Bedraggled Dee

I cant see what the AFL has done wrong. The issue with AOD is that WADA think it was baned under S0 and ASADA have advised it is not. There is obvioulsy no chance of charges or infractions being made against the Blubbers (Essendon) or its players for the use of AOD as a baned substance but that is not what the club and employees have been charged with. They have been charged with bringing the game into dissreput. While use of baned substance is material to that charge it is not the only evidence to sustain the charge. Essendon by its own admission had poor governance over the supplements program that was implemnted outside of the clubs medical regime. The club employed or sourced substances from people who are at best suspect and most likely have, and contnue to deal in illegal/ASADA baned and dangerous substances and are alledgeded (by the ACC) linked to organised crime. The club does not have complete or accurate record s of what was provide to players are all factors that have obviously been consdered by the AFL in laying the charges that they have laid. These facts all support the charges that are layed and in my opinion the responsibility as Hirds has stated himself goes back to the heaf of the Football Department (James 'teflon' Hird). The others are in my opinion guilty of te same offences ut to a lesser degree given Hirds role and influence at the Club. It would be highly inappropriate for the AFL to comment n the status of any substance while an ASADA investigation that the AFL was involved in was underway. The AFL has never accused players of taking a baned substance, the public discussion has been generated and created by the media who have reported on hald facts, runours and innuendos since the start of this like they did to us during the tanking investigation. If it was good enough for the Dees to answer to these charges to the AFL Commision then it is good enough for the Blubbers. If offences are established by ASADA then they will still have to answer to the AFL in accordance with the existng AFL antidoping rules that Essendon pressumabley agreed to when the were drafted years ago. All the talk about indepndant umpires and confiicts of interest is legal spin and not what the rules say or based on fact. Hird and Co have employed spin doctors and lawyers from day one and most of the rubbish beng promulgated is from them and they are tryng to shift blame to the AFL to minimise any damage to the Blubbers. In doing so they are continuing to bring the game and brand into dissreput and should hang their heads in shame. Anyway thats my rant done!!! I hate the Blubbers and hope they cope the flogging they deserve.

Great player and by far the best kick in the team Thanks for everything mate, you are and will remain a deadset champion of the club

Watts is mentally already gone in my opinion. Looks to be going throught the motions although it is hard to tell with his laconic attiidue. He seems like a great bloke and obvioulsy has prodigious talent but it does not materialise on the field and I worry it never will. If I was in the recruiting dept I would definately see what was on offer and if we could get a quality small forward/mid and maybe an early pick you would have to consider. Especially given we have Frawley, Garland, Tommy Mac and Pedersen down back and Clarke, Dawes, Fitzy and Hogan up front. If Watts played to his potential he would be world beater but not sure we have the time or capacity to get it out of him.

I hate this timeslot but will probably be there. I would love to see some spirit and effort by the team to see out the year. I actually think its an important game for the Dees. If Craig can get them up for this one thne we are half a chance.

I dont care anymore. I watched Cameron for GWS and couldn't help comparing his perfomrance with Watts. I dont blame him for not signing but cant help thinking that it people like Gawn who we need at the club. It might just be the time to shake and part company, he is not worth much to us and may get a good price on the market that will be better for the team. Its a good chance that it would be better for Watts and better for the club that we traded him for a quality mid or early pick.

First Kennett now Sheedy????, I would have to get my footy fix at Casey. It would be hard to follow a team where you dislike the President and coach more than the opposition. Left field might be Ayres, although mentioned he is not high on the list. I recon he would be great in Josh mahoney's role, hard nut with a good footy brain. Other who might fill that role out of left field could be Robbie Flower, he has the business accumen to run the football dept and obviously an understanding of the game. I seriously doubt he would be available unless he considering retirement but I would love to see him involved at the club again.

