DemonFrog

That would be Brad Miller in the 2006 semi final that we lost against Fremantle. That was Brad's best game for the club.

As for Dawes, he as Clark did last year, exceeded my expectations. I thought he would play a good role for us, but he's looking very dangerous, more of a threat than I ever considered him at Collingwood. With Clark and Hogan next to him, we will have a great forward line, but we need to get the midfield right.

[i was at this game. 40,000 Freo fans against 2,000 MFC supporters. I song "It a grand old flag" so loud that the Freo Supporter in front of me had to cover her ears. They were so soft! /quote]

Sorry its the 80 plus floggings that make me so closed minded.

I wish I was like the Pro MN camp supporters and simple don't care.

Life would be simpler.

Maybe you should start reading further and stop being close-minded. Some of the posters on here actually have some considered opinions worth taking on board!

Melbourne will rise out of its current problems as we have PJ.

All Clubs have their ups and Downs.

As the only Club in the AFL worth supporting and the only way is up from here. I want to see the MFC smash Collingwood each and every QB.

I will never accept that the MFC will be treated as a second class Club.

Go the DEES!

I was on your side right up to the time I read your final comment.

I for one what to know what I can do to support the MFC in time of need.

There no other team I want to support as I was born blue and red.

I started this thread and deliberately have not responded to the pompous nonsense that a few have posted. Unfortunately it epitomizes all that is wrong with the club.

The overwhelming points though I have been trying to make, and no posters antagonistic to this thread have answered, is:

A) when are the powers that be going to take responsibility for abject failure (in the way a public company board would be required to do) ie resign, and
B) where is the movement of powerful Demon supporters anxious and willing to fix it in the way supporters of other powerful supporters of other AFL clubs would do in the face of such failure.

Your post is well thought out, and I agree with the reflections on supporters, but my concerns are more the complacency of the powers that be about failure, and the lack of action to correct it.

As I state again, it has required someone from outside ie Jeff Kennett (and indirectly the AFL) to put a bomb under us because we are too complacent and willing to accept failure without consequence to the extent we have now put the future of the club we love in jeopardy, and yet there are still people on here who defend the status quo and do not appear willing or able to face into the crisis we are facing.

I suspect we deserve the demise that is coming .....

Why would I care that a comedy show say about life?

I love the Ox, he put his body on the line many times for the MFC.

I see your mistake, you been listening to Don. He has no idea about running a successful AFL club.

Unfortunately I hear these comments many time before. After each flogging my team takes I become less and less inclined to listen.

I had sat back for many years waiting for the MFC to turn thing around on the field. I am still waiting.

Anyone can find small insignificant events or trends if they look hard enough, but it does not change the basic fundamentals. The Club has been run by a bunch of Clowns. They may have the best interest of the Club at heart, but that just shows how out of their depth they are.

If things are going so well, why are members and supporters staying away from games on mass? Why is the MFC losing by greater margins then ever before?

The simple fact is the best statistic anyone can use in football is the final score. In that area the MFC is terrible. No one has ever won a Grand Final by scoring less then their opponent.

I could go on and on about this topic but I feel this will not change your point of view, so lets agree to disagree.

Time will tell which of us is right!

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.

I am with you.

If the reporting of Don McLardy's Presidential Queen's Birthday speech is correct, then it explains a lot about why we are in the mess we are in.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/mclardy-slams-kennett-20130610-2o07l.html

When is anyone in this club going to take responsibility for anything? Not soon clearly according to the current president. Apparently, the current board are incredibly passionate about the Demons, are really good, competent people, and it will all come right in the end...

Well I am sorry, but if any Board I had anything to do with had delivered the results the current one had over the last five years, then they would all be out on their heads, and most professional board members would see that as fair enough. THEY HAVE FAILED SPECTACULARLY.

Where are the passionate, professional people amongst demon supporters? If a board had failed so spectacularly at Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn, Sydney, or Carlton, there would have been a number of rival bids from passionate, high powered supporters desperate to turn things around and to roll the current incompetents.

Instead, it is left to Jeff Kennett, a Hawthorn supporter, to make the running. Personally, I would much much prefer the professionalism and ruthlessness of a Kennett bid, than the weak kneed, amateur-hour that is our current Board.

When are the current group going to take some responsibility. No time soon clearly. TIME TO TURF THEM OUT.

I am heartily sick of this farce.


If you are too, let's join a movement o do something about it.

The bit I don't get is this:

We have 5 people who have coached at senior level involved with the club - Neeld, Viney, Craig, Connolly, Rawlings

Surely there is some coaching talent there. They can't all be shiite?? They must have some answers??

