Listening to SEN last night, I was struck by some comments that Dermott made regarding our team and the standards set by out coaching staff. In a nut shell he said that our players didnt work for each other and didnt exhibit the required workrate required to be competitive. To make matters worse, Dermott suggested that the coaching staff allow the players to get away with this and that successful clubs wouldnt stand for it. It has being my belief for over 2 years that we have a playing group that will not work for each other and the results have being clear for all to see in the standings. You never see our players helping our better players break tags, run hard to create options, block for forwards, leave their own man to help out (Rivers aside), shepherd with vigour or generally give up their own game for the good of the team. I admit that occassionaly one or two of these things can be seen by our players but they dont seem to part of the make up of the psych of the team. When you add our insipid tackling you get a recipe for disaster. Is it a culture issue? Is it a coaching issue? Is it a combination of the two? It disturbs me when I think of all the little things that are seemingly overlooked by the playing group out on the field. I would hate to play in that environment.

With all of this in mind I would like to see an overall improvement in our 1%'s and our sacrificial, team orientated play this week. (An attitude can change in a week) Instead of players remaining stationary after handballing to a teammate, run hard to shepherd and create another option. When you get the chance to really drive a player into the ground with a tackle, do so. Dont try and bump them, bury their faces in the turf. Hit in hard at the contest and run with a purpose to get to space, the next contest or to lay a tackle. I honestly believe if we do the little things on the field we can beat the Dockers. The style of play will take care of itself once the opposition is on the back foot and we are moving forward as a group.

I would be rapt if the Dockers came out and tried to rough us up early on, I would take it as a sign of weakness. A masquerade. An admission from the Dockers that they dont want us playing the ball, trying to make us splinter.

Your right.

I've been saying this for the last 4 years, wondering what the hell is going on.

That's when I started turning against Daniher, but it took nearly another 3+ years for something to be done about this.

It took a long time for the players to become slack & soft. SO IT WILL take a while to undo the damage & confidance will suffer along the way, as we are witnessing, as the changes are made. ADD TO THIS the aging of our leaders & you can see the problems facing Bailey & Connolly......................

Your right.

I've been saying this for the last 4 years, wondering what the hell is going on.

That's when I started turning against Daniher, but it took nearly another 3+ years for something to be done about this.

It took a long time for the players to become slack & soft. SO IT WILL take a while to undo the damage & confidance will suffer along the way, as we are witnessing, as the changes are made. ADD TO THIS the aging of our leaders & you can see the problems facing Bailey & Connolly......................

I think you will find Mclean has been concentrating hard on doing heaps of selfless things in contested situations to help his teammates. As does Nathan Jones. Mclean especially has sacrificed his game this year while racking up plenty of posessions himself.

If we were winning he would be heralded as the next captain for on field behaviour at least. but alas it all goes unnoticed.

These two in particular are playing playing consistent team orientated footy. It takes time for all this to gel of course.

It took West coast years and needs good players to do it - but look at them, they still 'know' how to do it, but without passion and missing a couple of key midfielders they are lost.

Hawthorn had at least 6 years to build a team with a new game plan, give us some time at least.

Like it or not we are now fully rebuilding in the first time in over a decade and its the best thing that will happen to Melbourne.

Listening to SEN last night, I was struck by some comments that Dermott made regarding our team and the standards set by out coaching staff. In a nut shell he said that our players didnt work for each other and didnt exhibit the required workrate required

You lost me @ the Dermott said bit!

Despite being a ripping footballer, he's seriously lacking in the special comments role & loves the sound of his own voice.

He is also a long term serial Demon bagger.

Looking @ where we are sitting right now he is probably onto something however it doesn't change the fact

I reckon he is an up himself, smartarse, love's him self [censored]

I think you will find Mclean has been concentrating hard on doing heaps of selfless things in contested situations to help his teammates. As does Nathan Jones. Mclean especially has sacrificed his game this year while racking up plenty of posessions himself.

I read with interest a few weeks ago where McLean said that he is working for others by blocking etc. I was glad to hear it. What disappointed me was the way Rawlings from Nth was able to hold and impede McLean when not in possession of the ball with no retribution or assistance from another MFC player. When I see players working for each other weekly I will become a believer.

Like it or not we are now fully rebuilding in the first time in over a decade and its the best thing that will happen to Melbourne.

Yup. I wanted 2004 to be a year like this one. 2008 and 2009 will be cold and long with a bright spot appearing in 2010.

You lost me @ the Dermott said bit!

Despite being a ripping footballer, he's seriously lacking in the special comments role & loves the sound of his own voice.

He is also a long term serial Demon bagger.

Looking @ where we are sitting right now he is probably onto something however it doesn't change the fact

I reckon he is an up himself, smartarse, love's him self [censored]

Yeah. I usually ignore him but this one little assessment struck me as true.

To strengthen your arguement against him, he went on to say that the MFC he played against were the most likely to give teammates a massive spray and were well known for it.......

You lost me @ the Dermott said bit!

Despite being a ripping footballer, he's seriously lacking in the special comments role & loves the sound of his own voice.

He is also a long term serial Demon bagger.

Looking @ where we are sitting right now he is probably onto something however it doesn't change the fact

I reckon he is an up himself, smartarse, love's him self [censored]

and he's never made a mistake in his life...

I honestly believe if we do the little things on the field we can beat the Dockers.

I'm glad someone else said this because I seriously believe that we will give the Dockers a bloody big fright this weekend.