STAND UP

[Jonathan Steffanoni 80]

Our Melbourne Football Club is perceived as being weak, a perception which accurately reflects the reality of our current situation.

I was at the cricket ground on Saturday night, and it hurt deeply as a member, it hurt deeply as a supporter, it really did cut deep. I felt frustrated, angry and then even apathetic. The thought of tossing my membership card out onto the turf briefly crossed my mind, but then there was something which stopped me.

Deep down something told me that this was the kind of attitude which made our club weak. Its the attitude which some call the curse of Norm Smiths sacking, and its the perception that we head to the snow in July, the reality that our players chose not to gut run to make space, the reality that there were 85% Essendon fans at the game at our home ground. On the field, as soon as the game started to turn against us the players seemed to abandon the club too. The curse of Norm Smiths sacking is the curse of withdrawing support when challenged with a difficult situation and it has permeated the supporters, the administration and the playing group.

We often feel that we are powerless as members and supporters, resorting to expressing our frustration and anger with calls to change this or that in the hope that it will turn things around. There are even those who openly withdraw their support for the club. While it may be a way to blow of some steam, and even a noble effort to do something about the situation, I believe that this kind of attitude amongst the supporters is the very manifestation of the culture which we need to change if the club is to succeed. Can we not see the forest but for the trees? If the club is to change then it needs to start with us.

Supporters and members of our football club are not impotent. We have to power to provide the support that the players and administrators are crying out for. As supporters we need to commit to our part in supporting the club. If there was ever a time where we are able to cast out the ghosts of Norm Smiths sacking, to be part of the change which we all want to see in the club then that time is now.

Stand Up as a Club

If you have posted here on-line that youre walking away from the club, please reconsider simply logging back on and stating your support for the club. Its not hard but its a significant step in our collective psyche.

We are up against the Eagles this Saturday, and the most likely thing that will happen is that a small but loyal group of fans will be there, but there will be droves of supporters who have decided to spend their time doing something less difficult, maybe checking the scores, maybe not even bothering. I guarantee this, if we could get 60K Melbourne supporters at the game next week in a show of solidarity I guarantee we will see a definite change in the team. They will see that they are supported, that we care, that we are in it with them, that we are committed.

We have the power as supporters to do this. We can actually do something. Speak to another supporter and say Hey, we need to get behind the club, come with me to the game on Saturday. Its not really that hard, but this is how change happens, stop blaming others and start doing what we do have the power to do. It's what Norm Smith would do, it's what Jim Stynes would do, it's what we should do. Stand Up.

[GolfBoyPro 43]

I'm with you MFC1858, no way am I throwing out my now microwaved MFC membership card. I'm in the whole way!!!

[old dee 22,953]

A nice article MFC.

But honestly this is a dream for starters there are not 60,000 supporters in the Melbourne metro area.

[FireUp 67]

I'm still standing. Had trouble sleeping after the game and feel a bit sick but I won't give up on my beloved Demons.

Carn Dees. Never give up.

[PaulRB 5,985]

Agree. And while all the bitching going on by Melbourne fans is understandable, you only have to watch the post game interviews with Grimes and Neeld to realise they (the players and coaches) are hurting more then we are or could be.

So we saddle up again.

[Lifelong Demon 75]

There aren't 60,000 members, but are we sure there aren't 60,000 supporters in the area?? I live in Brisbane but would be there in an instant and would be there every week with my family of five were it possible...

Besides, it's better to shoot for the stars and miss than aim for the gutter and hit.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,506]

One of these days we'll turn it around and I want to be able to say "I was there" when the change happened. So. I'll be at the MCG in the game against he WCE and the following week against GWS and thereafter.

And I hope that's the message Neeld is giving to the players this week. He should be saying to them, "When your career is over, you'll want to be able to say 'I was there when the improvement began and I was a part of it'" Not every player on the list will be playing when Melbourne is considered to be one of the better teams. But it would be great for them to be able to say that they were part of the team that went from the bottom to that newly powerful position.

[jazza 1,323]

Ask any player and he will tell you its either the money or finals that motivate, not im glad i was in the bottom team for my career, but now im really happy to be retired and watch them come good pfffft

One of these days we'll turn it around and I want to be able to say "I was there" when the change happened. So. I'll be at the MCG in the game against he WCE and the following week against GWS and thereafter.

And I hope that's the message Neeld is giving to the players this week. He should be saying to them, "When your career is over, you'll want to be able to say 'I was there when the improvement began and I was a part of it'" Not every player on the list will be playing when Melbourne is considered to be one of the better teams. But it would be great for them to be able to say that they were part of the team that went from the bottom to that newly powerful position.

[Jonathan Steffanoni 80]

Besides, it's better to shoot for the stars and miss than aim for the gutter and hit.

It's true, and I tend to think that turning up to a game of football isn't too heavy a burden if you really care about the club.

[Cheap Seats 3,303]

I would love to see this club stand up as a whole - players, admin & supporters and stick it up a few

I can't say I've agreed with everything that the admin have done - but at least the are unified at the moment. That shows some strength, hopefully they have the guts to see it through and 'die by the sword' if it fials in a yr or 2

[DemonOX 8,541]

There aren't 60,000 members, but are we sure there aren't 60,000 supporters in the area?? I live in Brisbane but would be there in an instant and would be there every week with my family of five were it possible...

Besides, it's better to shoot for the stars and miss than aim for the gutter and hit.

