Well said..!! i dont remmeber us being so aggressive during the daniher and bailey years!

I was thinking the very same thing!

Better still. Maybe we will become the schoolyard bullies!

Yeah and show carlton who really plays 'soft footy'! B)

Who's still bagging the apparent lack of process that saw Mark Neeld appointed as our head coach this time last year?!

Come out you bloody dweebs - you know who you are.

Ms Wilson, you're one. And where are our 'On The Couch' buddies? Anti intellectual, grubby, gutter journalism at its best. Disgraceful stuff.

Personally I cannot believe Fast Eddie's not getting absolutely slammed at the moment. Malthouse, Neeld and Watters in one season. Surely a shocking result for that club.

That said, I feel indebted to Monsieur Maguire. His ineptitude gifted us Mark Neeld, and he is just what this club needed at that very moment.

Thank you Melbourne FC. Thank you even more Collingwood FC.

And thanks also for the wholly unreasonable criticism of Neeld for much of 2012 - it will just make it easier to demonstrate the influence he had on turning this joint around in the years to come.

FWIW this club is back in business.

how to fix mfc.

1. erect statue of norm smith.

2. all hail statue of norm smith.

3. end curse.

4. admire melbourne actually getting what and who they want in trade period.

Who's still bagging the apparent lack of process that saw Mark Neeld appointed as our head coach this time last year?!

Come out you bloody dweebs - you know who you are.

Ms Wilson, you're one. And where are our 'On The Couch' buddies? Anti intellectual, grubby, gutter journalism at its best. Disgraceful stuff.

Personally I cannot believe Fast Eddie's not getting absolutely slammed at the moment. Malthouse, Neeld and Watters in one season. Surely a shocking result for that club.

That said, I feel indebted to Monsieur Maguire. His ineptitude gifted us Mark Neeld, and he is just what this club needed at that very moment.

Thank you Melbourne FC. Thank you even more Collingwood FC.

And thanks also for the wholly unreasonable criticism of Neeld for much of 2012 - it will just make it easier to demonstrate the influence he had on turning this joint around in the years to come.

FWIW this club is back in business.

Well put Ron, even if he doesn't win us a flag he's shaken the [censored] out of the club and rid us of anyone that doesn't want to play hard, tough, football. All the creeps on radio and television have had a crack without really having a clue what processes Neeld was putting in place and even though they'll never admit it, they will all look stupid. Mark has restored pride in the club and that's something I thought I'd never see again.

It is nice that they backed it all up after spruiking the old, "we plan on being very active" ect and they out did anyones expectations and smashed that of the average punter. Thats the great thing.

I was just reflecting on the same thing. During the year while they talked up how hard they were going to go during the trade period, I confess that I thought of it as more a matter of deflecting from the current shambles being displayed on field more than anything - and indeed that even if they did go hard, they'd be pushing the proverbial uphill to convince anyone to actually come join us

Kudos mfc, you've proven me, very happily, wrong

The recruiting seems to be pretty positive and well planned. Whilst there might not be any superstars amongst them they are certainly the types to create some headaches for opposition teams. If they can gell together well and work a bit harder than the squad has in the past 5 years, we may well see some real improvement. My hope is that the "accepting of a slack culture" is eradicated, with positive input from these new players that are now part of the club. Until this actually happens we are just hoping after hope!

Yes . Well done MFC.

Back in the Daniher & Bailey days, we were broke and in debt up to our eyeballs.

You couldn't be aggressive, even if you wanted to.

Training Facilities were C**p, FD didn't exist. Elite Fitness.. Bohdan (I rest my case)

How the wheels have turned in 3 years.

Elite Training Facilities. AAMI Park is magnificent.

If we had the other oval at Gosch's paddock it would be better.

Let's hope the Filth's new ground gets completed soon.

Backed up by an Elite Training regime.

and a Football Department that wont take "NO" for an answer.

They have targeted players and gone out and got them.

They have put the dead wood on notice, Buy In or Get Out.

"Playing to Win" should be our mantra. Tanking was a thing of our inglorious past.

I was never a supporter of Bailey from day one and made my thoughts clear on Demonland

Neeld was another case

I live on the coast and watched Neelds team Ocean Grove play . Point is I was unsure of what Neeld would bring but I was aware of the determination that his local team Ocean Grove played with .

I decided this time I would sit and wait and see what came from Neeld .

