The Chazz

Generation D or The Know We're Coming I came up with the "No More Excuses" one in a thread a few weeks back. No More Excuses for our players, and No More Excuses for our non-members. Maybe another one is "Time to DEEliver". Perhaps we should get some suggestions HT and give them to our marketing department - maybe the Club could run a competition (although they do pay people at the club to do this sort of stuff!).

11th Feb.

Well, I guess the only thing he has sold is that we will be the hardest team to play against, which is something he can't prove until game day. But forgive me when I try and think of some of our blokes being "hard" to play against!

Another good point HT, and one that I have commented about in the past. The other year, that Carlton slogan "They know we're coming", just priceless. There wouldn't be many Carlton followers that wouldn't have though "bugger it, I'm getting a membership". It was arrogant, in a way that only a big club could do it, and it worked. They DID back it up, and are looking a threat, some 3 years or so since that campaign. What's ours? I think it's been taken down from the website, but was it Generation D or I Bleed Red & Blue Do You? I can't remember which one, but that's probably the point I'm making - very uninspiring. Putting that expectation on the Carlton group in the way they did, they had to deliver and improve. Did they let the playing group have any other option?

Apologies DD, I always sign up in March for personal reasons, but the aim of my post was looking at attracting new members, rather than those renewing. Sorry for the confusion.

For a few seasons now, I have been calling for Stef Martin to play forward, and have had to listen to the arguement that he's a better defender, etc. Interesting to see that Stef may play a lot more forward this year, so we will see what sort of judge I am! http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/129016/default.aspx I think Stef is definitely one of those confidence players that gets better with the more football he plays, especially at the top level. We saw last year how much he stepped up in that 8 weeks of so when Jamar was out. I am very confident that if he can get that same duration playing as a tall forward/swing ruck, he will prove to be a very valuable asset down deep F50.

Absolutely WYL, and let's hope that we see some early form in both pre and proper season so we can hit that 40k mark.

Will post this in here now (can we merge threads mods??! Just kidding!). H_T, on 16 February 2012 - 02:53 PM, said: I think performances on the field now would be a good selling point. Neeld seems to me to be a man of letting actions do the talking; instead of just talking. Here's a little exercise, who are the "faces" or free main marketing tools of these clubs: - Adelaide - Brisbane - Jonathon Brown, Voss, Leigh Matthews was Carlton - Was Elliott for ever and a day, now Judd is Collingwood - Buckley when playing, then Eddie and will stay that way, also had Malthouse Essendon - Sheedy, then Hird and now (still) Hird Fremantle - Geelong - in the Geelong community, Frank Costa was a very good public figure for their club, in media terms Brownless does very well (IMO) Gold Coast - Ablett GWS - Sheedy Hawthorn - Kennett was, Franklin is probably going to be it in '12 Melbourne - ??? Lyon? More of a media personality than Melbourne ambassador, ***Stynes was, and sold memberships, he aint there now and we've dropped off*** North Melbourne - even sneaky Brayshaw is out and active (mini Eddie) Port Adelaide - Richmond - Richo was, not sure who now St Kilda - Sydney - Roos was a very good face of that Club, Western Bulldogs - Smorgon is on the cusp, but not quite West Coast - Worsfold I'm sure would be their face, especially for the locals The above list are faces of their clubs. The big clubs were the ones that you could easily name 2-5 different faces. The smaller clubs, you struggle to name 1. These are the people that help sell memberships and are worth their weight in gold. I also talked about (in another thread) how the face of the club are words & actions figures. While we don't want someone that is full of promises but full of sh!t, it is also hard to build stronger membership numbers based on actions alone. These faces also sell sponosrhips, as they are regularly in the public domain.

Absolutely RPFC. Obivously when he is sitting in the coaches box, I'll refer to him as coach. Will watch his pressers during the year - he has spent 4 years with the master of trivial press conferences. As HT said above, win a few games and things change quickly. My opinion could be one of those things.

