http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/kevin-sheedy-and-mark-williams-guide-competitive-giants/story-e6frf9jf-1226354314816

Amazing a group of kids have adjusted to the idea pretty quickly!

From the man himself ...

"We're going through a stage of laying some foundations for what will be good times to come, so we need to stay true to the way we want to play, train and the players we want to get games into. "You can go and plug holes and do a whole heap of other things, but I don't think in the long run we're going to learn much from that."

Listen to the coach, folks.

Would that be the same rhetoric as 'being the toughest team to play against'?

My comment on taking the game on gave the example of Geelong (and more recently Adelaide) - there's no free and easy running there! It's hard, contested, accountable football, but it's direct and taking the game on. It is open to more risk, but which team has been the most successful in recent years (and in fact for all time if you believe the recent analysis). Defence is one important aspect of the game, but there's no substitute for kicking more goals than your opponent.

Would that be the same rhetoric as 'being the toughest team to play against'?

My comment on taking the game on gave the example of Geelong (and more recently Adelaide) - there's no free and easy running there! It's hard, contested, accountable football, but it's direct and taking the game on. It is open to more risk, but which team has been the most successful in recent years (and in fact for all time if you believe the recent analysis). Defence is one important aspect of the game, but there's no substitute for kicking more goals than your opponent.

Give him time Hardnut. Give him time.

Give him time Hardnut. Give him time.

Heard it all before RR.

Pity the selection committee didn't give it more time and more thought!

I support Neeld because he is the current coach and success will only come to a united club.

However, I am getting tired of the endless threads laying the blame for all the current poor form on the previous coach. For the record I thought Bailey was a good coach, who had the Dees winning more games each year of his tenure.

Understand your point. I'm actually not even sure it's possible to use an even assessment criterea when we look at Bails tenure. Neeld would appear to have all the tools and assistants neccesary to run a successful Football Department, Bails didn't. He didn't even appear to have the ability to request or get it but them's the breaks! He came to the MFC at a time when we were really scrapping the bottom on-field and off.

Was talking with a CEO of a rival club in the past couple of weeks who had a couple of observations which I thought was pertinent to share.

The first in th AFL you are never as good as you think you are and importantly you are never as bad as you think you are.

The second was that the changes that the Demons were implementing we're more significant than any other of the teams that changed coaches this year.

The last based on the above was do not judge Neeld on the first 6 games of the year rather the last 6 games.

Take it or leave it but I have a feeling we may have similar finish to the season as Hardwick's Tigers I'd in his first year.

Take it or leave it but I have a feeling we may have similar finish to the season as Hardwick's Tigers I'd in his first year.

Another similarity to Hardwicks tigers is that our only avenue to goal is Mitch Clark (our version of JR8)

When we start to get some wins under Neeld's coaching (and that will come), I'm sure we'll be gushing about how confident the team looks and how it's all starting to work, like many did after that match in 2010. Things can change pretty quickly.

Rather than lynching Neeld after a handful of games, lets show restraint and support him for at least 18 mths. Otherwise no one with half a brain would want to take on a coaching role at MFC in the future.

Restraint.

Ahhhh .... a downhill skiing attacking free-for-all smashing of an interstate side at the G. Those glorious Bailey years!!

as opposed to getting done hard by the same mob at the same ground 2 years later?

yes it was glorious, as was the Sydney smashing, beating Essendon, pushing collingwood twice etc

none of those things have even been remotely likely this year - it is basically the same side with our supposed elite youngsters with 40 more games in them plus Clark and Magner who are 2 of our best this year. Any sense of logic would conclude that we should be well inside the 8 at this stage but we are winless on the bottom. and thats a cold hard fact that I am struggling with

as opposed to getting done hard by the same mob at the same ground 2 years later?

yes it was glorious, as was the Sydney smashing, beating Essendon, pushing collingwood twice etc

none of those things have even been remotely likely this year - it is basically the same side with our supposed elite youngsters with 40 more games in them plus Clark and Magner who are 2 of our best this year. Any sense of logic would conclude that we should be well inside the 8 at this stage but we are winless on the bottom. and thats a cold hard fact that I am struggling with

It is hard to argue....But i do not blame the coaches or their staff to this point.

Everyone else is in the sights though....our situation right now is a bloody disgrace.

http://www.heraldsun...f-1226354314816

Amazing a group of kids have adjusted to the idea pretty quickly!

Not that amazing,

Sheedy and Williams have a bunch of kids who they don't need to deconstruct and rebuild. This is what Neeld, Misson and the rest have to try and do.

http://www.heraldsun...f-1226354314816

Amazing a group of kids have adjusted to the idea pretty quickly!

Well, they played the Gold Coast, and the match itself was truly of the lowest quality.

I'm still of the opinion that we'll smash both sides rather comfortably, especially by the time we get round to them.

Edited May 15, 201213 yr by Cudi_420

A clearer representation of Melbourne under Bailey around the same time.

Jesus Christ, this reminds me how much we DON'T miss one C. Bruce. I just facepalmed at one of his many hospital handballs in that vision, even knowing it was coming.

Jesus Christ, this reminds me how much we DON'T miss one C. Bruce. I just facepalmed at one of his many hospital handballs in that vision, even knowing it was coming.

It also shows how bad our defensive structure were under Bailey. How many times did a commentator say, "that was an inch from disaster..."

Well, they played the Gold Coast, and the match itself was truly of the lowest quality.

I'm still of the opinion that we'll smash both sides rather comfortably, especially by the time we get round to them.

We will still be winless when we get to them?

Not a good foundation to smash anyone