At the moment I am more than happy with the progress compared to previous coaches and previous years . My two sons who are also demon supporters, who keep telling me that we owe Bailey, we wouldnt have the picks that we have today without him . But is this good management , or just dumb arse luck as can be seen with the Scully debacle.(It still sticks in my Craw that he deliberetly lied to Jim). \

Our poor performance and loss of games we could have definetly won is another issue that also comes into the discusion and the results from those decisons. I wont use the word to describe this because this also sticks in my Craw.

But regardless of how things unfolded I believe we have now seen the difference between a coach who is just that a "Coach" who has a ethic of Win Win Win and nothing else is acceptable and who will work hard to achieve that goal . Wether we have the players to do that now will be seen this season coming . If nothing else next year I expect to see Melbourne improve substaintially on field with no more floggings .

Neeld has set the bench mark as far as what he wants from a team and what he expects from a team .

In my opinion this has been well overdue in the MFC Psyche !!!

Proof is in the pudding this year for Neeld whether he can actually coach. He has less excuses than past coaches given the infrastructure and financial firepower behind.

There is alot of premature backslapping at this stage.

He will need to show on field the results after the 2012 season disaster. Time to deliver in 2013.

Who's still bagging the apparent lack of process that saw Mark Neeld appointed as our head coach this time last year?!

Come out you bloody dweebs - you know who you are.

Ms Wilson, you're one. And where are our 'On The Couch' buddies? Anti intellectual, grubby, gutter journalism at its best. Disgraceful stuff.

Personally I cannot believe Fast Eddie's not getting absolutely slammed at the moment. Malthouse, Neeld and Watters in one season. Surely a shocking result for that club.

That said, I feel indebted to Monsieur Maguire. His ineptitude gifted us Mark Neeld, and he is just what this club needed at that very moment.

Thank you Melbourne FC. Thank you even more Collingwood FC.

And thanks also for the wholly unreasonable criticism of Neeld for much of 2012 - it will just make it easier to demonstrate the influence he had on turning this joint around in the years to come.

FWIW this club is back in business.

Next time may I recommend you come out swinging Ron.....

They'll be back to bite, I'm sure. They would prefer to see the results early season, before unleashing.

After all they will be using Neeld's 4-18 current record and lack of other candidates for the coaching job for their argument. Highlighting the negligence or inactiveness.

The heat will be right on if Neeld is 0-5 after 5. And the bloody dweebs you speak of will be frothing at the mouth then.

Personally I am hoping for a good start to the year in 2013 with great signs.

Well said..!! i dont remmeber us being so aggressive during the daniher and bailey years!

In the first year of the Daniher reign, there was a fair bit of movement on the player front. They got Jeff White from Freo, Jamie Shanahan from the Saints, Craig Smoker from the Eagles and Rigoni as a mature age recruit from Myrtleford. Daniel Ward, Matthew Bishop and Doggy Brown were also bought onto the list along with Trapper. 10 blokes were delisted and intensity was bought back into the club. All our veterans weren't a-holed off in one fell swoop either. Gaz, Todd and Jimmy retired in the space of two years but only one of those might have been able to play on (Jimmy).

Alas, most people remember the end of the Neale's reign and I guess at the end of the day that will happen no matter what field you work in. He forgot what made his first 3 years pretty successful (excluding 1999) and started playing favorites.

I was just reflecting on the same thing. During the year while they talked up how hard they were going to go during the trade period, I confess that I thought of it as more a matter of deflecting from the current shambles being displayed on field more than anything - and indeed that even if they did go hard, they'd be pushing the proverbial uphill to convince anyone to actually come join us

Kudos mfc, you've proven me, very happily, wrong

I heard from someone at the club today that they were targeting Jesse Hogan from 6 months ago and were wrapt to see GwS wanting to accept their trade. Then they couldn't believe they got another crack at Dawes after they hard tried and really wanted him last year. They were wrapt Filth mucked him around and let him fall in our laps. This has all been a very well planned attack to close the gaps on our list!

Proof is in the pudding this year for Neeld whether he can actually coach. He has less excuses than past coaches given the infrastructure and financial firepower behind.

There is alot of premature backslapping at this stage.

He will need to show on field the results after the 2012 season disaster. Time to deliver in 2013.

Dear Rhino

Were you asleep last year?

