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I lost a lot of passion and love for this club since Mark Neeld took over, and I went in today with less than no expectations. But I left the game just numb. I honestly don't even know what there is left to say. This club is a joke and I am ashamed to say that I spend so much time and money on it. What a fool I am.

We have been shite ever since that ponce turned up on the scene. Who's with me?

Have been a fan of what he has tried to do, have liked what he has said with the glaring exception of him pointing out way too often how inexperienced the list is. Just had a question mark over whether he could actually coach. Today pretty much answered that question.

Cant wait till the trade/draft period comes around. Its the only time of year i actually enjoy football.

It's obviously got nothing at all to do with our on-field performance. Nothing at all. However, it's embarrassing, unnecessary, and we just don't need more reasons for people to make fun of us.

Nope, I won't cop that. This is HIS team with a couple of pre-seasons under the belt and time to instill SOME SEMBLANCE of understanding of a gameplan. Hinkley has come in with a younger, more inexperienced side and bent Neeld over tactically, all in his first game as a senior coach, away from home.

Seems to be a spelling mistake in that post.

Today hurt. I'm as gutted as anyone. But what I won't do is call for the dismissal of the coach/board/players/cheer squad/demon mascot/pie vendors after Round 1. I heard the booing from our own fans today. But I won't participate in that. I understand the frustration but abusing your own team doesn't help them and reflects badly on the people booing. This is not the end of the world. This is only the end of Round 1. We were terrible this afternoon, on a scale that I couldn't have imagined this morning. There were so many problems that I can't even begin to list them. I'll take a couple of days to get over it, and then I'll watch the tape to see if I can pick out some details. But I'll be at the game next week. I'll support my team. I'll always be positive. Because that's loyalty.

Some atrocious moments of bruise free football today. Pedo ducking his head under no pressure. Sellar not wanting body contact in the defensive goal square and costing a goal Nicholson dropping an easy chest mark then double fisting away the next one. Gillies double fisting another uncontested mark. Melbourne double fisting my dreams. For God's sake, you can be crap but please don't be SOFT! This is heartbreaking.

I have nothing but praise for Jack Viney & on reading that he is probably already my favourite player. For a 1st game player to address the whole team after a loss like that shows immense leadership. I have nothing but admiration for his character. A great first game, he can hold his head high. His Dad would be more than proud of him I'm sure.

Whilst its one thing to criticize the appalling play of our senior players, and apparent lack of game plan from our coach, it's seriously time to have a think. He's played one game in a team of hacks.. Close this thread and let's concentrate on real issues... Toumpas can have jeez maybe 10 weeks to assert himself..

I've had an hour and a glass of excellent red wine to "cool down". Yes, there were positives today. Viney is everything and more than we expected. His father would be very proud of his son today (but not his football club). Matt Jones was commendable. Nathan Jones, Grimes, Clarke & Blease (who must never be sub again) tried against the odds. Now the negatives! On Thursday night, I watched Norwood beat the other Port by 10 goals. Yes, it was only SANFL but the principles are the same. Norwood were drilled to produce pressure all over the ground. They had "structure". And they had structure because they were fit enough to run to position and they wanted to run to position. On not one occasion were Port allowed to switch play to the fat side. There was not an un-manned Port player on the ground when we didn't have possession. The coach's name is Nathan Bassett. Neil Craig has probably got his phone number. I do not need to tell Demonlanders how different my Sunday football experience was. I do not yet blame the coach. I blame experienced players. They are either not fit enough (which I don't believe with Misson and Craig there). Or they don't want it (which has to be the conclusion). Sylvia can make a few cameo appearances and appease some MFC supporters. But he's now a veteran in this side & must do more. In Q4, he flew for a mark on the forward flank, landed, then walked with his hands on hips. His junior opponent chased the ball along the boundary & moved it forward for a goal. Col, you've finally lost me. And I cannot defend Watts any longer. Two kicks in that rabble in your 4th season with 55 games. I don't think I saw you break into a canter. Neeld can start by putting these two prima donnas back to Casey for 4 weeks (or longer) until they have the desire of a part-time player in the Norwood SANFL side. Frawley, Dunn & Garland are also one game from getting dishonourable mentions here. I will withhold judgement on our moneyball players for a few weeks and after some more good red wine