Welcome to Demonland Mr Mark Neeld...

I think it's quite important for club's to have this, especially in membership drives (as well as sponsorhip opportunities). The bigger Clubs, as I said in my initial email, have people that just sell memberships. As I also said earlier, when Neeld is in the media, I am yet to immediately think of him as "our coach". In Qld, I have people ask me who our new coach is, I have to say he's an ex-Collingwood assistant. That can change, but it will also mean Neeld has to changing his presser ways. I think a big reason why I think that way is the amount of times he'll indicate about not talking about things in the past. Why say that when you don't want to talk about it? Why not wait for a journo to ask, then dismiss the question? Why talk about what goes on 400m down the road. I don't give a rats, I want to know what we, the greater Melbourne Football Club community are doing, and how we are going to win games as a "family". At the moment, for me, Neeld is like a step father.

All the above were talk and action people (of which they did/do very well). We are action (which we aren't doing very well), Neeld is action (time will tell). The ones that supporters get pi$$ed off with are the talk and no action ones.

Posted this in the membership tally thread, thought it could go here too... The new FD/Coach is an interesting one. I'm one of not many that only has neutral feelings toward Neeld. The one thing I think he lacks is his ability to convince me that we're a united club. I know he hasn't been at the club for long, but he's still the ex-Collingwood Assistant Coach in my eyes. One thing that Melbourne had lacked for a long time (until Jimmy took over), was that we didn't have a "face of Melbourne". I was once told byt someone many moons ago, that the strong clubs had someone that was the face of the club, so that anytime they were seen in media outlets, walking down the street, or wherever, everyone knew what club they were from. This could be in the form of a president, ceo, coach, captain, or marquee player. It's a bloody true statement when you think of it, especially in regards to the bigger clubs. The closest we have got is Lyon, but even then he is not a massive advertisement for the club. The theory behind these "faces" is that they are basically a free marketing tool, which creates awareness, which hopefully turns in to memberships. We can cruise along underneath the radar, but it means we have to work harder behind the scenes. Looking at our club as a whole, Neeld may have to be the man to do this over the next couple of seasons, but at the moment, I just find he's not selling us as a club.

Yeah, I think your last sentence about covers it. The other thing is that the recruiting of Clark, while does excite me in terms of structure and development of Watts, etc, he isn't an A-lister. I don't think it would've generated an unexpected rush of new members - half of them would rather wait and see what he does, and the other half possibly don't know much about him. The new FD/Coach is an interesting one. I'm one of not many that only has neutral feelings toward Neeld. The one thing I think he lacks is his ability to convince me that we're a united club. I know he hasn't been at the club for long, but he's still the ex-Collingwood Assistant Coach in my eyes. One thing that Melbourne had lacked for a long time (until Jimmy took over), was that we didn't have a "face of Melbourne". I was once told byt someone many moons ago, that the strong clubs had someone that was the face of the club, so that anytime they were seen in media outlets, walking down the street, or wherever, everyone knew what club they were from. This could be in the form of a president, ceo, coach, captain, or marquee player. It's a bloody true statement when you think of it, especially in regards to the bigger clubs. The closest we have got is Lyon, but even then he is not a massive advertisement for the club. The theory behind these "faces" is that they are basically a free marketing tool, which creates awareness, which hopefully turns in to memberships. We can cruise along underneath the radar, but it means we have to work harder behind the scenes. Looking at our club as a whole, Neeld may have to be the man to do this over the next couple of seasons, but at the moment, I just find he's not selling us as a club.

HT - when was last year's intraclub match (was it pre 17th Feb)? I wonder if that is a reason for the gap, or if in fact we are just behind what we were.

For someone that is interstate and hasn't been to training since the mid-90's, thank you for that great report. One thing I noticed, you haven't been to 2 games and we have won both times. Thank Christ you're doing your masters this year and can't go to many games..!!!

