If Misson can implement as much change for the positive as the "weapon" has extracted and transformed players at Essendon, I'll be very pleased.

That's why they're on the big bucks...

From what I've read about both men, they seem to have a very different approach to it. Misson is very much into running and aerobic capacity, while the dude over at the bombers is more into muscle bulk to support the load being put on them. I do wonder whether there are going to be substantial differences in the results once both lists have been tuned by them for a few years.

From what I've read about both men, they seem to have a very different approach to it. Misson is very much into running and aerobic capacity, while the dude over at the bombers is more into muscle bulk to support the load being put on them. I do wonder whether there are going to be substantial differences in the results once both lists have been tuned by them for a few years.

Agree. The weapon or dude went to Gold Coast on the big bucks for a year before Bomba Thompson told the Essendon hierarchy apparently, "just get him" (he's the best). This from a coterie member/sponsor at Essendon.

So the cheque book was out..

I have never so worried about the future as l do now and l've been supporting since the day l was born, l saw the terrible 70's and early 80's but l've never seen it so bad

I saw us in the 70's too baysidedave and it was bloody awful, but I refuse to believe that things are as bad as they seem. So many players are playing below their best or to a fraction of their potential. The upside is enormous. The football dept is run by quality people. Neeld, Craig and Misson were all considered winners when they arrived at the club. They still are quality people who are yet to put it together. The club needs to jag a win or two and get some confidence back.

I have to stay positive as the alternative is too scary.

If we survive, 20 years from now we will look back on bits of this season with real pleasure - just as the last three years have their good memories (Jurrah, Wonna, the Sydney game, Jimmy Stynes) - think of Clark and Howe, and the early days of future stars who have not yet fully emerged.. Every game has some good bits, and supporters treasure them, and they only get better the longer you go on savouring the memory.

The big things are for us to survive, to identify our problems and respond to them, and sit tight. Wrap the scarf around yourself, and settle down for what's turning out to be a cold winter. Hope like hell the Board get a handle on the solution to our current mess, and watch for it turning up. If it does, won't it be sweet!

Edited May 23, 201213 yr by robbiefrom13

After receiving Don's email a few days back, this was my response...

-----------------

Dear Don,

Admiring your efforts – but perhaps putting a stake in the ground with regards the players – let the supporters know who is on notice. For the first time in a decade, my wife and I are seriously thinking we have no reason to go to the G this weekend – without at least one or two players we can watch to see the future of the club.

Kind Regards.

-----------------

The response was very good

-----------------

Thank you for your response. I have passed it directly to Don.

As a fellow long term supporter of the club, I can empathise with your disappointed and disillusionment at the current position of the club.

It has been an exceptionally difficult start to the year, but what I can promise is that the club is as united as it has ever been, and that we are working incredibly hard together to turn this around. We have confidence in the people we have at the club.

The club is determined to stay the course, and we hope our members can join us for this – without our members, we have nothing.

We truly appreciate your continued support.

Regards,

-----------------

With those 6 words, we know the MFC understand our feelings. "without our members, we have nothing". We will not give up on the club. Thought I should share this.

After receiving Don's email a few days back, this was my response...

-----------------

Dear Don,

Admiring your efforts – but perhaps putting a stake in the ground with regards the players – let the supporters know who is on notice. For the first time in a decade, my wife and I are seriously thinking we have no reason to go to the G this weekend – without at least one or two players we can watch to see the future of the club.

Kind Regards.

-----------------

The response was very good

-----------------

Thank you for your response. I have passed it directly to Don.

As a fellow long term supporter of the club, I can empathise with your disappointed and disillusionment at the current position of the club.

It has been an exceptionally difficult start to the year, but what I can promise is that the club is as united as it has ever been, and that we are working incredibly hard together to turn this around. We have confidence in the people we have at the club.

The club is determined to stay the course, and we hope our members can join us for this – without our members, we have nothing.

We truly appreciate your continued support.

Regards,

-----------------

With those 6 words, we know the MFC understand our feelings. "without our members, we have nothing". We will not give up on the club. Thought I should share this.

Once again, as stated on another thread, an automated response. Most importantly, without members they have no cash flow.

No apologies for cynicism.

we'll win 6 of the last 11

we'll win 6 of the last 11

I'm actually stupid enough to think we'll win 7 - 8

Agree. The weapon or dude went to Gold Coast on the big bucks for a year before Bomba Thompson told the Essendon hierarchy apparently, "just get him" (he's the best). This from a coterie member/sponsor at Essendon.

So the cheque book was out..

Whilst I don't dispute that the weapon is very good at what he does, I'm not sure MT is exactly qualified to say that he's the best inthe business, as he hasn't worked with everyone.

I'm also not sure Misson and the Weap's methods are all that different.

