I always find comfort in the old saying that it is always the darkest before dawn. I86 was certainly the darkest and most humiliating moment for the club that I could remember. Much soul searching and swift changes have occurred since then and the season proper has not stared yet. There seem to be a different attitude around the club and with supporters.

Just a few things I have noticed.

Though it is still preseason there seems to be more competitiveness around the club. Never been so difficult to identify who could be our best 22 at round one.

The new coaching regime seem to have sown the seeds for genuine work ethic and discipline amongst the players.

There seems to be less spin and excuses coming out of the club and less tolerance for them from supporters.

The inadequate leadership group has been banished.

Different attitude amongst many supporters with a significant reduction of the passive acceptance of mediocrity as in the past.

Any other opinions?

Different attitude amongst many supporters with a significant reduction of the passive acceptance of mediocrity as in the past.

This line peaked my interest.

Please elaborate.

WE HAVE A PRESS!!!

in just a few months we look like a completely different unit on the ground and i'm excited about where we are headed like i haven't been for a long time

This line peaked my interest.

Please elaborate.

Think about it.

There is no more annoying line in football than "it is always darkest before dawn". It is complete and utter bollock quite frankly and I've heard it from supporters of this club about a thousand times in the last five years.

There is no more annoying line in football than "it is always darkest before dawn". It is complete and utter bollock quite frankly and I've heard it from supporters of this club about a thousand times in the last five years.

Purely and simply because its still night time. A long night indeed.

Chairman Mao used to say "It's always darkest before its completely black."

Think about it.

I did.

I am struggling to understand where you are coming from.

Are you saying that people tolerated the Daniher 'good team, good depth, no hope' years or are you having a go at those in favour of tanking in 2009?

I personally don't want to think about 186 ever again

I don't want the players to either

I think Neeld's idea of a clean slate has serious merit

We can't change what happened in 2011, or 2010, 09 etc for that matter

New Coach, new coaching group, entirely new structure, more resources, new captains, new look leadership group, a new brand of football - which we all witnessed last Saturday night (yes I know it was only NAB cup but one could argue there would be less reason to put their head over the ball in NAB cup)

So far Neeld has impressed me, his my way or not a all mentality is refreshing. He's blunt, he's to the point, he's told them whats required, he's eluded to the consequences if what's required isn't given.

Time to look forward, we're a new team now

WE HAVE A PRESS!!![//b]

in just a few months we look like a completely different unit on the ground and i'm excited about where we are headed like i haven't been for a long time

It's still not 100% - there were a couple of cases at the triple header where GC just bombed the pill beyond the press and ran onto it, but it's heaps better than what it was.

It's still not 100% - there were a couple of cases at the triple header where GC just bombed the pill beyond the press and ran onto it, but it's heaps better than what it was.

It WAS the first game under a new coaching structure, in the wet, with a very tall side. I'm willing to give until AT LEAST round 10. If they can keep up the effort we saw on Saturday night, regardless of results, I'll be overjoyed.

I was at the 186 game and I was actually buoyed after the final siren.

I knew it'd be the catalyst for change.

Change that we needed, but would come with a requisite amount of pain that we were previously unwilling to endure.

I was at the 186 game and I was actually buoyed after the final siren.

I knew it'd be the catalyst for change.

Change that we needed, but would come with a requisite amount of pain that we were previously unwilling to endure.

Same with me I was there and couldn't agree more!!! It was probably what was needed to transform the club. The typical line in the sand

It WAS the first game under a new coaching structure, in the wet, with a very tall side. I'm willing to give until AT LEAST round 10. If they can keep up the effort we saw on Saturday night, regardless of results, I'll be overjoyed.

Oh don't get me wrong, it was still MILES better than 2011 and was very good probably 80% of the time if I had to put a number on it. They'll get it right.

Same with me I was there and couldn't agree more!!! It was probably what was needed to transform the club. The typical line in the sand

Yes i am glad i was not alone in thinking this. After the game i wasn't mad, i was actually numb. I also knew what had been brewing since the Wet Coke game, probably earlier, was now out in the open. Changes had to be made swiftly. They were.

I felt deeply sorry for DB, but the gains he made in 2010 came crashing down.

