Port Adelaide v Melbourne NAB Cup Week 4

[diesel 420]

Really can't fathom how bad we've been the last 2 weeks. Hoping it has something to do with training loads, learning a new structure, team balance/rotations, etc. It is ridiculous to say that the list rebuild is now defined as rubbish.

Think I'll take a break from it for the next 2 weeks until round 1. Absolutely nothing to be gained from being around here.

[bing181 9,436]

And we could have had butcher...big young forward from gippsland now dishing it out for the filthy power . Great ....

Typical Melbourne supporter revisionism. We could never have had Butcher, given where he fell. And as always ... hindsight.

[Neita3000 37]

We'll all turn up Round 1, we'll all pay our memberships for another year, we'll keep donating money at club functions and the like. The board will work their arses off to assure that we have top line coaches and facilities.

It's the players turn now to show the same determination and grit.

[old dee 24,028]

We'll all turn up Round 1, we'll all pay our memberships for another year, we'll keep donating money at club functions and the like. The board will work their arses off to assure that we have top line coaches and facilities.

It's the players turn now to show the same determination and grit.

Neita it is difficult to pull your socks up when you do not have any on.

[old dee 24,028]

My god I just had a horrible thought

186 could be exceeded on 5th May!

[Neita3000 37]

Neita it is difficult to pull your socks up when you do not have any on.

If only!!!

[frankie_d 1,471]

It's hard not to be discouraged - thrashings in the NAB might be ok for the top teams as they experiment, but I think we're just not good enough. Sure, we supporters need to harden up, sure we need to "wait for the real season", sure we are "just starting".

I wonder when our "line in the sand" game will be? (Brereton, Hawthorn v Essendon, 2004).

I can't remember when we were feared - well, not true - I was there in 64, and I remember the Northey era. Not sure we were feared in the Daniher years - some simply outstanding and brave players, tough as nails, but the MFC wasn't feared.

I look forward to the day.

[monoccular 17,700]

Where is the new mental toughness, the uncompromising style of play we were promised.

To crumble so meekly against Port is just not good enough.

Mark: you have talked the talk but the walk is absent, in fact a total con job.

Do you seriously think that anyone will think, as you proclaimed pre-pre-season that we will be the hardest team to ay against? Even in he top 16 in that criterion? Unless falling down laughing may distract some sides for a few moments.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Where is the new mental toughness, the uncompromising style of play we were promised.

To crumble so meekly against Port is just not good enough.

Mark: you have talked the talk but the walk is absent, in fact a total con job.

Do you seriously think that anyone will think, as you proclaimed pre-pre-season that we will be the hardest team to ay against? Even in he top 16 in that criterion? Unless falling down laughing may distract some sides for a few moments.

It's called TEAM Self Belief.

And it's difficult to achieve when your turning everything Upside down.

The players have to have Faith. Just as supporters have to.

If the players start to lose faith and scream & shout at one another, then they'll all be losers.

They know they are building a new team structure and that such a monumental change will take a little bit of time, grief & hard bloody work. Well do you think they're up for the challenge? I think they'll give it everything & will do it.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,339]

Neeld has stated this is not a short term plan. His game plan is the polar opposite of Baileys. He is working with what he has which truthfully is a bunch of kids and mature C graders. Get the structures right. Teach the right lessons. Sort out who has the balls to play the footy he wants to play. If we have a poor year have it with 2 compensation picks in play that hopefully unearth the stars we so desperately lack to add to Viney who will be what we expect.

Anyone that expected miracles this year is kidding themselves but it doesn't mean the path that is currently being set is wrong.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,111]

SO. Positives.

Blease looks to have had a decent game with two goals.

Jamar is said to have dominated the ruck.

Mitch again bagged three for the game. We'd all take a return of 60+ goals for the year from him.

When Sylvia was hit, EVERY player got involved in the melee.

See? It's not all doom and gloom.

[Geddy Lee 582]

Meh. Pre season game.

[old dee 24,028]

Neeld has stated this is not a short term plan. His game plan is the polar opposite of Baileys. He is working with what he has which truthfully is a bunch of kids and mature C graders. Get the structures right. Teach the right lessons. Sort out who has the balls to play the footy he wants to play. If we have a poor year have it with 2 compensation picks in play that hopefully unearth the stars we so desperately lack to add to Viney who will be what we expect.

Anyone that expected miracles this year is kidding themselves but it doesn't mean the path that is currently being set is wrong.

It is not expecting a miracle to expect to be competitive with Port the team that finished second last in 2011 and only avoided finishing last because they beat the MFC in the last game of the year.

This is a side that was beaten by the GCS last year.

However I do agree with you we do have a team of C graders seniors

But no matter how good the juniors might turn out they will struggle to support their c grade team mates.

[jayceebee31 768]

Fifth year of rebuild and we haven't bottomed out yet!

The next Recruitment Manager better have a degree in Psychology coz we don't recruit mentally competent players

I used to think it was something in the water at Junction Oval (like possum pizz or something) but now I'm not so sure

I'm going to go and look for a big hole and disappear for a few years.............................................

Don't we have to stand together and get through this maze.

[bing181 9,436]

Our Recruiting has been atrocious and that's an irrefutable fact.

Not the moment to start a drafting discussion, everyone would prefer to be slashing their wrists, but it's just a ridiculous assertion.

