An Open letter to the Coach, Players and Demonland.

[Robbie57 2,020]

I have no doubt in the capacity of our current coach and team to achieve much this year and progress.  Actually I believe they can achieve more than the modest aspiration of a handful of wins.

  

Whilst we plan for the future and that looks bright, talk of the future should now be shelved for the rest of the season as it subtly diminishes our current aspirations and capabilities. Our progress has to start on March 27 and has to continue thereafter week by week.

 

Pundits, statistical coaches and some supporters these days look at the stats and declare the winner of the flag at the start of the year and even several seasons out based on the draft etc.  What a load of BS.

  

To play at AFL level you are talented.

   

The true difference between players is one of degree often a very small degree.  On any given day almost every AFL player could have a blinder and many do. Teams who shouldn't win do. What is it, an alignment of the moon, abstinence or dumb luck that causes that to happen?  Maybe, more likely that player actually realises and releases their underlying abilities.  This may be because the coach has awakened their belief of what is possible or a couple of actions early in the game release that belief from within.  There is no reason that can't happen every quarter.  Of course sometimes when things don’t go the right way on the field players drop their heads.  What is ignited is the sense of the impossible. Thats just not acceptable for the Dees.  This year can only be about what is possible and progression.  What is behind is exactly that. What might happen in the future is equally useless.  What happens next is all that matters. 

 

It’s the untapped potential in our team that can and will win us many games.  Its there for the taking.  Our coaches and leadership group should have not a moments doubt in the capacity of the current players to realise what they aspire to, winning as many games as they can.  Imagine if Mohammed Ali had said "I am the greatest…..but I am not sure I can beat this guy."  Why bother to turn up to fight Ali if you thought you weren't in with a chance on your day better to believe: "He might say he is the greatest but I can win this."  Truth is as great as Ali was he won some fights only because he thought he could.

  

Bails doesn’t touch the ball what he depends on is his ability to make the players powerful and realise they can play at a different level more consistently.  He has to put that belief and fire in their belly every match day every quarter.  He must ask himself before every game if he can't see the fire in the players eyes, "What am I doing that my players are not fired up, have I given my players every chance and the responsibility to release their best game today?"

 

Each player has find that fire within.  Do you believe your next touch may be the one that sparks a blinding performance for the rest of the game or even the season?   I reckon each of players can do it. If not don't pull the jumper on. Seriously go fishing, anything.

Supporters have a choice of helping our team find the fire and a blinding performance within or running with the stats.  Personally I find stats uninspiring and dull. The sweetest victories are those we dont expect.  I am not a total optimist however I know every day someone who tries a little harder and has just a bit more self belief will do better than others and will progress. 

We have to ask ourselves are we doing all we can to support the coach and team.  So here is a challenge to those on this forum can we go a whole week next week with positive analysis only.  I don’t mean avoid criticism but lets make it really constructive. I expect the coach to be vigourous in demanding the players expose their best. I expect the players to release that potential. 

 

I was going to do a list of players I have seen play a blinder or well above their perceived abilities but let me throw that challenge out to the forum. Who are they? I can list about 18+. 

Imagine if only four of those players on March 27 put in another blinder or indeed all of them do it at once.

  

So here is my guarantee to you.  I will support the team with the same fire in my eyes, no excuses.

  

Bails deliver the guys to the field each and every quarter with a matching desire, no excuses.  Inspire them.  Demand they show their absolute best, no excuses.

  

Guys play with the sense that the next touch will be better than the last, anything is possible from one quarter to the next and a desire to show just how underestimated you have been.  

Every day someone somewhere is beating the odds.

  

Go Dees.

[H_T 3,047]

Welcome Robbie57. Inspiring message.

When I recall back 23 years, we had a young team with great belief under John Northey and was led well by a champion in Robert Flower. The team were more developed in terms of games than the side today. Northey coached with passion to get the best out of his team and made them believe.

Once they strung the last several games together with great momentum and reached the '87 finals remarkably, it 'snowballed'. That side had key forwards (young Lyon & Spalding and the brillient Flower) and up and coming bodies that were maturing and in most cases had matured a little under Barassi.

Sure, the game has changed since then, but the underlying message is the same.

Give the young ones games together, give us mature bodies with game experience, give us strong on field leadership, give us strong forward targets that kick goals.

Oh, and give us a few champions, that would be nice too. Otherwise referred to in some instances as "stars".

[old55 23,597]

The sweetest victories are those we dont expect.

No the sweetest victory is the one fully deserved because we are the better side.

[Summer Blease 0]

I have no doubt in the capacity of our current coach and team to achieve much this year and progress. Actually I believe they can achieve more than the modest aspiration of a handful of wins.

Hey man I agree whole heartedly with everything you say. However whilst there may only be a couple of 'degrees' difference between player X and Y at their peak on any particular day, it makes a massive difference if player X is a matured seasoned body and player Y is a kid still pooing his pants on the footy field, so to speak. Even if our desires were at level 11, if the bigger, stronger, more mature team wants to win, they will usually get their way. Barring the odd upset or two- when maybe our desire outweighs the other teams- generally that is how upsets happen one would presume.

