Are you ******* kidding me Mark.

You are absolutely useless .

Last Sunday, I left the ground with a reoccuring theme of disappointment. Melbourne had been spanked again.. Gawn ruined my supercoach, Jones tried (both) yet this time we at least had a dip. One player I paid particular attention to was James Strauss. Alot gets written on here about James.. A disappointment at pick 19 I'd have to agree with, but after going to a few Casey games this year and seeing him get 20+ touches at that level I wanted to work out what wasn't happening at AFL level.
For 120 minutes I watched James place his left hand on the jumper of Nahas, King and Edwards and not let up. Later in the week we'd find that in a 60 point win, Nahas got given such a bath by him that he got dropped. I would consider that a win in a team full of losses. For anyone who was there, when he gets the ball (and going off on a tangent, he's 'elite' skills get spoken about pre-season and often quoted) but for the first time on Sunday I saw them in full flight. Had around 10-15 touches and they were the best 10-15 touches coming out of our back half since Jack Watts was the only bloke who rocked up against Sydney last year. The guy has the best kick in our team. I'll stand by that comment.

I left Sunday with him in my notebook as one of the few pluses, as regularly his teammates regularly pushed forward off their opponents to attack and leaving themselves vulnerable on the counter for countless goals.
Beauty, I thought. One of our 'middle-young' brigade pushing through to cement his spot.

Well to my shock-(expletive)-horror, Mark has managed to do it again. If not potentially going down as the worst Match day coach Melbourne has ever seen, Neeld has managed to malign the only bloke to beat his opponent on the weekend. I'm sure for his own justification he will cite that he did not do enough offensively, but upon seeing the teams on Friday night I've been lost for words since.
Please someone tell me they see James as a better half back flanker than Dan Nicholson.. The guy does not defend, and when he attacks he turns it over... Am I missing some big joke at AAMI Park?

But than I thought more about it, and realised he's been dropped this week for Jack Watts. What career comparisons. Jack spends 3 weeks out with a hammy and walks back into the poor bugger's spot, while he's worked his way back from a broken leg, played through Casey deserved his spot, and than been dropped in a team of cones.

This is one rant on one player but it shows a much bigger picture, James getting dropped this week displays everything that is wrong with Melbourne. I love JW, but I mean we all see he's a forward now.. and his form as a backman before going out with injury was poor.. What gives him the right to walk back into the team, I'll never know.

Mark Neeld you're dead to me.

Totally agree

Only thing is Strauss didn't have 10-15 touches had much fewer including one to half time I think. Which indicates he isn't working hard enough to get the ball. But defending is his main job.

Watts is going to have to win and use the ball but more than anything show some defensive mindset and ability otherwise Neeld would've made yet another mistake

I agree that he deserves to stay in the side, but they have gone for a simple like-for-like swap. Watts will be playing in the spot Strauss was occupying. I would say that he is first emergency should someone not come up for the game.

Strauss should be in

and Watts should play forward

Neeld is a moron

Totally agree with everyone's sentiments here. James has never been given sufficient games to settle in and I think he can make it if given a chance. I am so so disappointed in Mark Neeld.

Strauss does not deserve to be in the side, he was very ordinary against the Tigers. Apart from being able to kick the ball im yet to see anything that proves he is AFL standard.

Also why not go with Strauss as sub and play him half back/wing compared to Bail. We'll be 10 goals down may as well say to Strauss lets see what you can produce as an impact player focusing on attack no defense.

  On 25/05/2013 at 09:30, DavidNeitz9 said:

Strauss does not deserve to be in the side, he was very ordinary against the Tigers. Apart from being able to kick the ball im yet to see anything that proves he is AFL standard.g show some defensive mindset and ability otherwise Neeld would've made yet another mistake

Did you watch the Richmond game? Where did he not show defensive mindset and ability? I certainly saw Garland's man in King get more goals than the combination that Strauss was in. Oh and isn't kicking ability? Hawthorn build a team around focusing on kicking and it goes pretty well for them.

  On 25/05/2013 at 09:30, DavidNeitz9 said:

Strauss does not deserve to be in the side, he was very ordinary against the Tigers. Apart from being able to kick the ball im yet to see anything that proves he is AFL standard.

Name more than 5 players who played AFL standard last Sunday DavidNeitz9. Also, thankyou for your incredible insight into the conversation.