Interesting little thing on The Age website at the moment. They have photos of approx 50 players that have played less than 50 games that they consider emerging midfielders (ones that can become stars). We have Trengove and Gysberts. Disappointing considering what we've been through over the past 4 years.

Gee, I thought I did alright! It's not September so I get to see finals, it's not October or November so I don't miss the Spring Racing Carnival, it's not Christmas or New Years, or Easter for that matter, I just didn't take this pr!cks birthday in to consideration. Maybe I should change my name to Philly2803??

Off topic I know, but I'm sick to death the amount of smart arse comments made by a select few Demonland posters, but on a more and more regular basis. It happens in every thread, and it's terribly sad that some posters feel the need to over-power another posters opinion by making personal comments. Lutz - so what if Old Dee "doesn't understand". Actually, what is it that he doesn't understand? Your opinion? Maybe you don't understand his either, but I don't see him question you about "understanding". There's always things I don't agree with, and more to the point, a lot of my opinions people don't agree with, but when you continually here things like "whether you understand it or not" or "it's quite simple, but for billy2803, maybe not", etc, etc, where do you posters get off? Unless it's a misinterpretation of a rule, most other things we discuss are all based on our own opinions, and just because you don't agree doesn't mean you're wrong, but it also doesn't mean you're right. But whichever way it is, personal attacks or smart arse comments are totally unacceptable.. I apologise for being "melodramatic" (according to one poster it's something I suffer from), and "those" posters would most likely advise me to read a different site. Well, I, like most of you, live and breath MFC, and when you're an interstater (in the non-AFL-dominant area of South East Queensland), this is the best way I can get my daily Demon fix. I enjoy the posts of most, especially the likes of Old Dee, and I would hate to see him crack the sh!ts and not contribute due to someone else going on their little power trip. We are passionate, we want the best for the Club, we want a premiership and lots of them. Don't be scum supporters like Collingwood and Richmond, we are all Melbourne fans and should respect each others views in a constructive way, not degrading, disrespectful and immature. End rant.

Col is only 26, he has 5 years at least of quality football. He will need to improve this year, but I'm hopeful that Neeld can get the areas of his game that are currently lacking to the standard required. Petterd can play midfield, but I don't htink he has the class to become a genuine midfielder. On a HFF, Sylvia easily has him covered. I think it has been seen on a number of occasions. Petterd will have a good game here or there, Col gerenally has good games and the odd great game.

Gee Roost It, things aren't too flash then, considering Beamer was the BEST & Fairest winner last year, and finished the highest out of all our players in teh Brownlow. Neeld WILL give Sylvia more responsibility because Col needs it to get to a level where we need him in a premiership push. You just need to look at the highlights Paul Roos showed last year after the Carlton game, and when Col "tagged" Judd. He had a job to do but was not compliant. He has managed to get away with that throughout his career, so I would expect Neeld to increase his responsibilities, so that at the end of the season if he doesn't improve, I think Neeld will be looking at Col's options. And the fact that he is suspended from Round 1 will ensure that Neeld is harder on his and raises his expectations. Col has a lot of work to do this year, I think he can do it, but I think a lot is between his ears. From all reports he will play in the intrclub game on Friday, as will all bar 2 (Gawn and maybe Spencer?).

Really? Bloody hell, when did that happen??!! He never rated Richo's comments, always felt sorry for Richo actually, especially considering how much of a terrible tipster Turfy is!

He's a mad Demon too isn't he? Luckily for us we don't get SEN in Qld, but I love watching Turfy on Friday NIght moonee Valley race nights on TVN, very entertaining.

Yep, still nothing... What odds one of these logos appearing on the FoJ for a slight increase to the recent contribution?

Petterd is not in the same class as Sylvia, regardless of what position they play in. Ricky Bobby is highly overated on this forum, and I am sure to be torn a newbie with that comment! Tear away punters, tear away!!!! Nb - I know there are some that agree, so please back me up when need be!