I hope none of you who think this is an issue shared a joke with any of your mates at the footy on Friday night. And if you did, you should give up your membership because you're just not passionate enough, apparently.

Darcy was a soft wet fart as a player and he is a blousey media "personality".

The players are obviously idiots with no pride. They get humiliated on prime time national TV and they wanna have a casual chin wag and cuddle with those who just humiliated them. I know I wouldn't hang around with blokes that just spent the previous 2hrs making me look stupid. Doesn't seem to bother our boys much tho' eh.

I think the AFL makes them stay on the ground and shake hands and all that .

All teams are doing it regardless of the results.

it's no longer about getting off the ground quickly to cop a verbal spray before the showers .

Though we all know it should be .

I hope none of you who think this is an issue shared a joke with any of your mates at the footy on Friday night. And if you did, you should give up your membership because you're just not passionate enough, apparently.

I think you've missed the point.

We are members and supporters of the club, we are not employed by the club.

The players are employed by the club and paid very well and they represent the club whether they are out on the field playing or sitting in the stands watching.

There is plenty of time to joke around and have a laugh with the boys, but I would have thought that when your team is getting belted and you are sitting in the stands watching, that is definitely not the time to be having a laugh. It looks bad and it's a bad image.

I have not seen the one from the Hawthorn game on the replay yet, but I was at Geelong and saw the players on the big screen and it was not a good look.

I hope none of you who think this is an issue shared a joke with any of your mates at the footy on Friday night. And if you did, you should give up your membership because you're just not passionate enough, apparently.

The difference is MikeyJ that we are not the players from a team that has lost its last 9 games by an average 8 goals.

that sits last on the ladder behind 2 teams that have an average total of less than 15 games in the league.

Try this analogy.......between the ages of 18 and 25 many many many years ago, I served in the Military along with a lot of other 18 to 25 year olds, we were deadly serious all the time, NOT.....we were 18 to 25 FCS.serious when we had to be......this is footy, when we lose by 60 points nobody dies...the sun comes up the next day.........Mr Darcy put up an opiniion, like he is entitled to do, but nobody has to agree with it.............but it can be perpetuated......as for the culture question.......this word 30 years ago stood for art galleries and fine brandy.....these days it is a buzz word alongside such other rubbish as synergy.....it means nothing to me in the work environment and nothing in footy......

Luke Darcy: unoriginal lightweight.

The only lightweight, is the idea that this doesn't matter.

I think you've missed the point.

We are members and supporters of the club, we are not employed by the club.

The players are employed by the club and paid very well and they represent the club whether they are out on the field playing or sitting in the stands watching.

There is plenty of time to joke around and have a laugh with the boys, but I would have thought that when your team is getting belted and you are sitting in the stands watching, that is definitely not the time to be having a laugh. It looks bad and it's a bad image.

I have not seen the one from the Hawthorn game on the replay yet, but I was at Geelong and saw the players on the big screen and it was not a good look.

I can't speak for MikeyJ, but I haven't missed the point, I just think it's invalid. I think imposing a requirement that players who are not playing in the match mould their mood around what's happening in the game is completely ridiculous. I don't care how much they're paid or if they're wearing an MFC tie at the time; if they're not playing they're off the clock and they can act and do as they see fit. You're saying "you're not allowed to tell jokes or play pranks or laugh at anything while we're losing" - come on, can't you see how silly that is? Do you require that they jump around and high five and hug each other if we're going well?

What about if someone in the coaches box said something funny and got a chuckle from one of the assistant coaches? Dismissible offence?

Years ago player used to have a drink together after the games,.....they would talk about the game.....share a few laughs......away from the media and fans.......Because of this new 'professonal' approach they can no longer do this so they catch up on the field after a game......If you played against a bloke you grew up with playing footy, it is probably the only time you can find out how he's going.....It only lasts for a few minutes....and hardly means anything......If we were winning would it matter so much to you.....Carl did the same thing last night and no one says a word.

Football is no longer an amateur sport it is a highly competitive commercial enterprise. A large part of modern football is image as every club is struggling to bring in enough new members to enable them to compete. Having players laughing while the brand is being destroyed and supporters are distraught is not the way to encourage future members or to encourage supporters that we are all in it together and hang tough. No one is arguing that players haven't the right to be friends with opposition or to enjoy life and a joke. However when you are in a Melbourne suit in the stands as a high profile Melbourne player you are representing the club and should be careful to act accordingly. The same goes for when you are onfield following a game where you have been slaughtered in a dissapointing season. The MFC is under pressure from every quarter right now and the players need to be careful what attitude they appear to have towards our current plight.. I said earlier that no performance organisation would think this is a good look and I stand by this, we all enjoy a joke and have mates on the other side of the fence, but there is a time and place for that out of the limelight without tarnishing your organisations image.

Edit: spelling

At least this threads serves a purpose to divide those with a modicum of perspective from those that are completely out of touch with reality.

Now to figure out which one is which...

I can't speak for MikeyJ, but I haven't missed the point, I just think it's invalid. I think imposing a requirement that players who are not playing in the match mould their mood around what's happening in the game is completely ridiculous. I don't care how much they're paid or if they're wearing an MFC tie at the time; if they're not playing they're off the clock and they can act and do as they see fit. You're saying "you're not allowed to tell jokes or play pranks or laugh at anything while we're losing" - come on, can't you see how silly that is? Do you require that they jump around and high five and hug each other if we're going well?

What about if someone in the coaches box said something funny and got a chuckle from one of the assistant coaches? Dismissible offence?

