SNAIL'S PACE

[Eth 4]

we should have bet west coast, north melbourne and probably even adelaide?

i am not confident we can beat thoughs teams, not even richmond

Man, what is with the negativity on Demonland? It drives me nuts.

Look, we competed with last year's (and most likely this year's) Grand Finalist for three quarters - in fact, competed in an understatement, considering that we were down by 17 points at three quarter time. Trengove was Melbourne's best. McKenzie deserves to get the Rising Star nomination. Watts played his best game yet for the Dees. We even won the clearances 43-35 against the second best team in the competition with a midfield featuring Brendon Goddard, Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna, Lenny Hayes, Clint Jones, Farren Ray and more. The first four are f**king elite midfielders and we beat them.

And the game was played at Etihad.

If we can do that, then we aren't going to win any more wooden spoons and you can bet on that.

Edited July 5, 2010 by eth38

[armstrong35 262]

Man, what is with the negativity on Demonland? It drives me nuts.

Look, we competed with last year's (and most likely this year's) Grand Finalist for three quarters - in fact, competed in an understatement, considering that we were down by 17 points at three quarter time. Trengove was Melbourne's best. McKenzie deserves to get the Rising Star nomination. Watts played his best game yet for the Dees. We even won the clearances 43-35 against the second best team in the competition with a midfield featuring Brendon Goddard, Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna, Lenny Hayes, Clint Jones, Farren Ray and more. The first four are f**king elite midfielders and we beat them.

And the game was played at Etihad.

If we can do that, then we aren't going to win any more wooden spoons and you can bet on that.

then why cant we beat the ones we should?

if we can play well against good teams why cant we beat the crap ones?

[Eth 4]

then why cant we beat the ones we should?

if we can play well against good teams why cant we beat the crap ones?

Young sides are inconsistent. Thought you would know that, being a Melbourne supporter.

[armstrong35 262]

Young sides are inconsistent. Thought you would know that, being a Melbourne supporter.

i think im just frustrated

not long not long....!!!

[Pello 1]

All of this just goes to show the error the club made by extending Bailey's contract by another year before the year was finished. Who cares about all the endless speculation and media coverage that it would have generated with him being out of contract at the end of the year. We were told we didn't want to be distracted by media speculation? Since when does the media run the club? Geelong seem to be coping with the Ablett speculation OK - where are they again on the ladder?

I'm not saying we should not extend DB's contract. I am saying we should have waited until this season is over and we were in a better position to review his performance. No amount of ranting will convince me he is the right bloke for the job if we win a third consecutive wooden spoon. Even an honourable 15th placed at 5 1/2 wins is hardly progress!

At the start of the year I thought we'd get 7 wins this year and that would be a pass mark. I'II live with 6 1/2 so 2 more wins for me and DB will scrap through with a pass.

However, having said all that his match day coaching does concern me. When clubs have done their homework on us and we are the "hunted" he has no more tricks in his bag. No plan B someone else said and this is true.

If a player is being beaten he is too slow to move them! As an example Beamer was tagged out of the Adelaide game and was of no value to the team. Meanwhile down the forward line Goodwin and Johncock were having a competition between themselves as to who could get the most rebounds. DB should have mixed things up and break the tag and get Beamer down on the forward line to tag one of those 2 out of the contest. With his strength and energy he might have also got a goal assist or two. When was the last time you saw Grimes on the forward line, Bate on the backline, Bartram tagging in the midfield? Just mix it up when the game is going pear shape before its too late!

[Red Sox 2]

Man, what is with the negativity on Demonland? It drives me nuts.

Look, we competed with last year's (and most likely this year's) Grand Finalist for three quarters - in fact, competed in an understatement, considering that we were down by 17 points at three quarter time. Trengove was Melbourne's best. McKenzie deserves to get the Rising Star nomination. Watts played his best game yet for the Dees. We even won the clearances 43-35 against the second best team in the competition with a midfield featuring Brendon Goddard, Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna, Lenny Hayes, Clint Jones, Farren Ray and more. The first four are f**king elite midfielders and we beat them.

And the game was played at Etihad.

If we can do that, then we aren't going to win any more wooden spoons and you can bet on that.

Yep some nice positivity there Eth....not quite sure we beat them exactly and clearances tell a very minor part of the story. I think we also beat Hawthorn in the clearances in Round 1? It's how we use it when winning those clearances.

But your right to be positive as we went fairly well and St Kilda will do worse to better opposition than us.

