Dee in a Kilt

@BKKBooga, thank you for such a thoughtful perspective. Your 40 years of membership gives real weight to your observations. You've identified something crucial that often gets overlooked in all the coaching debates. I listened to a podcast recently about high performing sports teams over a long time period. The study found that on-field leadership is crucial for achieving superior team performance. For long-term sustained success, the study found on-field leadership was more important than the coaching. This leadership goes beyond formal captaincy and can involve any player who steps up to guide, motivate or coordinate teammates. The governance and communication issues you've raised are spot on. You're absolutely right the coterie groups operate on a different information level. While their financial contribution is significant, proper governance principles require transparency across the entire membership base. In corporate settings, material communications to major stakeholders by law must be simultaneously disclosed to all shareholders - the same principle should apply here. The fact that you've never seen that kind of player capitulation in four decades tells us this goes deeper than tactical issues. It suggests deeper issues needing to be addressed. Your point about wanting relevance "for the right reasons" resonates. A professional, organised response from the membership on governance and communication standards could be exactly what Smith and Guerra need to hear as they establish their approach. These are foundational issues that affect everything else. This is precisely the kind of substantive, experience-based insight that would carry real weight in a collective letter.

@Previously known as LITD., I can hear the frustration, and you've identified some real issues many members share. The challenge is how we channel that into something the club has to take seriously rather than dismiss. That's where coordinated, sophisticated feedback could make the difference individual complaints haven't. We have an opportunity to shape the mindset of an incoming President and CEO. That's worth a shot. There are some gems in your list... and some anger. Let me pick up your gems...

@Go Ds , you're right, letters can get buried. But that's where the power of a platform like Demonland comes in. This wouldn't be quiet fanmail that disappears into someone's inbox or a "copy/paste" response. It would be a public, transparent process where the community shapes the message, and the response (or lack thereof) is visible to everyone. The brilliant thing about organised supporter communities is that we don't have to rely on hope or crossing fingers anymore. When the many engaged members speak with one coordinated voice, it becomes impossible to ignore or dismiss. You with us?

That's fine @Billy. But what I'm asking is to get mad as hell and tell the world you're not going to take it anymore!

Great point @Trident22 - and you're right, past experience suggests they haven't been particularly receptive to member feedback. But that's exactly why the approach matters. Individual voices have been easy to dismiss as "just the emotive vocal few." I'm suggesting we put our voices to be at least equal to the coterie. What MFC Board and exec haven't faced is a coordinated, professional response from an organised, respected community like Demonland representing serious, engaged members. That's much harder to ignore or write off. Sometimes it takes a change in how we present our concerns to get a different response. The incoming President and CEO are starting fresh - they might be more open to genuine dialogue than we've seen previously. And if they're not? Well, at least that informs the next election of Board members and we get Andy "Joe Rogan" into his raging best! I just can't see a coordinated, sophisticated, respectful response being ignored. The best case? We actually get heard and see some positive changes. We'll in a better position than just hoping things improve on their own.

Fair enough @GawnOfTheDead! Sometimes a good whinge is exactly what we need - it's cathartic and honestly, some of the best solutions have started with someone having a proper vent about what's not working - and we've had plenty of that on this site. The beauty is we can do both - have our whinge AND channel that frustration into something that might actually create change. Your whinge no doubt identifies real problems others share, so why not let it fuel some action too? Plus, imagine how satisfying it would be to whinge about something, help fix it, and then have new things to whinge about! 😉

Thanks @The Jackson FIX. You raise important points about member voting rights and I agree that's our ultimate democratic tool. You're absolutely right that we chose the current direction, and that carries weight. On that note, @binman's post in the Monday training thread resonates - I look at Peter Lawrence efforts to improve MFC governance through a different lense now. With hindsight, I'd seriously consider voting for PL. Where I'd respectfully differ is on timing and approach. While we can vote for change at the next AGM, that's months away whereas we have a special opportunity to inform Smith and Guerra at an impressionable time - their onboarding. In the meantime, there's value in constructive engagement - not to override the board's authority, but to ensure they have clear feedback on specific issues affecting their members. It would be good for the Board and CEO to hear an additional voice to the coterie, who can be just as emotive as we see here on Demonland. You make a fair point about alignment challenges. However, I'm enough of an optimist to believe we will find common ground - otherwise nothing gets done, right? If we don't have common ground on an issue, we can report the different perspectives. I like your idea about supporting aligned board candidates when the time comes - that's definitely the more powerful long-term play. I for one would be very interested to hear Andy, George and Binman interview Board candidates on their podie. That's good governance. I too love the podie TJF. I really, really like your idea of Andy 'Joe Rogan' idea. But I see constructive interim feedback as complementary to that democratic process, not competing with it. I made a point with a response to @praha that my experience is those representing the interests of a very large membership need to hear from a coordinated, sophisticated representation.