LLD u may live in Bris but we can show our support when the boys come up in a few wks at the game and the open training ses. I will be there with my fam of 5 too.

[Lifelong Demon 75]

LLD u may live in Bris but we can show our support when the boys come up in a few wks at the game and the open training ses. I will be there with my fam of 5 too.

Absolutely. We can't make th Lions game, but will definitely be at the open training at the Gabba. We will also head down to Metricon later in the year.

As a side note, I came home from work sick today to find my three kids (2 daughters and a son) all playing footy out the back in their Demons guernsey's! What a great bunch of kids!!

[markc 975]

Absolutely. We can't make th Lions game, but will definitely be at the open training at the Gabba. We will also head down to Metricon later in the year.

As a side note, I came home from work sick today to find my three kids (2 daughters and a son) all playing footy out the back in their Demons guernsey's! What a great bunch of kids!!

Absolutely. We can't make th Lions game, but will definitely be at the open training at the Gabba. We will also head down to Metricon later in the year.

As a side note, I came home from work sick today to find my three kids (2 daughters and a son) all playing footy out the back in their Demons guernsey's! What a great bunch of kids!!

On Sunday, my 5 and 8 year old girls came up with the team poster from the paper and asked me to help them put it up. Made me smile.

No matter what, we still and will always support Melbourne ... all 5 of my kids got a Melbourne jumper on the day they born.

Shame my wife after 15 years did ask if she could go back and follow Hawthorn.

So I am now looking for a new one!

Nah, she decided better to keep hubby happy and stay with us!

[Whispering_Jack 28,026]

How refreshing. Some positivity instead of the self-defeating negativity abounding elsewhere on this site.

How long can we keep this up?

[Demon Dynasty 15,812]

There aren't 60,000 members, but are we sure there aren't 60,000 supporters in the area?? I live in Brisbane but would be there in an instant and would be there every week with my family of five were it possible...

Besides, it's better to shoot for the stars and miss than aim for the gutter and hit.

Heyy the boys of aimed for the gutter 2 weeks in a row now and hit it admirably. They don't seem to mind! Maybe they prefer the gutter

[Lifelong Demon 75]

How refreshing. Some positivity instead of the self-defeating negativity abounding elsewhere on this site.

How long can we keep this up?

Apparently that was it, thanks Rusty.

Positivity abounds in our house about the Dees. We go past the Lions Den on the way to Kindy and my son always says 'Boo Lions' on the way past. The kids wear their scarves even in the heat, and I have the flag from Queens Birthday walk last year hanging on the wall. The ladder is on the fridge and we talk each day about doing your best and working hard.

I don't get al the negativity really. If your child came home after scoring 1/100 on a maths test, would you start ranting about getting rid of their teacher, the year level coordinator and the principal because they haven't established a good learning culture? Or would you show support to your child, behave rationally and do whatever you could to HELP the situation?

[BarnDee 287]

Our Melbourne Football Club is perceived as being weak, a perception which accurately reflects the reality of our current situation.

I was at the cricket ground on Saturday night, and it hurt deeply as a member, it hurt deeply as a supporter, it really did cut deep. I felt frustrated, angry and then even apathetic. The thought of tossing my membership card out onto the turf briefly crossed my mind, but then there was something which stopped me.

Deep down something told me that this was the kind of attitude which made our club weak. Its the attitude which some call the curse of Norm Smiths sacking, and its the perception that we head to the snow in July, the reality that our players chose not to gut run to make space, the reality that there were 85% Essendon fans at the game at our home ground. On the field, as soon as the game started to turn against us the players seemed to abandon the club too. The curse of Norm Smiths sacking is the curse of withdrawing support when challenged with a difficult situation and it has permeated the supporters, the administration and the playing group.

We often feel that we are powerless as members and supporters, resorting to expressing our frustration and anger with calls to change this or that in the hope that it will turn things around. There are even those who openly withdraw their support for the club. While it may be a way to blow of some steam, and even a noble effort to do something about the situation, I believe that this kind of attitude amongst the supporters is the very manifestation of the culture which we need to change if the club is to succeed. Can we not see the forest but for the trees? If the club is to change then it needs to start with us.

Supporters and members of our football club are not impotent. We have to power to provide the support that the players and administrators are crying out for. As supporters we need to commit to our part in supporting the club. If there was ever a time where we are able to cast out the ghosts of Norm Smiths sacking, to be part of the change which we all want to see in the club then that time is now.

Stand Up as a Club

If you have posted here on-line that youre walking away from the club, please reconsider simply logging back on and stating your support for the club. Its not hard but its a significant step in our collective psyche.

We are up against the Eagles this Saturday, and the most likely thing that will happen is that a small but loyal group of fans will be there, but there will be droves of supporters who have decided to spend their time doing something less difficult, maybe checking the scores, maybe not even bothering. I guarantee this, if we could get 60K Melbourne supporters at the game next week in a show of solidarity I guarantee we will see a definite change in the team. They will see that they are supported, that we care, that we are in it with them, that we are committed.

We have the power as supporters to do this. We can actually do something. Speak to another supporter and say Hey, we need to get behind the club, come with me to the game on Saturday. Its not really that hard, but this is how change happens, stop blaming others and start doing what we do have the power to do. It's what Norm Smith would do, it's what Jim Stynes would do, it's what we should do. Stand Up.

ide read that if i bloody well glasses , sheez

[BarnDee 287]

sbs now , maybe the whole team could watch this

[gotzy9 33]

Great thread. There really are some seriously quality people on here.