Little Goffy

I don't remember any well handled coach resignation in my life! But seriously, while there have been a few stuff-ups with loose comments and some poorly managed frustration following the Richmond game (I expect more self-control and professionalism from a club president) I think the 'overall thrust' of how it's been managed has been ok. Only ok. Could have been better if the players hadn't made quite so many "we're going to make the finals and I Neale Daniher" statements to the media, too. Let's just hope that the longer phase of adjustment is handled well, because Mark Riley is no Neil Craig and I'd be very troubled to see a St. Kilda style situation where players are seriously considering walking out on the club. Which reminds me, at least Daniher didn't get sacked right after a dissapointing EF loss such as in 2004/05. He's only ever been under the pump when there has been a serious performance problem, namely 2003 and this year. It'll be weird when Daniher starts coaching at another club, because he's been the Demons coach for as long as I've followed AFL.

He's not really raising an alarm, it's just a kind of overview of the key issues for a new coach to look at. It's odd, but while we do have a statistically fairly old list, we don't really have a huge problem with impending retirements. Bizzell, Ward, Brown, Holland, Yze and Pickett aren't exactly key players for us at the moment. McDonald is, but onballers are a commodity we have in reasonably good supply. Neitz and White are obviously a big deal, with Robbo maybe only a couple of years to go after them. But we'd be hoping for Dunn/Newton to cover at least one position up forward, and I personally would love to see Green spend more time closer to goals. Rucking without White is an issue. PJ is improving, Jamar appears to have plataeud, Neaves is still potential, though good potential. Dean Cox might be a better targeted recruit than Chris Judd. But things can look very different in a hurry with six or seven draft picks coming into a side when mostly depth players have gone out. (guessing based on possible retirements, delistings, trades) And there now appears to be three different highly rated ruckmen coming towards the draft, so hopefully we'll add one to the list and build them up to fill that hole.

Yeah, it's a little sad that after such a long partnership they wont be 'together' for the big milestone. I'm sure he'll be along to the game though. I imagine Neitz would insist.

What a completely unhelpful comment. I guess Gary Lyon is a shirker too, I mean, he quit long before he was actually dead. And the best thing for a about-to-be sacked coach to do is fight tooth and nail against the board, turn the players against the club in a desperate attempt to make yourself indispensible. Take a moment to think about how hard it is to admit that you're beaten, that it's over after ten years. Daniher did the best thing for the club when he had been placed in an untenable position by a board which, while doing the necessary, managed to blunder multiple times in how they went about it. What is your problem? What slum did you grow up in that taught you to put the boot in when someone is down, just for the hell of it?

Viney for me. I'd like to see a demon leader leading the demons. But most importantly, I want to see a stable assistant coaching group with good talent and support, who the new coach can be comfortable delegating to. It's a team thing, ya know. Maybe we can introduce co-coaches or a coaching rotation every year

White is a capable player who still provides the occassional flash of brilliance. McDonald is an All-Australian from LAST YEAR for christs sake. They've both been raking in the possessions and their specialty stats - hit-outs and tackles respectively. Carroll is a quality defender, although like someone suggested here the other day, he might not actually be best suited to the FB role. Brown, Ward and Holland are admittedly depth players and probably shouldn't routinely be getting spots in the 22. But teams cop injuries in finals just like any other time. I'll point out that Armstrong and Heffernan are both premiership players. Yze looks like fate is coming after him with a nasty, nasty agenda. I'd hope he'll be back next year and provide us with at least one more season of good football. Let's face it, Yze's very best is about as good as it gets from anyone and we'd all be ecstatic if he managed a return to form. The break might even be what he needs. On second thought, "mate, what you really need is a major hernia" isn't something I can ever see myself saying in a positive way.

Right, I'm upgrading this topic - not just overall results, but articles and key moments from the last few years. Here's a couple of interesting historical perspectives I've come across in a quick search of the net. Until someone complains, I'll keep gradually building this 'archive'. Hopefully it'll make for some interesting reading. Demonology article poor start to 2002 Melbourne v Geelong 2003 Comparing Melbourne & Geelong problems, 2003

Ok, I'm a big fan of CAC. Let's face it, while there have been a few poor years circa '01-'02 Craig Cameron's performance has included at least one 'premiership' recruiting season (Green, Bruce, Wheatley, Whelan and Godfrey) as well as consistent performances in the last couple of years. My only criticism would be that I'm still not a fan of recycling players, although Vardy did win us a final back in '02! Dunn Bate Newton is a draft I think we'll see a few hundred games out of. Jones Bartram Buckley and Neville looks pretty handy too. And of course 2003 went well enough, we'll wait and see how CJ goes but I still think he can step up. According to www.thedrafter.net Melbourne is second only to Hawthorn in the 'retorspective ratings' of draft history since 1998. And it's worth noting that the site doesn't include Rookie drafts. And, for that matter, is 'popularly' rated, so it's a mircale anyone comes in ahead of Collingwood. It's an interesting site, by the way.

