Jump to content

Just when you thought we may have been implementing cultural change

Featured Replies

I've always had the opinion that it just doesn't mean enough for our players. I'm sure there's a group that do care & want to get the best out of them but you need everyone buying in to be successful. I don't know anymore, It's bloody annoying hearing this sort of crap come out.

 

Haven't there been other stories on this forum about the Storm's attitude towards our boys? And those stories were far from complimentary either.

Problem is, preception is reality.

To put it another way, if you were undergoing performance counselling at work, would you be spending your time at work talking to your mates, cracking jokes and taking long lunches? No way, you would be putting your head down to get back up to scratch and out of the crosshairs.

When you are 0-3 and losing by average of 100+ points, anything other than total dedication to make things right is perceived to be tomfoolery and not giving a [censored]. It might not be the case but I'm not sure our players are in a position to argue the case.

 

Cultural, smulptural. Most of the sides that have won Premierships both present and past have been overflowing with borderline sociopaths who could be reigned in by two or three strong personalities.

It's now the most overhyped term since RSI.

I'll settle for strong, intuitive players and a great coach. If most of them are not model citizens, I don't give a stuff.


I remember last year someone posted a thread saying that one of the storm boys mentioned how the Melbourne boys joke and laugh around the gym and didn't take it seriously. The storm boy was mortified and couldn't believed it.

And hearing that sums our culture up for me. The two captains was a mistake and it needs to be sorted out end of this year!

 

Martin Pike

I remember last year someone posted a thread saying that one of the storm boys mentioned how the Melbourne boys joke and laugh around the gym and didn't take it seriously. The storm boy was mortified and couldn't believed it.

And hearing that sums our culture up for me. The two captains was a mistake and it needs to be sorted out end of this year!

That was Cooper Cronk.

Yup. Not winning games cos the boys had a spa after training..

It's worse than that. They were laughing too....Dermie said :o

It's worse than that. They were laughing too....Dermie said :o

Yeah. Nothing to see here, move along. :rolleyes:

This was the thread about the apparent Storm players' views.

For those of you making snide remarks I'd just like to point out that the one sporting club in Melbourne that you'd want to be listening to in regards to their attitude towards culture and professionalism it would the world champion Melbourne Storm.


"You turn up against Melbourne at the moment and you know what..? If you've got talent, if you have a work ethic, you don't have to tag anyone."

I've met Dermie a few times and as much of a party boy as he seems ,he was a true professional whilst he was a player.

Back in the late 80's he would be in the nightclubs drinking water.Some seasons they(the whole team) never had ONE beer .

The word SACRIFICE was mentioned often.

Mitch Clark and Nathan Jones are men, the rest are boys.That is our problem.

I've met Dermie a few times and as much of a party boy as he seems ,he was a true professional whilst he was a player.

Back in the late 80's he would be in the nightclubs drinking water.Some seasons they(the whole team) never had ONE beer .

The word SACRIFICE was mentioned often.

Mitch Clark and Nathan Jones are men, the rest are boys.That is our problem.

Both Jones and Clark are B Grade players, and our best players, that is the problem.

Who is going to deal with it? that's another problem.

Both Jones and Clark are B Grade players, and our best players, that is the problem.

Who is going to deal with it? that's another problem.

Jones and Clark would look pretty A grade playing for the Cats-but welcome back Bluey!

Both Jones and Clark are B Grade players, and our best players, that is the problem.

Who is going to deal with it? that's another problem.

Mitch Clark is a B Grade Player? Hmm okay.

Happy with Grimes and Trengove as Captains. There are a few long bows been drawn around here and in other places. It is obvious that Neeld, Misson and Craig inherited a group of players not preparing in an elite way. I'd be surprised if the law had not been layed down in that regard. And Its fair to say that Dermie's story has a few holes in it.


Let's just say this

1)did happen and

2) was not a good thing from a recovery point of view

Who could take the culprits to task and rip them a new one? Just imagine how some of these might deal with it

Brereton + Ayers + Dunstall + Mews + Langford + Hodge + Scott + Kennedy

That's how far we are away...

I will support the boys pulling on the red and blue, but not unconditionally. My conditions aren't onerous (not that they players would give a continental what Frankie_d's conditions) : you have to give your all, keep trying, and do what needs to be done on and off the field. If these boys aren't doing what needs to be done off the field, then I am done with those players until strong leadership pulls them into line...

As I said, this depends on 1) and 2) above being true

to me everything DB said makes perfect sense. We have a list that, bar a few exceptions, is not having a red hot go and that is the lion's share of our problem. Anybody can see it. DB's speculation that our captains, and the senior group as a whole, are not strong enough to control the attitude and professionalism of the group seems spot on to me. The thing I can't work out is how the coaching staff - or any of the myriad of others in connection with the club - cannot seem to work out how to get these blokes correct in the head.

to me everything DB said makes perfect sense. We have a list that, bar a few exceptions, is not having a red hot go and that is the lion's share of our problem. Anybody can see it. DB's speculation that our captains, and the senior group as a whole, are not strong enough to control the attitude and professionalism of the group seems spot on to me. The thing I can't work out is how the coaching staff - or any of the myriad of others in connection with the club - cannot seem to work out how to get these blokes correct in the head.

