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Lol, sounds like Goldilocks to me. "This coach is too soft" "This coach is too hard" "Ahhh, this coach is just right"

Haven't you guys ever been in dysfunctional Organisations before? I have been involved in a number of corporate turn-arounds and the MFC in Bailey's and especially Neeld's time have all the hallmarks of an extreme version of one. A characteristic of these types of organisations is that they almost always contain talented people (usually at middle management level) who feel powerless to do anything about the situation. Usually they leave. High stall turnover is a classic sign of a business getting into trouble.We should be thankful that there was loyalty from such people as Watts, Trengove, Garland, Frawley which leaves us with a legacy around which we can build a team. Usually in turnaround work with good leadership, come much higher performance from these capable people in middle management. I have not double with the very capable leadership of Jackson and Roos we will see an unprecedented flowering of talent the likes of which we haven't seen since Daniher's reign. The people we should be pointing the finger at is the Board and the CEO. They are the culpable ones here. Not the footsoldiers. Their leadership and governance was a disgrace, and it required heavy AFL intervention to get it right. We are though now in for an exciting ride.

The difference of course is that the players get one chance at a career. Ask Taggart and Tynan. The biggest disappointment is that a conversation that was never invented for the public domain has ended up in one. Not only that but the player has been named. It's good fodder for us but it shouldn't be here. Disappointing disclosure SD.

Col played 157 games and kicked 129 goals for our football club.....I understand the frustration with Col but he deserves some recognition of the contribution he made to the footy club He is now gone.....How about we just thank him and wish him luck with Freo...

Im a bit nervous of the premature deification of the coach before any real results have been achieved. If I was better at trawling through the records it would be interesting reading the prognostications soon after Neeld and DB arrived. "Fitter than ever" "breath of fresh air" New day etc. I am cautiously optimistic.

2 good points 'Bob'. The players suffered under the previous admin/fd's at the club. Jack should not be hung out to dry on a private conversation. Maybe a bit indiscreet of Jack but he is really still a kid and from all reports a likeable one, he is excited about the opportunities ahead and good luck to him. He is also on the money with what he said, we all know that. Jack showed good faith in sticking with the club when many around him and in the media were advising to leave, it would be better for his career. Now it's time for him to stand up and start to develop as a player. Remember that Nathan Jones really only started showing what he could do over the last couple years from when he was around 23 - 24. Jack turns 23 this year. Jack's Watts, Trengove and Grimes starting to hit their straps along with the new additions to the midfield plus Hogan and a fit Clark...then we are on our way.

This is probably not a ground breaking thread but I thought I'd share an insight of one of the playing group. I had a chat with a Jack Watts (not on the family day) about what Roosy was like. Jack told me that they can finally see how a real coach operates after six years of rubbish. The group kind of felt hard done by as its obvious the last 5-6 years were a waste. Some might read this in a negative light but it's not how Jack portrayed it. It's as though they felt like "where has this been"? Jack said he has never been more optimistic about the year ahead and that PR has had a enormous effect on the group. Its not massive but I thought it was worth a share.

Stumbled upon this gem this morning: Collingwood's Dane Swan reveals he and Dustin Martin are good mates Collingwood's Dane Swan reveals he and Richmond's Dustin Martin are 'good mates' Brownlow medallist Dane Swan has revealed his friendship with Richmond's Dustin Martin but insists he is not a mentor for the sometimes wayward Tiger. Swan, who has weathered his own discipline issues at Collingwood through the years, said he and Martin were ''mates''. ''We are good mates, we have dinner a bit, just chat about footy, just like mates,'' Swan said. That is the article in its entirity. I have no words. Much like this article.

Just received a phone call from MFC telling me that I won 2nd prize at the family day. A 2014 signed jumper, which I should receive mid march. So freaking stoked

Paul Roos and a stable, quality off-field department locked away long term. Five of the last 17 premiers won with mediocre to good on-field talent but outstanding coaching, development and stability. We've performed far below the sum of our parts for too long.

And how long has it been since we've had a decent on-field performance of any kind to discuss?? Instead of club politics or coaches or pro-or-con-player-X.

as discussed in another thread, 2.5 mins to go with scores level, we were under pressure and managed to take the ball from a kick-out, pass it around 23 times successfully and finish with a goal to take the lead into the final quarter. Such a thing would have been unthinkable over the past few years. Sorry but it was worth repeating!

