The new sports website BackPageLead has had a crack...

It wasn't just an awkward fall that helped crack Liam Jurrah's shoulder during a practice match against Adelaide last week. The weight of expectation he has had to carry might also have had a role to play...

http://www.backpagel...-of-expectation

The new sports website BackPageLead has had a crack...

It wasn't just an awkward fall that helped crack Liam Jurrah's shoulder during a practice match against Adelaide last week. The weight of expectation he has had to carry might also have had a role to play...

http://www.backpagelead.com.au/afl/635-melbournes-weight-of-expectation

nice astroturfing.

This one has come from left field.

Must have been visiting the boards yesterday....journo's hate being criticised.

edit: pushing his own wheelbarrow no doubt. great advertising (free).

This one has come from left field.

Must have been visiting the boards yesterday....journo's hate being criticised.

I actually think he makes a good point.

I have been concerned for some time about the enormous pressure we put on our young players. We have made public statements about Trengove and Scully being in our best group of players already, we threw Watts to the wolves, and we have (understandably) hyped up our picks and Jurrah.

I think it was a mistake granting these kids the jumpers of the revered rather than having them earn it.

Bailey actually said recently that his mind wondered whether the club had put too much expectation on Jurrah, even though the injury itself was not attributable to a mental condition.

Dean Bailey is an inexperienced coach, and I will bet you one of the things he would do better with the benefit of hindsight is fight the club's natural willingness and want to push "hope" and the youngsters.

There is one thing in that article I can agree with, and that's the undue pressure associated with giving our draftees prestigious jumper numbers, and making a massive fuss over it by having people like Ron Barassi and David Neitz handing the jumpers to them. That's something I think Watts, Scully and Trengove could do without.

Otherwise it's just another journalist having a go at us.

I can kind of see his point but we don't really have the luxury of having 55k members like the Hawks. We need to sell hope at this stage and the club is doing a very good job of it.

i can't wait for the season to start, so journo's can actully put evidence to their statements, and supporters like us can stop having to try and defend our players. Must be a slow news day at BackPageLead

I partly agree with this article, although i don't think it's well written. We have put too much on the shoulders of the likes of Watts and Jurrah, but having said that as soon as Watts came to the club Bailey made it clear that we weren't to expect things of him in 2009. Jurrah i didn't agree with us giving him no. 24, i thought he'd made 48 his own and that there was no reason to put him up the pecking order. Scully and Trengove i believe are different stories, both are practically ready made players and have very level heads on them. Expectations are high from them but thus far they've proven to be capable of handling it.

Pathetic for this reporter to be lumping in Jurrah's shoulder injury with this though.

I can kind of see his point but we don't really have the luxury of having 55k members like the Hawks. We need to sell hope at this stage and the club is doing a very good job of it.

Exactly.

We need memberships ATM, and that is more important than the negative effects of the expectations we are placing on our young players. In a few years it's not going to matter anyway.

We will be dominant.

Look, the guy wrote about how good Fremantle's recruiting has been (which it may be) and how it bodes well for them (which it may) only ten days ago.

But it seems the MFC merely recruits guys to wreck them

I don't think this guy is worth much salt.

Edited March 11, 201015 yr by pitchfork

Patrick Smith said something similar to KB on Monday morning when he mentioned the weight of expectation Melbourne seemed to be putting on Jurrah. He suggested we crank it down a notch.

I agree we put way too much pressure of expectation on our kids, too soon.

Lets just let them grow into their bodies at least before we put the hammer down on them.

We don't have a choice. As has aleady been said it's all about selling hope to a small band of supporters. The aim is twofold. 1. To sell hope to existing supporters so they sign up. 2. To attract new supporters and members so we can grow this club. If we don't do this as of now we will cease to exist quicker than you think.

We don't have a choice. As has aleady been said it's all about selling hope to a small band of supporters. The aim is twofold. 1. To sell hope to existing supporters so they sign up. 2. To attract new supporters and members so we can grow this club. If we don't do this as of now we will cease to exist quicker than you think.

Winning a few games will create the Best hope amongst supporters, i can see the clubs position but i personally would crank it down a notch or two at this stage.

just keep the hype to a minimum and let the games do the talking.

That said-Scully & Trengove are ready for the Battle

There is one thing in that article I can agree with, and that's the undue pressure associated with giving our draftees prestigious jumper numbers, and making a massive fuss over it by having people like Ron Barassi and David Neitz handing the jumpers to them. That's something I think Watts, Scully and Trengove could do without.

Otherwise it's just another journalist having a go at us.

The article is a load of crap, if anyone thinks that having a number handed down by a past player is a noose around their neck then they will believe anything at the end of the day it is about the history of the number that's all, when they go to training or play that is all forgotten, the Journalist's of the AFL world have to find an angle to hang their hat on and that is ours at the moment.

