praha

I'd love if the Dees got him.

This should free up some cap space. I wonder if Melbourne's talk of having plenty of room under the cap factored in this inevitable retirement? Either way, there is no excuse for the club not to nab more stars (beyond Clark). At least one this off-season. Do it.

I love that he isn't afraid to take the game on, and has a nice dash out of defense.

Schwab is grossly, unfairly underrated. He managed to get two new sponsors after the season had started and after a very negative media response as to the club's issues. He has done very well in arguably one of the club's worst years in its history. Also remember that when he came here Melbourne "had no brand". Crowds are up - 18,000 against the Suns isn't great but 2-3,000 up on what we would have gotten 2-3 years ago against a small-drawing team - and he has set Melbourne up to have a strong presence IF it gets up and running on the field. There have been some great fan initiatives since he arrived, and the creation of the Melbourne Business Community is going to help us snag some high profile free agents. He acknowledged the high income earning support base and took advantage, something the club should have done decades ago. It's not his fault entirely that the club sucks on field. He has a vision and for the most part it has worked: he was part of a group that saved this club from its off-field issues. More than deserving of a new contract.

I don't see media scrutiny as a bad thing. The media hounds on about Melbourne more than other clubs because many people want to see Melbourne succeed. Malthouse, even Kennett have voiced disappointment at how inept Melbourne has been over the years, considering it is a foundation club and the true home club of the MCG. The club used to be a powerhouse and isn't, and believe it or not, people want to see Melbourne become successful, more than they do the Doggies, or Saints, or Roos. Melbourne was uninspiring after quarter time. The Suns had a deplorable lineup, and their full forward was limping all day and yet still was a target on a number of occasions, which isn't good enough on Melbourne's behalf. They also lost Prestia early and were 2 men down for the whole match. The most disappointing aspect was the obvious complacency, which the TV commentators brought up a few times. The Suns also smashed Melbourne in clearances and inside 50s, which is very, very disheartening. A win is a win, but you can't hinge the future of the club on wins like that. We wold have smashed them either way, no matter what the ins and outs were for the team, but Melbourne is a long, long way off. Acknowledging that doesn't make you a bad supporter.

While I think it's possible, I don't think Neeld, or the team, would put up with losing to GC at the MCG tomorrow. If we needed to win any game this year, it's tomorrow. They simply cannot lose. BTW, Port will probably come back.

I guess just a lack of players at the selection table for Cook's position and he was a last resort. I don't think he'd have been the first player in the first 22 to not be fit enough for AFL level.

tl;dr No seriously that was funny. Sharing this.

Yes. Email is classified as publishing and the OP is well within their right to publish it publicly, unless asked not to. This was "on record". Anyway, not a fan of Gardiner, but... "Regardless of my feelings for the club I support and worked pro-bono for nearly seven years, it is wrong to enter any game without the intention of winning." I agree. I mean, I get that we should support the club, but I just don't see how in any case losing is beneficial, even if draft picks are involved.

Get Cloke '13 I think it has something to do with extended family, one of his ancestors was a Prince...or something.

For what it's worth, my thousand or so during debt demolition is about as complimentary as I get until the club is top tier, both on and off the field. I've made my sacrifice for the club's benefit. I see ineptness across the board but honestly have faith in the club going forward from HERE. I'm still reeling from the Melbourne Corporate FC logo and brand Gardiner and co. brought to the club ("Melbourne has no brand" is what I think AFL HQ said about the club), as well as Geelong 186. I am still asking questions and it's simply not good enough. Don't get all butthurt because I get angry at the club. I think I'm well within my right to. I just hate losing, whether purposeful or not, no matter what the intention. The fact the club was in a position where it needed to lose is something that hurts me more than the tanking itself. Yes, "HURTS". Sincerely heart broken.

Probably. I know that if I was playing and looking for a target and I saw him one-on-one, I'd put the ball right in the air for him.

When you're [censored] and the season is over, yes.

I'm right around step 46: Banging one's head against a wall. Over. And Over.

I once thought Brock was the messiah. Just sayin'

Of course it was staged? It's not like Brock was at the forefront of the tanking debate before the show went to air. They knew what his response would be, would have asked beforehand if it was OK to ask him about it, and knew it would blow up like it did. That said, if it's an issue, it's an issue. If Melbourne lost on purpose (I don't think they did, rather just a "looking forward" approach), they deserve the scrutiny.

Funny how Melbourne is in such dire need of midfield help. 1. Drafted Scully through losing on purpose 2. Lost Brock because we lost on purpose 3. Lost Scully Kharma is a BIATCH!

I'll rephrase: assumed future success. Poor ol' Melbourne supporter, already can't handle losing? I want accountability. I support and love the club and I think those responsible should be held accountable for losing on purpose. The culture is...just...awful, awful stuff. When you're losing players because you lose on purpose, you have no chance. The club is done. If the AFL were to punish Melbourne, so be it. I'm not standing by this club when it loses on purpose. At least WCE had another excuse for being [censored]; they lost arguably the league's two best players in one year! And it's still a top team LOL just proves how inept Melbourne is.

I don't get this logic... Hawthorn tanked? I don't remember it even "winning" a spoon, or really ever being THAT bad. They were a bottom-tier team, but probably the 3rd or 4th worst. WCE tanked, but, LOL, they define "winning culture". For a team that has been [censored] for 4+ decades, losing on purpose is bottom of the barrel stuff. We put up with losing, and go to games expecting the team to win. Throwing games is never justified.

I agree with the OP. If the club tanked, it should be punished, and I'd like to see it punished. Success on the back of throwing games is absolutely disgraceful. Fans deserve an apology for this rubbish, and compensation. What a joke.

Hawthorn are playing well but they've let all the predictors down since 2008. But they seem a step ahead everyone right now.

It's funny how every 3-4 years Demonland turns into a cesspool of excuses and people of faith. This club is truly awful. I certainly think Neeld should be held responsible, but then again Clarkson was awful in his first year at Hawthorn. Thompson didn't have especially awesome first few years at Geelong. Patience is key, but holy crap it's hard when you go for Melbourne. The problem is that you're always waiting for the same thing, and so the excuses are always the same. It's hard to accept these excuses over and over again, but when it's all there is, and a harsh reality, all you can do is shrug your shoulders, move on and hope for the best. Harsh reality, folks.

Won't make a difference. I think it's going to be a close GCFC win.

I am not sold on Neeld based purely on his press conferences. How you respond to scrutiny I think partly defines your ability to coach: you need to be able to address obvious issues highlighted by the common man.

I think the last thing anyone should do, ESPECIALLY Melbourne, is follow Richmond's lead. Jesus could be guiding their list development and I still wouldn't do it. Seriously though, the only way teams like Melbourne and Richmond are going to make a stamp on this league is if they make a gameplan and style their own. Following Richmond, a team that might even miss the finals and really hasn't performed all that much better than we did in 2010, is the worst thing we could do. We need a "Melbourne style", not a Hardwick style. Let him do what he needs to do at Richmond. Everyone should follow us, not the other way around. That partly defines success.