We won't be having these problems after a couple of our boys bulk up. We do seriously look like kids out there- the way we get thrown around. Wait till they cant throw us around anymore... Wait till Trengove/jurrah/petterd/Gawn start throwing the compeditors around.

I've been conditioned to loosing, as a Melbourne supporter, I hate to say . Our only saving grace is that the future is bright... this year is going to be hard, in so many ways- But we have (through previous lack of forsight re list) put ourselves in this position of having noone currently ready to fill important positions, so theres nothing we can do but to sit back, and not enjoy the ride!

[QueenC 74]

The sweetest victories are those we dont expect.

No the sweetest victory is the one fully deserved because we are the better side.

Wouldn't any victory at this point be pretty damn sweet ?!!!

And welcome to Demonland Robbie, I love the passion and sentiment of your first post.

I hope you enjoy your time here!!!

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

Well said Robbie57 and welcome aboard. No post/argument is perfect on this forum, but your motivation and thrust of your post is to be commended, not denigrated.

Once again, well done.

[Craig Drinker 179]

I have no doubt in the capacity of our current coach and team to achieve much this year and progress.  Actually I believe they can achieve more than the modest aspiration of a handful of wins. 

Well written.

Totally agree.All players must go out there believing collectively that they can beat whoever it is that is put up against them on any given week.If you set limits you cannot possibly expect to progress beyond them.

Couldn't believe earlier in the EPL season,I believe it was Mccarthy the manager of Wolverhampton that sent out a 2nd string side against Man United because he decided they couldn't beat Man U and he was preserving his 1st string side for an upcoming relegation battle game against (Happy if someone can fill in the blank here) which he felt was more important.

If I was in charge I would have sacked McCarthy on the spot no matter what it cost to pay him out! Going into games believing you cant win sets a horrible example for the players and shows arrogance in the fact that you believe you can predict the future!

[satyricon 267]

I totally agree with RobbieST's sentiments, I would like to add this bit.

I spoke to one of the 'younger' players at the Family Day, I won't name him as he was brutally honest, he was completely frustrated not only with himself but other team mates. He said "we are sent out with a game plan each game, but when you have the ball, look up and when the first or second option is not where they are supposed to be, you have to handball or kick it away, it makes you and the rest of the team look bad. We know we are getting it wrong, but we can't continue to use the youth excuse, we have just got it get it right, all of us, and we will"

I actually walked away more optimistic than when I approached him

[e25 5]

Well... That was long-winded.

I was hoping for something new or interesting, but I'm just left feeling empty.

Someone please wake me once the season starts or something actually happens.

ps welcome to demonland robbie

[e25 5]

Go dees

[furious d 464]

I totally agree with RobbieST's sentiments, I would like to add this bit.

I spoke to one of the 'younger' players at the Family Day, I won't name him as he was brutally honest, he was completely frustrated not only with himself but other team mates. He said "we are sent out with a game plan each game, but when you have the ball, look up and when the first or second option is not where they are supposed to be, you have to handball or kick it away, it makes you and the rest of the team look bad. We know we are getting it wrong, but we can't continue to use the youth excuse, we have just got it get it right, all of us, and we will"

I actually walked away more optimistic than when I approached him

Thanks for sharing that satyricon. All this talk of Bailey's lack of a game plan drives me insane. I think it's blatantly obvious that the players aren't executing it properly.

I'd be interested in how long this young player has been on our list if you'd care to share.

[e25 5]

Thanks for sharing satyr, now this is a thread!

I'd put money on it being one of 3 players.

[satyricon 267]

As I said I was blown away by his honesty so would prefer not to name, we did discuss the game plan, yes there is one, and it is not the coaching panels fault if as somebody says above we either can't or haven't got the experience to follow it.

Suffice to say he has been on the list a couple of years

I actually made a point of speaking to the younger players as they are less recongnisable and more easily approached in a crowd situation.

Two other things stood out, I had had a good chat with Jack Fitzpatrick at the AGM, saw him again at the Family Day, told him I was at Visy Park for the practice game, he actually apologised to me for not getting much of a kick in that game and he would do better next time, wants to improve

Cale Morton - hiding in a corner on his crutches, asked him how he was going, he said "I am ahead of schedule and hopefully will be back quicker than thought", I told him not to rush it as he was an important player for the future,

said "I want to get back playing and get Melbourne going ahend"...

[Hobbits's 17]

Couple of years.....JG , KC, or even the one hiding in the corner perhaps ?

Well written Robbie57. Go Dees !

Edited March 18, 2010 by Grimes to Watts

[stranga 328]

I totally agree with RobbieST's sentiments, I would like to add this bit.

