Binmans PA

I agree, but who would you lay the blame with here? Has to be Neeld and Royal or merely Neeld. In other words, Neeld can't coach.

Really? My god. Terlich looks lost out there and makes some horrible decisions. He was only playing his second game, but not great signs. Jones got a bit of the ball, but I still cannot wipe that image of him walking, unaccountable on the wing, while Jack Viney desperately chased two Eagles. Tapscott got a bit of the ball, but what the heck is with his overhead marking? For a bloke that has shoulders the size of tree trunks, it's all about confidence, technique and ability. I really want Tappy to succeed, but he has to offer more. Today was probably his best game in MFC colours and that's saying something.

Admittedly some of his taps happened to go to MFC mids today, but I think our expectations are so low of Jamar these days that today's performance would still be deemed hopeless by every other AFL club.

The argument to that would be: he's brought in players in the offseason and turned over our list (Moloney, Gysberts and Morton certainly needed to go), but none of them have proved they can play four quarters either. In fact, Rodan and Gilles were both dropped, while Byrnes and Pederson (albeit the latter had a slightly better game) are struggling too.

No. It's not as simple as that. These young players will be ruined if sound structures are not put into place immediately. Our midfield set ups are deplorable. Our defensive zones are non-existent. It's everything to do with the coach if an entire team is going backwards or stagnating. It's not just one or two players. It's not even the case of a learning curve for some of these guys. Neeld is incapable of motivating his players and delivering the right messages. Surely the fact we didn't turn up in the first two rounds is some proof of this.

We've actually gone backwards dramatically though. Yes, it was going to take some time to turn it around, but Essendon managed to do it in one pre season. He's gone altogether the opposite of Bailey and killed their attacking flair. Bailey was no good, but Neeld has played his hand horribly. The arrogance with which Neeld came into the club, blaming it all on Bailey (a guy that a lot of the players seemed to like) was not smart. What is so bewildering is that this guy was a teacher. An educator. How is it that he's completely incapable of communicating? It defies logic.

Craig will be instated as interim coach if we lose by more than 5 goals to GWS. I believe he should go if we lose at all, but I think the club will play it conservatively. That's the MFC way. I'll certainly be rallying for his sacking at that point. I probably already am. If we weren't three games in, I think you'd have found him sacked after last week's effort. We leak goals at an alarmingly level. I think it's goodbye Neeld.

Third in agreeanace. Very surprising. Consistency is his problem though. MUST continue it.

I think we're suffering. Neeld himself is inexperienced. Our last four coaches have been untried senior coaches. No wonder we struggle.

I agree to an extent T_U. I remember one stoppage in particular, where we had our entire midfield on the one side of the pack. We had no cover goal side. Shuey's thirteen for West Coast isn't he? Anyway, 13 waltzed into the space left free, receiving a handball from an Eagles midfielder. He then kicked it down the throat of an Eagles forward. Not one player was goalside. Not one. That's an indictment for me on Royal and Neeld. How can something so basically not be drilled into the midfield group?

A fair selection of the media will be in trouble too.

I thought he was passable. Just. I also thought Sellar instituted a handful of good spoils in the first half too. The goal he kicked in the final quarter was actually from a beautiful kick.

He and Royal are the big issues with the Melbourne midfield. His work rate is atrocious. He doesn't get to contests. He's too slow. He offers nothing up forward. He taps generally straight to his feet. Rarely marks those kick ins on the back flank. He needs to go. Bring in Spencer. Gawn should be brought in once match fit. A hopeless decision to re-sign him for three years.

Yep. Ridiculous playing him at the moment. Give him time with the ball in hand at Casey. I felt sick for him when he was tackled in the back pocket today, receiving a handball from the admittedly passable Grimes, but without the hint of a shepard offered by his captain.

I'd agree with you. We need to fix up our line coaches at years end. Our senior coach probably before year's end.

At least what I saw from Garland today was annoyance, when he was beaten. This demonstrates passion and desire in him. He hasn't been the same player since Wellman left. My god, all our defenders have been hopeless this season though. They can't spoil. Garland initiated a couple of spoils, as did the passable McDonald (who at least provided run) and Sellar, but Chip Frawley either isn't interested in playing or he too has simply lost it since Wellman. I can't remember Frawley initiating a spoil today. There was one moment where he was in front, apart of a large pack of players. He didn't get a fist up and the Eagles player behind him marked it and converted from twenty out. I don't think you can put it all on Garland, when Frawley's been worse considering his ability and has shown less desire. He used to thump the ground when his man marked it. Now he simply walks around with his hands on his hips.

This was one of the major factors in our second half capitulation. Our tackling was horrendous. If you look at Selwood's tackle in the last quarter and compare it with the majority of attempted MFC tackles, they're worlds apart. Laziness is a big part of it. No finer example of this was watching Matt Jones get no higher than a jog at one stage on the wing, while Jack Viney tore around after two Eagles players on his own. We made mistakes via poor decision making and skill execution in the first half, but at least there was intensity and effort. The second half today was worse than Essendon defeat. Lazy, lazy, lazy.

I wonder if when they are banned (say a loss of all 2013 premiership points), whether you might find one or two players leaving.

I would have the Ox down in some capacity if we can get the right position. I believe we need someone who is a strong business person, but also obviously has a large knowledge base on the football side of things. No from me for Prez certainly.

I think we've gotta be careful with egos. Too many in the FD could cause divisions once more. If Neeld is still struggling next year, let Craig see out the year and decide what to do at year's end. It's a no from me. I don't see the point in hiring someone (probably on big coin and probably with a bloated ego) that could potentially complicate matters. Further, we should not be hiring someone to provide another interim coaching option.

Not a bad suggestion. I'd try it.

What is Clarkson's contractual status? I thought he'd signed a new four year deal a year or so ago. Clarkson would be my first choice out of that lot. Inventive, hard-arsed coach. That said, I don't think we can sack Neeld unless we continue to loose by 100 points. Neeld will at least see out his contract if we start to become competitive again.

Well said, sir.

Well, I completely missed this. If this zonal defence was working an iota, would they not also have a plan b? If it merely takes the winning of clearances against you to clear the zone, it's a very flimsy plan. I do agree however that the game was lost from the middle. The ease with which Essendon cleared the ball from the centre stoppages was beyond alarming. I know we've got a young midfield, but surely they'd be going man on man and not zonal. You can't do that from the stoppages. That said, I noticed Jones playing an odd little zoning role at times during Essendon forward thrusts.

Gysberts? Really? He had two good games. I watched his first down at Skilled. He was hopeless after that. Lazy and slow to think. Meanwhile, the last time Petterd played a great game was his first and only great game (2010 against Collingwood). Don't even get me started on Moloney and as for Jurrah that wasn't Neeld's fault. I'd love Roos to coach though, despite being a [censored]. I'm not particularly concerned as long as he can get us climbing the ladder.