Optimists only - let's dream

[The Reverend 1,718]

If you're as tired as I am of the negativity and pessimism of some on this forum join me in focusing on the positives from this year.

• New coach with a single-minded approach to changing the culture and ensuring that those who can't or don't want to play at elite level are gone.
  
• The continued improvement of Nathan Jones.
  
• Good signs from some of our younger brigade: Howe, Grimes, Blease, etc.
  
• An aggressive approach to the trade period and a determination to get the right people on the bus.
  

Feel free to add others. Whingers and pessimists can use any of the 50 or so other threads.

[Brian Wilson 331]

Good work Crawf. This thread is necessary. It will be interesting to see if the pessimists can resist jumping on this thread!

[Brian Wilson 331]

Big Mitch

Tom Mac

Finally getting games into a few youngsters who've had serious injuries.

Young leaders (I seem to be in the minority on this but the sheer lack of leadership in recent years is being addressed by a new, young group. It'll take time, but they'll be there when it matters).

[deestar 159]

Finally a topic you can open with some positives. I had just replied to another thread an finished it off with just how I don't enjoy reading Demonland these days..... It's like these pessimists think last year we were a oiled ship.

Positives;

- having a proper football department

- quality off field acquisitions who understand we were sub par and where we need to get to

- a coach who is prepared to drop senior players who under perform !!!!!

- Tom Mac, Jeremy Howe, Sam Blease, Nathan Jones, Mitch Clark, Jack Watts, Daniel Nicholson, Neville Jetta .....

All in all this is the first season of our football club being a football club off field ! It can only get better !

I loved Neelds comment at 3/4 time yesterday, "there will be no Hollywood footballers here, do it properly or your out"

[titan_uranus 22,775]

Good call.

Clark, Watts and Jones to me are our three biggest shining lights of the year.

Clark is an out-and-out star. People scoff when I say he was in AA form, but he was. The problem is that people who don't support MFC don't watch MFC games unless their club is beating playing us. If you'd watched his whole year, you'd see that he was ripping defenders to shreds with leading, contested marking and goal-kicking that should have had him in AA contention. We can finally structure a forward line around someone, and Clark is a perfect FF to lead us in coming years. Could not be happier with that move from Neeld.

Jones has stepped up this year. It's still a bit sad that he's our best mid, which tells you why we lag behind other clubs, but personally he has lifted his game to another level. His contested ball work is great, his kicking is way better than it used to be, he tackles hard, and he's developed leadership qualities. Kicks goals, too. I'd like to see him eradicate the Superman stuff which pops up most weeks, but he's helping carry one of the worst midfields on his shoulders.

I've never seen a single player cop as much ridiculously unwarranted crap as Watts. If he was anyone else, or had been picked anywhere else, he'd be far more highly rated. He's made so many positive steps this year, improving his contested work and marking, getting far more involved in matches, and settling in to a position he's more suited to than FF. With Clark in the forward line, we can afford to play Watts back, and that frees up players like Grimes to move up the ground. Watts is going to be a great player for us.

[Demonised 1,218]

Having a second D. Misson pre-season under the belt is sure to stand some players in good stead.

[Sir Why You Little 34,937]

The Membership scarves were a huge improvement on the 2011's!

[Biffen 12,432]

Negatives for 2012 are too numerous too mention.

Positives: Clark,Howe ,Blease ,McDonald ,next year.

[Steamin Demon 370]

2 picks on next years draft

[jumbo returns 6,546]

Standards

Expectations

Discipline

Accountability

I can't wait for 2013 and it starts with the draft.

[monoccular 16,398]

I usually reserve my optimism for the pre-season, though I guess that we are already in ours, so yes I will be positive (despite the lacklustre showing yesterday).

It was only a year ago I think that some here were wanting to trade or delist Jones: he has shown just what focus, dedication and bloody hard work can do - and could do for other more highly skilled, highly rated and naturally talented guys on the list (we all know who at least some of these are) should they choose to do so!!!

Mitch Clark is an obvious huge plus for 2012, until injured -- it is vital that his rehab is very carefully managed as this can be a career ending type of injury, and he has shown just what an important player he is and hopefully will continue to be.

Sam Blease to me is another plus, and if he and Missen can get his fitness up to AFL standard he could turn out to be an absolute beauty. His goal sense and flair could really help us forward.

