Ron Burgundy

As an aside, I don't think that interview helped Brock's chances of getting picked up by the Dees in the PSD later this year. He may come to regret that. Took the bait nicely when it was put to him by that man of absolute integrity, Mike Sheahan, who seemingly used Brock as a stalking horse on this topic. As critical as I am about those years (essentially from a recruiting and overall list strategy perspective), I never formed the view that the intention underlying what the club was seeking to achieve was anything but to ensure future success. In retrospect, it now seems a naive approach - but it's another thing altogether to suggest it was fraudulent. And coming from someone who skipped the coop to go to Carlton - that's bloody rich. In fact, it's just historical revisionism. And just to jog everyone's memory about the Kreuzer/Judd Cup - the initial post sums up the picks Carlton stood to gain from losing this game: http://demonland.com...elb-vs-carlton/ Thanks Bomber Riley. Thank you very much.

Seems like a little beauty when compared to Jack Darling. WCE must be roaring. With laughter that is.

At least Neeld is finally trying to introduce a hard edged, competitive, disciplined, professional culture into this club.

I recall Brad Scott stating in the build up to the North v Demons clash in round 6 in 2010 that he didn't quite understand the hype around our list - and that he believed North's young players were much better. The Roos won that game 15.14.106 to 12.6.78. They won the round 22 clash in 2010 as well. I remember thinking at the time, 'you know what, I agree'. In my observation, North seemed to choose the obvious, hard at it, yet talented mids with their picks - yet we tended to select slightly more left field picks, albeit with higher draft selections. North also seemed also to prefer a different 'type' of player to us. Less choir boy, but still quick and talented. History's proved Scott to be correct IMO. I can't find the article prior to the game in which Brad Scott said this, but here's an extract taken from the press conference following their win. “I think the hype around Melbourne’s younger players has been a little bit higher with early draft picks - people expect their young players are better than ours but I thought our young guys stood up,” he said. “To have 10 players who have played less than 25 games in the team today which is significantly more than what Melbourne had was a pretty pleasing result for us.” http://www.kangaroos.com.au/2010%20results/tabid/17523/default.aspx In short, our recruitment's not been as good as it should have been. And I reckon Neeld knows this - I expect he'd be more in the Brad Scott camp on this, and our approach to recruiting will now reflect this.

I think this is a very good post Akum. However, I think the situation is actually very different now to what we saw in 2008. The one thing that gives me confidence in the new regime (Neeld) is that there is now a very deliberate and strong focus on the fundamentals: fitness, discipline, defensive integrity, set up, recruiting for specific roles etc. In short, the boring stuff that, if executed well, will ultimately translate into winning important games. Under Bailey it seemed to be all about getting high draft picks, getting 'game time' into kids, and hey presto - here's a decade of dominance. In retrospect, that approach seems naive in the extreme - but, in fairness, we weren't the only club to fall victim to this thinking. I think the Suns and GWS perhaps fell into the same category of thinking (as did many industry 'experts' at the time). Neeld is from a disciplined culture. He is trying to muscle a disciplined, professional focus onto a club which, in my time at least, has never had that culture. And that's a challenge. A very big one. He may not ultimately be good enough to bring about this change. But I'm bloody glad/relieved he's having a crack at it. The alternative is just too horrendous to think about. The incredible naivety I read from some posters about this on these threads is just frustrating in the extreme. Just because we had some 'paper over the cracks', pretty wins against ordinary opposition in recent years, doesn't mean we were working towards sustainable success deep into September each year. The reality is we were getting BELTED by the good teams under Bailey. Consistently. The AFL is a seriously elite competition. No coach can simply turn an unfit, inexperienced, bottom four list into a top 8 team in the space of one season. Surely everyone knows that. It will take time to turn this list around. Ironically, I think it will take more time than some posters here have patience for, but less time than the so-called industry experts think. Keep the discipline.

Thanks Wacko. Top post.

Yet more wisdom from "thaipantsman". You must have seen a lot of action in your time "thaipantsman" - patently, so much life experience.

Totally agree. Quite simply, two of our most important players.

Some more quality input from "thaipantsman".