I totally agree Strauss was no 19 pick in 2007 and we need to see if he is a keeper now. He has had a tough run with injury but he was playing some good footy whe he did his leg and given he has been in the system for 5 years he now needs to stand up and be the player we need or we have to cut the losses. Jetta (51), Bail (64) and Bleaze (15) were the same draft and at least couple should be in our core now. If they are not capable then ditch them. The same needs to be found out about Couch and Magner and the only way is to play them. I like Dunn and recon his boot is handy but I cant see too much more development from him. Tappy has been very disappointing, tough and hard but dosnt get nearly enough of the ball. Mackenzie is being asked to be something he is not. He is a tagger and thats about it. I am not sure he will ever be a damaging player to the opposition. I think we need to get game time into Gawn and Fitzpatrick because Jamar only has another year or so. I would be tempted to leave the young blokes like Toumpas, Tynan and Taggrt in the 2's to play in a winning team and worry about geting games into Bleaze, Bail, Jetta and Strauss in the remaining games to see who is worth hanging on to.

Getting a bit sick of the medias obsession with the perceived flaws in Neelds so called moneyball recruiting in the last draft. This is still being trotted out as a reason Neeld got the boot. The rabid dogs in media say something and all of a sudden ot becomes a fact. He had one draft to make his mark and I recon Neeld and the recruiting team did as good a job as was possible given the constraints of the draft and the fact MFC is not exactly an easy sell. Jessie Hogan (Who knows but I recon potentially a superstar Jimmy Toumpas (ditto) Jack Viney (ditto) Matt Jones (Been a good pick up and will feature in the Bluey this year) Dean Kent (Been okay) Dean Terlich (Ditto M Jones) David Rodan (Close to the best mid for the last 2 rounds and needed amongst the youngsters, a short gap fix for lack of experience) Shannon Byrnes (Played some reasonable games, I thought his third quarter against GWS set up the win also a short gap fix for lack of experience) Chris Dawes (I recon a great leader and combative player and when combined with Hogan and Clark will be a potent weapon)\ We can also thank Neeld for Mitch Clark. Dont tell me that the above list is worse than the clubs recruiting for the previous 5 years. Have a look on footywire and you will quickly see why the current team is crap and why Neeld needed to get some experience into the club to provide leadership. Not sure what will happen with the restructure of the football department but I hope the recruiting team Neeld put together stays with the club.

Dog act by a moron and confirmed why he was never offered the Captaincy and why he is no longer at the club,

I hope that Neeld reflects on the contribution he has made to the football club and when we turn the corner takes some pride in what he did while he was here. I am positive that the forward line he put together of Dawes, Clark and Hogan will be a potent attacking force when they finally get to play together. The fitness regime and Mission has been a big change and one for the better. He also oversaw the rebuild of of recruiting which I think apart from Gillies has been good compared to the previous years including the additon of Terlich, M Jones, Kent, Toumpas and Viney. I also recon Byrnes and Rodan have been very useful given our obvious lack of experience and depth. I wish him all the best and hope his next gig is a lttle bit easier. In hindsight he was nuts to take the job.

If Don is replaced by Freeman in the next week which looks very likely based on comment from a from a few who should know, I would hope that the club does it with some dignity for Don and any other board member who move on. These people may or may not have made a few mistakes but they all have put in significant time, effort and money well above anything done by most critics on this forum. I find threads like this and the vitriol directed at these people disappointing. Regardless of the position of the club they deserve our thanks and credit for the things they have done right 1, Completely changed the football department and the FD spend to create the foundation for a proessional and successful club. 2. Eliminated over $5m debt that hung over the club 3. Developed a strong link with casey and provided a modern well resourced training base for the team 4. Developed the partnership with the NT to expand our support base and revenue base. 5. Navigated us through a shocking couple of years of off field dramas most of which were outside our control. Yes the team is crap and probably underperforming but the club has better fundamentals in place now than before they took over and that should be recognised. I also have respect fo Don and the job he done for his mate Jim. He is a good bloke and deserves our thanks and our respect.

Easy Garland Grimes Nathan Jones Davey Clarke (He was a bit player at Brisbane)

I agree 100%. Let Jackson and Freeman do the job. They wont think Kennett is the man for the job because they are intelligent and wont accept that type of egomaniac

Are you seriously saying the Nathan Jones has not improved and that Davey is not in better condition than the last few years under Baily?? Which of this years recruits would you not take? I agree that Byrnes and Rodan are not the future of this club but you cant run out with 22 first year players you need older heads around the place. All of the first year recruits are going okay and stack up against most first years in the comp. The bottom line is we dont have a core of quality 60-100 game players in the team or a midfield and we are going to have to either buy them or develop them and thats not Neelds fault he has inherited that. The Ox is wrong. Neeld might not be the man for the job but he should not be sacked based on media pressure and fan hysteria. The board does need change but not a complete chuck out to bring a Hawthorn person who wants us to merge or relocate. The process put in place by the board is the correct one and should be given time to do its job.

