praha

Nah.

They started cheering when he got on his feet, not when he injured himself. I was sitting very close to the PA cheersquad.

It's has far worse consequences these day. In the days of social media where everyone is online and brand mean everything, the club has been irrelevant and garbage. The age of Facebook has not been kind to this club, and it will hurt it moving forward. Many people don't understand this, but you can't go through sustained periods of failure anymore. You could in the 70s, but these days people will simply turn off. The club needs to start performing. It's on the brink.

Progressive sentiment of positivity and "not making them feel bad" during times of extreme failure in an intensely competitive environment is not necessarily "support": support can be both negative and positive. Fans boo because they expect better, and today was an important day, both on and off field. I'd argue that remaining positive after initial success equates to "support", but critiquing those that scrutinise after multiple failures -- say, 50 years worth -- is bordering delusional. I am not driven by emotions in my support for melbourne; I love the club, but will hound down upon it with great fury if it does not live up to the standards set by both the history of the club, and the league. The club has failed immensely during a period in which social media enhances brand worth extensively, and so expectations are very high: the club must start performing or it will be at the bottom forever. In this day and age, you simply cannot survive a Richmond-esque hibernation. In the US, no matter how inexperienced or whatever a team is; an inability to perform to the standards set by the guernsey you put on will lead to being boo'd by the home fans. There is no exception to the rule there. Home teams boo'ing is very standard: it is not taboo, and the media usually jumps on it as being "the team played bad". Here, whenever the home fan boo, it's, "Oh, how bad are the fans?" Accountability is already lacking from Australian society -- let's wait and set that catch up to us in 20 years -- but in a league like the AFL were it's a dog eat dog world, even fans being sympathetic to their team will shape a culture drowning in medicority. I will boo this team until my throat is sore, but I will be there every single week they play in this amazing city at that amazing stadium If they don't want to play befitting of the gorgeous stadium, then they will hear my already roar. Today, the club -- not just the team -- deserved to be boo'd. And if you don't like it, then I'm sorry I made you tear up. I guess I'm a bad, bad supporter. I wonder if I can get 20 years worth of membership fees compensated as part of your amazing, "Bad Supporter" initiative?

Good to see Progressive Australia seeping its way into football culture.."BLAME THE MEDIA!" Any media scrutiny is completely justified and anticipated. They were embarrassingly hammered.

Bailey was sacked because accountability was non-existent among the playing group. The buck has to stop somewhere and if you don't hold the head coach accountable for the playing group dictating off-field matters, then who is accountable? Where do you draw the line? Bailey was a good bloke and the team structure was on the right track but he epitomised the way the club has been for the past 50 years: no real grunt, and no capacity to draw a line and say, "this simply isn't good enough." Neeld has come in and done that now, but at the same time he lowers expectations, which is dangerous because eventually it's going to start sounding like an excuse. When I first start a business I lower expectations because the reality is I won't be making millions out of the box, but perception means everything and I don't go around saying, "Well we're far off making people notice...but we will some day." The rhetoric fit the team well last year when people were bedazzled at how quickly it dropped off, but if you've given the players the pre-season and training you said they needed there needs to be improvement, at least initially. I can foresee a very tough 2nd half of the year but the team simply cannot start as poorly as it did last year, not only for player confidence, but from an off-field perspective too. A lot is hinging on Neeld's plan and we should expect a few beltings this year but this club needs one game -- just one -- where it sticks its head up and says hello to those it's been looking up to since 2007...and they'll notice. But at the same time forcing this "lower your expectations" narrative onto fans and the media is going to slap him and the club in the face if it can't improve. I'm not talking about a top-8 finish. I'm talking about not letting teams kick 10-12 goals in a quarter of football, nor getting consistently smashed in possessions and inside-50s. Neeld is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't: at the end of the day we're all talking about what the club has SAID, because we never have anything to show. The only way it can avoid the scrutiny is to perform. Neeld has done the complete opposite of talking the talk. Hopefully it will wield an opposite outcome to what we're used to.

I wonder how long Neeld will be able to set up camp under the "lower your expectations" narrative.

22k, if that.

"Better" clubs? The entire league smothers Melbourne's midfield. We are below GC, and maybe even below GWS some days.

I'm in a similar mindset, but REALLY thinking of it, I conclude that this season can go any way. But I don't expect more than 5-6 wins. I just want more than 2 wins against Melbourne clubs. Melbourne finished last in 2012 with 1 win. That's the way I saw it.

your confidence made me lol

I like how this viral thing has gotten otherwise-serious and professional people to engage in downright outrageousness. Funny stuff!

I'm the same as the OP. I think last year was very tough on me and the club and its supporters. I haven't been this disinterested in a season in a long time. It makes me sad, because there is a lot of hope. But I smell a wooden spoon this year. I don't know why. It's just a lingering stench.

If the club doesn't win a flag with this crop of youngster, it never will.

I've worked with The Age editorial staff in the past, and I'm well aware of their legal obligations. As far as Caro's opinion pieces go, the club cannot sue as it's a corporation. She has been careful on her naming of individuals, only going as far as to mention what certain people are accused of. She has been hard on the club as a whole. Her pieces would have been rigorously proofed by the legal team, who I'm sure would have made amendments and told her to tone it down. It may also have encouraged her to publish these pieces if she was able to demonstrate her knowledge on the issue. So it's interesting that she published these pieces, because The Age is generally far more particular with its statement of fact and opinion and maintaining a balance. It does it better than anyone. It wouldn't have published these pieces if it didn't stand behind what Caro had to say. Not to say the club is in the wrong, but it is worth considering what is driving this entire thing.

How is it an about face by the Age? Newspapers should offer both sides, different views. Caro's views and reporting don't represent the views of The Age as a newspaper, rather merely the views and knowledge of a single reporter.

Ewwwwwwwwwwwww, there's a Brian Royal on my pre-season update.

I try to convince myself of this every day...

What a silly thing to say. South of the Yarra is a great place to live. Lots of services and resources. Lived in Toorak just on the border of South Yarra for about 6 months - paid $330 a week for a spacious one bedroom apartment with view of the city, secure carpack and entrance, great, classic building. I would suggest: Richmond Collingwood East Melbourne Prahran South Yarra Glen Iris

Terrible headline. Something like "Clark on the mend" or "Clark pinned to recovery track".

I don't understand how Essendon can get red so well. I also can't understand why Melbourne is so afraid to go down the dark jumper route it had in the 50s and 60. Who cares if it's too dark compared to Essendon? You make sure you're the dominating and popular club. I think that the club is underestimating the high definition televisions, and it appears like it's going against the stream. It made a red that looked pink on television. Would an even darker red, and a dark blue look light on television and still have a distinctive red and blue look? The club has failed terribly in that regard. Those jumpers were pink and blue to 97% of football lovers that would only see Melbourne on television.

What's a "Scully"?

I don't think we'll go backwards, but I can't imagine us going beyond, say, 6-7 wins. I'd be happy with one win over a top-8 side, and at least 3 wins against Melbourne clubs or non-GC/GWS.

I can see the headline now... "Player evades [censored], says he's happy at club that has just drafted him."

MISOGYNIST! *points and judges*