Anyone can coach a team badly enough to not win, it's the style of play (few players in the forward line, multiple loose players in defence and overall negative tactics) that have been a disaster.

It is very much a Forumulated Opinion that Melbourne could have won seven or so games this year if they didn't "tank", at best the Richmond game was the only game that Melbourne had a chance to win.

2010 will determine if Bailey is a good senior coach, and not just a development coach.

I get it - you would've like some more attacking losses.

We could definitely have defeated Sydney in Canberra and who knows what might have happened against North and Carlton if for example we didn't play 4 ruckmen on the field at the one time. You probably thought Spencer, Jamar, Paul Johnson and McLean was the best forward set-up we had all year.

Well all I can say is there must be some seriously intellectually imparied folk here. Many just dont get it, if as they say a game is of two halves then the first one has been plkayed out. the game of rebuild/draft/cleanout all done whilst you wear shcackles on every extremity.

The second half has started. No shackles, new talent, new resources and with free reign , indeed the perogative and goal of winning.

Dean Bailey in all reality has done an amazing job to date, now he gets the chance to play for real.

Surely this hasnt been lost on all... just the 'thick' some

Well all I can say is there must be some seriously intellectually imparied folk here. Many just dont get it, if as they say a game is of two halves then the first one has been plkayed out. the game of rebuild/draft/cleanout all done whilst you wear shcackles on every extremity.

The second half has started. No shackles, new talent, new resources and with free reign , indeed the perogative and goal of winning.

Dean Bailey in all reality has done an amazing job to date, now he gets the chance to play for real.

Surely this hasnt been lost on all... just the 'thick' some

I do not agree with your thoughts. I feel this year is D/Day for Bailley. He has had two years to prune the list , put his mantra on it and now he has to perform and show this young list a winning culture. If not out the door .I expect to win at least 8 games.Thank God. the rumour by Hutchie re Bailley gaining another year extension has not been invoked as yet.

I do not agree with your thoughts. I feel this year is D/Day for Bailley. He has had two years to prune the list , put his mantra on it and now he has to perform and show this young list a winning culture. If not out the door .I expect to win at least 8 games.Thank God. the rumour by Hutchie re Bailley gaining another year extension has not been invoked as yet.

Why should 2010 be D/Year?

He has one year, effectively half of that if we start poorly, and he is 'out the door'?

Our talent are toddlers and some of our future hopes are not even at the club.

I really wish people would stop using 'winning culture' like it has some visceral meaning - it is a made-up buzz word.

Teams will win when they are good enough.

He will have done his job if he gives games to Scully, Trengove, Pick 11, Watts, Blease, Strauss, Bennell, Maric, Jetta, Morton, Spencer, Cheney, Grimes, Wonaeamirri, Jurrah, Frawley, Petterd, Bail, Martin, and Meesen.

And if he is giving games to those players he is selflessly sacrificing his own record put games into the right players that will help us win that flag.

21 new players will be at the club in 2010 since Bailey arrived. Those toddlers need time.

Anyone can coach a team badly enough to not win, it's the style of play (few players in the forward line, multiple loose players in defence and overall negative tactics) that have been a disaster.

It is very much a Forumulated Opinion that Melbourne could have won seven or so games this year if they didn't "tank", at best the Richmond game was the only game that Melbourne had a chance to win.

2010 will determine if Bailey is a good senior coach, and not just a development coach.

Well said CB.

AFL footy is a business, not a finishing school. No doubt, Bailey has proved his worth as a development coach, now it is time to begin the climb. DB now needs to put is absolute imprimatur on this group. It would be, in the current footy climate, ludicrous to give any coach an extension on their contract now, bar winning a Granny.

2010 we will win 8 games 2011 we will make the 8 2012 make top 4 2013 wingf

Exactly on whom is it lost that Baileys role to date has not been to win ?? it has been to do a specific job, to gain specific benefits and to [position the team in a place from where it can be reasonably expected to climb forwards.

He cannot as yet be judged in the normal manner as that is not the yardstick the club had set. From this moment on he will be expected to lift the team and demonstrably so. If we NOW fail to start winning games with conviction and distinction then the evaluation as a poor coach can be said to hold water, as thats then his job.

You can only judge a worker by the task you set him. He ( DB ) I would have thought has equited himself remarkably well and composed in the job at hand. That job now changes...and we can then judge him on his accomplishments in THAT role.

I disagree that any one could coach a team to lose as had the lads been left to their own devices in a few games they would have won !! It actually took some skill and backbone.

Why should 2010 be D/Year?

Agree.

Our prospects of winning games in 2010 have further receded if we retain pick 11 and take a skinny KPF in place of Brock McLean.

After drastic "list management" during the season, we are (correctly IMO) continuing to make sacrifices now for better days in the future.

That puts Bailey is in an extremely unreasonable position if he's to be judged by match results in 2010.

Who could blame him chasing Burgoyne, Fevola and Hall if that's the case?

You can't have it both ways.

Bailey had the balls to do what Daniher never could, thanks to that we have #1 and #2 draft picks this year. And he will always have my respect and backing for doing it.