We've had to do what we've done otherwise we would just fade away, you can't survive forever if your base is mediocrity, and slightly higher from time to time. I think we will survive but we need to recruit well this time no more project players no more thinking we can build a side to challenge the top 8 in 3 or 4 years time, the natives are restless and are getting sick of the crap we have been fed.

Interesting RobbieF with the exception of Neeld I have not heard a peep out of anyone on the management side of the MFC in weeks.

Rabbits in burrows perhaps.

I could handle a little passion from a few at the MFC

Interesting RobbieF with the exception of Neeld I have not heard a peep out of anyone on the management side of the MFC in weeks.

Rabbits in burrows perhaps.

I could handle a little passion from a few at the MFC

Good point. Haven't heard from Old Don for a fair while. Like the guy, and he says smart things, would love to hear something from him.

NB- Uhoh, now if he happens to put something out Range Rover will think I had an agenda and Don McLardy must be a secret member of Demonland...

Edited July 23, 201212 yr by stuie

Good point. Haven't heard from Old Don for a fair while. Like the guy, and he says smart things, would love to hear something from him.

NB- Uhoh, now if he happens to put something out Range Rover will think I had an agenda and Don McLardy must be a secret member of Demonland...

Imagine if he comes out tomorrow with a big statement on staying the distance stuie.

Imagine if he comes out tomorrow with a big statement on staying the distance stuie.

Who's Stuie? My name is Joseph Gut.... uhhhh yeah Stuie that's right.

Interesting RobbieF with the exception of Neeld I have not heard a peep out of anyone on the management side of the MFC in weeks.

Rabbits in burrows perhaps.

I could handle a little passion from a few at the MFC

I think this is as it should be. The Board and management have a job to do - but it's not to critique the performance of the team in public.

WYL, you and I often agree on things, I'm interested to know where you think we are headed? I have grave concerns for the Club, especially if there is no obvious improvement before the end of 2014. I'm as passionate as any supporter. While I may not financially contribute as much as some, it makes me no less one-eyed. The fact that I sat there on Saturday night and honestly felt crook in the guts watching my team play the way we did, it was just heartbreaking. To tell me wife (non Melbourne) that for season 2012, I have lost all hope in the Club, and that I didn't really care what happened for the rest of the year, is just so upsetting for me.

If Neeld hasn't lost a lot of players, I'd be awfully surprised. If a supporter like me has lost the passion (there's a lot to lose!) to support the Club that I have supported for over 30 years, I'd hate to think what is going through the minds of a handful of players. While I totally understand what Neeld is trying to achieve in regards to bringing a tougher, more contested brand of footy, I can't help but notice that a number of players look as though they have been totally drained of any enjoyment for the game, any confidence in their own ability to take the game on, any belief in each other. We do not play a team game, this is definitely one thing that lingers from the Bailey era - the most accurate thing I have read on here, can't remember who posted it (it was a while ago now), was that we were too busy developing individuals that we forgot to develop a team. Not a truer(?) word has been spoken on Demonland, and I have not seen any evidence whatsoever to believe Neeld has made inroads in to changing that.

The only positive I have, and I will no doubt get shot down for this, is that I can't help but think we are tanking. Not in their right mind will GWS or GC bid for Viney with Pick 1 or 2, it won't happen, so the fact that we will get Viney with a pick in the 20's, and still have picks 3,4 & 12ish PLUS Viney, the tanking debate makes perfect sense. Neeld could do this without any player knowing any different. Is this Neeld's plan that Malthouse knows about? When Malthouse said the other week that he knows what Neeld is trying to do and thinks it will work, well, so far I'm fcuked if I can see anything that suggests otherwise.

If anyone says that I'm being melodramtic, I will stab you in the eyes with a plastic fork. Things need to change, and it needs to happen bloody quick, otherwise we're in serious strife. You know the AFL community have had a gutful of us when we're travelling as shite as we are, yet the journo's can't even be bothered putting the blowtorch on us. No one cares about the MFC, and who can blame them?

Billy the way i feel right now is that we are right on the edge. 2 years ago we were ok, but something inside the club has rocked it very badly.

We must get this years Draft 100% right.

We must be the most aggressive club in terms of Free Agency. No ifs or buts.

If the club does not start to seriously climb in 2013 i do not think we will make the next decade as the Melbourne Demons of the MCG.

It is also time the club came clean with its membership base on what has been happening since 2006...we paid good $$ we pulled the club from the floor. But today we still compete on the floor...why?

Thank you so much for posting this Bergly Sanders!! I was starting to think I was the only one who felt this way, well apart from my husband!! I agree with what you have said so much I could have written your post myself.

I've never been one of these people who calls for the coach's head and I still can't decide if I was a Bailey fan or not, but I do remember being so disappointed mid way through last season. I really expected us to take the next step last year, perhaps even sneak into the eight, on the back of a very promising 2010, but then we didn't. If anything I think we went backwards last year and I guess with the pain that has been inflicted in 2012 everyone forgets that.

