Real Demon

If the players and coach don't like the perception of them, then do something to change it. Talk of the comments being offensive is the easy way out.

Beautifully said Hannabal, right on the money!

Spot on Jaded!

Well Artie, the world I live in revolves around results. AFL coaches live and die by results. Right or wrong that's life. There may be a lot more factors at play than what supporters see, but at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. It's perception as much as anything that ends coaching careers.........just ask Mark Williams. And for the majority of supporters who don't have any inside knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes, perception is reality.

Players with talent develop at even the worst clubs. I wouldn't point to Bailey as the sole reason for Watts and Maric showing signs of improvement. There's no ignorance here, and try playing the ball and not the man Artie. I've been a Bailey fan all along, and actually hope the team gets on a roll, we have a big finish to the year, and he gets reappointed. But I've seen some seriously disturbing signs this year, prior to the injuries, and have now formed the opinion he isn't up to it. He's had 3 1/2 years to get the list he wants, and have the team play the way he wants. Yet it's still a work in progress. How long do we give him Artie?????

As a supporter, I've been patient enough with Dean Bailey. I bought the rebuild, the upskilling of players, the facilities, the games into players, the new game plan, the players learning to play multiple positions, the learning to win quaters,etc etc. It's been a great story, great to read, and filled the supporters with hope, and has kept the pressure off Bailey and the club for 3 1/2 years. I actually think we've been suckered into thinking that all of the above means that losing is acceptable. It quite simply isn't. The recent injuries are unfortunate, but aren't the sole reason for how the team is playing. Our close to full strength team was diabolical against Hawthorn and West Coast. I like Dean Bailey, I really do....... I like his demeanour, what he says, how he says it, his stoic nature etc......he ticks a number of boxes for a senior coach.......he just can't win games, and that is his primary reason for being. He's not alone, and coaches with far superior coaching records than him have been moved on from their clubs historically. The Bailey sympathisers are simply going to have to live up to this reality, and understand that at the end of it all, only one thing really matters.........wins. Consider those who have gone around the league before him, and their respective winning percentages: Kevin Bartlett 88 games 30.7% Matthew Knights 67 games 37.3% Ken Judge 133 games 36.8% Peter Schwab 109 games 47.7% Tim Watson 44 games 27.3% Jeff Gieschen 49 games 51.0% Danny Frawley 113 games 39.8% Damian Drum 57 games 22.8% Chris Connolly 130 games 52.3% Neil Balme 98 games 41.8% Peter Rhode 45 games 20.0% Dean Bailey 75 games 24.0% Sure, all of the above were different teams, different eras, different stages of development etc. But history tells us a record like Bailey's, regardless of how much of a good bloke you are, and how many extenuating circumstances there may be, the lack of wins will end your career. If Dean was sacked tomorrow, he and his supporters couldn't be suprised as to why.

You're kidding yourself Artie if you're hanging your hat on flogging an insipid Adelaide. Do the Hawthorn or West Coast games ring any bells? The champagne comedy is Bailey sympathisers blind faith in a guy whose record is nothing short of pitiful. We keep hearing about this magic number of games into players as though all of a sudden the penny will finally drop, and the winning flood gates will open. What is the magic number of games for Bailey?

You're spot on Artie...........he can't win, that's the problem, and his record of 18-55 proves it!!!!!

Great call..............and not only that, no B/S excuses and "games into players" rhetoric!!!!!! I wish we had a coach that taught a game plan that doesn't take 3 1/2 years to learn, and the players still not understanding or playing it correctly!

Make this season stop, I want to get off!

Opinion noted.

I think you have to back the club in on a decision like this. Having just eradicated the debt, they wouldn't have pursued this unless they were convinced it is the right move for the club. Now it's officially part of the MFC, I might make the effort to spend a bit more time and money down there!

Good to see Nicholson get a run, I'm sure he has earnt it! And even better is that we have a coach who can swing the changes, and keep playing kids, just can't get the wins. Happy days MFC!

