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Is it too early to start the 'It's all burgoes fault and we need to sack him ASAP' thread?

Welcome Darren! A great get for our footy club! https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/api/v1/article/amp/afl/afl-2019-darren-burgess-joins-melbourne-as-new-head-of-high-performance/news-story/252671826ee8021c7861ffa500dc20f8?__twitter_impression=true

I know this will be howled down by many on here, but the reason for a lot of the injury/fitness issues were because we got so far last year with a relatively young and inexperienced team. After Hawthorn won in 2008 they dropped to 9th (but well out of finals contention) in a similar manner. Then when the matured they became perennial finalists, alongside the Swans, Geelong etc. They all have age and experience in common. The older the list means more pre-seasons so the shorter turn around between seasons don't have as big an impact, as they say the miles are already in the legs. I actually think Mission has done a reasonable job up until the end of last year, but going forward someone like Burgess should transform the list into something that can continually challenge.

Misson only has 4-6 weeks left at the club.

Well done Pert, Mahoney and crew. Looking forward to seeing him in action at preseason training. Has someone given him the heads up about Saty?

The Penguin has landed. They'll never be fitter.

I despise managementese but hopefully he's looking at 'work cut out for him' and thinking 'opportunity laid out in front of him'. Assembling an agenda of actually achieveable goals based on Demonland gripes for the last six months, his checklist would read something like: Item 1: Reform our mdifield capability by adding the proverbial yard of acceleration and a bit of agility to our young beast group such as Petracca, Brayshaw and Oliver. Item 2: Maximise the advantages of the group of relatively light, not-quite-tall mobile players like Hannan, Fritsch, Hunt, Kolodjashnij, Smith and Hore. Item 3: Help a few older players stay refreshed and nimble, particularly with helping Jones in the necessary reshape to play on usefully in 2020, and also Hibberd and Jetta as particular examples. Item 4: Ensure our key position players have the 'right kind' of confidence-building weight and muscle, whether adding or subtracting from the gross amount, and get Tom McDonald back to the front of the running trials. Item 5: Above all else, bring in a risk-controlling program to develop the 'protective' strength and flexibility of our host of players going through recovery or with patterns of injury. There we go, easy. And now I have a baseline on which to judge the poor guy. Does he know what he is in for, if we do anything but triumph continuously for the next five years?

I don't get the hysteria. May is out. We want a KPD to replace him, hence OMac. Lockahrt is out. We want a runner to replace him, hence Baker. Preuss is out. We want a KPF to replace him, hence T Smith. The article says Weideman and Hore are named as emergencies but returning via the VFL for match fitness. I suppose the only point to that is to have them available as genuine "emergencies" if needed, but otherwise the message on both of them is they need a game through the VFL. I'm not really a fan of OMac or of T Smith and would rather not have either of them in the side but in the context of the above, I completely understand why they've been picked.

The facility at Jolimont was practically approved, the only issue was opposition to an MCG-sized ground to play on. Movement of trees not a real issue as it is a common occurrence; the public just doesn’t notice. The opposition is more related to the idea of it not being palatable to influential types. The newly-mooted location is close, but not quite what I’ve been led to believe. I’ll leave it there for now, but I think it’ll happen. We’re basically out of alternative options, but the right parties are working with us to solve it.

Sorry mate, but that's rubbish. There's been countless worse stagers in the game but none of them were booed with the continuity or ferocity over the same length of time as Goodes. That's just a cop out excuse. There was literally a handful of 'incidents', maybe less, where Goodes 'staged', yet somehow it's weaseled it's way into the story of why he 'brought it upon himself'.

Not having a shot at ypu pitmaster but I'm not sure it is possible, or fair, to categorically say our prep has been poor this year (unless you have both inside knowledge and the relevant expertise). You might be right of course or our fitness issues might be down to bad luck but personally I'd hate to see misso's reputation get tarnished and for him to cop unwarranted, ill informed criticism.

Got injured during the match and was put back on the ground. Welcome to 2019.

Skills coach next.

Rest assured I have neither inside knowledge nor expertise. What I was getting at was that players were clearly underdone in the opening month and while that may have been unavoidable given the extraordinary number of surgeries, given how the season developed some element of our preparation in the context of those medical issues has left us poorly positioned to compete. Like you, I don't want Misson copping unjustified criticism which is why I reminded posters that his appointment was welcomed and seen at the time as part of the club's growing professionalism.

Apparently we beat out a number of overseas clubs, two AFL clubs and an A-League club for his signature. This bloke clearly knows his stuff. Great coup for the club.

Last year the club made an operating profit of $506,276 and the NT games bring in a minimum $1,000,000. We are big time on the teat of this deal and are lucky the conditions aren't there for any more games or we'd end up like North and Hawthorn and selling 3/4 games a year up there to make quick cash. It's in a small part paying for increased footy department spend, increased salary cap, for us to take over Casey, dumping the pokies at the Bentleigh Club, fielding a women's team, losing annual Queen's Birthday hosting and probably sack a coach in 12 months. I don't want to play there but the reality is we're a consistently poor club that has relied on charity three times in 20 years to avoid falling into total financial disrepair. I don't think another Victorian club will jump in on this because all the other minnows are selling games somewhere else, and now that Channel 7 has their hooks into the Alice Springs games they're going to want a Victorian club hosting, but if the NT/AFL/whoever did the dirty on us and we lost this revenue stream it would be a disaster.

Summed it up perfectly, the meltdown on here has been great though!

May has been fantastic since returning, and quite frankly one of the few reasons I've continued to watch games, and not resort to full blown alcoholism. This year just keeps on giving.

