Jump to content

Featured Replies

Those that describe the Ox as a simpleton know little. He has great footy IQ and would be a good forward coach. Better than anyone we get doing it at the moment. 

 

One of the best players we have ever had, and a crying shame his knees robbed him of the lasting greatness he was headed for.

I love that he is still so passionate about the club.

Is he a tiny bit OTT? Maybe, but he has earned the right to be as critical as he wants.

Thank Christ the heat is finally being turn up on this sorry [censored] excuse for a club.

  On 06/07/2020 at 14:02, ding said:

One of the best players we have ever had, and a crying shame his knees robbed him of the lasting greatness he was headed for.

I love that he is still so passionate about the club.

Is he a tiny bit OTT? Maybe, but he has earned the right to be as critical as he wants.

Thank Christ the heat is finally being turn up on this sorry [censored] excuse for a club.

I wouldn’t want to be The Ox’s TV and Remote!!

 
  On 06/07/2020 at 11:14, P-man said:

Riewoldt said that “not playing for the jumper” is too simplistic and I agree. Effort is not the issue (with maybe a couple of exceptions). Skill is far and away the main issue.

While the result is that we poorly execute skills I don't see it as a skill issue, but more about poor decision making which includes picking the wrong option and second guessing ourselves to. Whether it is a lack of confidence, poor game plan, lack of cohesion across lines or all of the above only the club really knows.


  On 06/07/2020 at 14:11, chookrat said:

While the result is that we poorly execute skills I don't see it as a skill issue, but more about poor decision making which includes picking the wrong option and second guessing ourselves to. Whether it is a lack of confidence, poor game plan, lack of cohesion across lines or all of the above only the club really knows.

Skills and decision making. Lumping the two together. Certainly the decision making is abhorrent.

  On 06/07/2020 at 13:43, Scoop Junior said:

I love the Ox but that article has about as much sense as the inane ramblings of a disgruntled fan 5 minutes after the game after he has had one too many. At least Lyon provided a considered opinion as to what he thinks the problems are.

Yeah right, Garry Lyon. The same guy who was instrumental in appointing (in succession) the 2 worst performing senior coaches at MFC of recent times - Dean Bailey (RIP) and Mark Neeld. Neeld totally destroyed our playing group in less than 2 seasons! Lyon was a terrific and much loved player but for me, his commentary about MFC will always be soured by those terrible and destructive decisions. Pretty sure Schwarz, the "simpleton", would never have recommended Neeld or Bailey to the top job back in those days.

 
  On 06/07/2020 at 13:38, dice said:

A simpleton? Played nearly 200 games of football at the highest level at centre half forward (the most difficult position on the ground) in an era full of champions! His "football analysis" deserves respect in my opinion.

Maybe I was a bit harsh. He definitely knows his football but my point was that he doesn't go into much depth and actual analysis, it's mostly just emotional commentary.

  On 06/07/2020 at 11:35, P-man said:

I think it was Gawn who once said something  along the lines of if the supporters are hurting, the players are hurting ten times more.

There are times I really struggle to believe that.

It is hard to believe. How many times have you seen fans at the ground, after a gutting loss, hang around chatting and laughing it up with oppo fans?

Everyone has their heads down and just wants to get out of the joint.


Misguided really. I worked in the building profession for 10 years before moving to design work. I know lots of young blokes with good intent but lacked the tool skills.  I also had blokes with talent but were lazy. Who is easier to fix?  It was often the ones who had the attitude issue that I developed.  

I think many of our blokes already have effort and intensity. They do play and compete. 

But a lot of our players haven’t got the core skills.  It will take real coaching and development because it’s been ignored for years.  Viney and Oliver and even Brayshaw don’t value their possessions.  They give it away too easily.  I’d invest in intense skill training for the whole club.  

Schwarz's comments are cliches, motherhood statements and guff. Most of what he says is misguided/wrong.

But the general point he's making is true: things aren't working at the MFC.

