POST GAME - ROUND 1

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

Wonder what the school teacher has to say about this one. I reckon inexperience and youth will get a run.

Pathetic.

Neeld can't roll that old cliche out against Port.

We had on average 10 more games per player on the park. Port also had 14 players with less than 50 games under their belt versus 10 players on our side.

In addition we were, on average, a slightly older team in age by 1 year. A minor gap i realise but we were still a more mature team on the park.

There's no excuses for todays pitiful performance against an at best (by season's end) bottom 5/6 opponent.

[Sir Why You Little 36,987]

Time for the club to fess up.

[DirtyDees DDC 176]

Port Adelaide had 51 uncontested possessions on the forward line. They even had guys walking on their own in the middle, and no-one manned up.

We were undersized and undetermined. Two years ago we were competitive with Port in Adelaide. Now they had their biggest winning margin since the finals in 2007.

And tactics what tactics?!! Get the ball and bomb it to a contest? Is there a law against offering a lead, and honouring it?

Shameful.

[jnrmac 20,055]

38 scoring shots to 14.

Wow.

[1 red eye 1 blue eye 771]

What did D Mc say?

In his speech at the commencement dinner said the MFC does not need or want fickle supporters! Old Dee picked up on it as a worrying sign, I wasn't sure I agreed at the time but I'm not so sure now.

Edited March 31, 2013 by 1 red eye 1 blue eye

[Benson 254]

In his speech at the commencement dinner said the MFC does not need or want fickle supporters!

Lol, and we do not want fickle players.

[olgreydingo 51]

A free kick to Grimes was Melbourne's first effective kick ... and the contest had been running nearly six minutes.

The writing was on the wall in the first 5 mins of the game.

Well that's over 2 hours of my life I will never get back!!

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Did not see that coming.

Looked like a 20 goal belting right from the opening bounce.

Fortunately it was only a 14 goal belting.

Unbelievable.

[Sir Why You Little 36,987]

I just hope the club reads this board and takes notice.

I will not renew membership next year if there is not improvement. And i mean BIG improvement.

These guys are professional sportsmen apparently.

[Cards13 9,117]

Lol, and we do not want fickle players.

Ha Benson is playing better than our side on the park today by a long way.

Edited March 31, 2013 by Cards13

[Benson 254]

I just hope the club reads this board and takes notice.

I will not renew membership next year if there is not improvement. And i mean BIG improvement.

These guys are professional sportsmen apparently.

On today's performance, expect no more than 2 wins... If any at all, today is what we have to show for the supposed massive pre season.

[Benson 254]

A free kick to Grimes was Melbourne's first effective kick ... and the contest had been running nearly six minutes.

The writing was on the wall in the first 5 mins of the game.

Well that's over 2 hours of my life I will never get back!!

And there was no writing on our scorecard for nearly 18 minutes of play...

[dees64 104]

Followed the demons since a young boy from around1969

A member since 1998

Saw the dark yrs of 70s & early 80s

This is worst as with all the draft picks available & lot more professionlism & $$ towards footy depts,sports science

This guy cant coach & has ripped apart our playing list & shunned of our experience to bring has beens from other clubs

Do us favour Neeld resign! as your game plan & style of coaching not working!

Mclardy show leadership & do whats right as this footy club is dying!

[lucifer 119]

It's really hard to know where to begin. I stayed until the bitter end today. To see the players just stand and watch Port run rings around them. It was a disgrace and anyone who say otherwise has rocks in their head. However you choose to spin it, and saying it's only round one just ins't going to cut it for me, the effort today was a disgrace to the jumper and the history of this club. The sooner people on here stop making excuses such as "give Neeld time" or "they're only kids" the better. Port have a bunch of kids playing too. They were playing AWAY from home. AND they smashed us in every area possible. I constantly think at the end of each year why does player A not want to be traded to us or why does Player B want to leave and go somewhere other than here. Today is the exact reason why.

Do the following players add anything to our side: Pederson (what did he do in the NAB cup to cement a round 1 spot?), Gilles (anyone who says he is a replacement for Rivers is absolutely kidding themselves), Rodan (not the worst today, but still) Byrnes (I in all honesty would rather have Davey - and I have been one of Flash's biggest critics). Matt Jones & Toumpas can't really be judged on today, and Viney was our best.

