So, almost one season in and we should be in a better position to judge where we have got to. Let me say first of all that this isn’t a call for heads to roll, it’s more a genuine question or two.

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What I’m having difficulty understanding is how a vast majority of this squad can fail so spectacularly after being talked up so strongly by many commentators, coaches, ex-coaches, etc over the last couple of years? How can this same group of players have impressed these experts and then failed to deliver so completely?

How can it be that this well-thought-of group was not only bereft of stamina, speed and basic footy skills but they also seem to have spent a full season showing little overall improvement?

How can this be? I'm not blind to some of the good news stories such as Jones, McDonald & bits and pieces from some others but the failure is pretty monumental.

Can it be wholesale poor recruitment, so many succumbed to injury or is it an inexperienced (?) coaching team also not performing to expectations?

I honest still can't understand how it all went so wrong this season?

Ps last week and this week were such poor performances and showed almost nothing to give us hope. Having said that, I can’t wait for 2013 - how dumb is that?

This is simply a matter of re-training our players.

Previously, our players played unaccountable football. We didn't work for each other and we didn't have the skills, mindset or structures to vie for a premiership.

Neeld has started this with his "elite" program.

This was like teaching a baby how to crawl. This year was about teaching those things to our team. For many of the players it would have exposed them to a work ethic they would have never even experienced before.

This year was about sorting our list and seeing who could withstand the pressures required to build a premiership winning culture and club.

Our club is much better placed for the future after this year. It was painful. But it will be worth it.

We weren't far off winning many more games this year had a couple of things been executed a little better and with a bit more poise. Expect that to come in next year.

Prediction is 8 wins next year.

This is simply a matter of re-training our players.

Previously, our players played unaccountable football.

I read your whole post but felt it necessary to only quote this.

Dean Bailey epitomised unaccountable football. Daniher had his favourites but he still held even his mates accountable for not performing. Bailey essentially let players get away with murder because they were young and inexperience.

2012 was indicative of a group with no real direction. When you come in and tell a puppy how to act like a dog, you're never going to get a mature hound right from the get-go. That's the reality.

This year was awful. It was essentially our insight into just how bad this group was managed and trained: once someone came in from a working system, the players lost the plot and suddenly didn't have the capacity -- physically and mentally -- to play top-level AFL footy.

If ever we needed an insight as to how far away this club was, it was to see it get plummeted by a top-4 side, two weeks out of finals.

Edited August 26, 201213 yr by Cudi_420

Forget trades, free agents, father sons, draft picks and rookie sensations.

This is what we need across ALL the current and future group:

1. muscle - again we get pushed aside too easly. Watch the crows, eagles etc and their body shapes are superior to us.

2. fitness and injuries - our curse continues. Some clubs such as the kangas and swans have 2-3 players out with injuries. We have 10-15 out, with this year up to 9 players out "for the season".

3. positive confident footy (and ENTERTAINING). Not sideways, sideways, backwards turnover footy. Its pointless. Forward quick footy is MANDATORY

4. tackling that is elite. It is crucial. Too often the opposition gets the ball "forward'> You rarely get a holding the ball decision nowadays.

5. forget the handball handball handball turnover footy. We overpossess the footy (whn we have it). Handball, run, kick is abetter style. Watch the kangas, and crows resurgence. Their style is quick and effective. No "mucking around".

6. clearances: intensity, keep your feet, work & blok for others ... we are absent at all these. We have the grunt (Jones, Mckenzie, Magner). Its not the heart but the brain at these clearances. WE get SMASHED. Neeld get it right.

7. kick ins and kick outs: GET IT RIGHT. Overall, this "event" happens between 25-40 times a match. We are rubbish at defending kick outs, or attacking from our kick ins. Neeld MUST get it right NOW.

8. break the lines running - get Strauss, Grimes, Sylvia, Bail, Blease etc. to run run run & run. I don't care if they get caught. Just run and gun.

9. Forward crumbing ... the last man was Davey back some 5 years ago. We rarely get goal from a crumbing event. opposition often score 4-5 goals to our NIL. This has to do with fwd setup but also blokes hitting the base of packs. (watch Calinan and Petrenko today get goals and setup goals from fwd crumbing ... and Milne, Thomas, Riolo, Lewis Jetta etc etc get goals from this ).

We need strategy. We are absent in any real entertaining footy. The above is needed NOW.

Edited August 26, 201213 yr by jurrahcane

I don't know how people can be convinced we're going forward after this year.

We've had a whole year to work on stuff but have not gotten any better, yet people think we'll somehow improve by any kind of reasonable degree during one short preseason?

I hope we do get better, but I've not seen a lot to give me hope, nor have I seen this improvement that is apparently happening.

I don't know how people can be convinced we're going forward after this year.

We've had a whole year to work on stuff but have not gotten any better, yet people think we'll somehow improve by any kind of reasonable degree during one short preseason?

I hope we do get better, but I've not seen a lot to give me hope, nor have I seen this improvement that is apparently happening.

I don't know how people can't see what been taking place.