He cares, just as much as Lyon or anyone else, and he feels the same way many supporters do. His reasoning for it is wrong, but it doesn't matter so much right now.

  On 06/07/2020 at 21:30, dice said:

Yeah right, Garry Lyon. The same guy who was instrumental in appointing (in succession) the 2 worst performing senior coaches at MFC of recent times - Dean Bailey (RIP) and Mark Neeld. Neeld totally destroyed our playing group in less than 2 seasons! Lyon was a terrific and much loved player but for me, his commentary about MFC will always be soured by those terrible and destructive decisions. Pretty sure Schwarz, the "simpleton", would never have recommended Neeld or Bailey to the top job back in those days.

You're talking about two different things.

On the coaching issue, you are correct in that Garry was involved in hiring Neeld which ended up being a terrible decision. No one is suggesting otherwise.

I am not the biggest fan of Garry's commentary about MFC generally. But I was using it as a comparison and to highlight the difference between throwing out cliches and actually forming a considered opinion that provides a degree of analysis into what our current problems are. It's pretty clear that our issue is efficiency forward of centre, yet Schwarz doesn't even touch on it.

  On 06/07/2020 at 11:02, Wiseblood said:

It's a HUN article, so I'll dot point the main parts:

  • Says the Dees are irrelevant, as per the headline.
  • We need a 'harder edge' - used Luke Beveridge's comments where he said things weren't good enough in a press conference, and they have responded, as the Bont did against GWS.  Who will stand up and do that for us?
  • Says not enough players 'play for the jumper'
  • That some players only came for the coin - they should want to come to Melbourne, and uses Jake Lever as an example of this (as in he came out and said he wanted to be part of something special).
  • Says heads will roll, especially at board level, if this keeps up.
  • Then adds the pressure should well and truly be on the club at all levels.

It's not too dissimilar to what Lyon and others have spoken about today, but it's still pretty relevant to how we're tracking right at this minute.

When you say it on the back page of the HUN it gets attention. It is hard for the silent ones to remain silent. Most clubs have either a Chairman or CEO who makes comments to the members / supporters we have neither. 

Beveridge is the man for the job at the Dees. . He took a Club who had been in the wilderness like us to a flag. He has a hard edge as well as being liked by his players. Ex Demon player as well so he knows the culture.


He is 100% right. We ARE irrelevant. Our club stands for nothing, our players stand for nothing. There is a complete lack of strong, tough, uncompromising leadership at every level of our club. We have a total inability to develop players. Look at all the high level draft picks we have had over the years who have become nothing. No great player wants to come to our club, because we are seen as irrelevant within the greater football community. As Jeremy Howe CORRECTLY said, he is used to playing in front of no crowds, he played for Melbourne. We are soft, unskilled, weak minded, and are treated as such by the AFL. Look at the fixture we get, every year, SCREWED. Nobody cares, and if our name wasn't Melbourne, we would be in Tassie already. We have NO superstars, not one of our players is seriously an All Australian. We are failures at EVERY level as a club. There is not ONE thing we can hang our hats on.  I am 54, and have given up supporting them. I will not attend a game, or support them in ANY way until they reward me with the same type level of passion I display. I have honestly given up. The club is an embarrassment.

  On 07/07/2020 at 00:00, Half forward flank said:

Beveridge is the man for the job at the Dees. . He took a Club who had been in the wilderness like us to a flag. He has a hard edge as well as being liked by his players. Ex Demon player as well so he knows the culture.

Why on earth would he leave the dogs to come to us? If he was looking to move it would be up not down.

  On 07/07/2020 at 00:00, Bendigo Demon said:

He is 100% right. We ARE irrelevant. Our club stands for nothing, our players stand for nothing. There is a complete lack of strong, tough, uncompromising leadership at every level of our club. We have a total inability to develop players. Look at all the high level draft picks we have had over the years who have become nothing. No great player wants to come to our club, because we are seen as irrelevant within the greater football community. As Jeremy Howe CORRECTLY said, he is used to playing in front of no crowds, he played for Melbourne. We are soft, unskilled, weak minded, and are treated as such by the AFL. Look at the fixture we get, every year, SCREWED. Nobody cares, and if our name wasn't Melbourne, we would be in Tassie already. We have NO superstars, not one of our players is seriously an All Australian. We are failures at EVERY level as a club. There is not ONE thing we can hang our hats on.  I am 54, and have given up supporting them. I will not attend a game, or support them in ANY way until they reward me with the same type level of passion I display. I have honestly given up. The club is an embarrassment.

