Jump to content

  • IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

    Posting unsubstantiated rumours on this website is strictly forbidden.

    Demonland has made the difficult decision to not permit this platform to be used to discuss & debate the off-field issues relating to the Melbourne Football Club including matters currently being litigated between the Club & former Board members, board elections, the issue of illicit drugs in footy, the culture at the club & the personal issues & allegations against some of our players & officials ...

    We do not take these issues & this decision lightly & of course we believe that these serious matters affecting the club we love & are so passionate about are worthy of discussion & debate & I wish we could provide a place where these matters can be discussed in a civil & respectful manner.

    However these discussions unfortunately invariably devolve into areas that may be defamatory, libelous, spread unsubstantiated rumours & can effect the mental health of those involved. Even discussion & debate of known facts or media reports can lead to finger pointing, blame & personal attacks.

    The repercussion is that these discussions can open this website, it’s owners & it’s users to legal action & may result in this website being forced to shutdown.

    Our moderating team are all volunteers & cannot moderate the forum 24/7 & as a consequence problematic content that contravenes our rules & standards may go unnoticed for some time before it can be removed.

    We reserve the right to delete posts that offend against our above policy & indeed, to ban posters who are repeat offenders or who breach our code of conduct.

    WE HAVE BUILT A FANTASTIC ONLINE COMMUNITY AT DEMONLAND OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS & WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE CLUB WE LOVE & ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT.

    Thank you for your continued support & understanding. Go Dees.


Rawlings: No Runners Cost Dees


Lord Nev

Recommended Posts

Just another variable to lament in an overall poorly run program. 

Wonder if this was one of the items we took to the AFL?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Too funny. From an article back on the 14th of March. Wonder if we could have used those 6 weeks to teach guys how to kick at goal.

MELBOURNE has spent the past six weeks feverishly "upskilling" its playing group in response to the new runner restrictions, co-captain Nathan Jones has revealed.

  • Like 3
  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This doesn’t surprise me. I doubt he was talking about the beginning of the season so much as when it became clear that plan A wasn’t working and we started making adjustments on the fly to turn things around. Goody has said on a couple of occasions that he though that they tinkered too much with the game plan.  None of that would have been bedded down and we were implementing it with a team down on confidence. 

Although the midfield group was fairly intact for the season both forward and back lines were in constant flux and often in disarray. In the forward line TMac played poorly in the beginning of the year and seemed to go into his shell, not that uncommon when poor form hits. When he did start to turn things around he got injured. Melksham was out most of the season, Weid was struggling, Hannan wasn’t around, there were a lot of youngsters effectively trying out without any real leadership around them. You knew there were problems when they moved Lewis down there to provide some leadership.

In defence there was at least Frost, Salem and Hibberd as stable players but the structure around them changed virtually every game. Lever joined only later in the season, May was in and out as was Hore and Jetta.

Teams tend to play best when players are able to play their natural game and the coach puts in structures to support them, that was a big part o f the Tigers turn around. Dimma realised he was over coaching and concentrating on what people couldn’t do rather than what they were great at. Look at how much better Fritsch looks in the forward line playing his natural game. When you try to force an unnatural structure onto people they need significantly more coaching and management, without runners I can’t see that working. Imagine if you tried building a game plan that forced Clarry to play on the outside? You would have to send a runner out every 5 minutes to remind him not to dive in and put his head over the ball. 

It is too easy and simplistic to just blast coaches and players for being terrible teachers and leaders. The truth is far more complicated, and improvement is not going to be about sacking all the on field leaders. It is far more likely to come from building a game plan that lets players play their natural game and simple rules and strategies to implement when things are turning against us. That allows everyone to be an on field leader. Having a stable team with key people on the field week in week out will also make a big difference, along with an uninterrupted preseason where they really embed the game plan and lock in player roles.
 

  • Like 6
  • Thanks 1
  • Love 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, FlashInThePan said:

This doesn’t surprise me. I doubt he was talking about the beginning of the season so much as when it became clear that plan A wasn’t working and we started making adjustments on the fly to turn things around. Goody has said on a couple of occasions that he though that they tinkered too much with the game plan.  None of that would have been bedded down and we were implementing it with a team down on confidence. 

Although the midfield group was fairly intact for the season both forward and back lines were in constant flux and often in disarray. In the forward line TMac played poorly in the beginning of the year and seemed to go into his shell, not that uncommon when poor form hits. When he did start to turn things around he got injured. Melksham was out most of the season, Weid was struggling, Hannan wasn’t around, there were a lot of youngsters effectively trying out without any real leadership around them. You knew there were problems when they moved Lewis down there to provide some leadership.

In defence there was at least Frost, Salem and Hibberd as stable players but the structure around them changed virtually every game. Lever joined only later in the season, May was in and out as was Hore and Jetta.