OK......This is Cols record for 2013 in which the WHOLE TEAM was absoluty S**thouse 6th General kicks 2nd Short kicks 5th Contested marks 4th Handballs 5th Handballs received 2nd Tackles 1st Inside 50's 2nd Hardball gets And 5th the the best and fairest How about we just leave it at that and as I said wish him well for the future... P.S. I think (and could be proved wrong here) he is eligible for life membership Not such a bad record for a no hoper

"A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps." This is the internet, where unicorns graze freely, lawyers espouse the truth and James Hird is a good bloke who is misunderstood.

I think Demonland should delete the thread.

ambulance chasers? hang on a minute. Essendon systematically injected their entire list with drugs that were not fit for human consumption. given the implications for players health and not to mention the integrity of the game (with people who have cheated currently playing) they have been slapped over the back of the wrist with a wet lettuce so far. the rest of the clubs are not deterred from the same course of action by the punishments Essendon were given by the AFL, but by the fear of the punishments ASADA NEED to dish out to ensure this never happens again. If ASADA do nothing and nothing happens, there is effectively nothing stopping a club doing the same thing again and claiming it was the result of one rogue operator who becomes the scapegoat, and meanwhile their players reap the benefits for years (yes, YEARS) to come. This is not about Essendon. this is about AFL and sport in general - no one wants to watch sport where some have taken drugs and others haven't.

Is that you, James? But seriously, simmering anger waiting to be validated is always ugly. That the whole massive issue was first sensationalised by the governing authorities, has then been cast by the spin merchants at Essendon as some kind of conspiracy against them, was given a blunt-trauma 'political solution' by the AFL governing body, and has wallowed in a bog of half-information, leaks and counter-leaks by all parties, and after more than a year of this critical issue which goes to the heart of the AFL's viability and credibility as a sport we seem to be less informed that at the commencement of the whole sordid affair... sheesh, excuse people for being cranky. What we do all know is that the Essendon club leaders have repeatedly affirmed that while they have no actual idea (or records, which is just absurd) of what was injected, they are sure that there was nothing 'inappropriate'. It's an above the law attitude that in itself needs to be ripped down in every way possible. And finally, just to recap on what is known. The Essendon Football Club engaged in a prolonged program of unidentified injections administered by 'consultants'. A program for which there was no mechanism to ensure legality or safety. They established institutional structures, expectations of behaviour, and 'physio' methods which enabled them at any time of their choosing to engage in a systematic doping program without the knowledge of the AFL, other clubs, ASADA, or even the players themselves.

Sorry to say Wells 11 but that has got to be the strangest conclusion I have seen in some time. It is a bit like saying just as well they bombed Hiroshima because we end up with Mazda cars.

Spencer is probably going to be our Number one this year, Jamar is going to have to prove he can get fit and stay fit, which he hasn't done for a while. Gawn can be a better ruck, but as he showed in his best game last year he just doesn't have the tank. He's like Jamar and he's been in the rehab group for, it seems like, ever. Mitch will have to catch up with fitness and they will have to be confident that his body will stand up. Fitzy is a forward who can ruck a bit. I think Spencer will improve his skills, yes I know he has to, and he will turn out ok. Max King looks like a very good prospect and as an 18 years old was very composed last friday night.

Apart from asking Cam about his role, spoke to a few players at the Family Day, they all had specific roles, instructions and structures to adhere to, and that Roos' message during the breaks was just stick to what they had been told. JKH said when he sat down for the 3rd qtr he watched intently concentrating on the structures, which enabled him to have the impact he did in the 4th

The real quality journalism comes in a week's time. One article in two parts; part one using the dopeler effect to pile up conjecture about Martin and part two declaring that Collingwoood 'obviously' would love to have him, and goes something like; MARTIN A PERFECT FIT FOR 'PIES Recent revelations of wayward Richmond midfielder Dustin Martin's intimate connections with players are Collingwood have fueled speculation about the future of the talented but discontented star, who considered leaving the club last year and has had numerous conflicts with Richmond leadership over his time with the Tigers. Collingwood desperately needs to add some attacking power to it's increasingly blue-collar midfield, and Martin would provide a clear replacement for lost star Dale Thomas, who, like Martin, was heavily influenced by intimate connections at his new club and was discontent for some time before finally leaving. Collingwood are able to offer the young star the prospect of a stable and successful club with regular finals appearances. With the loss of Thomas and progressive retirement of several top players, Collingwood would also be able to offer Martin a contract more lucrative than Richmond's offers, and beat out rival clubs for his services. Martin's arrival in 2015 would complete the potent midfield that would be the foundation for the Magpies to return to premiership contention in the new Buckley-led era. A midfield led by the likes of Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Beams and Martin would be a potent weapon feeding Cloke for years to come. See how I manage to slip in past-tense references to Richmond, and make it sound like it is Martin's activities that are 'fueling speculation', make a list of names that imply 'true facts' and even massage Collingwood egos along the way. Plus, in the same paragraph I describe Collingwood's midfield as 'increasingly blue collar' but also 'a potent weapon'. Golly gee whizz, boy oh boy wowee I'm a real journalist I am. I feel a little sick.

