I have supported this club for 38 years. As a supporter I love to see displays of courage. Success takes a combination of many things such as skill, fitness, teamwork but success doesn’t occur without courage.

Courage is not something that begins and ends on a football field. In fact successful teams make courageous decisions long before a winning list takes the field.

It takes courage for a club to go to its members, sponsors and supporters and ask for more support and money after a period of sustained failure.

It takes courage to sign a completely unproven coach against a lifetime coach who has had sustained success. It takes more to justify his appointment and offer him another year after 2 years of failure on the score-board.

It takes courage to remove proven performers from your playing list, again weakening your short term on-field strength.

It takes courage to sell a plan that strips the playing list bare and guarantees a lack of immediate success and just hope the membership can share the vision and project forward.

It takes courage to stare down the media and football world in the face or ridicule and profess to have a plan with no evidence of same or results to speak of.

It takes courage to develop a playing list at the correct pace capable of playing at the highest level not bowing to the impatience of the football world.

It takes courage to pay your playing list well when they have achieved so little.

It takes courage to sign player for 3 years who is yet to take the field at AFL level.

These risks have been undertaken in an effort to achieve the ultimate success and have been geared to the long term of the club as a whole. But it was undertaken when the club was most vulnerable both on and on the field.

For the plan to succeed the club as a whole, from the admin to the footy dept to the sponsors, members and supporters need to reciprocate trust.

Will this club win a flag with our current list… who knows? History says it’s difficult for a club to come from as far back as we have. The odds are against us. But what this club has done is truly unique…. and history is created on a daily basis.

When I see our battling president attending games, speaking to my kids at family days and urging the club and members on from his hospital bed after brain surgery, I can sense that this club is rebuilding itself on a courageous new model.

Like an young Irish boy from humble beginnings coming to a new country to play an unknown game, this club has risked its immediate future to make a play for glory.

Its time to support your club people. I for one can feel the beating heart of this club grow stronger day by day.

The words you speak Yoda are fine & wise.

this club has risked its immediate future to make a play for glory.

Too true and well stated

3WS: dandeeman - post of year

Great post....go dees 2010 and onwards...

3WS: dandeeman - post of year

I'll second that

I'll also add to his list in saying that getting rid of Johnstone and McLean, two senior performers in a very bad side, was very brave, and wise, also

It takes courage to pay your playing list well when they have achieved so little.

It also takes courage to not pay them too much.

As I understand it we were paying some players WAY too much when Bailey took over, and since then have tightened it up significantly. It [censored] a few players off but we're now in a much better situation.

I have supported this club for 38 years. As a supporter I love to see displays of courage. Success takes a combination of many things such as skill, fitness, teamwork but success doesn't occur without courage.

Courage is not something that begins and ends on a football field. In fact successful teams make courageous decisions long before a winning list takes the field.

Good stuff.

Can I add -

It takes courage to dump a recently appointed CEO (a sporting icon who arrived with great publicity & expectation) and then chase down the man we really needed.

Courageous club indeed.

Excellent post, Dandeeman! Well said...!

Go Dees!

Excellent post, Dandeeman! Well said...!

Go Dees!

Agreed-- my heart beat true for the Red & the Blue when I read this post.

Agreed-- my heart beat true for the Red & the Blue when I read this post.

I've gone all goosey reading that.

Excellent work dandeeman. You have put into some fine words, what most of us believe but didn't articulate. There was a time very recently where it might have taken a bit of 'courage' for some Melbourne supporters to freely admit their allegiance to the struggling club. I believe those days are now behind us. The future is rosy!

Good stuff.

Can I add -

It takes courage to dump a recently appointed CEO (a sporting icon who arrived with great publicity & expectation) and then chase down the man we really needed.

GM after I wrote it that idea came to me too.

Thanks for the kind words all. Good to know others feel the same.

Go dees.

Good stuff.

Can I add -

It takes courage to dump a recently appointed CEO (a sporting icon who arrived with great publicity & expectation) and then chase down the man we really needed.

That did take a lot of guts, considering how much money we had to forfeit and the accusations of turning the MFC into a boys club reunion.

Although... It must've been obvious Paul Mac's grasp on the game was pretty average when his big plan focused on poaching stars from other clubs with money we didn't have.

If action wasn't taken then we really would have been in dire straits.

And for a bloke who didn't want the job, Schwab certainly gives his all.

I have stupid amounts of admiration for that man.

It is such courage that makes our great club unique and our hearts beat red and blue with pride.

GO DEES!!

Really well put. I love reading stuff like that. Footy is such a passionate pursuit for all involved.

I'll drink to that. Good post.

I agree - post of the year.

We've only found that courage in recent years (b/c of Stynes, Connolly, Schwab, Bailey), but I totally agree that we have it in spades now.

For instance, it takes courage for a bloke to remain as a rookie at this club in the face of offers for senior list positions at other AFL clubs - and to then tackle like a man possessed when given the sniff of an opportunity. Jordie McKenzie embodies some of the new found courage that is developing within our playing list.

For instance, it takes courage for a bloke to remain as a rookie at this club in the face of offers for senior list positions at other AFL clubs - and to then tackle like a man possessed when given the sniff of an opportunity. Jordie McKenzie embodies some of the new found courage that is developing within our playing list.

Totally agree Ron-Jordie could well be a future captain if his current attitude is the norm.

Good to note that dandeemans's original post here was reproduced on the table mats everyone had at the DD dinner last night. Recognition for the Post of the Year!

Good to note that dandeemans's original post here was reproduced on the table mats everyone had at the DD dinner last night. Recognition for the Post of the Year!

Are you fair dinkum?

Are you fair dinkum?

If true. Congratulations Dandeeman. Really inspiring stuff

Are you fair dinkum?

Absolutely - I wouldn't pull your leg over that.

I've gone all goosey reading that.

ditto to that.

apologies for the slightly pathetic post on my behalf, but dandeeman and LS really said it all. it makes me so so SO proud to be melbourne.

when i was much younger and first started following football, i told my dad that i think id rather like to go for hawthorn (my best friend went for them, and they were nothing short of successful during those years). he told me that i was more than welcome to do so, except he wouldnt take me to any games. that was enough of a reason for a 5 year old to stick with the dees (i got to have chips and donuts at games, and got a free pass to say words like 'idiot')

but in heinsight, i wouldnt change a thing. even tho the dawks have a flag, and we've been thru a few lean years, the culture and excitement and the beginning of a new chapter in history thats building around the club-- i wouldnt give it up for anything.

tell them we're coming...?? i reckon we're here!

GO DEES!