Dr. Gonzo

I can't make it this Sunday due to family commitments but can't say that I'm too unhappy about it. If I was free I would definitely be there though. Turning up to games now is what differentiates a barracker from a supporter. Anyone can turn up when we're winning it's times like this we need to continue to show up and support the club particularly with a new coach at the helm. Once you pay your admission fee (or scan your membership) you can yell and scream vent your frustration and hurl abuse all you want if you think it will help. But we need to keep turning up to support the club and let them know we are still there to hold them accountable.

That's the whole problem though - we care too much about what others think of us. Once we got called out for tanking we started second-guessing what we'd done and became guilty about it. Did Carlton? No. Why? Because they're Carlton and [censored] the rest.

It was just as bad. Maybe not in the true numerical sense however in the "effort" shown it was every bit as bad as 186.

The only thing we can possibly get out of this season is to finish last, get picks 1, 2, 12 & Viney and possibly trade out pick 2 for someone like Dangerfield. Winning meaningless games against GWS or GC (not saying we will beat them but chances are we would) to finish 2nd or 3rd last would be utterly stupid. In saying this I don't want to see us "tank" a la the Richmond game with Grimes in the ruck and Frawley at FF. What I want is to see Moloney, Sylvia, Green, Jamar etc dropped to Casey and Taggert, Tynan, Strauss, Cook etc given senior games. To win rubbish games that will mean nothing next year just to cost us a number 1 and/or 2 pick would be ridiculous.

This is [censored], rose-coloured glasses revisionism of the highest order. Where were you in 2008? 2009? Hell where were you last year when we played WCE in Perth Carlton on Friday night footy and Geelong at Geelong? This crap about "we were OK under Bailey" makes me sick. Yes we are [censored] now but we were [censored] then as well. Neeld is trying fix this but you know what they say about polishing turds.

I agree with this however today we were every bit as bad as 186. It was the same pedestrian non-effort as that bleak day.

I actually think it stands out more without the orange box - that orange box did nothing for us or them I think it's a good move for both (and really couldn't give a stuff about the sposnor anyway - it is OUR jumper after all although I'll gladly take their money...) BTW no issues for me with the website, I'm using Firefox.

That one looks way better.

It's a valid question.

Ducking.

Yeah but there's a difference between a wry smirk and giggling like a private schoolgirl.

Look I'm not looking to argue for the sake of it but is that really the case? Does Sylvia really dislike losing? Does Watts? Wasn't there a quote in 2010 or 2011 from Watts saying that losing doesn't matter? They need to not just dislike losing, they need to despise it.

Wow, OK I'll be sure to check in with you whenever anyone from the club makes any public statements so I should know whether to believe them or whether they are just pandering to the supporters. Keep in mind his SEN interview was Saturday morning so I doubt he would have jumped on Demonland between the end of the game and midday Saturday to get an idea of what the supporters thought. How about this, maybe he is a hard-arsed coach that isn't happy when underperforming players (one who was a no. 1 draft pick and who he has already given a kick up the arse through the media pre-season) sit yucking it up in the stands while the team they can't get a game for is being walloped from pillar to post week after week. But of course that would mean that you were wrong, so, you know, that's completely unlikely.

So when Neeld contradicts something you've said he is just pandering to the supporters?

If you heard Neeld on SEN on Saturday morning you would know that he thought it was an issue worth raising with the players concerned so I take you count yourself in the group who are completely out of touch with reality?

Who's Jarah???

Yeah I'd say we've got better than Buckley's chance.

Not going to happen but just the thought of Fat Ed cracking it over the mere suggestion brought a smile to my face. At least it let's everyone know we have cash and were willing to spend and those at MFC know if theyre not going to act like they give a stuff we'll recruit others who do.

They don't have to, their teammates do it for them. Footy is a team sport. Agree with your first point though.

I thought we should have 1 definite win (Brisbane) and 4 50/50's (Richmond, Saints, Swans & Dogs). Anyone thinking we would have more than 4 wins was being wildly optimistic. Having said that I thought we could play finals considering our second half draw but thought we would definitely have to come home with a wet sail. That is obviously out of the question though I still think we can win more than a handful of games in the second half of the year though I'm just not sure it will benefit us at this stage.

Sylvia has all the attributes you need in a modern footballer. He has the strength, skill, build, speed, goalkicking and marking abilities to be one of the best in the game. The only thing he lacks is upstairs and that is a damn shame and an indictment on both himself and the club. I have no doubt if he began his career at another team (like Sydney, Hawthorn or WCE) he would be one of the best players running around.

Yeah I figured that would be the case as I was writing it but what other options do we have really? I guess it is not mere faith I actually think Neeld is not just saying the "right things" but actually doing the right things (dropping Green, Davey & Watts as examples, dropping the leadership group, working the players hard over pre-season to get them to the required fitness and letting them know there are new standards to be met etc) I disagree with this. What can you definitively say about a coach after two years (considering most re-contracting will be done during the season it is likely to be one and a half seasons or so.) And you can't really just extend his contract for one year so it is likely you will then be locked in for 4 years minimum. A 3 year contract I think is fine it gives the coach ample time to try and influence the list and get some results with his gameplan/beliefs. A 2 year contract is likely to end up a 4 year contract (just as we extended Bailey's contract a year early to try and prevent the "coach in peril" headlines). I can't necessarily disagree but I feel Neeld will be more aggressive in trying to shop some of these serial under-performers around if he doesn't think he can get the penny to drop. When I say complete rebuild I mean beginning in 2007-08 and ongoing now. I don't mean another complete rebuild beginning with Neeld, Neeld is continuing the rebuild that was begun previously and that is still yet to bear fruit.

Haha that didn't even cross my mind until you raised it.

But this isn't just plug 'n' play. Sure Bailey had less to work with but Neeld has inherited the same legacies of these issues. Having these resources now is fine but you can't expect them to have immediate effect. The same players are there now whose development has been stunted. You can't just make up several years of lost development over one pre-season.