I assume that you are including me in that negativity. If you are viewing any of my comments as negative I would be disappointed as I look at it as being realistic. If we can carry the mindset of yesterday against Essendon we are a good chance.

We must give ourselves every opportunity to win this game and if we put in anything less than 100% the season is getting away from us.

Lets be realistic, lets expect some improvement. Don't think that leads to being negative completely.

[Demon Stalwart 255]

Lets face facts

If melbourne can get its best team on the ground and they play well between now and seasons end and we get no more injuiries then it is quite possible to win 6 out of the next 8 games.

However the chances of all those factors coming into being and happening as we would love them to happen is slim:(

So being realistic I would hope that Melbourne could at least win 3 out of the next 8 games which by my calculations mean that we most likely will end up 14th or 13th if we are lucky

We should not get the "WOODEN SPOON" as long as we dont play SH.....T in the remaining games.

(If we do that changes the whole scenario and I would be less then Impressed with the Team and Bailey)

With Colin Sylvia and Laim Jurrah hopefully back to play against Essendon and if they dont get injured again and if we where to win more than the 3 games and win all 6 we would be knocking on the door of the eight, so much is the vagrancies of football

But being realistic once again we will most likely end up with seven wins and one draw for the season

Which If I remember correctly, most people on this forum where predicting 6-8 wins at the start of the season including myself.

Add to that the fact that we lost 2 games by less than a kick I have to admit even myself that would not be a bad result, and I can live with that for this year

Next year however it must be better and I do mean better and no COACH extensions till we see the result on the BOARD.

Anyway its now up to them the coach and the players to show all Melbourne Supporters that they are going to take that next step and end up where we would expect them at least to finish this Year

Another Wooden Spoon is not a Option

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Good conversation Arms, Eth38, DJ16.

It all seems to be about confidence in the side here.

Ask yourself:

Do you have confidence the defence will win in it's 3rd of the ground in a few games this year? Most would say they'd win MOST games. We nearly kept the Saints in 2 figures yesterday.

Same question for the midfield? I'm not AS confident, but I think with Sylvia coming in to help, and perhaps JMac who is massively important, and with a superb season from our second best on-field leader, and potential captain Moloney, as well as a very good Ruckman, I reckon we can expect to be competitive and maybe even beat at least 4/8 teams coming into the end of the season.

Forwards? This is the key for mine. Sylvia, Bate (not the Bate from the Saints game), a strongly performing Dunn, Jurrah to return... there's enough difference there to improve us a whole lot on the scoreboard, simply by bringing in good players, and dropping the non-performers. Jurrah, if he can do what he did with very little footy last season, will be the key in the area we need the most help on. The scoreboard.

[Eth 4]

I assume that you are including me in that negativity. If you are viewing any of my comments as negative I would be disappointed as I look at it as being realistic. If we can carry the mindset of yesterday against Essendon we are a good chance.

Haha, I'm not targeting anybody in particular, but I have seen a lot of moaning since we lost last night.

[Face Your Demons 175]

I think we will finsh of the year with a few wins, might even get to nine.

[Red Sox 2]

Haha, I'm not targeting anybody in particular, but I have seen a lot of moaning since we lost last night.

Had a read of the game day thread yesterday and yes that thread was nothing but a load of tripe really!! The negativity there was astounding and it was obvious the people who were not at the game.

Glad that some can stay a bit sane when reviewing performances. Can see your point Eth, I am very positive!

[Dinosaur Rover 197]

Man, what is with the negativity on Demonland? It drives me nuts.

Look, we competed with last year's (and most likely this year's) Grand Finalist for three quarters - in fact, competed in an understatement, considering that we were down by 17 points at three quarter time. Trengove was Melbourne's best. McKenzie deserves to get the Rising Star nomination. Watts played his best game yet for the Dees. We even won the clearances 43-35 against the second best team in the competition with a midfield featuring Brendon Goddard, Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna, Lenny Hayes, Clint Jones, Farren Ray and more. The first four are f**king elite midfielders and we beat them.

And the game was played at Etihad.

If we can do that, then we aren't going to win any more wooden spoons and you can bet on that.

Here here well said - may I add that Gwilt who had Bate I understand did a job on Podsiadly the previous week - the Pod - who gets his supply from some of the best in the business. So Baters "off day" wasnt entirely of his own making. I am guessing cause I didnt see the game that some of the delivery to Bater wasnt silver service given the midfield we played on. Hayes paid our in and under players a huge compliment saying that we beat them at the stoppages. I know its frustrating to lose but I can see progress. And now look - who is waiting in the wings and played all right I understand - in the reserves Tapscott and Blease and for Casey Sylvia, Jurrah etc.

