An opinion piece

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Dear demonlanders,

Where should I start?

After going to the G for the first time in over a year and a half, I came home feeling more frustrated, confused and upset

then I ever have after watching Melbourne play. Last year I spent the whole year and season in London but still followed very

closely thanks to this site and being able to stream some games. Whilst last year was a tough year, I came home feeling excited

by the prospect of this season after reading some very positive and uplifting reviews of Melbourne's pre season form pre -nab

cup.

I'm not sure if it's supporters that are blind by love for the team. Or maybe supporters that have never played a footy match

to a relatively high standard? You may think it wouldn't make a difference, but it definitely does. What I am getting to is that it

seems that this site is only really here to bring us all to a happy place. To embrace every player and draw the positives out.

To numb minds of supporters like myself for a while and to persuade fellow readers that we have players that are

much better than most people think.

Nothing is making me more sick and infuriated than hearing talk about a premiership or finals in X amount of years. If I hear it again, I think I am

going to kill someone. Wake the f#*@& up. It's fine to dream. But I'm not falling for this "think of how good we will be in 2012". We have no idea

how good we will be then. We are basing this pathetic illogical reasoning on the fact that we have had a good few years gaining high draft picks

and assume that every single one of them will be absolute superstars !!!

There is one small problem Melbourne supporters... It's that we have the worst middle to late age group of players in the AFL and that right there

is a reality no matter what poster, what ever age, with however many posts he/she has made on this forum (thinking that they are gods gift).

We are nowhere near where people on this site think we are. Talk to someone outside of this forum. A non biased supporter of the dees like myself.

I'm all for optimism in times like this. But I am also for fixing the immediate problem. We can't keep dwelling on what the future may hold for Melbourne in

the coming years. There are so many variables in this game that can change. Injuries, contracts, player's not reaching potential etc. These are all factors that

demonlander's seem to miss when jumping out of their seat with the thought of how good our team will be one day. I don't want to talk about one day.

I want to talk about today ! I want to know why we have so many experienced players that just don't seem like they want to play AFL?

I was watching Campbell Brown on the MCC members wing on Saturday and our whole leadership group need to watch this man play. We all know players like Bruce

aren't the most skilled. Well guess what? Neither is Brown but heck he sure makes up for it with his intensity around contests. If players like Bruce had even half of that

we would be a better side. Same goes with Osborne.

I don't know if it's the clubs culture that has produced the players we have or if it's the recruiting staff? What is it? Is it Bailey?

Remember the story of Geelong? After years of sub-par performances, Bomber and the whole team sat down with each other at years end and each player assessed their

fellow team mates. They assessed and critiqued what they thought their strengths and weaknesses were. Look what has happened since...

Melbourne need to do something like this desperately, otherwise I would like to see another huge clean-out. I don't care if it means we are left with kids to fend for themselves.

Bailey needs to address this at years end.

Players that are either way over-rated by biased supporters or players that genuinely have trouble at getting the basics right at AFL and don't have the intensity to make up for it:

Bruce

Bate

Dunn

Miller

Bartram

Newton

Spencer

Martin

Macdonald

Johnson

Meeson

Other players that don't have great skill but definitely make up for it with intensity:

Jones

Mcdonald

Moloney

Rivers

Warnock (sometimes)

I have put them into two categories. These are the two biggest problems we have. We have too many players that are just all round shite, lacking both intensity and skill.

I don't know where to put Bell. I know most people on here don't rate him. But I do. He is a natural footballer with intensity and if he wasn't so unlucky with injuries

and if we consistently played him and gave him time as we did with Bate, I think he would have been a good player.

Anyway. That's my two cents. I'm sure Bailey or I bloody hope Bailey can see the problem we have with our middle to late aged players. Something needs to be done.

Look forward to being shot down...

x

Edited March 29, 2010 by stevethemanjordan

[dee-luded 2,958]

Dear demonlanders,

Where should I start?

