'Fix the problem and the blame will fix itself.' (That is, don't waste time blaming anyone.)

First, look at the playing list and assess its strengths and weaknesses - IMO the list consists of predominantly attack oriented players (compare Geelong with Collingwood for example).

Second, look at how to get the best out of the current playing list.

Third, invent a game plan to suit the list at the moment and then evolve it over time - don't try to enforce preconceived ideas or copy others as there is never enough time to do this and MFC needs to be ahead of copying which never works anyway.

In short, be flexible and make the most of what you have got - the great Norm Smith created the ruck-rover role to find a position for a member of his playing list who could play but didn't fit the conventional positions of the time, Ron Barassi!

I'd like to bring it to critics of Neeld's attention that this occurred just just 7 AFL matches ago ...

'Fix the problem and the blame will fix itself.' (That is, don't waste time blaming anyone.)

First, look at the playing list and assess its strengths and weaknesses - IMO the list consists of predominantly attack oriented players (compare Geelong with Collingwood for example).

Second, look at how to get the best out of the current playing list.

Third, invent a game plan to suit the list at the moment and then evolve it over time - don't try to enforce preconceived ideas or copy others as there is never enough time to do this and MFC needs to be ahead of copying which never works anyway.

In short, be flexible and make the most of what you have got - the great Norm Smith created the ruck-rover role to find a position for a member of his playing list who could play but didn't fit the conventional positions of the time, Ron Barassi!

I agree with all of that mate.

I'd like to bring it to critics of Neeld's attention that this occurred just just 7 AFL matches ago ...

But that is a good point...

Poor old Neeldie though - he could be coaching the Crows or the Doggies if things had played out differently...

I'd like to bring it to critics of Neeld's attention that this occurred just just 7 AFL matches ago ...

Fair enough, but where's the pick of Jordan McMahon celebrating after kicking a goal after the siren to beat us while in the background our forwards are in the backline and our backmen are in the forward line?

I thought we played with a little more freedom today. Unlike the Brisbane match, we didn't limit our game plan to a high kick around the boundary line. Instead we tried to transfer play on a few occasions to set up a different path out of defence or into attack. Admittedly it didn't always work - Grimes did a shocker in the first, whereas Watts did a terrific cross-field pass in the second to set up a goal.

I was disappointed in the way we started with a loose man in defence at the start of the 3rd. We were only 8 points down and we'd won the second quarter- why oh why start the vital 3rd quarter with a negative mind-set?

you tell me who's to blame for the start of this season

I am.

Fair enough, but where's the pick of Jordan McMahon celebrating after kicking a goal after the siren to beat us while in the background our forwards are in the backline and our backmen are in the forward line?

It is next to the pic of T$ on draft day in a Melbourne jumper. Actually I think that pic showed him holding the jumper, while every other one of the top ten wore theirs.

'Fix the problem and the blame will fix itself.' (That is, don't waste time blaming anyone.)

First, look at the playing list and assess its strengths and weaknesses - IMO the list consists of predominantly attack oriented players (compare Geelong with Collingwood for example).

Second, look at how to get the best out of the current playing list.

Third, invent a game plan to suit the list at the moment and then evolve it over time - don't try to enforce preconceived ideas or copy others as there is never enough time to do this and MFC needs to be ahead of copying which never works anyway.

In short, be flexible and make the most of what you have got - the great Norm Smith created the ruck-rover role to find a position for a member of his playing list who could play but didn't fit the conventional positions of the time, Ron Barassi!

This is spot on IMO Hard.

With a great team or at very least a solid one (from the previous season or two's form), you might be able to make such a major change overnight. Not with what we have on offer list wise.

Part of this is a marketing excercise in the short term as well. The club needed to at least win a few early games (Brisbane at the very least....and possibly this one!) in the short term to at least give "potential" new supporters/decent sponsors some hope as well as encouragement to jump on board and get more $$$ coming in.

Serving up this crud week after week is putting the whole future of the club (in the medium to long term) in jeapordy i reckon. Like you said, observe and analyse first, make necessary changes (with this team....ever so slowly), including list changes, thereafter. Rome wasn't built overnight and to me this is what Neeld is asking from a team (overall, some individual exceptions) that just can't go there (as the list stands now).

Such a massive change so soon, seeking the holy grail, is very bold and may well provide a great pay off within 2 to 5 years IF it was a different list. Unfortunately i can't see it with this one, not without a huge clearance sale of some existing stock and some very nice purchases the other way anyway. As you said, he just doesn't have the cattle to step up to his standard and style, which is such a change of direction from what most of the existing list were trained for in the last 3 years or so.