Thanks for the question @praha The action I'm proposing is for Demonland to draft a collective letter to the incoming President and CEO, outlining specific areas members want addressed. Given Demonland represents a significant and engaged portion of the MFC membership base, such a letter would carry genuine weight and demonstrate that these concerns come from a substantial, organized group of supporters rather than just individual complaints. I've seen this dynamic before in my work with the Australian abalone and rock lobster industries. Government officers told me they found it frustrating when they only received correspondence from individuals - often emotive and not coordinated. They couldn't be sure these individual voices truly represented broader industry sentiment. They needed a sophisticated, unified voice to take concerns seriously and act on them. I believe the same dynamic applies here. The MFC likely receives plenty of individual feedback, but a coordinated response from an established, respected supporter community like Demonland would would demonstrate genuine collective concern.

Last Sunday's devastating loss delivers us an opportunity, as does any bad event. I've supported the Dees since the early 90's when my 6 year old son helped fly the huge cheer squad flags at a time when the squad comprising two men and a dog (today's cheer squad is brilliant!) My family has hosted draftees and a current player is godfather to one of my grandkids. But I've also had decades in executive roles in Australia, USA, Japan, China and now the UK (currently back in Melbourne during the European holiday period). @binman's post this morning in the training session thread cut through the noise: We members ARE the club and we have power we are not using. The 57,000 of us MFC members feels like Dr Seus's "Horton Hears a Who!" Like Who-ville citizens, we members struggle to be heard. Here's what I propose Demonland becomes the voice. Not another venting forum, but a structured process to deliver member expectations to incoming President Steven Smith and CEO Paul Guerra by August 31st. As Smith and Guarra don't start until September, Demonalnd feedback can inform their onboarding process. Critical areas for member agreement First, Demonland agree on the critical areas to be addressed, for example: Communications strategy with members Transparency standards and accountability Complete governance review - obviously including the footy department Securing MFC's permanent member home Our message to AFL leadership (umpiring professionalism) The Process Constructive discussion only - enforced by moderators. I have deep empathy for member pain. Let's channel member frustration into positive action through Demonland as a unified voice. Upon agreement on critical areas to address, then these topics become a separate Demonland thread. When broad agreement is reached on each thread, we then insert it into the official communication we send. Andy has veto and edit powers, informed by Binman and George. We do all this with respect to the Board and CEO. A final point is that the word "ruthless" has been used of late. In my mind, the only time we have been ruthless was when Peter Jackson rebuilt the club. And that ruthlessness delivered us the 2021 flag. Since, members have spent the last 2 years as passive observers of governance failures with significant infighting at Board and CEO, resulting in Goodwin riding a two-legged horse. Current circumstances hands us a blank slate and leaders who need to listen. Can we channel our anger into constructive feedback the oldest AFL club deserves? What do you think?

I can imagine there's another pile-on against Goody following the Carlton loss. But winning a flag is a whole-of-club thing - Strong Board, CEO, management, player leaders all united in a strong culture, all rowing the boat in the same direction. Not many get this right. The last 2 years there's been public in-fighting causing significant distraction to the Board and CEO - which certainly distracts the coach. There is no coincidence this in-fighting is reflected in the Dees performances. Thankfully, all those who needed to leave have left and we appear to have peace on earth at the MFC again. Given we still don't have either President Steven Smith or CEO Paul Guerra in place, Goody has been riding a two-legged horse. I believe Smith and Guarra don't start until September. When they start, their professionalism will compel them to take stock of where we are at and ensure governance is strong. Then they start the process to get club leadership aligned to a strong culture with everyone rowing in the same direction. Andy, I can imagine you want this question left to post season, but the Goody pile-on is not healthy. What perspective do you two bring at this point?

We must talk about May's big hit on Carlton forward Francis Evans. We don't want to see results like what happened to Evans, especially if we are serious about eliminating concussion - and we must. But what gets up my goat is the hypocrisy. Dees players all too often are on the receiving end of severe penalties when the AFL wants make a statement. Remember the ridiculous 4-match suspension on Nibbler for a tackle that was seen every weekend until that point? Remember Kossy was too heavily sanctioned because he had the audacity to be aggressive against a Pies' star who over-egged the incident? The hypocrisy comes back to the Maynard 2023 incident where our beloved Angus Brayshaw's life was changed forever and was never to play footy again. May and Maynard as very similar - both fiercely attack the ball. Yet with Maynard, the AFL made a rule change at the end of he season and he played the next game! May will not be given the same treatment - and frankly he shouldn't if we are serious about protecting the head. One pays the price, the other doesn't. The AFL will pay the price when the massive lawsuit comes.