After going to the G for the first time in over a year and a half, I came home feeling more frustrated, confused and upset

then I ever have after watching Melbourne play. Last year I spent the whole year and season in London but still followed very

closely thanks to this site and being able to stream some games. Whilst last year was a tough year, I came home feeling excited

by the prospect of this season after reading some very positive and uplifting reviews of Melbourne's pre season form pre -nab

cup.

I'm not sure if it's supporters that are blind by love for the team. Or maybe supporters that have never played a footy match

to a relatively high standard? You may think it wouldn't make a difference, but it definitely does. What I am getting to is that it

seems that this site is only really here to bring us all to a happy place. To embrace every player and draw the positives out.

To numb minds of supporters like myself for a while and to persuade fellow readers that we have players that are

much better than most people think.

Nothing is making me more sick and infuriated than hearing talk about a premiership or finals in X amount of years. If I hear it again, I think I am

going to kill someone. Wake the f#*@& up. It's fine to dream. But I'm not falling for this "think of how good we will be in 2012". We have no idea

how good we will be then. We are basing this pathetic illogical reasoning on the fact that we have had a good few years gaining high draft picks

and assume that every single one of them will be absolute superstars !!!

There is one small problem Melbourne supporters... It's that we have the worst middle to late age group of players in the AFL and that right there

is a reality no matter what poster, what ever age, with however many posts he/she has made on this forum (thinking that they are gods gift).

We are nowhere near where people on this site think we are. Talk to someone outside of this forum. A non biased supporter of the dees like myself.

I'm all for optimism in times like this. But I am also for fixing the immediate problem. We can't keep dwelling on what the future may hold for Melbourne in

the coming years. There are so many variables in this game that can change. Injuries, contracts, player's not reaching potential etc. These are all factors that

demonlander's seem to miss when jumping out of their seat with the thought of how good our team will be one day. I don't want to talk about one day.

I want to talk about today ! I want to know why we have so many experienced players that just don't seem like they want to play AFL?

I was watching Campbell Brown on the MCC members wing on Saturday and our whole leadership group need to watch this man play. We all know players like Bruce

aren't the most skilled. Well guess what? Neither is Brown but heck he sure makes up for it with his intensity around contests. If players like Bruce had even half of that

we would be a better side. Same goes with Osborne.

I don't know if it's the clubs culture that has produced the players we have or if it's the recruiting staff? What is it? Is it Bailey?

Remember the story of Geelong? After years of sub-par performances, Bomber and the whole team sat down with each other at years end and each player assessed their

fellow team mates. They assessed and critiqued what they thought their strengths and weaknesses were. Look what has happened since...

Melbourne need to do something like this desperately, otherwise I would like to see another huge clean-out. I don't care if it means we are left with kids to fend for themselves.

Bailey needs to address this at years end.

Players that are either way over-rated by biased supporters or players that genuinely have trouble at getting the basics right at AFL and don't have the intensity to make up for it:

Bruce

Bate

Dunn

Miller

Bartram

Newton

Spencer

Martin

Macdonald

Johnson

Meeson

Other players that don't have great skill but definitely make up for it with intensity:

Jones

Mcdonald

Moloney

Rivers

Warnock (sometimes)

I have put them into two categories. These are the two biggest problems we have. We have too many players that are just all round shite, lacking both intensity and skill.

I don't know where to put Bell. I know most people on here don't rate him. But I do. He is a natural footballer with intensity and if he wasn't so unlucky with injuries

and if we consistently played him and gave him time as we did with Bate, I think he would have been a good player.

Anyway. That's my two cents. I'm sure Bailey or I bloody hope Bailey can see the problem we have with our middle to late aged players. Something needs to be done.

Look forward to being shot down...

x

I agree with you.

Although Bate while slowish & with average hands is a smart footballer.

I think Martin will be usefull, but all the others I'm in agreement with you.