Are you related to Rip Van Winkle?

Did you miss out on some really fierce footie in the second half of the year from a lot hasbeens albeit for only 3/4's of a game?

Did you not realise that he inherited a team of half fit players that actually busted their guts in trying to absorb his game plan?

For your info there was a culture shift last year for the better.

If that is not coaching then I might as well go back to Demonology now that it is up and running; and some say that it was Mark Neeld who sorted their problems out.

PS Just who are you to deliver ultimatums?

I heard from someone at the club today that they were targeting Jesse Hogan from 6 months ago and were wrapt to see GwS wanting to accept their trade. Then they couldn't believe they got another crack at Dawes after they hard tried and really wanted him last year. They were wrapt Filth mucked him around and let him fall in our laps. This has all been a very well planned attack to close the gaps on our list!

Good to hear.

Without wishing to sound trite, once we'd secured Hogan and Viney in the second round this trade period was always going to be a monumental success from my point of view.

Posters here and everywhere often talk about young players that are yet to play a game as "unproven", but in the main the real quality "unproven" kids stand out. There will always be a Tambling or Morton, but the top 5 also delivers Riewoldt, Judd, Murphy, Buddy, Pendlebury, Cotchin, Griffen, Thomas, etc. Not to mention top 10 - Selwood, Rich, Bartel, ...

I stuffed up majorly when it came to Watts. I watched him a few times as a junior and he never seemed to do much, but what he did was all class. Class that was in a class of its own for a tall. I became intoxicated with his upside. He moved beautifully, he could take a nice mark, he made really good decisions and his kicking skills were sublime. I'd grown up watching talls butcher the ball by foot. When one factored in his draft camp, which highlighted his pace, agility,etc. this 196cm forward was the bees knees. The only knock on him that I'd seen was that he wasn't great one-on-one in a strength contest with a decent backman. He didn't outmark them and couldn't push them off the ball. In fact, it was the other way around. But I pushed that to one side, because once his body developed it was obvious he'd establish that side of his game. I won't fast forward and rehash hundreds of my posts that elaborate on my disappointments regarding Watts, but when I saw him not committing his body in aerial contests for the Scorpions in his first year, as well as pick and choose his marking contests the alarm bells started ringing. I drove home one day with a sick pit in my stomach. I thought maybe it was an aberration. But it wasn't. He didn't contest physically, he noticeably avoided contests and the same theme happened every time I watched him at any level year after year. And for interstate supporters, I acknowledge that you don't always notice it on tv. It's the reason he's now a "plus one" backman and the forward-line is presently shelved. I don't come down hard on Watts for the sake of it.

But don't fall into the trap of doubting Hogan because of Watts' failings. Hogan is aggressive, Hogan loves physical contact, Hogan has courage in aerial contests, Hogan is a strong mark, Hogan weighs more than Tom Hawkins did when he was first drafted despite being 2cm smaller and younger. Does anyone remember the lump of a lad Hawkins was for Vic Metro ? Hogan weighs 97kg compared to Joe Daniher, who is 211cm and weighs 89kg. Hogan is also fast for a key forward. James Frawley ran 2.98 seconds for the 20 metre sprint at his DC and was lauded for his pace - especially as a tall, Hogan ran 3.02, which shows there's nothing in it, even though Hogan is taller and weighs more as a 17 year old than Frawley does now. And this isn't some mythical pressure on Hogan, it's just stating facts. And clearly Melbourne agrees to have made the investment it has. Put simply, Hogan is the antithesis of Watts when it comes to key forwards.

Add the undeniable will and sheer determination of Viney, who virtually any footy watcher says is the hardest junior they've seen - with pace, skills, a great sidestep, quality leadership, and this could never be considered anything but a good draft. No matter what else happened. Two potential stars. And not your garden variety star. And the Gods will surely think it's about time ?

Dawes, and others, ice the cake. I really like the structure this team is going to have next year. Importantly it gives the players a hell of a lot to buy into. And that's half the battle.

Who's still bagging the apparent lack of process that saw Mark Neeld appointed as our head coach this time last year?!

Come out you bloody dweebs - you know who you are.

Ms Wilson, you're one. And where are our 'On The Couch' buddies? Anti intellectual, grubby, gutter journalism at its best. Disgraceful stuff.

