Ineptitude has basically reigned since. I was delighted when John Northey took the team by the scruff of its neck, building on a foundation of tough good kids(many from the under 19's and coached as kids by Slug Jordan)and desperate hacks, and teaching them what he learned at tigerland. That was the last time we saw a genuinely TOUGH, UNCOMPROMISING and RELENTLESS team play in red and blue-most of the time ('88 GF notwithstanding).

I stand corrected.For 45 years minus the Northy years.They were inspirational.So much joy,without the ultimate prize.

Loved swooper.

I disagree - I am sick of the anti Melbourne bias in the media. We copped more flak by beating GC by 90 points than Port did by losing to them?

WTF?

You're living in Melbourne.

You reckon Port just got off scot free in Adelaide?

Argh!!

Argh!!

I'll second that, followed by a hacking cough due to no voice after yelling today.

Goddammit.

It seems like every second week this club reaches another "turning point". By my count if we consider the West Coast and Carlton losses to be turning points, this one counts as the third, which leads us right back to where we started. We've done the full 360.

All the labels being placed on us at the moment are all too true.

We ARE soft and see countless examples of palyers not putting their body on the line.

We DO seem to require some monumental external roasting in order to motivate ourselves to dig in and produce an effort that is required to win a game of AFL football.

We ARE short of leadership on the ground.

Who can argue these things aren't true? The problem is that they are all cultural issues and require something greater than bandaid solutions.

The MFC was embarassed today, but what is the significance of the result? Do we resort to the same line of argument of youth and inexperience coupled with a long injury list? Or is it time we re-examined whether there is any credence to these labels and why we are attracting them?

Currently we are viewed as a potentially cheap win by every single club in the league. After 2 years of rebuilding, the footy world is still laughing at us, and we are yet to give them a reason not to.

There are not many of us, but we can make the noise of 5 times our opposition.

There were many there today. And I hope they all come back next week.

I must admit, however, that I'm weary. I'm weary of looking for positives where there are few. I realise that we'll get through this period. But it just gets weary.

We'll get through.

Disappointed that the media will be our game day coach again this week, but glad there will be something that will get us up for Freo

Is this an ingenious plan by Dean Bailey to get us that 10 wins that may get him another contract? Has he recognised his match day weaknesses and decided to lose badly every second week so to facilitate a media firing up?..... hmmm...

Nah, don't think there was too much difference between our performance against the bombers and the pies.

We were at pretty much the same level, but the bombers were pretenders coming off the bye, while the pies are reigning premiers in red-hot form on one of the biggest days on the football calendar outside of the finals.

Nah, don't think there was too much difference between our performance against the bombers and the pies.

We were at pretty much the same level, but the bombers were pretenders coming off the bye, while the pies are reigning premiers in red-hot form on one of the biggest days on the football calendar outside of the finals.

You're kidding right?

You're kidding right?

Pies are much better than the Bombers.

That's my point.

Last week if we were playing the pies, it would have been the same result.

It's not due to inconsistent effort.

They are just that much better than us.

That's my point.

Last week if we were playing the pies, it would have been the same result.

It's not due to inconsistent effort.

They are just that much better than us.

Most ridiculous thing I have EVER read here... (Not the part about the Pies being better than the Bombers)

If you honestly think the effort, structure, skills etc were the same today from us as last week then at least 1 good thing came out of today... I now know to not bother reading any more of your posts, ahhh finally a positive.

Funny, cos I've already decided the same about yours.

We played one quarter at the required intensity. The 3rd. Had we played as we did in quarters 1,2 &4 last week, Essendon would have pantsed us.

It is frustrating I do agree and even more so because I loathe the pies and I hate to see our team losing to them.

What I saw today was a bunch strong bodied fast running players romp all over our team, the pies worked harder and dominated our players all over the park.

We could not compete with the stronger bodies of the pies Cale Morton is a case in point ,letting cloke climb over the top of mcdonald, he does not have the confidence in his size and strength to contest in a marking contest even attempting to make a body contact with him it was almost like he was afraid to get hurt. Yes he was kicking himself after the contest but thats not good enough.

I hope we start bulking up soon or we will be having a long wait on our hands.

Is this an ingenious plan by Dean Bailey to get us that 10 wins that may get him another contract? Has he recognised his match day weaknesses and decided to lose badly every second week so to facilitate a media firing up?..... hmmm...

You're kidding right?

Most ridiculous thing I have EVER read here...

Nailed it. All in your own words too.

Nah, don't think there was too much difference between our performance against the bombers and the pies.

We were at pretty much the same level, but the bombers were pretenders coming off the bye, while the pies are reigning premiers in red-hot form on one of the biggest days on the football calendar outside of the finals.

You do work at the club

I hope we start bulking up soon or we will be having a long wait on our hands.

Totally agree. I learned on Grand final Day in 2000 that until our team is at least 2/3rds big bodies we will never compete with the top teams. Yesterday proved it again.

Nah, don't think there was too much difference between our performance against the bombers and the pies.

We were at pretty much the same level, but the bombers were pretenders coming off the bye, while the pies are reigning premiers in red-hot form on one of the biggest days on the football calendar outside of the finals.