As Monty Python said "always look on the bright side of life" Bigfrog - Have a look at what Mclardy said at the presidents address. I thought what he said was good, we have a review of the football dept and club in general happening now by Jackson, we have a review of the board just begining and in the next few weeks we will see significant change in the structure and operations of the club. The club is not toxic but working hard towards rejuvenation and being lead by passionate and committed demons. THEY DONT NEED SCHWARTZ AND OTHERS DESTABALISING THE CLUB. The changes brought in with Neeld will bear fruit, the new recruitment team needs to be given more than 18 months to fix the disasters of the past. Our recruitment has been rubbish but I can see the positives from the team in place now 1. Dean Terlich (Has been solid and one of the best for the year) 2. Dean Kent (Again solid for a first year player) 3. Matt Jones (second to Nathan in my opinon, first year player) 4. Rodan and Byrnes (Both have had good and bad games but in lieu of any experienced leaders around the club have been handy short term pick ups and add value off the field as well as on) 5. Pedersen (Shown enough in the last few weeks) 6. Mitch Clarke (could be a superstar if it wasnt for injury) 7. Dawes (Intelligent articulate leader on and off the field and a big hard body) 8. Jessie Hogan (by all reports is looking like the next Johnathon Brown) The other positive from this season is the improvement in some older players, I never thought we would see the best of Davey again and he has improved under Neeld. Nathan Jones has become a much better player under Neeld, Dont forget Jones was a whipping boy by some on this forum a couple of years ago. Garland is developing into a quality defender and his leadership has improved out of sight under guidance from Craig. We obviously have along way to go and are behind where we probably should be but we are coming from a long way back. The message here is back the club and give the new blood (Jackson and Freeman) time to assess the situation and make informed and considered recommendations that are obvioudsly needed. No point baying for blood and looking for short term fixes, they dont exist people, just sacking Neeld will not change a thing.

6. Col Garland 5. Matt Jones 4. Nathan Jones 3. Jack Trengove 2. Cam Pederson 1. Dean Terlich Mentions to Davey and Dawes (while he was on) and Fitzpatrick and I thought Watts had a crack at times. Best game of gthe year for Trenners, I hope he comes back off the break full of run and rips into the second half

Any member on this site who supports Jeff for President can and hand in their membership and close the door on the way out. I will not accept a Hawthorn supporter who advocates we relocate and or merge as President regardless of my personal opinion on Jeff and the skills he may or may not bring he is not wanted by me and I think the majority of dedicated passionate demons. If you want and example of this clubs culture problems that people have ranted about then you should have a good hard look at yourselves. Can you imagine Essendon fans or Collingwood fans supporting a Carlton supporter as their President? For all of McLardys possible errors or faults and am not convinced there have been that many he loves this club and feels our pain and I would keep him everyday rather than a Hawthorn person.

No No No No No No No NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Over my dead body Why would we want our President to be an idiot and Hawthorn supporter?????????? I would rather have Krusty the Clown Surely with all the blue blood Melbourne elite we hae supporting this club there is a smart educated rational businessman/woman to take on the job if Mclardy goes.

Agree with everything. The last thing this club needs now is instability. We dont know if Neeld can coach but he at least deserves the opportunty to get some clear air and be given the chance. The club picked him to do the job that they knew was tough at the time and they should back him in for at least this year and hopefully into next year. He has taken on the worst list and worst prepared team in the AFL and made some fundamental changes for the better that need time to work. Heaps of people of this sight have spent years calling for a change to the clubs culture and attitude and that exactly what Neeld is attempting. If you have ever managed a large group of people you will know how hard that is even without the added problem of the engrained culture of an AFL Club. Bottom line is we have more pain to come but maybe that is what is needed and we need to stick fat. Every Demons supporter should turn up and support the boys through the pain and misery because the club needs us. I will be there with my family and this will make the success when it comes all the sweeter Carn the Dees