He's the Clarko of the high performance industry. this is an incredible get for the club. i'm really excited to see the sort of condition guys like Steven May and Christian Petracca get to under his guidance. Now lets get the coaching staff right

There's some pretty interesting videos from his time at Port. I'm hoping to see some of the stuff he's done with soccer players working on speed and agility worked in to our players. The Hawks at their best and a team like the Tigers now move like a soccer team, keeping in position with strong endurance running then quickly in to explosive actions to tackle or break a line.

Aaron Davey

Patience my friend.

we should do a "port adelaide" and have these games declared as away games........

The irony is palpable.

The hyperbole here is next-level ridiculous. Save the bemoaning our loss until after the match. Dees by 20.

Wow T Smith and Petty as CHF and FF. Indictment on our list management right there.

Ohno Mac!

WGAF. It ain't affecting the salary cap.

In-form Oscar?? When was that??

Not sure why the surprise re O'Mac. He had his break/rebuild after a non-existent pre-season (hip operations), and his form at Casey has been OK to very good. But apart from all that, with Hore and May out, and Petty now as our emergency forward because both Tom Mac and Weideman are out (and Preuss isn't up to it as a forward), who else was there? Though I'd take an in-form Oscar over Petty as a back any day of the week, and Frost as well - Frost's attack and general mayhem is worth having, but as a one-on-one pure defender he's too easily beaten by smarter/experienced forwards. Oscar's also a more reliable kick coming out of the back line, something we desperately need in any case.

Little to do with Burgess or Misson if players are put back on or not, it's the MEDICAL team who make those calls. Further, you would need to be able to show that May going back on is the reason he's missing 1-2 weeks (with a hamstring we presume), as opposed to he would have missed that in any case.

All about matchups who will Oscar play on?? Sheeit it aint rocket Science MFC Play Petty back and Weeds forward!! FCS

I’m not an O Mac fan but who else is available to take Mays spot?

Yep, the idea that Goodes was some kind of unique sinner is just contemptible. Generally when people come up with an excuse so obviously contrived and inadquate, I take it as a simple confirmation they can't come up with any actual good reason. How many times does it need to be said: Goodes was booed beyond anything experienced by any other player in the modern game, because racists put a LOT of effort into pushing an agenda which grossly misrepresented the things he said and did, and enough people were fooled by (or personally keen on) that agenda to create an avalanche. People who were fooled, can now look to the scum who misled them, in media, in politics, and in forums, and say: 'what you did was wrong, you manipulated me into doing something that I now understand was wrong, I will not forgive you or trust you'. As for the people who were genuinely keen on the racist agenda... well...

I have never believed that people booed Goodes for staging. Rather, I have always believed that people claimed they booed Goodes for staging to avoid having to admit that the booing they participated in was racist. (You will note I have deliberately phrased the above to say that the individuals themselves may not have realised that what they did was racist.)

It doesn’t really matter who is to blame , because if we are in the same situation this time next year ............ the last person out can turn off the lights!

Well the proof will be in the pudding. I remember we were all excited when Misson came over after a couple of injury free years with the Swans and Aints. Declared our players fitness levels were no-where near AFL level and told us he would need to work them over a several years block to get the fitness base required. 8yrs later ..........

This is taken from the Herald Sun article: The Demons beat several overseas clubs, at least two other AFL teams and one A-League club for his signature I'm probably going a bit far with the coup talk, but the bloke has a pretty good resume. The proof will be in the pudding of course, but it's a positive announcement.

Terrific and the first step to becoming a true professional club. This is the exact appointment i want to hear of, going hard and getting their man, a very well renowned operator and beating other clubs and sports to the punch. Now lets adopt that attitude to players and better assistant coaching group. Show the supporters the club has a single minded approach to righting the wrongs of this season.

This Unfortunately as a poor club we are beholden to grasping on to whatever scraps we can get Ultimately we need the NT deal more than the AFL / NT / whatever needs us to have it

Just because you come back from the injury list doesn't mean you return in a good way because of lost fitness/touch etc. Classic example Mitch Hannan. So don't expect players like Melkshem to be back to normal this year after missing so much time.

All those under a goal wins haven't done our percentage any favours. Sack the coach.

I have a number of concerns: 1. Space, there just isn't all that much. Connecting up to the carpark seems important rather than using the space south of the oval because you're going to need access in and out. 2. Oval size. They have to get an MCG sized oval. To do that you're shrinking down the land available for soccer/rugby to 1 rectangular field. I'm not surprised if this did come in conjunction with Victory no longer training there. They might have to change the orientation of the oval to the same way Punt Road oval runs diagonally or even East/West. 3. Pollution, at some stage athletes are going to ask why they have to exercise right next to the freeway exit and one of Melbourne's busiest roads. I hope they look in to building some fencing in particular areas, upping the trees/vegetation etc. 4. Cost. It's going to be spending a lot of money to get a facility that doesn't add value through other businesses and might only last 20-30 years. What's the angle to get Government funding and to make some money from the new venue? 5. Oval use. I believe at the moment the team isn't training at Gosch's because it's in a poor state. If it remains public land and free to use then there should at least be some kind of protections put in place. 6. AFLW? The ground should be developed with an intent to be able to host 5,000 people for AFLW games.

With Mahoney at the negotiating table, this would be around the mark you would think

anyone who didn't coach us is to blame. Vince Lombardi included. how silly is this thread.

Time to leave.......the NT It really does nothing for us. If its about money then the club gurus need to get a wiggle on. Either we get serious about football..and about resources or we just continue to street peddle ourselves. Time to grow up Melbourne. ..find your feet or just go home ( where ever that is )

Wow ? and to think some people hassle me on here for certain posts. This one is right up there... How about The MFC take responsibility for itself and actually learn to fight for the most beneficial outcomes....

They handed over a profitable football club with a finals ready list. they 100% did their job. and i think we should all be extremely grateful because people so easily forget how bad things were under Mark Neeld.