The Dees have not made it easy to love them over the decades. 

The only guys i would not want to see back are Judas Scully and Brick Mclean - I would not be opening the door with any great relish to the likes of Lyndon Dunn and Jeremy Howe either. Enjoy Collingwood, guys!

The departure of Gerard Healy really hurt at the time, not that we could match Edelsten's merco-dollars. He was the Brownlow Medallist in the year that we faced Hawthorn in the GF. Could he have made a difference - I do not know. In his current media-career, he never touches upon his inner alignment to the club. I would welcome him back. He copped it from RDB in that famous footage - healing is required. 

Jacko is damaged goods.

I am so glad that Jako is one of us.

I wish that we could have heard more from the Ox since that famous night in Perth. 

Edited November 14, 20213 yr by Cracker Nackers

1 hour ago, The Riv said:

He watched his new team win 3 premierships. 

 

And @Rhino Richardsgot to see his actual team win one tho lol.

I remember that DeezDayz donut, what a little drama king he was.

Having said that - where is DrD and Olisik and the other deadenders? 

 

49 minutes ago, Biffen said:

You set some fairly profound standards.

For that we are eternally ungrateful.

Biffen, I see you still haven't learnt to show respect to your betters!

Scene: a large conference room, deep underground beneath an international bank in Zurich.

Neil Balme sits at the head of a long table, stroking a white cat in his lap. Around the table are Tom Scully, Brock McLean, Mark Jackson, Gerard Healey, Brian Taylor, several umpires, and various ex-players and officials.

Balme: Gentlemen, you understand why we are here. The results of this year's AFL Grand final were ... unsatisfactory.

No-one speaks. They fidget nervously.

Balme: I call now for your individual reports. Number two?

Scully: gee, number one. We tried. We made sure Goodwin stayed in charge. We brought in Williams who everyone knows is borderline insane. We brought in the stand rule. We even brought back the virus.

Balme: enough, number two. All these factors I predicted in advance and they were already compensated for. Number six?

Jackson: I'm an individual, ya can't fool ... aw, [censored], I forget how it goes now. (He punches Gerard Healey in the face.)

Balme: (into his suit lapel) bring the medication. (aloud) Number eight?

Mclean: I, er, did as instructed, number one.

Balme: you were instructed, number eight, to spend the night before performing "wheelies" and "burnouts" in your utility vehicle outside the Melbourne team sleeping quarters.

Mclean: *gulps* that's right, number one.

Balme: in fact you spent that night performing said deeds outside the Wyndham Vale public hotel.

Mclean: well I couldn't find out where they was staying. I arksed everyone. I even--

Balme: enough, number eight. Number thirteen?

Taylor: wowee, number one. I tried to break their morale. Every game.

Balme: "trying" is not considered adequate, number thirteen. You are in a position to influence public perception and hence, team perception. Only success is acceptable. Perhaps you should try learning the players' numbers?

Taylor: crikey! Looks like it’s all over for me, folks. The fat lady is getting ready … wowee!!

Balme: number twenty? How do you account for a performance so out of character?

Umpire Stevic: *gulps* we tried, number one. We let our boys throw it plenty of times -- the Western Bulldogs, that is -- we didn't pay high tackles, but ... gee, number one, we can only help the Doggies if they get near the ball. After halfway through the third quarter ...

Balme: I have reviewed the video replays of the match and fortunately for you, I concur with your assessment. You are not held responsible.

The umpires sigh and visibly relax.

Balme presses a button under the table. Brock McLean screams as a massive electric shock incinerates him and his chair. The chair descends below floor level and a new chair arises in its place.

Balme: I do not tolerate failure. Let this serve to ... motivate you. I expect ... improvement ... next season. This meeting is closed.

Edited November 14, 20213 yr by Mazer Rackham

10 hours ago, rpfc said:

It’s also a collection of individuals. Neeld gets too much ire on here, same with Schwab, and others in the past that did what they felt was best for the club.

I do wonder if they found some solace in the premiership, and if they are Demons, we should have the strength and confidence to welcome them back.

A resounding yes.  I still have a bit to do with Cam occasionally.  His favourite time in footy was his early days at the Demons in the early - mid 80's when he was instrumental in the recruitment of some outstanding players in the Barassi/Northey era.  His heart beats true and he couldn't have been more pleased for the club.