That's not how things work here... on here we rubbish players and state our desire for them to be traded or delisted, and then when they walk off their own accord, we revile them for deserting the club and/or continue to rubbish them for their performances at their new club.

Look without wanting to make a mountain out of a mole hill if I ignore the thread it doesn't correct the issue of someone making public a private conversation to the detriment of Jack Watts and the MFC. I think it's wrong that the thread should exist so therefore ignoring it doesn't solve the problem.

Had a chat to a member of the Stone family yesterday, and there is a LOT of work that the coaching staff feel needs to be done. All we saw on Friday was a group of players who have regained a love of the process and the game, but have a looooong way to go before becoming the real deal. It will be a roller coaster. It seems the general feeling, other than the damage to confidence suffered over the past few years, the 'scars' as PR has put it, is the horrible mismanagement of the talent. The biggest victim being one Jack Watts. The most exciting thing was the sense that the coaching staff are loving the challenge and the work.

What I liked most about Trengove's game was the number of times things came to a stop because there was nobody in good position, and Trengove was the one who came gut-running from a long way away to make position for the next pass & keep the possession chain going (the other one who was very good at doing this, by the way, was Georgiou). Just intelligent, accountable footy that maintains possession. He's also, the vast majority of the time, a good decision-maker when he has the ball, and he showed this during the game too.I think this is Trengove's thing - so often the right person in the right position at the right time to do the right thing - take a great forward mark & convert, or a saving mark in defence, or punch the ball through for the winning point, and so on. Very Bartel.

That's a chapter of the book of Neeld that remains to be written. Craig was there specifically to make sure what happened didn't happen. So what happened?

Key phrase "if true." I think we've got quite a bit of SD mayo with that post. The fact is that we'll never know, and even if the conversation happened in a similar vein, we'd be stupid to believe that SD has quoted Watts verbatim. Not worth the carry on seen in this thread by the usual suspects.

Can anyone tell me how many games they're playing over how many days? I just can't quite remember...

Correct weight. I have a plan for Col. He has a strong case for misrepresentation against the Fremantle recruiter who said they would turn him into a star at Dockerland.

Yes and we deify people simply because they have a talent to throw, catch, kick etc. Having a brain or compassion for humanity always comes second.

I watched the replay of the first quarter last night and found this pearler from Dwayno - "They've had some opportunities Melbourne. They should be further in front." Score: Richmond 1.1.7 to Melbourne 0.5.5

Speaking of kids, the MFC got a new member today, my latest grandson who I registered as a baby Demon (he's seven month old). In going through my membership package to find a form to register him, I found the brochure the club sent to members with their season's tickets and right there in the middle of the box "Play a Role - Demon Heartland" is a picture of my oldest grandson wearing his Demons guernsey and pumping his fist. The photo was taken before the Gold Coast Suns game early last season. It's safe to day he'll have more opportunities to enjoy the Dees in 2014 than last year.

The reason for the "decoy" was pretty obvious. We had zero talls outside Howe , who is not like your Dawes, Hogan or Clark type talls to allow us a normal structured forward line. So Pederson leading away from the play took the number one marking tall defender out of the play also. If we get some tall marking forwards into the side there probably isnt a need for that sort of decoy type setup. Pederson did exactly what was expected of him. In hindsight it looks like a simple coaching move but it is impressive that although Roos claims that there is no great attention paid to how the opposition structures up in NAB games and there is sole concentration on our gameplan, Roos did come up with a forward structure and plan for the night that would not be the gameplan during other games if and when we get a couple of Dawes/Hogan or Clark into the side.

Ray O'Connor Wayde Smith Michael Cobb Andrew Olexander Tony Packard Barry Morris Brian Austin Leisha Harvey Geoff Muntz Don Lane Henry Bolte would have joined that list if he didn't have a friend in pathology. Every party has had its share of crooks.