We do a LOT of work behind closed doors off the track, and the development can be seen

I know the Weap preaches burst and high impact training gets results, but it is in conjunction with the aerobic training, as that is a given.

There's also a lot of focus on isolation techniques, in isolating and focusing on developing different muscle groups individually.

I did also hear yesterday about one of the fitness blokes at Essendon looking into a method of isolation training that makes the players engage the glutes before the hamstrings, and the theory is that it should lessen hamstring injuries and enable more powerful bursts (quicker first step).

There's a paper that somebody has done on this.

I'm actually stupid enough to think we'll win 7 - 8

And then we all fell out of bed and woke up!

I think we'll perform just well enough in the second half to ensure that we are forced into taking JV with our first rounder.

Very harsh to use Frawley as an example of the under-performing question. Probably Jamar as well... with no mention of Sylvia or Green...?

Very harsh to use Frawley as an example of the under-performing question. Probably Jamar as well... with no mention of Sylvia or Green...?

Yes, sorry about that one. I was just giving examples, it's obviously not a definitive list of the multitude of senior players who stink. Frawley could be better, but being a defender in this side is about as difficult as can be.

Jamar is having a crap year by his standards. Deserves to be in the 'under-performing' list. You're absolutely right about Sylvia and Davey though.

I reckon we've got a bloke here who knows what he's doing.

I also think we were a bit naive to expect that it'd happen overnight.

I reckon we've got a bloke here who knows what he's doing.

I also think we were a bit naive to expect that it'd happen overnight.

Totally agree, he keeps saying we have a core of really good athletes, over the next year or so he will trim the fat andf get this team to where we all want it to be.

It's hard on everyone at the moment because until now we have had no long term direction or people to get us there.

The players are being found out because they are realizng what it takes to be an elite athlete.

Holiday playland is over for this team.

You hear players like Jobe Watson say in his first few years he didn't understand what it took to be an elite player. I think we have a team of them!

I have every confidence MN will make us a competitive outfit!

We definitely needed someone from outside with now experience of "our culture"

Bruise free footy says it all ! we dont get them we dont give them ! (well not enough or often)

The fault lies to my mind in the last three years or so of eND, and his favorite players and

poor picks of over the hill types, should have invested in youth then,,,,

Now down the track there is no experienced core of leaders with heart

i do feel despondent,

be there tmorra ..probably

go dees !!

"Most impressive" - I chose Other. Would have liked to have seen an option to appreciate the great work Nate Jones has done so far this year.

The more his team has fallen down around him, the more his continued in-and-under efforts stand out. He is having a huge year and stands head and shoulders and guts above any other midfielder we have this year - with only Magner likely to challenge that so far.

Well done Jones-boy. Keep burrowing in. Help is coming soon enough.

We have more members than the Saints, Doggies or Kangers so that is a bonus.

we'll win 6 of the last 11

A win....geez...Ive almost forgotten watt its like......

Jamar is having a crap year by his standards.

No, Jamar is having a normal year by his standards.

2010 was a fluke.

No, Jamar is having a normal year by his standards.

2010 was a fluke.

Potentially a fair call.

No, Jamar is having a normal year by his standards.

2010 was a fluke.

How does one consider what actually happened on the field for Jamar, a fluke ?

I'd say an "aberration" rather than a "fluke". Like Woey winning the Brownlow in 2000...

My "other" for the most disappointing:

the lack of understanding of where we are as a list by many supporters, leading to overexaggerations of our ineptitude and a general tension and despair among the supporter group.

bang on, never have the margins been so small between woeful and promising, but listening to laments on here about professionalism and the attitude of players really gets me.

As any good soldier knows, things change - times are good, things will change, times are bad things will change, all comes down to character lets show some by sticking with the club.

My "other" for the most disappointing:

the lack of understanding of where we are as a list by many supporters, leading to overexaggerations of our ineptitude and a general tension and despair among the supporter group.

On this, I disagree.

- We have 2 compo picks to come.

- We also have only been retrospectively viewed as poor by a media that 10 weeks ago lauded us as one of the best built lists in the comp.

I'd suggest that more than anything the gameplan is affecting the players initially. While you can be all 'Neeld should have planned for that' the reality is that they have to understand some form of the press.

There's more depth to the list than meets the eye in my opinion, and we're still one of the better lists in terms of balance.

We have a backline - Richmond and Hawthorn both don't, there isn't much of one at Carlton either.

We have most of a forward line with a piece or two more - Carlton don't, and a lot of teams get away with more one-dimensional forward lines because their midfield is fantastic (West Coast, Essendon)

We have the makings of a midfield, albeit with one or two more pieces required.

We also have had for the last 15 years one of the best ruck production lines in the competition.

Rome wasn't built in a day.