All right, $10 just because I've never seen the guy play, and because it'd be worth that much to watch everyone here go stark raving mad. Another $5 for each quarter of the game that he actually spends time on the ground instead of the bench - lets put pressure on him being given a decent go, not on the kid to kick goals, right? And if they give him a run at the Manuka Oval game against Sydney, I'll personally hand it over with an extra $20 at the after match function! Oh crap. Did I just commit to up to $50? I'm a freakin' student for christs sake! Manuka oval against the swans might be a good place for him actually - not much you can do there except bang it long and hope, so his speccies would be worth the trouble.

Good post. I'd rearrange it slightly so that Whelan was in for Pickett, with Buckley missing out for now (or competing with CJ for the spot currently taken by Ward) I wouldn't drop Godfrey though (huh? did I say that?) because frankly, even though his disposal was terrible last week, it was noticable that he was one of the few people really working at it. Getting him back to tagging dammit, he shouldn't be doing Green/Bruce/Pickett's job! I don't know enough about Garland to comment, but Bizzell seemed to be doing ok. Garland is a bigger body though, yes? More of a true KPP/Gorilla minder. It might be a good idea to bring him in if Holland is going out. So, I think I'm with you on this. Above all else, I will be absolutely furious if there are players out there who are playing through (aggravating) injury when the only thing at stake anymore is the coaches job.

With thanks to finalsiren.com for stats, I've put together our finishing positions and finals performance since 2001. I'm not sure what my own agenda is here, but I figured everyone might have an opinion on what this record means, and it might be useful to have it handy in front of us. My personal opinion, I've just about lost faith. Those three years of 'coulda-beens' from 2004-2006 were ok so long as it was a case of coming back next year to take the extra step up and genuinely challenge for a premiership. Looking back of the finals performances, I'm feeling pretty negative. Depleted and injured St Kilda, plus a solid win over the Kangaroos in '02, are our only finals wins since season 2000. So here's the results, to jog people's memory. What do they mean to you? 2006 End of Home & Away Season 7th Melbourne 13 1 8 2146 1957 1L D3 54 109.66 2006 finals EF St Kilda 5.4 6.6 9.8 10.12 (72) lost to Melbourne 2.2 3.4 8.5 13.12 (90) Melbourne Cricket Ground SF Fremantle 3.3 7.9 11.15 14.18 (102) dftd Melbourne 3.0 7.3 10.4 11.8 (74) Subiaco OVal 2005 End of Home & Away season 7th Melbourne 12 0 10 2171 2266 3W U1 48 95.81 2005 Finals - EF Geelong 5.4 12.5 16.8 18.8 (116) dftd Melbourne 2.3 6.4 6.6 9.7 (61) Melbourne Cricket Ground 2004 end of home & away season - 5th Melbourne 14 0 8 2127 1900 4L - 56 111.95 2004 Finals EF Melbourne 5.2 6.5 13.6 15.9 (99) lost to Essendon 5.2 11.6 11.10 15.14 (104) Melbourne Cricket Ground 2003 End of Home & Away Season 14th Melbourne 5 0 17 1899 2344 8L - 20 81.02 2002 End of home and away season 6th Melbourne 12 0 10 2243 2245 1W U1 48 99.91 2002 Finals EF Melbourne 2.2 9.5 11.10 18.14 (122) dftd Kangaroos 3.4 5.8 7.11 11.18 (84) Melbourne Cricket Ground SF Adelaide 8.2 12.3 14.5 20.10 (130) dftd Melbourne 1.4 8.10 16.15 17.16 (118) Melbourne Cricket Ground 2001 End of Home & Away season 11th Melbourne 10 0 12 2136 2364 3W U2 40 90.36