Personally I cannot believe Fast Eddie's not getting absolutely slammed at the moment. Malthouse, Neeld and Watters in one season. Surely a shocking result for that club.

That said, I feel indebted to Monsieur Maguire. His ineptitude gifted us Mark Neeld, and he is just what this club needed at that very moment.

Thank you Melbourne FC. Thank you even more Collingwood FC.

And thanks also for the wholly unreasonable criticism of Neeld for much of 2012 - it will just make it easier to demonstrate the influence he had on turning this joint around in the years to come.

FWIW this club is back in business.

Cart before the horse IMO.

That's not to say that I'm not impressed with the way he is going about building the sort of team that he thinks he needs to be successful, but there is much work to do yet.

I am quietly confident that we are heading in the right direction, but I think I'll wait until we have a top 6 season under Neeld before I offer the haters a serve of humble pie.

Who's still bagging the apparent lack of process that saw Mark Neeld appointed as our head coach this time last year?!

Come out you bloody dweebs - you know who you are.

Ms Wilson, you're one. And where are our 'On The Couch' buddies? Anti intellectual, grubby, gutter journalism at its best. Disgraceful stuff.

Personally I cannot believe Fast Eddie's not getting absolutely slammed at the moment. Malthouse, Neeld and Watters in one season. Surely a shocking result for that club.

That said, I feel indebted to Monsieur Maguire. His ineptitude gifted us Mark Neeld, and he is just what this club needed at that very moment.

Thank you Melbourne FC. Thank you even more Collingwood FC.

And thanks also for the wholly unreasonable criticism of Neeld for much of 2012 - it will just make it easier to demonstrate the influence he had on turning this joint around in the years to come.

FWIW this club is back in business.

Ron, I bagged the lack of process. You are confused if you reckon that the process is justified by Neeld's behaviour. That is just a daft argument. Like saying that Prendergast's recruiting is good b/c of Howe.

I aint no dweeb, sunshine. The process sucked. Just because it hasn't blown up in our faces yet is more good luck than good management. And the process does not reflect on Neeld.

I thank my lucky stars that he seems to have a plan and the ability to galvanise a club around executing it (while losing those that won't come along). If you reckon that the board, while busy helping create division and distraction, clearly understood what we needed and sought it out by picking the best candidate through good process, then you give them a damn sight more credit that their behaviour deserves. They are lucky to have such support.

If nothing else, we are trying.

But then everybody gets a ribbon for participation.

To be honest.

Leigh Mathews, Paul Roos, Kevin Bartlett, Eddie Mcquire, Mark Robinson, Caroline Wilson and Robert Walls.

I will not forget the comments you made about how Melbourne are no hopers, a useless club, Trengove was a bad choice as captain, that Neeld is hopeless.

I hope we destroy the AFL and prove them all wrong.

Melbourne is a club going places and they will all be eating there words.

I will write a letter to them individually when Melbourne become a powerhouse

To be honest.

Leigh Mathews, Paul Roos, Kevin Bartlett, Eddie Mcquire, Mark Robinson, Caroline Wilson and Robert Walls.

I will not forget the comments you made about how Melbourne are no hopers, a useless club, Trengove was a bad choice as captain, that Neeld is hopeless.

I hope we destroy the AFL and prove them all wrong.

Melbourne is a club going places and they will all be eating there words.

I will write a letter to them individually when Melbourne become a powerhouse

Poor Leigh Matthews, he shall never live his "Hudson is better than Clark" call.

Makes me LOL to this very day.

Good to hear.

Without wishing to sound trite, once we'd secured Hogan and Viney in the second round this trade period was always going to be a monumental success from my point of view.

Posters here and everywhere often talk about young players that are yet to play a game as "unproven", but in the main the real quality "unproven" kids stand out. There will always be a Tambling or Morton, but the top 5 also delivers Riewoldt, Judd, Murphy, Buddy, Pendlebury, Cotchin, Griffen, Thomas, etc. Not to mention top 10 - Selwood, Rich, Bartel, ...

