You need to revisit round 22 1996 for a start where Neitz slotted several great goals from outside 50, a feat he often performed.

You have conveniently changed the format of your argument to a comparison with the great full forwards of the league whereas the original discussion was whether Neita was/is a club great of which there is no doubt.

I am not bagging Neitz, I believe he was a very good player for us.

If you want to revisit games how about the first quarter of the 2000 Grand Final? Neitz hits the post with a banana from 5 metres out. Next goal comes from Hird. Neitz then misses from 30m out on a 45 degree angle.

Hird ends the day with 29 disposals, 2 goals, 3 tackles and a Norm Smith. He was a great player

Neitz kicks two goals (Lloyd kicked 4) after the game was already lost. David had 0 tackles. 0. The great players stand up on the big occasions.

Maybe he is a Melbourne great but, if he is, that means the bar is considerably lower at Melbourne than at other clubs

I'll stick with Flower being the one great i have seen play for us.

Again, Im not bagging him I just think he was a Melbourne very good

I am not bagging Neitz, I believe he was a very good player for us.

If you want to revisit games how about the first quarter of the 2000 Grand Final? Neitz hits the post with a banana from 5 metres out. Next goal comes from Hird. Neitz then misses from 30m out on a 45 degree angle.

Hird ends the day with 29 disposals, 2 goals, 3 tackles and a Norm Smith. He was a great player

Neitz kicks two goals (Lloyd kicked 4) after the game was already lost. David had 0 tackles. 0. The great players stand up on the big occasions.

Maybe he is a Melbourne great but, if he is, that means the bar is considerably lower at Melbourne than at other clubs

I'll stick with Flower being the one great i have seen play for us.

Again, Im not bagging him I just think he was a Melbourne very good

You are a very hard marker, that first goal attempt in 2000 was from the boundary line on his wrong foot.

I was in the members not far away.

Essendon were a far superior team in 2000 losing one game for the entire season.

To even hint that Neitz was somehow responsible for the loss is ludicrous.

You are a very hard marker, that first goal attempt in 2000 was from the boundary line on his wrong foot.

I was in the members not far away.

Essendon were a far superior team in 2000 losing one game for the entire season.

To even hint that Neitz was somehow responsible for the loss is ludicrous.

I wasn't. If i conveyed that I apologise.

Should we leave it at that?

I wasn't. If i conveyed that I apologise.

Should we leave it at that?

No need for apology, we have differing views, so be it.

Cheers.

Back on topic.
A small part of me cried inside when I read this.
We probably need to get fresh eyes in but Neita has been in red and blue from day dot.
I know it's the heart ruling the head but it feels a bit off.

I can feel a bit more comfortable about it as I know it's Neita pursuing other opportunities and not a case of him leaving the fold because he is disgruntled.

Back on topic.

A small part of me cried inside when I read this.

We probably need to get fresh eyes in but Neita has been in red and blue from day dot.

I know it's the heart ruling the head but it feels a bit off.

I can feel a bit more comfortable about it as I know it's Neita pursuing other opportunities and not a case of him leaving the fold because he is disgruntled.

Yes, it's different than Bruce, McDonald, etc, however it just feels wrong...

Jesus....I just chocked on my corn flakes.....Did you blokes ever see him play???

I know the trend is to bag our players on here but Neata was a champion of the Melbourne footy club.

A lot of posters just like to bag past players because our team has been so crap for the past few years

I loved watching him play along side the Ox in a team that made finals, a Grand final, and became our 1st Coleman medallist sine bloody Fred Fanning.

I appreciate that determining "greatness" is subjective.

I just think our team's performances have been so lamentable for most of the past 50 years that as supporters we are too accepting of mediocrity. Similarly, the bar for assigning "greatness" is too low. I've set it higher, and the only three Melbourne players I would call great in the last 50 years are Flower (daylight), Stynes and Lyon.

it'd be nice if all our past players considered themselves 'Melbourne People' but sadly this is far from the case. We seem to have burnt an entire generation of Melbourne players and now see very few having much to do with the club or showing real support.

The ones that come to mind that are involved are Robbo, Miller, Viney and The Ox. The rest just seem to have lost touch with the club. I find it very sad that players seemeingly don't feel a connection with our club. Hard to build a culture if there arn't past players around to teach it. I know there are some that will say that the previous culture was all bad and we have to start from scratch and that's fine. I still think it is important.

it'd be nice if all our past players considered themselves 'Melbourne People' but sadly this is far from the case. We seem to have burnt an entire generation of Melbourne players and now see very few having much to do with the club or showing real support.

The ones that come to mind that are involved are Robbo, Miller, Viney and The Ox. The rest just seem to have lost touch with the club. I find it very sad that players seemeingly don't feel a connection with our club. Hard to build a culture if there arn't past players around to teach it. I know there are some that will say that the previous culture was all bad and we have to start from scratch and that's fine. I still think it is important.

Where exactly are you getting this from ?

So have a look at last premiers - here is the coaching staff

Chris Fagan - General Manager - Football Operations

Alastair Clarkson - Senior Coach

Brendon Bolton - Assistant Coach

Cameron Bruce - Assistant Coach

Brett Ratten - Assistant Coach

Adem Yze - Assistant Coach

Damian Monkhorst - Ruck Coach

David Rath - Head of Coaching Services

Damian Caroll - Football Academy Development Coordinator

John Wardrop - Opposition Analyst

Rob McCartney - Development Coach

Andrew Russell - Head Fitness Coach

Phil Merriman - Rehab and Conditioning Coach

Luke Boyd - Strength and Conditioning Coach

Nikki Smart - Data Analyst

Ric Sprake - Team Manager

Jason Burt - Football Administration and Player Welfare Services Manager

Cam Matthews - Player Development Manager

Nicky Couston - Player Welfare Mentor

Daniel Napoli - Medical and Conditioning Coordinator

Kathryn Buick - Contract and TPP Coordinator

Chris Nanni - Football Operations Coordinator

Anthony Klarica - Sports Psychologist

Not an ex hawk amongst them

On their board they have one ex player ( Andrew Gowers).