I was bitterly disappointed at the start of the season and for the first time in my life I started to understand how people can give up and walk away. I attended one of the fan forums that the club has been running where Don McLardy, Mark Neeld, Neil Craig and Cameron Schwab talk and I would recommend it to anyone who has doubts about our coach. I became a bona fide, card carrying member of the Mark Neeld fan club on the spot. After what he said and the way he answered the questions thrown at him, I fully believe that this is the guy who can and will take us forward, not just as a team but as a CLUB. But of course it takes time and patience and I am not going to blame any Melbourne supporer for running out of patience, but for mine I have full faith in Mark Neeld and that's made my season 2012 a little bit easier.

Thank you so much for posting this Bergly Sanders!! I was starting to think I was the only one who felt this way, well apart from my husband!! I agree with what you have said so much I could have written your post myself.

I've never been one of these people who calls for the coach's head and I still can't decide if I was a Bailey fan or not, but I do remember being so disappointed mid way through last season. I really expected us to take the next step last year, perhaps even sneak into the eight, on the back of a very promising 2010, but then we didn't. If anything I think we went backwards last year and I guess with the pain that has been inflicted in 2012 everyone forgets that.

I was bitterly disappointed at the start of the season and for the first time in my life I started to understand how people can give up and walk away. I attended one of the fan forums that the club has been running where Don McLardy, Mark Neeld, Neil Craig and Cameron Schwab talk and I would recommend it to anyone who has doubts about our coach. I became a bona fide, card carrying member of the Mark Neeld fan club on the spot. After what he said and the way he answered the questions thrown at him, I fully believe that this is the guy who can and will take us forward, not just as a team but as a CLUB. But of course it takes time and patience and I am not going to blame any Melbourne supporer for running out of patience, but for mine I have full faith in Mark Neeld and that's made my season 2012 a little bit easier.

Thanks Deemon

I am happy for you please excuse my negativity but I will believe it when I see it on the field.

Until then it is just another broom job at the MFC.

RobbieF I am in total agreement.

The problem as I see it is we do not have the players to rise out of the bottom six.

This group has trouble pulling up their socks because most of them don't have any on.

The way out of the bottom six is going to be a slow and Painful journey.

Not sure the MFC as a whole is up to the trip.

If we can recruit well post season, I have some confidence that says the journey won't be as slow and painful as you're so confident in.

Granted, it is an "if", but as I'm gathering my thoughts, I'm more and more confident it will be a positive "if". I'll cling onto that hope and the knowledge the list will become stronger for 2013.

If we can recruit well post season, I have some confidence that says the journey won't be as slow and painful as you're so confident in.

Granted, it is an "if", but as I'm gathering my thoughts, I'm more and more confident it will be a positive "if". I'll cling onto that hope and the knowledge the list will become stronger for 2013.

May be right H_T

At the end of the day do we have a choice?

I guess the years have almost totally eroded my confidence that the MFC can do much when it comes to the on field.

As I have said elsewhere H_T I will believe it when I see it.

I tell you what ... I reckon if the FD makes a decent fist of things and we can assemble something a bit better than an unlikely mob then the memberships migjt even climb.

But be warned if we come up empty handed and look like dragging our weary arses into next season just watch that number plummet . Many have had enough. Only so many times you can kid yourself "next year is the one !!"

_{Here's my small take.}

_{I have been sucked in by false dawns before and probably will be again.}

_{Bailey was meant to be a teacher - but to me as in all things in life- there has to be behaviours performed and consequences for the behaviors and Bailey failed to give any consequences that could be construed as negative - instead constantly falling back on "we are young" .}

_{A good teacher will reward behaviors ( good behaviors usually rewards themself in football- AKA Nathan Jones recognition as a "player"and a better contract next time around) but by the same token there must consequences for failing to adopt good behaviors. Bailey and Daniher both failed in my opinion as teachers because there was a constant failure on the consequences front.}

_{Whilst Neeld also concedes we are "developing" and may have to grit his teeth and accept C-grade skills he is obviously not accepting non adherence to his overall message - the dropping of Green, Davey, Watts, Beamer are all proof of this.}

_{Whether Neeld will be successful or not remains to be seen.His approach so far in pumping up players who perform (even for a portion of a game) and giving consequences to players who in his opinion are not doing as he asks shows me that he is a teacher with a clear set of rules.}

_{Here's my small take.}

youre not wrong...can use a larger font pls

Agree with the OP wholeheartedly!!

I tell you what ... I reckon if the FD makes a decent fist of things and we can assemble something a bit better than an unlikely mob then the memberships migjt even climb.

But be warned if we come up empty handed and look like dragging our weary arses into next season just watch that number plummet . Many have had enough. Only so many times you can kid yourself "next year is the one !!"

I believe in Neeld and am a fan but agree we need a great off season and early wins next year to stir up some sort of hope from us the fans and members. I wonder if the President,Ceo and staff realize how much of a knife edge we are on in terms of fans walking away?