  On 25/05/2013 at 08:40, RalphiusMaximus said:

I agree that he deserves to stay in the side, but they have gone for a simple like-for-like swap. Watts will be playing in the spot Strauss was occupying. I would say that he is first emergency should someone not come up for the game.

I believe he will be first emergency Ralphie, but that sort of makes it worse in my opinion. We've dropped you.. but come for the travel and sit on the side.. Oh

#ByeNeeld

Terlich, Magner, N & M Jones, Davey & Howe

Which one of his stellar 6 possies and 1 tackle impressed you enough to say he deserved to keep his spot ? Strauss has about as much intensity as a napkin.

  On 25/05/2013 at 09:33, Demon Land 7 said:

Name more than 5 players who played AFL standard last Sunday DavidNeitz9. Also, thankyou for your incredible insight into the conversation.

  On 25/05/2013 at 09:30, DavidNeitz9 said:

Strauss does not deserve to be in the side, he was very ordinary against the Tigers. Apart from being able to kick the ball im yet to see anything that proves he is AFL standard.

Do not agree, and I suppose you think Nicholson is AFL standard?

I must admit I think Strauss defends really well an once he feels more comfortable will take the game on more.

Bu I too was surprised to see him dropped.

  On 25/05/2013 at 09:42, Soidee said:

Do not agree, and I suppose you think Nicholson is AFL standard?

+1.

Strauss over nicho anyday. 3 Strauss kicks are better than 12 from Nicholson as 3 of them result in opposition goals.

Nicholson is no where near AFL standard and neither is Strauss at this point in time

  On 25/05/2013 at 09:42, Soidee said:

Do not agree, and I suppose you think Nicholson is AFL standard?

  On 25/05/2013 at 09:38, DavidNeitz9 said:

Terlich, Magner, N & M Jones, Davey & Howe

Which one of his stellar 6 possies and 1 tackle impressed you enough to say he deserved to keep his spot ? Strauss has about as much intensity as a napkin.

Those 6 disposals were far more effective than Dan Nicholsons 12. Other than Nicholsons goal he is horrendous by foot, and a blight to the team.

Both he and Jetta shirked going back against the flight against Richmond and Nicholson also did it against Gold Coast the week before. I've heard the intensity debate and I don't buy that for a second. He spanked Nahas, and beat Aaron Hall the week before.

Last year he had the best disposal efficiency for the team.. I'd say in this shambles of a team that's good enough by itself.

Agreed DL7, id take Strauss over Nicholson.

  On 25/05/2013 at 09:56, Demon Land 7 said:

Those 6 disposals were far more effective than Dan Nicholsons 12. Other than Nicholsons goal he is horrendous by foot, and a blight to the team.

I think it's time to change your avatar mate

  On 25/05/2013 at 08:14, Demon Land 7 said:

Mark Neeld you're dead to me.

  On 25/05/2013 at 10:07, DavidNeitz9 said:

I think it's time to change your avatar mate

Ha ha I did not notice that.

mistake for mine too

Agree.

I love Straussy.

Oh, btw, I think that Nicho's kicking really improved last weekend.

  On 25/05/2013 at 08:14, Demon Land 7 said:

Mark Neeld you're dead to me.

Might want to change your display picture then

Have said since day one that James Strauss is the best kick on the list and should be our kick out choice

The problem we have in our back 6 is lack of support and lack of spread = work ethic

IMO kicking out after a point is now a specialist role and we just happen to be the worst at it

I would rather kick a huge torpedo into the centre of the ground rather than risk having it in the hands of the opposition within goal scoring range all because we stuffed around with the ball

Strauss IMO is a defensive flanker who has the kick in job EVERY WEEK

I've never really seen an AFL player in Strauss. Then again, same goes for McKenzie, Nicholson, Bail, and Dunn.

I really don't think his kicking skills are as good as some make them out to be. I also don't think towelling Nahas is as wonderful as some are making it sound (Nahas is mediocre at best).

Having said all that, I certainly understand the anger associated with dropping him after a game where he might not have been our best, but wasn't clearly our worst either.

And as for 'like-for-like', Watts wouldn't have played on Nahas if he'd been in instead of Strauss v Richmond, so I don't see how that argument stands. Strauss was, it seems, identified by Neeld/the FD as being the weakest player and the one who needed to make way for the incoming Watts. I'd have thought Bail and Nicholson, also similar style players, were just as bad, but there you go.