In Sylvia, Magna, Macdonald, Byrnes Out Bail, Frawley and Mackenzie Bail has had enough opportunities and still disapoints (Trade) I think Sylvia needs to come straight back in he dosnt need a run in the twos, Tmac obvious repacement for Frawley. Mackenzie dosnt seem the player from a couple of years ago but probably being asked to have a positive imapact now rather than just being the tag and thats not his game. Tappy's big body would be handy but they need Byrnes experience. Watts really frustrates me!!!!! Great skills and glimpses of effort but just cant get it together for a whole game. Only have him in the side because I recon he just and only just does enough to keep a spot but dont care if he wants to go, provided we get a half decent midfielder as a trade. I think the side below is a bit short in defence to match up on the trailer trash but other than adding Gawn for Wats cant think of anyone else B: Lynden Dunn, Colin Garland, Dean Terlich HB: Jack Watts, Cam Pedersen, Tom MacDonald C: Jack Trengove, Michael Evans, Matt Jones HF: Shannon Byrnes, Jeremy Howe, Colin Sylvia F: David Rodan, Chris Dawes, Aaron Davey FOLL: Mark Jamar, James Magna, Nathan Jones I/C: Joel Macdonald, Dean Kent, Jack Fitzpatrick, Luke Tapscott

Thats the question we need to ask ourselves. We all know the team is crap, the coach looks like getting the arse, a number of players may or may not be looking at leaving or requesting to leave and we are headng for a fnancial disaster. But what can we do as loyal passionate demons supporters? 1. Turn up and pay you money and barrack. The players need support and the club needs the money. 2. Walk away like I do angry [censored] off and wanting blood but dont vent to to club receptionist, coaches players or other employees, they know and they feel the same way. You can vent on Demonland thats what its is good for. 3. Accept that Jackson has come in with a mandate, is an experienced and intelligent adminstrator and let him do his voodoo and support the decisions moving forward. 4. Continue to bag Scully over the boundary line and any other low life chicken hearted peice of [censored] who deserts this once mighty club in its hour of need. 5. Look to the future with a forward line of Clark, Dawes and Hogan and a bigger stronger Viney tearing up the midfield.

Married into it. Being a pom I followed soccer and played Rugby but my wifes family are rabid demons. Father in law has been a paid up member continuously for 60+ years. His brother funeral went off to the sounds of a grand old flag and a sea of red and blue ties. Never stood a chance.

Get a grip people, Maclardy and board are not the big problem here. Never seen Mclardy run out on game day and miss tackles. He is a good bloke and a smart operator who came in to do the job for his mate Jim. Give the bloke some credit. We dont need instability we have a new CEO who will recommend and make change lets let him do the job.

I though Garland was oustanding. Great to see him stand up and show what I consider to be great leadership in the face of the crap dished up on Sunday. I am the same as everyone probably including the players, I walked away from the ground on Sunday angry and frustrated and wanting blood. By today logic kicks in an I know the last thing we need is instability and change driven by a rabid media pack. Garland is right we need to stick together through this. Great to see Jackson come in with a clear mind and new perspective to manage any change that is needed in a considered and calm way. Change will happen but the last thing we need is another knee jerk based on media pressure. The playing group and coaches are all working overtime as attested by Col to fix the problems but it cant be done overnight and cant be done by simply sacking coaches and or players. the relatity is we do have a young list that also has older players with bugger all games due to long term injuries that need time. We also have to sort the results of poor selection and risk management over a number of years. This will take time and all genuine Melbourne supporters should see this and support the club throuigh it. Neeld and co have come in and inherited a bascket case and I the cold light of day I can see the direction. The list is being cleaned up and new blood brought in, none of the one we delisted are getting gajmes else where and I for one would rather have Terlich, M Jones, and Kent than Morton, Martin and Pettard. They had their chance and blew it. I would have liked to have kept Rivers but he wanted to leave. And lets not forget last years recruit of the year Mitch whcih was a master stroke by Neeld. I can see improvement in a number of players, Garland, Evans, N Jones and Grimes. Neeld has turned Mitch from a bit part player at the Lions to a potential superstar. Great to see the leadership by people like Garland within the paying list developing.