Things to aim for - Players: Judd, Riewolt, Ball all seem likely to be available. Picks: get em high or leave em low - I'd trade to upgrade from pick 30 to 15, for instance, and would trade pick 30 to move pick 19 to pick 10. Did that sentence make sense? I think our best bet for getting Judd is to keep our very early pick (I'd never get rid of one of them, to be honest) and try to trade players like Miller/Jamar for a second round pick, then trade a major player (thinking Johnstone), and possibly two second round picks to get Judd. Go on, someone tell me we wouldn't be coming out ahead. I still believe in persevering with Green/Bruce/Robertson. I think the way they respond to a new coach (excuse the assumption) would be a very imortant thing to watch. Come to think of it, Miller might finally feel released and step up at CHF/FF if the response to a new coach was positive enough. I don't think there are many younger players who should be traded, beyond Jamar, Miller and Ferguson, and all of these I think could have decent careers from a restart at a new club. What I DO think is that all of those 'veteran' players who never quite make the extra step up need to have an element of performance contracts, or a plain and simple pay cut. There's some vanity there, built on daydreaming about how "we were so good and we came so close. Might be lasting psych damage from 2000 when frankly we did so well but there was never really a chance we'd take home the Permiership, not against the machine that was Essendon 2000. A new coaching panel (I would not settle for blaming Daniher for the whole mess) could make a big difference to psyche, and we might even lose a disgruntled player or two but I'd pay that price to see that excellent, excellent crop of young players grow freely in a club that feels like it belongs to them.

BINGO! The assitant coahcing revolving door at Melbourne is a disgrace. Sign some good people on extended contracts and enough with the project coaches who bail after one year (Ratten, dare I say Williams). I've been a patient man. Hell, I first got a membership in 2003 so I'm prepared to cope with failure, but these last three years of "WHOO HOOO - SPLAT" and now this abysmal year... I think I'm just about done putting up with it. Ok, those of you with a better knowledge of the state of play in the potential coaches stakes, fill me in on the options for 2008. Show me some good prospects and that's what I'll be looking forward to. My personal preference is for ex-Melbourne people, but that leaves it at Connolly from Freo (not impressed), Alistair Clarkson (as if he'd leave Hawthorn now) and Todd Viney, who has been coaching the Hawthorn midfield for a while and seems to be getting results.

The AFL site has an article on kids to watch in the uner-18's championships, I thought it might cheer people up to know that there is at least a second highly touted tall mobile ruckman likely to be available in the draft. I get very nervous anytime someone mentions high draft picks for rucks - they seem to develop and change in the most unpredictable ways. But lets face it, good quality of this kind of player is the most pressing need on our list in the next few years. It's also very hard to 'make do' and use competent but not standout players in such a key role. Ben McEvoy (Vic Country) Born: July 11, 1989 Height: 199cm Weight: 90kg From: Murray Bushrangers/Dederang-Mt Beauty A two-metre prospect from the Murray Bushrangers, McEvoy is a one of a number of potential ruckmen looming as outstanding prospects for the AFL according to Sheehan. “Ben can also play up forward and occasionally down back, but he's got outstanding AFL qualities,” he said. “He's played at this level in 2006 and has continued to develop as an outstanding player in the TAC Cup this year. “He has got the height, athletic ability, nous and leadership qualities to be a top player in the ruck in the AFL.”

Yeah, it sounds like he's pretty much the exact match for our recruiting needs - helps to cover both the White and Neitz retirements. I'd see him more in the ruck, because I moslty like our forward line options for the future, and if he's got the ground skills they should be put where they can be used.

BIG RED SIGNING IN: The last thing you want is to bring him up too early, not get a kick and then dent his confidence at Sandy. The kid will play but lets make sure he also believes he is ready.

Ok, lay off Brock's face will ya? If anyone else has noticed, he's been noticably changing over the years (as teenagers /twenty-somethings tend to do) and he's getting better looking every year. I s'pose it'll still take years for him to shake the chatter because gossip is always well ahead or far behind reality, never in step with it. Along the lines of Brad Johnson, it's a CHARISMATIC appearance even if it's not "tween-girl crush lets all draw hearts on our diary" stuff. An adult's face, one that people respect and warm to. Not a boy's pretty little soft-scrubbed bathed in milk face. He'll look great at 30, and 90, too. Mclean actually has just the right looks for a leader. Seriously, how many captains have been pretty, other than at St. Kilda? Barry Hall? Lance Whitnall? Warren Tredrea? What does Richie Vandenberg look like? It's been so long since I've seen him I can't remember!

