Contract discussions put on hold for eleven Demons

[Pennant St Dee 11,391]

Must you connect my statement with your hatred of Neeld?

This club has spent over $50 million on player wages in the last 6 years.

For very little return.

QED.

Thought you were better than getting sucked in WYL, if an idiot approached you in the street or tram leaving the footy and started talking shite professing to be an oracle of footy do you

Ignore him & hope he goes away

Just nod your head and think of something else

or

Just walk away and think no point arguing with a moron!

Think along those lines

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Heard the term,

'throwing the baby out with the bathwater'

look it up.

There is no baby.

[Miles from Nowhere 199]

There is no baby.

But it drank its own bathwater.

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

if an idiot approached you in the street or tram leaving the footy and started talking shite professing to be an oracle of footy do you

Ignore him & hope he goes away

Just nod your head and think of something else

or

Just walk away and think no point arguing with a moron!

Think along those lines

I say; "excuse me David King, I have stuff to do and you're holding me up.."

[Sir Why You Little 34,762]

Thought you were better than getting sucked in WYL, if an idiot approached you in the street or tram leaving the footy and started talking shite professing to be an oracle of footy do you

Ignore him & hope he goes away

Just nod your head and think of something else

or

Just walk away and think no point arguing with a moron!

Think along those lines

Oh i am don't worry. It is just irritating that's all!!

[PaulRB 5,999]

I think Neeld, Misson and Craig after their first pre-season and season will know which players have

1. the appetite for the work involved in becoming an elite AFL player (Gysberts, Blease, Jurrah and a couple of others have struggled, although injuries can hurt)
   
2. the descipline and nous to apply the new game plan (Moloney appears one who has struggled to "buy in")
   
3. a role in the new structures and roles the FD is working to establish (Rivers may be surplus as a tall defender...)
   

Should be an interesting trade and draft.

Edited August 10, 2012 by PaulRB

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

But it drank its own bathwater.

?

[daisycutter 28,661]

As Kevin Sheedy said, 'Too much analysis leads to paralysis', and to recall my football days, I usually played best when I was simply hungry for the footy.

Must you connect my statement with your hatred of Neeld?

Are you Kevin Sheedy then?

[Deeoldfart 7,807]

Having heard Greeny make the point about player 'buy in' several times in his retirement speech, makes me wonder who on that list has / has not shown that they are prepared to 'buy in' to the Neeld way.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,572]

As Kevin Sheedy said, 'Too much analysis leads to paralysis', and to recall my football days, I usually played best when I was simply hungry for the footy.

Maybe, just maybe, it is not the players that are at fault, it is the coach that is derailing their hunger with an over-emphasised priority on structure, which is preventing the players to simply be hungry for the footy. in time, maybe the structures will become second nature and the players can focus on the footy again, but then again, maybe Neeld is a dud.

Welcome to footy in the 21st Century - your aergument might hold some weight if the players had shown much in the past but they have failed under 2 (for some 3) coaches now so, yeah, I'd say it is the players.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Welcome to footy in the 21st Century - your aergument might hold some weight if the players had shown much in the past but they have failed under 2 (for some 3) coaches now so, yeah, I'd say it is the players.

130 odd games for less than 30 wins.

All that needs to be said.

[Viney12 196]

As Kevin Sheedy said, 'Too much analysis leads to paralysis', and to recall my football days, I usually played best when I was simply hungry for the footy.

Maybe, just maybe, it is not the players that are at fault, it is the coach that is derailing their hunger with an over-emphasised priority on structure, which is preventing the players to simply be hungry for the footy. in time, maybe the structures will become second nature and the players can focus on the footy again, but then again, maybe Neeld is a dud.

Do we really want to get rid of a 1/4 of our list.

Players like Petterd, Bennell, Gysberts and Blease will go to Sydney and absolutely dominate. You watch.

Players lke Moloney, Rivers and Bartram will end up at Geelong or Essendon or Carlton and be fixed members of their team.

I hope Neeld knows what he is doing, because like Prendergast, they can just leave and we get stuck with the mess.

We must hold them accountable and consistently check their decisions. They are employed by us, the members.

Yeah....because this playing group achieved so much and showed such hunger pre-Neeld

[tonatopia 278]

Having heard Greeny make the point about player 'buy in' several times in his retirement speech, makes me wonder who on that list has / has not shown that they are prepared to 'buy in' to the Neeld way.

this is an interesting post, because it highlights the fact that the players are not sure about Neelds ideaology.