I like all of you are completely shattered after the complete lack of effort. I am not slashing my wrists, just totally lost at how the club can be so consistent at serving this type of thing up. I don't understand how the players can have such little pride in not just the club, but themselves. When i saw the club put out their own version of the "Harlem Shake" I just wondered to myself why are they fooling around. They have been complete rubbish for years and should be completely focused on footy and trying to get this club up the ladder. The club exists to play football and more importantly, win games of football. I haven't seen much football or winning in a long time. The question of the moment seems to be, where to from here? I personally want to see the club stop attempting to entertain. When you have earned to right to fool around because you are the top of your profession you can afford to make spoof videos and fool around for things like The Robbo Show - but this club is so far from even competing at AFL that a line needs to be drawn in the sand. Its just embarrassing to see them fool around. MFC - stop joking around. Wake up, or there wont be a club. Harden up. Ride the players to be better, demand it. For too long now we have fielded teams that have just gone through the motions and full of players who are just happy to enjoy being AFL footballers - without even ever playing a game at AFL standard. We supporters deserve better. I will be a supporter of this club forever, but please draw the line and don't compromise.

More like "Ban the mindset that thinks the bugler is a good idea."

as long as Gary Lyon is not involved we should be ok

I truly hope the club understands how fed up the supporters are. And not in the way a supporter might be fed up because their side threw away a 5 goal lead on one occasion, or because their car membership sticker faded after a couple of months, but fed up in a way that can have serious ramifications for the club's future.

Left 10 mins before 3 qtr time. Threw my scarf on the ground. Forget it I'm not wasting an afternoon on that crap ever again. This club is officially in danger of folding.

Morton & Bennell as the grunts in the midfield.

The Presser killed me. The focus on training is absurd. Everyone looks elite in their skins on a Tuesday but its not the game. Nobody cares how well you train. We need to focus on competitive spirit and endeavour, not handbills to Syliva streaming though the middle of Goschs Paddock against no one. Also, purely from an organisational perspective, how is it ok to say 'I didn't see that coming' when it's your sole job to plan and prepare for all outcomes? If I said that at work I'd be packing my desk within 15 minutes.

I actually also think it is hugely worrying that Jack Viney was speaking out at the team meeting post-match. Good on the kid, not a dig on him - he's a little legend. But the very fact that a first gamer is not in awe of his senior teammates, and there is clearly such a leadership void that a first gamer feels he can fill it, is embarrassing and imo concerning.

No surprise there. I posted this many times. If Jamar's toes were midfielders we'd win every clearance.

Ok, I understand how frustrating this is. Melbourne has been a below average team for years now with the last few seasons being full of unfulfilled promises. Today was a big disappointment, but to show to everyone what a strong footy club we are, we need to pick ourselves up and continue to support our team. Because that's what supporters are for.

It's really hard to know where to begin. I stayed until the bitter end today. To see the players just stand and watch Port run rings around them. It was a disgrace and anyone who say otherwise has rocks in their head. However you choose to spin it, and saying it's only round one just ins't going to cut it for me, the effort today was a disgrace to the jumper and the history of this club. The sooner people on here stop making excuses such as "give Neeld time" or "they're only kids" the better. Port have a bunch of kids playing too. They were playing AWAY from home. AND they smashed us in every area possible. I constantly think at the end of each year why does player A not want to be traded to us or why does Player B want to leave and go somewhere other than here. Today is the exact reason why. Do the following players add anything to our side: Pederson (what did he do in the NAB cup to cement a round 1 spot?), Gilles (anyone who says he is a replacement for Rivers is absolutely kidding themselves), Rodan (not the worst today, but still) Byrnes (I in all honesty would rather have Davey - and I have been one of Flash's biggest critics). Matt Jones & Toumpas can't really be judged on today, and Viney was our best. To all those out there shooting down fellow Demonlanders saying that Neeld needs to be given more time. Riddle me this - if the game plan you want to play can't be executed by the players that you have, is it stubbornness or plain stupidity to keep playing that game plan. How can a team go from winning 8 games under Bailey, to four last year and again having a disappointing opening round this year? Where is the improvement. And stop with this "give it time angle". HOW MUCH TIME? There is only so much insipid football that the supporters can take. As for Watts, I haven't been drawn into debate about the number one pick. All I will say is that until he shows the desire to play the game at the highest level, he can kick the dew of the grass at Casey. I would rather Joel MacDonald in that role (I am aware he can't kick, but at least he contests). Watts was a joke today. Wayne Carey & Schwass where spot on. Melbourne looked unfit, slow, disinterested and more concerned with getting their drink card at Eve after tonight's games than actually playing. Correct me if i'm wrong, but these guys are paid to train almost 11 months a year. The tell me how they can't even run out a half of football, and why their skill set is so appalling. Needless to say, I'm done here. Only so much you can take after 35 years of support, week in, week out. Even the early 80's weren't this bad.

