5 decisions you'd make this preseason

[DeeSpencer 24,699]

Say you were Mark Neeld for a day and you got to make 5 decisions on list management/pre season training/ and they were final.

1. Organise a camp with a heavy feature on adversity. I don't particularly think that these trips like Arizona deliver massive fitness benefits but I'm sure they built team work, I'd like to see our young guys go on a camp and show their leadership. I don't care where it is but I think our players have to experience hard work as a team, not just individually running laps of AAMI park.

2. Bring in a couple of recently retired players who have played Mark Neeld style football as assistant or development coaches. I'm not sure who they are but somewhere I think we need to find someone like a Brett Kirk. Maybe a Brady Rawlings who built a career on work rate. Hearing Jones talk about the benefit he's got from a mentor thinks we need a few guys around the place who have delivered on Neeld's message. Maybe there are other Sydney premiership players around.

3. Trial Tom McDonald at CHF until mid next season. Presuming we can convince Rivers to stay we've certainly got enough down back with Rivers/Frawley/Sellar/Watts that its time to trial a CHF. Neeld's game style revolves around having support for Clark so why not try McDonald who clearly has the work rate and athleticism to make it as a forward. He might not be up to it skill wise but lets give him a go. Clark will draw the second defender and Howe can help out as a target so why not try. I don't see what is to lose in this regard.

4. Go hard for mature talent who will fill roles in the team. If that is Wellingham or a lesser talent lets try to get some guys in who will do a job, we just have too many spots to fill on our list that the draft wont cut it. Richmond's success with Houli, Maric and Grigg is off the charts. Someone out there must be keen on a regular starting gig and has the talent to get the job done.

5. Put on a focus on tackling and stoppages. If we still can't run or still can't kick then that's too bad. Some players wont ever work hard enough and they'll be found out, others wont ever have elite skills, but I think everyone should be able to win the ball at a contest and tackle. Just by doing that I think we could improve from easy beats to at least rival teams. I'll live with a few Bail or Bartram or Macdonald clangers but I can't stand getting beat up at stoppages week after week and then Neeld preaching about playing a finals brand of footy.

[Maldonboy38 6,379]

1. Target a midfield coach like Ratten, Ling, maybe Junior, who can communicate what they know. This is priority No. 1

2. Huge preseason in the gym - give Dave Misson free reign to put big weight on frames like Gysberts, Watts, Strauss, Gawn, Bail, T McDonald.

3. Delist/Trade Morton, Bate, Petterd, Bennell as a minimum

4. Recruit 2 outside midfield class who can run and carry in the manner of Yarran from Carlton, Thomas from Collingwood, Jetta from Swans etc...

5. Recruit 2 players who can't get a regular game at their club who can make an immediate impact on our starting 22 - Wellingham, Gumbleton, Levi Greenwood etc...

[Je Roos Salem 661]

1. Free up plenty of list space and rookie space

2. Change our guernsey to the former red colour, get rid of those collars on the jumper and rid of the white away strip.

3. perhaps 4-5 mature/ promising players from other clubs who can't get a game, Aaron Edwards, Shannon Byrnes or Koby Stevens or others.

4. Serious talks with all the players individually and in the group about winning and setting up a new culture where success is a more prominent word than progress/development. Serious motivational talk and encouragement and club history lessons as well.

5. Skills, skills, skills. Kicking, decision making and running work is in desperate need of improvement, as is tackling. Less time in the Gym and more time on the grass (for most players)

[bing181 8,908]

Huge preseason in the gym

Less time in the Gym

Demonland in a nutshell.

[Jonesbag 487]

Punch Col Garland in the nuts and let him know there is another one coming if he kicks the ball off the ground again

[Ouch! 2,205]

Punch Col Garland in the nuts and let him know there is another one coming if he kicks the ball off the ground again

5 times?

[Jonesbag 487]

yes

[Red N Blue Society 165]

1) Get Jack Watts in the GYM! Get muscle on him like Lynch from WC.Then the superstar will arrive!

2) Get a cage fighter to give Col Garland some much needed agression as he doesnt have any wotsoever.Turn him into a Scarlett.

3) Trade Morton/Joel Mcdonald,Bate,Bennell.

4) Find an Allen Jakovich to sit alongside Mitch.

5) Give Stefan martin more gametime & do not trade him.

[Jonesbag 487]

Ok I like this thread so ill get serious.

