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Posted

All he is to me is another wasted draft pick along with Sylvia.

What about the good times?

Ha.Just jokes.

Nah [censored] him.

Posted

You know what? it actually does't matter who said what or not.

The only substantiation that matters to me is the position the club is in and who was in charge to get it there. Responsibility is with those people and most of them are now gone, they've paid the price. There are still one or two board members who need to move on.

That's absolutely correct in the broader sense but shouldn't we (and I mean all of us, not you personally) get our facts right instead of leveling the blame only at people we think did the wrong thing and make general assertions in ad hominem attacks on them? McLardy, Schwab and others took responsibility in the end and resigned their positions and so too did the previous Board which virtually resigned en masse when they grew tired and found the task of making the club meaningful beyond them. They all did the right thing by the club in the end.

This thread also highlights that our failings on the field were largely determined by our pitiful recruiting and player development record of the past decade and I believe it's that which has to a large extent (but not exclusively) brought us undone. Imagine if those Prendergast failures had all turned out to be successes eg Hannebury, Sloane and Fyfe instead of Blease, Strauss and Gysberts just for starters? I doubt in those circumstances we would even be wasting our time with claims that our culture was blighted by tanking.

Caroline Wilson wrote an article hailing Cameron Schwab as a hero in 2010 when the club was on the up and up and things were looking promising on the field. A year later when the wind was blowing the other way, she changed her tune. My point is that administrations at football clubs invariably find themselves on the nose when the team is performing poorly. Certainly, it works both ways but in the end, it was matters football that brought us undone and that was due to long term failures in recruiting, player development, fitness and discipline, not just one or two individual officials who happened to be there at the end of the line when it all turned sour.

Posted

That's absolutely correct in the broader sense but shouldn't we (and I mean all of us, not you personally) get our facts right instead of leveling the blame only at people we think did the wrong thing and make general assertions in ad hominem attacks on them? McLardy, Schwab and others took responsibility in the end and resigned their positions and so too did the previous Board which virtually resigned en masse when they grew tired and found the task of making the club meaningful beyond them. They all did the right thing by the club in the end.

This thread also highlights that our failings on the field were largely determined by our pitiful recruiting and player development record of the past decade and I believe it's that which has to a large extent (but not exclusively) brought us undone. Imagine if those Prendergast failures had all turned out to be successes eg Hannebury, Sloane and Fyfe instead of Blease, Strauss and Gysberts just for starters? I doubt in those circumstances we would even be wasting our time with claims that our culture was blighted by tanking.

Caroline Wilson wrote an article hailing Cameron Schwab as a hero in 2010 when the club was on the up and up and things were looking promising on the field. A year later when the wind was blowing the other way, she changed her tune. My point is that administrations at football clubs invariably find themselves on the nose when the team is performing poorly. Certainly, it works both ways but in the end, it was matters football that brought us undone and that was due to long term failures in recruiting, player development, fitness and discipline, not just one or two individual officials who happened to be there at the end of the line when it all turned sour.

Mistakes happen 'Jack', we all make them. It was the compounding of those mistakes that I have real issue with and why I believe all of the board from that time needs to put their hand up and move on.

One of those mistakes by the board was bringing Garry Lyon into review the football side of the club. This is not a shot at Garry, although he should have know better I think his intentions were well meant. Garry had had nothing to do with the day to day workings of a football club since his days as a player and this in no way qualified him for the task at hand.

What qualified him was he was a club champion and a good mate of Jim Stynes. As he was in his playing days Jim kept on going when he should have taken time out, it's an admirable trait but one that didn't help us and this is where the board needed to step in. Instead of going along with Jim bringing in his mate to help out they should have insisted on a more qualified person.

The board was weak and didn't function in the best interests of the club, this continued into Don's time with some appalling decisions being made. There is to my knowledge at least one person now surviving from that board, all from that time need to take responsibility and move on.

So you are right 'Jack', it was more than one or two people. The face is Cameron Schwab but there were a lot more people responsible for this mess and you are also right that on field results may have made these people heroes instead their combined decisions made them failures.

  • Like 1
Posted

That's absolutely correct in the broader sense but shouldn't we (and I mean all of us, not you personally) get our facts right instead of leveling the blame only at people we think did the wrong thing and make general assertions in ad hominem attacks on them? McLardy, Schwab and others took responsibility in the end and resigned their positions and so too did the previous Board which virtually resigned en masse when they grew tired and found the task of making the club meaningful beyond them. They all did the right thing by the club in the end.

This thread also highlights that our failings on the field were largely determined by our pitiful recruiting and player development record of the past decade and I believe it's that which has to a large extent (but not exclusively) brought us undone. Imagine if those Prendergast failures had all turned out to be successes eg Hannebury, Sloane and Fyfe instead of Blease, Strauss and Gysberts just for starters? I doubt in those circumstances we would even be wasting our time with claims that our culture was blighted by tanking.

Caroline Wilson wrote an article hailing Cameron Schwab as a hero in 2010 when the club was on the up and up and things were looking promising on the field. A year later when the wind was blowing the other way, she changed her tune. My point is that administrations at football clubs invariably find themselves on the nose when the team is performing poorly. Certainly, it works both ways but in the end, it was matters football that brought us undone and that was due to long term failures in recruiting, player development, fitness and discipline, not just one or two individual officials who happened to be there at the end of the line when it all turned sour.

Not always.

Peter Jackson is obviously an exception to the rule.

Posted

One thing I hadn't realised about Brock until after he left Melbourne was how disinvested in the game he is. Pedigree and talent are only two small parts of the picture that will make a successful career of footy (or many things actually) and Brock at some point seems to have said it's all too hard? His donation to the MFC was a great gesture but was it to cover some missing part in in his application to tasks?


