I dont except that we dont have the cattle.

That's unfortunate because that's 50% of the problem.

I dont except that we dont have the cattle. Neeld took us on knowing what he would get.

anyone else see the irony ?? lol

NO MORE SETTLING WITH MEDIOCRATY.

Mediocraty is a greek philosophical bookie who owned shares in the truth

Maybe we have a clause in the contract that allows us to get rid of the coach if he obviously is not up it.

You would have thought that the board would have enough brains not to risk the important coaching position on a speculative, untried assistant, with a poor playing pedigree.

Staggering!

I can't believe you Tonatopia, you are serious aren't you.

I like what Neeld and his assistants are doing.. He has the Guts & dedication to strip back the deadwood & the Club culture to totally rebuild it.

This in the short term has caused some pain & we'll have to trim a few off the list, but this will be the making of the clubs future starting from October this Year.

I think the ones who cant see what he's doing, shouldn't say too much because if you can't see what they're doing, it means you just don't get it.

If you don't understand something, then voting against it is done out of Ignorance.

Many here can see whats taking place, & the coaching staff was obviously selected & brought in to do this tough job. They're just starting & the tumor is deeper then first thought at first Viewing from the outside.

Hang in there, it'll be bumpy but an exhilarating ride.

The end of the bumpy ride will be a wonderful pleasure.

All I have to say is Neil Craig is there to over see the coaches including head coach & report to the board regularly, Im sure that he values his own job and would do it in all honesty. Have faith in the team we have in the FD which includes Rawlings, Craig & Misson.

Neeld is there to stay and will see out his contract, meaning he will be there in 2014. They wont sack him. Im still unsure if he can coach but until we add talent & class he is p1ssing into the wind with what he's got. He's certainly getting the ball rolling into the right direction even though we arent seeing it onfield yet, but thats the players, not him.

Things that I learnt from the coaches box last night were:

Neil Craig sits in the corner quietly taking it all in, doesnt interfere or speak, has a joke around at the breaks - nice fella.

Jade Rawlings was getting so frustrated at certain players, very involved.

Leigh Brown is Neelds right hand man, very involved, always on the phone & in Neelds ear, was also extremely frustrated & angry.

Neeld was very quiet, didnt say a hell of a lot really, was a strange experience, frustrated in the last quarter.

Aaron Greaves is a bloody solid bloke!

Dave Misson, Royal & Satterly were all on the bench working with players as they came off.

Gysberts, Bate & Sellar were all very quiet also.

Was really suprised at how quiet Neeldy was in the box, to me just looked cooked & obviously made up his mind on whos in & out with buying into the new regime, kinda get the feeling the axe will swing. I would love to see his updated whiteboard now with the holes in our team. Honestly one of the worst performances Ive personally seen live.

Another strange thing was the constant miscommunication between everyone when two players would go to come off, get to the boundary only to be turned away so they'd have to run back. This would leave two Port players free & this happened multiple times. Im not sure where the mix up was coming from but it didnt help our cause much having 18 v 16 regularly!!

Anyway hang in there Gremlins, Im very saddened & frustrated and all those words but it ain't going to happen overnight & I can understand the frustration after years of rot. We are on the right track with the FD, just wait to see some class players added & it could turnaround quickly. This years draft/trade/recruiting period is by far the most important ever. Neeld will be fine if we get this right.

The idea was right for Collingwood in 2010. It is a solid plan but it's clearly not built on anything we have. That's why the draft and trading period is a great indicator of the goal. If we go after bigger bodies the club and coach are aware of the need for short term accountability. If they don't get what they want or go young then I fear for Neeld in the current climate.

All the power clubs other than Carlton are big bodies, & they're getting bigger.

The Cats game method is probably the most basic & traditional, & is based around contested ball, responsibility for your opponent & good kicking. the most solid gamestyle.

We have to get bigger bodies & aggression, if we want to play in September.

Otherwise we'll just do what we've been doing for the past 15 Years, pretending.

