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That is rubbish. He has played some of his best footy, including this year, against decent opposition. Typical Demonland myth.

yes, lets get rid of everyone over the age of 23. Then we can really get to the foundations of the rebuild's rebuild's rebuild.

Pointless thread, produced with the sole intent of simply bagging one of our own again!

Mark Stevens ‏@Stevo7AFL17 May Imagine Col Sylvia tearing it apart on a HFF for Pies? A gun .. But also for all his perceived weaknesses a loyalist grateful to Dees Well I can't blame him if he does leave hearing all the abuse from some supporters. We can't win a game and haven't for 5 years and the bloke he's still supposedly loyal to us. Yet in return, we as a supporter base want him out because he hasn't performed regularly enough against good teams. HELLO, WE'VE BEATEN 1 GOOD TEAM IN 3 YEARS! NO-ONE'S PERFORMED!!! All these posters harp on about how our culture problem is kicking out players before they're due.. Junior, Greeny etc. These guys were so cooked in their career they couldn't play anymore.. and we have a late 20's player who has so much talent and is finally beginning to sort himself out and play good footy.. He wants to stay at Melbourne and we want him out.. Guck me.

Silly post, the way i see it, the reality of the situation is that we cant afford to loso\e any of our good players. We can argue about whether he could have been better at other clubs or with a different attitude, but as it still stands he is a better player than most on our list. must keep IMO

hes a free agent, he will be linked to everyone by seasons end Hope he stays, we can ill afford to lose another senior hardened body

He is our only small forward on the list. Many want Davey forward while others talk wistfully about him being behind the ball... Byrnes is a small forward in a team that struggles to get the ball forward. I have been impressed with what he has done and he will slot straight back in when he is right.

Whatever happens Jack don't put any type of ointment on it Please!

I know it happened a long time ago but it is surely something to hang your hat on as a loyal Demons supporter. The current Geelong team is being cited as being truly a great football team over a long period. Fair enough too as winning 125 games out of 151 is a wonderful effort BUT has any team got close to beating Melbourne's record over a ten year period from 1955 to 1964? MELBOURNE FC 1955 1st 1956 1st 1957 1st 1958 2nd ( Minor premiers) Grr! I still haven't got over losing that GF to the enemy. 1959 1st 1960 1st 1961 3rd 1962 4th 1963 3rd 1964 1st Yeah, 6 premierships and one runners up in a period of 10 years aint too bad I reckon. I know I am living in the past but it sure helps right now.

From the web: Ron Gauci was appointed Chief Executive Office for the Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club in the NRL at the end of July 2010 three months after the salary scandal engulfed the club. Gauci has held senior management and executive positions in some of the world’s largest multinational and domestic organisations including Microsoft, Telstra, IBM, and most recently Verizon Business as Vice President Aust/NZ. Gauci is also a former Director on the Board of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), a former member of the International CEO Forum and held a position on the Board of Governors for the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM). Gauci has spent the past two decades as a “fix it” businessman taking on some of the most difficult challenges. He has been described as an inspiring leader as well as the “go to” man when handling complex issues. He has a reputation for quickly ascertaining impediments to success and a knack for realising the full potential of an organisation and its people. Since arriving at Melbourne Storm, he has been involved in the restoration of the club’s brand, the transformation of its commercial business and the management of a professional and well governed organisation. From the devastating events of 2010, the club has gone on to post significant success in its off field operations and on field performances including securing the Minor Premiership and Club Championship in 2011 and most recently success as NRL Premiers in 2012. Yeah the Storm are a great team and that's a lesser issue but I think this bloke could definitely bring his skills and help us along if PJ doesn't stick around.

Reported on SEN. Must be true.

You're dreaming. The common complaint is that they have added nothing to MFC this year And they are correct.

I loved the bit in the Presser where he actually butted in over the top of Neeldy, emphasising the fact that the lack of effort is not something that can be blamed on the Coach, and that it's something that an AFL player is just expected to bring to the table. Good stuff! In the words of Bert Newton, "I LIKE the boy...!"

Dawes & Clark alone will create headaches for defence.. Next year with Hogan, Howe and Watts playing through there as well, we are starting to look very dangerous. If we can land Dion Prestia at years end, along with another big bodied mid. Add a top 5 pick, maybe 2 top 5 picks if we get a priority pick which people are saying, then we are really shaping up well.. Tommy Mac, Chip, Garland and Grimesy down back.. We are looking like we could crack finals in my opinion.. Whilst this year has so far been upsetting, I still see the future being as bright as I ever have..