5 hours ago, Cracker Nackers said:

I would not be opening the door with any great relish to the likes of Lynden Dunn

Lynden Dunn has been a life member of the Melbourne Football Club since 2015.

Hard not to open the door to him, and I don't see why not.

5 hours ago, rpfc said:

And @Rhino Richardsgot to see his actual team win one tho lol.

I remember that DeezDayz donut, what a little drama king he was.

Having said that - where is DrD and Olisik and the other deadenders? 

 

Think you probably just replied to one 

Didn't Brock McLean donate money to help the club when it was trying to get rid of the debt?

As some posters have said here, i doubt there are very few people who have left this club with anger in there hearts that hold it against the club rather the individuals in charge.

McLean could rightfully be angry at our management during his years at the club but be happy we've turned ourselves around.

33 minutes ago, adonski said:

Think you probably just replied to one 

5 hours ago, Cracker Nackers said:

The Dees have not made it easy to love them over the decades. 

The only guys i would not want to see back are Judas Scully and Brick Mclean - I would not be opening the door with any great relish to the likes of Lyndon Dunn and Jeremy Howe either. Enjoy Collingwood, guys!

I may have missed something but I thought Lyndon Dunne carried himself really well. Don't recall any overt angst against the club.

2 hours ago, adonski said:

Think you probably just replied to one 

Good try.

Though, seeing as you and your little pals continually clogged up the board up with your worthless draft games, I suppose every club needs that 'one supporter' around the joint, and you typify that role extremely well.

 

8 hours ago, rpfc said:

And @Rhino Richardsgot to see his actual team win one tho lol.

I remember that DeezDayz donut, what a little drama king he was.

Having said that - where is DrD and Olisik and the other deadenders? 

 

DeezDayz was indeed a strange unit. But he chose to support another team and that's on him. At the time it was a pretty dark place be supporting Melbourne. If watching Richmond win 3 premierships made him happy then good on him. 

I know two past Melbourne supporter who stopped supporting the Dees in the 2012-2013 period. One completely stopped watching AFL and turned to rugby league the other started supporting GWS.

19 hours ago, Nasher said:

There was a guy on here who apparently quit the MFC and signed as a Richmond member, all because he copped a Demonland ban. Was one of the most bizarre things I’ve seen in my time here:

 

There was a guy that wrote an article full of justifications for why he was changing the club he supports from Melbourne to Sydney on one of the decent AFL blog sites about 4-5 years ago, maybe it was the mongrel punt. He posted it on Reddit's AFL sub and was instantly met with mockery from memory. Wish I could find it, would be a great read now. 

Edited November 14, 20213 yr by John Demonic

I don't know any who stopped supporting the Dees though my sister stopped buying a membership and my very elderly  aunty spent her spare time writing stinging critiques of the teams performance to the committee.

21 hours ago, The Riv said:

He watched his new team win 3 premierships. 

 

 

21 hours ago, Cassiew said:

The deez days sounds like another troll. Doesn’t sound sincere. Think he was just trying to get some sympathy or someone to apologise to him. Does anyone know him personally? I wonder how he feels now?

That thread needs a serious bump 

If he changed teams once, there's no reason to believe he didn't change teams again. It's not like loyalty is ingrained in his character. He may not have been a Richmond supporter by the time they won their three Premierships.

On 11/13/2021 at 5:48 PM, adonski said:

Brock Mcclean accused us of tanking against Adelaide in round 9 I've heard

How did that work out for him?

So he is now persona non grata at two clubs.

 

Well done Brock

Think adonski may have been making a joke there, jnrmac. 

BTW, it was round 10 wasn't it?

I left the MCG on very bad terms in 2013 after Essendrug smashed us by 148 points 

Very Bad….

I'm going to batten down the hatches here as I appreciate that this will be a controversial opinion. I've always lived by the maxim that if you have no critics then you'll likely have no success, so here we go.

I've never held a grudge against Brock for what he did. I hold a grudge against the people who came up with that obtuse plan to start with. 

We were being lied to; plain and simple. Players careers were being thrown on the scrapheap. While it would be a largely redundant move to release it now, we never got to see the Andrews Report which allegedly showed how much of a dumpster fire we were.

Brock picked the scab off and all the pus came oozing out. Those who let said scab get to said infected state should be the ones who are berated. 

