I've been supporting Melbourne for 35 years and throughout that time we've had some dark days. Never before though have I been so embarrassed and so disheartened than I am right now. I never thought I'd see the day when Clint Bartram is best on ground, and that's not giving him the credit he deserves. At least he gives 100% every time he pulls on the number 3.

I went tonight with a couple of Hawthorn supporters and it was down right embarrassing to hear them talk about the club I love the way they did. Once again, like more often than not, I had no come back.

And poor Mitch Clark! At least he's getting paid well, 'cause I feel pretty sorry for the guy. I bet he wishes he had his time again.

Number 9 is completely out of his depth and to see him not make the distance from 30m out was another kick in the guts the poor guy could do without. Fancy making a young inexperienced kid like him captain. Not his fault, he didn't ask to be made captain. When I saw that he had 9 tackles, and about the same in kicks, my immediate though was, great well we've got another plodder to run along side the rest of our midfield. At least though he tackles. I read today that he was a gun cricketer. I long for the day that we start drafting gun footballers rather than cricketers and basketballers. Again I don't blame him. He had one standout game that propelled him into the number 2 draft pick.

Everyone refers to 186 as the darkest moment in our recent history, but on the big stage tonight it couldn't have been much worse than this.

All this might sound a little over the top for my first post but I, like my club am at the crossroads and don't know which direction to take next. Yes, I'll keep turning up every week but for how much longer do we have to suffer?

Where to next?

We are smashed in the midfield week in week out, we need an injection of class and we can only do that at the end of the year, so more crap times ahead.

We move on those that can't be stuffed putting in the effort, or aren't up to it skill wise. We try again at the draft table.

Viney is my silver lining.. he is going to make this club look so much better just wait and see. Bring in Viney, another couple of classy mids, try desperately to get Dangerfield on board (wishful thinking probably) and all of a sudden we look better.

We need a mini rebuild of sorts. It sucks but we have no other choice. We suck it up and just do it because we have been going for 150 years and we still will be long after all of us have gone!

Where to next?

Sydney, according to the fixture

Viney shminey, there is no silver lining. The club is on its knees and isn't getting up anytime soon. We've been on a permanent rebuild since 64. There is no end to the misery. I've stopped bothering with these questions. Where to next? Further embarrassement and despair, that's where

Where to next? Try the pub....

We are smashed in the midfield week in week out, we need an injection of class and we can only do that at the end of the year, so more crap times ahead.

We move on those that can't be stuffed putting in the effort, or aren't up to it skill wise. We try again at the draft table.

Viney is my silver lining.. he is going to make this club look so much better just wait and see. Bring in Viney, another couple of classy mids, try desperately to get Dangerfield on board (wishful thinking probably) and all of a sudden we look better.

We need a mini rebuild of sorts. It sucks but we have no other choice. We suck it up and just do it because we have been going for 150 years and we still will be long after all of us have gone!

Not sure about the Dangerfield bit but agree with the rest. We need an injection of classy quick skillful players as well as JV and the delisting of those that don,t give a stuff.

Viney is my silver lining.. he is going to make this club look so much better just wait and see. Bring in Viney, another couple of classy mids, try desperately to get Dangerfield on board (wishful thinking probably) and all of a sudden we look better.

We need a mini rebuild of sorts. It sucks but we have no other choice. We suck it up and just do it because we have been going for 150 years and we still will be long after all of us have gone!

What makes this hard to take is that we've just BEEN in a rebuild and essentially we're worse now than 4 years ago. All those picks and not ONE gun player. But ...what else to do but look for a silver lining. Im with you. Its either that, give up football or change clubs....all of which are impossible! Im a dee for life so unless they fold Im looking for silver linings. Perhaps with more class everyone looks better? My hope is that Neeld doesnt end up being the worst coach in league history and that I look back and laugh at how short sighted I was in a year or two.

There is an absolute star in Jack Trengove, and it is being strangled to death by Neeld's gameplan as well as the captaincy. Terrible to see

Brian Royal out the door.

The fact we are talking about another rebuild I am sorry is unacceptable - sorry Mark Neeld ‘I am not coping that’. To take our club back to step 1 again is also unacceptable. We were a good attacking team last year and poor defending team. Now we are poor all around.

Maybe instead of recounting how wrong we were over the past 3 seasons, Neeld could actually watch some tapes of our 90+ point wins and incorporate some of that play back. It could help him win back some of the players and as importantly, some of the fans.

The fact we are talking about another rebuild I am sorry is unacceptable - sorry Mark Neeld ‘I am not coping that’. To take our club back to step 1 again is also unacceptable. We were a good attacking team last year and poor defending team. Now we are poor all around.

