30 Games Plus 3 Players Away Form Being Awesome.

[Goat 98]

Jack grimes 25 games. imagine when he has played 100 games

[Guest hangon007]

ahhhhhhhhhhhh thanks for the season boys. Loved the game against North apart from the result.

Small vital mistakes all at the wrong times - When Jones went down I thought it turned the game.

They have some top quality young kids as well. Have a feeling they are huge competition over the next few years.

Looking forward to next year with a few top quality additions.

Go Dees

19 games to go!!!!

[Guest hangon007]

Ahhhhh ... another new season & off to the Gee we go.

Must confess it was a great atmosphere where I screamed my lungs out. Crowd at the Punt Rd end where awesome and that last quarter thought we where going to steal it.

Happy with the result and our progression continues.

Positives for me where

1/ Moloney, Sylvia & Tapscott ... hope they can keep up that level of aggression for 22 weeks. That bump by Tappy on Ryce Shaw brought tears of joy from me ... and pain, pain, pain to Rhyce Shaw.

2/ Martin as a chop out for Jamar ... I'm praying this works long-term ... long may it continue if he can hold that level.

3/ Bennell & Jetta ... although patchy you are always on the edge of your seat when they get it.

Only negative for the day ... I know this might sound funny but I reckon Jack Watts could have a look at the tapes of how young West Coast Eagle Darling plays ... How hard he sticks his tackles and his commitment to the ball. IMHO I would love to see Watts learning how to scare opposition backmen.

Now only 18 games to go!!!

Go Dees!!!!

PS Looking forward to the return of Frawley, Scully, McKenzie & Morton

PSS Hope Blease, Strauss & Gysberts can put pressure on our existing 22 & we can blood a young forward.

[Guest hangon007]

A game the players should be forced to watch time & time again. Hawks continually give us a lesson in unsociable football.

Showed glimpses early of the future then they faded back into the past. Same problems around clearances & getting the ball thru zones.

However, again its all part of the learning process. I will definitely be going again next week ... which is one of the great things in football.

There is always next week.

Go Dees

PS Did I mention ONLY 17 games to go!!!!

[Robbie57 2,026]

A game the players should be forced to watch time & time again. Hawks continually give us a lesson in unsociable football.

Showed glimpses early of the future then they faded back into the past. Same problems around clearances & getting the ball thru zones.

However, again its all part of the learning process. I will definitely be going again next week ... which is one of the great things in football.

There is always next week.

Go Dees

PS Did I mention ONLY 17 games to go!!!!

Iwas only going to do one post this week but I break my shortlived silence to say to Hang.

I love your Zen like poise.

Go Dees

[leucopogon 1,519]

I think we're a way's off being awesome if I'm honest. if you think we're 17 games away, you're really.....how can I say this(?)..... optimistic.

It took Geelong 6 seasons to win a flag from their superdraft year of 2001 (the year they got Bartel, Kelly, Johnson and Ablett). Our superdraft took place in 2009 (nabbing Scully, Trengove, Gysberts and Tapscott). If you include Watts, Strauss and Blease (as high draft picks) from the year before, they've played bugger all footy between them and for all intents and purposes should be lumped into the 2009 category (that is assuming they all make the grade, I have my doubts about some). So unless this group of players are something really special, I don't think we'll be having a genuine dip at the flag until season 2015.

In summary, I make it somewhere in the range of 70 to 90 games until we're awesome. But the pessimist in me says we won't win a flag in our upcoming window (probably lose Scully to GWS - as the AFL makes an example out of us for tanking and I fear Blease and Strauss won't overcome their injuries.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

2007-2009 we got 10 players in the top 21 of the draft plus Jurrah and McKenzie, I think we are behind the 8 ball

[Guest hangon007]

A Win is a win ... by any measure. Sure it was no "pretty" win ... but who cares we got the chocolates.

Pleasing for me was, we found a way to work ourselves back into the game.

Much of the so called official media are having a crack at us for not putting them away easily. However, I feel that's very unfair on Brisbane, who IMHO seem to be far more resilient if the face of losing some of their senior players. They are now developing the knack of pushing teams much closer than many thought.

