgingly (or not ) concede that this man has done an amzing job. He's been tasked with overseasing the building and developmeng of a new team whilst allowing club champions to see out their days with respect, he's been charged with securing the best new available talent by deft slight of hand and stealthy subtefuge. He's had to do this whilst keeping a straight bat and straight face staring straight into the inquisitive beast we call the media.

Possibly hardest of al lis that he's done it whilst maintaining his own beleif that this was actuully not only achievable but actually working to plan. Some say of Dean Bailey he has no plan. Look closely, very closely there was a plan all along, the plan called " Experimentation "

Its not by mere chance that David Copperfield is in Melbourne currently, he's here to learn from the Grand Master : our own Dean Bailey !!

Copperfield may be able to make women and statues disappear.....but our own Dean can make draft picks appear out of thin air !!

That takes some skill and ability and I for one look forward to seeing what next he can conjure

Let's judge Bailey's coaching ability next year, when we must begin to win games.

At the moment he's done OK, and he's certainly done the right thing by the club. But I don't think we can be making judgements on his merit as an AFL coach until he shows he's got the ability to get us out off the bottom.

Did anyone hear the commentators praising Bailey yesterday? I found it extremely interesting, considering we've won two wooden spoons. That said, I believe the same of Bailey. He has the potential to be a great coach, if his shrewdness and ability to foster and develop youth is anything to go by.

Edited August 31, 200916 yr by AdamFarr

Let's judge Bailey's coaching ability next year, when we must begin to win games.

At the moment he's done OK, and he's certainly done the right thing by the club. But I don't think we can be making judgements on his merit as an AFL coach until he shows he's got the ability to get us out off the bottom.

That's the whole point Titan.. Theres been a job within a job here.. Hes had to coach a team to arrive at a certain position...and thats actually hard to do. And I was actually applauding his ability to do the first one.. Hes got us to that point where we can now move forward. Im not juding his as a coach per se yet, just marvelling really at his ability to perform magic and acknowledging it. They are two somewhat different things