Jump to content

What does the Grand Final tell us about Mark Neeld's Coaching



Recommended Posts

Mark Neeld announced his mantra for his coaching as the team being the hardest to play against in the league. He has put the focus on the players defensive skills and tackling.

Hawks smashed Swans in hitouts, clearances and inside 50's but were defeated by 109 tackles and the competition's best defence. Bring it on Neeldy!!

For those who doubt the wisdom of picking Watts over Natanui, the proof was there to see. If you don't have the skilled forwards to kick the clutch goals you don't win Premierships. I'd take a clutch goal kicker over a ruckman any day, especially with the ruckman wel have coming through on the list. In '05 Barry Hall kicked the clutch goals and the Swans won the Premiership, in '06 he missed them and they lost by a point. He said it took him over a year to get over that game, wonder how long it will take Buddy, knowing that he cost his team a Premiership. Tough call but true.

Edited by It's Time
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Try and explain to me how Buddy Franklin was more responsible for Hawthorn losing than Jarryd Roughead. Go on.

Pretty simple. Franklin was the target the whole team looked for all game. He had 9 shots on goal thanks to the whole team working the ball into the 50 so he could have a shot and he only got 3 out of 8 shots. Roughead spent a lot of time in the ruck, he certainly wasn't the key forward target, he created more of his shots than Franklin. He can also hang his head in shame for bad kicking but wasn't the target Franklin was. Malceski nearly got as many goals as him and he was a backman who was under instructions not to go into the forward line.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites


You do realise there is a whole board dedicated to drafts and trading.

Perhaps WYL was being cunning and hiding it from our trade threads so that Hutchy and Kim Hagdorn might not find it?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty simple. Franklin was the target the whole team looked for all game. He had 9 shots on goal thanks to the whole team working the ball into the 50 so he could have a shot and he only got 3 out of 8 shots. Roughead spent a lot of time in the ruck, he certainly wasn't the key forward target, he created more of his shots than Franklin. He can also hang his head in shame for bad kicking but wasn't the target Franklin was. Malceski nearly got as many goals as him and he was a backman who was under instructions not to go into the forward line.

Wrong. Franklin lifted the entire team spirit and got the Hawks back into the game in the 3rd quarter. You did see this right?

Guys like Roughead and Gunston who let the team down at crucial moments are responsible, not Franklin. Clinton Young and Suckling also contributed little.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wrong. Franklin lifted the entire team spirit and got the Hawks back into the game in the 3rd quarter. You did see this right?

Guys like Roughead and Gunston who let the team down at crucial moments are responsible, not Franklin. Clinton Young and Suckling also contributed little.

Sorry GL Franklin kicks 5 from 8 they win it is that simple.

Also believe they did not have a proper ruckman.

Hawks had 2 pinch hitters, swans 2 proper ruckman.

This is a serious problem for the Hawks and has been for some years.

IMO until they fix their Ruckman problem they will struggle to win a flag.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Great OP, It's Time, but its a shame that its gone off topic a little.

Getting back on topic, I watched the game from half-way back on level 4 and in the pocket closest to the city. While I don't chose to sit there normally, it was great to get a different perspective.

I felt that the Swans game massively vindicated Neeld's gameplan. Time after time, the Swans kicked down the line but they seemed to overdo it at times: the majority of clearances from defence at the city end seemed to go to the boundary in front of the player's race, even if was a two-on-two, and the breakdown of clearances from the back flank felt like it was evenly split between the Swans, Hawthorn and a boundary throw in. There was at least one Hawthorn goal resulting from one of those clearances.

In the last quarter and even longer, both teams played a spare man in defence. LRT got a few impressive marks but he was often that spare man. It was a very defensive mindset.

Sydney's game plan seemed to depend on getting the breakaway goal, as evident from Jack's and Goodes' goals in the last quarter. This defensive game might not be pretty but it obviously can win you a GF.

The points about Watts versus Nic Nat are a bit different. If you go back to November 2008, I strongly suspect that BP and Bails went for the prospect they expected would become a gun FF rather than a potentially mercurial ruckman. In the passage of time, I would say that Jack will become a very good player with great skills who is great in traffic but I think that the forward line is his least likely destination. If Nic can pick up his disposal efficiency, he will become one of the top 3 players of this decade, comparable to Ablett and Judd. It is what it is and Jackie is still one of the favourites in our house.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wrong. Franklin lifted the entire team spirit and got the Hawks back into the game in the 3rd quarter. You did see this right?

Guys like Roughead and Gunston who let the team down at crucial moments are responsible, not Franklin. Clinton Young and Suckling also contributed little.

