Ron Burgundy

I don't think there is an MFC supporter who's not deeply frustrated at the moment Stuie. Don't need a random hypothetical to assess that.

It would solve our midfield problems ... Seriously though, I would not watch another game of AFL if the MFC went under. I used to support the North Sydney Bears in the NRL - they were booted out of the competition - I genuinely have not watched another game of rugby league ever since, including State of Origin matches. Absolutely loathe the sport now. This stuff is tribal. If your tribe gets killed, you leave the jurisdiction forever. Fortunately, I think the AFL understands this.

Hypothetical - if we win by 186 points next week, will you be happy?! What a stupid thread.

Mark Jamar was the player who concerned me the most yesterday. Bloody hopeless.

This doesn't make any sense. I could have a field day with a statement like this, but I'll resist the temptation - it's actually too easy and won't achieve anything in any event. As an observation, the mob always goes feral when things are uncertain/look bad, whether it be in politics, religion or even footy. Yesterday's performance was unbelievably bad. I did not see it coming, and I'll still don't quite understand how it happened. That said, it's one game. I am, however, very nervous about next week/the rest of the year. However, I refuse to roll out the same response as many others which seems to be "do something MFC - don't know what exactly, but just do something - now - perhaps sack the entire football department". IMO that's not necessarily a particularly clever response - I understand where it comes from, but it's not very smart. I trust the judgement of the likes of Neeld, Craig, Misson, Todd Viney, Jade Rawlings, Leigh Brown - these guys are all experienced footy men. They strike me as being very capable - far more capable in fact than many posters here. I want to read their analysis and reflections on the game during the week. So, nope - I am not dreaming - it's quite the opposite actually, I am trying to keep a calm head despite being bloody p1ssed off and embarrassed with the insipid efforts of the player group yesterday.

I've always been concerned about picking up Gillies. Yesterday confirmed why. Very awkward player.

Why exactly?

Believe me, I'm as upset with that performance as you are. The fact that Malthouse rates Neeld as highly as he does gives me confidence in his ability. I think he'll demonstrate his worth to us in due course. However, the one thing we need from supporters right now is for them to renew memberships, and get behind the club - not go running. I hated today's performance as much as anybody. I just hope it was an aberration.

What an incredibly stupid post. Hats off Richmont, I think the is the dumbest rant I've ever read on this site. No doubt, it'll attract a few 'likes' though. Personally, I'd be very happy if you disassociated yourself from this club. Forever.

It's relevant to consider what we traded/spent to get some of these players. For instance, Magner is a rookie and we picked up Rodan with pick 180.

Dead set, some of you guys are unbelievable. Talk about blowing with the wind ...

Kuremmm, I watched the game live on Fox with a few mates, given that I live in Sydney. I received texts from a stack of other mates throughout the entire game bagging me and the club. Deeply frustrating stuff. So yep - I agree - it was an absolutely pathetic performance. Almost on par with 186. Just hopeless. I hated all of it. BUT, that said, I am rational enough to see that Neeld, Craig, Misson et al are all very competent, and they are diligently doing what needs to be done at this club. I also understand that this make take a bit of time, and that simply going feral which, whilst possibly understandable, is otherwise plainly quite stupid. It also generally discloses a lack of understanding about things. So, in this context - nope, not really "one or the other" at all.

I'm a Neeld supporter - not an apologist. And, in this regard, I don't feel the need to apologise for a coach who inherited a soft, unprofessional list and who, in a short period of time, has not been afraid to make strong decisions in an attempt to introduce a hard edged, professional culture to the club. That we had a bad loss today doesn't change that. I'd love to know which allegiances some of you guys would've maintained in Vichy France. Show some heart.

What?! "Bye bye Neeldy" to the coach after his first game in the second year of a three year contract. Talk about amateur hour. It's round one and we're in a rebuilding phase. Everyone knows that. Show some heart. Neeld's not the problem. He's been a bloody good appointment IMO. And no - I didn't enjoy watching that performance today. And no - it's not acceptable. Something went very wrong today. Very wrong. However, the underlying approach to rebuilding this list and introducing a professional culture has been sound. Cop a tip, there's no genie in the bottle here - it will take time to get this club back to where it should be. Unfortunately it seems we're a bit further off than it appeared at 1.10pm today.

Did not see that coming. Looked like a 20 goal belting right from the opening bounce. Fortunately it was only a 14 goal belting. Unbelievable.

I don't understand why - Trengove will be a star and has done absolutely everything asked of him by this club. Get off his back FFS.

We need midfield class. Hence, Jimmy Toumpas every day of the week for me. And that's not a criticism of Wines.

Suns' big signing = Gary Ablett Jnr. GWS' big signing = Tom Scully. Not exactly equivalent players - similar coin though. Unbelievable.

Who of the recently departed would be in our best 22 today - Moloney, Rivers, Martin, Gysberts, Morton, Bennell, Petterd? I reckon only Rivers. Possibly Moloney. It was a good trade period.

I rate Dunn. Good clubman too - hope he has a big game today.

I wouldn't.

Add to that a really good pre season under the control of Dave Misson, and the fact that the players the club retained have now had well over a year under Mark Neeld.

There's a reason the Crows were prepared to trade half their list to get Trengove. He'll make it - I actually have no doubt about it.

Just watched the last quarter of last year's win against the Dons. Pumped! We will beat Port. Slightly left field perhaps, but I'm predicting a big game from Sellar tomorrow.

I know this has been done to death, but watching the Tiges v Blues replay this morning, I found myself getting very envious of Richmond's midfield. Cotchin, Deledio, Martin etc are dominant midfielders. Quite simply, they look the part. I then found myself thinking, how the hell is Richmond's midfield so much better than ours, given that we were rebuilding during the same period and given that we were also focussed on recruiting quality mids. In this regard, it's widely commented that we have the worst midfield - without doubt, Tapscott, Gysberts, Scully, Morton and Bennell haven't/didn't come on quite as expected. However, I'm not sure that we actually have the worst midfield. Looking to the future - we have Viney and Toumpas, both of whom I have absolutely no doubt will be dominant mids in due course. Trengove has it in him to be elite, despite a disappointing season last year. Grimes and Jones are solid. McKenzie is a bloody good tagger. And the likes of Matt Jones and Dean Kent could prove to be really good quality pick ups. Add to that Blease, Howe, Evans, Sylvia and, in future, Dom Barry - and it's not looking that bad. For the future, that is. As an aside, despite having the worst forward line in the history of the AFL last year, I now think we have a bloody good forward line. And I have no real concerns about our backline - ironic really, given that in the early 2000s this was always our achilles heel. It's just our midfield - and, thinking it through, it's not actually that bad. Interested in people's views. Am I dreaming/totally delusional?