I'd also add one more point in. When Chris Johnson left the club in 2009 (?) to go to Carlton, Bails berated him on the way out. As the player walked off the pitch after having delivered the news as well as the reason why he left, Bailey roared at him to get back and explain to his teammates why he didn't want to play for the Melbourne Football Club anymore. He was incandescent at the player.

From what I've read, there was going to be a similar incident unfold with Brock when he told Bails about him wanting to leave.  Three minutes into what started with a very hostile reception from Bails turned into him nodding his head and showing understanding why Brock felt the way he did. He was clearly disappointed still, but he wasn't implacable as in the former example.

As for Brock coming back, I doubt that will happen anyway mostly because of the type of bloke he is. I heard him interviewed on a podcast detailing his struggles with an eating disorder and substance abuse and it sounds like he doesn't really put a lot of stock into footy tribalism. I think he played a few seasons at Aberfeldie after getting the chop from Carlton, but he doesn't obsess over it.

Edited November 15, 20213 yr by Colin B. Flaubert

43 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

I'm going to batten down the hatches here as I appreciate that this will be a controversial opinion. I've always lived by the maxim that if you have no critics then you'll likely have no success, so here we go.

I've never held a grudge against Brock for what he did. I hold a grudge against the people who came up with that obtuse plan to start with. 

We were being lied to; plain and simple. Players careers were being thrown on the scrapheap. While it would be a largely redundant move, we never got to see the Andrews Report which allegedly showed how much of a dumpster fire we were.

Brock picked the scab off and all the pus came oozing out. Those who let said scab get to said infected state should be the ones who are berated. 

I'd also add one more point in. When Chris Johnson left the club in 2009 (?) to go to Carlton, Bails berated him on the way out. As the player walked off the pitch after having delivered the news as well as the reason why he left, Bailey roared at him to get back and explain to his teammates why he didn't want to play for the Melbourne Football Club anymore. He was incandescent at the player.

From what I've read, there was going to be a similar incident unfold with Brock when he told Bails about him wanting to leave.  Three minutes into what started with a very hostile reception from Bails turned into him nodding his head and showing understanding why Brock felt the way he did. He was clearly disappointed still, but he wasn't implacable as in the former example.

As for Brock coming back, I doubt that will happen anyway mostly because of the type of bloke he is. I heard him interviewed on a podcast detailing his struggles with an eating disorder and substance abuse and it sounds like he doesn't really put a lot of stock into footy tribalism. I think he played a few seasons at Aberfeldie after getting the chop from Carlton, but he doesn't obsess over it.

i don't see a lot wrong with that, colin

i think what got my whole dander up about the whole tanking issue was the scapegoating aspect of it and the media's cherry picking of a practice which the afl had effectively encouraged and failed to police. It was a very unbalanced handling of a situation brought on by a few public remarks. It should have been an opportunity if any for a comprehensive investigation across the whole league over a period of time. Instead they took the easy option by scapegoating a single non-powerful club and the media failing in its unwillingness to even discuss other transgressors but relishing in the "good press" of the sacrificial lamb.

it still grates........and i still don't like brock for a number of reason

Edited November 15, 20213 yr by daisycutter

1 hour ago, daisycutter said:

i think what got my whole dander up about the whole tanking issue was the scapegoating aspect of it and the media's cherry picking of a practice which the afl had effectively encouraged and failed to police. It was a very unbalanced handling of a situation brought on by a few public remarks. It should have been an opportunity if any for a comprehensive investigation across the whole league over a period of time. Instead they took the easy option by scapegoating a single non-powerful club and the media failing in its unwillingness to even discuss other transgressors but relishing in the "good press" of the sacrificial lamb.

 

 And while we are on this painful subject it would be remiss of me not to remind all that we were subsequently cleared of the tanking allegations and given AFL face saving fully suspended fines on exotic breaches by Chris Connolly  .I recall discussing the matter with Don McLardy at a function and being advised that the club was supremely confident of being exonerated by the enquiry but settled with the AFL so the club could move on and concentrate on football issues 

23 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

Scene: a large conference room, deep underground beneath an international bank in Zurich.

Neil Balme sits at the head of a long table, stroking a white cat in his lap. Around the table are Tom Scully, Brock McLean, Mark Jackson, Gerard Healey, Brian Taylor, several umpires, and various ex-players and officials.

Balme: Gentlemen, you understand why we are here. The results of this year's AFL Grand final were ... unsatisfactory.

