Leaderboard

Sad to see him go ? I'm sad he's on the list. Moloney represents all that is wrong at Melbourne. The worst culture in the AFL. Bomber Thompson got it right when he was the first player he wanted to show the door to get pick 12, which would help yield Ottens. He was one of Ablett's best mates and it wasn't long after Moloney left that Scarlett told Ablett to pull his head in. Moloney is just another ordinary midfielder that played the game on his terms. Winning a B&F at a bottom club isn't any great shakes. FFS, Davey did it. You're a bottom club for a reason, you don't have much talent. There's one thing that all coaches requires of their players and it's called "buy in". If a coach's players don't buy in to the game plan, or the path the club is heading a coach will never succeed. Moloney was all that was wrong in this past era of Melbourne and quite simply he didn't buy in under Neeld. It was too hard. Now whether you like it, or not, Neeld isn't going anywhere, so the obvious solution is that the senior player rotting away at Casey goes somewhere. He'll be better at a different club under a different coach. He'll have no choice. This club needs players on the same page and those with an axe to grind out the door. I hope he goes. He should go. He needs to go. And if the compensation is only third round then fine. The last thing I'm concerned about is compensatory picks. Let's start improving the culture.

I wanted to re-visit the topic of China, I say re-visit as it was discussed at length in past on Demonology and assume it was here too. The last Melbourne administration did a lot of work to form ties in China, this included visits, donating equipment and inviting several members of a local AFL team to train with the club. They also held an exhibition game in Shanghai as part of the World Exposition, this was largely successful but was only really attended by expats were very few locals in the crowd. All of this is a good start; however, it seems that little has been done (publicly) to continue the push into the Chinese market. I wonder, if like the Irish experiment, that this will be another endeavor by the MFC which is then picked up by other clubs while we are left scratching our heads. The potential in China is mind blowing, the most popular sport in China is currently Basketball this is mainly due to the success of Yao Ming and as a result half of the country (yes, an exaggeration) follow the Houston Rockets and own at least one item of their official merchandise, this makes the Rockets one of the most attractive teams to sponsor in the world. I am not purporting that any push by the MFC would have the same effect or be comparable to the Rockets, however, it seems that this initiative is dead in the water or at least come to a stand still – I can’t for the life of me understand why. The Chinese are extremely nationalistic and as soon as a Chinese person enters a sporting stage that sport and subsequently that team get a huge amount of air play on the state owned (all) television stations, this has the obvious flow on affect of generating a lot local interest and support. I propose that instead of sitting on the sidelines that the MFC becomes more active in the World’s largest market and the current economic powerhouse. I have often thought about how this can be done. First, the MFC needs to continue to establish ties with local sports teams, for example Beijing Guoan (soccer team), this will do a lot to get the MFC brand out into the public. Secondly, the MFC need to give a great amount of support into growing the game within China. They should start this by being actively involved in the Chinese AFL teams, this could be done by reaching out to both the expat teams in Beijing and Shanghai. Thirdly, the MFC could be taking advantage of the Chinese social media systems such as weibo (Chinese twitter), Ren ren (Chinese Face book) and Chinese video streaming sites. Chinese live their lives online and by utilizing these tools the MFC would very quickly generate a lot of interest among the Neitzens. If they were to post highlights of each MFC game on video sharing websites then these would spread like wildfire. All of my Chinese friends love AFL they love the pace the skill and the hits. Finally, and perhaps most importantly the MFC should seek out a Chinese national who is a natural at sport and who could have the potential (with work) to play AFL football. Put said athlete on the rookie list and spend the time to develop him. This would generate enormous exposure in the Chinese market. If the athlete does not amount to anything, what have we lost? A rookie spot. However, think about what we have gained. We have gained a huge amount of free publicity in China – significantly raising our currency to potential sponsors. We would potentially gain million of supporters, albeit not members but people willing to buy official merchandise. Although as an aside the club could put together a $15 membership. We have regained credibility as a club that thinks outside of the box. I am sure that there are many other upsides that I have not written; I am very interested to hear what other posters feel about the topic.

Oh well - about to watch my last quarter of footy for 2012. I really don't care about the other clubs so I don't care what happens to them from here. I just hope the people who have the power, do the right thing when it comes to recruitment time. I have never seen the Dees win a premiership in my life time. My husband, both my kids, my parents and my closest friends have all experienced what I have been denied. But I am an optimist and will be back there supporting my beloved Dees in 2013. I never tip against them, think each week we are in with a chance and hope that 2013 will be our year.

Can somebody inform the Fox Footy commentators that it is not 2002? They are blowing their horns over some "breaking news" they will reveal at half-time. Meanwhile I have this thing called the internet, which tells me Mark Williams has resigned from GWS. You heard it here first.

