Was just going through why we were beaten by Gold Coast last week and came across some interesting facts.......and also why Mark Neeld says it will take some years to be a good side.

When the Gold Coast first came into the AFL they had a choose of 12 of the best 17 year olds in the country..They had 8 first round draft picks which included Swallow, Bennell, Day, Caddy(Geelong),Prestia, Lynch, The 17 year old included...Matera, McKenzie, Dixon, Shaw, Smith, some of these were Qld local picks 10 in total that other clubs could not get access to.

On top of this they got Ablett for free,(best player in the country) and access to Brown, Rischitelli, Bock, Brennan, Harbrow, Frazer,

In their first two years they seemed young and could not go the distance with the more established clubs and also had help with their draw from the AFL.....This week is the first time they have had a six day break

It has taken them 3 years to gel into a side after 4 pre seasons and have also had more high draft picks because of their position on the ladder, these included O'Meara ...Jack Martin to come next year.

The point I as trying to make is that with so many new players and so many young ones it will take time......The young ones come in to our club with so much supporter expectation and supporters need to realise that it takes time...I wish it didn't but....

Edited May 19, 201312 yr by Bossdog

Gold Coast have quality senior players to teach the young guys and to lead. We don't have enough of them and most aren't good enough anyway. Lack of experienced leadership is a huge problem.

Was just going through why we were beaten by Gold Coast last week and came across some interesting facts.......and also why Mark Neeld says it will take some years to be a good side.

When the Gold Coast first came into the AFL they had a choose of 12 of the best 17 year olds in the country..They had 8 first round draft picks which included Swallow, Bennell, Day, Caddy(Geelong),Prestia, Lynch, The 17 year old included...Matera, McKenzie, Dixon, Shaw, Smith, some of these were Qld local picks 10 in total that other clubs could not get access to.

On top of this they got Ablett for free, and access to Brown, Rischitelli, Bock, Brennan, Harbrow, Frazer,

In their first two years they seemed young and could not go the distance with the more established clubs and also had help with their draw from the AFL.....This week is the first time they have had a six day break

It has taken them 3 years to gel into a side after 4 pre seasons and have also had more high draft picks because of their position on the ladder, these included O'Meara ...Jack Martin to come next year.

The point I as trying to make is that with so many new players and so many young ones it will take time......The young ones come in to our club with so much supporter expectation and supporters need to realise that it takes time...I wish it didn't but....

I think the issue so many people currently having is that whilst it might take time to become a consistently good side, it shouldn't take this much time for us to see some of the basics of a competitive football team coming together. E.g. tackling like you actually care about the outcome of the game, moving the ball in a manner in which the opposition can be put under a modicum of pressure. And whilst we've turned over a number of players, it's ludicrous that we can be this much worse after a season and a bit of Neeld vs. what we were under Bailey. Whether the players aren't playing for the coach, or the coaches directions are flawed, or whatever else it might be, there is clearly something wrong.

Gold Coast have quality senior players to teach the young guys and to lead. We don't have enough of them and most aren't good enough anyway. Lack of experienced leadership is a huge problem.

its also the clear air allowed them, in which they can do their job... & they don't have an existing weak defeatist culture to disAble. > this is crucial to being able to develop the kids coming thru.

We have had a disability effecting us since the 70's. goes up & down according to coach & admin,,, but has never been Totally removed, since after Smith went. now we are in the process of removing it, & building a hardened one, the people lose their Wil. & the determination for the hardwork required... sounds like a reflection, of the 'old culture' of the players, doesn't it.

.

Despite the fact the players are not exerting enough effort and look clueless on the field, we've had plenty of high draft picks over the recent years too - Trengove, Watts, Tapscott, Blease, Strauss, Grimes, Frawley, Jones, Dunn, Viney, Toumpas not to mention the several others we've wasted. Most of these guys have been around just as long or longer than the Gold Coast kids so this is just another excuse to me that doesn't wash. You can develop a team and actually have players having a crack at the same time. Look at GWS last year - they may have got flogged every other week but you couldn't accuse them of not having a go.

Also no one expects Gold Coast to win just yet. So any win is a plus.

I think the extent of Gold Coast senior and experienced leaders in Ablett and that's about it. Brown can be a head case. Brennan;s and Rischitelli's form wax and wane and Harbrow has been just a player but thats me. And don't even get me started on Bock. Although Warnock has been a good foot soldier for them and has let them develop Rory Thompson from 4th string ruckman to very nice CHB prospect.

Here's the thing about Melbourne though - we've been rebuilding since 2008 (or even mid 2007) back when Gold Coast were just a glimmer in Demetriou's eye. We've had Morton, Grimes, Maric, Watts, Blease, Strauss, Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Tapscott, Cook all taken in the top 22 picks.

Now if you forget 2008-2011 and say when Neeld took over in 2011 we were right back at ground zero again and rebuilding the rebuild well since then we've only added the 2 big forwards and Viney and Toumpas as top selections so yes we will be miles behind the riches given to GWS and GC.

