I'm at the MFC Bayside Breakfast at Sandringham Yacht Club hosted by Robbo (the real one who played footy for us, not the journo).

Will report on anything of interest later.

Brad Green is the guest speaker and Robbo's trying to take the Micky out of him but he's not biting.

"Pretty busy the last couple of weeks?"

Yes, the club's been busy the past few weeks preparing for the season.

He has no problem with the decision and the way it was handled. It's in his interests that the club succeeds.

Impressive bloke.

Green: Neeld & Craig are straight shooters expecting high standards across the board.

Nominated the bolters as Nicholson, Tom McDonald and the big one - Jeremy Howe, another Tasmanian.

Robbo interviewing Jade Rawlings - also sets high standards of preparation and training.

Mitch Clark's career at Brisbane was held back initially by personal issues but he hasn't put a foot wrong at the MFC, is in the leadership group and will be a very worthwhile member of the team.

Neil Craig next up.

Loves being at Melbourne and he and his wife have been made most welcome by the club. It's exciting to be here.

His job is unique (acts as a mentor to coaches & players), he spent a lot of time with the Board before joining, Mark Neeld was important for him and so were the facilities and the tradition of the game. This club wrote the rules of the game. These are the things that swayed him to the club.

The set up with the coaches is great and designed to develop the entire playing group.

Young & inexperienced leadership group - important the club puts a strong infrastructure around the group.

Role is varied and includes sports science but Dave Misson is the best in the field, don't worry about that.

Neil Craig next up.

Loves being at Melbourne and he and his wife have been made most welcome by the club. It's exciting to be here.

His job is unique (acts as a mentor to coaches & players), he spent a lot of time with the Board before joining, Mark Neeld was important for him and so were the facilities and the tradition of the game. This club wrote the rules of the game. These are the things that swayed him to the club.

The set up with the coaches is great and designed to develop the entire playing group.

Young & inexperienced leadership group - important the club puts a strong infrastructure around the group.

Role is varied and includes sports science but Dave Misson is the best in the field, don't worry about that.

Thanks WJ

Its interesting ( for mine ) how the whole Craig thing really came about and what is shows in terms of how this club thinks it needs to grow and what its doing to accomplish this.

Im sure there will be many who will not quite see how much this holistic change of direction will benefit the club mainly as its not an overnight thing.

So much oif footy is really between the ears. The club needs to foster a whole culture of the 'right' thinking right across the ranks etc.

Im glad and impressed Brads taken it on the chin. I actually think he might secretly be relieved.

Craig really strikes me as a real high calibre thinker. A great addition to the club.

back to you WJ

What did you eat WJ?

Jade Rawlings is a straight shooter. Very impressive.

Said Cale was unhappy with his form of the past two years. Was working hard to fit into the backline. Said that the backline initially had some trust issues with Cale (I took that to mean whether they could rely on him to fulfill his role) but that they had worked hard to deal with those in a constructive way and were looking very positive.

Similarly his comments on Clark were to the point and illuminating.

Spoke with Craig about the game plan and exactly how hard it was to change. Said he was a very structured coach and had to tone that down because he flirted with killing off all the flair. Neeld unsurprisingly is a 'structure' guy. And depending on the age/maturity of the players and how tght the structures were had the biggest impact on how long players took to adapt.

Hasn't watched any of last years games on tape which I thought was interesting.

Training is very focused on match simulations and endurance as we all know.

We are in good hands I feel.

Jade Rawlings is a straight shooter. Very impressive.

Said Cale was unhappy with his form of the past two years. Was working hard to fit into the backline. Said that the backline initially had some trust issues with Cale (I took that to mean whether they could rely on him to fulfill his role) but that they had worked hard to deal with those in a constructive way and were looking very positive.

This is a great insight. I suspect the issue with Morton has been confidence and looks like that is being addressed. Hope it pays off.

Jade Rawlings is a straight shooter. Very impressive.

Said Cale was unhappy with his form of the past two years. Was working hard to fit into the backline. Said that the backline initially had some trust issues with Cale (I took that to mean whether they could rely on him to fulfill his role) but that they had worked hard to deal with those in a constructive way and were looking very positive.

Similarly his comments on Clark were to the point and illuminating.

Spoke with Craig about the game plan and exactly how hard it was to change. Said he was a very structured coach and had to tone that down because he flirted with killing off all the flair. Neeld unsurprisingly is a 'structure' guy. And depending on the age/maturity of the players and how tght the structures were had the biggest impact on how long players took to adapt.

Hasn't watched any of last years games on tape which I thought was interesting.

Training is very focused on match simulations and endurance as we all know.

We are in good hands I feel.

It is not the FD I worry about it is the guys who run out onto the field.

Basically the same sorry lot as 2011.

Can they make big improvements?

I sure hope so.

But at this point I am big on Hope and low on confidence.

Fascinating that Neeld has not watched any of 2011 games. Or at least some Quarters. Just to gauge best to worst. Would have thought the Home DVD player had been used a bit. But it is the true clean slate that he wants. Forward is the only way.

Jade Rawlings is a straight shooter. Very impressive.

Said Cale was unhappy with his form of the past two years. Was working hard to fit into the backline. Said that the backline initially had some trust issues with Cale (I took that to mean whether they could rely on him to fulfill his role) but that they had worked hard to deal with those in a constructive way and were looking very positive.

Similarly his comments on Clark were to the point and illuminating.

Spoke with Craig about the game plan and exactly how hard it was to change. Said he was a very structured coach and had to tone that down because he flirted with killing off all the flair. Neeld unsurprisingly is a 'structure' guy. And depending on the age/maturity of the players and how tght the structures were had the biggest impact on how long players took to adapt.

Hasn't watched any of last years games on tape which I thought was interesting.

Training is very focused on match simulations and endurance as we all know.