I don't know how people can't see what been taking place.

I'm not saying it won't happen, just saying I'm yet to be convinced it will.

Was hoping for more hope from this year.

Forget trades, free agents, father sons, draft picks and rookie sensations.

This is what we need across ALL the current and future group:

1. muscle - again we get pushed aside too easly. Watch the crows, eagles etc and their body shapes are superior to us.

2. fitness and injuries - our curse continues. Some clubs such as the kangas and swans have 2-3 players out with injuries. We have 10-15 out, with this year up to 9 players out "for the season".

3. positive confident footy (and ENTERTAINING). Not sideways, sideways, backwards turnover footy. Its pointless. Forward quick footy is MANDATORY

4. tackling that is elite. It is crucial. Too often the opposition gets the ball "forward'> You rarely get a holding the ball decision nowadays.

5. forget the handball handball handball turnover footy. We overpossess the footy (whn we have it). Handball, run, kick is abetter style. Watch the kangas, and crows resurgence. Their style is quick and effective. No "mucking around".

6. clearances: intensity, keep your feet, work & blok for others ... we are absent at all these. We have the grunt (Jones, Mckenzie, Magner). Its not the heart but the brain at these clearances. WE get SMASHED. Neeld get it right.

7. kick ins and kick outs: GET IT RIGHT. Overall, this "event" happens between 25-40 times a match. We are rubbish at defending kick outs, or attacking from our kick ins. Neeld MUST get it right NOW.

8. break the lines running - get Strauss, Grimes, Sylvia, Bail, Blease etc. to run run run & run. I don't care if they get caught. Just run and gun.

9. Forward crumbing ... the last man was Davey back some 5 years ago. We rarely get goal from a crumbing event. opposition often score 4-5 goals to our NIL. This has to do with fwd setup but also blokes hitting the base of packs. (watch Calinan and Petrenko today get goals and setup goals from fwd crumbing ... and Milne, Thomas, Riolo, Lewis Jetta etc etc get goals from this ).

We need strategy. We are absent in any real entertaining footy. The above is needed NOW.

Good attempt. Some good points, but I don't think you truly understand the modern game.

Flood press spread run switch, efficient kicking, athleticism. It's best described as what in other areas is called 'chaos theory' ie. so many variables there is no simple solution. Which coach understands most possibilities wins. I keep saying Neeld is a rookie coach who started with defence as his approach, 'we'll be the hardest to play against'. Unlike Bailey he responded to failure, by trying different things eg. movement of players into alternate position. Lets hope he is a good and quick learner

I honest still can't understand how it all went so wrong this season?

The last 5 seasons is my question.

I don't know how people can't see what been taking place.

perhaps they're deeluded!

Edited August 26, 201213 yr by thaipantsman

This is simply a matter of re-training our players.

Previously, our players played unaccountable football. We didn't work for each other and we didn't have the skills, mindset or structures to vie for a premiership.

Neeld has started this with his "elite" program.

This was like teaching a baby how to crawl. This year was about teaching those things to our team. For many of the players it would have exposed them to a work ethic they would have never even experienced before.

This year was about sorting our list and seeing who could withstand the pressures required to build a premiership winning culture and club.

Our club is much better placed for the future after this year. It was painful. But it will be worth it.

We weren't far off winning many more games this year had a couple of things been executed a little better and with a bit more poise. Expect that to come in next year.

Prediction is 8 wins next year.

Bulldust, Adelaide have changed their game entirely, so have Essendon in 2011 and Wet COke in 2010.

I simply do not buy this crap that it takes years to formulate a new game plan. We are forever chasing our tails. Are trying to emulate Geelong's corridor game plan or Collingwoods boundary game plan????? Both are outdated now but we'll get it right in 5 yrs time. hahahaha what crap.

I don't know how people can't see what been taking place.

We can see what has taken place. That is the problem. We have gone backwards and it is not a case of two steps back one step fwd it s more like 12 steps back then another two steps back.

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What I’m having difficulty understanding is how a vast majority of this squad can fail so spectacularly after being talked up so strongly by many commentators, coaches, ex-coaches, etc over the last couple of years? How can this same group of players have impressed these experts and then failed to deliver so completely.

A lot of experts and commentators don't know what they are talking about. They jumped on our bandwagon after belting Sydney and Adelaide which was a very easy thing to do. A lot in the industry just regurgitate what others say.

We can see what has taken place. That is the problem. We have gone backwards and it is not a case of two steps back one step fwd it s more like 12 steps back then another two steps back.

not sure about that - a number of players have gone forward this year. Some have struggled with the incresed workload, others were kept on the list too long Baily. If you read Jims book, you will understand where Dean have made a mess.

I reckon we will be bottom four again next year, just a terrible side and a few new players won't make that much difference - particularly if you factor in the quality of players we continue to draft.

I'm not saying it won't happen, just saying I'm yet to be convinced it will.

Was hoping for more hope from this year.

Yeah we all were, but looking in through the trees from the outside, doesn't gives us a good enough view to tell where things are really.