All the power clubs other than Carlton are big bodies, & they're getting bigger.

The Cats game method is probably the most basic & traditional, & is based around contested ball, responsibility for your opponent & good kicking. the most solid gamestyle.

We have to get bigger bodies & aggression, if we want to play in September.

Otherwise we'll just do what we've been doing for the past 15 Years, pretending.

It really isn't that simple, it was and is built around a highly skilled group who did/do all the things you say but much, much more. A team culture where everyone has a role and trust in each other to play that role. This team took a while to build and had the backing of a strong President and CEO, they nearly blew it but in the end held firm and proved they were on the right path. I hope we have the right people leading us, not just the coach.

It really isn't that simple, it was and is built around a highly skilled group who did/do all the things you say but much, much more. A team culture where everyone has a role and trust in each other to play that role. This team took a while to build and had the backing of a strong President and CEO, they nearly blew it but in the end held firm and proved they were on the right path. I hope we have the right people leading us, not just the coach.

Oh totally rjay, I know that, but we were talking specifically about body types & gamestyles, & thats what I commented on. Simply that a robust gamestyle supported by biggish strong bodies is one that stands up to the knocks a footy season will dish up.

And some players start looking for the door when big players come they're way.

And team culture, I started that ball rolling last year about our lacking in that area.

"Neeld was very quiet, didnt say a hell of a lot really, was a strange experience, frustrated in the last quarter"

He didn't say a lot because he no idea what to do...

Neeld totally lost the players as soon as he started the job and now has fatally lost his own confidence.

Please save us from another train wreck

"Neeld was very quiet, didnt say a hell of a lot really, was a strange experience, frustrated in the last quarter"

He didn't say a lot because he no idea what to do...

Or there simply are no words for players that get paid 250k a year to kick a ball that can't hit a target 20 metres away.

I know I've stopped yelling at them because it's not making them better. Maybe Neeld saves it for during the week.

I wonder what Todd viney thinks?

He is the only one I trust.

what a joke this thread is...bailey got 4 years of running the place, and neeld gets 18months to retrain a bunch of raw kids into a silky skilled unit?

the game plan doesn't match the players at the moment because the players are simply not good enough to execute the skills necessary. when was the last time rohan bail was able to hit a moving target while on the run?

neeld is playing with another blokes list, with the exception of mitch clark ( a resounding success until injured), josh tynan (by all reports ticking all boxes available) and the rookies who have handled themselves honourably considering they are in over their heads.

i'm going to hold off judgement until i see who he culls off the list, the recruiting policy during trade week/draft and what he can get the boys to produce after their 2nd real preseason after years of training composing of kick to kick.

i agree this year has been awful, but at least the boys seem be going harder at the ball in the last couple of months.

the biggest challenge the team faces is getting bigger...making our skinny lads into solid men will take pre-seasons and experience and essendon is a perfect example of what happens when you rush the process. there is no point in having super fit athletes if they are going to break down every 4weeks.

bailey got 4 years, how bout we give neeld at least 1 before knocking up a gallows

How about we wait 'til the end of next year before making any judgements about whether he can coach.

How about we wait 'til the end of next year before making any judgements about whether he can coach.

I don't disagree, but I wish some of you would take the same medicine when talking about out of form players.

I wonder what Todd viney thinks?

He is the only one I trust.

lol

What kind of an argument is that?

Would he sway you if he 'towed' the company line? (ie. if he disagreed with you?)

Anyway, I have a heard that Viney and Royal came in and were shocked at where we were at and how coddled the boys were under CC and DB.

Coming from Adelaide and St Kilda I guess the standards are different...

I am happy that we have people from the Crows (Craig, Viney), Hawthorn (Viney), Collingwood (Neeld, Brown), Sydney (Misson), and St Kilda (Royal, Misson) and they know the deficit we have to those clubs and are trying to rectify it.

Jose, just wondering what you think these improvements are? Not saying they aren't there just interested in where the improvements been from your perspective.

