It starts at the top. "Ingrained cultural failings" that have "barely been identified let alone rooted out". He is clearly referring directly to Schwab and McLardy here.

Watts is a symptom of the cause of the malaise - poor off field leadership.

Great article. Expect more like it in coming weeks.

Its not specifically Watts' fault. Its not specifically Schwab or McLardy's fault or even Frawley, Garland, Pedersen, Rodan or Neeld. Its all of them. They all need to stand up and show leadership on and off-field.

I will say those comments by Schwab are particularly damning and quite disgusting for a CEO on the eve of the season. What was he thinking. The comments from Neeld, Grimes & Watts this week not much better. If they cant see the difference between preseason training and an AFL match they're in la-la land. And to be happy that we're now able to train like an AFL club? Then you have the "leadership void" comments by Watts. They are all worrying comments that give the players a cop out.

Jack was waylaid by a reporter on the way to training and instead of saying "no comment" he responded (without much forethought it appears). But you guys have dissected his response as though it were a Papal Decree!! Get a life...

Sorry but while there's some substance to what Whateley's saying, it's easy to join the chorus after one game and its easy to pick apart and analyse every word that's uttered by officials, coaches and players. I say they need to be given the opportunity to suck in what happened during that game and come out an show us that they can play and do it not just one time but consistently.

The ball is in their court, not just Watts.

As for Whateley, he's joined the tabloid push and in order to conform to its standards, he's declining to its level of mediocrity in reporting/opinion writing. He's spending too much time with Robbo and Black Caviar and his IQ is descending to their level.

Sadly, the competition at the Age has become tabloid too and we're left with nothing except a handful of good football writers in the Sunday Age and Martin Flanagan.

Whateley demonstrates in an unbiased article how deeply entrenched our problems are.

Watts wrong with Melbourne? Here's a good place to start, writes Gerard Whateley

.

We need to start listening to this feedback.

One thing is clear we don't demand people play at 100% about 60% is adequate or use their god given skills.

Week after week Sylvia is allowed to put in half arsed efforts,most talented player on our list but never ever putting in a full game.

Ditto frawley at the moment seems to be waiting to leave.

Jack should turn up at training sans beard and say I want to play CHF. Col should demand to play on the ball and run all game or at least that's what neeld should demand.

Headduckers should be demoted for one instance of that.

Sorry but while there's some substance to what Whateley's saying, it's easy to join the chorus after one game and its easy to pick apart and analyse every word that's uttered by officials, coaches and players. I say they need to be given the opportunity to suck in what happened during that game and come out an show us that they can play and do it not just one time but consistently.

The ball is in their court, not just Watts.

As for Whateley, he's joined the tabloid push and in order to conform to its standards, he's declining to its level of mediocrity in reporting/opinion writing. He's spending too much time with Robbo and Black Caviar and his IQ is descending to their level.

Sadly, the competition at the Age has become tabloid too and we're left with nothing except a handful of good football writers in the Sunday Age and Martin Flanagan.

Journalists become rubbish when they say things supporters don't like.

Virtually every football supporter that is non-aligned to the MFC thinks that Watts is softer than butter and an extremely disappointing player. It's really only Demonland, where excuse after excuse is trotted out, that is affronted by the truth.

We need to start listening to this feedback.

One thing is clear we don't demand people play at 100% about 60% is adequate or use their god given skills.

Week after week Sylvia is allowed to put in half arsed efforts,most talented player on our list but never ever putting in a full game.

Ditto frawley at the moment seems to be waiting to leave.

Jack should turn up at training sans beard and say I want to play CHF. Col should demand to play on the ball and run all game or at least that's what neeld should demand.

Headduckers should be demoted for one instance of that.

That's right, it's closer to getting the mind of a champion. Too many fig pluckers at the moment, just doing what their told.

Very encouraging signs from JV. Awesome kid.

Journalists become rubbish when they say things supporters don't like.

Virtually every football supporter that is non-aligned to the MFC thinks that Watts is softer than butter and an extremely disappointing player. It's really only Demonland, where excuse after excuse is trotted out, that is affronted by the truth.

I don't believe Blistering was trotting out any excuses for Watts but rather, called for him and the whole team to extract the digit and do so on a regular basis.