Edited July 5, 2010 by poseidon burke

[Age 485]

Here here well said - may I add that Gwilt who had Bate I understand did a job on Podsiadly the previous week - the Pod - who gets his supply from some of the best in the business. So Baters "off day" wasnt entirely of his own making. I am guessing cause I didnt see the game that some of the delivery to Bater wasnt silver service given the midfield we played on. Hayes paid our in and under players a huge compliment saying that we beat them at the stoppages. I know its frustrating to lose but I can see progress. And now look - who is waiting in the wings and played all right I understand - in the reserves Tapscott and Blease and for Casey Sylvia, Jurrah etc.

I thought that Gwilt had Watts most of the day, which made his better effort seem even better still in my eyes. Most times he seemed to have him when we has on the field, or at least I noticed him standing him at most bounces.

He could have had Bate though, he didn't make much of an impression in the game and therefore didn't notice him or his opponent.

Edited July 5, 2010 by Age

[grant 10]

Year St Kilda Hawthorn Carlton Melbourne

2000 16th 8th 2nd

2001 15th 6th 5th

2002 15th 10th 16th Denied 1st Rd Pick

2003 11th 9th 15th

2004 3rd 15th 11th

2005 4th 14th 16th

2006 6th 11th 16th 7th

2007 9th 5th 15th 14th

2008 4th 2nd 11th 16th

2009 1st 9th 7th 16th

Top 5 Picks Recieved:

St Kilda- 1(reiwold), 2(kosi), 2 (Luke Ball), 1 (Goddard)

Hawthorn- 1 (Hodge), 2 (Roughead), 5 (Franklin)

Carlton- 2 (Walker), 1 (Murphy), 1 (Gibbs), 1 (Kreuzer), 3(Masten/Judd)

Melbourne- 4 (Morton), 1 (Watts), 1 (Scully), 2 (Trengove)

What this shows is that for these 3 teams which have aimed to rebuilt throught the draft, conclusions can be drawn:

- Melbourne has received 4 top five picks from bottoming out, equal with St Kilda but only one less to Carlton. Therefore sufficient picks to rebuild.

- It took St Kilda 3 years of bottoming out and made it to 11th place on the ladder after a successful rebuild.

- Hawthorn bottomed out over 2 years and made it to 11th place on the ladder after a successful rebuild.

- Carlton took longer than 3 years in what I consider a less successful rebuild to make it to 11th place on the ladder before making finals.

If Melbourne follows their path on the ladder, 11th is acceptable for the Dees in 2010 to show signs of a successful rebuild and finals in 2011 is what must be expected. Anything less than 11th place this year and we are marginably behind in the journey.

[e25 5]

Interesting analysis.

I don't agree with your conclusions though.

[Eth 4]

Interesting analysis.

I don't agree with your conclusions though.

Agree.

It's taken the Saints nine years to get to the top - how can we get behind?

[demonglory 70]

2010 is still very much a development year. The improvement in our general play has been obvious and really pleasing.

Yes we have lost some games that we should have contested better, namely, West Coast and North Melbourne.

Our losses are less damning and with a bit of luck we could have had 7 wins.

Sometimes you have to see the big picture and stop listening to stupid media reports by supposed journalists that really provide very little insight into the game. Do we have to be reminded of the ridiculous comments that were made about Richmond early in the season. I for one knew they were wrong and that Richmond would prove to be more competitive than last year.

Another strong pre season and further development of our young list will see even more improvement next year. It will all start to click and watch out.

There is so much to be excited about, try not to lose perspective by only focussing on wins v's losses and who is on the bottom. Yes it would be nice to avoid a wooden spoon but irrespective a spoon does not mean there has not been improvement

[Dee*ceiving 1,690]

All of this just goes to show the error the club made by extending Bailey's contract by another year before the year was finished. Who cares about all the endless speculation and media coverage that it would have generated with him being out of contract at the end of the year. We were told we didn't want to be distracted by media speculation? Since when does the media run the club? Geelong seem to be coping with the Ablett speculation OK - where are they again on the ladder?

I am with you Pello, the timing of DB's contract extension was poor. End of season would have been wiser, there were no other obvious suitors courting him so it's not as if we had to lock him away or lose him. The club is paramount and signing Bailey when we did has robbed us of some felxibility and ammunition at years end.

You'd hate for Paul Roos to do an about face and say he's considering coaching in Melbourne next year and we've got Bails locked in for another year after 4.5 wins in 2010. That would be a disaster.