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Demonland now has a Like button feature on each topic and post. It's over there ---------------------->>>>>>

"You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day." This message displayed when I tried to like your post... It's not irony, but's it's close.

LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT CAT by Whispering Jack Will Ralston's cruel Tom Scully parody based on the song by Adele, "Someone Like You" has become a You Tube anthem for Demon fans in the post Scully era. There is karma; deep, hurtful bruising followed by healing and closure to a distasteful piece of the club's history. Tanking is dead, the different cat whose arrival promised salvation but delivered nothing is gone, taking the poisoned chalice and his thirty pieces of silver with him to Blacktown and leaving us with two highly inadequate compensation picks given what they cost us. But catharsis has come. We live, we breath, the air is clean again and we can look for the next different cat without the burdens of the moral dilemmas which we imposed upon ourselves in those dark times as children bawled "their eyes out when Jordan McMahon kicked Richmond's winning goal after the siren while their fathers wore grins from ear to ear." Suddenly, less than a week after we waved farewell to young Tom, there is a breath of fresh air rushing through the Melbourne Football Club. The newly appointed coach, Mark Neeld warns that his Demons will be hard to play against and promises to assign his recruiters with the mission of plugging the gaps in the team's requirements. The club will, of necessity, become more involved in the trades than in previous years, a change mandated by the perceived weakness in the draft pool, the compromised nature of the draft, the selections currently available, the situation of the list and the fact that Scully's departure has left the club with spending money for new players. All of the elements are there for the Demons to become more involved in the trades than they have for years. The targets are likely to include one of the under 17 mini draft players, a mature, quality midfielder with the ability to win the ball at stoppages and some leadership capability and a tall marking forward. To achieve this you need both a positive approach and good intelligence. There are some clubs that might need to free up salary cap space, others might have needs where Melbourne has a surplus. Some sacrifices might have to be made because fairytale trades don't just happen. They have to be win/win deals for both sides and this might mean some pain and some angst among supporters. Neeld comes from Collingwood which has been one of the more daring clubs at trade time. The Demons are not at the same point the Pies were at two years ago but they did well getting Jolly and Ball in the 2009 trades leaving themselves with a first pick in that year's national draft in the 60s. Given that the AFL has given a free rein of this year's draft to Greater Western Sydney and the lack of depth of the pool, a strategy of filling the gaps through trading would appear to be the most productive way to go about things at the present time. With less than a month left before the trade period which incorporates the mini draft for 17 year olds, it's worth looking at the prime candidates among this young group. There are two of them and the main one is 182cm 75 kg Jaegar O'Meara from Perth who recently booted four goals on debut for his WAFL club. The AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan said of him on the AFL site: "He is a gifted medium midfielder with breakaway pace and elite endurance. He has averaged 20.6 possessions at 71 per cent efficiency in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, winning All Australian honours. He was part of the 14th intake in the AIS-AFL Academy." O'Meara is all the rage and he seems to be everyone's favourite but my mail is that, if the main target is a quality player to win the ball out of the midfield, then the club would do well to focus on a youngster from closer to home in Brad Crouch who hails from North Ballarat which has become a fertile recruiting ground in recent times. The 184cm, 83kg on baller would feel right at home joining Tom McDonald and Lucas Cook who were drafted from that part of the world last year. Sheehan says: "He had an outstanding year in the TAC Cup and NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, winning All Australian Honours. Excels with his ball-winning across half back or midfield and makes good decisions with the footy. He was selected in the AIS-AFL Academy 15th intake which comes together this month." Melbourne already has a leading 17 year old prospect in father/son nominee Jack Viney coming on board in 2013. Viney is known for his tough uncompromising style very much in the image of his old man. If the Demons can also snare a 17 year old through the GWS mini draft, they will have two very likely looking young additions to the playing list who fit the bill in the quest to find that Someone Like You. Knowing that they have at least one and possibly two young and different cats in the bag, it will also be easier for them to spurn the draft pool to an extent and to enter the exchange period in a very aggressive frame of mind. The focus this weekend might be on the AFL's two great preliminary finals but there is also another game in town on Sunday - the TAC Cup Grand Final between the Sandringham Dragons and the Oakleigh Chargers. The Chargers team will have a definite Melbourne flavour with the sons of two football department members on display. Whispering Jack will be there to report on the game.