What Nasher said. Get some perspective.

The difference is MikeyJ that we are not the players from a team that has lost its last 9 games by an average 8 goals.

that sits last on the ladder behind 2 teams that have an average total of less than 15 games in the league.

The difference between you and I is that I recognise that the players' behaviour in the stands - which, let's be clear, was completely reasonable for young men watching their mates play football - has no impact on how they play on any given day.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is just looking for another excuse to sink the boots into the club at a time when on-field results have been completely unacceptable.

One last thought - have the critics considered that what we saw was a brief moment in two hours of watching the game? We didn't see all the times that Watts, Martin and co. sat there stony-faced like the rest of us as the Hawks piled on goal after goal.

And if the TV networks had shown footage of Watts, Martin and co. dirtying up at their on-field teammates from the stands, the critics would no doubt say that was another indictment on the players - there are fractures in the playing group, yada yada yada.

What some of you expect from our players is completely unrealistic.

Just another facile quip from a footy commentator.

The analysis required to examine the challenges that the 2012 footy department faces fixing up the mess inherited from the previous footy department is beyond virtually all journos/commentators.

For instance when Neeld says 'we have several levels to go' in reference to our fitness what he is actually saying is 'the players Dave and I inherited are going to take a couple of pre seasons to get to the physical level of the players at the Pies and Saints'.

That'd be a starting point for an analysis of the Dees in 2012 but trite facile tracts we shall see instead.

I can't speak for MikeyJ, but I haven't missed the point, I just think it's invalid. I think imposing a requirement that players who are not playing in the match mould their mood around what's happening in the game is completely ridiculous. I don't care how much they're paid or if they're wearing an MFC tie at the time; if they're not playing they're off the clock and they can act and do as they see fit. You're saying "you're not allowed to tell jokes or play pranks or laugh at anything while we're losing" - come on, can't you see how silly that is? Do you require that they jump around and high five and hug each other if we're going well?

What about if someone in the coaches box said something funny and got a chuckle from one of the assistant coaches? Dismissible offence?

It's not about imposing a requirement, it's about common sense. As I said I'm not talking about the Hawthorn incident, as I haven't seen it. I'm talking about the one with Watts at Geelong. Did you see that? If so, did you think it was a good look?

That's rubbish that if they're not playing they can do what they like. This is not a country footy match where you rock up to watch your mates play and have a beer on the boundary. These guys are representing the Melbourne FC on and off the field, a professional elite sporting club the core business of which is winning games of footy. I would expect a player to naturally be upset when their team is getting pumped or at least to behave as if they are.

Now that's not saying "don't tell jokes" or "don't laugh". You're taking it to the extreme. What I'm saying is that players should be aware of their behaviours and to show a bit of common sense in such situations.

Nothing wrong with a little comment / joke or a smile or whatever, but I thought the way Watts was laughing his head off for 20 seconds while watching the Geelong game was taking it too far.

At least this threads serves a purpose to divide those with a modicum of perspective from those that are completely out of touch with reality.

Now to figure out which one is which...

Jose, I challenge you to post something without coming off like a sanctimonious turd.

Okay, GO.

Jose, I challenge you to post something without coming off like a sanctimonious turd.

Okay, GO.

Been waiting 35 minutes P_Man!

Nothing yet I guess that proves it.

One last thought - have the critics considered that what we saw was a brief moment in two hours of watching the game? We didn't see all the times that Watts, Martin and co. sat there stony-faced like the rest of us as the Hawks piled on goal after goal.

And if the TV networks had shown footage of Watts, Martin and co. dirtying up at their on-field teammates from the stands, the critics would no doubt say that was another indictment on the players - there are fractures in the playing group, yada yada yada.

What some of you expect from our players is completely unrealistic.

Quite obviously MikeyJ you do not believe it but perception is a powerful thing and rightly or wrongly

a large number of people see MFC players having a good time on the ground after being belted as a bad look.

It appears as they are not troubled by constantly being belted in games.

Now wether that is their true feeling does not matter.

What matters is the perception.

And the perception is poor.

I don't think either of us is going to change their view so lets win a few games and then they can do whatever they want after a win.

Jose, I challenge you to post something without coming off like a sanctimonious turd.

Okay, GO.

Been busy.

Was attempting at a bit of vague self-deprecating humour, but maybe you're not sharp enough to pick up on that...

Oops! There we go again.

It's not about imposing a requirement, it's about common sense. As I said I'm not talking about the Hawthorn incident, as I haven't seen it. I'm talking about the one with Watts at Geelong. Did you see that? If so, did you think it was a good look?

So many here judging the club and players on the basis of empty gestures and meaningless external appearances.

Been waiting 35 minutes P_Man!

Nothing yet I guess that proves it.

I'm sure I've made posts that just say "+1" at some stage or another...

So many here judging the club and players on the basis of empty gestures and meaningless external appearances.

The only meaningless external appearance I want is the one after a win.

Until then they are the worst team in the AFL

Been busy. Was attempting at a bit of vague self-deprecating humour, but maybe you're not sharp enough to pick up on that... Oops! There we go again.

So close!

I can't speak for MikeyJ, but I haven't missed the point, I just think it's invalid. I think imposing a requirement that players who are not playing in the match mould their mood around what's happening in the game is completely ridiculous.

What about the ones that have just played in the match Nasher? Is it too much for the supporters to ask that they not stand around on the field with [censored]-eating grins on their faces, chatting it up with their opponents, after we've just watch them get pummeled all afternoon?