The improvements are in the approach. It is now professional and it is focussed on the underlying fundamentals, rather than some hopeful wish-thinking rhetoric about simply getting game time into skinny kids and then miraculously winning flags.

Neeld (and his regime) did not select the current stock - and, from what I've seen of him, I expect our list would look completely different had he been at the helm several years ago.

In short, this draft period is crucial. I expect Neeld will bring in a few more mature bodies, in addition to some talented young mids.

It's the gap between reality and poorly directed emotion on these threads that is really frustrating.

Blind Freddy can see where this list is at. We've also had a stack of injuries this year to key players. And our fitness levels at the start of this year were well below AFL standard according to all reports.

And yet - some people here, notwithstanding the above, expect Neeld to consistently beat other more professional AFL clubs in his first season all of whom have more elite players AND more elite fitness levels AND superior club cultures AND more experienced lists in terms of age and games played.

In short, the only mediocrity I consistently observe are some of the views expressed by certain posters on threads such as this one.

Start thinking properly.

We should have won the premiership this year with the list DB left us with. Any other coach ever would have won us the flag, our players are just that good. Damn you Mark Neeld for destroying our great list, its your fault Cale Morton was drafted at number 4, its your fault Moloney is a front runner and its your fault that Bate Petterd Dunn Bennell have all of a sudden gone from match winners/dominaters/brownlow medal favorites to absolute spuds! Lets bash on the coach, sack him and keep all of our guns. I hope he redrafts Newton, he was a potential AA forward until Mark got his dirty mitts on him.........jesus

what a joke this thread is...bailey got 4 years of running the place, and neeld gets 18months to retrain a bunch of raw kids into a silky skilled unit?

the game plan doesn't match the players at the moment because the players are simply not good enough to execute the skills necessary. when was the last time rohan bail was able to hit a moving target while on the run?

neeld is playing with another blokes list, with the exception of mitch clark ( a resounding success until injured), josh tynan (by all reports ticking all boxes available) and the rookies who have handled themselves honourably considering they are in over their heads.

i'm going to hold off judgement until i see who he culls off the list, the recruiting policy during trade week/draft and what he can get the boys to produce after their 2nd real preseason after years of training composing of kick to kick.

i agree this year has been awful, but at least the boys seem be going harder at the ball in the last couple of months.

the biggest challenge the team faces is getting bigger...making our skinny lads into solid men will take pre-seasons and experience and essendon is a perfect example of what happens when you rush the process. there is no point in having super fit athletes if they are going to break down every 4weeks.

bailey got 4 years, how bout we give neeld at least 1 before knocking up a gallows

Not wanting to pick holes in your post but I think some of what you say is our problem. Our team that has been playing this year has been made up of not kids but men who've been in the system a while, the excuse skinny kids I'm very tired of. Its not that we are skinny - we are very unfit.

Bail, Bate, Clark, Davey, Dunn, Frawley, Dunn, Green, Grimes, Howe, Jetta, Jones, Jurrah, Macdonald, Martin, McKenzie, Moloney, Petterd, Rivers, Sellar, Spencer, Strauss, Sylvia, Tapscott, Trengove & Watts are not skinny kids, even Davis & McDonald arent and both seem strong - they are our core players & play most weeks, theres no excuse to be had here with this group. Whether its recruiting, development, Neeld, gameplan, personal issues or whatever else theres no reason that "some" of these players are playing as badly as they are, what the core reason is I don't know but I've always been lead to believe that we havent drafted right, follow that with development and you have one sh!te footy team.

I havent seen many games this year due to working away but from what I have seen Im quite shocked at how bad we are, we are just not a good football team. To me Neeld has put all the emphasis on going hard "at the player" and putting as much pressure on the ball carrier and we have totally forgot to go and get our own ball, its like we are hell bent on chasing players around all day.

Rohan Bail hit lots of moving targets Saturday night and i was quite impressed with some things he did do. As for the teams disposal being so putrid i used to blame fitness but if we start games just as bad as we finish them and cough it up with no pressure then it cant be all about fitness either.