Can we just leave the game alone for once?

Try now

I agree the club just cannot throw away everybody connected with the old coaching group. CC being a very passionate Melbourne person, and should be kept at the club, if he can add value to the Club. We should try and use his talents, in areas that they can be of use.

Explain to me how this is our problem? Sheedy is nuts, acting petulant, and doing his same old nonsense - and you think that means we should have hired him?! It's amazing how you have more respect for someone who hates the club (Sheedy) than you do for someone who loves the club and agreed to work for it (Connolly) when he missed out on the same job that Sheedy missed out on...

He's progressing well and is on track to be injured again by round 6, 2012.

I heard Mick Malthouse mention on SEN that the important thing for Neeld in the first few years is that he controls as much as possible, until he has everyone working to his vision and they have earnt his trust. I expect that to be the case so let's not overstate the impact Royal will or won't have on the overall game plan and performance of our mids. I think the appointment of Greaves as an assistant says more than the shift of Royal to midfield coach. I read it as Royal has a couple of years left on a contract, has been around the block and can share a few things with Greaves who will eventually take over from Royal once his contract expires. How often is a midfield assistant coach appointed? That to me says that Neeld might not have full faith in Royal and it's more of a case that we'll use him where we can rather than pay out a contract. That's my interpretation of it all anyway.

There's so much bullsh1t on here. Jeremy Howe outmarked and out-contested marked Darling for the year playing a similar role as 3rd tall. Is he our tough KPP? http://www.pro-stats.com.au/psw/web/compare_players?tid1=109&pid1=2011033&year1=2011&tid2=116&pid2=2011026&year2=2011 Darling had Kennedy and Lynch in the forward 50 too much more size and experience there than Watts and Jurrah.

I think the criticism of Jones' skills is totally unjustified, especially when there is an insane amount of love for Jack Grimes. For those that are happy to hang $hit on Jones' (lack of) efficiency, please put up some figures/evidence to support your case. But be sure to put up all listed players just so we can get an idea as to where Jones stands in this area.

I think youre getting very close to the gist of the reality here. I have the notion that having tested some waters the Club senses there is much out there to be had that might benefot thi sclub but for the want of a gifted orator and salesman. Cue. Chris Connolly. Here's a bloke who I half suspect has a Dees Doona and wear red and blue p-j's . He makes the word passionate seem inept and insufffiicient. Call him what you like but he is Melbourne through and through and his love and belief in our club is bountiful and beyond reproach. Good luck Cuddles

I would prefer something like the reddit.com model where users upvote and downvote comments. Hence users can choose to rearrange comments based on the 'top upvoted comments'. This would have been especially handy during the long threads like TS.

Sheedy is a peanut, and has the gig at GWS for side show value only. I have no doubt he has it in for the MFC, and I'm glad he never got the job with us..............he was on the nose at the Bombers, and that's why they cut him loose...........and he never would have gone down the youth path Bailey did with the list, he would have tried to top up with rejects, and we would be sitting here today bemoaning the fact we ever let him step foot inside the MFC.

They did their best for the club, they don't deserve this. And as for CC - he still works for the club, loves the club, and while you can criticise - show some respect.

Would be a shame to lose Jetta, as he was showing good signs this year. Lots of upside for mine.

Heres food for thought. There is a very understandable tendency when supporters review their players to categorise many in the "pretty good" or "ok" pile. If were are to be really serious as a team looking to compete at its highest level then you need better than OK or Pretty Good So the point here is many here need to stop looking at our list though their slightly rosey optics and consider how our new on-board coach might view them. He'll be quite cold and clinical in his evaluations.. See how you go now. Not trying to be cute here.. just offer some insight as to the how and why its all about to change at Melboourne. Different standards and expectations are now to be made of this team

Say what? Didn't realise Bailey was doing this. But I don't have such a vivid imagination. Or re-imagination...

