Going into to 2010 Geelong were being talked up as one of the greatest teams of all time. They had played in the last 3 grand finals and won 2 premierships. They were being compared to the Lions of the early 2000s, the Hawks of the 80s and the Dees of the 50s. Everyone expected them to go all the way again last year...BUT they didn't. After reaching the halfway mark with only two losses and 6 consecutive wins, something happened down at the Cattery. They lost 5 of their last 11 games(including the 2 finals losses) and noticeably they lost to the below average Adelaide. I'll tell you what happened. 2 things: Firstly, rumours continually circulated that Gary Ablett Jnr was off to the Gold Coast...and murmurs began the Bomber Thompson was off the Essendon. Some people argue that these issues should having nothing to do with on field performance...but they DO. When being pestered by Grant Thomas on Footy Classified last night, Joel Selwood pretty much conceded that these 2 issues took a toll on the playing group. Not just any playing group, but one of the greatest playing groups of all time. This was affecting senior campaigners such as Scarlett, Bartel, Ablett, Corey, Ling, Ottens, Mooney, Chapman etc...It derailed the group so much, that they lost 2 finals and didn't make the grand final. Just in case you have forgotten that same team has lost 2 of their last 20 games by a combined total of 12 points...oh and they don't have Gary Ablett anymore.

Given the aforementioned, is it a shock that the same thing has happened to our club? We have dealt all year with rumours Tom Scully and Dean Bailey were on the outer. You can argue that Scully is no Ablett, but he is our equivalent(He was/is seen as the future). We do not have the leaders that Geelong have...I would go as far as suggesting that all Corey, Bartel, Ling, Scarlett and Selwood would all be the captains of the MFC if they were on our list. Surely, our inexperience and immature list have found these issues pressing. The Geelong players did. As frustrating as it is...should we be surprised that the events of the last month have occurred? Perhaps, the players are just responding to the murky future that is presenting itself to the MFC. When I say the players are "responding" I am not suggesting they are trying to lose, but maybe subconsciously they are just not focused 100%, the same way the Cats weren't

Thoughts?

DD

Comparing the MFC to Geelong 2010....HaHaHaHa what a joke, i wish...We are decades behind the Cats.

Wishfull thinking in the extreme....B)

Comparing the MFC to Geelong 2010....HaHaHaHa what a joke, i wish...We are decades behind the Cats.

Wishfull thinking in the extreme....B)

I'm not suggesting we are on the same path...I am just suggesting that we are struggling because of the same reasons they did!

Can't really compare the sacking of Bailey to the loss of Thompson, a dual premiership coach..

WAT

Thoughts?

DD

I think you have a valid point, re: the comparison between Ablett / Geelong 2010, and Scully / Melbourne 2011. All last year we were told ad nauseum that the players weren't concerned by the constant speculation over Gaz Junior, yet Selwood listed it last night as one the of key reasons why they were below their best. Its hard to see the constant speculation not affecting our on-field performances.

Don't see much similarities with with the Thompson / Bailey situations though.

Edited August 16, 201113 yr by IWAP

the fact that the players have to deal with the constant innuendo that their coach wouldn't be there at the end of the year...

I think it's a top post and I think there's a lot of truth in it.

I also think getting rid of veterans so you can "play the kids" is a long term solution to a club's woes and that is very obvious with Melbourne's situation at the moment.

But it will turn, make no mistake.

Edited August 16, 201113 yr by Allen Jakovich

the fact that the players have to deal with the constant innuendo that their coach wouldn't be there at the end of the year...

Sorry but I think you're clutching at straws... The Dee's issues run much deeper than that.

People who deny that this sort of thing has had a major impact upon our season are in denial, and professional pessimists

Geelong 2003 if we're really really lucky.

Geelong 2003 if we're really really lucky.

Exactly.....It is time the MFC and it's supporters stopped looking for excuses & just put their Head Down-Bum Up and started working harder than they ever have before.

I am over all this bickering rubbish....Jim Stynes is in a very bad way and this is how the club thanks him???

People who deny that this sort of thing has had a major impact upon our season are in denial, and professional pessimists

Or pragmatists..

Geelong in 2010 = Dynasty

Melbourne in 2011 = Worse than a shithole

Hmm. Maybe it has had some effect. I've certainly found it annoying, I'm sure the players have too. How many times do you reckon they've had the Scully question asked when they've been out? Probably also has everyone thinking about money 'what about me' and the like.

Probably shouldn't have much of an effect but it certainly hasn't helped us this year that's for sure. God when will it end.

It's part humorous, part sad how many people have responded in this thread without appearing to have even read the first post.

I think a number of good points are made. No matter how much the club and even the players say the stuff with Scully and Bailey isn't effecting them, you would have to think that it is. However, i think probably the biggest reason for our form fluctuations this year has more to do with the lack of stronger/mature bodies on the list compared to last year. This year we have no Junior, Bruce and Miller for a start.

The scully and bailey stuff is one contributing factor to everything that's happened, but i'd say there's other factors at play as well.

Geelong 2003 if we're really really lucky.

A bit of lucid thinking. totally out of whack with this thread

Where Geelong came from to go into 2010..and where we are ( or going in immediate foreseeable future ) couldnt be further apart.

1. I heard that Scully thought highly of Bailey.

2. Tom Scully is not to blame for this awful season.

3. Why do we constantly look for excuses for own established senior players? They are awful when the heat is on and our pathetic onfield leaders. This is an actual reason for the sh!te that 2011 has brought, not same abstract distraction of endless questions to Jack Trengove and co.

Geelong in 2010 = Dynasty

Melbourne in 2011 = Worse than a shithole

some people quickly forget that as of 2007 geelong hadn't won a premiership for 44 years, and melbourne had competed in a grand final (2000) more recently than them.

.....

3. Why do we constantly look for excuses for own established senior players? They are awful when the heat is on and our pathetic onfield leaders. This is an actual reason for the sh!te that 2011 has brought, not same abstract distraction of endless questions to Jack Trengove and co.

This ^

This club is in many ways upside down.

Comparing the MFC to Geelong 2010....HaHaHaHa what a joke, i wish...We are decades behind the Cats.

Wishfull thinking in the extreme....B)

WAT

Geelong in 2010 = Dynasty

Melbourne in 2011 = Worse than a shithole

Excellent post DD! Some really interesting points, well made. But clearly missed entirely by some posters.

Something to think about when trying to make a reasonable assessment of the season.

On footy classified Selwood pretty much admitted that the drama of Ablett and Thompson's relationship with Ablett +/- his lack of desire coach the next year affected them. And I agree that the Scully drama and the Bailey/Schwab/Connolly drama has hurt us this year.

If we can fix our problems then I certainly agree we will improve. But that would be good if it was a spot in the 8.

Geelong 2003 if we're really really lucky.

Did you read the thread mate?? we are talking off field more so than on-field,

Nobody is suggesting that we are in any way shape or form close to Geelongs 2010 form

On footy classified Selwood pretty much admitted that the drama of Ablett and Thompson's relationship with Ablett +/- his lack of desire coach the next year affected them. And I agree that the Scully drama and the Bailey/Schwab/Connolly drama has hurt us this year.

If we can fix our problems then I certainly agree we will improve. But that would be good if it was a spot in the 8.

its actually really only affected ( if indeed thats the cause ) a selected few. Strange is it not that the youngens seem relatively unaffected.

Again to comparisons. .it was way back in early 2000's that Geelong needed to sort its sh!t out.. not 2010.. That was just changing train sby comparison