Cyril Rioli anyone?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are people here seriously trying to say Watts is better than Franklin? Or did I just misread this whole thread? Think I'm going to have to give Demonland a wide berth for a few weeks so my brain doesn't turn stupid.

re-read mate, it's the old Watts v NikNat stuff AGAIN...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It tells us that Neeld knows that MFC has a sheet list and you cant change that overnight

Money alone wont get champions to a club like MFC,so he plans to develop a team that plays within its ability with ruthless commitment...like the Swans.

If he can do it then you'd say he's on the right track and the Swans victory shows its possible.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    REDEEMING by Meggs

    It was such a balmy spring evening for this mid-week BNCA Pink Lady match at our favourite venue Ikon Park between two teams that had not won a game since round one.   After last week’s insipid bombing, the DeeArmy banner correctly deemanded that our players ‘go in hard, go in strong, go in fighting’, and girl they sure did!   The first quarter goals by Alyssa Bannan and Alyssia Pisano were simply stunning, and it was 4 goals to nil by half-time.   Kudos to Mick Stinear.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons

    REDEEM by Meggs

    How will Mick Stinear and his dwindling list of fit and available Demons respond to last week’s 65-point capitulation to the Bombers, the team’s biggest loss in history?   As a minimum he will expect genuine effort from all of his players when Melbourne takes on the GWS Giants at Ikon Park this Thursday.  Happily, the ground remains a favourite Melbourne venue of players and spectators alike and will provide an opportunity for the Demons to redeem themselves. Injuries to star play

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons

    EASYBEATS by Meggs

    A beautiful sunny Friday afternoon, with a light breeze and a strong Windy Hill crowd set the scene, inviting one team to seize the day and take the important four points on offer. For the Demons it was not a good Friday, easily beaten by an all-time largest losing margin of 65 points.   Essendon threw themselves into action today, winning most of the contests and had three early goals with Daria Bannister on fire.  In contrast the Demons were dropping marks, hesitant in close and comm

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 9

    DEFUSE THE BOMBERS by Meggs

    Last Saturday’s crushing loss to Fremantle, after being three goals ahead at three quarter time, should be motivation enough to bounce back for this very winnable Round 5 clash at Windy Hill. A first-time venue for the Melbourne AFLW team, this should be a familiar suburban, windy, footy environment for the players.   Essendon were brave and competitive last week against ladder leader Adelaide at Sturt’s home ground. A familiar name, Maddison Gay, was the Bombers best player with

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 33

    BLOW THE SIREN by Meggs

    Fremantle hosted the Demons on a sunny 20-degree Saturdayafternoon winning the toss and electing to defend in the first quarter against the 3-goal breeze favouring the Parry Street end. There was method here, as this would give the comeback queens, the Dockers, last use of the breeze. The Melbourne Coach had promised an improved performance, and we did start better than previous weeks, winning the ball out of the middle, using the breeze advantage and connecting to the forwards. 

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons

    GETAWAY by Meggs

    Calling all fit players. Expect every available Melbourne player to board the Virgin cross-continent flight to Perth for this Round 4 clash on Saturday afternoon at Fremantle Oval. It promises to be keenly contested, though Fremantle is the bookies clear favourite.  If we lose, finals could be remoter than Rottnest Island especially following on from the Dees 50-point dismantlement by North Melbourne last Sunday.  There are 8 remaining matches, over the next 7 weeks.  To Meggs’

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons

    DRUBBING by Meggs

    With Casey Fields basking in sunshine, an enthusiastic throng of young Demons fans formed a guard of honour for the evergreen and much admired 75-gamer Paxy Paxman. As the home team ran out to play, Paxy’s banner promised that the Demons would bounce back from last week’s loss to Brisbane and reign supreme.   Disappointingly, the Kangaroos dominated the match to win by 50 points, but our Paxy certainly did her bit.  She was clearly our best player, sweeping well in defence.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 4

    GARNER STRENGTH by Meggs

    In keeping with our tough draw theme, Week 3 sees Melbourne take on flag favourites, North Melbourne, at Casey Fields this Sunday at 1:05pm.  The weather forecast looks dry, a coolish 14 degrees and will be characteristically gusty.  Remember when Casey Fields was considered our fortress?  The Demons have lost two of their past three matches at the Field of Dreams, so opposition teams commute down the Princes Highway with more optimism these days.  The Dees held the highe

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 1

    ALLY’S FIELDS by Meggs

    It was a sunny morning at Casey Fields, as Demon supporters young and old formed a guard of honour for fan favourite and 50-gamer Alyssa Bannan.  Banno’s banner stated the speedster was the ‘fastest 50 games’ by an AFLW player ever.   For Dees supporters, today was not our day and unfortunately not for Banno either. A couple of opportunities emerged for our number 6 but alas there was no sizzle.   Brisbane atoned for last week’s record loss to North Melbourne, comprehensively out

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 1
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

×
×
  • Create New...