With May destined to be suspended for the rest of the season, would you trial Petty at full back or have Tommy Mac fill that role? Tommy has been accomplished all season, delivers experience and leadership, and is one of the best field kicks in the team. AFL success requires leadership in every line - forwards, mids, defence. With May out and Lever needing to get his body right, we have a dilemma. But TMac is 32 and Petty is just about to hit his prime as a key position player. Binman and Andy, what would you do?

I highly recommend sitting in the cheer squad with kids. @Ghostwriter took great care of my three grandkids, son, daughter and wife. Ghosty is an absolutely beautiful person and the members of the cheer squad were amazing with the kids. There was constant chanting and they got to hold up player heads, wave flags and go crazy. The kids adored it. I was interested to hear the love for Tommy Mac in the cheer squad. One of my grandsons asked me why some of the cheer squad women kept on yelling for TMac to tighten-up his shoe laces. I was honest and said they think Tommy has a great tush. My grandson was very surprised. When Tommy finally adjusted his shoelaces close to the cheer squad early in the 4th quarter, we just about had fainting spells with some of those gathered. But seriously, the Melbourne Cheer Squad comprises people with beautiful hearts. A wonderful expereince. Thank you so much Ghosty ❤️

There is another ripple effect with Kozzy's long term commitment. If I put myself in Kalani White's shoes, in Kozzy here's one of the AFL's most exciting players, who would likely have a close playing relationship with Kalani. Kozz has stated for the world to hear he loves the Dees and believes in their long term success. Kalani could dream about what he and Kozzy could do together - then add playing next to the best ruck of all time... That's got to pump a young fella about his future at the Dees. Could there be another ripple effect with how Casey performed?? A butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazon jungle, through the countless build of many little disturbances and impact, a cyclone hits Hong Kong...

I hope Demonlanders don't mind a wee indulgence. Earlier this week MFC attire was proudly and contentedly worn into 10 Downing Street. Photos below. In a surreal experience, I was invited to a reception at Sir Keir Starmers digs with a small reception celebrating London Tech Week. I had low expectations as the quality of global political leadership is bog ordinary. Maybe because of low expectations, I found Keir (we're first name basis now - not) to be a most engaging listener and speaks from the heart. For our small audience anyway. But it was an easy environment. The UK is really backing tech to bring growth to the economy. Everyone had to hand in their phones to police when we entered 10 Downing. It was just like an airport check-in with passport ID check, pockets emptied and metal detectors - except it was all manned by experienced police who were incredibly respectful and polite - big difference to an airport. Walking through the hallways filled with paintings, pictures and busts of historical figures ws dream-like. There was a long staircase just like in the movie Notting Hill in which Hugh Grant busts some dancing moves. My younger daughter reckons Hugh dances like me, so I was tempted. 🕺😂 At the bottom of the staircase a staff member both guarded a side room and provided directions. I asked her if Hugh had danced in these rooms. She laughed and said it was all filmed elsewhere. As I said - surreal. But, strangely, not unlike @Ghostwriter and her game socks, I felt comfort wearing those Dees socks and links.

Not to be dramatic but informed, I went on to ask Claude.ai "If an AFL player had a number of concussion instances over 9 years ago, he recently had another incident in which he only presented symptoms 4 days after the game and it is has now been 4 weeks and he still has not cleared protocols, does this have any significance or does it reflect significantly improved head trauma protocols these days?" The response:

Early in his career, Jack had repeated concussions as his habit was to drive into contests with his head over the ball. These concussion instances were short-spaced apart as there were not the protocols we have today. At the time, the club said they had to retrain Jack's attack on contested ball otherwise his career would be cut short. Jack did learn to turn his body going into contests. But still... I hope Demonlanders don't mind if I quote Claude.ai to ask about delayed impact of repeated concussions from earlier in a sporting career:

