I've just been watching the Foxtel repeats games against GWS & GC this season.

The game especially against GWS showcased the defensive game that Neeld was trying to instil.

Now I know you will say that we were playing against kids.

But I say have a look at the way we went about doing it.

Add to this the amount of experience we have added to our list and I can only see a huge amount of improvement.

A couple of years ago Sean Wellman improved the backline so much that it was rumoured that they were knocking on the door to being the best backline in the league.

Mark Neeld has improved the defensive game plan all over the ground.

It may take a year or two to get it right, but from what I saw in the low intensity game on display,.he is on he right track.

Never have I seen that amount of defensive pressure all over the ground.

I would appreciate your learned opinions.

In a low intensity game against kids any game plan would look good. Against good oposition other factors come into play. Read organisation, team discipline and mixed with more elusive concepts like team elan. Even during the Bailey days his more offensive game style smashed the likes of GC and then distracted clubs like Adelaide with ease. To see how a defensive game is is being done well this year look at how the Swans, Fremantle and Adelaide have gone about it this year. We are still in the school yard cowboys and indians bang bang your dead stage trying to immitate Colingwood of several years ago.

Edited November 5, 201212 yr by america de cali

I thought the best two games we played which showed the game plan that Neeld want us to play was the Essendon game and the first St.Kilder game.

We played very hard at the ball and the way we switched the play to cross it to the other side of the field to get into our forward 50 was fantastic, when the tv went to full field view you could see each player run off the man in a perfect row so they could get it into the forward line.

The only problem was we had no one to kick to other then Mitch which was the reason why we didn't kick a goal in the final quieter in the st.Kilda game.

With the new forward line we have made in this trade period I think we will be seeing a lot more wins in 2013.

So america, I'm sensing your a half glass empty kinda a guy.

In a low intensity game against kids any game plan would look good. Against good oposition other factors come into play. Read organisation, team discipline and mixed with more elusive concepts like team elan. Even during the Bailey days his more offensive game style smashed the likes of GC and then distracted clubs like Adelaide with ease. To see how a defensive game is is being done well this year look at how the Swans, Fremantle and Adelaide have gone about it this year. We are still in the school yard cowboys and indians bang bang your dead stage trying to immitate Colingwood of several years ago.

The Swans and Adelaide actually had quite offesive gameplans.... They relied on winning the contested footy and firing the ball out from contests to their ball users. he top sides (All of them) relied on winning the contested footy. Saints and Freo were more the traditional defensive game plan.

Anyway the part of your analysis you forget or neglect to mention that for the majority of the year we were just as in-experienced as GWS or GC and teaching a whole side to be defensive - Neeld didn't have the cattle - i think we all acknowledge that

2013 will be interesting - 2014 will be the year we will be able to tell if Neeld can coach or not

In my observation, in the modern era defence wins all big football games irrespective of the code: AFL, soccer, rugby, NRL, NFL.

So I agree with Neeld's focus on defensive pressure. It will stand up much better to test in finals in due course.

And yes - I do believe Neeld will take us to the finals in the coming years.

I see it more like our "cattle" have been skinned, gutted and hanged on hooks in the abattoir with their hearts cut out and consigned to the pet food bin. I'd like to see Neeld have a chance to coach but he has Buckley's chance with the current leadership at the club.

I see it more like our "cattle" have been skinned, gutted and hanged on hooks in the abattoir with their hearts cut out and consigned to the pet food bin. I'd like to see Neeld have a chance to coach but he has Buckley's chance with the current leadership at the club.

Wow...what a load of drivel, give it a rest, smoke a joint or something!

I see it more like our "cattle" have been skinned, gutted and hanged on hooks in the abattoir with their hearts cut out and consigned to the pet food bin. I'd like to see Neeld have a chance to coach but he has Buckley's chance with the current leadership at the club.

You are obviously not a farmer - the weak cattle always get slaughtered for the betterment of the herd.

It has been no secrect that 'senior' cattle hated CC and other administration at the club - now the majority of these 'senior' members have been moved on I am hoping Neeld has a better chance of producing success at the club

ADC - i think you need to be less vague, who in the current leadership group is not on the Neeld 'reality bus'??? I thought they had been all moved on now?

Looking foward to the repeat of round 23 against Fremantle on Fox Footy too.

In the first half, they put to Freo a hard one on one contest. Perhaps the fitness didn't see them through to keep them in the game, but it looked the goods in the way of seeing Neelds defensive focus bearing fruit.

I see it more like our "cattle" have been skinned, gutted and hanged on hooks in the abattoir with their hearts cut out and consigned to the pet food bin. I'd like to see Neeld have a chance to coach but he has Buckley's chance with the current leadership at the club.

We're on to you Caroline.

You are obviously not a farmer - the weak cattle always get slaughtered for the betterment of the herd.

ADC - i think you need to be less vague, who in the current leadership group is not on the Neeld 'reality bus'??? I thought they had been all moved on now?

There are more than one players on our banner here that are on the reality bus but not necessarily Neeld's take on it.

There are more than one players on our banner here that are on the reality bus but not necessarily Neeld's take on it.

Yawn....... wowee I am sure that has never happened in footy ever

There are more than one players on our banner here that are on the reality bus but not necessarily Neeld's take on it.

So to eleborate - (please feel free to PM me as I want to be in the know.........) Please answer these questoins/concerns I have below

Why would these players put their reputations and careers on the line with a disagreement over team tactics or strategy?? Why not asked to be traded at the end of this year?? When should we expect the next '186' in response to above named players dissatisfactoin??