Anyway we are getting more games into the kids which is great.

One less game to go ... 16 games to go.

Go Demons

[Guest hangon007]

Sorry, refuse to count the game against the gold coast witches hats.

So back into it this week against the Eagles. I was disappointed but not overly surprised.

However, think I will temper my disappointed and bite my tongue. The glass is always half full ... I'm going to focus on the positives.

Wait for it ... Watts was pleasing. And I suppose, for how bad we played we where not completely blown away by 100 pts +

Everyone is entitled to a bad week so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. As they say ... a week is a long, long time in football.

However, the self inflicted pressure is something we could have done without.

Cant wait for this weeks game.

Go Dees

PS Only 15 more games to go. However, must confess my faith was tested this week.

[Guest hangon007]

What a week it has been in football! Fantastic lesson for our young team. Well done boys you made us proud.

Way too many positives to mention - loved every minute of it.

Massive, massive tick for our team, coach, football department & our administration who had to endure a torrent of hysteria and misinformed media articles ... many with ulterior motives I suspect. Ahhh well thats football I suppose.

However, a massive fail for our supporters ... they are further confirming my belief that they are nothing but a bunch "of down hill skiers".

Now we move onto next week. Lets go Dees. Only 14 more games to go.

[Rogue 585]

However, a massive fail for our supporters ... they are further confirming my belief that they are nothing but a bunch "of down hill skiers".

Such rubbish. In case you didn't realise, all Clubs get less fans to games when the team is struggling. Ditto when it's raining etc.

Do I need to actually present examples to try and bust this ridiculous myth?

How about Hawthorn's pathetic 11K or whatever it was at the 'G a few years ago, far lower than we ever had in the first few years under DB, despite being terrible?

How about Essendon's dire drop-off in supporters in the last couple of years, a crisis so severe it was almost mandatory that they changed Coach if they wanted to keep some semblance of support?

How about St Kilda's very poor membership figures when struggling?

Need I go on?

[Guest hangon007]

Such rubbish. In case you didn't realise, all Clubs get less fans to games when the team is struggling. Ditto when it's raining etc.

Do I need to actually present examples to try and bust this ridiculous myth?

How about Hawthorn's pathetic 11K or whatever it was at the 'G a few years ago, far lower than we ever had in the first few years under DB, despite being terrible?

How about Essendon's dire drop-off in supporters in the last couple of years, a crisis so severe it was almost mandatory that they changed Coach if they wanted to keep some semblance of support?

How about St Kilda's very poor membership figures when struggling?

Need I go on?

I understand the truth hurts. But thats for another thread.

[Guest hangon007]

... started so, so well, then we went to the "dark side" . I'm starting to worry Dean Bailey or a few players must have killed a black cat or two ... but wait I'm not superstitious. I just dont know what you put a turn around inform like that during a game.

IMHO a few positives did come out of that game.

1/ Michael Newton needs to be given 4-5 weeks at full-forward and then we make a final judgment. IMHO you cant be half pregnant in football.

2/ Stefan Martin will in time make a good 2nd ruckman.

3/ Think the penny will drop with Watts. Think its an excellent idea to create another string to his bow.

Negatives I will leave that to others around here.

Another week another game closer ... bring on the kids. Only 13 weeks to go.

Go Dees

[Rogue 585]

I agree re: Newton. I liked Martin's effort versus North but the jury is still out.

Since you bumped the thread I figure I'll reply to this:

I understand the truth hurts. But thats for another thread.

The truth about all Clubs having more support when they are going better?

The truth about Melbourne smashing membership records despite being cellar dwellars, and having an unprecedented influx of coin injected into the Club by rank and file supporters (dwarfing the SOS campaigns etc of other Clubs)?

Yeah, it does hurt your argument

Looking forward to this other thread.

[45HG 1,559]

I'm loving Collingwood fan's spouting the "we go whenever rah rah" we have such more loyal fanz dan uze.

Their membership has gone from 46 to 70 thousand plus in 2 years.