Most have mentioned JW and I agree he has had a breakout season: however I remain uncertain as to where he would best serve the club. IMO he was wasted yesterday collecting cheapies across HB when we had little up forward, nor great delivery from the mids to the forwards. IF we can get a defensive structure up and running without him I feel he would contribute more as a wing link or an athletic leading HF in the Reiwoldt mould.

Even though he fell off as the season progressed, James Magner showed that mature VFL players can perform at AFL level. With another preseason hopefullyhe will have a longer productive season next year.

Tom McD should have a long career with us, and again although he is learning and producing at CHB, could he become the CHF we have lacked since the Ox did his knee all those years ago? I will have to leave that to wiser heads than mine.

Jeremy Howe needs little discussion: he is becoming a well rounded excitement machine, with his incredible leap but also ability to earn his own ball in contests, to tackle and hassle. He must spend lots of time in the preseason brushing up his kicking and he will end up a dangerous attacking machine.

Given far better luck with injuries, and another hard pre-season and general fitness, we do have a lot to look forward to.

Throw in Jack Viney, and throw out anyone who doesn't like hard work and discipline ...

[Maldonboy38 6,034]

Yes, yes, yes to all the above. Well done Crawf52 on starting a positive thread.

Add:

the return of Nev Jetta

the amazing return of Strauss

an encouraging early few games from Josh Tynan

a rampaging, raring to go Max Gawn for 2013

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,410]

Travis Cloke

[bush demon 1,913]

Despite win/loss ratio, we are playing games out, and convincingly beating the teams below us. Jeremy Howe: haven't seem anything like him since Jesaulenko/ Hart.

[Guest Rassilon]

Brilliant thread.

Internal unity & sense of purpose is as good as I've ever seen it. Real sense of purpose thru effective communication.

Absolute desire to tackle the real issues, change our culture & develop our whole list to play a gameplan built on elite fitness.

Focus on the players positives no matter how big or how small but you have to earn your games.

Our increased funding/investment into our coaching group again focusing on player development.

Mark Neelds facial expressions his honesty.

No F'ing short cuts from anyone.

Go Demons

[JJJ 570]

Watched Casey yesterday and a positive is definitely the play of Viney. He is in our best 22 already.

Give him a decent preseason and he will run and spread better as well.

Other positives

Jones

Watts

Mitch

Grimes

Blease

Trengove

McDonald

Nicho

Rivers

Howe

Spencer

[bush demon 1,913]

Despite win/loss ratio, we are playing games out, and convincingly beating the teams below us. Jeremy Howe: haven't seem anything like him since Jesaulenko/ Hart.

Players are signing on, and showing confidence in Neeld's coaching.

[Whispering_Jack 28,094]

The season's not over yet.

Next week we play Adelaide who don't play well at the G (we beat them there last time we played in 2011).

They're in a bit of a slump after losing to the Lions last night so their confidence won't be at its highest.

This is a perfect opportunity for us to jump possibly one or two spots on the ladder especially with Jamar, Martin and Nicholson possibly returning to the team.

So let's go for it and fInish the season on a good note.

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,078]

One of the positives is to hear that we are going to be agressive and active in the draft and trade periods.

[Bitter but optimistic 21,556]

I'm half optimistic.

[This Dangerous 93]

Jack Grimes.

For a kid that previously had the injury resilience of Mr Burns he's not only stayed on the park, but played better as the season goes on.

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,078]

Jack Grimes has a lot of improvement left in him as well. Only just starting to get back to the level he has shown in the past. Trengove is obviously injured. These who will rise to the occasion because cream always rises to the top eventually.

Jack Viney anyone? Maybe it will take 4 Jacks (not counting Fitz) to break the curse?

[beelzebub 22,330]

The season's not over yet.

Sorry Jack...it was over beofre it started mate !! Just a reality.

Next week we play Adelaide who don't play well at the G (we beat them there last time we played in 2011).

because we have , played really well, all year theyre 2nd and we're 16th...lets not kid ourselves

They're in a bit of a slump after losing to the Lions last night so their confidence won't be at its highest.

and we'll probably play them back into form...as usual.

Its good for you to try to drum things up a bit but most of us are over this year.

[monoccular 16,398]

Players are signing on, and showing confidence in Neeld's coaching.

...and those that don't won't be there next season.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

There's optimists on this forum?!