1. Tell Watts its time to get massive, hit the gym and protein otherwise be ridiculed with the nickname 'linguine arms'

2. Tell Morton not to bother in the gym, hes traded.

3. Keep Gysberts & Blease on the track in preseason to develop a tank.

4. Get Max Gawn right for round 1.

5. Recruit Toumpass Viney Caddy and a couple of roughies in the VFL maybe A. Cockie from Sandy

[MikeyJ 60]

My top 5:

1. Continue to pour the aerobic and fitness work into the players while building bodies in the gym. Building AFL-level resilience into our players' bodies must be the no.1 priority.

2. Bolster the midfield with two 'plug and play' AFL-quality mids. Wellingham and Caddy would be ideal. If not, target Salopek and Stevens with later picks.

3. Draft at least two more potentially A-grade mids with early picks. Viney is one, raffle the other among the SA guns.

4. Ensure we get Jesse Hogan in the GWS 17.y.o mini-draft

5. Build some sophistication into the game plan. Focusing on stoppages and playing the percentages around the boundary keeps it simple but it's relatively easy to counter.

5. Put on a focus on tackling and stoppages ... I can't stand getting beat up at stoppages week after week and then Neeld preaching about playing a finals brand of footy.

Forgive me, but did you watch any footy this year? Neeld and co did practically nothing in a football sense this season apart from trying to develop a competitive unit at stoppages. That's why we were so boring to watch most of the time. If nothing else, we improved in terms of our ability to be competitive at the stoppages. What we did after that was generally more of a problem.

[monoccular 17,315]

Very simple, in the fantasy world of internet blogs.

Get Ablett

Get Pavlich

Get Cloke

Get Pendlebery

Get Selwood

[dpositive 1,649]

All have some elements I like but for me

1 really concentrate on physique, physical ability, and ability to use it for all the team. Those already with well developed muscle power weight structure concentrate more on the attitude how to use it

2 approach geishen or umpire representatives to work with us on the techniques that we need to receive a more favorable free kick count. This is how to tackle better and how to dispose of the ball better seem to be serious issues for our players also how to receive protection for the head and back. OH and how to get respect from umpires particularly by not talking back to them.

3 Definitely individual talks with all players leading to the team camp. Tenacity and the tenuous nature of the game to achieve results. the need to give the maximum of their skills in cooperation with their team mates to achieve the success. The ned to know your team mates abilities so it becomes instinctive to go to the spot he will get it too the time to support and the time to peel off, to know how far in front of him to kick the ball so he can run onto it. Know your team mate as yourself

4 Coaches to get plan A.B and C for individuals and team. so that it is recognised that their are different requirments for different opponents and different teams.

5 Emphasise that to win requires total commitment of the whole group. The squad will be varied to meet changing conditions but there will still be an expectation that nothing less than total commitment to whatever role you are given will be accepted.

It doesnt matter wether you are a key position player or playing at casey total openess with the coaches and teammates is required for only one thing. For the team to win.

There is probably much more to this and these starting points can certainly be expanded.

Trading and list management must also embrace the above.

I would like to see the depth of engagement passion etc that Dlanders contribute to be evidenced from the footy departmentand players.

[Hannibal 5,814]

1. Tell Wattsy not to listen to those nasty supporters and brutes in the media and reassure him that he's been doing really well.

2. Tell the recruiters that we want to be the dumping ground for every hack that can't get a game at another club.

3. Change the captains. Clearly they didn't toss the coin well enough. Get a player that bleeds for the club in the role.

4. Trade our best draft picks for B graders at other clubs, because we need mature players now.

5. Pay out Schwabby. He's ensured we now have the money to do so.

[Demons 32 235]

1. Kidnapp Wattsy's family and make him fight people for their freedom to give him some intensity.

2. Get Sharrod Wellingham

3. Bulk up the players

4. Promote Dan Nicholson

5. Make sure that Mitch Clark is right to go for round 1.

[satyricon 267]

1. Kidnapp Wattsy's family and make him fight people for their freedom to give him some intensity.

2. Get Sharrod Wellingham

3. Bulk up the players

4. Promote Dan Nicholson

5. Make sure that Mitch Clark is right to go for round 1.

1. Explode the myth that Jack Watts lacks intensity

2. Ask why if we get Wellingham who is one of the most streamlined midfielders going around, why I need to bulk up others?

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,644]

Very simple, in the fantasy world of internet blogs.

