I hate this competitive stuff. Why can't we just play amongst ourselves at Gosch's paddock? Anyone care to review the Daniher years?

I'm getting nostalgic for the Daniher years. Too young for Swooper and my earliest memories of the Dees are missing the finals in '95.

I'm concerned for my mental health if that bonkers Melbourne side that couldn't work out if it was a premiership contender or total dross is what I look back to in memory.

So basically what you are saying is that the side we have out on the park tonight are basically just a rabble that would not a get a gig in any other side... And all our good players are in the stands....

Interesting....

I am just of the opinion that we are many years off being any good, and a fair bit of list management is required before we get to that stage....

No, not at all. But this is not old fashioned footy where there aren't any team strategies,,, other than go out & win your position....

This is leave your man stuff when attacking, but don't turn it over Or, aarghh...

We are learning to play an opposite game structure to that which we were playing last year.

When we put all the players who are Up with the new structures into the team together it will make a huge improvement.

when you piece together a side made out of, say players from your 3rds + some seniors plus some reserves, they will all play a little differently to one another with different styles. Culminating in poor cohesion.

What I'm saying is that some of our players will have picked up Neelds new structures better than others, so the Team selection Will have a marked effect on our playmaking ability.

I expect us to win the 1st Rnd game against the Lions.... as we played fairly well a couple of weeks ago, then tapered off.

The eternal J curve

Thank the Begeezus it wasn't on TV - I would have smashed the screen.

Now I know "it is only a glorified practice match", like last week........but seriously, have we shown any real improvement in our biggest deficiencies: contesting at all times, pressuring the ball carrier, being hard to play against?

Early days, but poor signs all round.

Sure, we beat Collingwood.

Sure we don't have a full list.

Sure we have a new game plan and a new coach.

Sure, we are MFC.

I thought this ship had sank??

Obviously not!!! Its back again!

Wake me when we are any good.

Melbourne had a few out. Port had plenty out. Port came to play. Melbourne players came to get paid. Earning that pay is a joke with our club. Neeld has some massive amounts of work to do with our rabble. This was just Port ADELAIDE FCS. They had 130 more possessions than us.

When will our players start working hard?

When will this mentality of the players change? Like I said a few weeks back, it's gunna be a long season.

Readjusting my prediction to 4-6 wins for 2012.

OK now for all the same old excuses to be directed at this post............................

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

I think we can forget 40,000 er 35,000 ..............

This is a hard one to judge. You would assume that recruiters were looking for what was needed according to Bailey's game plan. Well, what now? New game plan probably means that many of the recruits no longer fit. And they probably never came on in Bailey's system because of the short time span. I would imagine Neeld's upheaval will take quite a while to reach it's full potential. At the moment he's no doubt working with players he never would have wanted for his system. But it's not the player's fault, or Neeld's or even the clubs. It's just what happens when you go back to scratch.

There have been plenty of other club's that have changed coaches and continued to improve or at least stay competitive, we just offer up any old excuse when we go backwards and just won't accept the reality of the situation. These kids we've recruited wouldn't have fared well under any coach with any game plan.

Mentally fragile and lacking in physical condition.

This is a hard one to judge. You would assume that recruiters were looking for what was needed according to Bailey's game plan. Well, what now? New game plan probably means that many of the recruits no longer fit. And they probably never came on in Bailey's system because of the short time span.

I would imagine Neeld's upheaval will take quite a while to reach it's full potential. At the moment he's no doubt working with players he never would have wanted for his system.

But it's not the player's fault, or Neeld's or even the clubs. It's just what happens when you go back to scratch.

I don't buy that. Good players are good players and to hell with gameplans and structures. If you can beat an opponent, win a contested ball and deliver it to a teammate you are a good player. If you can beat two opponents and kick goals you are a great player. Pretty simple.

Thank the Begeezus it wasn't on TV - I would have smashed the screen.