So would you suggest that the Hawks have the same problem as you perceive we have ?

So whilst there are not many ex Demons working at the club ( three in the football operations area) how do you know that ex players have lost connection with the club ?

The players certainly haven't lost touch with each other - as the recent support to Danners shows.

Can you provide anything to support your argument that players don't feel a connection to the club. ( Steven Stretch is a perfect example to actually counter your argument - read articles about Billy and himself and his "connection")

Edited November 27, 201410 yr by nutbean

Where exactly are you getting this from ?

So have a look at last premiers - here is the coaching staff

Chris Fagan - General Manager - Football Operations

Alastair Clarkson - Senior Coach

Brendon Bolton - Assistant Coach

Cameron Bruce - Assistant Coach

Brett Ratten - Assistant Coach

Adem Yze - Assistant Coach

Damian Monkhorst - Ruck Coach

David Rath - Head of Coaching Services

Damian Caroll - Football Academy Development Coordinator

John Wardrop - Opposition Analyst

Rob McCartney - Development Coach

Andrew Russell - Head Fitness Coach

Phil Merriman - Rehab and Conditioning Coach

Luke Boyd - Strength and Conditioning Coach

Nikki Smart - Data Analyst

Ric Sprake - Team Manager

Jason Burt - Football Administration and Player Welfare Services Manager

Cam Matthews - Player Development Manager

Nicky Couston - Player Welfare Mentor

Daniel Napoli - Medical and Conditioning Coordinator

Kathryn Buick - Contract and TPP Coordinator

Chris Nanni - Football Operations Coordinator

Anthony Klarica - Sports Psychologist

Not an ex hawk amongst them

On their board they have one ex player ( Andrew Gowers).

So would you suggest that the Hawks have the same problem as you perceive we have ?

So whilst there are not many ex Demons working at the club ( three in the football operations area) how do you know that ex players have lost connection with the club ?

The players certainly haven't lost touch with each other - as the recent support to Danners shows.

Can you provide anything to support your argument that players don't feel a connection to the club. ( Steven Stretch is a perfect example to actually counter your argument - read articles about Billy and himself and his "connection")

Quite right nutbean, to suggest that past players have alienated themselves from the club is nonsense.

Without any thought Greg Healy, Rod Grinter and Gary Lyon are three who have had a great deal to do with the club in recent years and there would be many more.

Edited November 27, 201410 yr by gsmith12

hahaha, Gary Lyon there's a good one..i didn't say anything about the coaching staff being MFC ppl. It was a general comment. Remember that Dunstall and Brereton remained heavily involved in Hawks recently. Yes, we had Healey and Leoncelli, but the latter half of the Daniher era got shafted and a lot remain disinterested in the footy club. McDonald, Yze, Green, Bruce all spring to mind.

I did see Simon Godfrey and Febey at Melbourne games recently - I was only mnaking the observation as it seems we have a lot of players from the Daniher era that are involved in other clubs

it'd be nice if all our past players considered themselves 'Melbourne People' but sadly this is far from the case. We seem to have burnt an entire generation of Melbourne players and now see very few having much to do with the club or showing real support.

The ones that come to mind that are involved are Robbo, Miller, Viney and The Ox. The rest just seem to have lost touch with the club. I find it very sad that players seemeingly don't feel a connection with our club. Hard to build a culture if there arn't past players around to teach it. I know there are some that will say that the previous culture was all bad and we have to start from scratch and that's fine. I still think it is important.

I think you would find that there are many ex players who are not involved (work) with the Club but remain loyal Melbourne people behind the scenes your namesake in particular.

I did see Simon Godfrey and Febey at Melbourne games recently - I was only mnaking the observation as it seems we have a lot of players from the Daniher era that are involved in other clubs

I don't subscribe to having players back at our club purely because they are ex players. They need to have the skillset.

I also think to be more rounded players need to get out of the environment they have been in 10 years or more.

Happy that Brad Green is at Carlton learning under Malthouse and Neita will be at the Hawks learning under Clarko.

Hopefully they turn out to be great coaches and do come back.

Would I take Neita today in the development of youth role that McCartney just filled ? No way - we pick the best and being an ex Demon is a not a pre-requisite IMO.

Edited November 27, 201410 yr by nutbean

would you take Neita over Brad Miller?

hahaha, Gary Lyon there's a good one..i didn't say anything about the coaching staff being MFC ppl. It was a general comment. Remember that Dunstall and Brereton remained heavily involved in Hawks recently. Yes, we had Healey and Leoncelli, but the latter half of the Daniher era got shafted and a lot remain disinterested in the footy club. McDonald, Yze, Green, Bruce all spring to mind.

Lyon has done a great deal behind the scenes that the general public would not know about other than the much publicised events surrounding coaching appointments which have no doubt drawn your scorn.

Clowns like you who denigrate past players is something we do not need.

would you take Neita over Brad Miller?

Nope...Firstly was that option available ?

Secondly what experience has Neita had ? As opposed to Brad Miller who did development coaching at the Tigers before joining us.

That is my point exactly - I have no idea who would be better and leave it to people smarter than me but being an ex demon is definitely not a pre-requisite.