buck_nekkid

Can someone tell us how many players are earning over 100K p/a on our list, and how many of those are 21 or under? How many players earn less than 100K, and how many of those are 21 or under? These would be an intersting stats....

What? No slander?? It would certainly cut down the number of posts we see here! Each to his own - Everyone is entitled to their comment regardless of how many games they have played, or if the clsoest they get to 'pulling on the boots' is to get their Uggies out to go to Fountain Gate. However, perhaps we should all think about the fact that we are making comments about people, YOUNG people, who are trying to make their way in the game. Instead of saying 'player X is crap', perhaps we could move up the logic pyramid and say their behaviours or actions are crap. That is what we can see and judge. Consider if you were a young footballer and copped the grief that some get here - Isnt it better to define what it is that is crap (maybe this could be constructive criticism) than to nail the individual? Anyway, everyone is entitled to their say (or spray).

Interesting only in that someone tries to find another 'angle' to sink the boots into my beloved club. As if the 'hollywood boulevarde' stuff doesnt occur in all football teams.. What, Like Chris Judd doesn't get fed grapes by the rookies in the Blues sheds?? come on! One thing about this 'cronyism' which people UNDERVALUE: The first thing that we need to do is mobilise our supporters. Especially those who are not members. This should be much easier than finding new supporters. When Stynes, Lyon, Healey, etc etc are connected to the club of today we have a much better chance of mobilising the exisiting supporter base, increasing membership and revenue and hopefully stabilising our future so that we can drive on-field success. Mr Stynes has proven himself more than capable of leading organisations with his charity work - A difficult gig in the current environment. So, reporters can take a free hit at the club. They can twist information to suit their story lines. But the truth will be in the next 3 years. We either need a resurrection or there will be a funeral. I am an optimist and a proud member of the Mebourne Football Club. Kick us all you want, it will make our next flag even sweeter.

How can Stynes become President (I assume Chairman of the board) if he has not been duly elected into the board by the membership? His 'ticket' can be endorsed, but others could stand against him. So, it is all a bit premature to say what he will be, until the process is resolved (unless you are Mugabe). I will welcome him as the new Chairman when this time comes, and I think he will bring some excellent qualities to the club. I would also like to say that I think the board have actually been doing a pretty good job under trying circumstances recently. I think the concept of the move to Casey (securing growth), and getting changes in key appointments, will certainly deliver benefits in the future. We don't see it now because the on field performance and the debt make us look like no-hopers. Remember where the Kangaroos were 12 months ago? They did a good job of digging themselves out of the mire. We have to do the same, or better, and to ensure that when 'hard' decisions are made by the AFL, that we are not the current 'basket case' (the doggies, the roos, the hawks,....all have been there...maybe it will be the saints or bombers???). We have no time to lose. We must get an increase in supporter base and memberships, as well as more cash at the gates and merchandise sold. To get this we need better on-field performances and less 'soft [censored]' supporters. Go Dees!

A voice of reason. Transformation requires self awareness and openness. When we as a club believe we are 'unlucky' or 'not too far off' then we delude ourselves, and hinder any chance of a turnaround. I hope that all supporters will only tear up their memberships if they will rush out and buy a second one. Football is a passionate sport, and I love to see the 'passion' that this board sparks between opposing points of view (and a few personal challenges!). But let not passion get in the way of reality - we are at the 'bottom' (or pretty close) now. Don't over-expect because this team cannot (currently) deliver - that is the heart of disappointment, folks! Passionately support the club, have your say and enjoy the challenge of opinion. But never walk away. We are at the 'bottom' at a very dangerous time. If too many people walk away when your club needs you the most, you may be the ones to regret the end of a great football club. Stand firm and resolute behind the team, and dont expect more than what they can deliver (then all the surprises are positive!). We have to start somewhere, and unfortunately, it is here. But wherever here is, I stand there too. Go Dees.

I'd take Roughie in a heartbeat. He did some good things this season, and is developing well. He is also capable of playing down back (say as a CHB) and also second-line ruck. He regularly kick goals, has pretty good hands and just needs to get his radar fixed occasionally. I heard him talk at a function once this year, and he said that he was not the first choice to be playing forward (with Williams out injured he got the gig), and would play anywhere to get get a game. If this is true, he either needs to step up into a number one choice in the forward line at the Hawks (likely), play back (possible), or exit (I think unlikely). Don't let his mullet fool you - this kid from Leongatha came across really well, was great with the people afterwards and spent time chatting to the kids and stuff - seemed like a nice guy. If we took him, he could be worth a fairly high pick.

I think we should ask ourselves "who was this message intended for?" It was not intended for me, or the other members. It was not intended for Joe Public. It was not intendeed for Judd and his management. The message has always been "uneven playing field" - We are not treated fairly with the draw and in lots of other ways. It may be that the message was intended for the AFL to ensure ongoing 'support'. Maybe also a bit for our sponsors or potential sponsors- everyone loves to be associated with the underdog-made-good. Every planned press statement has a message and a target audience. Don't worry what SH said, as it wasn't aimed at you.

