It's been a while since Essendon won a game against Melbourne and they were so pathetic last year that, even with all of our problems, we actually outperformed them from Round 10 onwards. Yet somehow, the majority of those who have posted on this BomberBlitz thread reckon we're the ones that have the dud list and are in for another horrific season - 2013 Season Preview - Melbourne Demons.

After reading the optimism in the training report threads, I wonder whether if it's us who are losing touch with reality or is it them?

Who really cares what others think of us.

Judging from what I constantly hear from other supporters, most opposition think we are a joke - but who really cares?

Neeldy is doing everything in his power to make sure this club is once again successful and that is all we can ask.

Just sit back and enjoy watching a Melbourne Football club that finally develops talent - I hope!

As for Essendon, I had to listen to all their one eyed supporters preach last year that now Bomber is back and they are bigger and stronger, that they will make the 4 and be unstoppable, whilst still continuing to blame Matthew Knights for all their failures.

The end result was that because Bomber came in and demanded they get bigger - they all broke down!!

Essendon is a club that always has excuses as to why they aren't much chop, last year it was injuries, the year before it was Matthew Knights.

I wonder what it will be this year?

Either way, they are overrated and they won't have the luxury of a quick fire start to the season in 2013.

Well incase you haven't noticed we've been an absolute pathetic joke on the field for the past five years so I'd say our public perception is about as low as it could get.

Hey bummers, can we play you every week?

  On 19/01/2013 at 20:28, Matt Demon said:

Well incase you haven't noticed we've been an absolute pathetic joke on the field for the past five years so I'd say our public perception is about as low as it could get.

And a decade ago the Geelong football team were called " The Handbags "!

Teams can change, as can perceptions!

We are the stinky fat kid. Nobody likes us or wants to play with us at the moment

It doesn't matter how others perceive of us and we of them because it's what the team does on the field that matters in the end.

However, to those of us (like me) walking around wearing rose coloured glasses after reading those glowing pre season reports, the fact that other supporters think we're a "Crapola club", whilst not particularly traumatic, is a good way of bringing us back down to earth.

I remember feeling pretty good about the club's future this time 12 months ago and rather ecstatic when we knocked off Collingwood in the NAB Cup. How did things turn out after that?

Melbourne are the laughing stick of the Competition. Nothing will change until things improve on and off the ground.

It is great seeing all the positive training posts on here but realistically it happens every yr.

Fingers crossed for a much improved performance in 2013.

The good part of being the stinky fat kid is nobody expects us to amount to anything this season. Being underestimated can be a massive advantage.

  On 19/01/2013 at 20:55, Grimes is Great said:

Melbourne are the laughing stick of the Competition. Nothing will change until things improve on and off the ground.

It is great seeing all the positive training posts on here but realistically it happens every yr.

Fingers crossed for a much improved performance in 2013.

Those may well be the wisest words you utter in 2013 GiG.

Winning games is the only way forward.

Right now supporters of other teams see us quite rightly IMO as an irrelevance

Three seasons ago Richmond were being compared with Fitzroy and there were bets on whether they'd win one game for the season. Now not only does every man and his dog have them playing finals this year, but some are even boldly predicting top 4. Perceptions change when people see hard evidence, everything else is just talk. Win and shut people up, lose and reinforce their already held beliefs.

Part of the problem is that Melbourne supporters, including yours truly, predicted how good we'd become with the maturation of Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Morton, Strauss, Maric, Watts, and Blease. Half of those are no longer at the club and the other half have hardly fired a shot. Is it any wonder that opposition supporters doubt Melbourne ?

i love how much they hate us on bomberblitz! bunch of c***s

  On 19/01/2013 at 22:20, Ben-Hur said:

Three seasons ago Richmond were being compared with Fitzroy and there were bets on whether they'd win one game for the season. Now not only does every man and his dog have them playing finals this year, but some are even boldly predicting top 4. Perceptions change when people see hard evidence, everything else is just talk. Win and shut people up, lose and reinforce their already held beliefs.

Part of the problem is that Melbourne supporters, including yours truly, predicted how good we'd become with the maturation of Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Morton, Strauss, Maric, Watts, and Blease. Half of those are no longer at the club and the other half have hardly fired a shot. Is it any wonder that opposition supporters doubt Melbourne ?

Good point, I am guilty of the same and was 100% sure we would be a force to be reckoned with.