A few observations: 1. Wines V Toumpas - we have huge trouble getting our hands on the ball first. Wines, like Viney, does this exceptionally well. Toumpas would be an excellent addition to a good side. He reminds me very much of Scott Camporeale, who was often the icing on the cake in a very good Carlton side. Toumpas will struggle in this side until we get better distributors. Wines would have been a more astute selection given our development. 2. I can't recall a time when a struggling side recruiting players surplus to needs at other clubs has worked. It smacks of St Kilda in the 80's. Good sides can afford to top up. None of our experienced additions who played today would get a game in any other side in the comp. I thought Byrnes tried hard early and at least applied a bit of forward pressure, Rodan was OK in patches, Pederson and Gillies were both very disappointing. 3. At the end of 2011 I strongly advocated Mark Williams for the coaching gig. In 2008 I thought we made a major error in not going for an experienced coach. I have seen nothing to make me change my mind. 4. Viney is going to be everything we hoped for. A stunning debut given the circumstances. 5. I am looking forward to the spin the Club administration put on this one. At home and more experienced than Port, we should have been far more competitive. The Coach and his panel has had 12 months and this is now his "team". 6. With every passing year Neale Daniher is looking more and more like a coaching genius.

To me, the clearest indication that he is struggling is James Frawley. He got handed a star on a silver platter and now the guy is a shadow of his former self. He doesn't attack the footy and he rarely wins defensively. If you can't even coach someone as talented and as ready made to explode as Frawley, then you got no friggin idea. Now watch Frawley have 17 clubs roll out the red carpet for him when his contract is up, and give me one reason why he'd choose to stay? I'm worried that even whatever good we do have, it is quickly being ruined.

I have four kids. I was working this arvo, but when I got home the kids were doing other stuff but had the computer on and getting score updates, laughing at the Melbourne result. Laughing!! They are all members - paid up and proud - but I have no chance of getting them to any games this year. They are not turning into supporters, they just "go for Melbourne but have no interest". The MFC is robbing me of a whole lot at the moment.

The supporters had every right to boo the players off. That effort deserved nothing less.

If the club is losing the heart of the passionate supporters on this forum then I'm worried how many normal supporters are going to leave in droves. So many of our players could not give a [censored] or were not up to it. Not playing for the coach or team. No work rate. No spirit.

I am so sorry Jack Viney. I really am.

Devastated. Is that performance redeemable in any way? Range Rover - I hate to say it - but I agree with you. I have horrible feelings akin to South Melbourne 1980 and Fitzroy 1996. WE seem to have OK administrators, good marketing adn management, etc... But we simply cannot play AFL standard football. At the Commencement dinner, Mark Neeld said "we are building something special". Bulldust. We are fading away into irrelevancy and obscurity. I really am sick and tired of this. I will hold onto my scarf and membership but I can't emotionally buy in. This one really hurts.

Anyone like to dismiss the preseason form now?????

Neeld The Board & the CEO deserve massive heat after this effort. It is pitiful, & anyone who says i am over reacting can F Off..the club will die if this continues.

I'm watching a team that's gone backwards. Right or wrong, that's what I'm seeing. Complete and utter [censored].

"I want us to be the hardest team to play against" -Mark Neeld, sep 2011 Right now we're the [censored] easiest team to play against.

Maybe Jack Viney can take a mentoring role with Colin Sylvia. Teach him how to make a genuine effort and keep working.

Game days is finally here!! CARN THE DEES!!

How jack watts gets raped in the media and this bloke escapes it all is beyond me!