I just can't figure out why.

[Guest hangon007]

The truth about all Clubs having more support when they are going better?

The truth about Melbourne smashing membership records despite being cellar dwellars, and having an unprecedented influx of coin injected into the Club by rank and file supporters (dwarfing the SOS campaigns etc of other Clubs)?

Yeah, it does hurt your argument

Looking forward to this other thread.

Be careful here quoting a rise in membership numbers on two fronts

a/ Ultimately a membership number is nothing more than a number. The important number is net revenues obtained from those memberships. Trust me gap is getting wider.

b/ If you are growing by 10% in your number & your opposition is growing by 40% pat yourself on the back all you want. But again the gap is growing wider.

The key to our success in the long term is not our membership numbers but our capacity to pull the big crowds in the blockbusters games to a/ maximise our match day revenues b/ obtain our fair share of the TV rights c/ our ability to increase revenues from larger sponsorship opportunities

Now talking "dwarfing the SOS campaigns" ... Tigers this year have released an SOS campaign that has raised 2.5 million in 2 months without even trying ... with close on 10 months to go. The Tigers are also splitting the amount raised 50/50 between paying off debt and investing in their football department ... this is on top of the Tigers having a 10 million plus asset base. Us on the other hand used the money to pay off debt with little investment in our asset base.

Paying off debt is good ... but why did we create the debt in the first place. I will leave those conclusions to others.

The job is only half done.

Go Dees

[praha 11,253]

I'm loving Collingwood fan's spouting the "we go whenever rah rah" we have such more loyal fanz dan uze.

Their membership has gone from 46 to 70 thousand plus in 2 years.

I just can't figure out why.

15 year-old female bandwagon supporters.

[H_T 3,049]

Be careful here quoting a rise in membership numbers on two fronts

a/ Ultimately a membership number is nothing more than a number. The important number is net revenues obtained from those memberships. Trust me gap is getting wider.

b/ If you are growing by 10% in your number & your opposition is growing by 40% pat yourself on the back all you want. But again the gap is growing wider.

The recent increments in positive gains in membership numbers being cellar dwellars (let's not kid ourselves) are indications in growth in terms of numbers and net revenues. You can sugar coat it all you want, just don't push aside the facts.

Comparitively to the Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne and St Kilda membership numbers which have been inconsistent, if anything we have widened the gap in terms of growth on them. The 40% you're referring to is the Collingwood's of this world.

As for your thread title, I think we'll be far from "awesomeness" in just 13 more games time. And of the 3 players as mentioned, IMO we need a good strong leader that leads by example when the chips are down. Will it be one of own that develops into one, one who can make a statement on the field through his attack on the footy. I would like to think so. Maybe a Trengove, a Scully or a Watts ?

That said, how do you define being awesome ? Premiership material ? Top 4 ? Where Collingwood are at ? This thread maybe over a year old, but you need to answer a few questions on this topic.

Fwiw, of the 3 in the OP I would consider point 3 as more of a priority. I think our rucks can keep developing for the moment.

[Rogue 585]

Be careful here quoting a rise in membership numbers on two fronts

a/ Ultimately a membership number is nothing more than a number. The important number is net revenues obtained from those memberships. Trust me gap is getting wider.

b/ If you are growing by 10% in your number & your opposition is growing by 40% pat yourself on the back all you want. But again the gap is growing wider.

The key to our success in the long term is not our membership numbers but our capacity to pull the big crowds in the blockbusters games to a/ maximise our match day revenues b/ obtain our fair share of the TV rights c/ our ability to increase revenues from larger sponsorship opportunities

Now talking "dwarfing the SOS campaigns" ... Tigers this year have released an SOS campaign that has raised 2.5 million in 2 months without even trying ... with close on 10 months to go. The Tigers are also splitting the amount raised 50/50 between paying off debt and investing in their football department ... this is on top of the Tigers having a 10 million plus asset base. Us on the other hand used the money to pay off debt with little investment in our asset base.

Paying off debt is good ... but why did we create the debt in the first place. I will leave those conclusions to others.