It's my understanding the way we lost against GWS in round 1 collectively dented the boys' confidence. At the same time, the players had to implement the new game plan. A drop in collective confidence and implementing something new is not a recipe for success. Before the Freo game, there was recognition the boys focused on the new game plan to the detriment of the strengths Goody and the players always valued - the stuff that wins grand finals - contest, total team defence... Goody was quite open in his pressers and he said as much at the time. Going into Freo, the team galvanised behind embracing contest and total team defence, starting with pressure in the forward 50. Then it becomes a 'chicken or the egg' thing where was this re-embrace of the Dees historical strengths a catalyst for the improved form of our leading players or was it that the instruction to 'stop over-thinking the new game plan' resulted in freeing the players up mentally? From there, confidence feeds on itself. The Gabba game was huge for their self-belief and belief in the new game plan. There's truth in the old saying "Success has many parents while failure is an orphan". Goody would have been incredibly lonely when we were 0-5. And it was not obvious he had any support from others in the club, especially without a CEO or the President-in-waiting Steve Smith. Another wise old saying is failure never defines you, but how you respond to failing can build character and your destiny. Goody's response through the 0-5 period and the last 6 weeks has been compelling. Godspeed Goodwin

I’m surprised Kossi is 9th for pressure points on the team. It feels like he creates so much more pressure. Kossi is like if you’re in the surf and you notice a shark fin 100 metres away, you feel the pressure. 🏊‍♂️🦈 Kossi should have +50% bonus points as he’s that preying shark that can eat you somewhere in the vicinity

I was also at that 2018 West Coast prelim @BDA . What a shocking experience. I sat behind Jordan Lewis's wife and 6 year old son, who had his Dad's number on his back. The Eagle fans noticed this. In the first quarter, when Jordan made a handball error gifting the Eagles a goal, a mass of Eagle fans stood up, all looking at Jordan's wife and son, thrusting their arms up and down, pointing at wife and child. Jordan's son immediately crawled into his Mum's lap in the embryo position...And they kept yelling and pointing... There are times when human acts frighten me. Having said that, I agree Collingwood supporters are worse. Proud to be a Melbourne fc supporter.

It's also the first time this year the Dees have had strong, experienced leadership across every line. Backline - Lever and May Mids - Gawn and Trac Forwards - Melksham and Petty With the youth we've had in our forward line for so long, the absence of Melksham has been telling and significant. This is why I prefer Jake in a defensive forward role (Andy's description, not mine 😂). In this role, Jake can see, direct and lead better. It's likely another reason for Lever's quick inclusion. Lever brings on-field leadership in spades and is about the only Dee with the respect and self-confidence to tell May things others would fear to say.

With TMac's strong form, it's the first time this year we've had an emergency player who would make the starting 22 in most of the other 17 clubs.

Very nice description @Deeoldfart . Trac has been truly open and honest since his very first media interviews at the Dees. In those early days, older players were surprised with how well he articulated feelings within the club and where the club was at in a way that that was open and honest yet respected the club itself. Surprisingly, the lads get next to no media training. There are some aspects of AFL as an industry that are brilliant - I mean, what a great game - and there are other aspects that are cringe worthy amateur hour. Still, nothing's perfect, especially me. Back on Trac, his openness and honesty reflects a man who has been raised by a family filled with authentic Italian family love. For those who remain somewhat disgruntled with Trac for the media circus and conjecture following the Kings birthday game last year, just for a moment put yourself in Trac's shoes. He was informed he could have died. Then, he may not be able to play footy again. The recovery process was traumatic. For someone who aspired (aspires?) to be like Dusty and become the best in the AFL...how would any of us cope coherently... For this, Trac should have our compassion, nothing less. Celebrate a champion at the G this Sunday.

Viney's delayed out is a worry. He had many concussions earlier in his career until he learned to turn his body going into a contest. Multiple concussions over a career becomes a medical issue. As sure as night follows day, the AFL is going to have a massive lawsuit from ex-players with evidenced brain trauma. In the background, there will need to be significant, documented evidence the Dees and the AFL have ticked every box to ensure Jack faces no danger from playing AFL. On a related note, aren't you all really ticked off: That West Coast kid only received ONE week when it looks like our Jack will be out for 5! I hope new, well-networked MFC director Steve Smith can become The Incredible Hulk within AFL headquarters with this sort of stuff. The *!@&% TV commentators made light of the hit Jack took. They're not in sync with the seriousness of head trauma in global sport.

AJ has to stay in. The last time we played Sydney (March 2024) was the first time Max played against Grundy after Brodie was traded by the Dees. Twice Grundy intentionally drove his knee powerfully into Max's back. To my eyes, it came across as payback for who knows what reason. Max is crucial. So we need AJ to stay in just in case Grundy has any more payback in mind - and because Sydney runs with 2 rucks. What we Dees fans are not used to is Goody managing players. In previous seasons, Goody insisted the boys play every game and play through niggles, delivering the mental resilience that delivered flags. He has changed dramatically this season. That extended bench is so strong, I wouldn't be surprised if another player was managed this week.