Apart from the obvious measure of success - being finals/premierships, I know that Mark Neeld has been successful when one of his assistants at Melbourne gets poached for a senior coaching gig somewhere else.

The hot assistants - Neeld ( a refelction of MM's status), Sanderson ( a refelction of Thompson's status) - the odd one out seems to be Burns who has assisted under Worsfold but I dips me lid to Worsfold on his regeneration of the Eagles from last years disasterous season. Not sure why I dont rate Worsfold higher as he deserves to be highly rated.

when we have a season where we don't have the biggest gap between our average winning margin and our average losing margin

When you go to a game hoping for a win rather than hoping to get within 5 goals.

When everyone on Demonland is not calling for his sacking.

When we consistently put wins on the board from playing interstate teams - away.

Edited September 18, 201113 yr by deefender

When we're truly hated by all opposition clubs.

When Melbourne's on-field performance shows evidence that it is well on the way to matching my signature.

Apart from the obvious measure of success - being finals/premierships, I know that Mark Neeld has been successful when one of his assistants at Melbourne gets poached for a senior coaching gig somewhere else.

By that measure Dean Bailey was successful when Essendon poached Wellman.

By that measure Dean Bailey was successful when Essendon poached Wellman.

I said senior - meaning top dog

Assistants get poached, get sacked, move on for various reasons.

Edited September 18, 201113 yr by nutbean

My measure of success is multi-faceted: stick tackles, break tackles, winning more than 50% of the 50/50 balls, clean clearances, workable kick-outs, our kicks are no longer the most smothered in the history of Australian rules, more players around the ball, opposition is denied space, we no longer look like boys v men.

I said senior - meaning top dog

Gotcha.

When Melbourne wins a flag.

When the players learn and strictly adhere to:

• In a 2 on 2 defensive effort, please don't both attack the ball carrier thus freeing other player who then hurts us - happens so often. Less so in defensive 50 but very common around the ground
• Don't, do not, never ever, bring ball to body in contested environment as is our want, it internalises and forces a tackle and stoppage. Hands must be kept free and outward and forces you to move and look for a clearance player instead of hatching the damn thing in a tackle
• Someone, at least one player, please be moving when the hitout occurs so that you can achieve space through movement and clear the ball - see above point too
• Learn to keep the ball moving under control by whatever means as opposed to clean possession that may not have time to eventuate
• At a stoppage, the ball getter and the subsequent ball clearance running player cannot be one and the same person - Jonesy?? Maybe there is noone to give it to once hard ball is gotten but there is no room to run in tight space, it needs to be cleared. we get tackled so often and a stoppage occurs over and over till the opposition get it and surprise surprise, hand it off and clear the damn thing like we should have
• Stop kicking to 1 on 2 targets
• Learn when to stage for frees and when not to, blind side of pack v in front of ump, and what blind side v ump side offers
• Every one, Especially Greeny, learns that there is absolutely no place what so ever for a tightly contested chest mark, it shows lack of understanding of the nature of a contested ball v opponent spacing and is very low percentage. Uncontested is a different matter
• When arriving late to an aerial contest players MUST jump into it, meeting the opponent with ground based body contact results in being bumped off/bouncing off - Clint??

And when the coach:

• Starts to use the media conferences as another opportunity to educate the players through the pressure of being spoken about. Need not be negative but get it out there on an individual basis. Don't keep a lid on things and keep all in house
• Doesn't praise mediocrity
• Introduces tactics and the players respond
• Teaches through fun. A forward press would be one hell of a way to have fun with the opposition. Imagine enjoying the pressure you apply to them which hopefully results in a turnover or at least a 50/50 option. You would thrive on the indecision coming from the kicker, teach them/show them how at training to enjoy it. backs v forwards, have fun and do it over and over and over with fun!!!!! Damn it you will have fun I say!!! lol
• When the coach teaches mastery skills. Have been to many Dees training sessions and yes they get shown stuff but never to the repetitive point of mastery, more to the level of familiar awareness

I could go on and on and on but I won't ;-)

When the players learn and strictly adhere to:

• [*]In a 2 on 2 defensive effort, please don't both attack the ball carrier thus freeing other player who then hurts us - happens so often. Less so in defensive 50 but very common around the ground

I agree with strongly all of your points, but this one is something doesn't get mentioned a lot. And my frustration goes even a step further than the ball carrier. So often when the ball is in dispute we'll have 3 players go at it, the opposition will have only 1 of their 3 players go at it, their player wins it and gets it out to the 2 free players to run off. It's stupid. Players have got to have a better awareness of whats going on around the ball.

When we are the hardest team to play against & therefore hated & feared by opposition players & supporters

- When we consistently attack and threaten every side for every game

- When we win at Darklands

- When we beat Norf

- When we make the finals

- When we win a flag

Consistently in the Top 4 with a growing percentage.

When watching us play against the better teams doesn't leave me wanting to throw up.

When we win and lose each week having had a proper dip everytime. I can tolerate a loss if it is close and the boys have really hit it hard. That to me is success and the rest will then come in due course.

when we make top 4

FLAG(S)

When we are :

Feared

Like

A Team of

Gorrilas

Edited September 18, 201113 yr by BangkokDemon

Put it this way, if he starts trotting out "competitive" then we're more than likely going backwards.

initial success......when they stop laughing at us

continued success.....when they fear us

ultimate success... September Silverware