We are in good hands I feel.

Excellent!

The environment has a huge impact on everyone, & one environment will suit one type & not another, so to watch tapes of players playing under totally different environs to where they're taking it, would be ill informed, prior to learning about the players a fresh.

Maybe later in the season to work through special player weaknesses after the coaches have learnt of the players strengths & weaknesses. As a learning/teaching aid.

It is not the FD I worry about it is the guys who run out onto the field.

Basically the same sorry lot as 2011.

Well we couldn't delist/trade 40 players but there is significant differences to the FD/side this year from last year if you care to peer above the gloom.

Can they make big improvements?

I sure hope so.

But at this point I am big on Hope and low on confidence.

At least its an improvement on where you were last year. overstretched on false expectation.

Cheer up.

Maybe later in the season to work through special player weaknesses after the coaches have learnt of the players strengths & weaknesses. As a learning/teaching aid.

I would have thought the coaches would and should have a pretty good grasp on where players are at re strengths and weaknesses now. Royal was here before Neeld and has history on the list. And you would have to be kidding if you did not think Neeld had a reasonable grasp of players when he took the job. He has coached against them so he would know how MFC plays and would not need to watch any tapes. As part of his own due diligence on MFC he would have run the rule over the list carefully. He and other new coaches would have come in well researched and would be able to make pretty thorough assessment of players even before a serious ball is bounced.

Yeah I think it is a bit naive to think that Neeld etc have absolutely no consideration of the past and rubber left on the road. We already know that he presented on his footy philosophy, roles and who he saw possibly fitting where and the remaining holes that needed to be filled. I am sure he is well aware of where players were at, but importantly is putting weight on what they have done in his time and where he sees them going.

No mention of a sponsor?

No mention of a sponsor?

Was just going to asyk the same thing!

No mention of a sponsor?

Was just going to asyk the same thing!

Why would any of these guys mention a sponsor, they are all football related people

i must voice concern for no major sponsor along with energy watch. We are on the eve of the NAB cup however, and a few good performances can see membership and sponsorship issues solved.

Edited February 16, 201213 yr by Red and Blue Flame

Why would any of these guys mention a sponsor, they are all football related people

Yes who all work for the same club. This Breakfast is a PR excercise for the supporter/shareholder of the MFC which we all are. An update on sponsorship details is not too much to ask. But others of course will disagree.

Why would any of these guys mention a sponsor, they are all football related people

Excellent point russian. There's no flies on you.

Why would any of these guys mention a sponsor, they are all football related people

It was a MFC event, we are missing a major sponsor. Maybe somebody In the room mentioned something... Is that ok with you?

Fascinating that Neeld has not watched any of 2011 games. Or at least some Quarters. Just to gauge best to worst. Would have thought the Home DVD player had been used a bit. But it is the true clean slate that he wants. Forward is the only way.

Just to clarify, that was Craig who hadn't watched any games, not Neeld,

The point he made was they are focusing on their game plan and specifics not on someone else's. Fair enough.

And re Sponsors - this was an Altitude Volvo event so it wouldn't have been approrpiate in any case .

Just to clarify, that was Craig who hadn't watched any games, not Neeld,

The point he made was they are focusing on their game plan and specifics not on someone else's. Fair enough.

And re Sponsors - this was an Altitude Volvo event so it wouldn't have been approrpiate in any case .

Point 1....That Makes more sense!!

Poin 2......Fair Enough...

And re Sponsors - this was an Altitude Volvo event so it wouldn't have been approrpiate in any case .

Correct ... and they were flogging the product for all it was worth. The sponsor would have been happy with the amount of coverage its vehicles received in the 1½ hours of the function.

I'll add that Chris Connolly also briefly spoke about what was happening at the Casey Scorpions.

Brett Lovett has been appointed the coach at Casey and there is a strong push for success at the club.

Connolly mentioned that Melbourne had always struggled for a supporter base and whilst it has its pockets of support in some areas of metropolitan Melbourne, it remains the worst supported of the traditional clubs. This will change now that the club is developing its base and facilities at Casey Fields. The area will soon be a major hub drawing support from what will be a 500,000 population.

Together with AAMI Park, the club's facilities are the best in the competition.

Our big challenge is to be better than 17 other clubs.

I also made some notes on the question time if I can decipher them.

Well we couldn't delist/trade 40 players but there is significant differences to the FD/side this year from last year if you care to peer above the gloom.

At least its an improvement on where you were last year. overstretched on false expectation.

Cheer up.

I would have thought the coaches would and should have a pretty good grasp on where players are at re strengths and weaknesses now. Royal was here before Neeld and has history on the list. And you would have to be kidding if you did not think Neeld had a reasonable grasp of players when he took the job. He has coached against them so he would know how MFC plays and would not need to watch any tapes. As part of his own due diligence on MFC he would have run the rule over the list carefully. He and other new coaches would have come in well researched and would be able to make pretty thorough assessment of players even before a serious ball is bounced.

All of what you say is correct RR with one exception I do agree that this " overstretched on false expectation." was my position

Like most supporters I start every year hoping for the best but after decades of disappointment I am now a little cautious.

The biggest problem that keen supporters of most clubs have is that they over rate a large number of their players.

With all the changes over the last few months we will see our team perform in a different manner in 2012.

There is no guarantee they will perform to the level we require because a number of may be below the required level of skill.

I hope not but it is possible.

In

It is not the FD I worry about it is the guys who run out onto the field.

Basically the same sorry lot as 2011.

Can they make big improvements?

I sure hope so.

But at this point I am big on Hope and low on confidence.

It's a new year Old Dee and a clean slate so I have absolutely no idea how good or bad we are going to be, however the current coaching set up and the apparent level of fitness of the players seems superior to last year so we can only be optimistic.