Edited March 11, 201015 yr by demon3165

Loved this quote.

"After I joined, the manager asked me what number I'd like. I said 28. But Ferguson said 'No, you're going to have No. 7,' and the famous shirt was an extra source of motivation. I was forced to live up to such an honor.

It is a lazy toss off by a rusted on Hawthorn supporter (fact).

Everything Hawthorn does is perfect, of course, by his lights. Strewth they are an arrogant bunch.

Me? I did not have great expectation of Jurrah. For me he was an X-factor forward who might have kicked 40 goals this year. His great appeal was his exuberance and unpredictability. I'm not sure we did over-hype him, but we'll miss him.

Our bigger loss is Morton for what he potentially added to the midfield.

I love the fact that Melbourne fans jumped all over this [censored], but let's forget him now. Attention is just what he's after.

Edited March 11, 201015 yr by pitmaster

The article is a load of crap, if anyone thinks that having a number handed down by a past player is a noose around their neck then they will believe anything at the end of the day it is about the history of the number that's all, when they go to training or play that is all forgotten, the Journalist's of the AFL world have to find an angle to hang their hat on and that is ours at the moment.

Totally agree! The article is a barrow of manure that you wouldn't even waste time digging it into the garden. Every club in Melbourne's position would handle the situation in exactly the same way. Football is big business, and financially strapped clubs would be derelict not to use their player assets to improve their financial position.

In any event, if there is undue weight of expectation on our youngsters, it is built by the media and you and me, the success starved passionate supporters who (quite understandably) hang our hopes for the future in some early draft picks, and a potential star of the game drafted from outback Australia.

If you can't do better than that Ashley Browne, you should give the game away (journalism or football or both!).

I think he makes some valid points, particularly regarding the time and manner in which Watts was unveiled which was a resounding failure. However regarding the presentation of jumpers, if you watch the reactions of the players, they seem to quite enjoy all the the pomp and ceremony.

It also provides an avenue for appreciation of the history of the club. Let's not forget that Melbourne is unique in the respect of being the oldest in the league, and whatever means are effective for instilling some pride in the jumper I am all in favour of.

Edited March 11, 201015 yr by P_Man

Geez, Three years of absolute crap and we get baked for getting a little excited about bright young talent. SORRY !!!

I can't wait for the next 5 years when journo's like this that have opinions, which they are entitled to, but also seem to have no understanding of our club. That article was a waste of space and I can't wait be a dominate club in the next 5 years. I hope we smash the hawks round 1, the game two years ago round 1 finished a lot of careers and there build of our list was required, 2010 will show the re build is finished and we are on the improve.

Edited March 11, 201015 yr by drdrake

While Ashley Browne is entitled to write his own opinions i found the article puzzling

Neitz wore #9 but i cant help but scoff at him not asking himself who is the grey haired chap thats in the picture in HIS article

I wont tell him but us Demon Supporters certainly do

I wont even bother with his assumptions on Jurrah

I can sympathise with the article. I think we have been somewhat our own worst enemy.

The hatred for Jack Watts might seem unjustified, but the amount we hyped the poor kid up in the days leading up to QB was pretty laughable. The intro before the game over the speakers was the final straw.

We've talked the talked. It's just a matter of walking the walk. We've talked up our drafting skills and young players, neither of which has been proven a success yet.

Wonna is a perfect example. He's played pretty much just one good game in his career, and to some on this board, he's a superstar.

I'm a little more grounded. I started a thread about how over the top the handling of Watts was in 2009 in the week leading up to his first game, and I got flamed to hell and back. I'm not willing to talk about our young players and drafting until we're in the finals.

Our PR department seems to think of it the other way. It might look good when the coach and people within the club come out saying it's time to perform, but it doesn't really help the young player's mindsets. If anything, it puts more pressure on them. Talking up something that is completely unproven is pretty reckless, especially from a club that's had no success in 40 years.

We did it with Johnstone, we did it with Watts, then Jurrah. The latter two have anything but proven themselves as good players in a good, winning side, which, in my opinion, is the only time a player's worth can be truly judged.

EDIT: Here we go. My thread from a few months back.

Edited March 11, 201015 yr by calabreseboy

Dean Bailey is an inexperienced coach, and I will bet you one of the things he would do better with the benefit of hindsight is fight the club's natural willingness and want to push "hope" and the youngsters.

When does Bailey ever talk up a a player or performance?? He will give a little positive and they still need to work on this this and this...

Nah, I think it's a complete crock. If you want to see pressure then look at Carlton, they had Gibbs in the leadership group before he'd even played a game.

Melbourne is a soft target because we've been [censored] for many years, once the kids get some games under their belts and start winning games then this type of lazy journalism will change it's focus to whoever is on bottom of the ladder