It raises the question about troops in war, if only our troops had not agreed to British orders to invade the Turkish coast in Gallipoli, we would have avoided the slaughter. Troops gave 100% but still got massacared.

I wonder if the players are doubting Neelds game plan because even they can see that it is not effective, and they don't believe in him.

Interesting times ahead.

As for people who say that the players have not performed over the last 4 years, I think that up until rd15 last year, we definetly saw some good signs from our players. I thought our good footy was as good as anyone in the league. We looked daring and exciting and entertaining.

This year, we have only had the occasional mark from Howe to keep us going.

[Left Field 313]

A direct comment to me from one of the FD team at the Swans catastrophe was to the effect that "some of the players are just not as good as we were expecting". This thinking has been set in place since the pre-season. Saving Jurrah (for his personal issue) these guys are all freely available. Hope we can work out trades instead of delistings.

[Ouch! 2,043]

As for people who say that the players have not performed over the last 4 years, I think that up until rd15 last year, we definetly saw some good signs from our players. I thought our good footy was as good as anyone in the league. We looked daring and exciting and entertaining.

This year, we have only had the occasional mark from Howe to keep us going.

You are actually serious when you say this...

... really?

Our football last year was barely any better than this year. It certainly was not accountable football in any way.

'Our good football was as good as anyone in the league' umm, wow

.... wow.

[Ouch! 2,043]

... sorry I have to say that again.

.... wow

[Range Rover 1,935]

this is an interesting post, because it highlights the fact that the players are not sure about Neelds ideaology.

Says who? You?

Green said nothing of the sort. Yet again an anti-Neeldist twists words to suit.

[Redleg 37,930]

The rush to sign Spencer would seem to indicate we have no interest in drafting Grundy.

Or we know he will be gone by pick 2.

[DemonWA 3,520]

Or we know he will be gone by pick 2.

just got the yearly 100% melbourne email

The Melbourne Football Club is poised to take full advantage of the opportunities upon us for the 2012 trade period, leaving no stone unturned.

We will be aggressive and uncompromising in the market place, as we focus strongly on securing players who fit within our premiership model.

Right now, we are building a war chest – but we need your support.

This is your chance to help us recruit the best.

We need to be smart, and we need to be calculated about who we target, and at what cost. With early picks in our possession, these decisions are crucial and will not be taken lightly.

Significant resources have been invested into our recruiting department to ensure we secure the best talent in the game to proudly wear the red and blue.

We now ask you join us in our mission for a 13th premiership, by offering your support to help us recruit the best players in the country.

lets hop we raise some good cash and find good players willing to accept it!

[Dr. Gonzo 22,572]

this is an interesting post, because it highlights the fact that the players are not sure about Neelds ideaology.

Luckily they're not paid to think, they're paid to do. If we cared what they thought we wouldn't need a coach they could just coach themselves.

As for people who say that the players have not performed over the last 4 years, I think that up until rd15 last year, we definetly saw some good signs from our players. I thought our good footy was as good as anyone in the league. We looked daring and exciting and entertaining.

This year, we have only had the occasional mark from Howe to keep us going.

Yep we sure looked daring, exciting and entertaining against WCE at Subi last year and against Carlton in the bruise-free match - we looked absolutely brilliant every time we've played the Hawks over the past 4 or 5 years! Our performance against the Kangas at Docklands last year was just marvellous....and so forth.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Luckily they're not paid to think, they're paid to do. If we cared what they thought we wouldn't need a coach they could just coach themselves.

Yep we sure looked daring, exciting and entertaining against WCE at Subi last year and against Carlton in the bruise-free match - we looked absolutely brilliant every time we've played the Hawks over the past 4 or 5 years! Our performance against the Kangas at Docklands last year was just marvellous....and so forth.

I wonder what it is about Mark Neeld that gets up Tonatopia and Hardnut's noses so much. Is it his demeanour? His hairstyle? Do they know a relative of a relative on the list who might not get a new contract?

I wish they'd just be honest and come and say what's really on their minds. They'd gain some respect that way.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Range Rover

[tonatopia 278]

'Our good football was as good as anyone in the league' umm, wow

To illistrate my point, i remeber going to the rd2 game against Hawthorn when we were smashed in the first quarter. Then, in the second quarter, we blitzed them with the most exciting footy I have seen us play. Then we got belted by them in the last 2 quarters.

