heartbeatstrue

Bailey is trying o do his best with a sub-standard list, as Paul Keating once said, "it's the recession that we had to have"

Yeah Keating also said something about us becoming a banana republic. Keep trying to play like we are and we'll be the basket case of the comp.

I've seen all 4 games at the 'G. All different oppositions, but there's something depressingly similar about Melbourne's woes. I'm trying to rationalise it. Whatever, it seems Bailey is expecting them to play some radically different style that they are not able to. I watched Bailey today, very little emotion. I suspect he's not hurting like many of us are. Probably very different emotions for him.

Commentator on 774 said after the game that from junior footy, a player's instinct after getting the ball is to look ahead and kick to a target. But Melbourne players are being asked to play a style against their natural instincts. Which is why they look sideways for someone running past, hesitate (natural instinct happens at speed of light, these guys are having to think and compute options.. takes precious time).

Commentator also said that kicking forward to a contest at least puts the ball in the zone where something can happen, train to beat your opponent in one on ones, put some trust in ourselves to beat an opponent. Then add the handball stuff on top of that, rather than try to manufacture a whole new style which is simply beyond the players we've got.

Dean Bailey pleaded "to the red and blue faithful for their understanding and persistence through this rough time" ( from website)... yet he was absent from the aftermatch function! Stan Alves said it's time for Bailey to front the fans, explain what's going on, tell us the plan if he wants our patience and understanding. At the moment, we and our club's future are being treated in very cavalier fashion. And it's hurting. Badly.