Nathan Brown (Richmond) is very good, but extremely out of practice. Remember that he didn't exactly set the world on fire in his 'comeback' match for Coburg last week. And the Tiges would be entering lawsuit territory if they required Brown to play a full game after such a long and uncertain lay-off, one more twang of that leg and it really could be the end of Brown's career. Would you risk that when there is so little to gain? TJ was always unlikely. Real shame too because he looked good early in the Collingwood game. Still, there's Yze to come back in, and remember - Yze has performed well upon every return from injury in the last decade... The Juice buzz is contagious. I haven't even seen him play, I'm not sure I'd recognise him on the field, but I'm excited and hoping to see him this friday. This despite being a big fan of Dunn, and remaining a fence-sitter on Miller. Good to see Whelan and Pickett both available. Either of them look like a surprise full-forward? Give Pickett a dopey moustache and he'd look just like Leigh Matthews.

PettUrd? Pootard? Potted? Peeturd?

Godfrey is the next captain of the Melbourne football club. Mark my words. But seriously, though. He can keep doing the job he's doing now for an indefinate period, and does actually seem to be improving. He might never play a full season again (only 2003 so far) and might not even get ten games a season playing as a depth player. But bizarrely, I don't have a problem with him being on the list. Maybe I'm just feeling guilty because I used to abuse the television every time he came on... I'd puke if he was taking away spots from players like Bartram and Petterd, though. It's crass, but he's a dependable/expendable back-up. Jones is a tennaged second year player who leads by example. 'Nuff said?

Which teams can Melbourne out-perform enough to climb past them on the ladder? I'd say it's realistic that we could win two mores games than the blues, so there's one. St. Kilda seem to be floating turds at the moment. I'd say two games up on them would be credible. Two places up. Brisbane are looking a little worse every week to me, two wins and a draw/win over 11 games? I think we can pick it up. Three places. We'd out of the bottom four. Fremantle. Who knows? Really, does anybody know? On current form you'd say they'd struggle, but it wasn't until mid-late last year that they turned it on. Too tough to call anything. Like the Blues and Brisbane they have already played this round. Like the Blues and Brisbane we play them again this year. Moving onto the incredible - reaching the finals. I think it's fair to say that for our best shot we would need to see three teams out of seven at the upper-middle of the ladder fall away badly in the second half of the year. Sydney. Port Adelaide. Kangaroos. Bulldogs. Collingwood. Essendon. Adelaide. (Rnd18). (Rnd17). (Rnd16.). (Rnd19). (Rnd20). (rnd13). (---) Do any of these teams look potentially flaky? My read of the scenario is - if all these teams continue on existing balance then we would still be counting on percentage even if we won every remaining game. If we win a spectacular 9/2 then we would need three of those teams to finish with 4/6, and we could slide in on percentage. On balance, I'd say that's the most probable scenario for a finals appearance. That's "most probable", not "actually probable". The worse that three of those seven teams perform, the fewer wins we'll need. After all, we only need one slot in the eight. But always, one week at a time. The realistic goal is to get ourselves out of the damned bottom four. Pick five in the draft has served us well in the past, too!

Maybe it will turn out right, timing wise. We'll see what comes of this 'injured hand' rumour. I wouldn't be too unhappy personally about his 300th being in Canberra, what with living here and all, but I can see that for him and for the club it would be good to play the milestone in front of a big crowd at home. I'd seriously think about making the trip down there for it, too. So, a quick bit of split-round coorective work, a couple of weeks off, then strom back in to lead our final charge towards the eight, or at least out of the bottom four. What odds for 400 for the big fella? He's four years younger than Harvey...

Just what we need, another Johnstone/Johnson/Johnston to figure out on the stat sheets. Good news about Hayes, is anyone going to write up a report on the demon players nad how they fared in Sandy & Sandy reserves?

You're lucky you didn't give away a free kick.

Very happy with Wehatley's return and good form. Best stats of his career in the time since he came back, and his possessions have been pretty effective. Has also provided good support rebounding across half-back, where we get bogged down a lot. And those kick-ins aren't even counted on his disposal tally, so he must be handling the pill 30+ times a game. Admittedly, Collingwood was pretty weak at controlling the kick-ins which made Wheatley look particularly effective, but you can't complain about his performance so far. As for looking stronger - definately. And he's a very good kind of stronger, too - actually looks less bulky while having more power and still retaining running strength. Pretty much ideal. Very good stuff from a player we we're all starting to fear we'd seen the last of at AFL level.