Sam Lane & Luke Darcy for the next 6 months..... "I must have Booze"

When you bring in average players,expect average results! N.Jones was tagged by Cornes but Cornes killed him the other way.Jones,when you get tagged,you are responsible for your opponent,I was at the Suns-Saints game last night and when the Saints had the ball,Ablett was shoulder to shoulder with Sam Gilbert,his tag for most of the night. We still don't man up when the oppositition have the ball and with that,you won't win a game of football ever.Port kicked the ball to unmanned teammates all day resulting in easy goals.I was disgusted when Frawley wouldn't chase-couldn't be bothered. The recycled player experiment will be a failure on Michael Voss proportions. The absolute bottom line is we don't work hard enough when we don't have the ball.The only way this MIGHT be rectified is recognise the worst offenders and send them to Casey for 3-4 weeks and keep doing that all year if that's what it takes.Sooner or later,we will learn which players will bust their arse when they don't have the ball and the ones that don't can play the rest of the year in the VFL,because their work ethic is nowhere near AFL standard. Sam Blease should never start as sub again,he came on and had more disposals than 4 team mates that played full games and showed more desperation than most. Congratulations Jack Viney and Matt Jones,both can hold their head up very high. To only lay 54 tackles when we had so much less of the ball is a DISGRACE,that number tells me everything I need to know about our application & attitude. If nothing changes,Bombers and West Coast will hammer us by 100 points and maybe even the Giants in Round 4. I was on such a high watching the Suns beat the Saints at Metricon last night and now it doesn't get much lower.

Apart from Jack VineyI saw nothing there today, nothing. We have no skill, no flair, no leg speed or for that matter any type of speed and no obvious game plan, unless it's to kick the ball to our forwards but only if they are outnumbered at least 3 to one. Our back line it terrible and I'm closer to AA form than Frawley. Our mids are poor and the inclusion of Rodan has weakened it even further, are they kidding. I can see why Pedo and Gillies couldn't get a game elsewhere and our supposed better players have gone backwards. We looked like we were playing 60's football today, mark stop and prop that's of course when we actually took a mark and didn't fist it away when we were in front and unopposed. Dreadful.

Grow a pair of balls and throw big dollars at Paul Roos. Stop [censored] farting around with untried coaches who have no friggin idea. Get a proven premiership coach and get serious. We can't afford to continue this downward spiral or we won't survive.

I know a pharmacist who could probably get us some antidepressants in bulk. Might put the offer to the demons shop - with discount for long suffering members. Perhaps there's also potential for another sponsor here: Beyond Red and Blue.

Remember it could always be worse. You could be at the G watching this.

Clark walking out to the huddle. Walking ok, but who knows.... PS Dear Don, Don't you dare have a go at the fans. We are here. Where the fsck is the team. It was your board that adoptef. White board Wednesday and its clearly articulated strategy of "the path to the premiership is through high draft picks", and allowed the tanking to take place. It was your board that totally mismanaged the events around 186. It was your board that allowed Junior to be treated shamefully. It was your board that appointed Bailey, Neeld and Craig. It was your board that allowed all this blazer/bugler crap. How about you have a good hard loom at yourselves. Love Us. (And I know Jimmie was in the hot seat for some of this time)

Carey calling us an embarrassment. He's right.

Funny how VFL recruits and rejects from other clubs are contesting and performing better then a #1 draft pick in his 5th year at the MFC

As footy fans, let's all savour every minute left of this guy's career because he's every bit as good as the greatest players in the game's history. Bunton, Barrassi, Whitten, Matthews, Carey, Skilton. He's that echelon. Best of the best. Legend of the game.

Melbourne should win this game through dominance in the forward-line if they can go close to breaking even in the midfield. The Power's back-line was monstered by Sellar in the NAB game and while both clubs were under-manned that day the Power's defence will be no different this time around. Jackson Trengove is the most experienced of their back 6 with just 61 games. Players like Pittard (14), Stevenson (10), Jonas (13), O'Shea (22) and Heath (2), all named in their named back 6, have a combined total of 61 games. Sellar was too good for Trengove with 5 goals, so how do they handle Clark, Sellar and Pedersen today? The rain is their friend. If Melbourne bring their tackling game and get enough inside forward 50 entries they have enough firepower up front to win this game.

Maybe it's coincidence that Viney and Toumpas are making their debut on Easter Sunday, but maybe it's not (dramatic music). Well the day is finally here. How many years have some of you been waiting for young Jack to play this game ?

Jury is still out my arse. One wanted to be here, one didn't. It's as simple as that. When Trengove is truly injury free and match fit there will be quite a few around here eating their words. You forget the kid can play.