Get Ablett

Get Pavlich

Get Cloke

Get Pendlebery

Get Selwood

Given our luck/recruiting skills, we'd probably end up with Nathan Ablett, Jason Cloke and whichever Selwood twin it is who has retired.

[Demons 32 235]

1. Explode the myth that Jack Watts lacks intensity

2. Ask why if we get Wellingham who is one of the most streamlined midfielders going around, why I need to bulk up others?

Myth? Wowee.

Because there is a difference between being streamlined and being weak.

Morton attempts a tackle, shrugged. Wellingham attempts a tackle, sticks.

[DemonWA 3,884]

1. Explode the myth that Jack Watts lacks intensity

2. Ask why if we get Wellingham who is one of the most streamlined midfielders going around, why I need to bulk up others?

Thast actually a really good point. Pendlebury, Beams, Sidebottom, Wellingham, Thomas, Blair arent huge blokes. They're just super fit and strong enough through the core to stand up in tackles and not get pushed off the ball too easily. I'm guessing thats why Neeld asked Beamer to trim down of GTFO!

[Jonesbag 487]

Given our luck/recruiting skills, we'd probably end up with Nathan Ablett, Jason Cloke and whichever Selwood twin it is who has retired.

Yeah Mitch Clark is a stinker

[satyricon 267]

Myth? Wowee.

Because there is a difference between being streamlined and being weak.

Morton attempts a tackle, shrugged. Wellingham attempts a tackle, sticks.

You are just repeating what is said on the board here about Watts, if you look at Pendlebury (who I hope Jack can get close to in his career) he looks a lot of the time he is not trying but he gets the ball

How many tackles did Morton have this year? Bulking up is not necessarily the answer, I was a good tackler at the footy even being small why because I had played rugby league as well, it is timing and technique.....hence why the best tacklers are not monsters but similar build to MFC's Jordie Mac....who has a great technique

[tarzan16 40]

1. Kidnapp Wattsy's family and make him fight people for their freedom to give him some intensity.

2. Get Sharrod Wellingham

3. Bulk up the players

4. Promote Dan Nicholson

5. Make sure that Mitch Clark is right to go for round 1.

point 1, nearly wet myself, brilliant

[Demons 32 235]

You are just repeating what is said on the board here about Watts, if you look at Pendlebury (who I hope Jack can get close to in his career) he looks a lot of the time he is not trying but he gets the ball

How many tackles did Morton have this year? Bulking up is not necessarily the answer, I was a good tackler at the footy even being small why because I had played rugby league as well, it is timing and technique.....hence why the best tacklers are not monsters but similar build to MFC's Jordie Mac....who has a great technique

Ok first off, not turning this into a Watts thing, he is my boy and I am not here to find reasons why he is no good.

He has an extremely laconic attitude which does not mean he isn't trying, but to put his name in the same breath of Scott Pendlebury is very strange.

I get that everyone wants him to be as good and they both have bball backgrounds... But Pendles shows incredible work rate and intensity at the contest when it is his time to go. Watts currently does not have that and I will not sit here and write that he does purely because he plays for MFC.

In regards to tackling technique you are very very very right.

Big muscles don't make good tacklers, technique does.... But so does core strength which isn't anywhere near as visual as arm size.

Fact is Wellingham has had 5 years in a system promoting core strength, it was one of David Butterfants main directives at Collingwood. I do not believe our players have anywhere near the core strength needed to be a strong tackling side across the board.

[Hannibal 5,814]

You are just repeating what is said on the board here about Watts, if you look at Pendlebury (who I hope Jack can get close to in his career) he looks a lot of the time he is not trying but he gets the ball

How many tackles did Morton have this year? Bulking up is not necessarily the answer, I was a good tackler at the footy even being small why because I had played rugby league as well, it is timing and technique.....hence why the best tacklers are not monsters but similar build to MFC's Jordie Mac....who has a great technique

Wowee. I've even heard MFC players and coaches talk of Watts needing to lift his intensity, but you can't see it. The guy plays on his own terms, picks and chooses the marking contests he'll enter, and often lacks urgency.

What do you watch when you go to the footy ?

[Roost It 1,434]

1. Hogan

2. run

3. lift weights

4. learn to dispose of the ball

5. Take the pink out of the jumper

[old dee 23,486]

1. Hogan

2. run

3. lift weights

4. learn to dispose of the ball

5. Take the pink out of the jumper

It has moved from Pink to maroon Roost it