Melbourne are finally playing football in September again. that's all I can think of.

My pleasure. My point is that Moloney is a flat track bully. He got 19 Brownlow votes in 2011 with the breakdown as follows: Swans 2 Lions 3 Suns 1 Crows 3 Tiges 3 Port 3 Suns 1 Port 3 Where did those teams finish? Swans 7 Lions 15 Suns 17 Crows 14 Tiges 12 Port 16 Suns 17 Port 16 FTB. QED.

All depends on crowd reaction.

Time to get cracking boys. An 8 goal last quarter should do it.

Hardnut, is it not clear to you that this club has a problem with "senior" players being a) not as good as senior players at other clubs and B) no leadership skills? There is a reason why the group of well respected imported coaching staff (inc neeld and Craig) left him out of the leadership group. There is a reason why he isn't allowed to run around, puff his chest out and bark and point at other players anymore. You refer to neeld lovers as if the club has just fallen from glory days. We have had a serious problem within the club for decades. Young players that leave have flourished, senior players that leave play out their years at box hill. The club is trying to change that. Open your eyes, you aren't seeing anything except your favourite player not getting a game.

This is the same Brent Moloney whose Manager on May 9, 2012 said that they were going to test the market for free agency. May 9 pretty much 4 weeks after the season had started. This is a massive dummy spit by a player that is one dimensional. Has thrown the toys out of the pram early on so it's no surprise we get to the end of the year and he is out of the team, Brent Moloney left the Dees months ago. Thanks for your contribution - now go quietly not like a primadonna. You may be surprised by what you get offered as a free agent,

Beg to differ. Moloney has had ample opportunity this year to extend his range beyond finger-pointing at ball-ups, kicking floaters down the ground under no particular pressure, and running on the spot on the outside of packs. I get the sense that Neeld will back anyone who has a red-hot crack, and Brent as the reigning B&F was in the perfect position to demonstrate his leadership wares to the new coach. A point of comparison is Chunk, who has just done the business and gone to the next level. I don't think "being in favour" has anything to do with it - except that "being in favour" equates to "being with the program" and going hard at it. On that score, I back the ones who are in favour, and am happy to see the back of those who aren't.

Entirely opinion: He's been shisen for 18 months. Yes, I know he won the B&F in 2011. But I'm of the opinion that he won it based off his first half of the season, where he and Jamar were on fire. Rush went down injured and Beamer lost it. Since Neeld came in he's struggled, and has failed to utilise his existing weapons, let alone create new ones like others have. He's been dropped and realised that it could just be too hard.

Who has treated him with disdain? I hope you're not referring to the MFC, the club who showed faith in him by bringing him to the club, the club that's paid him extremely well for however many years he's been there, the club that elevated him to the vice captaincy (only to for him to make a mockery of it with his booze fuelled buffoonery), the club that selected him in 19 games this season for absolutely bugger all return. Let Brent Moloney start taking responsibility for Brent Moloney.

Positives: Really good attack on the ball shown by all players, second third and fourth efforts a real highlight. No player was ever caught flat-footed with or without the ball. Good skills and decision making, especially from Dunn and McDonald. Trengove was just too quick and sharp for his direct opponent all night, his progress has been amazing. Jack Watts laying his body on the line yet again (how is still able to walk is incredible), good to know West Coast are still upset he didn't slip down to number two in the draft. The team played as a tight unit all night, the structure held up well, there was good support offensively through their spread and defensively through blocks and shepherding. Well coached, especially around the stoppages and kick-outs. Melbourne looked to have an answer for every situation. The umpiring was as good as you are likely to see in a game of football. If anything Melbourne got the rub of the green, but you just have to take those opportunities when they come around. McKenzie's quick handpasses left Fremantle guessing as to where the ball would go next all night. Negatives Cale Morton was unavailable to play tonight. Heartbreaking to know that some players on the list have played their last ever game for the club. We don't get to see this team for another six months.

To be honest Clint I wasn't even bothered by the free against. I just love seeing a player in a MFC jumper with an obvious penchant for hurting people in his quest for the ball. It definitely takes the edge off my frustration.

Thanks, I watched the second half. And while he didn't get a lot of it he's got a great footy brain and looks a prospect. He looked as comfortable at that level in a final as he did when I watched him in the u18 championships. He finished with approx. 15 disposals and a goal. He's a very difficult player to peg. He looks really at home on the ball, but can play forward and kick goals, so I understand the Pavlich comparisons that I've read. Clearly I haven't seen enough of him, but from what I have I'd be very comfortable giving up pick 13. I just hope we get one of Kennedy, Menzel, Stringer, Garlett, or Wines at that pick. Surely one of them will be available. I'd prefer any of those players to Caddy.

