Mark Neeld on Footy Classified tonight

[Strafford 182]

Strangely enough, Melbourne has the greatest average winning margin in the AFL this year.

I love statistics.

Statistics just like lists of behaviours are fine and can be very useful as long as they are used in the right way and in conjunction with other tools. You also need to take outliers into account Edited June 19, 2013 by Strafford

[Strafford 182]

I can see what you are saying PM24, but do you think it was a good idea not to have a matchday element? Do you think that perhaps it would have been better to use that list as a guide, as most clubs who use it do, rather than back yourself into a corner by saying it is the be all and end all? From a number of sources N.Jones was making up a lot of ground, so perhaps if they had waited and had that matchday element N.Jones may have been the man with the youngsters vice captains. Hopefully they didn't show them the results as it just adds to the picture of humilating the senior players for all that many of them to needed a wakeup call. How many people really think our process came up with the right outcome? Do you think being Captain has helped either of the Jacks? Luke Hodge has never been a training junkie although he has got better, but he is an onfield leader. I'm not sure our process would have picked him?

If Toumpas was fit enough to play round one then any mention of his hip injuries was irrelevant and he was just like any other kid playing his first game coming out of the draft rather than an example of us being extra focused on the future. The fact that under Neeld half of our new recruits have been mature aged guys complicates Neelds assertion on our youth policy. I would have thought Toupas was dropped due to not getting near it rather than any thought to managing his workload.

I probably need to clarify my point on Toumpas a bit PM as I just realised it reads like I am dumping on him. All I am trying to point out is that if Jimmy played round 1, as he did, then given Neeld's subsequent comments he was either played too early and should have been given more time to prepare for his debut or the comment was irrelevant and just another excuse. Eitherway I don't think it reflects well on him. I just want our club to develop the kid right as he is potentially one of our blue chippers.

[deanox 9,924]

I interpreted the comment as "knowing he (Toumpas) will take some to come on and not be an immediate impact player (like wines), and that even though he was available and ready huge may have been a longer term start depending on how he recovered.

That he did get ready doesn't mean they expected him to be ready when selecting him.

[H_T 3,047]

Gary flippantly said everyone makes mistakes re the experienced coach search. The dodger.

Did he happen to mention or comment on monumental significant stuff-ups that ultimately are responsible for a large erosion of the membership, corporate support and financial strain on the club ... As a result of the poorest of performances for the first 12 weeks of a season for all-time?

[Deestroy All 14,266]

Did he happen to mention or comment on monumental significant stuff-ups that ultimately are responsible for a large erosion of the membership, corporate support and financial strain on the club ... As a result of the poorest of performances for the first 12 weeks of a season for all-time?

Yes. Well... In his own way. "...and we'll move on."

That covers it, right?

[Strafford 182]

I interpreted the comment as "knowing he (Toumpas) will take some to come on and not be an immediate impact player (like wines), and that even though he was available and ready huge may have been a longer term start depending on how he recovered.

That he did get ready doesn't mean they expected him to be ready when selecting him.

I'm fine with the concept of him not being the immediate impact player, like as you say a Wines, as the way we play especially for someone who is more an outside player who needs to work on his contested footy by his own admission, would struggle and he has....but If we had doubts, give him a few games in the twos as a number of teams do with players who need a bit more development than others and then play him when you think he has the best chance to succeed. I am a firm believer that confidence and self belief are key ingredients in making a good AFL footballer and I'm just not sure we are doing well enough in giving our guys the best chance to succeed in those areas.