Watts actually did that when sent down back in mid season last year. Like most of the team he had a bad one last week and has copped a pasting which he deserved. Let's see how he responds.

Jack was waylaid by a reporter on the way to training and instead of saying "no comment" he responded (without much forethought it appears). But you guys have dissected his response as though it were a Papal Decree!! Get a life...

Jack was asked a personal question, just like Paul:

Jack was asked a personal question, just like Paul:

Doesn't this belong in the Drug Scandal - Essendon, Cronulla etc thread?

I would be taking notice of Whately's article rather than calling him a hack. He is no hack journalist i assure you.

Stuie please refrain from calling me a Watts Hater. I find that offensive, as i have always defended him from his first game, which was disasterous as we all know.

But i will not defend last sundays game. 2 kicks and no chasing....why should i?

Jack said to the press "we have no leaders at the moment" That tells me he doesn't want the responsibility of leadership.

Leaders like Hodge and Selwood aern't made out of magic. They are born leaders who learn their trade well.

Jack is a born leader. Ask anyone wwho played sport against him or with him during school. He murdered opponents.

So why does he say there are no leaders at the MFC? Has he lost the old Mojo or is he just not trying hard enough.

That is hating Stuie. It is expecting a gifted sportsman to pull his finger out and help lead his team mates at a time when it is most needed.

I goot a message for Jack W which is the same message for all our players.

ATTACK THE FOOTY!!!!!!!!

Too little left to too few.

Jack W lamenting the lack of senior players to take charge is both true and sad. We haven't had leaders since Neita and Junior who can actually get the pill and do something with it. And Jack W should step up and fill it himself. End of story.

I think we saw on Sunday that you don't need age or experience to be a leader.

Jack Viney showed in his first game at the age of 18 more leadership than the majority of the team.

Jack Grimes led with desperation and tried to restore pride into his teammates.

They have set that example to follow for the rest of the season - every game without exception.

I would be taking notice of Whately's article rather than calling him a hack. He is no hack journalist i assure you.

Stuie please refrain from calling me a Watts Hater. I find that offensive, as i have always defended him from his first game, which was disasterous as we all know.

But i will not defend last sundays game. 2 kicks and no chasing....why should i?

Jack said to the press "we have no leaders at the moment" That tells me he doesn't want the responsibility of leadership.

Leaders like Hodge and Selwood aern't made out of magic. They are born leaders who learn their trade well.

Jack is a born leader. Ask anyone wwho played sport against him or with him during school. He murdered opponents.

So why does he say there are no leaders at the MFC? Has he lost the old Mojo or is he just not trying hard enough.

That is hating Stuie. It is expecting a gifted sportsman to pull his finger out and help lead his team mates at a time when it is most needed.

We don't have a culture that produces leaders, at any level. Not any more. Our culture is about self-preservation, not leadership.

Why is it not the leadership group - individually or collectively - that steps up? These are the ones handpicked by the coach to be the team's leaders.

Where is the leadership from the coach? "Don't know what happened" - a great example to set to his leadership group. That's not a leadership statement - that's a self-preservation statement.

The so-called leaders at the club have left Jack totally exposed this week for an off-the-cuff comment. The club - not just the team - have failed to show leadership.

Edited April 5, 201312 yr by Akum

We don't have a culture that produces leaders, at any level. Not any more. Our culture is about self-preservation, not leadership.

Why is it not the leadership group - individually or collectively - that steps up? These are the ones handpicked by the coach to be the team's leaders.

Where is the leadership from the coach? "Don't know what happened" - a great example to set to his leadership group. That's not a leadership statement - that's a self-preservation statement.

The so-called leaders at the club have left Jack totally exposed this week for an off-the-cuff comment. The club - not just the team - have failed to show leadership.

Agree with all you say Akum. I just wish JW would take it on himself more as he did during school.

Leadership should not be lost if it is in the DNA which i believe it is in JW's case.

JW will never lead.

JW will never get the hard ball.

JW hates to compete.

No more excuses based on age and muscle - 5 years in the system, he should be ready, but he has no heart.

Another Jack Watts thread.

Just let the barely 22 year old play.

Go start some threads for Frawley, Jamar, Sylvia, Garland, Byrnes.

Hey stuie what has his age got to do with crap attitude What Jacks problem is he stillt hinks its as easy as it was for him at school. Until or unless this changes he will whither away

Crap attitude is crap attitude and he has a lot of it.