The game has already been shortened from '100 minutes' from when I was a kid. I don't think it needs to be any shorter. From what I have observed it is only the coaches who like to play 'heavy rotation' football or have been shafted by injuries in recent seasons that squeak loudly about shortening the game. (apart from Malthouse who also thought it was a good idea so his team wouldn't smash other teams by so much). IMO the game should be longer not shorter and rotations should be capped; BUT NOT for each team but rather for each player!! I would also like to see the 'sub' extended to two and the 'bench' reduced to two. Football to me was always a game based around 'desire' and 'persistance'; a game where the 'lesser' player could triumph because he showed more of these attributes on a given day. The game is now more about 'fresh legs' and 'athletic ability', to its detriment. Make it longer and harder I say. End rant. Go Dees - Bring Forth Hell Fire and Brimstone in 2012

Must is a strong word-I think all of us place too much importance on coaching these days. A farmer is only as good as his cattle-hats off to those who have got us where we are in this respect -we all know there are good signs even in our most ridiculed recruits . listening to Neeld ,I think if I were a young kid trying out for the MFC (as I did in the 90's) that he would inspire me with his considered resolve and direction .The missing link is a desire to sacrifice ,to endure pain ,to play at my optimum for my mates and my coach . Any more confusion of the hierarchy is a Collingwood invention that is doomed to failure in my opinion . Eddy will be the architect of Collingwoods demise with his interference in what is clearly a working hierarchy .Craig ,whist respected in Rundle Mall , is nothing here .Let He _____ Before God do his thing without interference .Lets unite and trust the man we have hired to do the job .i do not want to take on the Eddy mantra of divide and conquer .I just want to see him eat himself to another chin and watch Collingwood disintegrate without He B4 God .

I hate the knee jerk reactions the powers to be have when a certain game style is played. From year to year the game styles change and every year Bloody Bartlett and his mates try to tinker with the game.

GWS recruiter Steven Silvagni might have been red faced at the AA Awards when he incorrectly read out the names of Robert Harvey instead of Robert Murphy and Sam Reid instead of his brother Ben but there was a sense of shock at Giants HQ yesterday when someone found one of SOS' recruiting dossiers floating in the Paramatta River. The confidential file marked "Tom Scully' contained photos of Jack Trengove giving credence to the belief that the recruiting staff had confused the two young Demons and offered the wrong player the big bucks. The mystery of why a grinning Kevin Sheedy has been been greeting the youngster with the words "g'day Jack" at training seems to have also been solved.

Sounds a good idea however I would drink anything when we win even Adelaide water.

I think you will find this is about Neeld wanting to bring Greaves in to work with our young mid fielders. A bit about him here: http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/11/10/224621_geelong_sports.html

I attended a Before the Bounce event that Royal spoke at and he left me nothing but unenthused. He stated that a key principle he had with our backs was to never leave them in a one on one contest, a player should always go and help out. That puzzled me considering I would back Frawley and Garland one out against most opponents. I then witnessed us give up 4 goals that day from having too many players up at the contest.

When I read the title of the thread, I thought you were talking about Bennett Presser. http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=AU#/watch?v=7EChnZTJicw

I've already posted my thoughts. Midfield. In relation to key forwards, it's not just Fitzpatrick and Martin. There's also Cook, Watts, McDonald there as options, who probably don't want to be held back either and all mentioned should be bigger, stronger, more advanced by March looking to improve. Getting Dawes would come at a cost - I don't know what cost. To supply the forwards we need to improve our C-grade midfield (now minus Scully). So we need talent and dare I say it, star(s). We have pick 12 and two compo picks. Now, what is your top priority ? If it's Dawes, it will come at a cost and potentially take away from recruiting or trading for something greater. I agree that we can beef up both areas if we want to. My point is what takes the higher priority. First things first... Midfield for me, all the way. We lost Scully, we're one down on an already inferior midfield, we need a replacement. We've been compensated for him, lets use them wisely. There's also the component of leadership I haven't touched on here. I think you also need to identify how good Dawes really is.

How he got a gig in this is beyond me too. 54 seconds pause.

depends more (I think) on how many posts over a certain short period rather than in total since thread start. e.g. 10 already today or 50 already in last nnn days etc

I have been expecting your outburst re Josh--I wonder what your old man thinks about his upgraded role ??

I liken the Tom Scully situation to being on Deal or No Deal and having the $200,000 and 50c case left. You can take the easy option and walk away with about $100,000, even though you really wanted to nab the $200k. The alternative is going for the $200,000 but being left with the monkey (50c), which is just painful. In the end, no deal was the best option.

This is the major issue for mine. Once Jones gets some real midfield support, I think the call can be made on his skills, which it seems most here believe to be subpar.