As an overseas demon (have been for the last couple of years...) I would suggest: afl.com.au go to gameday live and you can stream the radio for any of the games. You can't just go to MMM, for example, as they play other crud over the internet during the games that they are broadcasting in Melb (or wherever). Eurosport2 (often available in hotels all over the world) has a weekly rap up show, that is played 4x per week normally. Typical AFL package of tripe, though. You can register (at a fee) for video feeds after the matches on afl.com as well, but this year I haven't bothered... Keep in touch with Demonland and demonology, often if you can't stream the game, the folks are kind enough to give you game updates (and their unbiased opinions!!) during the game. SImply logging on 1 hour after the match can tell you the result in about 5 second (look at the topics posted!) Also, realfooty.com.au (the age) and www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy are also good for the main footy articles coming through. As a member, you should also get your weekly newsletter. I also still get the NSW demons weekly newsletter, which I always enjoy. Enjoy yourself!

Riley must:Give the inexperienced players a go and see what they have got. Get the players to commit for 4 quarters Get the senior players (who are not watching it on TV from the Epworth) to back themselves. Riley will: Try a few 'crazy things' (Miller down back???) to make himself look different to Danners, at least one of which will work. Have different 'favourites' than Danners. Have a plan B (please, please, please!) Riley won't:Win us a flag this year (Ha, that was too easy!) Wont fix the kick ins (has been his responsibility before with no effect!) Be coach next year (too many 'glory boys' out there waiting for a shot....) What do you think?

Thomson, Simmonds, Jolly Bizzel,ward, pickett Robbo, Neita, Brock

Poor bloke. I know how he feels! I go in soon to get mine repaired. Hernias are hell whilst they are developing (feels like you are continually kicked in the balls..), but then settle down once they are finally ripped through the fascia. Couldn't imagine playing elite sport when it was flaring up! Dr says I can be back excercising in one week. Probably for a top footballer it would be 4 weeks max as it is only a laporoscopic repair. Not season ending by any stretch - nor career ending. Both of these things depend entirely on other circumstances!

Just saw this in the HUN: http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/com...5E20322,00.html Comments by Lyon and Schwartz very interesting. Lets hope the players heed Lyon's call and put in a big one against the Bummers....

For me, the big question is not if it is the coach or the players, but what is it that we need to change in the team (players and coach) - physical, mental, spiritual to get us the goal we all know is set - a Flag (or a series of them). Therefore, the club knows the goal but not how this group will reach it. Clarity from the board would be to set clear, minimum KPIs that have to be met by the whole football department. If 'Dusty Danners' and the rest of the group can't meet them, then they are out. Get in who can. Danners is paid to the end of the year, keep him there. Smarter would be to get his replacement in as soon as possible to learn what is really going on, so for Draft / Trade / Preseason, they are already fully aware and can begin exercising control. A winning culture should be a hungry vulture.

Thanks for the info, WD and Champ. It seems that it is between 2-5 years before a coach appointed to a new club can grab a flag- I suppose that is something to weigh up when the 'Dust Danners' call goes up (could he deliver before 2009, the earliest we could expect a new arrival to?) Either way, looks like we are in for a few more years of waiting .... (sigh!)

There is lots of talk on getting a new coach. I'm not here to speak against that, just some questions: How many 'first season' coaches with new clubs have ever won a flag? (ie, new coach, or experienced coach switching clubs, in their first year?) How long does it normally take a premiership coach in the modern era to win the flag from when they start at the club? Who has been the quickest, and how long did it take? I know there are some super stats demons out there - I think this would be a really interesting question, with the subtext "How long must we NOW wait if Danners is 'Dusted' "(thanks for the great expression Chairman!)

Thanks for your thoughts Haydo. Where do I start in replying to this? On second thoughts, I can't be bothered. Enjoy your time at the Sandy game.

this thread is as schizophrenic as our team... so first point - why we will win: Take a look at the team in isolation from the 0-8. We would expect that this team would have won this game last year (by a good margin). Rivers Sylvia and Mclean are icing on the cake. There were patches of 'good footy' against the Coke sniffers. I doubt the Poos have the capacity to hit back in 3-4 goal bursts like WC. Some good players have found a bit of form. BUT: We are a confidence team. Heads up, we are race-horses. Tails beween our legs, we are donkeys. It all comes down to what they believe as to how they will do. This is not about talent, it is about heart. (The confidence issue is why I reckon they are schizophrenic). Now, on ND. Does anyone thinks he says to the team "no one percenters this quarter, fellas." or "make sure you do one too many handballs and pass it to a stationary player", or "don't worry about defensive pressure, its over-rated". The problem is not the message, but maybe how it is being sent and received? If they have no confidence, and believe their performance is based on 'stats', then this is what you get. Change the B&F voting to the number of one percenters and see what happens. When is the 'right time' for a replacement? Not until the end of the year. And not until the board decides it is in the best interests of the club. Its up to them. (If we dont like it, we can change the board! - thats democracy in action for you!).