An amazing game.. He kicked 2 goals for the Red Team and was in the best for the Blue... Sounds like a few Melbourne players!!!

how could anyone want us to lose Sylvia, we have about 3 players capable of genuine match-winning class and he is one of them

Yeah 2 CEO's... Way to streamline that structure...

I must completely over rate some players after reading some of the comments in these threads for those people who think Daisy is soft and the Col is not needed. I wonder what he really has to do to earn the respect of some people here, it sounds like anything under 30 touches and 5 goals is not good enough. Let's all agree that he is never going to be that star player, he will never win a brownlow and he will probably never win a coaches award for being the king of 1 percenters like our Jordie continually does. Also, he is not a leaders boot lace but that's not his fault. Some people are born with it, others aren't. Why should be try turn him into one?? Memories of Brad Green flood back. He is a genuine HFF who has stints on the ball, ala Chappy or Stevey J and no I am not putting him anywhere near the standards of those two but his position should be similar 75% in the forward line with a chop out on the ball. Maybe if the ball was forward a bit more we would see some more Col action. Now from the half way mark last year (and after coming back from a big injury pre season) he averaged 22 touches and a goal a game which I don't think is to bad in a team that was complete filth. This year, removing the Essendon disgrace and noting our team is even worse than last year he is still averaging 20 touches and a goal. This is his limit and I don't know why so many would be happy to see a player getting these numbers leave. Most will say that he is continually kicking long to no one which watching, yes I agree, but also from being at the games he has stuff all options to kick to, we all agree there is no spread and without Clarke or Dawes I'd probably rather kick it to an opposition player than Sellar as well. We continually cry out for decent grade mids and the one player we have with some talent people are happy to see the back of.

This is tiring. It's players like Colin that are supposed to make us a good team. Not play well when other players do the hard work for him. I hear the same thing about Watts, Blease and others. How about these players actually deliver and who knows we might just be a good team.

No, they are not correct. I have little idea of what they have provided inhouse but Byrnes should not have to fight through the mud slung at all the 'duds' we got in the off season. Byrnes was 'noticeable' because we are a bad team playing other bad teams. He is a forward pocket and while you say that is an excuse it isn't. Playing forward pocket is the a most thankless task - commonly asked to operate in space the size of a phonebooth and contribute with minimal touches of the footy. Sometimes simply helping to keep the ball in the forward line through pressure and tackling is all a forward pocket can do. We have a great many players who have contributed 'nothing' but the time spent talking about these new players is out of balance to their importance to our form. A back up tall defender, a small forward, and a rotational 'leadership guy' were never going to solve our issues and yet we waste so much energy deriding them.

I almost had a seizure trying to read this... its like the Unibomber Manifesto

no you didnt vagg it takes 3 years to instigate change of fitness regime, team rules, gameplans, and mindset, this was stated by both we are on the right track the positives show up more and more every week the want it now posters dont seem too understand the implications of our recent list history and the rebuilding of the current and future list.the FD has a job to do and thier doing it the RIGHT way for once

Remember about the cost implications.People are acting like we can simply axe MN, pay off his contract, hire an expensive caretaker like Roos, and then pay for another experienced coach... If MN isn't coaching next year, whoever is you can bet they will be thanking him... thanking him for restructuring the list, putting up with all the flack of its impact on this years performane, improving fitness and that he has invested in better players for when the new coach comes in (ie, Toumpas, Hogan, Barry) Bit sad when you think about it. MN will cop all the flack in the world about short-term results, but I guarantee the same people won't attribute him with building the foundations of the list (Trelich, Evans, Viney, Dawes, Clark, see above for next year, ect) which will lead to better and more important long-term performance... all the new coach has to do is come in next year and take all the credit for the rebuild - something which I'm sure all the short-term, narrow minded and beligerant supporters will let him get away with. Whoever is coaching next year (MN or someone else), list wise, is getting a better list than MN inherited.

1862 clarrence pennyfather the third was captain hubert wilkins was bog inglebert strathosire was the highest goalkicker with 1 melbourne defeated the black swans 1.13.19 to 1.7.13

Here we go again. As has been discussed on several different threads, Byrnes has come to the club for just as much if not more his off field influence and leadership as much as his on-field due to our severe lack of senior players. Any games that Byrnes (or Rodan) play should be seen purely as a bonus. Byrnes has played a role as far as forward pressure goes and we do lack small forwards. I expect Kent to push for Byrnes spot in the team as early as next season. But Byrnes influence can't be measured on stats alone. I would be suprised if he didn't come into the 22 next week.