To all those out there shooting down fellow Demonlanders saying that Neeld needs to be given more time. Riddle me this - if the game plan you want to play can't be executed by the players that you have, is it stubbornness or plain stupidity to keep playing that game plan. How can a team go from winning 8 games under Bailey, to four last year and again having a disappointing opening round this year? Where is the improvement. And stop with this "give it time angle". HOW MUCH TIME? There is only so much insipid football that the supporters can take.

As for Watts, I haven't been drawn into debate about the number one pick. All I will say is that until he shows the desire to play the game at the highest level, he can kick the dew of the grass at Casey. I would rather Joel MacDonald in that role (I am aware he can't kick, but at least he contests). Watts was a joke today. Wayne Carey & Schwass where spot on. Melbourne looked unfit, slow, disinterested and more concerned with getting their drink card at Eve after tonight's games than actually playing. Correct me if i'm wrong, but these guys are paid to train almost 11 months a year. The tell me how they can't even run out a half of football, and why their skill set is so appalling. Needless to say, I'm done here. Only so much you can take after 35 years of support, week in, week out. Even the early 80's weren't this bad.

[My TD 156]

Need to start playing boys who just give their all and never leave you wondering.

Thought they were already doing this.

Couldn't watch or listen today due to a Family BBQ but received regular scores from the smirking masses.

Listened to Wayne Carey on the way home and he was scathing of their collected lack of desire.

Never seen a more insipid effort etc.

As I said, I thought they were recruiting goers and anyone who wasn't was gettin' booted.

[jane02 3,741]

I also stayed till the end - I feel so sad to have witnessed it all. I have been a supporter all of my life, never seen a finals win but stuck there through thick and thin. I feel totally shattered. I thought Jack Viney was great and Matt Jones tried hard.

I don't know how we are going to pick up the pieces and move on from this but I will be there next week ( with my arm in plaster) and be ever hopeful that the MFC can move on from a disastrous day.

[Webber 10,454]

More than anything, this all reminds of Fitzroy pre folding, and the swans pre- Sydney...... I have a horrible feeling the Melbourne football club is playing themselves out of existence. It sounds extreme I know, but there is precedent, and we are quite simply nowhere, with NOTHING to give us ANY hope as a club. Sure, Jack Viney was great, and there is value and promise in some of our list, but this is a team game, and a club competition, and our club is truthfully uncompetitive. The AFL won't tolerate it, because in the end, professional sport is commerce, and we are a few steps closer to being properly recognised as a commercial liability. We MAY be soon a thing of history.....

[demon85 17]

I like all of you are completely shattered after the complete lack of effort. I am not slashing my wrists, just totally lost at how the club can be so consistent at serving this type of thing up. I don't understand how the players can have such little pride in not just the club, but themselves. When i saw the club put out their own version of the "Harlem Shake" I just wondered to myself why are they fooling around. They have been complete rubbish for years and should be completely focused on footy and trying to get this club up the ladder. The club exists to play football and more importantly, win games of football. I haven't seen much football or winning in a long time.

The question of the moment seems to be, where to from here? I personally want to see the club stop attempting to entertain. When you have earned to right to fool around because you are the top of your profession you can afford to make spoof videos and fool around for things like The Robbo Show - but this club is so far from even competing at AFL that a line needs to be drawn in the sand. Its just embarrassing to see them fool around.

MFC - stop joking around. Wake up, or there wont be a club. Harden up. Ride the players to be better, demand it. For too long now we have fielded teams that have just gone through the motions and full of players who are just happy to enjoy being AFL footballers - without even ever playing a game at AFL standard. We supporters deserve better. I will be a supporter of this club forever, but please draw the line and don't compromise.

[Old Man Rivers 326]

"Even the early 80's we weren't this bad. Very good call this one. We might not have won many in those years but at least we had a go. We flew the flag and stood up for our team mates. 2013 MFC collection of players is just plain embarrassing to support. Just cant see any light appearing here!

[glimpse 7]

As a group we need to make the club aware of what is wrong and has been happening for some years.

1. We handball to another player who is standing next to an opponent. Indeed, we even handball directly to an opponent !

2. We kick long into a pack and hope someone will mark it - they too often don't.

3. We need desperation - perhaps we do the same as those poor horses in Ireland facing becoming dog food. Do or DIE !!!

4. We need people to lead out for the ball all over the ground!

5. We need shorter kicks which go to those leads.

6. Only kick long if someone is free or at most only has to beat his opponent.

Thats enough!

