Demon Disciple

See where you're coming from but don't entirely agree. I'd love for every Dees supporter to turn up at all times, but would prefer a member who is absent over a non-member who turns up more often. Agree with you here demonique, whilst supporting your team through appearance is very important, being a paid-up member is even more important to the club. IMO the definition of 'supporter' is being a member of the club and no less. Those who are not, are just fans.

Sure things are not great at the moment, but we have to give Neeld time. Why, because the players have had it so good for so long, of course they're going to create a stink when someone comes in and challenges their cushy way of life. Imagine having to work and earn their hefty wages, the nerve! Neeld deserves time, so too does the coaching panel, the likes of the CEO and even the board have had plenty of this, they should be the first one's in the gun, they have overseen our horrific culture continue with the likes of the tanking debacle, etc. Secondly comes the playing group, about time they are held accountable, as they are the one's ultimately responsible for our on-field performance. If the time comes that Neeld must be moved on, an experienced coach should be the only option. Why not aim for a big target, as it would take a big target to turn this ship around. Clarkson? Fanciful. Sheedy? LOL. Williams? his time as a head coach is done. Paul Roos should be our main target. Unlikely? absolutely, but he loves to stroke his ego, no doubt he would find it hard to reject the chance of turning a basket case into a premiership-threat. Just my 2 cents.

we'd be lucky to get a first rounder for him. But i agree, should he go via free agency at the end of the year, it would free up significant cap space, along with Flash retiring, we 'd have a fair amount of relief (but who in their right mind would want to come here, Neeld must have told Mitch a ripper to convince him we are a good option).

Beyond reasonable doubt - The standard that must be met by the prosecution's evidence in a criminal prosecution: that no other logical explanation can be derived from the facts except that the defendant committed the crime, thereby overcoming the presumption that a person is innocent until proven guilty. There is so much doubt as to whether Liam is guilty or innocent of the crimes he is alleged to have committed, under the laws that govern this country and the rights afforded to its citizens, there can only be but one possible verdict.

Sylvia has all the tools to be the best player on our list and by a fair margin. The problem is that it has been the case for the past 5 years. He will be turning 28 by year's end and should've been entering his prime back when he was 22. Unless you are Lenny Hayes, Judd, etc you're best football as a mid at 28 is probably behind you. I have been one of the biggest Sylvia fans, but even i concede that he will never live up to his abundant potential. He is not going to help our climb up the ladder. Come years end he should be traded or let go through FA. As for Howe, he only has one real weakness in his game and that is goal-kicking. Fix that up and he will take the next step, but as Sylvia has taught me, i will only believe it when i see it.

it could just be that our perpetual under-performing, is starting to catch up with us.

Honestly, who knows? I remember we were continually fed the line that the footy club was looking for sponsorship with a Chinese connection, yet low and behold, when the EnergyWatch fiasco blew up in our face, only then did one CS reveal that we had absolutely nothing on the line. Our recent success of attracting sponsors through our own means is rather poor. First we had Hankook with De La Rue, a long-time member, then came kaspersky which was brought about by a supporter telling his boss, we finally look to shake the hold with EnergyWatch (too good to be true), our final major sponsors webjet and opel, come on-board out of sympathy because of the situation we found ourselves in (and no doubt at a discounted rate). Times are tough yes, but the likes of the filth would never need to look, because they have potential sponsors lining up (even Port Adelaide can nab one). Why do we always find ourselves in the same position?

Good topic this one. I was a big Tapscott fan from when we first drafted him up until about mid-last year. I have cooled quite a bit on him though, because he has done nothing of worth on the football field. I am still waiting............. He doesn't get it enough to have much of an impact. He showed some good signs against Adelaide in round 21? last year during the first quarter, but then did nothing afterwards (similar to the rest of the team though). He needs to find consistency as well as consistent ball, but then again so does the rest of our team (i guess that's why we are where we are). I love his size and he can be quite physical at times (which we all love) and would like to see more of it, all be it controlled. His hit on Reece Shaw was a thing of beauty, but other than that, he hasn't done too much else. Time for him to step-up or just be another could've-been.

well the saying goes, "nothing hard has ever come out of Brighton Grammar".