Now I know "it is only a glorified practice match", like last week........but seriously, have we shown any real improvement in our biggest deficiencies: contesting at all times, pressuring the ball carrier, being hard to play against?

Early days, but poor signs all round.

Sure, we beat Collingwood.

Sure we don't have a full list.

Sure we have a new game plan and a new coach.

Sure, we are MFC.

I agree fully. Add disposal to your list also. I was positive and crucified the NAB cup but after 4 weeks of it, Im actually very concerned to be honest.

There have been plenty of other club's that have changed coaches and continued to improve or at least stay competitive, we just offer up any old excuse when we go backwards and just won't accept the reality of the situation. These kids we've recruited wouldn't have fared well under any coach with any game plan.

Mentally fragile and lacking in physical condition.

We've got til the end of 2013 by me. Finals this year, I can deal if we miss. If we miss next year we're in serious strife, to the point of the rebuild will need to be re-done.

By then we have Jones in the ~150 game bracket, Trengove and Watts approaching 100 games and most of the middling group in the high 90s.

That said, we are setting ourselves up to run smack bang into GC and GWS.

In the last two weeks we have conceded 35.22 to 15.18

Lost the poss count by 138

lost the marks count by 48

If you can't get the ball you can't kick a winning score

Chin up lads We are still even with every other team (at the moment)

I don't know what players were played in what positions

I will just wait for the season to start before I jump off the west coast bridge

Wake me when we are any good.

Rip Van Winkle?

I'm currently listening from a hospital bed as I had to get rushed to hospital last night to get my appendix taken out.

I sent a message to Neeldy to tell the boys that "there is a very sick little boy (I'm 25) listenig to the game in hospital right now who really wants you to win tonight."

Hopefully they listen to me!

Ahah.

Looks like our boys didnt care about a sick boy in hospital! Ahah.

Now looks like Mr Burns will be coming back to visit me (Simpsons fans will know what I'm talking about).

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.............................................

Port Adelaide had 138 more possessions than us. haha...I am laughing out loud at that stat. It defies belief.

Ok im not logging on here again til after round 1 . Im going nuts all ready!! Last year nearly put me in the loony bin and the cricket is hardly finished and its started again....!!!!???? just cant do it yet sorry.

I mentioned some time ago that our recruiting had been appalling and was shouted down; I wonder if those that did the majority of the shouting would care to comment now. They know who they are.

Agree

I have been saying all last year we are over rating our players.

Basically the same cattle same result.

I mentioned some time ago that our recruiting had been appalling and was shouted down; I wonder if those that did the majority of the shouting would care to comment now. They know who they are.

Agree

I have been saying all last year we are over rating our players.

Basically the same cattle same result.

We've got til the end of 2013 by me. Finals this year, I can deal if we miss. If we miss next year we're in serious strife, to the point of the rebuild will need to be re-done.

By then we have Jones in the ~150 game bracket, Trengove and Watts approaching 100 games and most of the middling group in the high 90s.

That said, we are setting ourselves up to run smack bang into GC and GWS.

We are miles off the pace and we and those in the press overestimate our list by the length of the Flemington Straight.

I said it about this time last year that we will have to rebuild and nothing since then has changed my mind. Will I get howled down again?

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

In the last two weeks we have conceded 35.22 to 15.18

Lost the poss count by 138

lost the marks count by 48

If you can't get the ball you can't kick a winning score

Chin up lads We are still even with every other team (at the moment)

I don't know what players were played in what positions

I will just wait for the season to start before I jump off the west coast bridge

Its way way harder now Bossdog.

Better find a new spot.

I hear it is not that hard to do off the Rialto

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.............................................

DC I used to have a nightmare that I would spend the rest of my days watching crap Melbourne sides.

I now realise it was real I was not asleep.

Hmm thank f*#k we have the 2 compensation picks and Viney coming through.

Appoint Rendell and rebuild for the umpteenth time