No-one speaks. They fidget nervously.

Balme: I call now for your individual reports. Number two?

Scully: gee, number one. We tried. We made sure Goodwin stayed in charge. We brought in Williams who everyone knows is borderline insane. We brought in the stand rule. We even brought back the virus.

Balme: enough, number two. All these factors I predicted in advance and they were already compensated for. Number six?

Jackson: I'm an individual, ya can't fool ... aw, [censored], I forget how it goes now. (He punches Gerard Healey in the face.)

Balme: (into his suit lapel) bring the medication. (aloud) Number eight?

Mclean: I, er, did as instructed, number one.

Balme: you were instructed, number eight, to spend the night before performing "wheelies" and "burnouts" in your utility vehicle outside the Melbourne team sleeping quarters.

Mclean: *gulps* that's right, number one.

Balme: in fact you spent that night performing said deeds outside the Wyndham Vale public hotel.

Mclean: well I couldn't find out where they was staying. I arksed everyone. I even--

Balme: enough, number eight. Number thirteen?

Taylor: wowee, number one. I tried to break their morale. Every game.

Balme: "trying" is not considered adequate, number thirteen. You are in a position to influence public perception and hence, team perception. Only success is acceptable. Perhaps you should try learning the players' numbers?

Taylor: crikey! Looks like it’s all over for me, folks. The fat lady is getting ready … wowee!!

Balme: number twenty? How do you account for a performance so out of character?

Umpire Stevic: *gulps* we tried, number one. We let our boys throw it plenty of times -- the Western Bulldogs, that is -- we didn't pay high tackles, but ... gee, number one, we can only help the Doggies if they get near the ball. After halfway through the third quarter ...

Balme: I have reviewed the video replays of the match and fortunately for you, I concur with your assessment. You are not held responsible.

The umpires sigh and visibly relax.

Balme presses a button under the table. Brock McLean screams as a massive electric shock incinerates him and his chair. The chair descends below floor level and a new chair arises in its place.

Balme: I do not tolerate failure. Let this serve to ... motivate you. I expect ... improvement ... next season. This meeting is closed.

Hilarious! 🤣😂

Would of included Dermott Brereton, Jack Dyer (if he was still alive) and Paul Chapman if we were also focusing on genuine Melbourne haters. From the interviews he did I don't think Jack Dyer ever got over losing the 1940 Grand Final to the Demons.

Edited November 15, 20213 yr by Supreme_Demon

19 hours ago, Supreme_Demon said:

Jack Dyer

I don't think the Cordners liked him.  Back in the 1930s some players only source of income was playing footy and if they were taken out of the game for a couple of weeks it made it very hard on their families.

The other obvious player who left on bad terms is Stephen Powell who walked out on the club and went to St Kilda!!!!! for free!!!!

Great to see him with Neale and the boys and the cup.

On 11/13/2021 at 5:42 PM, Supreme_Demon said:

Probably an odd thing to bring up!

But I would definitely be curious to know how some former players and coaches feel about the Demons finally having Premiership success in 2021?

Is it a case of sour grapes?

Or would they be genuinely happy for the Melbourne Demons finally ending their Premiership drought after 57 long years?

I would definitely be curious to know the thoughts of Brock McLean, Mark "Jacko" Jackson, Mark Neeld, Neil Balme to name a few.

Anyway, I just thought it would be interesting to see if any of them have some love left for the Melbourne Demons or they probably don't give a stuff.

I saw Brian Wilson and Jack Watts were genuinely happy for our success. That was very heart warming to see!

Either way, we are long last, after waiting so long since 1964, the reigning AFL Premiers!

I met Brian Wilson about 3 years ago at a Dees game at the MCG. We used to be neighbours a long time ago.He told to me to keep supporting the Dees - he was passionate.

On 11/16/2021 at 1:34 PM, Dingo said:

I met Brian Wilson about 3 years ago at a Dees game at the MCG. We used to be neighbours a long time ago.He told to me to keep supporting the Dees - he was passionate.

Several years ago I was at a Crown Dees function and was the top bidder for Jack Viney's jumper and he signed it for me. Brian Wilson was at the function and I got him to sign it as well, seeing as he wore number 7 as well.

Couple of weeks ago I was at another function and sat next to Jack, I reminded him of the jumper and he said you now have a jumper signed by a Brownlow medalist and a Premiership player.