I know Neeld has the final call as senior coach but surely all the others aren't following him over the cliff??

Apparently no one can tell or if PJ can be trusted.

Can anyone truly make an assessment on the MFC at the moment as everywhere you look it appears to be toxic?

Although the CEO position appears to be resolved in the short term.

The President and Board do not give me any confidence about the future of the MFC.

The coaching staff appears to be on another planet and unable to turn around the on field performance. The MFC will be lucky to win another game this season, but even if it does that still less wins then in 2012. Surely the coaching/recruiting staff did not plan to loss more game then last year as there was only four of them (3 against expansion teams). I personally could not understand how anyone one could argue that at this stage of the MFC rebuild that losing more game then the year before is showing improvement. Losing is like a virus, very hard to re-establish a winning attitude back in the club.

For anyone to believe that a continued a losing on field performances for a prolong period of time shows a complete lack of understanding or respect to the Supporter and Sponsors of any football club. Any true AFL standard Coach, President or Board member would understand this and would have staged a rebuild with a high priority to remain completive. Surely no one can argue that the MFC is a competitive team or even anywhere near a basic AFL standard at this time.

It would appear many of the current players are also not at AFL standard, but in this toxic environment can anyone really tell. Should the players list be reviewed by someone that is trusted by the majority of members , Supporters and Board before any major changes are made. Players are always worried about their playing future and market value so would not be willing to be seen undermining their coach as its career suicide.

The truth about what the players really think will only happen once a new Senior Coach is appointed or maybe when one of the players actually leave the Club.

Oh well at least there no way the MFC can lose this week end.

Its the MFC so I estimate 2015 as they don't like to put too much pressure on anyone.

I have read in a few posts that winning is not that important.

Surely the MFC Board's theme song must be "I Don't Care".

Oh ok, so 80+ losses are warrented until when!!!???

I just feel numb listening to MN, nothing he says means a damn thing to me. Whatever they are doing in the inner sanctum of this club it means absolutely nothing to the club supporters. The club and its supporters are living in a parallel universe.

You do know the Board and coaching staff are a little behind where they wanted to be!

Love to see what their plan actual was?

I final found a song that best explains MN attitude to his game plan.

Its a pity that someone (Don) who is such a great supporter of the MFC was in charge of such a train wreck.

There is no satisfaction in dumping a true Club person but its necessary.

WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IN THE MFC?

Apperently the MFC is a little behind where it planned to be or so the President and Senior Coach has told us.

But Mark has only done what the Club wanted him to do, he told us all so!

Yes those members who have paid their season seats in December. If Neeld stays, I guarantee many of those same seats will not be renewed, and that's a fact because I speak to them.

This debate about whether Neeld stays is dead. The debate is done and over with, the clubs survival depends on him going.

Its great you have keep the faith, but you lost me when you left the need to start your post with an insult.

So I did not read any further.

I'm here captain butterball.

For all your anti-neeld posts, you fail to mention ANYTHING capable of an alternative. What, you want to throw out "get roos"? Or "get Williams?" You don't get it buddy, you just do not get it. Watch today's game, watch last week. We have a midfield that has played so little together, we have 6 of our first picked players our, but do you want to know the most damning part of that? I know this wont help your narrow minded thinking, but changing the coach tomorrow doesn't add 100 games experience to trengove, Howe, toumpas, viney, jones and Evans. It doesn't work like that!!!!! If you watched the game on tv and listened to flogs like darcy and Bruce, you won't see the picture. You won't see that players are kicking the ball blindly trying to do too much or kicking 5m behind a leading forward. It's confidence. When we look down the line and see Clark, Dawes, Howe watts or hogan, then we can be more confident to kick long. But when we ply around with it seeing fitzy (who played ok in patches, but doesn't lead hard) or davey/blease/rodan, its hard to be confident kicking long.

Neeld can not be out on the ground to say "don't u-turn through traffic Dunn/davey/Sylvia, he can't say that. He is clearly instructing them to hold the footy and look for a clean pass in. But inexperience, or sheer selfishness by senior players u-turning or hand bling to players 70cm away costs us. We need to give it time. We need to practice going forward inside 70-80m from goal under pressure, we need to focus on freeing up a player with good skills outside of the pack. We need a decent run with injuries, because we haven't the depth yet to cover 6 first choice players, but most bloody importantly, we need patience. Supporters cracking the sads like you saying "7 years of bottom 4 finishes"- you bring nothing to the table. Every demon fan has had 7 years of bottom 4 finishes. But neeld is there now and has seen 35 games, after cutting soft, slack and under performing players who weren't going to take this club forward.