Posted

There is to my knowledge at least one person now surviving from that board, all from that time need to take responsibility and move on.

Couldn't agree more. Like the Gardner Board who all moved on so should the Stynes/McLardy Board. Thurin and Howcroft remain.

IMO the greatest failing of the club over many many years was the consecutative appointments of terrible CEO's by successive Boards. Jackson, effectively appointed by the AFL, has shown just how important that role is. Who was the last good one before that? Certainly not Schwab, Harris and Ellis (I'm not including Phillips and Spargo who stood in when we were looking for a permanent person). That's at least a decades worth. Thank heavens Neale Daniher held the ship together over much of that period.

  • Like 2
Posted

I wouldn't take him back now after what he said about the tanking saga, but had he stayed he probably would have become captain ,been on more money by now, and still be playing.

In the end he made wrong choices, going to Carlton,,saying silly things on tele...etc.

Now he will not be remembered by either club as anything of note.

Posted

Couldn't agree more. Like the Gardner Board who all moved on so should the Stynes/McLardy Board. Thurin and Howcroft remain.

IMO the greatest failing of the club over many many years was the consecutative appointments of terrible CEO's by successive Boards. Jackson, effectively appointed by the AFL, has shown just how important that role is. Who was the last good one before that? Certainly not Schwab, Harris and Ellis (I'm not including Phillips and Spargo who stood in when we were looking for a permanent person). That's at least a decades worth. Thank heavens Neale Daniher held the ship together over much of that period.

I hope they are not being considered for the vacant VP post 'Bob' surely we couldn't be that stupid...

Time to move on boys.

Posted

OK I'll go out on a limb.

I'd offer him a 1 year contract with a one year option.

He is probably only depth but plays a reasonable defensive inside midfielder role which Roos seems to like. Can gather lots of possessions as the 3rd (untagged) mid, runs ahead to offer an option and isn't as terrible as he seems by foot. He can also read the game. And donated (yes donated) $10k back to us when he didn't have to.

I'd pay out Pickles and bring back Brock.

Knock yourselves out.

  • Like 2
Posted

Couldn't agree more. Like the Gardner Board who all moved on so should the Stynes/McLardy Board. Thurin and Howcroft remain.

Don't think you will be waiting forever.

BTW, wasn't my girlfriend on successive Boards without complaint?


Posted

Brock is as thick as two short planks. The tanking comments simply brought the crisis in the club to the fore. He would've been clueless anything he said would have an impact. Just as he's clueless now about slagging off Carlton. I didn't like him exposing tanking, but I think in the end it was good for our club for everything to be out in the open. No one will tank any more as it simply doesn't work -- Carlton another great example of that. More than anything I was annoyed they weren't dragged through the filth too.

Our club has been run by incompetents for year. Right now we have a capable CEO and coach. At least we can look forward with a degree of confidence that decent people are at the tiller. The rest is history.

  • Like 1
Posted

I hope they are not being considered for the vacant VP post 'Bob' surely we couldn't be that stupid...

Time to move on boys.

You might want to rethink those comments, if you don't know them personally.

Posted

Couldn't agree more. Like the Gardner Board who all moved on so should the Stynes/McLardy Board. Thurin and Howcroft remain.

IMO the greatest failing of the club over many many years was the consecutative appointments of terrible CEO's by successive Boards. Jackson, effectively appointed by the AFL, has shown just how important that role is. Who was the last good one before that? Certainly not Schwab, Harris and Ellis (I'm not including Phillips and Spargo who stood in when we were looking for a permanent person). That's at least a decades worth. Thank heavens Neale Daniher held the ship together over much of that period.

Agree - somebody had to do the spruiking and Daniher covered for Harris brilliantly.

Bob, my guess is that David Thurin might not last long. I hope he continues to be as generous a contributor to the club as he has been during his tenure on the board.

From the list, you left out that unforgettable CEO whose claim to fame was to raise our profile at Wimbledon Centre Court. It makes you wonder who was in charge of hiring CEO's at the club - I had a dream lst night it was Barry Prendergast.

  • Like 5
Posted

OK I'll go out on a limb.

I'd offer him a 1 year contract with a one year option.

He is probably only depth but plays a reasonable defensive inside midfielder role which Roos seems to like. Can gather lots of possessions as the 3rd (untagged) mid, runs ahead to offer an option and isn't as terrible as he seems by foot. He can also read the game. And donated (yes donated) $10k back to us when he didn't have to.

I'd pay out Pickles and bring back Brock.

Knock yourselves out.

Great idea but getting Mitch Robinson to act as his "minder" around the club as well would give us a classy double act in the midfield.

  • Like 1
Posted

You might want to rethink those comments, if you don't know them personally.

I don't need to rethink, they were incompetent as a board and were part of some horrendous decisions or lack of. In this case it's time for new blood.

  • Like 1
Posted

Great idea but getting Mitch Robinson to act as his "minder" around the club as well would give us a classy double act in the midfield.

Funny. But no to Robinson.

Posted

OK I'll go out on a limb.

I'd offer him a 1 year contract with a one year option.

He is probably only depth but plays a reasonable defensive inside midfielder role which Roos seems to like. Can gather lots of possessions as the 3rd (untagged) mid, runs ahead to offer an option and isn't as terrible as he seems by foot. He can also read the game. And donated (yes donated) $10k back to us when he didn't have to.

I'd pay out Pickles and bring back Brock.

Knock yourselves out.

Left Field indeed......

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