No-one can expect players who've played a handful of games - or no games - to be carrying the side. Look at who had 10 or less possessions tonight - almost all "senior" players: Bartram, Dunn, Bate, Green and Martin were all in single figures. Sylvia only had 10, as did Garland. That's a THIRD of the team. The only recent recruits with low figures were Tynan and Davis, neither of whom has even played an AFL game yet, and deserve to be cut some slack.

Until the new players from the last few years come through, while the senior players continue to let us down over and over again, it's going to be rough..

Of the others, McKenzie and Trengove, have both had interrupted pre seasons with limited match-play and are clearly still underdone. And hidden amongst the stats, and considering how rarely the forwards saw the ball, Blease did OK for a player who isn't even regular 22 - 4 marks and 2 goals.

If there's an ongoing problem here, it's not what has happened over the last 3 or 4 years, it's what happened in the Daniher years.

[old dee 24,028]

Don't we have to stand together and get through this maze.

I have been standing for 47 years any chance I might be able to sit down one day

[olisik 4,060]

tonights loss reminds me of what happened last year when we beat Essendon.

1 good win, followed by a sht*tload of ass thumpings.

[McQueen 17,867]

I am reserving judgement until at least 6 games into the home and away season. If anything is to be taken from these NAB games it's that we're as inconsistent as ever.

The magical switch that people are expecting to be flicked on, is months away. Even when our players improve to a stage where they understand Neelds new game strategy, their skills are going to be a long way from being able to execute it in a manner that will deliver regular winning scores. Skills can be improved with a lot of practice and maybe the coaching staff need to focus on that more than the class room lectures in these early stages. This bombing to the forward line is useless if you can't convert it into scoring opportunities. The skills and awareness the top teams have at stoppages are what we need to aspire to.

[DeeZee 7,463]

Whats up with Trengove....captaincy weighing heavily on him already?

[bing181 9,436]

Do you seriously think that anyone will think, as you proclaimed pre-pre-season that we will be the hardest team to ay against?

He said that's what he wanted - he didn't say he would deliver it before his first season as coach had even started.

If it was as easy to turn a team around as what many here seem to think, every club would be winning the flag every other year.

[jayceebee31 768]

We will improve dramatically later in the year when we settle down.We will get through this predicament.I feel for WJ whom supports this club and wears his heart on his sleeve.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,460]

Not the moment to start a drafting discussion, everyone would prefer to be slashing their wrists, but it's just a ridiculous assertion.

No-one can expect players who've played a handful of games - or no games - to be carrying the side. Look at who had 10 or less possessions tonight - almost all "senior" players: Bartram, Dunn, Bate, Green and Martin were all in single figures. Sylvia only had 10, as did Garland. That's a THIRD of the team. The only recent recruits with low figures were Tynan and Davis, neither of whom has even played an AFL game yet, and deserve to be cut some slack.

Until the new players from the last few years come through, while the senior players continue to let us down over and over again, it's going to be rough..

Of the others, McKenzie and Trengove, have both had interrupted pre seasons with limited match-play and are clearly still underdone. And hidden amongst the stats, and considering how rarely the forwards saw the ball, Blease did OK for a player who isn't even regular 22 - 4 marks and 2 goals.

If there's an ongoing problem here, it's not what has happened over the last 3 or 4 years, it's what happened in the Daniher years.

Dunn & Bate were both high draft picks so I count those in our recruiting failures. Whether they were recruited under Daniher or Bailey's regime I don't really care - it is still MFC recruiting that I am concerned about.

Look at our best 22 - how many of those could you honestly say you can rely on to perform (even just perform a role) every single week? I'd say Frawley, Jamar and probably Moloney & Jones. Trengove & Tapscott should (hopefully) be added to that list but is not there yet - that is a hell of a lot of holes in the side we need to fill.

Now - this is only a NAB Reserve Cup or whatever it s called game - a practice match - and I pretty much forgot we were even playing tonight until I dropped by Demonland. Therefore the result means nothing and is of no concern to me. What is concerning is being down by 70 possessions at quarter time to the team that finished last last season (GC don't count yet).

[olisik 4,060]

SO. Positives.

Blease looks to have had a decent game with two goals.

Jamar is said to have dominated the ruck.

Mitch again bagged three for the game. We'd all take a return of 60+ goals for the year from him.

When Sylvia was hit, EVERY player got involved in the melee.

See? It's not all doom and gloom.

i say f$%k positives, we been trying to look at positives for the last decade to make ourselves feel better.

End of the day we got thumped with almost our best 22 in.

I hope the team nominates to use both its picks coz if the rest of the year is like tonight, our list will have plenty of space

[dee-luded 2,959]

Finally an Air of reason coming to the thread.

We all know that we have many good kids to come into this side over the next 12 months & some.

Davis & McDonald to name 2 will be regulars before too long.

As will Blease, & yes Watts, Frawley & old man TrenGove. Grimes & Jones, Howe & Tynan, Tapscott & Nicholson when he gets bigger & harder, McKenzian & Strauss, Petterd & Magner...

But first the Muscle...

[dee-luded 2,959]

I have been standing for 47 years any chance I might be able to sit down one day

Yeah. The day we start winning, you'll probably be Gobsmacked & stop whining!

Your worse than my old sister.