Let me say I am a big fan of PR and he is building the list as best he can. As a Paid up long term member I am well aware of our deficiencies with the list, I am also aware that our young draftees are still developing, however....

PR - give us supporters of this club a bit of respect, we don't need to hear our list are tired after round 7, this list is ranked 9th youngest not 18th.

All clubs have injuries and we are not in the worst position on that.

Please stop telling us that some players who have been around on our list for years may still be mentally fragile! It is patently obvious to most of us who these players are, and hopefully their all gone as soon as possible.

I am sick of hearing about the black past of this club and it's woes. All I want as a supporter and watcher of games is to see effort, skill and competitive football. I don't want to hear mamby pamby pressers after each game we lose, As a supporter I want a coach who is a robust defender of his game plan and direction and stares everyone down with confidence. Lately it's starting to appear quite fluffy and political when Roos speaks. I'm over excuses and political speak.

The next month will be the barometer of where this list is going and supporters want to see a brand worth attending games to watch.

_{Off the mark for mine.}

_{Neeld was the king when it came to excuses. Roos has got nothing on him when it comes to the fallback of age and experience.}

_{Let me say that overall I think Roosy is doing a decent enough job given what he's inherited. The stagnant style of play and inability to stop opponents when they get a run on remains a concern, but if you look at the big picture, we've progressed a fair way from 2013.}

_{In saying that, my issue with Roos isn't his post game rhetoric as much as his pre-game rhetoric. He talks up the opponent to the extent where you feel as though we will be lucky to even come close. Judging by Roos' public offerings, we lost the last three games before they had started.}

_{He 's made numerous references to Melbourne as a "bottom side", and is always highlighting the "gap between the top and bottom". He cements this with talk of a "lack of talent". The coach is the absolute last person who I want to hear publicly acknowledge that our team lacks talent. If that is the mindset, how are you possibly instilling belief in the group?}

_{Sometimes I think Roosy forgets that he no longer has his media hat on. He is the coach who has a responsibility to make this group believe they are going to win. Not that they can. Or they might. That they WILL win.}

_{If some of his messaging is filtering through to the team, it wouldn't surprise me if it was a contributing factor to the level of performances we've seen of late.}

Excellent thread. And I agree 100%

Have said this before...don't ever listen to what Roos says. It's all smoke and mirrors, he never tells the media/public what's really going on. He has a plan and as Viney said recently he goes about his work with no concern for the noise going on around him.

We will never really know the full effect of his tenure until he has left the club after next season.

Have said this before...don't ever listen to what Roos says. It's all smoke and mirrors, he never tells the media/public what's really going on. He has a plan and as Viney said recently he goes about his work with no concern for the noise going on around him.

We will never really know the full effect of his tenure until he has left the club after next season.

Don't disagree with this, but I feel like the members and supporters are being played at times. Most people aren't stupid, so to say that we have a young list / team when that is not really the case, just comes across as a highly paid coach making excuses.

Talking about injuries and fatigue, when there is a clear lack of effort, serves no purpose other than to cover Roos' arse.

_{Off the mark for mine.}

_{Neeld was the king when it came to excuses. Roos has got nothing on him when it comes to the fallback of age and experience.}

_{Let me say that overall I think Roosy is doing a decent enough job given what he's inherited. The stagnant style of play and inability to stop opponents when they get a run on remains a concern, but if you look at the big picture, we've progressed a fair way from 2013.}

_{In saying that, my issue with Roos isn't his post game rhetoric as much as his pre-game rhetoric. He talks up the opponent to the extent where you feel as though we will be lucky to even come close. Judging by Roos' public offerings, we lost the last three games before they had started.}

_{He 's made numerous references to Melbourne as a "bottom side", and is always highlighting the "gap between the top and bottom". He cements this with talk of a "lack of talent". The coach is the absolute last person who I want to hear publicly acknowledge that our team lacks talent. If that is the mindset, how are you possibly instilling belief in the group?}

_{Sometimes I think Roosy forgets that he no longer has his media hat on. He is the coach who has a responsibility to make this group believe they are going to win. Not that they can. Or they might. That they WILL win.}

_{If some of his messaging is filtering through to the team, it wouldn't surprise me if it was a contributing factor to the level of performances we've seen of late.}

Malthouse was ridiculed when he said he couldn't see Carlton losing a game. Hardwick was ridiculed when he said Richmond's best will beat anyone. Roos has the shoe on the other foot. Coaches can't win with what they say sometimes.

Either way, I reckon Roos talks pure drivel in the public domain but he's always calm and in control of the situation. That's a good skill to have.

Have said this before...don't ever listen to what Roos says. It's all smoke and mirrors, he never tells the media/public what's really going on. He has a plan and as Viney said recently he goes about his work with no concern for the noise going on around him.

We will never really know the full effect of his tenure until he has left the club after next season.

This.

Roos says whatever he thinks will (externally) be met with the least resistance. The conversations and the experiences going on behind closed doors are a completely different matter.

Malthouse was ridiculed when he said he couldn't see Carlton losing a game. Hardwick was ridiculed when he said Richmond's best will beat anyone. Roos has the shoe on the other foot. Coaches can't win with what they say sometimes.