You are not alone.

  On 06/07/2020 at 22:38, spirit of norm smith said:

Misguided really. I worked in the building profession for 10 years before moving to design work. I know lots of young blokes with good intent but lacked the tool skills.  I also had blokes with talent but were lazy. Who is easier to fix?  It was often the ones who had the attitude issue that I developed.  

I think many of our blokes already have effort and intensity. They do play and compete. 

But a lot of our players haven’t got the core skills.  It will take real coaching and development because it’s been ignored for years.  Viney and Oliver and even Brayshaw don’t value their possessions.  They give it away too easily.  I’d invest in intense skill training for the whole club.  

yes. and its astonishing how that isn't a major objective of the club. build around Lewis. There was a bloke who was a poor kick but ended up very reliable for Hawthorn and Melbourne.


You need a game plan that suits the playing list. 
 

ATM the game plan doesn’t seem to suit the playing list. 
 

If Goody is to survive he needs to change and from what other posters have said he is stubborn, so I won’t hold my breath. 

Team selection this week will be interesting and give us a good indication where Goodys mindset is at. 

  On 06/07/2020 at 11:14, P-man said:

Riewoldt said that “not playing for the jumper” is too simplistic and I agree. Effort is not the issue (with maybe a couple of exceptions). Skill is far and away the main issue.

I don't think AFL players actually play for the jumper. They play for their mates and themselves. 

 

David is correct when talking about our influence and impact on the competition. It is a statement of fact that has to be thoroughly absorbed by us all and by the club.

Garry's opinions are directed elsewhere at the skills and performance of the playing group and the seemingly lack of direction and planning by the coaching group.

The players' effort is as good as anyone but their efforts are being squandered and wasted by poor off field direction ie coaching and implementation of a game plan that will make us competitive.

To address David's point we first need to respond to Garry's cry of anguish. I have stated in another post the I believe that Goodwon is not a Goodone. He desperately needs help. I call on the board to find that help for the betterment of our club.

Fix it and we become relevant. I have waited 56 years to attend another premiership. The time is now.

20??

Go dees

 

 

  On 06/07/2020 at 21:30, dice said:

Yeah right, Garry Lyon. The same guy who was instrumental in appointing (in succession) the 2 worst performing senior coaches at MFC of recent times - Dean Bailey (RIP) and Mark Neeld. Neeld totally destroyed our playing group in less than 2 seasons! Lyon was a terrific and much loved player but for me, his commentary about MFC will always be soured by those terrible and destructive decisions. Pretty sure Schwarz, the "simpleton", would never have recommended Neeld or Bailey to the top job back in those days.

So who do you blame for Goodwin's appointment? Yep Neeld was bust,  the list he had was arguably teh worst in history, and he never got going. Bailey let the players rule the roost, blame others inside teh club. Ox's ramblings do nothing to help teh club, entitled to his oponion, and he is hurting like all of us, but thats sort of response hurts teh club even more, rational discussion on what the problem is will be far more beneficial. Time to move on from teh Lyon bashing for appointing Neeld.. its along tiome ago.. i dont see Carlton people bashing Kernahan for sacking Ratten and appointing Malthouse.. 

 

 

Edited by Demon3


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...