Also I'd like to Misson's results so far this year, I think he's done a great job with our injuries. People are blaming Misson but from memory there hasnt been a huge amount of soft tissue injuries (his responsibility). There have been a heap of collision injuries. Concussion, head, broken back, jaws,fractures but not many hamstrings, calfs, quads compared to other clubs, I'd like to see the stats on this. Quite a few players were already injured when Misson came into our system also so full credit to him & some have been injured since before we drafted them ie: Grimes & Tappy!

Josh Tynan is going to be a ripper & as frustrated as I am I'm also with you on waiting on Neeld, he needs a fair go with a fair bunch of new players.

So far, Mark Neeld and the rest of the coaching staff are doing a terrible, terrible job of coaching this football side. Anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

So far, Mark Neeld and the rest of the coaching staff are doing a terrible, terrible job of coaching this football side. Anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

So we aren't a 2 and 13 side?

Are we a 4 and 11 side?

5 and 10?

What crappy wins would make you feel more comfortable about life and the fact that Neeld is getting 'the most' out of the boys?

Jonesbag. Don,t forget the Cameron Bruce is available to draft next year.

So we aren't a 2 and 13 side?

Are we a 4 and 11 side?

5 and 10?

What crappy wins would make you feel more comfortable about life and the fact that Neeld is getting 'the most' out of the boys?

We should be 16 - 0 by now, come on...you should know that!!!

All I have to say is Neil Craig is there to over see the coaches including head coach & report to the board regularly, Im sure that he values his own job and would do it in all honesty. Have faith in the team we have in the FD which includes Rawlings, Craig & Misson.

Neeld is there to stay and will see out his contract, meaning he will be there in 2014. They wont sack him. Im still unsure if he can coach but until we add talent & class he is p1ssing into the wind with what he's got. He's certainly getting the ball rolling into the right direction even though we arent seeing it onfield yet, but thats the players, not him.

Things that I learnt from the coaches box last night were:

Neil Craig sits in the corner quietly taking it all in, doesnt interfere or speak, has a joke around at the breaks - nice fella.

Jade Rawlings was getting so frustrated at certain players, very involved.

Leigh Brown is Neelds right hand man, very involved, always on the phone & in Neelds ear, was also extremely frustrated & angry.

Neeld was very quiet, didnt say a hell of a lot really, was a strange experience, frustrated in the last quarter.

Aaron Greaves is a bloody solid bloke!

Dave Misson, Royal & Satterly were all on the bench working with players as they came off.

Gysberts, Bate & Sellar were all very quiet also.

Was really suprised at how quiet Neeldy was in the box, to me just looked cooked & obviously made up his mind on whos in & out with buying into the new regime, kinda get the feeling the axe will swing. I would love to see his updated whiteboard now with the holes in our team. Honestly one of the worst performances Ive personally seen live.

Another strange thing was the constant miscommunication between everyone when two players would go to come off, get to the boundary only to be turned away so they'd have to run back. This would leave two Port players free & this happened multiple times. Im not sure where the mix up was coming from but it didnt help our cause much having 18 v 16 regularly!!

Anyway hang in there Gremlins, Im very saddened & frustrated and all those words but it ain't going to happen overnight & I can understand the frustration after years of rot. We are on the right track with the FD, just wait to see some class players added & it could turnaround quickly. This years draft/trade/recruiting period is by far the most important ever. Neeld will be fine if we get this right.

If you were in the box, didn't you sign a confidentiality agreement or at least get asked by the club not to comment on the experience?

If you were in the box, didn't you sign a confidentiality agreement or at least get asked by the club not to comment on the experience?

Is it really any of your business? And there is plenty I can't say, which I havent. Stop being a moron.

If you were in the box, didn't you sign a confidentiality agreement or at least get asked by the club not to comment on the experience?

Who would care?

Wouldn't the reason to allow people in there be for PR purposes?