Maybe instead of recounting how wrong we were over the past 3 seasons, Neeld could actually watch some tapes of our 90+ point wins and incorporate some of that play back. It could help him win back some of the players and as importantly, some of the fans.

Not a rebuild, but we do need a tweak of the list. Our over 23's are still a problem.

The fact we are talking about another rebuild I am sorry is unacceptable - sorry Mark Neeld

Would it make you feel better if we just said that we need a midfield rebuild?

Why not - lets do it. And my comment on Neeld is simply a play on his great quote from Round 1.

Basically you're not alone. I sensed a change in me last night that was my spirit finally being broken. I don't see any hope of a win this year which makes me wonder why bother?

Neeld treats this group like a bunch of caveman kids that knew nothing about football when he walked in the door. In fact he is quite vocal about it. How does that inspire others to follow you? He even treats them like children in the pressers for all the world to see. I'm losing faith in him and his game philosophy at a great rate of knots.

I've been supporting Melbourne for 35 years and throughout that time we've had some dark days. Never before though have I been so embarrassed and so disheartened than I am right now. I never thought I'd see the day when Clint Bartram is best on ground, and that's not giving him the credit he deserves. At least he gives 100% every time he pulls on the number 3.

I went tonight with a couple of Hawthorn supporters and it was down right embarrassing to hear them talk about the club I love the way they did. Once again, like more often than not, I had no come back.

And poor Mitch Clark! At least he's getting paid well, 'cause I feel pretty sorry for the guy. I bet he wishes he had his time again.

Number 9 is completely out of his depth and to see him not make the distance from 30m out was another kick in the guts the poor guy could do without. Fancy making a young inexperienced kid like him captain. Not his fault, he didn't ask to be made captain. When I saw that he had 9 tackles, and about the same in kicks, my immediate though was, great well we've got another plodder to run along side the rest of our midfield. At least though he tackles. I read today that he was a gun cricketer. I long for the day that we start drafting gun footballers rather than cricketers and basketballers. Again I don't blame him. He had one standout game that propelled him into the number 2 draft pick.

Everyone refers to 186 as the darkest moment in our recent history, but on the big stage tonight it couldn't have been much worse than this.

All this might sound a little over the top for my first post but I, like my club am at the crossroads and don't know which direction to take next. Yes, I'll keep turning up every week but for how much longer do we have to suffer?

Where to next?

Don't agree about Mitch. He'll be Captain next year and hopefully Neeld will be sacked. Cut the losses now. HIS call to appoint Grimes and Trengove as Skippers.

Game plan = avoid using spare man and kick long to Pack or Boundary. Great if you have Cloke, Stevie J, Hawkins, iPod, Dawes ......

Neeld was appointed Coach in a Panic and after a meeting between Mick Malthouse and Lyon.

Lets give B. Lovett the gig next year on one year contract.

Arrived home last night to flick on Ch 7 for Neeld's Press Conference. "We are starting from scratch, clean slate, Rock bottom" .."If we are like this in three years then we have problems"....

No Way Neeld. You took over the best young list in the Comp and a list Pushing the 8. This was meant to be the year we cracked the eight.

Shocking mistake sacking Bailey when there was no viable alternative.

No Coach, No leadership =no rudder. Very sad Rookie Demon! Agree with most of your comments. This team is the poorest I can recall.

SAD SAD!!

Edited May 12, 201213 yr by thaipantsman

I'm sick to death of all the Dangerfield talk - there is no way on earth he will ever even consider coming to our rabble of a club. What incentive could we possible offer him? Multiple spoons perhaps? Guaranteed form slump? Yeah great prospect we are!!!! I'm pretty sure he'll look at an Essendon or Geelong or will just stay at Adelaide. All hell will freeze over before Dangerfield gives the MFC a moments thought, let alone choose to play for us!!!!

Edited May 12, 201213 yr by simma02

Has anybody read 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy? That's where to. You just keep going because it's what you do, but most of the time you wonder if you'd have been better to just give up years ago.

Fitzpatrick and sylvia ineffective, great game by frawley, jamar good, mitch v good, blown away in the second, a couple of poor umpiring decisions but no excuse, once we get more run out of our midfield and forwards we will start to win games, we are simply short a couple of class players, hang in there demons.

Basically you're not alone. I sensed a change in me last night that was my spirit finally being broken. I don't see any hope of a win this year which makes me wonder why bother?