I'm no Bailey apologist, and if his time is up come seasons end then so be it, but this article is crud of the highest order! Tell the football world something it doesn't know! Bailey along with a heap of other coaches are going to be under the pump to keep their jobs this year if their teams don't fire. You are an absolute amateur John Ralph!

Jack Riewoldt Johnathan Brown Trent Cotchin

Good to see the real Juice stand up yesterday and silence the hysteria of last weeks 1st qtr!

Once North hit the lead, you could see the work rate drop away pretty quickly. Is giving up not putting in the same effort as you previously had once things get a bit tough? I say it is. Chip was right...........call it whatever you like.........they just stopped fighting.

The thing is, Green has the potential to be an excellent captain, and wasn't given the job for no reason. His best football was when he was out of the leadership group, and he was playing like a man possessed, and determined to win back respect. If he can find that form and commitment again, he will be a great captain. He has to find it within himself to get back to that standard, and set the example. I've seen him do enough brave and tough acts over the years, and he definitely has the talent. Let's back him in while he adjusts to the role.

Some good points, and I think the current administration has done an enormous job in trying to re-establish the identity, respect, and sense of worth of the MFC. It's very difficult to have a culture of success and winning, when the club has been a financial bus crash, has operated in sub standard facilities, has had board upheaval, and basically been fighting for its survival, much less to win games of footy, and flags. To change the way an organisation operates, thinks, acts, etc is not an easy thing to do, but from what I see, I have never felt more positive about the future, and think the culture already has changed considerably. The thing I like about the way the club is run now is that tough decisions are made when they need to be, and there is renewed expectations across the board to perform. Make no mistake about it, our culture is improving, and changing. You could view the James McDonald issue as a positive or a negative, in that they made a tough call on a player in his 30's who had come off a hamstring injury, and they called time on his career for the longer term interests of the club and team. That was a hard call to make, and I've got no doubt the people in and around the club would have loved him as much as the supporters, but the decision says a lot about the current mindset of the club, and the direction they are taking. I'm not sure it highlights any cultural inadeqacies..........it may not have been the right decision in hindsight, but I don't know it can be pointed to as a reference for a bad culture.

Just calling it how I saw it. I don't think I stated anything harsh against Newton at all..........where have I bagged him?????? As I said, he along with many of his team mates did little after quater time. He tried hard, no doubt...........I was sitting at the interchange area, and he was shagged when he came off, so no doubting his effort........to me he looked to be struggling with the pace of the game, probably because he hasn't played in the senior team for so long.......that's not bagging him, just syaing he will take a few games to get up to AFL level match fitness, and part time ruck fitness. His first quater was good, but the opposition was also soft, so lets not say he has arrived after contributing in the first quarter! And as I said, if Bate could ruck, Newton wouldn't have had a call up. Not harsh on him at all......I think Bate is a better forward and player than Newton. Newton just happens to have a good leap, and a little more back up ruck experience than Bate. As a result, once Jamar is back, Juice will end up back at Casey. Just my opinions.

Supporters love overating the "good" quaters of footy we play. North were pathetic for most of the first quarter, and we capitalised. When the heat came on, we wilted yet again........3 quaters in a row we were simply ground down. Newton was ineffectual when the game was on in earnest, as were many of his team mates. Watching him come off, he was also physically stuffed by half time, and looked to be feeling the step up in the pace of game. Let's be honest, if Bate could ruck, Newton wouldn't have played. Newton is a more effective ruck option than Dunn because he can jump. He appeared to have a crack which was good to see, but as was posted earlier, he will find himself back at Casey soon enough.

I sat near the interchange bench today, and watched Green closely for a good 20 minute period, which was around the time North had just taken the lead, and were starting to pull away on the scoreboard. He continued to return to his wing like he was just any other player.......no screams of encouragement, directing traffic, swapping into the middle etc. Very disappointing to see. I left the game thinking our captain really should only be one of Moloney or Jamar. Green has been a great player, but seems to struggle to know what to do as captain on field.

Bate very unlucky, and hope he gets back in if Trenners is sidelined. He wasn't great last week, but deserves another week or two!

Unbelievable! See you next season everyone!

Party on! Let's hope the players get Physical, Physical!