OK guys/ gals add somer more!!

[Benson 254]

As a group we need to make the club aware of what is wrong and has been happening for some years.

1. We handball to another player who is standing next to an opponent. Indeed, we even handball directly to an opponent !

2. We kick long into a pack and hope someone will mark it - they too often don't.

3. We need desperation - perhaps we do the same as those poor horses in Ireland facing becoming dog food. Do or DIE !!!

4. We need people to lead out for the ball all over the ground!

5. We need shorter kicks which go to those leads.

6. Only kick long if someone is free or at most only has to beat his opponent.

Thats enough!

OK guys/ gals add somer more!!

We need to get our hands on the ball. Port had nearly 100 more possessions and nearly doubled the centre clearances.

[don cordner 204]

Hi all,

Highlights for the game where Viney and this mark which i captured by Cam Pederson http://www.flickr.com/photos/91873719@N02/8604466775/in/photostream

[Whispering_Jack 29,812]

The saddest thing is watching Collingwood and North Melbourne running around and so many players putting in that extra effort to get to the ball to take marks. I didn't see much of that today from Melbourne.

I'm getting the impression that the most important aspect of planning the game today by the coaching panel was the rotations and I'm not sure they even got that right.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

We added a few VFL players and some kids to one of the worst sides of last year and expected better; why?

This has to change, and quickly because it may finish of the club if it doesn't.

What disappoints is that the same attitude that has been at Melbourne for so long is still there; someone still waits for someone else to do the work.

[fuchsia 37]

ASHAMED TOTALLY ASHAMED.!! DEFLATED .

as usual.!!

was the last couple of years.

it ruins one's psyche to get through your year.let alone the day....

president's continual asking for demon supporters to do their bit & pay up..pay up , pay up, year after year after year.!!

being humiliated when asked what team u support.-

promises, promises ,talking up, YADDA YADDA .

admin & coaches asking for support over & over & over ...without delivering ..

president is a nice guy BUT .; boys club hierarchy ;more interested in THE FREE LUNCH on game day..

political correctness ( no hard questions ) SOFT attitude..

holier than thou attitude.;ego's selfish arrogant narcissists " incompetent"..

BLAZERS; TRUMPETS;media GUERNSEY PRESS STOPS. looking for cameras pushing hope..

whereby hardly hear from WB PORT, NTH COACHES IN PRE SEASON.. then THEY deliver. !!!

serious ,attitude..

then ask for supporters to get on board.. CLASSY...

put up first then do the commercial.

whereby MFC have a soft, pretty please we r excited about this group attitude.

offer the world & deliver a back street ghetto.

players r given an old school jacket & then proceed to give an old school performance...

ITS a football club for crying out loud..which means leave a little "blood on the tracks" & play if its your last game..

DESPERATION ; SPEED; INTENSITY ; HUNGER; GRUNT ;BACKING UP; WORK LIKE A PACK OF WOLVES IN PACKS ; TEAM WORK LEAD TO SPACE ; DIE for the cause or just DIE WONDERING..

& that's the board i'm talking about..!!! ( get serious or get OUT )..!!!

coaches come in & r patted on the back & asked to deliver instead of the bleeding obvious..

lets be sweet & nice & everything will just happen..

WELL hows that working for ya.

BODY LANGUAGE is everything & its obvious, the lack of positive grunt & desperation in the playing group is palpable..

BLOODY HELL ! A first game "KID " IS THE BEST for club & a VFL PLAYER show MORE THAN 90 % of the older more seasoned combined..

same old same old; it festers from the top ,it always has & always will.

the right wing group running this football club need to go back to their polo or croquet clubs & take their jackets with them..

ie;

at a previous club function "GABRIEL SZONDY "was more interested in talking about his 3000 classical, c/d collection..

and "GARDNER "! well , GARDNER kept coming up with pearls of inspiration like " there's more to a football club than winning games of football" & in the next sentence about the DEPT, he stated u can't get good sponsors if your'e not winning games of football.

supporters support with their feet one way or t'other.

if players don't put in how do you expect the fans to !!?