If you can't see that we need patience, we need to stay calm and we need to stick together, then PO and follow hawthorn or Richmond. We are on the right track, we just need to add 1 or 2 mids, some experience to the 22 who play together, and our injuries to give us a break. Neeld has cut the players who were not taking us anywhere. The group we have, we keep together and add some experience, and confidence, and we will get on top of this rut. Just stop blaming 1 individual, the same as saying we are always looking for our next "saviour" and let the players play, build trust and confidence and give them some bloody support!

Great Result!

The MFC has actually improved this week with only a 83 point loss.

At this rate the MFC should be in a position to another match in about 3 or 5 years.

So have I got this right, you marriage a Collingwood supporter?

I still care. My son who follows North gave me a huge hug at half time - he gets it. My Collingwood supporter husband didn't dare say anything - he has learnt to keep his mouth shut. I have come home for a sulk but will feel better in the morning as long as I don't read the papers. I will then start thinking about our next match. Its a testing time but I will always hang in there and care.

Would this be a true indication of the members feelings.

As mainly MN supporters will be at the game, the rest are at the pub!

How many members would it take to get mark neeld out ? I think a ballot from every member saying mark neeld yes or no pass it around game day see how many people sign it

A player coach, lets bring back the 60's!

The MFC was great in the 60's.

If the team were left to coach themselves for the rest of the season, would the performance be any different?

Come listen to NM after game press conference on the MFC web site.

That will surely reunite some passion, anger etc.

Personally I think the 2013 is either a bad dream or a great comedy act. I not work out which one yet.

Forget Uncle Jeff as the next MFC President.

After extensive research I have found the most perfect candidate for the job.

Clearly the MFC needs someone who has high expectation and demands excellence and will not listen to any BS. Someone who will tell everyone the way it is and not use spin or politically correct language. They must have experience in running a big successful business and is passionate about what ever they do. Also they must have the ability to unite the MFC members and supporters in ways never before imagined. Some may think that Jeff is the man but there is someone better.

There is only one person that I can think of that would meet all the above selection criteria to the level needs to make the MFC truly great and that is DARTH VADER!

Sure he will only wear black but all his Seth apprentices will paint their faces in blue and red if he commands them to. Just think of the possibilities and the future of the MFC under such leadership.

Classic Mark Nerd: push out the door experience (+50 games) and then complain about the age and experience of the list the next year.

Classic Mark Nerd: say during your speech at the commencement dinner not to listen to the media, because we're not as far away as people think and then state that it will be 5 years before we're competitive as the losses mount.

Classic Mark Nerd: say after round 1 "we didn't see that coming" and weeks later when things have only got worse state "we're exactly where I thought we'd be and I told the Board we'd be when they appointed me".

Classic Mark Nerd: walk into the club and tell the players "I don't want you to like me". So of course he gets no emotional buy in and now he's running around giving them cuddles because he realises how fragmented the group is.

Classic Mark Nerd: alienate the senior players by demoting them from the leadership group and install two young captains that don't need the burden and haven't earned the right. What better way to fragment a group of people.

This guy is one sick puppy. But smart enough to delude some on here.

I can tell you are holding back, please feel free to tell us all what you really think of Mr Neeld.

There is only four points that you have raised in your post, I will love to hear more but please want to after todays Collingwood game as there will be so much more material for you to use.

Is that you Mark?

Yes it me.

Can l apologized to all members and supporters of MFC for the on field performance and don't believe ln making excuses.

Wait no one will believe l am Mark with comments like this LOL

Did you sack that negative bugger who runs the place? That'd be a great way to improve employee morale.

Funny, I look at the anti-Neeld lobby and think virtually the same thing. Some people can't help but look at things in the most negative light and have just gotten into the habit of seeing the club as a failure. If only they could look at things objectively instead of complaining about the fact that we are getting pretty much the results we expected...

Incidentally, could one of the absent Mods please go through this thread and delete the multiple off-topic derailment attempts? There is already a thread about why people want to sack the coach for them to post this rubbish in. They don't need to try to hijack a positive thread about why we need to keep him.

Censorship !

You know your argument is week if you have to call for the Admin's

So I take it you're not a fan of Williams?

True I am not.

The guys lost any respect I may have had for him when he attacked the PA sponsor right after their GF win.

He too immature to be a Senior Coach.