Neeld treats this group like a bunch of caveman kids that knew nothing about football when he walked in the door. In fact he is quite vocal about it. How does that inspire others to follow you? He even treats them like children in the pressers for all the world to see. I'm losing faith in him and his game philosophy at a great rate of knots.

Agreed. I was really impressed with Neeld when we hired him. He seemed to say all the right things and knew what he was talking about. Fast Forward round 7 - it seems our coach is basically full of it. I had more respect for him after his round 1 press conference than I do now. As each week goes by he sounds more and more like a MFC employee - full of hot air and excuses. Time for Neeld to start taking some responsibility. What he is trying to do is not working at all - He clearly needs to tinker with the game plan to get some results because at this rate we will not win a game and he won't last the 3 years of his contract.

Fitzpatrick and sylvia ineffective, great game by frawley, jamar good, mitch v good, blown away in the second, a couple of poor umpiring decisions but no excuse, once we get more run out of our midfield and forwards we will start to win games, we are simply short a couple of class players, hang in there demons.

Absolute rot !

Would love to agree . Fitzpatrick clearly was well out of his depth and Melbourne should have lost by 25 goals. Short Ruckman don't cut it unless they are super athletes and play multi positions.

Sylvia coming back from long break and serious injury did ok.

Basically you're not alone. I sensed a change in me last night that was my spirit finally being broken. I don't see any hope of a win this year which makes me wonder why bother? Neeld treats this group like a bunch of caveman kids that knew nothing about football when he walked in the door. In fact he is quite vocal about it. How does that inspire others to follow you? He even treats them like children in the pressers for all the world to see. I'm losing faith in him and his game philosophy at a great rate of knots.

So what's the answer? Neeld seems to have a them and himself attitude. He constantly distances himself from the problem. His attitude is he will develop this basket case in 3 years!

Can anyone recall Melbourne last year flogging Bombers at the G and easily beating Tigers. How about the tie and one point loss to Magpies? Players were confident and seemed much happier.

Edited May 12, 201213 yr by thaipantsman

It is interesting to contemplate that were the internet and such sites as this around in 1953, around this time, would the punters be calling for the sacking of that useless incompetent coach, Norm Smith, and the trading (or delisting then) of those hopeless youngsters like Barassi, Adams, Dixon, Rowarth,Tassie Johnson, Thorogood, Tunbridge (an awful kick) etc etc?

Just something to think about.

Then fast forward 2 years, 3 years, 4,5,6,7,8,9, 10, 11 years and the smug ones there would have seen it all developing - again in retrospect!

So why wait till the end of the year to sack Neeld - after all, he has achieved absolutely nothing apparently, and while we are at it get rid of Missen too - he has been too hard on the poor darlings (sorry to use that word as it excites some here) and they are a bit tired. Say sorry and bring back Bailey and his fitness team (assuming he had one).

Viney is my silver lining.. he is going to make this club look so much better just wait and see. Bring in Viney, another couple of classy mids, try desperately to get Dangerfield on board (wishful thinking probably) and all of a sudden we look better.

Drafting a few mids and bunging in a star is not the answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We (the club) need to work with what we've got. If the drafting system were an absolute simple model, bottom and top teams would fluctuate and mid table teams would remain in the mid. And the whole ladder would be in one gentle equilibrium. But we all know how you can't rely on the draft to deliver success. The players have to learn to operate as one body. And that takes time and games playing together without a list that is constantly being gutted and mashed around

Edited May 12, 201213 yr by Sloth

Not sure about the Dangerfield bit but agree with the rest. We need an injection of classy quick skillful players as well as JV and the delisting of those that don,t give a stuff.

Not having a go at you Redleg, but this is the perplexing thing for me because on one hand we are ridiculed for getting players like Blease, Bennell, Strauss and Morton (who should be classy, quick and skillful), yet we still feel like we need that type of player.

It is interesting to contemplate that were the internet and such sites as this around in 1953, around this time, would the punters be calling for the sacking of that useless incompetent coach, Norm Smith, and the trading (or delisting then) of those hopeless youngsters like Barassi, Adams, Dixon, Rowarth,Tassie Johnson, Thorogood, Tunbridge (an awful kick) etc etc?

Just something to think about.

Then fast forward 2 years, 3 years, 4,5,6,7,8,9, 10, 11 years and the smug ones there would have seen it all developing - again in retrospect!

So why wait till the end of the year to sack Neeld - after all, he has achieved absolutely nothing apparently, and while we are at it get rid of Missen too - he has been too hard on the poor darlings (sorry to use that word as it excites some here) and they are a bit tired. Say sorry and bring back Bailey and his fitness team (assuming he had one).

I see strong similarities in the game plans of Neeld and Smith.