I spoke to one of the 'younger' players at the Family Day, I won't name him as he was brutally honest, he was completely frustrated not only with himself but other team mates. He said "we are sent out with a game plan each game, but when you have the ball, look up and when the first or second option is not where they are supposed to be, you have to handball or kick it away, it makes you and the rest of the team look bad. We know we are getting it wrong, but we can't continue to use the youth excuse, we have just got it get it right, all of us, and we will"

I actually walked away more optimistic than when I approached him

Very interesting story.

Although this is a positive in that he recognises where the problems lie, it is also a negative in that the players obviously have no faith in each other out on the field to do what is required and that can cause a decrease in confidence and spirit.

[e25 5]

Very interesting story.

Although this is a positive in that he recognises where the problems lie, it is also a negative in that the players obviously have no faith in each other out on the field to do what is required and that can cause a decrease in confidence and spirit.

Tedious broken record.

The cause is youth & inexperience. With TIME and GAMES this will change.

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

Anecdotally, it would seem that even players are engaged in being "tedious broken records"

[Robbie57 2,020]

Couldn't believe earlier in the EPL season,I believe it was Mccarthy the manager of Wolverhampton that sent out a 2nd string side against Man United because he decided they couldn't beat Man U and he was preserving his 1st string side for an upcoming relegation battle game against (Happy if someone can fill in the blank here) which he felt was more important.

If I was in charge I would have sacked McCarthy on the spot no matter what it cost to pay him out! Going into games believing you cant win sets a horrible example for the players and shows arrogance in the fact that you believe you can predict the future!

I agree. There are many in the EPL that think staying up is good enough. I personally admire David Moyes at Everton (who incidentally have a youth coach on staff called Kevin Sheedy). Moyes always thinks his team are good enough to win games, sends them out every time wanting to win and HATES losing.

[do it 4 robbie 1]

I`ve been driving my brother mad at games for the last couple of years (and i was at it again on Saturday) with " they're flat footed" comments. It's why we struggle at kick-ins too.

We just don't work hard enough around the ground.

[Sir Why You Little 37,046]

I have no doubt in the capacity of our current coach and team to achieve much this year and progress. Actually I believe they can achieve more than the modest aspiration of a handful of wins.

Nice Work Robbie57. I agree on all fronts. The Team can win if it has the right attitude and can go beyond that pain barrier in order to do it.

I hope this letter gets sent in to the club.

Adrenilin can do amazing things in short bursts....People have lifted up cars by themselves to free injured Passengers after an accident at times. I know that is an extreme example but it is true.

Just because SEN and the print media say we are going to finish on the bottom does that mean it has too happen??

No point in playing the season out if we believe we as a club cannot win-that's just free points to the opposition clubs and i won't cop that and nor should the club.

I hope the players on our list get together sometime over the next 10 days, by themselves & make it plain that they are going to get this Game Plan Blue Print right.

The Players have got to be hard on themselves. No excuses. Run until it hurts & then do it again.

Go Demons 2010. As John Kennedy said...."Don't Think...Do"

[e25 5]

Robbie's opening post is passionate & I don't necessarily disagree with anything he said, but it's not exactly groundbreaking.

Do you really think any if what he said hasn't occurred to those running the club..?

If it hasn't then we are already well beyond hope.

[Sir Why You Little 37,046]

Robbie's opening post is passionate & I don't necessarily disagree with anything he said, but it's not exactly groundbreaking.

Do you really think any if what he said hasn't occurred to those running the club..?

If it hasn't then we are already well beyond hope.

It well might have occured to those at the club, but as yet the message has not got through.

Not as a Team anyway....

[Rogue 585]

whilst there may only be a couple of 'degrees' difference between player X and Y at their peak on any particular day, it makes a massive difference if player X is a matured seasoned body and player Y is a kid still pooing his pants on the footy field, so to speak. Even if our desires were at level 11, if the bigger, stronger, more mature team wants to win, they will usually get their way. Barring the odd upset or two- when maybe our desire outweighs the other teams- generally that is how upsets happen one would presume.

Exactly.

Robbie57, how's an 18 y/o Riewoldt going to fare against a 25 y/o version of himself? Sure, belief's important, but no matter how much belief I'd had I'd have never beaten Ali.

Enforcer, I agree with the gist of your comments - this thread reminds me of something you might write after watching 'Remember the Titans' or 'Mighty Ducks' etc.

No direspect meant to you, Robbie57, and welcome to Demonland.

[Summer Blease 0]

The greatest intentions in the world sadly arn't going to help all that much at the end of the day. It's all well and good to have positive mindsets and can do attitudes etc, they may get you a rise for the first 5-10 mins of a quarter, sure- But when play times over and stronger team wants win, stronger team 9 times out of 10 get win.

I wish this was Hollywood, and we were the Mighty Ducks.. alas it is Melbourne and this is the Mighty Demons.

Keep this letter in a draw. If were still in the same position in a couple of years time, sure, bring it out then. Until then we can just send them a Tony Robins Cd or something..

[e25 5]

Bad News Bears..?