Pull the other one Artie....that is just Blind Rubbish.

You do work in a small capacity for the club....(keeping an eye on Demonland) for one.

"Nothing to see here..You can all go home...We are in control.

Yesterday was unnacceptable to most of us...and that infact includes the coach if you listen to his presser.

The Filth don't give a toss about QB, that's why they gave it to us each year as a home club....

I disagree - I am sick of the anti Melbourne bias in the media. We copped more flak by beating GC by 90 points than Port did by losing to them?

WTF?

I agree.

The media have been kicking us, since the start of the year.

Were the easist target in football this year.

That's my point.

Last week if we were playing the pies, it would have been the same result.

It's not due to inconsistent effort.

They are just that much better than us.

You're kidding right? It's Dean isn't it? Brad? Cam Bruce?

Echo anyone?

I agree.

The media have been kicking us, since the start of the year.

Were the easist target in football this year.

That's because we deserve it, in fact they could go a little harder we deserve that too. MFC fans have accepted mediocrity for so long we can no longer recognise it. There have been so many ordinary players at Melbourne over the years and so many ordinary coaches that if we get a B grade player we salivate over him.

We are the greatest exponents of the excuse in the history of the game, the coaches make excuses, the players make excuses and the supporters, especially on here, make excuses. How many more times do we have to read that we have a total of XXXX less games in our playing group that the side that just thrashed us by 80 points? WTF does it matter, if what we have can't play then it means squat.

The club have overhauled the off field and the financial side of the club it's time they started on the on field debacle. We can't attract top line players and soon we won't be able to keep any decent players we have. It says it all when Morton, in one of his articles on our website, said that Bartram is one of the first players selected each week, it shows where our mentality is FFS.

The assertion that MFC supporters accept mediocrity is wrong and to purport this trait as being endemic within our supporters is

at best creating a negative stereotype and at worst self flagellating.

Your not a 'hard' supporter if every time your team looses you pot the coach or your run doom and gloom it's all a bit too much like Foghorn Leghorn

We have collectively been through the toughest period of our history.

I sat through the 2007, 2008 and 2009 I saw 13 wins in 3 years I was one of the 19k that sat through a half of footy against Freo to be 50 points down

to come back and win by a goal.

I have at times thought this club would kill me.

But I have always tried to have a sense of perspective on where we are at this is how:

The Theory of Expectation Versus Reality

Reality:

Collingwood in Maxwell's own words took 3 years to implement their system they started 2007.

We are less experienced now then at any time in our rebuild period.

Our team playing against Essendon and Collingwood were less experienced games played then Gold Coast's respective sides.

Our players lack the playing maturity to adhere to structures for sustained periods under sustained pressure

they are for want of a better term 'quintessential confidence players' i.e. The opposition get on top and we rarely threaten.

Average playing age yesterday 22 years 7 months, Gold Coast this round 22 years 9months.

Our mature players are at best B graders we have no inform elite players.

Key players suffering injury Davey, Grimes, Garland and Jamar have most affected the way we set up.

Q/B Last year on Average a year older and 11 games more experience.

last year we lost over 800 games experience. Adelaide lost nearly double that last year and see what it's done there.

Our list clean out really only finished last year.

Expectation

Firstly whether right or wrong the club adopted a philosophical move away from 'rebuild' to 'expectation' with a 'we're out of excuses for under-performing'

We weren't clear on our objectives: Was it to make the finals or is it player development.

The media expected us to improve and lots of people had/have us making the eight.

We should have/be focused on key player development this should of been/be the company line this would of managed fan/media expectation.

e.g. The club would of been better served spruiking players playing games together Trengove, Skully, Tapscott, Grimes, Gysberts

While the company line can't be injuries are an excuse they are in fact are and whether used by the club or the media on their behalf they exist case in point

Last couple of weeks I've heard how Jolly, Sandilands, Porplyzia, Jonathan Brown, Kruezer, Watson, Dempsey, Winderlich etc. etc. have adversely affected their team

why is it that the likes of Davey '08' B&F, Jamar A/A, Garland and Grimes don't rate as highly as key components to our side. None have been mentioned in context of our performance.

Don't underestimate how important Jamar was to us last year. It's not coincidence that he and Moloney lead clearances last year. Jamar single-handedly ended Fraser's career at the Pies

You can call it being a sook but they are integral to our side and if you remove four of the best 10 players in any team performance will invariably take a hit.

The disparity in performance is due to the youth and inexperience in our side. When we come to play we go great, when we're off we're like cold water.

Nicholson(rookie), Evans(rookie), Gawn, Howe, Strauss All under 5 games experience.

I really cant see how or why we are expected to have improved remarkably from last year and as yet nothing overwhelmingly says we gone backwards

I reckon we're on par with last year.

Mid season we have earned a rating of stagnated.

I will concede consistency of effort or 'having a go' has been disappointing but the ladder never lies and don't let media spin fool you.

Teams considered having a 'dip' and along the same development lines as us like Richmond and North are below us.

sorry for the long post.

You should be on the coaching panel with your ability to create so much space...

You should be on the coaching panel with your ability to create so much space...

Ah, very good stuie