Either way, I reckon Roos talks pure drivel in the public domain but he's always calm and in control of the situation. That's a good skill to have.

Certainly agree with that.

Malthouse was ridiculed when he said he couldn't see Carlton losing a game. Hardwick was ridiculed when he said Richmond's best will beat anyone. Roos has the shoe on the other foot. Coaches can't win with what they say sometimes.

Either way, I reckon Roos talks pure drivel in the public domain but he's always calm and in control of the situation. That's a good skill to have.

Good point SS. Plus I don't think Roos puts too much stock in the media - he says what will cause the least amount of problems so he can concentrate on other things, rather than something controversial and have to defend himself for days. It's not worth it. Roosy no doubt tells the public one thing but tells the players something very different behind closed doors, and that's the way it should be.

Good point SS. Plus I don't think Roos puts too much stock in the media - he says what will cause the least amount of problems so he can concentrate on other things, rather than something controversial and have to defend himself for days. It's not worth it. Roosy no doubt tells the public one thing but tells the players something very different behind closed doors, and that's the way it should be.

No doubt that is the case, but players aren't deaf and dumb. They will be hearing what Roos is saying publicly. Whether they pay much attention is another matter.

I don't think Roos puts too much stock in the media

exactly right.

I see him as being as honest and open as he chooses to be.

No doubt that is the case, but players aren't deaf and dumb. They will be hearing what Roos is saying publicly. Whether they pay much attention is another matter.

He would tell them not to put any stock in what he is saying to the media. He would go out there, give a straight bat response and do his best work with the players when it really matters. They would know that I'm guessing.

It is a tough choice.

Try to 'manage expectations' while keeping open talk to a minimum and focusing on internal conversations.

OR

Try to respect and engage with the beleaugered supporters by being as transparent and informative as possible.

Philosophically I am always, always in favour of greater transparency. That applies to everything from Ballarat Catholic Schools to Free Trade Agreements, and indeed, to football clubs.

It is a tough choice.

Try to 'manage expectations' while keeping open talk to a minimum and focusing on internal conversations.

OR

Try to respect and engage with the beleaugered supporters by being as transparent and informative as possible.

Philosophically I am always, always in favour of greater transparency. That applies to everything from Ballarat Catholic Schools to Free Trade Agreements, and indeed, to football clubs.

what about the Catholic schools in Malvern?

By talking down the team, the rooster actually stops a number of negative articles from being written. He also consistently points out that the team has improved which the media parrots.

One would hope the message to the playing group would be a lot more positive. But who knows?

It is a tough choice.

Try to 'manage expectations' while keeping open talk to a minimum and focusing on internal conversations.

OR

Try to respect and engage with the beleaugered supporters by being as transparent and informative as possible.

Philosophically I am always, always in favour of greater transparency. That applies to everything from Ballarat Catholic Schools to Free Trade Agreements, and indeed, to football clubs.

Hallelujah to that! There is so much smoke and mirrors all over the planet....I hope the next generation actually does more with transparency than the current one who just gives it lip service. Ballarat story is appalling!!

By talking down the team, the rooster actually stops a number of negative articles from being written. He also consistently points out that the team has improved which the media parrots.

One would hope the message to the playing group would be a lot more positive. But who knows?

If the next month for this club is poor onfield - then hold on for the ride because the media will come for Roos and the club.

The team has to perform much better over the next few weeks.

I'll tell you what, there are going to be even more questions if they get smashed this week. It'll be hard to respond to it.

He had to lie, considering we HAVE to trade some of these overpaid hacks come years end.

Some of the excuses put up on here by some posters are also laughable.

All coaches get the finger pointed when the team is losing. Would much prefer Roosy dealing with the internal and external stuff than anyone else I can think of. Give me an intelligent, positive, and practical guy every time. He is also shrewd in what and how he communicates. It is not always best to be transparent to the media and public when your most important job is player management. I think overall he is maintaining a pretty good balance. He has the respect of the media and his players. That's got to be a good thing. If he keeps the jackals from the media away all the better. As with the players mark his report card at season end.

So we wanna lynch Roos after 1/14 seasons!

The guy is rebuilding the whole footy club from culture yo development & continues to turn over the train wreck of a lust he inherited!

Look @ the Hawks, cats & swans .. Took them more than 1//4 seasons to build their teams to current status!

You feed the chooks when you have to. Appropriately his initials are PR because he is the master of it.

I love Roosy and we're very lucky to have him. I think we are making progress, albeit slowly. However, what does [censored] me is the way he shitcans the club and its past as his defence mechanism to step back from it all. The supporters don't need to keep hearing this. We're bloody well aware of the past and don't need it rammed down our throats every second week. Make it sound like you bleed for the club Roosy, even if it's not true. And I agree with Pman. It must have a negative flow on to the players at times.

what about the Catholic schools in Malvern?

Painful memories Quean b ?

Roos said, and I quote, "the list isn't actually too bad" in the lead up to his appointment.

Eighteen months later and 50% of the list has been turned over and he's still harking back to the days of old and using the excuse that the older players could still be mentally scarred.

Come off it, Roosy.