It wasn't all his fault & he waan't the only one moved on.

The MFC got the coach they wanted by acting swiftly (add to that Mitch Clark)

186 did not impress me at all, but the response has been first class so far and i am very confident that it will get even better.

Yes i am glad i was not alone in thinking this. After the game i wasn't mad, i was actually numb. I also knew what had been brewing since the Wet Coke game, probably earlier, was now out in the open. Changes had to be made swiftly. They were.

I felt deeply sorry for DB, but the gains he made in 2010 came crashing down.

It wasn't all his fault & he waan't the only one moved on.

The MFC got the coach they wanted by acting swiftly (add to that Mitch Clark)

186 did not impress me at all, but the response has been first class so far and i am very confident that it will get even better.

You may well be correct wyl but I need no more 186 results in my lifetime.

I do remember the stocks of single malt got tested that night.

I also will remember the barbs from Cats fans for a very long time.

You may well be correct wyl but I need no more 186 results in my lifetime.

I do remember the stocks of single malt got tested that night.

I also will remember the barbs from Cats fans for a very long time.

I do not want another either O.D. But i am of the belief that last years 186 was inevitable, & thus glad it happened when it did. It is now consigned to history and i believe the club has learnt from it big time.

Whoever plays in our 22 from now on will be taught intensity and team discipline whether they be senior players or rookies.

I am hoping Mark Neeld is a John Kennedy Snr type of coach...who learnt his craft from Norm.

I was at the 186 game and I was actually buoyed after the final siren.

I knew it'd be the catalyst for change.

Change that we needed, but would come with a requisite amount of pain that we were previously unwilling to endure.

I wasn't at the game; listened to some of it and watched very little - I too felt, after about 120 (was it in the second quarter?) that more was probably better in a perverse sort of way, as it would have to bring on change. Now other than the coach, nothing much changed as far as I could see in the approach or the intensity of the playing group for the remainder of 2011, but since then..........wow!

I don't know if anyone could have seen just how profound the change was to be, but it has I think turned out to be a very purgative event.

The next few months will give an indication as to how effective this change will be: let's hope it carries on from where it appears to be heading at this stage.

GO DEMONS! GIVE THEM HELL!

Chairman Mao used to say "It's always darkest before its completely black."

It's always darkest before the dawn....

which makes it a great time to steal your neighbour's newspaper...

It's always darkest before the dawn....

which makes it a great time to steal your neighbour's newspaper...

So it's you!

It was a Beyonce moment in time.

Rock Bottom!

Yes i am glad i was not alone in thinking this. After the game i wasn't mad, i was actually numb. I also knew what had been brewing since the Wet Coke game, probably earlier, was now out in the open. Changes had to be made swiftly. They were.

I felt deeply sorry for DB, but the gains he made in 2010 came crashing down.

It wasn't all his fault & he waan't the only one moved on.

The MFC got the coach they wanted by acting swiftly (add to that Mitch Clark)

186 did not impress me at all, but the response has been first class so far and i am very confident that it will get even better.

Deeply sorry for DB? Really? I didn't........

I was there and felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment while at the ground. The drive home i was numb and speachless. While I am happy with the way thing have progressed since then I don't think I could say i felt anything positive about the whole experience for about a month. I have a photo of myself and girlfriend(cats fan) at the game and while Im clearly not happy in the photo can't help but look at it as a reminder of how far we have come in such a short time.

I can't see how that loss can be used in any positive way whatsoever . You can't reverse it . You can't realistically make amends .

I often hear coaches/players comment after a real heavy loss . Most often it's along the lines of "We can't learn anything from that effort" or suchlike .

Don't like using that comment of "move on" but in this case it has to apply .

Cheers

I was at the game and went through every emotion possible. Praise the lord that I was close to the bar. But to say we are different now, we have changed and we are hungrier then ever to win is complete bollocks to me. A win over the filth in a bank cup game doesn't mean squat to me. Show me during this year and every other year what we are capable of and I will believe the fortune of this great club has changed. I don't want to be negative I believe this list will bring us success but this list hasn't done anything yet. It's good to be excited with a new coach and new staff around the club but every club right now except G.W.S think they are a chance for the 8.