A breath of fresh air ...

[Nineteen 159]

Assuming a few things still to go right ... BUT am I justified in sensing the page turning over in the Demons story?

Additional to physical capability, these new incumbents seem to bring a bag of maturity, responsibility & positive attitude that has eluded us for a little while.

Is Neeld getting together a fresh group of Demons who are going to role model his objectives?

So far so very good!

[PJ_12345 1,098]

Since 2008:

• New board
  
• New staff
  
• New coach
  
• No debt and profitable balance sheet
  
• New leadership team
  
• New young captains
  
• New experienced players
  
• New strategy
  
• First full preseason with all these changes
  

It feels like being in a new car - everything is so shiny and smells so good!!

[jumbo returns 6,739]

Let's keep the theme going here - all those doomsdayers who said that 'no-one wants to play here ...'

[GrandOld 367]

I'm not a massive Dawes fan but am fast becoming a massive Neeld fan. The club looks like it can start heading north and he seems to be in control at the helm. I'm ready to buy in!

[Brian Wilson 331]

A month ago, I thought that Neeld's problem would be that it would take him at least three years to transform the list into his image, but that with a poor run of results, he might not get that long. I didn't think it was possible for him to change things this quickly. The T$ compo picks gave them a head start but the recruiting job done by the FD has been very impressive.

Time will tell if MN's game plan will work but he is giving himself every chance of success and you have to respect that approach.

[Old Man Rivers 326]

I'm not a massive Dawes fan but am fast becoming a massive Neeld fan. The club looks like it can start heading north and he seems to be in control at the helm. I'm ready to buy in!

Ok how many of us where massive Mitch Clark fans this time last year.

I admired the way the bloke went about his footy but had no idea the impact he would have at the MFC

I have a gut feel Dawes will make a similiar statement in the Red & Blue

Thumbs up for a positive thread 19

[Kento80 83]

Loving seeing that there is some fresh air about. I am honestly not too sure about Dawes, but that said he wants to come to us and that's a bloody big step toward making me like him. I really feel alot like how I felt last year when we got Mitch. Desite all our problems and issues, the club as a whole is able to target and successfully attract the players that they want, and considering our year, I must say I am quite pleasantly astounded by this. It is nice to feel positive again, isn't it.

[binman 42,683]

Thumbs up for a positive thread 19

Good call. I wonder how long it will take before it is hijacked.

The other thing i really like are the players that Neeld has got are all training animals who are fully commited to doing the work required to play AFL. Couch, Magner, Clark, Sellar, Byrnes and Dawes are all highly respected in terms of their focus on training and are all solid citizens (Byrnes is doing the Kokoda train in his off season FFS).. To me this is so important and is a clear statement of Neelds approach and what he considers to be to key to success (as he has made super clear time and time again). I honestly believe this point can't be emphasised enough

This is how you change culture. The young players (current and new guys) will be surrounded by older blokes who go for it 100% and not only will set a great example will also not hesitate i suspect to make it clear what is required to succeed. In essence its like drafting in a new leadership group. very instructive that Clark was put in the LG from the get go. It would not shock me for one or more of the new recruits going into the LG next year. This will be the culture Hogan will be joining. No short cuts and the party boy element cut out of the club

I love it

[Sir Why You Little 36,985]

We have been aggressors at the trade table....I think we will be again next year to.

But in past years we have done 3rd party deals or taken players discarded, not always but often enough.

This year we were on the front foot from the first morning.

Jesse Hogan is a man mountain....We must all donate for his supermarket account..He will be a Beast in 1-2 years.

[Biffen 12,940]

I just hope that Dawes doesn't put in "Fresh Air" performances.

He is almost useless when the ball hits ground.

I hope this changes.

Looks like hes a Demon now for sure.

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

yes, if dawes captures his old form we have quite a formidable fwd line. of course its only as good as the delivery but that will come together over time. The good thing about Dawes is that he has been good in the past. hes done it , so he could be that good again. And more to the point, it will only serve to improve Clarks game , where he wont be getting gang raped every time he goes for the footy

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Good call. I wonder how long it will take before it is hijacked.

The other thing i really like are the players that Neeld has got are all training animals who are fully commited to doing the work required to play AFL. Couch, Magner, Clark, Sellar, Byrnes and Dawes are all highly respected in terms of their focus on training and are all solid citizens (Byrnes is doing the Kokoda train in his off season FFS).. To me this is so important and is a clear statement of Neelds approach and what he considers to be to key to success (as he has made super clear time and time again). I honestly believe this point can't be emphasised enough

This is how you change culture. The young players (current and new guys) will be surrounded by older blokes who go for it 100% and not only will set a great example will also not hesitate i suspect to make it clear what is required to succeed. In essence its like drafting in a new leadership group. very instructive that Clark was put in the LG from the get go. It would not shock me for one or more of the new recruits going into the LG next year. This will be the culture Hogan will be joining. No short cuts and the party boy element cut out of the club

I love it

we all knew the leadership culture was pretty poor but its only now, looking back in the rear view mirror that its bloody evident just how poor it was at the club and that there was no chance in hell our list was going to achieve the heights we all hoped for. Just wish Big Kev was around to tell everyone how excited we are!!

[Striker475 696]

we all knew the leadership culture was pretty poor but its only now, looking back in the rear view mirror that its bloody evident just how poor it was at the club and that there was no chance in hell our list was going to achieve the heights we all hoped for. Just wish Big Kev was around to tell everyone how excited we are!!

I think the leadership culture has now changed.