As an overseas demon, the best bets are: 1. Matchday live on AFL.com.au. The live audio feed gives you the radio coverage of the game. 2. Check the pay TV coverage - in Europe, the Eurosport 2 channel has a weekly package, but being in Thailand there may be something better. But even when the Dees run hot, we rarely get any coverage (guess who gets all the TV time??), and at the moment, there is little hope of coverage. 3. Log into Demonland and 'ology for a wide variety of opinion either during, or just after the game. The result determines the flavor! 4. Live video feed from AFL.com.au is not possible, and delayed coverage is available to international subscribers or bigpond members in Aust. Not plausible for one weekend. 5. The time difference is not that great, but keep it in mind for start / finish times for the match. 6. Don't feel guilty - enjoy yourself and catch up with the scores around your social program! Have a good trip!

Why didn't we pick him up.... Hes old, slow, injured, hasn't proven anything.... In perspective, he wouldn't get near our best 22. We are desperate with injuries, so he may get a game (of the bench) for us at the moment, but we expected to play with a much fuller list than will go onto the park tonight (Damn those injuries!). Next, we already have a pack of hard-nutters. We can all remember the calls from the footy department before each draft. Then what did we do? Make them soft and try to remake them into Steve Monaghettis. A bad idea in my book to give away one of our key success factors.... but Rodan would have been a long way back on any list of midfielders. We don't need FP or HFF types (we seem to have too many of them...) So.. Rodan - NO WAY. CAC has probably been one of the best at getting 'smokeys' from the draft. Rodan is no smokey, just a 'stinky'. Port may get a few good games from him (or even a season), but he is still damaged goods.

I dont know him, but the Demons need every professional we can get - Im sure he is also pulling his hair out at how many of the players he can't work with through injury. We have half the facilities of the big spending clubs, so every bit helps. Jinx?? No idea, but it makes for a good conspiracy theory. My major problem is the idea that one of the BEST TACKLING SIDE in the comp last year were told to lighten up and become runners. Many posters have commented on how skinny the boys now are. We just gave up a KNOWN and PROVEN key success factor (our hardness) for an unknown benefit that doesnt fit the players recruited (anybody remember the need to recruit tough, in and under types???). We are seeing some of the results. Not BB's fault, he is only training the boys according to the plan. Who's plan is it?? I think we know.....

Sylvia Carroll PJ Petterd Miller Bizzell TJ Junior Bate Pickett Fergy Bruce Yze Dunn Davey White Moloney Green Buckley Bell CJ Jamar Something a little different. We leak like a sieve down back because we have no control in the middle. PJ is a great trier, and reasonably athletic, so play him behind the ball (stand the resting ruckman if he goes forward). Miller on Hall. Fergy to CHF - not a real need on the SCG, but he can roam and lead up the ground, aka the old Miller role. I would put Sylvia back and use his drive to bring the ball out. I would DEMAND that white dominates the corridor - and acts as a link man in the square. If he kicks anything less that 45 degrees off the goal to goal line, bench him. Get him to present to players coming off the half back, with Fergy posting up as the other option. Pettard in - lets see what he has. Dunn at FF, deserves it after last week. Give Nietz at least one more. Assuming TJ and Moloney are right to go. Pickett to squish kenally, then Bruce to make him look like an Irish backpacker lost from Fox studios. Buckley to come in if Moloney doesn't come up. Bate to prove lots of people wrong....

Here's a thought.. Aaron Davey is cheesed off that his brother, who trained with Melbourne over the summer, was not picked up. Instead he went to the Bombers. So, maybe he's not really happy and is expressing it in his play????... Hmmmm. Otherwise, how can you explain the 'hero to zero' path so fast?

Not even Chris Judd could save us. Would WC want any of the list the way they are playing at the moment??? Id say NOPE.

We are an absolute rabble at the moment. In summary: 1. Demons have no gameplan - Run and carry? Not one player seems to have a clue what to do with it. 2. Injuries are hurting us - no ones fault, but collectively costly. 3. Coaching seems limited and without any inventiveness (no plan B???) 4. They are weak as p&&&. Last year Dees were one of the hardest at it. This year many players dropped kilos over the preseason (to run the pants off the opposition) and now are soft. Can't hold a tackle, and cant break them. 5. No confidence and selfish play 6. Youngsters not selected - either not good enough, not ready, or....... Who is going to take RESPONSIBILITY for these failures? Who is going to stand up and turn it around???? It is going to be a long, painful, season.

Dear Old Rex... It is not overly hard to tip against the Dees this week: 1. Lost the first 2 games with no heart 2. Lost key personnel 3. Up against a side that won by a bucketload last week. On paper (and according to this site) we dont have the cattle. Or the guts. or anything else. But I still tipped the Demons (and I thought Rex was the dribbling idiot!)