What I learnt from that game is that our attacking footy is a good as the Hawks attacking footy, however, we needed a defensive structure.

Now, what you people are trying to tell me is that we have a shite side.

I still believe our attacking footy was as good as anyone in the league, because I saw it with my own eyes on many many occasions between 2010 and 2011.

Our error is that we have killed our offensive flair. Now we a just stagnant rot. Don't blame the players, blame the gameplan.

[Viney12 196]

this is an interesting post, because it highlights the fact that the players are not sure about Neelds ideaology.

It raises the question about troops in war, if only our troops had not agreed to British orders to invade the Turkish coast in Gallipoli, we would have avoided the slaughter. Troops gave 100% but still got massacared.

I wonder if the players are doubting Neelds game plan because even they can see that it is not effective, and they don't believe in him.

Interesting times ahead.

As for people who say that the players have not performed over the last 4 years, I think that up until rd15 last year, we definetly saw some good signs from our players. I thought our good footy was as good as anyone in the league. We looked daring and exciting and entertaining.

This year, we have only had the occasional mark from Howe to keep us going.

FMD now I've read it all.

We downhill skiied against weak teams and got absolutely pole axed by good opposition.

Carlton smashed us - we then had one of their players start the bruise free tag that's followed us since

We got systematically dismantled by Collingwood, it was embarrassing

1, 8 and 6 ring any bells?

Had Hawthorn have kicked straight in Round 2 (remember the 10 odd straight points / inside 50's in the 3rd quarter) it would've been more of a massacre than it already was

We scrapped in against a very average Brisbane

WC absolutely flogged us

We were a laughing stock with zero respect in the AFL community

And Neeld is trying to change that.

He's had 1 pre season and most of 1 season to tip it on it's head, work out who's worth keeping, who's not worth keeping, who he can bring into the club etc.

The majority of our key signings are done, so clearly the players know he's on the right track....yet you want the guy hung drawn and quartered

Doesn't make sense

[tonatopia 278]

But, we might be able to buy our way out of it. Good luck.

As for the players not having a say, Look at Geelong.

Bailey molded his coaching philosophy on Bomber Thompson. He believed that the players should not be forced into the game plan, but they should will themselves into the game plan. Ofcourse it took a bit longer than traditional methods, but the result was that the players, once self-driven, started playing for each other, and looked dynamic.

Neeld on the other hand, is acting like a new king who has been given absolute authority to wield his power over a group of people that he has no faith in, and if the players are not buying into his methods, he just hires mercinaries to do the job.

I think this strategy stinks.

It is cold, it is spiritless, it is demoralising.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

To illistrate my point, i remeber going to the rd2 game against Hawthorn when we were smashed in the first quarter. Then, in the second quarter, we blitzed them with the most exciting footy I have seen us play. Then we got belted by them in the last 2 quarters.

What I learnt from that game is that our attacking footy is a good as the Hawks attacking footy, however, we needed a defensive structure.

Now, what you people are trying to tell me is that we have a shite side.

I still believe our attacking footy was as good as anyone in the league, because I saw it with my own eyes on many many occasions between 2010 and 2011.

Our error is that we have killed our offensive flair. Now we a just stagnant rot. Don't blame the players, blame the gameplan.

Your illustration is poor and mirage. Here are some facts.

Round: 2 Venue: M.C.G. Date: Sun, 03-Apr-2011 4:40 PM Attendance: 49,905 Hawthorn 2.8.20 3.13.31 11.24.90 16.26.122 Melbourne 3.1.19 8.2.50 9.3.57 12.5.77 HW by 1 ME by 19 HW by 33 HW by 45

In that game, while we lead on the scoreboard we were smashed by every statistical metric on the ground. The Hawks could not convert their boundless opportunities in the first 3 quarters. If ever a scoreboard lied about a game at 1/2 time it was here. I cant believe you could be sucked by the scoreboard and miss the mood of the game so comprehensively. You must have learnt things from looking at a different game. This was a rout of MFC. We had lady luck in the first half with ominous storm clouds at half time.

At the moment, Neelds game plan looks terrible. He has a year to fix it. But dont use this to fabricate a disposition of Bailey that is completely in conflict with reality.