Now I have the same confidence in the current list, I don't know if thats a good sign or a bad sign now.

I really dont care , i am over it as its happened all my life,but i dropped my son off at a kids birthday parrty yesterday and i was wearing a melbourne T shirt, and as i walked in every kid, gave me heaps....shouting out "Melbourne??? ....ha ha ha ha....Losers"...and stuff to that effect.

Doesnt worry me but my son gets embarressed.....hope we can start winning for his sake.

  On 19/01/2013 at 22:55, DeeZee said:

I really dont care , i am over it as its happened all my life,but i dropped my son off at a kids birthday parrty yesterday and i was wearing a melbourne T shirt, and as i walked in every kid, gave me heaps....shouting out "Melbourne??? ....ha ha ha ha....Losers"...and stuff to that effect.

Doesnt worry me but my son gets embarressed.....hope we can start winning for his sake.

Should have snotted the little shits

Nobody gives a dam about the MFC except MFC people. Why should they?

To an outsider the club is an abject failure.

The only people who will change this percetion will come from within.

Does the club have that strength on & off the grass?

After reading that it has occurred to me that anyone must be able to become a moderator on bomberblitz, what a load of rubbish. They say that giving Grimes the leadership could be a mistake and then that 'he looks the goods'... interesting write up.

Many of the kids I teach give me grief over supporting Melbourne. Of course I obtain revenge by downgrading their marks and writing them poor reports.

  On 20/01/2013 at 00:01, Bitter but optimistic said:

Many of the kids I teach give me grief over supporting Melbourne. Of course I obtain revenge by downgrading their marks and writing them poor reports.

quite right too

keep up the good work bbo

P.S. I didn't realise Romsey had a Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Centre until now

Of course others consider us a joke.

I'm one eyed and passionate, but feel guilty for brainwashing my daughter to be a Demon. We've been a terribly ran club for most of, if not all of, the last 50 years. The last 17 years, we have been a joke, lurching from one internal disaster to another while putting out teams that were generally soft downhill skiers.

Who gives a rats clacker what others think, the reality is their perception isn't too far from the truth. If we want to change what they (and many of our supporters think) we need to pull our heads out of our backsides and get our act together

  On 20/01/2013 at 00:02, daisycutter said:

quite right too

keep up the good work bbo

P.S. I didn't realise Romsey had a Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Centre until now

Just up the road. Malmsbury.

No doubt the you also picked up on the valuable life skills about corruption and misuse of authority that my students learn as a result of my payback.

  On 20/01/2013 at 00:07, Rod Grinter Riot Squad said:

Of course others consider us a joke.

I'm one eyed and passionate, but feel guilty for brainwashing my daughter to be a Demon. We've been a terribly ran club for most of, if not all of, the last 50 years. The last 17 years, we have been a joke, lurching from one internal disaster to another while putting out teams that were generally soft downhill skiers.

Who gives a rats clacker what others think, the reality is their perception isn't too far from the truth. If we want to change what they (and many of our supporters think) we need to pull our heads out of our backsides and get our act together

Two points -

1. Feel no guilt over brainwashing your child.

2. I firmly believe that, as a club we have finally extracted our heads from that dark place and actually are now on the road to recovery

Opposition supporters will never view us in a good light, and it's not really something I care about.

I remember when we smashed Sydney in 2010, the usual response was "well, it's about time - you've had enough high draft picks!"

Having to remind people of how many early picks Carlton, St Kilda, Richmond and Hawthorn have all had, and at times squandered, is a boring task.

  On 20/01/2013 at 00:10, Bitter but optimistic said:

Just up the road. Malmsbury.

No doubt the you also picked up on the valuable life skills about corruption and misuse of authority that my students learn as a result of my payback.

yes, never underestimate the value of keeping one's mouth shut and not getting caught. Valuable life skills sadly lost on some.

Reading those you will find some balance among the single sentence assessments and vitriol. Those who have identified that we are in a culture shift, not a challenge for finals and assess us accordingly are on the money. I think the under rating of our youth might be where we can surprise some numpty opposition supporters. As far as I'm concerned all the dead wood has gone so they may underrate those who are left and the potential for improvement.

What will be interesting is if we avoid 'tanking' sanctions and beat them again or have any sort of success really. That will amplify the dislike and contempt they have for Melbourne which I will really enjoy!