Teams tend to play best when players are able to play their natural game and the coach puts in structures to support them, that was a big part o f the Tigers turn around. Dimma realised he was over coaching and concentrating on what people couldn’t do rather than what they were great at. Look at how much better Fritsch looks in the forward line playing his natural game. When you try to force an unnatural structure onto people they need significantly more coaching and management, without runners I can’t see that working. Imagine if you tried building a game plan that forced Clarry to play on the outside? You would have to send a runner out every 5 minutes to remind him not to dive in and put his head over the ball. 

It is too easy and simplistic to just blast coaches and players for being terrible teachers and leaders. The truth is far more complicated, and improvement is not going to be about sacking all the on field leaders. It is far more likely to come from building a game plan that lets players play their natural game and simple rules and strategies to implement when things are turning against us. That allows everyone to be an on field leader. Having a stable team with key people on the field week in week out will also make a big difference, along with an uninterrupted preseason where they really embed the game plan and lock in player roles.
 

Fair enough, however Goodwin talked about our brand after every game, so clearly he was talking about a style of play all players were expected to understand and execute. It just gets worse the more that comes out. These are professional coaches and players being paid much more than millions of other Aussie employees who learn and execute what i expected of them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a terrible indictment on the whole Football Department 

The rest of the AFL just got on with learning new rules and techniques. We fell apart for an entire season. 

I don’t know how that is actually possible, but it happened. 

At my work, most of it I had to learn on the run, it was continuously changing once everything went Computerized. 

I just don’t know how things can go so bad for so long

on the Matchday threads Leadership was often mentioned, that’s where it all starts

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, KingDingAling said:

If fit, Lever should be our captain. He is a wise head, comes across as very decisive, and is a natural leader. He would make a great captain.

You have got to be kidding.

Why? because he points fingers? because he can string a sentence together in the media.

He has done nothing as a player and should focus on earning his spot in the team and justifying his salary before anything ridiculous like this happens.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


3 hours ago, defuture15 said:

I had a suspicion about this and now it is confirmed. At least we can do something about it now!

Is it, though? Are we expected to automatically assume that because a former assistant coach made the statement it must be true? He might be wrong. After all, if that was the problem, and the coaches were aware of it, why wasn't it fixed? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Funnily enough I was listening to that podcast just a couple of hours ago.

It’s an interesting take-away to conclude that he was blaming our failed season on the lack of runners. Rawling went to pains to point out that it’s a lot of different things, and detailed a few of them. To pick one in isolation like this is the media’s go, but it must have been a slow news day for the author.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, bing181 said:

You can't buy experience.

Well actually you can...it's why top clubs buy in experienced free agents...

...but I do get your point.

Our lack of good leadership/experience goes back a long way and we're still playing catch up.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

All articles like this do is reinforce to the general football public, what a lightweight club they already thought we were.

It’s kind of embarrassing...like @Mach5 pointed out, it’s clearly one of many points made by Rawlings, pin pointed by the journalist...but geez it makes us look like amateurs..

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

What anyone with a brain could've told you.

Funny. I'm doing a leadership course at work at the moment. It is the educational equivalent of having someone masturbate into your ear.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites


12 hours ago, bluey said:

Good riddance, eight years of failure and that’s all he can come with, lack of runners, lucky he’s got a bro in the business.

Agree.  What about skills and delivery and a game plan. At least a plan b when teams use a spare man against us. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Sorry kids said:

Leadership is natural to some, the likes of Johnno Brown, selwood and co. Other learn it through being taught. Does anyone know if our leaders do accredited leadership training.

 

12 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Corporate/HR onanism.

Manifestly we need to engage a focus group of committed stakeholders  to progress ideas then set up workshops to actively implement the new direction  consistent with these new values as conveyed by our updated modern  mission statement! 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Didn't this team finish 4th last year?
I know Rawlings said that the Runners are just one of a number of things that went wrong, but the implication is one of:

1) The team didn't know how to play last year and were coached on-field through their run of good form at the end

2) The team caught lightening in a bottle at the end of last year and the Runners simply didn't matter

3) The players have simply forgotten how to play this year and need to be reminded of what to do and when (despite finishing 4th last year)

4) The coaches failed to implement the gameplan properly

 

Any of these tell us that the problem is coaching!! Just another indication of how poor the Football Department has been for a period of time now. (I include the leadership group in that, as part of their role is to assist and coach young players through)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, monoccular said:

 

Manifestly we need to engage a focus group of committed stakeholders  to progress ideas then set up workshops to actively implement the new direction  consistent with these new values as conveyed by our updated modern  mission statement! 