Not criticising your post C&B, just adding.

Our club never talks about winning games. From the top down.

It's not demanded therefore there are no expectations. The whole club including all the players, coaching staff, administration and Board talk about everything else other than winning.

According to the lot of them, winning is a bi-product of structures, systems, key performance indicators, processes, fitness levels and the rest of the utter garbage and bs they throw our way. Many supporters lap it up but it's all spin. Total spin.

Apart from the Board members, the rest of them are getting exceptionally well paid for just being there. There is no accountability because not enough of our supporters demand wins.Too many of us believe their spin.

It's been going on since the appointment of Bailey. Perhaps even earlier.

 

Ive always said the melbourne boys could learn a lot off the storm boys and there culture. They have not missed a finals under Bellamy and have won 3 grand finals, yes 2 were taken off them but everyone knows where they stand in that team and when a new player comes in they know there spot straight away.

I reckon Cameron Smith could even help out the 2 young captains. This is a guy who is a premiership captain, a world champion captain, state of origin captain and led his own country to victory. I dont know why we use them more. Collingwood picked there brains.


Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Featured Content

  • GAMEDAY: Essendon

    It’s Game Day, and the Demons are staring down the barrel of an 0-5 start for the first time since 2012 as they take on Essendon at Adelaide Oval for Gather Round. In that forgettable season, Melbourne finally broke their drought by toppling the Bombers. Can lightning strike twice? Will the Dees turn their nightmare start around and breathe life back into 2025?

      • Like
    • 59 replies
    Demonland
  • PREVIEW: Essendon

    As the focus of the AFL moves exclusively to South Australia for Gather Round, the question is raised as to what are we going to get from the  Melbourne Football Club this weekend? Will it be a repeat of the slop fest of the last three weeks that have seen the team score a measly 174 points and concede 310 or will a return to the City of Churches and the scene where they performed at their best in 2024 act as a wakeup call and bring them out of their early season reverie?  Or will the sleepy Dees treat their fans to a reenactment of their lazy effort from the first Gather Round of two years ago when they allowed the Bombers to trample all over them on a soggy and wet Adelaide Oval? The two examples from above tell us how fickle form can be in football. Last year, a committed group of players turned up in Adelaide with a businesslike mindset. They had a plan, went in confidently and hard for the football and kicked winning scores against both home teams in a difficult environment for visitors. And they repeated that sort of effort later in the season when they played Essendon at the MCG.

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Essendon

    Facing the very real and daunting prospect of starting the season with five straight losses, the Demons head to South Australia for the annual Gather Round, where they’ll take on the Bombers in search of their first win of the year. Who comes in, and who comes out?

      • Thanks
    • 489 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 05

    Gather Round is here, kicking off with a Thursday night blockbuster as Adelaide faces Geelong. The Crows will be out for redemption after a controversial loss last week. Saturday starts with the Magpies taking on the Swans. Collingwood will be eager to cement their spot in the top eight, while Sydney is hot on their heels. In the Barossa Valley, two rising sides go head-to-head in a fascinating battle to prove they're the real deal. Later, Carlton and West Coast face off at Adelaide Oval, both desperate to notch their first win of the season. The action then shifts to Norwood, where the undefeated Lions will aim to keep their streak alive against the Bulldogs. Sunday’s games begin in the Barossa with Richmond up against Fremantle. In Norwood, the Saints will be looking to take a scalp when they come up against the Giants. The round concludes with a fiery rematch of last year's semi-final, as the Hawks seek revenge for their narrow loss to Port Adelaide. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

      • Thanks
    • 202 replies
    Demonland
  • CASEY: Geelong

    There was a time in the second quarter of the game at the Cattery on Friday afternoon when the Casey Demons threatened to take the game apart against the Cats. The Demons had been well on top early but were struggling to convert their ascendancy over the ground until Tom Fullarton’s burst of three goals in the space of eight minutes on the way to a five goal haul and his best game for the club since arriving from Brisbane at the end of 2023. He was leading, marking and otherwise giving his opponents a merry dance as Casey grabbed a three goal lead in the blink of an eye. Fullarton has now kicked ten goals in Casey’s three matches and, with Melbourne’s forward conversion woes, he is definitely in with a chance to get his first game with the club in next week’s Gather Round in Adelaide. Despite the tall forward’s efforts - he finished with 19 disposals and eight marks and had four hit outs as back up to Will Verrall in the second half - it wasn’t enough as Geelong reigned in the lead through persistent attacks and eventually clawed their way to the lead early in the last and held it till they achieved the end aim of victory.

      • Like
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Geelong

    I was disappointed to hear Goody say at his post match presser after the team’s 39 point defeat against Geelong that "we're getting high quality entry, just poor execution" because Melbourne’s problems extend far beyond that after its 0 - 4 start to the 2025 football season. There are clearly problems with poor execution, some of which were evident well before the current season and were in play when the Demons met the Cats in early May last year and beat them in a near top-of-the-table clash that saw both sides sitting comfortably in the top four after round eight. Since that game, the Demons’ performances have been positively Third World with only five wins in 19 games with a no longer majestic midfield and a dysfunctional forward line that has become too easy for opposing coaches to counter. This is an area of their game that is currently being played out as if they were all completely panic-stricken.

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 0 replies
    Demonland