Ha ha thought so. The 'just get games into them' didn't quite work though!

except that's not what it was about, it was not a forecast in any way, but an assessment of the situation at the time

in any case, we have lost an experienced player for every kid that was supposed to mature. We obviously weren't helped by half of them turning out to be duds.

i'm sure if I did the same thing now you'd probably find our average experience still matches our ladder position as it did then

All depends on key players getting fit and staying injury free.

If that happens, anything can happen.

Edited November 27, 201212 yr by My TD

except that's not what it was about, it was not a forecast in any way, but an assessment of the situation at the time

in any case, we have lost an experienced player for every kid that was supposed to mature. We obviously weren't helped by half of them turning out to be duds.

i'm sure if I did the same thing now you'd probably find our average experience still matches our ladder position as it did then

So after telling me endlessly that their was nothing wrong with the recruits it was the development you now agree with me they were just duds and our recruiting was dreadful.

Does this mean then that you think we will win a flag in the next couple of years now that our average experience is higher due to the induction of senior recruits, isn't that what your post was all about? If it wasn't what was it about?

So after telling me endlessly that their was nothing wrong with the recruits it was the development you now agree with me they were just duds and our recruiting was dreadful.

Does this mean then that you think we will win a flag in the next couple of years now that our average experience is higher due to the induction of senior recruits, isn't that what your post was all about? If it wasn't what was it about?

Funny Robbie I have not heard that word mentioned in weeks.

The recruitment defenders "Its only Poor development" seem to have vanished.

Perhaps they are keeping their power dry for when Cook kicks 10 at Manangatang!

Funny Robbie I have not heard that word mentioned in weeks.

The recruitment defenders "Its only Poor development" seem to have vanished.

Perhaps they are keeping their power dry for when Cook kicks 10 at Manangatang!

Very true Old, we were always at least a game plan behind, accordingly when we recruired, we recruited for a game plan that no longer existed or was outdated, hence the beanpole brigade. We recruited some very ordinary footballers in the process and even if the game plan hadn't changed they wouldn't have been up to it.

You can see from the players we've delisted that no one else wanted the majority of them mainly because they simply weren't good enough. It makes me laugh when I read some posters rabbiting on about how we were better off a couple of years ago and have gone backwards now, nothing could be further from the truth.

The development guys will say we couldn't be that unlucky, well I don't consider it bad luck just incompetence. The fact that we have Players like Frawley and Jones show that even a club with so mant supposed defecits in their development can still produce good footballers, if they are up to it in the first place that is.

OK but I never said anything like that

I know you didn't C&B.

I'm suggesting that the "oh but we won 8.5 games in 2011 - it's all CS' fault - remove the board" brigade, take note that further changes to the ever so weak midfield doesn't already demand instant success.

Because you can bet your bottom dollar that's exactly the type of heat that will come down on Neeld from the blinkered brigade if we're 2 and 6 after 8 games!

Certainly some 'questions' will be answered in those first 11 games of 2013, but I tend to think it will be the second half of the season when we will really get a handle on Neeld's coaching ability. He'll have a pretty good idea who his best 22 is by then, the players will have had plenty of time playing alongside one another, the gameplan should need less tinkering.

I'd really like to see us knock off a couple of bogy sides (North, St.Kilda) next year as well. We should really be setting ourselves to establish our mid-ladder credentials with victories over these types of teams.

Also by the second half of the season hopefully some of Missen's work wil start to show and we may be able (certainly more so than in recent years anyway) to play games out. May pick up a few unexpected late wins as a result.

*BUMP*

Interesting thread with some really interesting views. Hmmmm

Any chance bruise free football is back in vogue and never really disappeared at all?

Words. Words. Words. Big on talk. NO ACTION.

It's officially over. No more choir boy stuff.

As the AFL world knows, upon securing the senior gig, Mark Neeld stated:

"I simply want to coach the team that is the hardest to play against in the AFL. That means all over the ground we're going to be the hardest to play against. There will be a number of components that come with that."

He was ridiculed for saying this, including by some posters here.

Well, who's laughing now?!

He has taken to the soft players on this list like Tony Montana. And he has replaced them with hard, fiercely competitive players who are determined to succeed.

This bloke is the real deal. He endured a simply ridiculous amount of carp last season, virtually from day one. Strangely, the anti-Neeld voices have gone quiet. Eerily quiet.

We will only field "hard" teams from now on. Of that, have no doubt.

Thank you Mark Neeld. Thanks very much.

Bring on 2013.

It's officially over. No more choir boy stuff.

As the AFL world knows, upon securing the senior gig, Mark Neeld stated:

"I simply want to coach the team that is the hardest to play against in the AFL. That means all over the ground we're going to be the hardest to play against. There will be a number of components that come with that."

He was ridiculed for saying this, including by some posters here.

Well, who's laughing now?!

He has taken to the soft players on this list like Tony Montana. And he has replaced them with hard, fiercely competitive players who are determined to succeed.

This bloke is the real deal. He endured a simply ridiculous amount of carp last season, virtually from day one. Strangely, the anti-Neeld voices have gone quiet. Eerily quiet.

We will only field "hard" teams from now on. Of that, have no doubt.

Thank you Mark Neeld. Thanks very much.

Bring on 2013.

hindsight is a wonderful thing

We'll be alright when we can develop mature bodies like the guys at GC then we can convert those near tackles (touches) to tackles.

Oh Ron. Such an early call after a very ordinary 2012.

By the way interesting we have not heard a peep out of Satyriconhome tonight.

Maybe it was him who flew the white flag during the last Quarter

hindsight is a wonderful thing

Foresight is better. I raised doubts in November 2012 against the avalanche of fantasy.

The only thing bruised after an MFC game is the supporters.

Oh Ron. Such an early call after a very ordinary 2012.

By the way interesting we have not heard a peep out of Satyriconhome tonight.

Maybe it was him who flew the white flag during the last Quarter

'WYL', I think even he might struggle to put this one in a positive light. Then again those mature bodies at GC and there extra games experience of 1 game per player or was it 2????

Foresight is better. I raised doubts in November 2012 against the avalanche of fantasy.

Here we go... Rhino knew better all along blah blah...

You're not the only one who stated their doubts about Neeld.

Here we go... Rhino knew better all along blah blah...

You're not the only one who stated their doubts about Neeld.

Yep 'stuie' you've certainly expressed doubts for as long as I can remember but it's not a contest.

Yep 'stuie' you've certainly expressed doubts for as long as I can remember but it's not a contest.

There were a lot, including me yes, that expressed concerns and were waiting for results rather than rhetoric. My statement was more about Rhino always proclaiming himself as the only one who can see what's going on. Just grates me.

There were a lot, including me yes, that expressed concerns and were waiting for results rather than rhetoric. My statement was more about Rhino always proclaiming himself as the only one who can see what's going on. Just grates me.

I get it mate, and I understand there were a lot with concerns over Neeld. In the end the scoreboard is there for all to see and it's not looking good.

Now that we've all stopped disagreeing about Neeld, we need to fill that void of conflict by arguing about who soured on him first. That's Demonland for you!

Now that we've all stopped disagreeing about Neeld, we need to fill that void of conflict by arguing about who soured on him first. That's Demonland for you!

I wish there was a love button.