I'll have a Capo  ( no sugars ) and a coffee scroll ( buttered )  unless there's a nice glazed custardy fruit thingy!!

I loved group meeting !! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, KingDingAling said:

If fit, Lever should be our captain. He is a wise head, comes across as very decisive, and is a natural leader. He would make a great captain.

If by "natural leader" you mean he likes to stand by himself and point vigorously at the opposition players that he refuses to be accountable for, then absolutely yes. If this club was fair dinkum Lever would start next season at Casey until he shows he can do the job he was recruited for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

“We don’t even notice the new runner rule anymore. infact it probably favours us if anything” - Adam Simpson on  3AW, 10 Sep.

Interesting comparison between 2 top 4 sides from 2018.

Like Geelong, the Eagles have VERY experienced and/or premiership players on every line. 

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, rjay said:

Well actually you can...it's why top clubs buy in experienced free agents...

...but I do get your point.

Our lack of good leadership/experience goes back a long way and we're still playing catch up.

Barassi brought in Barry Davis at North Melbourne in the early 70's and immediately made him captain.  The rest is history.

Free agency is now entering its 8th off-season in the AFL so every club (including ours) has had the chance to bring in A grade experienced talent.  But to do so takes a lot of forward thinking not so much as opportunistic thinking. 

Davis went to North (along with Rantall & Wade) under the short-lived 10 year rule.  We picked up Ditterich under the same rule.  So,  in effect,  free agency has just replaced the old model.

Yet he we are with a dearth of experienced talent at the club.  Jones & Jetta are the only real veterans but both have questionable future's.  Injury is a factor with Jetta whilst Jones is near the end.

Older A grade players are often those who are also the leaders at a club.  We don't have them and haven't had them for over a decade. 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    GAMEDAY: Rd 09 vs Carlton

    It's Game Day and the Demons are once again headlining another blockbuster at the MCG to kick off the round of footy. The Dees take on the Blues and have the opportunity to win their third game on the trot to solidify a spot in the Top 4 in addition to handing the Blues their third consecutive defeat to bundle them out of the Top 8.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 6

    MELBOURNE BUSINESS by The Oracle

    In days of old, this week’s Thursday night AFL match up between the Demons and the Blues would be framed on the basis of the need to redress the fact that Carlton “stole” last year’s semi final away from Melbourne and with it, their hopes for the premiership.  A hot gospelling coach might point out to his charges that they were the better team on the night in all facets and that poor kicking for goal and a couple of lapses at the death cost them what was rightfully theirs. Moreover, now was

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 1

    UNDER THE PUMP by KC from Casey

    The Casey Demons have been left languishing near the bottom of the VFL table after suffering a 32-point defeat at the hands of stand alone club Williamstown at Casey Fields on Sunday. The Demons suffered a major setback before the game even started when AFL listed players Ben Brown, Marty Hore and Josh Schache were withdrawn from the selected side. Only Schache was confirmed as an injury replacement, the other two held over as possible injury replacements for Melbourne’s Thursday night fixt

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Casey Articles

    THE MEANING OF FOOTY by Whispering Jack

    Throughout history various philosophers have grappled with the meaning of life. Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, Nietzsche, Schopenhauer and a multitude of authors of diverse religious texts all tried. As society became more complex, the question became attached to specific endeavours in life even including sporting pursuits where such questions arose among our game’s commentariat as, “what is the meaning of football”? Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin must be tired of dealing with such a dilemma but,

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Match Reports 1

    PREGAME: Rd 09 vs Carlton

    The Demons have just a 5 day break until they are back at the MCG to face the Blues who are on the verge of 3 straight defeats on Thursday Night. Who comes in and who goes out?

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 241

    PODCAST: Rd 08 vs Geelong

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 6th May @ 8:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demons victory at the MCG over the Cats in the Round 08. You questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human. Listen & Chat LIVE: h

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 71

    VOTES: Rd 08 vs Geelong

    Last week Captain Max Gawn consolidated his lead over reigning champion Christian Petracca in the Demonland Player of the Year Award. Steven May, Jack Viney & Alex Neal-Bullen make up the Top 5. Your votes for the win over the Cats. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 59

    POSTGAME: Rd 08 vs Geelong

    Despite dominating for large parts of the match and not making the most of their forward opportunities the Demons ground out a hard fought win and claimed a massive scalp in defeating the Cats by 8 points at the MCG.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 632

    GAMEDAY: Rd 08 vs Geelong

    It's Game Day and the two oldest teams in the competition, the Demons and the Cats, come face to face in a true 8 point game. The Cats are unbeaten after 8 rounds whilst the Dees will be keen to take a scalp and stamp their credentials on the 2024 season. May the 4th Be With You Melbourne.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 679
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

×
×
  • Create New...