IMO It's no coincidence that some of the new players, who weren't in the team last year, seem to be standing up ok (eg., Clarke, Magner) versus some of the existing NQRs under the Neeld regime.

It is next to the pic of T$ on draft day in a Melbourne jumper. Actually I think that pic showed him holding the jumper, while every other one of the top ten wore theirs.

We didn't even talk to Martin.

It took 10 minutes of being around Scully to notice he is a self centered [censored].

I'd like to bring it to critics of Neeld's attention that this occurred just just 7 AFL matches ago ...

If we keep playing the way we are that record will be broken. Consider what Carlton would've done to us today. The reality is that we lost by 10 goals to a [censored] side in [censored] form. Blind adherence to a game plan this group can't execute will kill this football club. The Howes and Watts will walk out the door. What's happening right now is unsustainable. This is not like the Eagles who could afford to bottom out. We bottom out again and we likely cease to exist.

playing this game style we cannot, Will not win a game.

Whats wrong with winning games of football no matter how we play?

If the team isn't ready to play one way, then make them play another way.

I'll go down again to Geelong in 4 weeks and we will be toweled up by 50 goals.

we will beat GWS. Gold Coast in melbourne yes, up there is a 50/50.

Maybe on a cold really wet day we could get brisbane / fremantle. Freo game would be 70/30 in their favour.

I thought we played with a little more freedom today. Unlike the Brisbane match, we didn't limit our game plan to a high kick around the boundary line. Instead we tried to transfer play on a few occasions to set up a different path out of defence or into attack. Admittedly it didn't always work - Grimes did a shocker in the first, whereas Watts did a terrific cross-field pass in the second to set up a goal.

I was disappointed in the way we started with a loose man in defence at the start of the 3rd. We were only 8 points down and we'd won the second quarter- why oh why start the vital 3rd quarter with a negative mind-set?

We were competitive for the first half - but the first quarter had some skill errors that could have been a comedy they were so bad.

The players need less meetings and more skill sessions.

Their heads are probably overflowing with information, just let them play.

It is next to the pic of T$ on draft day in a Melbourne jumper. Actually I think that pic showed him holding the jumper, while every other one of the top ten wore theirs.

Makes you wonder when the rumours were that T$ didnt buy into our 'culture' (which appears non existent) and was shocked by some players attitude to training (also being vindicated thus far).

playing this game style we cannot, Will not win a game.

Whats wrong with winning games of football no matter how we play?

If the team isn't ready to play one way, then make them play another way.

I'll go down again to Geelong in 4 weeks and we will be toweled up by 50 goals.

we will beat GWS. Gold Coast in melbourne yes, up there is a 50/50.

Maybe on a cold really wet day we could get brisbane / fremantle. Freo game would be 70/30 in their favour.

/

A list of running players designed to play something like Knight's Essendon trying to play Collingwood's 2010?? LOL

We were competitive for the first half - but the first quarter had some skill errors that could have been a comedy they were so bad.

Personally I think Melbourne games should be switched from Fox Footy to The Comedy Channel.

you tell me who's to blame for the start of this season

The players!

We were competitive for the first half - but the first quarter had some skill errors that could have been a comedy they were so bad.

We could easily have been smashed in the first half of the game, they were all over us like a cheap suit, and it was only a matter of time before we ran out of desperation which was all that we had keeping us in the game; it certainly wasn't skill or talent (or our game plan?)

Personally I think Melbourne games should be switched from Fox Footy to The Comedy Channel.

They'd have to have some entertainment value to qualify.

Four ruckmen in the 22. Four key defenders. A midfield full of plodders. (But with grunt!) An ultra defensive game plan.

I think Neeld can take some of the blame.

Hardest team to play against in the AFL. What a joke!

Neeld's reference in the pres conf to our youth struggling against the big bodied/more experienced opponents worried me as I wouldn't have thought the Tiger list was that much more experienced, especially as we had won 3 of the last 4 against them

The coaches have alot to answer. Garland, Frawley, Jamar, Grimes, Trengove, Moloney, Martin, McKenzie, Green, Davey, Petterd are out of form and are not influencing 5 minutes of a game. Very concerning!!

Four ruckmen in the 22. Four key defenders. A midfield full of plodders. (But with grunt!) An ultra defensive game plan.

I think Neeld can take some of the blame.

Hardest team to play against in the AFL. What a joke!

Maybe he meant hardest out of guilt because it is so easy??