Don't think you can draw too much from it either way. Just remember, sure Scully ran away as fast as he could, whilst at the exact same time, Trengove signed a 3-year deal (straight away).

A good idea, or put up membership an extra $20 next year, explaining the obvious reasons. Either way, i'm pretty sure our foundation members will see to it that this $500k is wiped off pretty quickly, be it now or at the foundation heroes dinner event. Don't thank the likes of Schwab, Connolly, Neeld, Bailey, McLardy and even big Jim (to a much lesser extent), thank this select group of supporters who continually dig deep into their own pockets to help bail the club out of financial woe, and will no doubt again pay off the largest part of this debt. I have little doubt that without Jim coming on board when he did, this club would cease to exist. But i have no doubt that without our foundation heroes, this club would cease to exist.

Ok, so the MFC was fined $500,000, but what impact will it have on sponsors who don't want to be associated with a club who employed 2 people who have been found guilty? For starters, i'd being suing CW and fairfax media for defamation, $500,000 minimum.

Remember being at the game, was definitely a wild night. We had some Crows supporter sitting behind us and every time they kicked a goal in the first he would say "ooohhhhhhhhhhh yyesssssssssssssss". Then came the fight back. When Vardy slotted that goal from the left flank, the Crows supporter lost his [censored] "he never did that for us"!!!! But alas, we came to a stand still, remember looking at the huddle at 3/4 time thinking they looked stuffed. Ah well Was only last week i watched the Melbourne V Kangaroos 2000 PF on name-a-game. Man, we had some good players in that team, underrated by many in the AFL, but many underrated by our very own. We played on at all costs, we ran, but we also kicked the ball long backing our pillars in Neita and Schwartz, then the Wiz was there to crumb (kicked seven that night). Our midfield was dynamic, and we haven't had a CHB as good as Ingerson since (i count Frawley as our FB). The run from defense was fantastic and we never went sideways or backwards in our defensive part of the ground. There is only one better feeling than knowing for all of the second half that your team will be playing in the grand final, alas it didn't come the next week, and it doesn't look like it will be coming any time soon

If i am not mistaken, the last time we won our first round game was all the way back in 2005! So odds are we won't win, but then again, we are long-overdue. I have NFI!

might just be me, but when Mark Neeld first came to the club, in the videos uploaded on the MFC website he would often remark "the Melbourne Football Club", whereas now he says "we".

The last time we were that ruthless and dominant for an entire game would have to be against Carlton back in 2004.................long, long time ago that was.

Agree Gonzo, amateur hour indeed. Schwab has done some good things for the MFC as CEO, but he also has done things not so well (sponsorship being one of them). I have for quite a while now held the view that choosing Schwab over Fox as CEO is just as big a stuff-up as selecting Lucas Cook over Darling.

How is it that he never won a Brownlow? And bloody DiPierdomenico gets one! Best and Fairest player in the competition my ass.

Indeed they were. I remember at the time we were reluctant to offer any contracts in excess of 3 years. We yielded, foolishly so.

Think it was a 4-year contract, but agree with you. Held us over a barrel and got his big contract he demanded, but has done stuff all since. Should bow out and return the favour to a very generous MFC.

Rookie draft happens after the PSD.

Or maybe it could be to ride shotgun with new recruit Dean Kent, back to Melbourne.

Give it a week or two, and a few reports on training in which we seem to be progressing really well. There will be posters' bemoaning the length of the pre-season, given their excitement for the season ahead. The season finally gets underway, which after only a few short weeks, starts to not go as hoped. Next comes the pleas for the pain to end, with prayers for said season to quickly come to horrible conclusion. The final stage is the wait between end of season and the trade/draft period, where optimism and excitement is once again restored. It is all a too familiar feeling, with many unfortunate souls continually getting sucked in, with some pessimists getting pulled along for the ride, yet some remain steadfast in their refusal to see the light. It is the MFC seasonal cycle in all it's beauty. A very vicious one indeed, and not for the faint hearted!!!

If Toumpas had hip problems, somehow i doubt he'd be able to jump around like that.

He might fit the '4 pills' criteria!