Hey stuie what has his age got to do with crap attitude What Jacks problem is he stillt hinks its as easy as it was for him at school. Until or unless this changes he will whither away

Crap attitude is crap attitude and he has a lot of it.

I'm not saying his attitude is what it should be, but there's a whole bunch of 24-28 year olds that are meant to be carrying the team and not leaving it all up to the 18-22 year olds.

Where are the threads about them? Why so many about Watts? The emphasis is out of whack. People say look at Viney, why can't Watts do that? I say fair enough, but what about Frawley, Jamar, Sylvia, Garland, Byrnes etc etc etc..

I would be taking notice of Whately's article rather than calling him a hack. He is no hack journalist i assure you.

Stuie please refrain from calling me a Watts Hater. I find that offensive, as i have always defended him from his first game, which was disasterous as we all know.

But i will not defend last sundays game. 2 kicks and no chasing....why should i?

Jack said to the press "we have no leaders at the moment" That tells me he doesn't want the responsibility of leadership.

Leaders like Hodge and Selwood aern't made out of magic. They are born leaders who learn their trade well.

Jack is a born leader. Ask anyone wwho played sport against him or with him during school. He murdered opponents.

So why does he say there are no leaders at the MFC? Has he lost the old Mojo or is he just not trying hard enough.

That is hating Stuie. It is expecting a gifted sportsman to pull his finger out and help lead his team mates at a time when it is most needed.

I'm not defending his game. I'm saying the amount of blame being placed on a 22 year old is out of whack. Where's the blame for the core age players? Why so many threads about Watts and hardly a whisper about Jamar, Sylvia, Frawley, Garland, Byrnes, Rodan etc etc they were all terrible as well, but you're all sucked in by the media and their obsession with him.

I'm not defending his game. I'm saying the amount of blame being placed on a 22 year old is out of whack. Where's the blame for the core age players? Why so many threads about Watts and hardly a whisper about Jamar, Sylvia, Frawley, Garland, Byrnes, Rodan etc etc they were all terrible as well, but you're all sucked in by the media and their obsession with him.

There is no blame Stuie....FFS Just Play....The kid nominated for the draft

He can play....Just Do It...Stuie you are too soft.

Melbourne play unaccountable football, zone defense spare man in the backline all that sort of thing. Watts has to learn how to get kicks when he is being manned up, no point just picking up lots of kicks when you are the spare man in defense. He needs to put his body into the contest.

Just wondering does anyone know how many ex-players are turning up around the ground and providing mentoring, feedback, coaching, etc to our younger brigade?

There is no blame Stuie....FFS Just Play....The kid nominated for the draft

He can play....Just Do It...Stuie you are too soft.

I'm soft? You're blaming it all on Watts and letting the senior players off the hook, and I'm the one who's soft? Get a clue mate, there's 22 blokes running out each week.

Melbourne play unaccountable football, zone defense spare man in the backline all that sort of thing. Watts has to learn how to get kicks when he is being manned up, no point just picking up lots of kicks when you are the spare man in defense. He needs to put his body into the contest.

Just wondering does anyone know how many ex-players are turning up around the ground and providing mentoring, feedback, coaching, etc to our younger brigade?

Agree on the unaccountable part, but we don't actually play a zone, Neeld even said so this week, and Watts always has an opponent, he's not a spare man as many mistakenly believe. He does need to lift his effort and aggression though, just like 20 other blokes do (barring Chuck Norris Jack Viney of course).

I'm soft? You're blaming it all on Watts and letting the senior players off the hook, and I'm the one who's soft? Get a clue mate, there's 22 blokes running out each week.

Fcuk!!! you do not even read what i write....I am blaming it all on Watts am i?

He had 2 kicks last week....i watched him play school boy football...He can platy!!!

I am asking hijm to dig deep and find that MOJO.............Please let this seep in through your skull Stuie.

Fcuk!!! you do not even read what i write....I am blaming it all on Watts am i?

He had 2 kicks last week....i watched him play school boy football...He can platy!!!

I am asking hijm to dig deep and find that MOJO.............Please let this seep in through your skull Stuie.

But you should be asking ALL OF THEM instead of getting sucked in by the media!