Because Neeld's gone 'f*** it, it's my side, I'm going to lead it and screw the rest.'

[garyh007 112]

Great thread all positive assuming hogan nickname is baby hulk first saw him in interview with mn had to turn iPad to widescreen to fit him on screen hate to be dietician at club what a job in hogan

[DeeM 42]

Before we got Mitch Clark, out of our 44 players on the list, only 1 had come from another club, Moloney. Here in lies the problem.....

The culture wasn't developing, it was the the old passing onto the new, no diversification.

Now the new attitude of this authoritarian style coaching is questioning everything, and new players bringing what they know about successful cultures (without knowing it).

This is all leading toward a new (hopefully) successful culture.

[Maldonboy38 6,390]

I get optimistic every preseason only to get my hopes so often dashed. But this year feels so different. It feels aggressive, determined and very clearly "my way or the highway" for players and coaches. I go to a lot of preaseason training - really looking forward to it in a few weeks.

[jane02 3,741]

I have had such a top week. I cannot remember being so interested in draft week ever. I have always been an optimistic supporter but this week has given me more hope than usual.

Let the good times roll......

[keep13alive 78]

Wake me when we actually win a few games,seen it all before.Until the runs are on the board forgive me for not believing in false dawns.

Although I have a small smile at present ... should be gone at half time RD 1.

[biggestred 5,015]

Statue of Norm Smith gets put up, curse ends.

[Nineteen 159]

Best post so far goes to Binman & his "training animals" observation.

Can one lose vision from basking in this positive flow of pure optimism??

[Dr John Dee 1,057]

Wake me when we actually win a few games,seen it all before.Until the runs are on the board forgive me for not believing in false dawns.

Although I have a small smile at present......................should be gone at half time RD 1.

Just as Binman thought, didn't take long. And stuffed full of cliches too, just to show how ritualised negativity has become round here.

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Wake me when we actually win a few games,seen it all before.Until the runs are on the board forgive me for not believing in false dawns.

Although I have a small smile at present......................should be gone at half time RD 1.

Makin' a lot of gibber-jabber for someone who's supposed to be asleep.

[Jordie_tackles 354]

I just hope that Dawes doesn't put in "Fresh Air" performances.

He is almost useless when the ball hits ground.

I hope this changes.

Looks like hes a Demon now for sure.

From a Collingwood supporter on BF,

Good get by Melbourne. I'm not happy he left tbh.

As long as he doesn't play second ruck, at the least you get a tall target who will bring the ball to ground a lot pretty much never gets outmarked. He is also an aerobic machine - back in 2010-11 when he was actually playing well had the best best workrate out of any tall forward in the comp. I valued him highly, close to the 3-4th most player we could least afford (not best) to lose in 2010 because of the impact he had on Cloke's game - these were the years that Cloke move into the top 2 forward in the game. If played solely as a forward then he would help Clarke out a lot. Also is beautiful kick in theory, just lacking in confidence atm. Seems difficult for Melbourne to lose this one, at worst you get a 100kg tall forward with an insane work rate who will provide a target all day even if he isn't gloving them. If he starts gloving them and kicking straight then we will look like complete idiots.

I'm not happy about letting him after go with not even giving him a chance of playing a forward, rather than out of position as 2nd ruck. It's difficult to determine his value though because he didn't have a great year. Although it wasn't anywhere near as bad as we've been led to believe. He had a pretty decent second half of the year and good finals series - he just didn't put it on the scoreboard because of woeful kicking. He also made a few glaring mistakes like the trampoline mark which the media replayed to death. I don't think the media's portrayel of his season this year is an accurate reflection of his ability. And I attribute his poor season to our dodgy gameplan and poor midfield kicking as much as anything else. Travis Cloke had a poor season to and I doubt that it's a coincidence that he relied on the same midfield and gameplan that Dawes did.

From what i saw of Dawes last year he tries hard when it hits the ground, he just couldnt mark it last year, is always a target and will take some pressure off Clark, teams cant couble team him all day when he have other targets. If he comes good pick 20 will be like 12 for Clark day light robbery.

[monoccular 17,413]

Good call. I wonder how long it will take before it is hijacked.

The other thing i really like are the players that Neeld has got are all training animals who are fully commited to doing the work required to play AFL. Couch, Magner, Clark, Sellar, Byrnes and Dawes are all highly respected in terms of their focus on training and are all solid citizens (Byrnes is doing the Kokoda train in his off season FFS).. To me this is so important and is a clear statement of Neelds approach and what he considers to be to key to success (as he has made super clear time and time again). I honestly believe this point can't be emphasised enough

This is how you change culture. The young players (current and new guys) will be surrounded by older blokes who go for it 100% and not only will set a great example will also not hesitate i suspect to make it clear what is required to succeed. In essence its like drafting in a new leadership group. very instructive that Clark was put in the LG from the get go. It would not shock me for one or more of the new recruits going into the LG next year. This will be the culture Hogan will be joining. No short cuts and the party boy element cut out of the club

I love it

Quite surprisingly I think only one of 24 could be really construed as negative. Maybe the soothsayers are asleep and will attack again tomorrow!

[Go the Biff 3,414]

I just hope that Dawes doesn't put in "Fresh Air" performances.

He is almost useless when the ball hits ground.

I hope this changes.

Looks like hes a Demon now for sure.

I'm in the school that thinks pick 20 is well over Dawes current value but it appears Neeld has got his man & will pay that price

The least of my worries about him though, is when the ball hits the ground. He contests, handballs, blocks, shepherds etc. For a big unit he really does have a crack when the pill hits the deck.