Where Is The Hope?

[premiers13 48]

Maybe its time players have to reveal their analysis of their game each week...... This would need to be an eye balling sharing with their team mates. Maybe they do this at the monday inquisition?

My review of the tape clearly indicates that the majority of the team displayed

a lack of chase?

a lack of hitting a target (even) when the target is standing by himself?

a lack of spirit for the contest?

a lack of leadership from our senior players?

a resignation that all is lost?

I do not know how many times I have seen this season three MFC's run toward the ball carrier ,only to watch the ball go over the head to two (now unmarked players for the opposition), down the ground and goal!

I am sure players are trying, but it it doesn't always look like it.

I will continue to support this club as I have for over 50 years, but would just ask for some brief glimpse of improvement soon. Those of us who hang in week after week, month after month and year after year deserve something positive soon.

Blease Watts and Howe give me something, but as a long suffering and very passionate supporter please Dees give me somthing to hang my hat on.

[Hannibal 5,814]

Truly great OP. I'm sure you speak for many of us.

The worst thing that has ever happened to me as a supporter happened yesterday while I was watching the second half. I no longer cared. I sat there and I wasn't angry. I was no longer emotionally invested in what I was watching. Basic errors and even Davey not chasing Rhys Shaw couldn't stir a flicker of emotion in me.

Things are grim.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Truly great OP. I'm sure you speak for many of us.

The worst thing that has ever happened to me as a supporter happened yesterday while I was watching the second half. I no longer cared. I sat there and I wasn't angry. I was no longer emotionally invested in what I was watching. Basic errors and even Davey not chasing Rhys Shaw couldn't stir a flicker of emotion in me.

Things are grim.

Sh!t BH, considering you only watched the 2nd half? You'd be on suicide watch if you had've seen it from the start like the rest of us.

[jane02 3,558]

Hope? Right now, there's none. Not for 2012. I'm not putting myself through this for the playing group any more. No way.

I'm going through it for me.

Why? Why the hell would I put myself through this?

Because in that last day in September, when I see the Melbourne captain and (hopefully) Mark Neeld lift that cup aloft, I will be able to look back and say I was there in the darkest of the days.

I don't know that it'll happen. Supporters on here who've never seen a flag despite being in their 40s make me wonder.

But I have to keep the faith.

Good on you for saying that. I was born the year before the Dees won their last premiership and from as far back as I can remember, being a Melbourne supporter has never been easy. I married a Collingwood supporter and both my kids follow other teams. I cannot imagine supporting anyone else. I will also continue to keep the faith.

Because, what else can we do? I couldn't bring myself to support another club. I have a soft spot for the Suns, admittedly, as I share a namesake with one of their players - but that isn't enough for me to turn to openly support them and reject the MFC. The only thing that would turn me to any sort of thing like that would be a removal of the MFC from the AFL.

I see people on here talk about how bad the early 80s were, and then how good '87 was. Winning once more, making finals once more, is surely going to be all the sweeter for this suffering that we're going through right now.

Maybe I'm naive. But this is my choice. And I will continue to follow the Melbourne Football Club, until the day either I or they die. Until such a time, every other team on game day is the opposition, every game is winnable (sure, a meteor could hit the stadium!) and I will scream my lungs out every time they have a home game at the 'G which I'm attending.

[felixdacat 459]

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

Helen Keller

[daisycutter 28,723]

There is more self-flagellation on this site than an Opus Dei Retreat

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,086]

There is more self-flagellation on this site than an Opus Dei Retreat

Your a crack up mate!

There is hope. Blease was good, Gysberts has some talent, Viney is almost already at AFL level (well in our team anyway), Trengove and Grimes will be back and Watts has to eventually improve. Our next generation is where its at. And I genuinely think Neeld is the man to change the culture at this level. To stop the soft down-hill skiing type playing, the lack of accountability. Its taking longer than Id like and most would like but I now think (14 hours after the game) that things will get better.

[Demon Dynasty 16,286]

The only highlights for me this year (seriously) have been......

> The Banner the Cheer Squad put up on the Jim Stynes memorial day which was absolutely fab and made me proud.

> The smiles on some of the young faces of the "Reach" youth that were there on memorial day and the fun/laughter they were having.

> Mitch Clark

> The odd Howe screamer

> Going to the Casey game last week and enjoying a game of footy for the first time since the Bombers match at the G last year (where we won!) where we actually smacked the Box Hill Hawks at their home ground.

With a few exceptions (and i won't name names either negatively or positively as it won't matter....we just keep playing them), the bulk of our players at senior level are devoid of heart, spirit, fight, half decent talent, pace and disposal skills (easily the worst in the AFL). Basically everything you would expect from an 'average' AFL club. It's the same old same old every week (no pace. no pressure, in some cases half a dozen touches for a whole match for 2 to 3 players or more, no stars, shocking disposal skills, can't finish in front of goals etc), for almost 6 years now. There's a few odd highlights like Mitch taking a clunker, Howe the odd screamer and Jones never say die attitude. But apart from that we don't play anything like an AFL club/team, let alone one that plays for one another or for their jumper.

I'll be going to support Casey from here (whenever i can anyway) who play attacking/pretty hard contested footy and who give it their all every week. The atmosphere is fun too and reminds me of the old suburban footy i grew up watching at pie park/windy hill/princess park/the cattery etc. A little scrappy, wild and wooly ....but fun nonetheless.

The light's fading from this club very quickly gang. And unless Neeld can fire a beacon up its arse in the next 12 months it's hard to see us recovering even to the point of being an average AFL club, let alone one that's able to play finals football.

If the plan's not working week after week after week, you need to change it. And i can't see Neeld changing it this side of next year or maybe ever. Too stubborn and dour. We would need a HUGE personnel change over the next 3 years or so to become an average AFL club (not playing finals football) with this game style and mind set IMO.

Time to focus on other aspects of life now and let those who're getting paid (very well in most cases) to worry about it and try and fix the rot.