Nasher

Col Garland surely just hit the lead in the Bluey race.

deanox is spot on (in his now deleted posts) - churlish name calling is not on. The offending post and discussion that ensued are now gone.

And any player who signs for two after his 8th season. Weird rule, what's it there to protect against?

There are elements that Neeld has promised to deliver, which from the various bits and pieces I hear from those close to the club, I believe are being delivered upon and I still believe in them. This is the stuff like demanding elite preparation, training and fitness standards and so on, as well as delivering players clear messages about what is required to improve. I also heard an interesting story about how the 'fringe' players last year being told in no uncertain terms what they had to do in order to be retained, the only one of them bothered to do them is the only one of that group still on the list. BH in another thread called in to question Neeld's approach to these fringe players including Gysberts, Moloney, Petterd and Morton, making the assertion that players won't improve if they don't have the confidence of the coach. I agree with this in part, but I also agree that if players are going to take an obstinate attitude towards taking direction from the coach, they do themselves absolutely no favours. As a senior coach trying to pull everyone on to the same path, I can understand you might sooner or later declare that enough is enough. A whole season is surely enough for a player to see the writing on the wall and pull his head in and these guys didn't. Guys like Chris Dawes and Colin Garland have said they believe in the coach, and I believe they're being sincere. The one thing that is obvious though is that we're being smashed on the field in a matter that is completely unsustainable, and this is why the coach will go. For whatever reason, when it comes to on the field, the message is not getting through, or it is but it's a poor message. Either way, I can't see how this cycle is going to break without a change. The performance of our players, mostly, have been limp and lifeless. Their confidence is destroyed. I honestly believe we're not as bad as we're playing - certainly we're a bottom eight side on merit, but we're not 100+ point drubbings to Essendon bad. I believe a change at the top and a fresh set of instructions will go some way to breaking the psychological barrier the players are behind. With the way we've been playing and the deep hole the players are in in their minds, I can't see how the coach can possibly be retained. It's okay to point at the age and inexperience of the list, and the lack of quality through our midfield, but I think it's a huge leap to get from there to "it's okay to routinely lose by 10 goals". It's not okay. The other thing very alarming about Neeld's tenure to date is that the goalposts keep moving, and even this year they've moved (5 year plan - since when?!). His complete surprise at our lack of competitiveness early in the year is horrifying - it really did sound like nobody was behind the wheel. These are the things I see as our goals moving forward: Find a coach who is a good motivator and knows how to press the right buttons for different players. Better 'screening' of the coach during the hiring process is essential. Ensure the parts of Neeld's plan that are working are maintained. We need to be training and preparing at the same level as the best clubs, if not better. Back the players that we've got. I don't think all our players are as bad as they're being made to look due to their heads being in the wrong place. I don't expect 15 changes again this year. I had this post interrupted a million times so I didn't get to ride my "trains of thought" all the way through as I'd have liked, but I hope I'm making some sense. Either way, while I have some sympathy to the sentiment behind this thread, I can't see how retaining Neeld is at all viable.

I conclude from this thread that we should re-hire Dean Bailey as senior coach.

Sigh. Are we going to bump this thread every time he has a good game or a poor game?

I disagree that the supporters have a right to a justification to every selection decision that happens. What if, hypothetically, the reason was "he's got ability, but just doesn't listen to a word his coaches or teammates say"? It would be unfair on the player for this to enter the public domain. So in answer to the title of this topic, yes, there's a pretty good chance the coach knows something about Magner that we don't know. The reason may not be apparent to us, but that doesn't mean that there isn't one, or that it isn't a compelling one. I know that most people have zero trust or Neeld, but that doesn't mean that every decision he makes is poor or irrational.

I for one have been amazed at the club's ability to get worse when I thought it couldn't. Besides, "it couldn't be worse" is hardly much of an endorsement. As for Kennett, I acknowledge that he would bring to the table qualities we desperately need; leadership, strength and a history of getting it done. I also acknowledge that nobody else seems to be putting their hand up. I just hope we are able to find those qualities without turning to a self interested, divisive loudmouth like Kennett. Other suitable candidates must be out there.

And closer to 40 than 30.

Agreed. Best people, not best Melbourne people. Junior might be the best, but I doubt it. Anyway, sounds to me like this rumour became a rumour when the OP posted it.

Strawman debating at its finest.

The harm is delaying post-season surgery, which puts their pre-season training back. I'm not advocating one approach or the other, but let's not pretend that there is no cost involved. It's a decision about what's more important; players playing in finals in a secondary competition, or starting pre-season ASAP?

Agree with your changes titan. I thought Sellar might be the choice for Cloke, but I'm not sure that leaves us well balanced. On the other hand though, Kent and Tapscott are currently both low possession flankers; how many of those do we need? I like Kent more at present. Sellar and Tapscott fighting to be the 22nd best player for mine. Seems a trivial decision for all the difference it will make.

Looking in the wrong direction.

That would be a stupid reason.

The fact that you listed Bluey winner tells me plenty. This is a typical case of trying to find the best Melbourne candidate instead of the best candidate.

What mess? Is that a serious question? There has never been a poster in the history of this site who seems to be completely and utterly blind to what is happening as you are. I'm not saying that to be nasty, it is just an observation. How can you not recognise that we're amongst the most uncompetitiv e teams in the last few decades and 5m in the red as a mess? Unbelievable.

No way, I do all my watching on TV and can honestly say I have absolutely no idea what is going on most of the time, thanks to the cameras being zoomed in far too close to the play. I can't see when players haven't worked hard enough to contest (or when they have made an extra special effort to do so), I can't see how the team is set up forward of the ball, and I can't see what options a player has when using the ball. Sitting in an elevated position at the ground is definitely better from the perspective of knowing what is going on.

Haha, yeah. What a catastrophe it would be if we started winning.

I thought the past ones might have raised a red flag or two, old dee.

If this is the case, I don't follow the logic. What can we learn from the QB game that we've not had the opportunity to learn already through the rest of this embarrassment of a season? It seems outrageous that we will ignore everything we've seen in two years of train wreck, and base everything on the outcome of one solitary match completely in isolation.I think Neeld should go, but if it happens immediately after a QB drubbing I'll be seething. It will be a classic case of stumbling upon the right answer via a horribly malformed thought process.

Come on, a dozen journalists sitting outside the MFC boardroom for 5 hours only to go home empty handed counts as something doesn't it? I got cheap amusement from it anyway.

Jade Rawlings to be caretaker John Lennon until end of year.

I thought the same thing. Experienced, has a flag to his name and could be interested in a new challenge. I would definitely give it a RHG.

I reckon I'm pretty passionate too, but I haven't smashed my TV. If this story is true - the TV was really smashed and you're on here boasting about it, you not only have an anger management problem but a problem with differentiating right from wrong. I'd be so embarrassed by my own behaviour if that were me that I'd be begging her not to tell anyone and counting myself lucky that banning me from watching was the only thing she did.