Must have been a real hard knock to make Dunn go down..... The guy has form

It could also be argued that turnovers are being created because the players aren't running hard enough into space or to make space to create an easy out. I agree we have some poor users of the ball in the backline but I don't think it's our biggest issue. It's quite obvious all teams are going for this style of football. We shouldn't draft & coach to follow this strategy but draft & coach to beat this style. Counter attacking football is quite similar to soccer but it's very limiting & allows the other team to dictate the game. However It creates easy goal oppurtunities if you can intercept & move quickly. The only way to beat this style is to possess the ball or to leave numbers behind the ball as a safety net. We will probably still need to draft the same type of players anyway but Neeld should be coaching to get ahead of the trend already.

Notice Dawes spoke of winning..... Haven't heard a player or coach say anything about winning in a while.

That is pathetic, and sickening, Sylvia loves the club, wander down to Gosch's and say it to his face hero

Expect the media to being up the 'T' word constantly in the 2nd half of the year as the Dees and Doggies, two teams in eerily similar positions both on the ladder and development wise, face off twice. I hope we [censored] the crap out of them both times and push above them on the ladder to finish the year.

My biggest issue is that team rule #1 should be give 110% effort at all times while representing MFC, when this fundamental is lacking you know there are serious issues, i would consider the constant negative press to be a very big distraction but lacking effort does not help anything.

Satryiconhome, you come across as a desperate groupie. Carry on big noting yourself at every opportunity .....

Feel better now you have regurgitated that, I can give you a story of a few kids who have re signed as members as well You must be very confused if you think the Footy Dept (and the players) accepts losses Mark Neeld is one of the lowest paid senior coaches, we don't have the money Do you mean successful now, or are you willing to wait, only been eightteen months, which bit of starting again don't you get, or where you one of the posters happy with the squad we had of underachievers who are no longer at the Club Most of our 'good' players have re signed, surprised?

Did Andrew Nichol trod on Viney's foot?

What about Dawes, Terlich and MJones who recruited them? Dean Bailey I suppose.. oh and how great are Petterd, Gysberts and Martin going at their new homes?

The reason we have such a differential in uncontested possessions is simple. We get the ball in the back line and begin what should be a chain of half a dozen possessions, but wind up turning it over after two or three. The opposition then work the ball down with half a dozen or so clean passes, our defence takes it off them, and we begin again trying to move it down and falling apart after a couple of passes. It's our inability to effectively move the ball through the middle of the ground that is killing our possession counts and our scores. Almost every time we try to bring the ball into our HF area we turn it over and the whole cycle begins again.

Can you play in a moonboot?

IMO we can't retain possession because we don't work nearly hard enough, when we ( very rarely ) play at our best, we chase, tackle harass and make things very uncomfortable for the other team, i don't think we have done that for even a quarter so far this year.

The moonboot is the new blazer.

How come Watts is suddenly a forward again in everyone's mind? He's only ever been poor and timid as a forward, he has had some success as a defender. I'm wondering what it is that I've missed that everyone else has seen. The coach has only ever said that he sees Watts as a defender. I know everyone wants as many reasons as possible to bag Neeld, but his view on Watts has been the same for a long time now. This is hardly new.

And GNF if you listen to the Dawes and Neeld post match conference I think you'll find that they don't think the first 8 rounds has been acceptable either Also did the board disagree with the delisting of Cook and Gysberts?? Afterall they were training the house down.... Are they credited to super list that the MFC had acquired? Is it possible that finals were the goal in 2012 & 13 but after [censored] poor performances on field those expectations had to be reassessed??? Is it at all possible the MFC over rated it's own list when Neeld was hired. Is it all possible GNF that with solid development and education in 2013 and some good pick ups in the 2013 off season that the club might actually turn this around??? Or was Mark Neeld really just sent here to ruin his and everyone elses careers and sink the MFC?? Don't go quoting MN press conferences either - your the one claiming you have inside info - you tell us what the club is doing........ And no I am not intimidated by players leaving (it happens to every club) as long as we are compensated I don't care. Remember $cully - we got Hogan out of that probably Viney as well....

Chris Dawes is going to be far better than his $500k salary. This bloke bleeds leadership. He takes no crap from anyone, and is a leader amongst boys/men already. Very happy to have him in our side. Cannot wait for him and Clark to tear it up together

He's been dependable in the back line. Almost prefer him there to Tommy Mac in the short term.

Ah yes, hindsight, what a marvellous thing. I'd have got it right every year with that up my sleeve.

Yeah that was only when John Northey took over as coach in 86, we made finals in 87.

Saw Chip watching his mates play at Casey Saturday, didn't look like someone planning on walking out on said mates IMO

yeah , heaven forbid we get a proven 25 year old star with a wealth of finals experience under his belt already i mean, what difference could he possibly make to our team?