Would be handy having them, however, I maintain that it's far more important having a fit and firing midfield. And by that, I mean about 15 or 16 potential mids fighting nail and tooth for limited spots in our best 22. Hogan/Dawes and Frawley/Dunn/McDonald are fine for now. Garland will be back hopefully round 2 and Clark can wait for now. We're not playing for finals just yet..

Indeed - this was my main reaction when I read the OP. "Not a ground breaking thread" anyway, as the OP itself said, but message could have been communicated without big-noting and naming the player.

Two points - It seems we've been very lucky overall with the players we lost/traded in recent years, right back to Travis Johnstone for pick 14. Could people making excuses like 'they never had a chance to develop in such a bad team' just shut the h3ll up, seriously. Some of the game's top players spent huge chunks of their careers, early, middle or late, in absolutely train wrecks. Just, shush.

He played the decoy role well. Pretty dumb defenders (and coach) to let themselves be decoyed all match, in 2014. To get away with that against a smart defence (or coach), he'd have to hold the 4 uncontested marks he dropped, 2 of which spilled over the boundary line. If he held those marks, it would be worth following him, rather than just letting him run away and holding the space. Great kick for goal though. But I doubt we'd get away with it again, unless he contributed more.

Hopefully freedom to play his natural way, instead of playing certain roles for the team.

I feel hard done by too.

You can't put it all on the players for not "trying" if they have brain dead coaches teaching them to play a horrible game plan designed to make them lose matches. You can only give so much to the team, but if you're being coached to play wrong, the results can only be bad for everyone involved.

This and mjt's reference to Trengove demonstrates by how much mjt misses the point.This transcends club politics; it's about our game and about sport in this country. The eyes of the world are on us and if we show them we don't have the stomach for catching and exposing the cheats, we all suffer in the end. That's not to suggest that the players in this scenario (mostly from Essendon) are cheats but those who set them up certainly are. Unfortunately for the players concerned, if it's proven they took prohibited substances then they will have to wear the consequences like everyone else, irrespective of who they play for.

Baloney. Almost all, actually probably all posters have expressed concern for the players and what this has done to our game. The club should suffer so that no one thinks that they can get away with that sort of behaviour in future. I'd say it is more like police car chasing than ambulance chasing. So what if a few posters have gloated a bit because they have a long-standing dislike of Essendon for things like the thuggish the 2000 GF.

The club was gifted the most highly decorated junior footballers in the country over the last 7 years , and 2 coaches screwed them its as simple as that, I think people are going to be very shocked this year .

if Mark Neeld was responsible for us losing cry babies like Moloney, Rivers and Sylvia then I want to shake his hand. Thank you Neeldy for weeding out the culture killers!

Appreciate your compassion RL but disagree with your contention. We are not into character assination but a discussion of the club and its performance in various situations. We all have sympathy for Dean and his family but we cannot expunge his time at the club from our history nor its (possible) impact on our current state.

I'd be disappointed if any of our players blamed the previous coaches or board. Nathan Jones didn't seem to have any trouble performing, it comes from within, Jones knows this - as do all the elite. We've had a lot of pea hearts on our list over the years, thankfully most of them are now gone.

Is it sad to get excited about Essendon losing to GC by 1 point.

This whole seven coaches in seven years thing really annoys me. 'Technically' true, but does it really represent the true state of affairs? No, it's just an easy way for the media to over-dramatise the situation. Included in the seven coaches are Mark Riley, Todd Viney and Neil Craig, who were never appointed as full-time senior coaches. Riley coached less than half a year, Viney about five games and Craig half a season. Then they include Daniher and Roos. Daniher coached Frawley for half a season in his first year and Roos is yet to coach Frawley in a home-and-away match. So as much as the '7 in 7' years sounds nice and fluffy for the media, the reality is he has essentially played primarily under two coaches...Bailey and Neeld. I know they are trying to paint Melbourne as a club that regularly sacks its coaches, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I am 31 and have only seen one coach sacked early in his tenure...Neeld. Compare this to many other clubs and it is quite favourable.

Being a volunteer helps occasionally, was standing next to Peter Jackson whilst Chip was doing the presser, as Chip finished he came over to Peter Jackson and said with a laugh paraphrasing "that should be worth another 300"....Jackson laughed back and said "No".......I don't think there is problem.......I asked Chip how many times a day he gets asked about the contract, he said at least once a day...........said he is really enjoying the 'new' Club but just wants to see what eventuates, too many false dawns