http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsid=58653

"It's very confronting here. You can't get away with anything. But that's good; they are always teaching you new things."

-Travis Johnstone

It's all clear. Daniher mollycoddled these blokes for years and as soon as theres a bit of heat or negativity directed towards them they can't handle it...and yes i'm referring to the older blokes.

While shocked by Matthews' comments, Johnstone said he had faced much tougher analysis from Lions teammates every week.

"The leadership group is strong and demands a lot from each player," he said.

"Everyone has a role and if you are not pulling your weight … the leadership group pulls guys aside.

"I think that is really important … to make the team develop. They don't just sweep it under the carpet and let it go.

"It's very confronting here. You can't get away with anything. But that's good; they are always teaching you new things."

Sorry to post this section, but it's just blown me away the level of professionalism illustrated by some teams, i just don't think we would see this from Melbourne

While shocked by Matthews' comments, Johnstone said he had faced much tougher analysis from Lions teammates every week.

"The leadership group is strong and demands a lot from each player," he said.

"Everyone has a role and if you are not pulling your weight … the leadership group pulls guys aside.

"I think that is really important … to make the team develop. They don't just sweep it under the carpet and let it go.

"It's very confronting here. You can't get away with anything. But that's good; they are always teaching you new things."

Sorry to post this section, but it's just blown me away the level of professionalism illustrated by some teams, i just don't think we would see this from Melbourne

depressing

"Everyone has a role and if you are not pulling your weight … the leadership group pulls guys aside.

Hard to imagine Robbo, Yze, Miller or Bruce pulling anyone aside.

We are pathetic.

Hard to imagine Robbo, Yze, Miller or Bruce pulling anyone aside.

Agree on Yze and Robbo. However it is interesting that the leadership group concept is actively applied at other Clubs.

Its a good move by MFC and will be more effective as players realise what it takes to be a leader and elects players that reflect those qualities.

FWIW, I heard on Sunday, Green had terse words with Robbo for not centering the ball. Should be more of that.

Its also indicative of the lax boiled egg outcomes we would have got off TJ if he stayed.

It's exactly that kind of player empowerment that Bailey is trying to achieve with the player appointed leadership group. The mix is wrong at the moment but the idea is right. I'm going to reserve judgement on Bailey's philosophies on leadership groups for now.

The way Green is playing compared to some of his teammates, he deserves the right to pull a few of them aside and ask what's going on!

It's all about the culture the team / coaches accept as the norm.

I don't think this is anything new for the Lions....just new for Travis.

That just tells me that when Daniher was in charge.......he was in charge!

The players had to follow the lead. Leadership from your peers is a completely different kettle of fish.

I don't blame our players solely.......they largely are a product of their environment.

No wonder the players made such soft selections when confronted with the task of choosing their leadership group.

Can't see Robbo, Yze or Bruce having 'harsh words' to anyone.

Loved seeing Frawley get angry and vocal at his teammates when nobody came to help him in a contest against Bradshaw. Good on him, he deserves support and when his lazy teammates are standing around fixing their hair, they should be made to feel guilty about leaving a young kid on his own.

Rivers did the same thing a couple of weeks ago if memory serves me right.

We need leaders who are hard on themselves and hard on their teammates. None of this "you are just lacking confidence" crap.

Accountability on and off the field, it's such a foreign concept to most of our players.

It's exactly that kind of player empowerment that Bailey is trying to achieve with the player appointed leadership group. The mix is wrong at the moment but the idea is right. I'm going to reserve judgement on Bailey's philosophies on leadership groups for now.

Spot on Nasher.... it is deepressing (see what I did there..) for the past, it is positive for the future for two reasons. First, the bloke (trapper) is a [censored] and soft as butter and tries to get his way around doing what is required to be the best he can be and to make his club the best it can be, glad you're gone. 2nd the leadership group is more empowered this year and will continue to be under Bailey.

While it seems to have taken our knuckleheads longer than other clubs to get it sorted it looks from the outside so far this season to be moving in the right direction.

Something on "on the couch" last night was how they were talking about Medhurst winning the medal and how much better he has got and both sheahan and walls said the difference is the clubs, collingwood demand excellence in all aspects, freo don't. And we fit in with Freo.

And we fit in with Freo.

How will this become different now with DB in charge? Do we presume that the poor confidence & on field display is a reflection of the change sweeping thru the club? Maybe in time we will also be a well drilled disciplined club?

Or will DB eventually convert to the on going Melbourne culture?

We are in the same boat as Hawthorne was about 4 years ago. Just have patience. Are culture will change, one step at a time. As for the Freo/melbourne resemblance, you only have to look at how many ex Freo staff we had at melbourne to see that Daniher,Cameron,Riley. The only one we are left with was thier most successful coach and was an original Demon.