Would have thought that Chris would be an asset in membership, marketing, foundation, functions etc. He is a qualified Phys Ed teacher as well so involvement in schools trying to sell the MFC brand to unaligned kids would also be a plus. I could also imagine any sponsorship proposal that has him selling the club while the others concentrate on the financial aspect is an improved pitch. He has done a lot for us and hopefully he is in an area where he can again make a difference.

Agree totally. I really have no idea of the club politics, or what dramas have involved CC. But, he is 110% committed to the MFC. He has always been a great spruiker for the club. So, if he can have a full time role using his strengths for the benefit of the club, then that is surely a win-win for the club and CC. Very happy about this.

It's positive to see the new coach given what he needs to get the job done. It's also a delicate balance too...............the Synes administration has done a great job in unifying the club again, and had many Melbourne people return when the club needed people to stand up, Connolly included. Now setting fire to guys like Connolly, and coldly kicking them out the door would be a step backwards. I think this is a good outcome for the club longer term.

Ashley and Martin... confusing Judd and Scully since Shane Warne

GWS were smart. Why do you think they didn't let TS meet Sheedy until he signed up. He would have twigged Sheedy is mad

Mark Williams is really GWS coach. Hopefully Sheedy tries to exert his position and have some influence.

Do you realise how silly that is? You don't know what they do, they do nothing constructive and then you give us the three that are ok. Take a break, you've had your say, move on.

What can I say to that?

I don't think this is Sheedy's conspiracy. I think it's your conspiracy theory.

Do the names Jack Fitzpatrick and Lucas Cook mean anything to you Jacey? Similar height, weight, and are actually currently on our list (1 is even a first round draft pick). Even at minimal investment, why would you look at obtaining him, when we have 2 guys on our list of similar qualities? Can anyone tell me how we go about trading in/out a rookie listed player that is contracted? The player that I'm interested in is Ed Barlow from Carlton. Other than that, I would leave any uncontracted players alone. If they weren't considered by GWS, why the hell would we want them? We've seen they were willing to pay big dollars for good (not great) players, doesn't say much for what's left IMO!

This was always going to happen. The Stynes administration has not touched the FD, save for the inclusion of Royal. This major overhaul was always going to occur. What has surprised me is the way we have gone around contracts to give Neeld an opportunity to bring in his own with a PR role for CC, and a Footy Manager role for Mahoney. It's good to see. No need for payouts, if you want to stay here is something we think you can do, if you don't want to embrace it - you can resign. It's very bloodless and, at the same time, ruthless. It means Neeld has, from what I have read, only Royal, Viney, Dunbar and O'Donnell left from the coaching and development staff.

With all of the positives of the last week or so, compensation,new coach,Fitness Guru & assistants to come I have found it easy to say....... Tom Who?...... does anyone else feel the same ?

More Excellent work by our CEO i am thinking. Caroline Wilson, your articles about Cameron Schwabb over the last 12 months are starting to look very flimsy. As was your Ridiculous editorial on Footy Classified last night.

Just want to write this and see what people think... Brad Green has been a Melbourne player since 1999. He has played 241 games. He has won games off his own boot. He has ran with the flight of the ball and nearly killed himself more than once. He turned down more money and success at Collingwood so he could remain a loyal one club player. He has given everything that he possibly could of himself to the Melbourne Football Club. However he had 1 bad year as a captain in 2010. Brad Green may or may not be finished, next year will decide that. But the fact that supporters of the Melbourne Football Club sit in judgement and declare he shouldn't be offered a deal and maybe he should retire is a disgrace. So he wasn't a good captain... Wow then we should delist him. What if Trengove is a bad captain and we suck in '12? What if Frawley is a bad captain and we suck in '12? Just take the captaincy off Greeny, it isn't that hard and it is all the MFC need to do in regards to Green.... Just let him play care free again. Whether he stays or goes, is good or bad, he at the very least deserves the slightest bit of respect. Or do we want another James Mcdonald situation? Pay respect to the people who have come before and what they have done.

Dead wrong.... about everything really.

Brent Moloney might exhibit passion for the club however he can't put to words together and doesn't have the general "smarts" needed. JT has the package and should be made captain.

He can share it. The closest bloke we have to a captain is Moloney but he isn't a captain. So instead of putting one NQR bloke in there to flail about, why not spread it over three. I don't like the idea of shared captaincy, but I don't think we have the luxury of giving it to one person.