CAN YOU HEAR THE DRUMS? by George On The Outer

[Demonland 64,660]

Demons Fans boo off team after Round 1 capitulation.

A simply disgraceful team performance by the Melbourne Football club where they managed a solitary goal in a half of football, saw them rightly booed from the ground by their fans.

And for all the apologists who say the team shouldnt be bagged ... that's rubbish!

When a couple of first game 18 year olds show how to play a game of football, as an example, then players who had pulled on the jumper for 50 or 100 games should hang their heads in shame.

Once again the supporters turned out in droves with over 20,000 paying their money and providing encouragement. For that they were treated disgracefully as they witnessed half-hearted efforts and lack of simply football smarts throughout the whole game.

If it werent for the likes of Mitch Clark, Jack Grimes, Jack Viney and Nathan Jones the result would have been as one toothless Port supporter described after the match -Road Kill. How true that was!

Port were prepared to run. Port were prepared to back up their team-mates and keep playing simple football. It was what we have come to know them as. It is their culture.

Melbourne players in contrast played like a group of upper-class schoolboys. Avoiding the heavy contact, and hoping someone else will do the hard work, just to avoid getting the hands dirty.

Simple tactics of manning up were either not followed or issued, as countless Port goals were slammed through with barely a Melbourne player in sight. Grimes tried hard to rally the troops with some genuine dash, and Blease added that which was missing for the first ¾ of the game.

Clark played his heart out, but with no other assistance up forward his output was nullified. Viney will surely win the Rising Star award for this week with 22 disposals. And they were all hard fought and valuable. However, his long time friend Oliver Wines had an equally impressive debut for the Power.

A sharp contrast with Col Sylvia (yet again) who simply refuses to cover his or any man, while he is all too happy to let others get the ball to him ... if he feels like it.

The fans booed the team off at half-time and again at full time. They could see the sub-standard performance and the lack of effort being shunted out. Any supporter can stomach a team that is better than yours, but they certainly couldnt stomach what they saw today.

Melbourne 3.1.19 7.2.44 7.3.45 8.6.54

Port Adelaide 5.3.33 11.6.72 16.13.109 19.19.133

Goals

MelbourneClark Howe 2 Byrnes McKenzie Pedersen Viney

Port Adelaide Schulz 4 Monfries Stewart 3 Hartlett 2 Cornes Heath Moore Pittard Westhoff Wingard Wines

Best

Melbourne Grimes Viney Clark N Jones M Jones

Port Adelaide Hartlett Monfries Schulz Ebert Cornes Westhoff

Injuries

Melbourne Clark (ankle)

Port Adelaide Nil

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Port Adelaide Nil

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Port Adelaide Nil

Substitions

Melbourne Sam Blease replaced Mitch Clark (final quarter)

Port Adelaide Kane Mitchell replaced Angus Monfries (final quarter)

Umpires Farmer Ryan Pannell

Crowd 22,924 at the MCG

[Roost It 1,434]

The list of spuds

1. Lynden Dunn. I've wanted him gone for 3 years now. He is pathetic and a total liability in the back half.

2. Jack Watts. Talk about burning a first pick.

3. The Coach. For allowing Jack Watts to do nothing for an entire game

4. Sellar, Pedersen, Rodan, Byrnes, Will all be shown the door at years end.

Upside.

1. Viney

2. Toumpas

3. Hogan

4. New coach next year

5. New CEO next year

[Deecisive 1,651]

I would not give Pedersen away just yet, he has shown he can mark and kick reasonably well, our problem is delivery to him, most of our players upfield could not deliver a pizza much less a football. better delivery would allow him to show he can mark and play. at least his a fresh spud, some of the older spuds need to go first.

[BarnDee 284]

I would not give Pedersen away just yet, he has shown he can mark and kick reasonably well, our problem is delivery to him, most of our players upfield could not deliver a pizza much less a football. better delivery would allow him to show he can mark and play. at least his a fresh spud, some of the older spuds need to go first.

yeah good point that , no one got an easy kick away today nor the receiver had it easy , they seemed to have 27 players on the ground ? , as i said before we just looked really slowwwww ,

[dees64 104]

Well said man!

What a disgrace!

How can we let go of a B&F only 12 mths later & let a clubman like Rivers go? Free agency my arse.....

A game plan that no one including the experts can work out

Neeld cant coach accept & make the change as its about time he was made accountable!

[Genevieve 3]

The problem with our club is the ppl at the top, like Schwab and those responsible for our recruitment. They look to blame everyone else and don't realise that they're the only common denominator in all of these muck football years. They don't realize it's THEM that's the problem.

I went to a Melbourne best and fairest 2 years ago and it was the most uninspiring event I'd ever been to. Our culture was loserville. I thought, this is where our problem lies. (With the exception of the respectable Jim Stynes, who was very ill that night).

We need a new leader to restore it, someone with guts, passion and a dose of arrogance that instills from the top down that we are still mighty dees, the best club.

Until we get rid of most of the decision makers at the top, then I don't see anything changing for a long time.

[Range Rover 1,935]

The problem with our club is the ppl at the top, like Schwab and those responsible for our recruitment. They look to blame everyone else and don't realise that they're the only common denominator in all of these muck football years. They don't realize it's THEM that's the problem.

I went to a Melbourne best and fairest 2 years ago and it was the most uninspiring event I'd ever been to. Our culture was loserville. I thought, this is where our problem lies. (With the exception of the respectable Jim Stynes, who was very ill that night).

We need a new leader to restore it, someone with guts, passion and a dose of arrogance that instills from the top down that we are still mighty dees, the best club.

Until we get rid of most of the decision makers at the top, then I don't see anything changing for a long time.

Well said. I think many agree with you.

[Deees-comeback 1]

I agree with all that's been said and would like to add, How about Howe, he tried hard to impress.

Why don't our players go up for marks? it seems they prefer to stand flatfooted and wait for the crumbs.......when they do quite often its 2 going for the same mark.....talk to each other boys, you are part of a team!!

Team spirit seems to be lacking......come on coach.......things don't seem to have improved from last year.

I love the Deeees, so come on give something back to your supporters and show some guts and determination and play good footy.