RR wallows in negativity, doesn't suggest any solution to the issues he brings up. I don't think there would be one person on this whole board who thinks we have recruited well in the last decade, but there is no point creating thread after thread about it because it achieves nothing. I don't think the list management guys are going to trawl demonland and think 'oh RR has started another thread, we better change our drafting strategy'. They are going to try and get it right every time and now that BP is gone all we can do is look to the draft with optimism and stop all this moping.

Crying out for a Wiz reincarnation right about now. One of the best to watch ever, will never forget when he kicked 8 in the second half against the pies.

And let's not forget what Brent and his manager did in the second week of May when the club was reeling from an 0-6 start. http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/reigning-melbourne-demons-best-and-fairest-winner-brent-moloney-to-field-offers-from-rival-afl-clubs/story-e6frf3e3-1226350536255 It was very poor form to publicize a desire to jump ship in our hour of need. Matched only by his poor form on the field. Sorry, I don't feel one ounce of sorry for this overpaid sook. See ya later.

This thread isn't about Neeld-bashing. But for the record, Malthouse took over a previously poor Footscray team and had them 11 points off a Grand Final in his second year. At West Coast, he presided over their first two flags. at collingwood, he took over the worst list in the comp and in just his third year had the club in a Grand Final with the likes of Steven McKee, Rupert Betheras, Glenn Freeborn, Carl Steinfort and Ryan Lonie in the team. He backed up with another GF the next year, and understanding where the list was, executed list management strategies perfectly to get Thomas and Pendlebury and off they go to a flag. So he's had success with good sides with three flags, and done very well with mediocre ones. We often excuse our performance by saying that we can't polish a turd. Well in 2002-03, Mick not only polished a turd but fashioned one into an award-winning banquet. Most will acknowledge him as one of the greatest coaches of the modern era, but even if the worst case scenario is true - that he stumbled into good situations and was lucky to win three flags - I'll take some of that 'luck' at Melbourne.

Come on, didn't you see his almost speccie? His almost goal? His almost amazing clearance? NikNat is almost the best player ever!

Short handled whips on special at the DEmons shop - for supporters prone to sef flagellation

Short of implanting a device inside Barry Prendergast whereby he receives an electric shock every time Jack Darling collects a possession, there is nothing we can do now except learn from our mistakes.

If tanking is not doing your best, then Matthews has just sanctioned it. In today's Sun he tells the Dockers to manipulate the result to ensure their best final position. He says that is what he would do if he was Coach. Yes that's right gamblers and lovers of the sporting contest, he is telling a club not to do its best, to manipulate a result.

Deserved the call up and now he has kicked 2. Something for him to hold onto as he goes into preseason!

No one will mention the unevenness of the umpiring in this game because it involves Melbourne, but it has been nothing short of disgraceful. Case in point that free kick against Tapscott.

Well umpired

Watts should just go play basketball, that's not a knock on they guy, he just isn't suited to the AFL. If only the Melbourne Tigers could trade draft picks.

Nice to see Green with some kind of a coaching/mentoring role in the rooms at half time. I wonder if this means he may have a role with the club in 2013.

Do we have to turn every thread into a player bashing exercise?

The love for him on here is really surprising, hes probably had 2 or 3 good games this season and people are calling for us to give up pick 13 for him. Call me blind but I just don't see what's so good about him.

The Wiz was down supporting the boys at training in perth yesterday. gotta say i have always had a soft spot for the wiz. was my favourite player all time and i recon if he stayed with us he would have become dynamic!

My point is ... you're a goose.

17 first round draft picks. No stars. No midfield.

A derby elimination final? Think of the financial benefit of that... AD is, and nothing else. Personally, I think WCE will [censored] Freo this time around if it transpires.

Pity it is not $26 million.

BH is highlighting a process fault. He is highlighting that we did not do things as part of the selection process for a senior coach that look obvious to do. That are arguably bloody silly NOT to do. And when people now claim that this, too, is just a "molehill", I will start to wonder just how many of these little molehills does it take to start wonder if it is actually a mountain? Has our perspective of competent decision-making has been altered to accept a low level of performance off field far more than on field?

The Herald Sun is crowing about this story on the front page of today's sports section saying "WE TOLD YOU FIRST" and referring to their on line report of 7pm last night. Given that the story was revealed two days earlier in this Fox Sports story mentioned in the OP Port Adelaide target Melbourne Demons club champion Brent Moloney to add some midfield grunt and also on the 7 News a little after 6pm yesterday, this simply confirms to me that the paper has become an embarrassment in the post Mike Sheahan era. Strangely enough, Fox Sports and the HUN are in the same stable.