I'm pretty sure I heard an interview with Howe recently during which he said something along the lines of - "yeah, I need to keep continue developing aspects of my game etc. In future, I really want to get into the leadership group at THIS club". As an aside, he made no mention of wanting to hang out at Rundle Mall on weekends.

I reckon Neeld knows this. After all, he was Collingwood's midfield coach. I also reckons Neeld knows a good midfielder when he sees one (eg, Swan, Thomas, Beams, Pendlebury etc) - despite several posters here regularly giving him feedback as to the relative worth of our own mids. The fact that Neeld wants Cloke suggests to me he knows the importance of an effective forward line too. And Cloke in particular. But that doesn't mean he'll also be going like a bull at a gate to recruit quality mids this draft period.

Yep, but we also have to trade picks or players to land them. And, cop a tip, we're not the only club who'll part with loads of cash to get him. Not irrelevant considerations.

The good thing about having a complete dearth of really good senior players is that we have loads of room in the cap to front load such contracts. You can either get great players in one of two ways: 1. recruit them as kids and develop them effectively (which we haven't done in recent years), or 2. attract established players from other clubs. To do the latter, you either need to be a great club in a premiership window (which we are not at the moment), or you have to offer them a very, very fat contract. I say get him. And that means offering him a very fat, front loaded contract. With effective recruiting THIS draft period, I reckon we can transform this list quicker than some people think. Clark and Cloke with an effective engine room is an exciting thought.

Do you believe the moon landing actually occurred Jackie?

Here's some reality for you, stuie. Malthouse would know Neeld's ability far better than any sideline observation he may have once held of MFC's list. And I expect any positive views he MAY once have held were based on some of our 2010 performances, rather than those we were dishing out in 2011. Hard, for instance, for any reasonable observer to think our list is the future of the game after being belted by 31 goals at Geelong only one year ago. I also expect Malthouse no longer holds that view of MFC's list. I strongly suspect he still rates Neeld though.

Similar inside 50 stats against the Lions at the Gabba too. We need two pillars - Clark and Cloke. And a much better engine room. And a few other things (but, fortunately, no longer a new coach or head of fitness).

And, for the most incisive razor-like analysis on the board ... enter the "thaipantsman".

Neither Malthouse or Roos would have wanted to take the helm of this club last year. Ohhh - I forgot - opinions don't need to be rooted in reality on this thread. One fact to consider though - Malthouse strongly endorsed Neeld and rates him very highly.

The improvements are in the approach. It is now professional and it is focussed on the underlying fundamentals, rather than some hopeful wish-thinking rhetoric about simply getting game time into skinny kids and then miraculously winning flags. Neeld (and his regime) did not select the current stock - and, from what I've seen of him, I expect our list would look completely different had he been at the helm several years ago. In short, this draft period is crucial. I expect Neeld will bring in a few more mature bodies, in addition to some talented young mids. It's the gap between reality and poorly directed emotion on these threads that is really frustrating. Blind Freddy can see where this list is at. We've also had a stack of injuries this year to key players. And our fitness levels at the start of this year were well below AFL standard according to all reports. And yet - some people here, notwithstanding the above, expect Neeld to consistently beat other more professional AFL clubs in his first season all of whom have more elite players AND more elite fitness levels AND superior club cultures AND more experienced lists in terms of age and games played. In short, the only mediocrity I consistently observe are some of the views expressed by certain posters on threads such as this one. Start thinking properly.

Hardnut would have us believe we've been a top 4 side for the last 6 years, and that Neeld has somehow managed to stuff it all up. Pity the facts suggest otherwise. As they say, to all complex problems there is a simple answer ... that is wrong. Simply blaming everything on Neeld is plainly stupid. And wrong.

Sat next to him at a Debt Demolition Dinner earlier this year. Lovely bloke. We're lucky to have him. Confirmed to me in spades that this club is heading in the right direction. It genuinely amazes me that not all supporters see this.

Whilst I agree with the sentiment Ben-Hur, I don't think Neeld would want your charity. Doesn't strike me as that kind of bloke. He would simply want some patience and understanding from our supporter base to enable him do the things he knows need to be done. In short, he needs rational, intelligent supporters - not feral, reactionary types who can't think.

Very pleased the club has taken a very different view to the title of this thread.

6 years.

Probably? That's generous.