The job is only half done.

Go Dees

In this post you seem to be asserting that a gap is widening between us and other Clubs etc, but you are defending a position that is different to the one you originally made. The claim, in case you needed reminding, was that our Club's supporters are 'down hill skiers'.

I suggested you were wrong, and made two quick points, including the fact that membership has increased in recent times despite the fact we have been 'cellar-dwellers'.

As H_T has said, whatever context you want to place the increases in, if Melbourne's fans were 'down hill skiers' there wouldn't have been any increase in the past few years.

Talk about net revenues, the financial gap between us and the richest Clubs or the reason we had to take on debt might all be extremely interesting, but they are not a defence of the claim that Melbourne fans are 'downhill skiers'.

[Guest hangon007]

Our depth looks very, very good ... one step closer to find a few other kids who can play AFL football at the highest level. Sure the result is not one I hoped for ... but hell lets continue to blood those kids, one at a time if needs be.

IMHO .. Gysberts, McKenzie & Watts where very, very impressive. Looking forward to young Pickles just learning to adjust to the pace of the game.

Now we need Scully, Trengove, Bail, Garland & Ozzy to return (Oops & Jamar) ... and one or two of Blease, Strauss, Nicholson to inject some more competition. Not to forget Morton & Bennell positively benefiting for their time at Casey.

Then we move onto the big men ... Martin was very impressive. Time to see a few more bigger bodies get a go.

Geez I'm excitited - Only 12 more games to go.

Go Dees

[Guest hangon007]

This was a very hard game to sit and watch & I feel for the players who have to take the field. Driving to the ground I really had to work hard just to talk myself into believing we had a chance ... then after about 5 minutes of the game think the penny dropped .... our tactics for the night where very "ballsy" but did we have the personnel to carry it out.

Sadly no ... but again another learning experience.

Highlights ... Surely, our players have to learn from Juddy & Murphy ... time is on our side. It wasn't that long ago they were where we are now.

ahhhh well 11 more games to go!

[DeeSpencer 26,301]

Our tactics weren't ballsy. They were drop a man behind, stay close enough and hope to steal a win late.

Looking at Carlton though, they seem to be a top 4 contender based on Waite and a few clever smalls up forward, the guns in the middle and a backline that works together well.

I think we certainly have the good backline and whilst we don't have a Judd but we have a whole crop of young midfielders coming through. So really all the we lack is a good structure, 20 odd of our better players fit and some targets up forward.

That's the questions I'd be asking Bailey.

1. Can you get this group playing consistent football for you

2. Is there a structure in their somewhere

3. What's your answer up forward

If he can demonstrate points 1 and 2 by the end of the year and provide a logical answer to question 3 then I'd reappoint him.

[Guest hangon007]

I think we certainly have the good backline and whilst we don't have a Judd but we have a whole crop of young midfielders coming through. So really all the we lack is a good structure, 20 odd of our better players fit and some targets up forward.

This is an interesting point ... Is it a playing personnel problem or not?

Personally I would not be asking any too many questions of Bailey if I thought it was a purely a playing personnel problem.

If you dont recruit them you have to develop them. IMHO Bailey does a very good job on that basis.

A definition of insanity is doing more of the same and expecting a different result.

[Axis of Bob 11,906]

themaster: You said that Carlton have a gun midfield.

Our midfield is currently third world. Do you think that this might have a bit to do with it?

Luckily our midfield will get much, much better.

[rpfc 28,913]

themaster: You said that Carlton have a gun midfield.

Our midfield is currently third world. Do you think that this might have a bit to do with it?

Luckily our midfield will get much, much better.

You're right. And there is a bit of a disconnect here - we have good young midfielders, but that doesn't mean we have a good midfield.

Gysberts will be special but his kicking is sloppy and he get muscled around in the packs...

Moloney is an elite clearance player (with Jamar) and B grade around the ground, Jones is a solid B in most areas (been very consistent this year), Sylvia is ABC at various times (is getting more consistent aswell), and the rest of our midfield are kids.