Adam The God

I guess I'd like to see some semblance of this transferred to gameday. I saw nothing in the first three rounds. As for the GWS game, it's impossible to tell, because they're barely AFL standard.

I agree. To be successful as an AFL coach you must be reflexible. At the same time, he surely has to have identified the glaring issue with stoppage set ups. Particularly centre square stoppages. We still haven't rectified this. Our set ups will get us thrashed by any other team in the AFL. GWS had one, two and sometimes three players loose on the defensive side of ball ups the other day. They didn't utilise them or spread as they should have, but every other club would have punished us for this.

I agree things turn around quickly in footy. It's a cliche, but for a reason. When I see us get beaten by practically 80, 150 and 100 three weeks in a row, that's more than merely fitness. Yes, confidence is a big thing there, but half the team didn't give a yelp. They didn't attack the footy. They jogged or walked. That's at the feet of Neeld. All I'm asking for is a little bit of perspective. We beat GWS. We didn't get it done until in the final term. Maybe it's simply cynicism, but we've seen this far too often in the past. I was on the Neeld reality bus before Round 1, but until we dish up a good showing against half decent opposition, he's still on tenterhooks. Beating Brisbane this Sunday will be a start. I want him to prove that he can coach before I blindly follow. For me, he's shown very little. I hope he proves me wrong, but we'll have to do more than beat GWS at the 'G before I revert to giving him more time.

Further, 12.2 in a quarter is obviously fantastic conversion, but once again, we were top converters under Bailey too. We knew there'd be limited supply and thus had to take all our opportunities. I'm not applauding Bailey here, I'm simply highlighting that Neeld has so far brought nothing, except arguably fracturing the playing group. He's now had to throw out his defensive inclination and encourage the players to play more instinctive, attacking and ultimately unaccountable football. It looks great when it comes off (say for example the last quarter against, it must be said, an extremely inexperienced GWS team), but appears soulless against half decent opposition (say West Coast of the week before). I just can't see what he's brought.

Sorry, what are the disciplines he's put in place? I find this a somewhat baffling statement. We're still just as defensively loose as we were under Bailey. A lot of the players don't work hard enough both ways on game day. It's good to hear they've been training well, because I only see them on game day, but ultimately that's all that matters. Game day. They're not working hard enough and discipline is not a word I would throw about with this team.

Pity those two are our most important players forward. Not much they can do about that though.

I've been to all four, but will be watching the Brisbane game on TV.

Selwood is an absolute gun. Did you see his game the other night? If he'd started at the MFC though, he'd be nowhere near the player he is. I'm very envious of GFC and their ability to instil a wonderfully strong culture.

Yeah, I listened to it. Still don't like it though.

Yeah, 2 to 3 weeks away. Bloody hopeless. How in hell can a hamstring injury take up to 6/7 weeks? Talk about a conservative approach.

Well said. RE: cheap seats - What a patronising and almost bewilderingly stupid comment to make. I had previously thought Don seemed like a man without ego. He's cleared this one up for me. We need everyone we can get. Even those fair weather supporters.

Had a hard tag today too. He needs to ensure he's aware of his limitations, but his consistency and heart cannot be questioned.

Unfortunately, our set ups at the stoppages have been rubbish for four games now. I don't think it'll change next week. I don't enjoy being a pessimist, but we'll get thrashed next week.

I thought Gawn was fantastic too. Provided a target up forward, took some strong contested marks and particularly in the first quarter, showed he was a solid tap ruckman. Mistimed his leaps a lot across the second and third terms, but was far more impactful than Jamar.

That's a confidence thing for mine. He stood up when the game was there to be won. We needed rebound from defence and he gave it.

Colin Garland's game today was solid. A lot of mistakes were made today by our defenders, but he did a couple of great things today. A few of his marks and attacks on the ball I believe started our resurgence in the last today. He's an attacking, solid defender when playing on the third tall or small. Definitely has to be part of our core defensive set up going forward. Well done, Colin.

I think JT does a lot of great work that doesnt necessarily receive the praise it should. He was good again today. I watched him quite closely. I think the majority of the times he is made to look slow is from direct stoppages, where an opposition player will burst by him. He will be flat footed. I still believe it's more about how we set up defensively across the ground and particularly at a stoppage. I cannot believe Neeld and Royal have not rectified this in the four matches thus far. Worrying. More so that they haven't seem to have identified our woeful set ups.

He often plays from behind and that's his basketballing background. It sometimes works beautifully in the AFL, but it can also make him look soft and at times a little stupid.

My god. The way we set up at stoppages today was still atrocious. There was usually one or two free GWS players on the defensive side of the pack. Had they released better by hand, they would have killed us. Every other team would have ripped us to shreds today. It was great to get a win for the supporters and players, but we're so far off the pace in the midfield it's scary. Jamar is finished too. Just get Gawn and Spencer rucking every week. The pressure is still on Neeld. Lose big next week and this week will be forgotten very quickly.

Yeah, was wrong about that one. Mitch injured against GWS again.

It's tough though, because as BH says, there's probably too much baggage attached to Neeld and his time at the club. I'd agree again. I'm beginning to think we can't move forward without that change of coach. We'd really have to see a drastic change onfield this season to goes against this theory. I just can't see it happening. Hogan's gonna be a gun, but I wouldn't be surprised if Mitch kicks 5 or 6 today.

Nope. I completely agree with you. It's about game plan, structures and personnel. Particularly in the midfield. We've seen that the backline as the ability to repel forward thrusts under Bailey - this is essentially the same back half, minus the admittedly experienced Rivers. Clark, Dawes and Hogan will be a powerful forwardline. Get some crumbers and goal kicking midfielders around them and it becomes an undeniable attacking threat. Viney looks like being a consistent ball winner. Nurture his abilities with A grade talent around him and all of a sudden Trengove, Grimes and even the limited McKenzie will start to look good. But essentially what you're getting at is player buy in and respect both ways. Hence it has to be a coach that has had the ultimate success, I agree, so for mine Clarkson and Roos are our best options. I can't see us getting either of them, without the AFLs help. But given his ability to instil the bloods culture, I'd say Roos is almost the perfect fit. However, with our firepower in the forward half, we might be more suited to Clarkson, given his Hawthorn team. It's about strengthening the defensive mindset of the team, ironically the aspect Neeld was brought in to tackle.

Rightly or wrongly, he'll be gone if we lose tomorrow.

I agree, RF. It seems almost inconceivable that no one else in the FD would have known about it.

Good post, Tim. Less trite and cliched than it was in Skyfall.