But I just don't think Neeld is at all right. Some of the names above as well as lesser types were going ok under Bailey and Neeld aim should've been to refocus the rebuild not make us worse. Yes he needed to go get a key forward in Clark to straighten us up. But after that he shouldl've said ok I've got Frawley, McDonald, Sellar, Garland, Rivers, Grimes, Strauss etc down back I can teach these guys into a strong unit. I've got Moloney, Jones, Trengove, McKenzie in the middle ok I've got some blokes to win contested ball and tackle, thats a good start. Up forward he could've said I've brought in Mitch Clark how can I get the best out of Watts, Howe, Sylvia and Brad Green for however long he has left and find some small types.

At the end of the day whatever Bailey was doing wasn't working, I get that. But I don't understand how that translates into taking a team capable of up and down performances and still with the ability to beat sides on its day and turn it into a complete mess that has been beaten in almost every quarter of the year. The only reason we beat GWS is that they got so tired running so hard winning a game they fell in a mess. I'd love to see us work so hard taking it up to a better team and then crumble in the last quarter, it would show that we have some talent in their after all.

I don't blame for people being angry where we are or angry at Neeld for rebuilding

But I reckon Neeld has said the list he inherited in 2012 was not good enough to play his style of game, and has decided to rebuild through youth. I don't reckon every decision made by Neeld has been correct but I think we had to rebuild to build a real bright future.

We could have filled in the gaps as we went - but people here already dig in the boots for bringing in experience - so it's a lose lose situation for Neeld, he needs to win games to keep his job

As people have rightly pointed out this team has sooo many holes - it's gong to be a long season

Good thread before we all get [censored] orf by 4pm

Edited May 19, 201312 yr by Unleash Hell

I think the extent of Gold Coast senior and experienced leaders in Ablett and that's about it. Brown can be a head case. Brennan;s and Rischitelli's form wax and wane and Harbrow has been just a player but thats me. And don't even get me started on Bock. Although Warnock has been a good foot soldier for them and has let them develop Rory Thompson from 4th string ruckman to very nice CHB prospect.

Here's the thing about Melbourne though - we've been rebuilding since 2008 (or even mid 2007) back when Gold Coast were just a glimmer in Demetriou's eye. We've had Morton, Grimes, Maric, Watts, Blease, Strauss, Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Tapscott, Cook all taken in the top 22 picks.

Now if you forget 2008-2011 and say when Neeld took over in 2011 we were right back at ground zero again and rebuilding the rebuild well since then we've only added the 2 big forwards and Viney and Toumpas as top selections so yes we will be miles behind the riches given to GWS and GC.

But I just don't think Neeld is at all right. Some of the names above as well as lesser types were going ok under Bailey and Neeld aim should've been to refocus the rebuild not make us worse. Yes he needed to go get a key forward in Clark to straighten us up. But after that he shouldl've said ok I've got Frawley, McDonald, Sellar, Garland, Rivers, Grimes, Strauss etc down back I can teach these guys into a strong unit. I've got Moloney, Jones, Trengove, McKenzie in the middle ok I've got some blokes to win contested ball and tackle, thats a good start. Up forward he could've said I've brought in Mitch Clark how can I get the best out of Watts, Howe, Sylvia and Brad Green for however long he has left and find some small types.

At the end of the day whatever Bailey was doing wasn't working, I get that. But I don't understand how that translates into taking a team capable of up and down performances and still with the ability to beat sides on its day and turn it into a complete mess that has been beaten in almost every quarter of the year. The only reason we beat GWS is that they got so tired running so hard winning a game they fell in a mess. I'd love to see us work so hard taking it up to a better team and then crumble in the last quarter, it would show that we have some talent in their after all.

Nail on head. There is absolutely no reason we needed to have been taken as far back as we have under Neeld, resorting to a desperate hope of being competitive. Now he is trying to defend this mess he has created.

Also people tend to forget that as Gold Coast was a completely clean slate, the players could bond as a team without any previous cliques or issues between players, as most had never played with each other before which is a huge advantage.

As a Melbourne FC supporter it pains me to say it will take many years just to build to a basic AFL standard team, let alone to be a series challenger for the any Flag.

I agree that the remainder of the season is all about getting RESPECT for our Club. The most important area will be:

• RESPECT from the football community, and
• RESPECT from its Members and Supporters.

The question is can the Club get this RESPECT without taking some radical changes in the Clubs Leadership group? The leadership group includes the Senior Coach, Coaching Staff, President, Entire Recruiting Department etc...

Supporters and Members cannot be too critical of the playing group (as much as many may want too) as they have been setup to fail by the so called leaders/decision makers at the Club.

Melbourne FC appears from recent media releases/statements that the Club is full of people with good intentions but who has little to no skill and/or experience in their areas of responsibility.

Melbourne requires a complete independent review and assessment of the clubs on field operations. This is necessary so the Club can implement a workable new plan (one that does not rely on the TOTAL humiliation of the Club on field performance over the next five or more years) to win its 13^th plus FLAGS!

MELBOURNE FC Forever!

Nail on head. There is absolutely no reason we needed to have been taken as far back as we have under Neeld, resorting to a desperate hope of being competitive. Now he is trying to defend this mess he has created.

Agree P Man - with the sentiments of the two posts

But.... to argue for the sake of arguing - I would love to stick it up the Tigers today - but at least Neeld is not taking the easy option and playing NQRs. He's actually doing right by the club by playing the youngsters and giving the next coach a real chance of succeeding.... We all know Neeld is on borrowed time