I stuffed up majorly when it came to Watts. I watched him a few times as a junior and he never seemed to do much, but what he did was all class. Class that was in a class of its own for a tall. I became intoxicated with his upside. He moved beautifully, he could take a nice mark, he made really good decisions and his kicking skills were sublime. I'd grown up watching talls butcher the ball by foot. When one factored in his draft camp, which highlighted his pace, agility,etc. this 196cm forward was the bees knees. The only knock on him that I'd seen was that he wasn't great one-on-one in a strength contest with a decent backman. He didn't outmark them and couldn't push them off the ball. In fact, it was the other way around. But I pushed that to one side, because once his body developed it was obvious he'd establish that side of his game. I won't fast forward and rehash hundreds of my posts that elaborate on my disappointments regarding Watts, but when I saw him not committing his body in aerial contests for the Scorpions in his first year, as well as pick and choose his marking contests the alarm bells started ringing. I drove home one day with a sick pit in my stomach. I thought maybe it was an aberration. But it wasn't. He didn't contest physically, he noticeably avoided contests and the same theme happened every time I watched him at any level year after year. And for interstate supporters, I acknowledge that you don't always notice it on tv. It's the reason he's now a "plus one" backman and the forward-line is presently shelved. I don't come down hard on Watts for the sake of it.

But don't fall into the trap of doubting Hogan because of Watts' failings. Hogan is aggressive, Hogan loves physical contact, Hogan has courage in aerial contests, Hogan is a strong mark, Hogan weighs more than Tom Hawkins did when he was first drafted despite being 2cm smaller and younger. Does anyone remember the lump of a lad Hawkins was for Vic Metro ? Hogan weighs 97kg compared to Joe Daniher, who is 211cm and weighs 89kg. Hogan is also fast for a key forward. James Frawley ran 2.98 seconds for the 20 metre sprint at his DC and was lauded for his pace - especially as a tall, Hogan ran 3.02, which shows there's nothing in it, even though Hogan is taller and weighs more as a 17 year old than Frawley does now. And this isn't some mythical pressure on Hogan, it's just stating facts. And clearly Melbourne agrees to have made the investment it has. Put simply, Hogan is the antithesis of Watts when it comes to key forwards.

Add the undeniable will and sheer determination of Viney, who virtually any footy watcher says is the hardest junior they've seen - with pace, skills, a great sidestep, quality leadership, and this could never be considered anything but a good draft. No matter what else happened. Two potential stars. And not your garden variety star. And the Gods will surely think it's about time ?

Dawes, and others, ice the cake. I really like the structure this team is going to have next year. Importantly it gives the players a hell of a lot to buy into. And that's half the battle.

What you say is pretty well spot on, but I look at Goddard and his first few years at AFL Level and can see some comparisons between him and Watts. In the first 3 or 4 years, maybe more, Goddard wouldn't go near another player, let alone a pack, but he transformed himself in to a fairly aggressive player who shows plenty of courage.

I think that Jack is still fairly immature and given the right coaching and development he may be able to surprise everyone and be the player we hoped he would be.

Ron, I bagged the lack of process. You are confused if you reckon that the process is justified by Neeld's behaviour. That is just a daft argument. Like saying that Prendergast's recruiting is good b/c of Howe.

I aint no dweeb, sunshine. The process sucked. Just because it hasn't blown up in our faces yet is more good luck than good management. And the process does not reflect on Neeld.

I thank my lucky stars that he seems to have a plan and the ability to galvanise a club around executing it (while losing those that won't come along). If you reckon that the board, while busy helping create division and distraction, clearly understood what we needed and sought it out by picking the best candidate through good process, then you give them a damn sight more credit that their behaviour deserves. They are lucky to have such support.

I respect your view Tim, even though I disagree with it.

In my day job, I see a lot of people default to 'process' as their protector, irrespective of whether following that process actually produces a good outcome/decision.

Personally, I prefer substance over form. In my observation, Neeld has substance as a coach and in his methodology and approach to the gig, and, as a result I think he will deliver results for this club.

So much so, I couldn't give a stuff about the process - I feel we got the right man.

And I'd take that any day over some process which, on paper, had complete integrity but which ultimately delivered the wrong dude.

Cart before the horse IMO.

That's not to say that I'm not impressed with the way he is going about building the sort of team that he thinks he needs to be successful, but there is much work to do yet.

I am quietly confident that we are heading in the right direction, but I think I'll wait until we have a top 6 season under Neeld before I offer the haters a serve of humble pie.

Very measured, disciplined response Carrot Top.

I'm sure Mark Neeld would respect that.

I, however, prefer to swing the bat.

1001.

Very proud.

If that is not coaching then I might as well go back to Demonology now that it is up and running....

See ya.