Or should I just expect a mass exudos at year end 2013?

Thanks in advance - i appreciate you being the playing groups voice

Edited November 5, 201212 yr by Unleash Hell

There are more than one players on our banner here that are on the reality bus but not necessarily Neeld's take on it.

Who are you ADC?

Some of the comments you make it seems like your someone who is on the inside of the MFC or

You just like messing with everyone this site.

Which one is it?

I've just been watching the Foxtel repeats games against GWS & GC this season.

The game especially against GWS showcased the defensive game that Neeld was trying to instil.

Now I know you will say that we were playing against kids.

But I say have a look at the way we went about doing it.

Add to this the amount of experience we have added to our list and I can only see a huge amount of improvement.

A couple of years ago Sean Wellman improved the backline so much that it was rumoured that they were knocking on the door to being the best backline in the league.

Mark Neeld has improved the defensive game plan all over the ground.

It may take a year or two to get it right, but from what I saw in the low intensity game on display,.he is on he right track.

Never have I seen that amount of defensive pressure all over the ground.

I would appreciate your learned opinions.

Did you watch rd 11 v the pies we smashed them in the third quarter by putting preesuer on the ball carrier Tehn we allowed them to roam free and had multiple goals kicked against us

I have watched the whole season once on fox and i will watch again

I am left wuith a few impressions

1) We were better than i thought in some quarters and games

2) We were no where fit enough

3) stupid turnovers by Morton Gimes tapscott McDonald eta l cost us momentum thatw e could recover from

4) Davey is completely cooked

5)Jack Watts belongs on the halfback flank

6)Tom McDonald is a star

Did you watch rd 11 v the pies we smashed them in the third quarter by putting preesuer on the ball carrier Tehn we allowed them to roam free and had multiple goals kicked against us

I have watched the whole season once on fox and i will watch again

I am left wuith a few impressions

1) We were better than i thought in some quarters and games

2) We were no where fit enough

3) stupid turnovers by Morton Gimes tapscott McDonald eta l cost us momentum thatw e could recover from

4) Davey is completely cooked

5)Jack Watts belongs on the halfback flank

6)Tom McDonald is a star

I've been doing the same Jackaub -

It has been good to go back and re-watching the games without the passion and disappointment (plus it's a footy fix).

I've found personally, on top of what you and Chippa have already said, that it has been interesting to watch the team develop over the weeks - From approx round 10 onwards there is clear improvement ... you can see the team using the ball with more confidence and winning uncontested possessions, and shutting down teams (if only for qtrs at a time - The st kilda game in the 2nd qtr we smashed them but we couldn't score ourselves).

Anyway here is hoping we continue to improve in 2013

In a low intensity game against kids any game plan would look good. Against good oposition other factors come into play. Read organisation, team discipline and mixed with more elusive concepts like team elan. Even during the Bailey days his more offensive game style smashed the likes of GC and then distracted clubs like Adelaide with ease. To see how a defensive game is is being done well this year look at how the Swans, Fremantle and Adelaide have gone about it this year. We are still in the school yard cowboys and indians bang bang your dead stage trying to immitate Colingwood of several years ago.

He asked for "learned opinions". That rules your out.

Those that are re watching and posting on the 2012 games, well done, I'm enjoying your comments.

Did you watch rd 11 v the pies we smashed them in the third quarter by putting preesuer on the ball carrier Tehn we allowed them to roam free and had multiple goals kicked against us

I have watched the whole season once on fox and i will watch again

I am left wuith a few impressions

1) We were better than i thought in some quarters and games

2) We were no where fit enough

3) stupid turnovers by Morton Gimes tapscott McDonald eta l cost us momentum thatw e could recover from

4) Davey is completely cooked

5)Jack Watts belongs on the halfback flank

6)Tom McDonald is a star

Also Mitch Clark, was on fire. Green and Sylvia has the big stage frights, hardly touched it!

Dominated by a far superior midfield group.

And a 44 point quarter time margain.

IMO I don't think Neeld's game is Defensive more that our players lacked the ability and fitness to bring defensive pressure to bare on opposition players. This past year has been about fitness and the structures and ability to shutdown oppositions. Once this is achieved the Attacking structures need to be developed to put scoreboard pressure on. That is why having a couple of options up forward next season was important for us to draft. More so IMO then midfielders.

Edited November 6, 201212 yr by Felix da Dee

Did you watch rd 11 v the pies we smashed them in the third quarter by putting preesuer on the ball carrier Tehn we allowed them to roam free and had multiple goals kicked against us

I have watched the whole season once on fox and i will watch again

I am left wuith a few impressions

1) We were better than i thought in some quarters and games

2) We were no where fit enough

3) stupid turnovers by Morton Gimes tapscott McDonald eta l cost us momentum thatw e could recover from

4) Davey is completely cooked

5)Jack Watts belongs on the halfback flank

6)Tom McDonald is a star

Are you a doctor of medicine? Only a medical doctor could write that sloppy.

What do you mean by Davey being cooked?

Are you a doctor of medicine? Only a medical doctor could write that sloppy.

What do you mean by Davey being cooked?

He means we have seen the best of Davey and that his career may well be over.

At the risk of being accused of semantic interchanging; my taake on Neeldz ideas (as bezt as anyone cantell to date ) is hes after a very attacking style of play. Not defensive as much as defensively accountable.