Bang Bang Bang

Not often that we win a game let alone a side that isn't GWS or GCS, so I'm going to keep things positive. Great team effort to 3QT. Disappointing that we still leak goals uncontrollably but there may be light at the end of the tunnel! Remember our best player isn't even allowed to play until 2014 ;-) Positive for mine: Dawes: Didn't rate him at the PIes, thought we paid overs, but he is worth every cent at the minute! Love him! Toumpas: Faded after half time, but his skillset is amazing. Rodan: We effectively traded Cale Morton for him, I can't remember Morton ever impacting a game the way Rodan did tonight! Maybe not a TOTAL disaster getting him to the club. Watts: I bet he is really missing the Nerd!

Best half of footy we have played since 2011. There really is no co-incidence in this. This same team lost by 10 goals to the Suns less than 2 months ago, yet tonight they are playing with flair and confidence. It is what it is!

Good quarter of footy. Highlight of the term was Toumpas arching the back and delivering a perfect pass to Howe at 50. Can't remember if it led to a goal but it was just pure class!!

Doubt it - if we're lucky enough to land Roos (I agree it's not looking that great) .. then we will hold off announcing it until Round 20ish at the earliest. Would be far too morale-sapping for Craig and the playing group to run out for over half a season knowing that he won't be the coach in 2014.

I don't reckon Strauss is up to it, tbh. Got drafted on the back of being a good kick but he really hasn't shown anything at all in 5 seasons now. You can blame Neeld for many things but not this one, this is one can be lumped on Prendergast. A poor pick at 19. Tapscott and Taggert are still every chance to make it.

Trengove's chase on Farren Ray in the third quarter (right before a Ray goal from 55m) was a big concern. He was clearly giving the chase his all but it looked like he was on a treadmill. The injury excuses are wearing thin. I agree that he is just slow. Time to re-invent himself.

Only watched the last 2.5 quarters of the game (where we probably broke even). Definitely an improvement on previous weeks under Neeld although the Saints 2013 are hardly world-beaters. Garland was superb from what I saw. Toumpas looking more comfortable with each game (despite a few errors), Davey's kicking good, Rodan good, Sylvia good, Nicholson made an impact as sub. The amount of butchers in the team is staggeringly high. I like Terlich's endevour but his decision making and execution is horrid. Why on earth does he take the kickouts. Disposal and silly free kicks in the third quarter were what killed us.

A few things. 1. Yes Eade will get us up the ladder. HIs 54% winning record and multiple Top 4 finishes with Dogs/Swans would point to that. 2. Leigh Matthews has not coached at AFL level for over 5 years. In that time, tactics, sports science, rule changes etc have evolved at a rapid rate. Should we sound out Denis Pagan, Kevin Sheedy, Malcolm Blight while we're at it? They are just as successful as Lethal. 3. Personal insults don't help your argument.

I really don't think you have thought this part of your post through!

Some people are seriously underselling Rodney Eade in this thread. 1 GF, 3 Prelims and a 54% winning record.. good tactician and communicator. May not be a Premiership coach but nobody is deluded enough to think we will be pushing for one any time soon do we? Eade will get us back up the ladder in time.. that's all we need at the moment.

I think there’s enough to work with next year, I really do. Dawes if he can stay fit will be a good pickup, last week and the first quarter today he was immense, such a presence. I never thought much of him at Collingwood but he’s winning me over. Clark and Hogan in 2014 can hopefully string some games together too. Normally you wouldn’t pin your hopes on an 18 y/o but Hogan’s a different specimen. Throw in Jack Viney, another pre-season into Toumpas (a way to go but kicking skills elite), the Jones boys, Kent plays like a kent and has talent (great pick at 48 it would seem)… Frawley and Garland down back. We really should be playing better than we are. I’m resigned to Neeld seeing out the year but get a better football department in next year and a classy ball-user at pick 2 and we may start getting some confidence back. Probably still 2 good mids short of being anything but bottom 4 but we should at least go up from here!!!

If it's not Trengove's pace or Hogan's set-shot routine it's Toumpas and a lack of penetration. Chip on shoulder much??? I often see your name attached to young players flaws. His effort on Swan wasn't great but his kicking is sublime. Did you miss the bullet pass to Watts in the first?

Just because it's unconventional doesn't mean it needs work. His stutter approach hasn't deterred him from nearly leading the VFL in goals kicked this year.. just like it hasn't stopped Josh Kennedy in the AFL.

Some players that can hold their head high today: Frawley and Garland superb, Dawes a colossus at CHF and Nate Jones an inspiration in the midfield. Dean Kent is cheeky, quick and skilled. A few others were servicable, but the rest can go and GF. Bye bye Mark Neeld. Next year: Hogan FF, Dawes CHF, Watts floating, Clark as 1st ruck. Might see us more competitive.

One of many players out there today who are not up to AFL standard.

This is pretty bad. We have no money - but can Neeld survive this? He could go down as the worst coach of all time. I didn't watch some of our 2009 matches because I was torn between winning and draft picks - but otherwise I tune in and watch every week (I live overseas). After today I'm not sure if it's worth the effort.

Mods, please change the thread-title. Misleading and silly.

Even though it's probably true I don't reckon the coach should be saying that. He can think it but to tell the whole world that a 5-goal loss is a positive, he's taking the mickey isn't he. Disappointing. Should have at least worded it better (assuming the MFC twitter feed is accurate)...

They are absolutely killing us out of the centre. Fix that and we might be a chance here. We look OK going forward. Howe's a beauty. Tom McDonald is easily the most overrated player on this site.

He is a kamikaze player - and even though he gets caught from time to time, he stays strong and can get a disposal away. Not overly skilled but I like what he brings to the table. If we were to play in a final tomorrow (LOL) I'd be picking him ahead of much more skilled teammates who perhaps don't possess his kamikaze approach (you know who I'm referring to). Does Neeld get credit for bringing him to the club or does Todd Viney as the head recruiter at the time?

Actually today he had 22 touches - in 2012 his season high was 21. Encouraging signs - although I'd like to see him push the late 20s, early 30s once he's back to peak fitness.

He is the heart and soul of this footy club. And IMO, damned close to elite. How is he not on the Demonland banner? Get Garry "I'm too busy" Lyon off there and put the bald nugget in the centre!!

I thought Jack Trengove had a horrible 2012 and the pessimist in me thought we may have fluffed another high draft selection. But he is starting to work himself into some nice form after a long layoff. A superb captain's goal in the last quarter. Doesn't look that important with hindsight but he had to kick that goal and it went gun-barrell straight. Well done Jack.

I agree that Watts is a much better kick. But both are soft and living off their high draft number, not their form. You can't teach what Watts is lacking. Remember what M. Neeld said not long ago - draft position is irrelevant when considering list management. If Neeld is still there at the end of the year I reckon Watts might be in some trouble.

Watts = Cale Morton The similarities are definitely there.