My feeling is in some ways this season Neeld has been malthouse by proxy - same style, similar ideas and Im sure Neeld has sounded out his opinion based on comments that Mick has made. I think Malthouse would have made similar calls and has infact defended all of Neeld's calls this season thus far. We only worry more because Neeld is untried. Next year will be his chance.

Look, it is monotonous when RR drives over the same carcass, reverses, and speeds off again, but it's hard to argue with him. He's expressing angst at watching this club continually stuff up. I can't blame him for that. We presently have 17 top 20 draft picks, which outside of GWS is the highest in the competition. The next highest is Carlton and Essendon with 13. Yet since 2007 we've only beaten two Victorian teams. And if it wasn't for the development teams we'd be sitting on one win for the year. This is the worst Melbourne side I've seen since 1981, so I'm reticent to complain about some of RR's thread. If anything, I'm astonished how well some of you take it and how poorly you evaluate some of our players. But perhaps that's why Melbourne doesn't implode. Its supporters are used to crap.

Nearly all of you don't get it. Firstly, this has nothing to do with Neeld, or my thoughts on Neeld. Nothing. Secondly, I'll repeat the title of the thread: "Due diligence". Thirdly, this club had just come off a disappointing 4 years with Bailey, who also happened to be an untried coach. Those at the club charged with replacing him should have been speaking to anyone and everyone. That's what a good club would have done.

West Coast did a brilliant job letting out misinformation on Jack Darling, and it worked for them. The other big question was if Melbourne had done their research properly they should have taken Shaun Atley. Shaun is going to be one of the best fast running players in the AFL. A type of player we need. However Jack Darling should have been taken if they had checked out all the rumours it would have been a different story. The only problem with this is would Darling have performed for us like he has for West Coast. I have a feeling NO. Has the club handled Cook in the correct way to get the best out of him. He certainly has ability and the size to be an AFL player, and yes he has had injury problems but he should have progressed more than he has. In fact he seems to have gone backwards. What do we do? I suggest we hang on to him if he is physically sound for 2 more seasons and really work on him. If we let him go we could find that with another club he could turn out to be the player we wanted.

Cook was passed over 11times before we picked him up. The kid is full of self doubt and is so nervous before games he suffers from migraines, maybe we should have checked that first, a simple interview would have picked up flaws that are now obvious.

Yes, sure is neelds fault that jurrah decided to get into a fight and wonas old man passed away... Tonatopia and his agenda strikes again

you need help mate! yes, we made a mistake, as did every other club. there are missed picks every year in the draft. do we really need a new thread, and to keep going on and on about it? end of season couldn't come at a better time for you, think its time for a holiday and some time away from football.

It just reinforces that while we are an AFL club, we aren't playing the same game much of the time. At the end of last year, two great coaches finished at their clubs at a time when Melbourne was looking for a new coach, and clearly screaming out for a high-quality, respected established coach. Freo nabbed theirs through one of the great stealth jobs of all-time, while Mick sat out the year. Great sporting clubs of the world are able to sustain their greatness in no small part due to continued great, bold decision-making. I don't deny it would have been difficult to snare Malthouse or Lyon. Of course it would have been. It's just a sad reminder that we're unable to play the game at the highest level off-field.

It'd be sad to see him go, but it'd be sadder for him to languish at Casey. I'd be quite happy to see him go to Sydney, I reckon they'd be a good fit for him and give him a crack at finals footy. Clearly Neeld's style hasn't been embrace by Beamer, and as sad as that is (especially since I expected him to thrive) I'm not surprised that we have lost one player that in the past has been in our best. I hope people aren't angry with Brent, or Neeld for that matter, these things happen, it's a changing landscape and I hope he will always feel like Melbourne is his home.

This line has always grated on my nerves, though I could never put my finger on why. I think I've worked it out. These young players have never known anything else other than playing football. They go from being at school, training in the afternoon and playing footy with their mates on the weekend, to ditching school and just stepping up the training. At what stage do they get to learn about hard work and professionalism? In any other industry, there's no such thing as a professional 18-21 year old. Other 18-21 year olds are either still studying, or undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship, and very few of them will have taken on their chief hobby as a career. I don't think I started to resemble a professional in my field until I was 25. This just shows why it's doubly important for leaders of the club to show the way. They must show the young players how it must be done, and pull them in to line when they step out of it, and show what it is to be professional. Otherwise their career will just be a permanent extension of their time at school, kicking around with their mates. I think in writing this post I've almost convinced myself that the minimum draft age should be 21 too.

Great bloke. Has bled red and blue for 6 years up until 2012. One bad year and he is gone. Rewind to the end of 2012. B&F club champion. He spoke about how you can play for the club or ^&%#$% off. How fickle we are? Is it a club ... or a business? Don't complain about Scully etc if you offload Beamer after one poor year. Aaron Davey has had 3 shockers !!!