We speculate, and we can get things wrong.

I think the truth is the previous footy dept made some mistakes, re drafting some who aren't hard enough, we lost one, and we've changed gamestyle totally, to a more robust one.

Rectifying all these things has taken time and has impacted our ladder position.

*But the club is clearly ontrack with selecting a true gamestyle to withstand finals type pressure.

*We are moving towards harder footballers

*We are moving towards Elite fitness & conditioning for our players to runout games

*We've recruited well last year re Clarke

We need to develop bigger bodies to compete, so we are behind the likes of the Cats, Bombers, Eagles, Crows, where Craig & his team developed the kids for some years.

This club has made a complete hash of things thru the 2000's! And we have to try as hard as we can to play catchup, and there be mistakes along the way. But as long as we keep on the correct pathway we will get there.

We may have recruited 3 - 5 players, over the last 5 Yrs, who are the wrong types, and we have to correct this part of our list. So we have delayed our timeline re the development our our kids.

Critically our skilled running players are the ones we've mostly mucked up.

We can see what has taken place. That is the problem. We have gone backwards and it is not a case of two steps back one step fwd it s more like 12 steps back then another two steps back.

HaHa, comeon Jnr, don't be overdramatic. We have gone back a couple of places from last year on the ladder which is handy.

As far as the list is concerned we've learnt where the weak links are, & I'm sure that the club has realised the game style mistakes we made & have collectively opted for a more competative brand of Footy.

The list changes will reflect this.

Always when change of direction are taken, some impetus is lost.

Blind Freddy could tell that the soft won football we've played for 10 years was taking nowhere but down. It took us til 2007 to start to realise this.

perhaps they're deeluded!

HaHaHa, perhaps there is a bit of it in all of us.

Bulldust, Adelaide have changed their game entirely, so have Essendon in 2011 and Wet COke in 2010.

I simply do not buy this crap that it takes years to formulate a new game plan. We are forever chasing our tails. Are trying to emulate Geelong's corridor game plan or Collingwoods boundary game plan????? Both are outdated now but we'll get it right in 5 yrs time. hahahaha what crap.

Game plans have changed yes. But they have had the personnel to do it. I struggle to find anyone on Melbourne's list that can match Adelaide's: Walker, Tippett, Dangerfield, Thompson, Jacobs.

There are 5 out and out game winners for them in any situation. Melbourne simply doesn't have that.

Have to look at experience as well. We rank 3rd in inexperienced players (games played).

This is simply a matter of re-training our players.

Previously, our players played unaccountable football. We didn't work for each other and we didn't have the skills, mindset or structures to vie for a premiership.

Neeld has started this with his "elite" program.

This was like teaching a baby how to crawl. This year was about teaching those things to our team. For many of the players it would have exposed them to a work ethic they would have never even experienced before.

This year was about sorting our list and seeing who could withstand the pressures required to build a premiership winning culture and club.

Our club is much better placed for the future after this year. It was painful. But it will be worth it.

We weren't far off winning many more games this year had a couple of things been executed a little better and with a bit more poise. Expect that to come in next year.

Prediction is 8 wins next year.

Agree. The problems are many and serious and they don't take a couple of months over one offseason to sort out, espcially with such an inexperienced and young team. Anyone expecting a quick fix and a mighty charge up the ladder this year was kidding themselves. This is a long-term rebuild and people need to accept that.

That doesn't make it hurt any less and it's been gutting to watch my team get belted every week, but I believe that it gets better from here. The rate of improvement will still be pretty glacial and will take several years before this side regularly contends for a finals spot. They will get there though.

A bit premature with the win prediction, but I'd be very pleased with 8 wins next year.

Good attempt. Some good points, but I don't think you truly understand the modern game.

Flood press spread run switch, efficient kicking, athleticism. It's best described as what in other areas is called 'chaos theory' ie. so many variables there is no simple solution. Which coach understands most possibilities wins. I keep saying Neeld is a rookie coach who started with defence as his approach, 'we'll be the hardest to play against'. Unlike Bailey he responded to failure, by trying different things eg. movement of players into alternate position. Lets hope he is a good and quick learner

Good attempt. Some good points, but I don't think you truly understand the modern game.

Flood press spread run switch, efficient kicking, athleticism. It's best described as what in other areas is called 'chaos theory' ie. so many variables there is no simple solution. Which coach understands most possibilities wins. I keep saying Neeld is a rookie coach who started with defence as his approach, 'we'll be the hardest to play against'. Unlike Bailey he responded to failure, by trying different things eg. movement of players into alternate position. Lets hope he is a good and quick learner

Yes I do understand the modern game, and so does Brenton Sanderson. Disposals Crows 326 (kicks 218 handballs 108) Demons 356 (kicks 188 handballs 168). Switch must be effect. Not when you are 55 metres out from goal. I watch 3-4 games a week and we "give up" 4-5 goals per game. as well as missing 3-4 simple chances ourselves. This is ridiculous. My points are a strategy for success. Others welcome to contribute, but not more negatives.