Featured Content

  • FEATURE: 1925

    A hundred years ago today, on 2 May 1925, Melbourne kicked off the new season with a 47 point victory over St Kilda to take top place on the VFL ladder after the opening round of the new season.  Top place was a relatively unknown position for the team then known as the “Fuchsias.” They had finished last in 1923 and rose by only one place in the following year although the final home and away round heralded a promise of things to come when they surprised the eventual premiers Essendon. That victory set the stage for more improvement and it came rapidly. In this series, I will tell the story of how the 1925 season unfolded for the Melbourne Football Club and how it made the VFL finals for the first time in a decade on the way to the ultimate triumph a year later.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREVIEW: West Coast

    Saturday’s election night game in Perth between the West Coast Eagles and Melbourne represents 18th vs 15th which makes it a tough decision as to which party to favour. The Eagles have yet to break the ice under their new coach in Andrew McQualter who is the second understudy in a row to confront Demon Coach Simon Goodwin who was also winless until a fortnight ago. On that basis, many punters might be considering to go with the donkey vote but I’ve been assigned with the task of helping readers to come to a considered opinion on this matter of vital importance across the nation. It was almost a year ago that I wrote a preview here of the Demons’ away game against the Eagles (under the name William from Waalitj because it was Indigenous Round).  I issued a warning that it was a danger game, based on my local knowledge that the home team were no longer easybeats and that they possessed a wunderkind generational player in Harley Reid who was capable of producing stellar performances playing among men a decade and more older than he.  At the time, the Eagles already had two wins off the back of a couple of the young man’s masterclasses and they had recently given the Bombers a scare straight after their Anzac Day blockbuster draw against the then reigning premiers.

    • 1 reply
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 08

    Round 08 of the 2025 AFL Season kicks off on Thursday with a must-win game for the Bombers to stay in touch with the top eight, while the struggling Roos seek a morale-boosting upset. Friday sees the Saints desperate for a win as well if they are to stay in finals contention and their opponents the Dockers will be eager to crack in to the Top 8 with a win on the road. Saturday kicks off with a pivotal clash for both sides asthe Bulldogs look to solidify their top-eight spot, while Port seeks to shake their pretender tag. Then the Crows will be looking to steady their topsy turvy season against a resurgent Blues looking to make it 4 wins on the trot. On Election Night a Blockbuster will see the ladder-leading Pies take on the Cats, who are keen to bounce back after a narrow loss. On Sunday the Sydney Derby promises fireworks as the Giants aim to cement their top-eight status, while the Swans fight to keep their season alive. The Hawks, celebrating their centenary, will be looking to easily account for the Tigers who are desperate to halt their slide. The Round concludes on Sunday Night with a top end of the table QClash with significant ladder implications; both Queensland teams are in scintillating form. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons?

      • Like
    • 148 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: West Coast

    The Demons hit the road in Round 8, heading to Perth to face the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium. With momentum building, the Dees will be aiming for a third straight victory to keep their season revival on course. Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Like
    • 563 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Richmond

    The fans who turned up to the MCG for Melbourne’s Anzac Day Eve clash against Richmond would have been disappointed if they turned up to see a great spectacle. As much as this was a night for the 71,635 in attendance to commemorate heroes of the nation’s past wars, it was also a time for the Melbourne Football Club to consolidate upon its first win after a horrific start to the 2025 season. On this basis, despite the fact that it was an uninspiring and dour struggle for most of its 100 minutes, the night will be one for the fans to remember. They certainly got value out of the pre match activity honouring those who fought for their country. The MCG and the lights of the city as backdrop was made for nights such as these and, in my view, we received a more inspirational ceremony of Anzac culture than others both here and elsewhere around the country. 

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • CASEY: Richmond

    The match up of teams competing in our great Aussie game at its second highest level is a rarity for a work day Thursday morning but the blustery conditions that met the players at a windswept Casey Fields was something far more commonplace.They turned the opening stanza between the Casey Demons and a somewhat depleted Richmond VFL into a mess of fumbling unforced errors, spilt marks and wasted opportunities for both sides but they did set up a significant win for the home team which is exactly what transpired on this Anzac Day round opener. Casey opened up strong against the breeze with the first goal to Aidan Johnson, the Tigers quickly responded and the game degenerated into a defensive slog and the teams were level when the first siren sounded.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland