Ned

No mate, it's just the only leverage I hold -- my membership and my son's. Neeld said there would be changes, I supported that, and I could see the logic of the trades until yesterday afternoon. Since then it's gone nuts. Why did we just give away Stefan Martin? I can't help it, I liked him and I reckon he had a heart like a horse. Very peeved. As to the peanut above, I know Demonland etiquette requires you to think the club people are geniuses until the next disaster, I struggle with that, sorry.

Preparing for hidden gems late in the draft no doubt.

So nothing from that that we can trade for Ray? I'd be really, really bloody interested to hear the logic of today's moves.

Goes without saying I could see the logic -- and was happy with -- all of the drafting until Rodan. Rodan couldn't get a regular game at Port because he failed on the defensive side, like much of Melbourne's list. Why give away Gysberts for nothing and take on Rodan? I can justify Morton more because his confidence at Melbourne is shattered. But it still hurts. If you can explain the thinking from Rodan on I would be curious. Today reeks of firesale. Yeah, I withold my membership. As a member I feel like a mushroom -- fed sh!t and kept in the dark. I'll always support Melbourne. I can't help it.

Rodan is a premiership player? I thought he was at Richmond to 2006, then Port. Port kept dropping Rodan because he wouldn't do the defensive work, a bit like most of Melbourne's playing list. What is the point, I ask.

Eactly my feelings (just prior to Rodan). I supported everything being done and was very happy with what had been achieved. Just looks like a firesale now.

Sorry, I'm not cheering a pick 4 being traded for pick 80. Pick 11 for a VFL player. Pick 12 delisted. There has to be some responsibility and accountability in the club. Why do we need David Rodan? How is he any different to Gysberts? I don't understand it and as usual there's no hope anyone at Melbourne will explain what's going on. Really fed up.

You're not alone mate. The more I think about it, the angrier I get. It's a farce. I don't plan on my renewing my membership. What was the point of putting up with all those poor years if the draft picks are then just discarded?

This really disappoints me. How do you trade a first-round pick midfielder for a VFL player who can't get a game at north? It stinks. I'm going to be really sad if/when he starts tearing it up at north.

Adelaide isn't Carlton, which is a criminal organization that should've been liquidated 10 years ago for it's filthy cheating. Sydney isn't Carlton. Sydney won the premiership with very few high draft picks but lots of grit and courage. It's not offering [censored] Visy deals for a filthy merc like Carlton did with Judd. Comparisons unwarranted, in my view.

Dawes - like Clarke he's going to come in with something to prove - particularly given his old teammate is forward coax - and relieved of ruck duties I reckon he will tear it up. Trengove - last year was an aberration. He was injured and weighed down by the captaincy expectations. He's a star and will demonstrate it. Frawley - had a bad one last year. But in fairness the backline was under siege the whole time. A better midfield performance should aid him immensely. So that would be forward, midfield, backline. Smokey is Davey. Couldn't handle the attention a couple of years back. That'll be off now and he may have an Indian summer. Would love to see it. Expect nothing from Watts or Sylvia. I don't want to be disappointed by having expectations of such flaky individuals. Could be an interesting year. Expectations pretty low.

Ok, I take back what I said in the other thread, fair enough. But when Port don't want you, there's generally a major problem.

When you're delisted from Port Adelaide, your career should come to an end.

Hope that is just chatter. I'd be outraged if such a trade went ahead. Give the kid a go.

I am a huge fan of Ross Lyon. But that would have to rank as one of the more embarassing posts I've read. Sanderson is clearly a ripping coach and his players play out of their skins for him. His coaching was Blightesque.

Going by everything that I have observed at the MFC I think your trust that they would have done that is misplaced. Lyon himself said he spoke to Ross's manage - who told him Lyon wad staying put - and didn't speak to Ross personally. It's on the record. Now Ross may have said no to Garry. We may not have been offering what Freo was. But we would've been comforted that we'd checked every option. But it's water under the bridge. I'll just say Lyon is doing a super job at Freo. No doubt the MFC ship would've taken longer to turn around. I personally just would've had more confidence with a proven coach overseeing it. I think Neeld is doing the right thing and really hope he succeeds. But this notion that the MFC fully pursued Lyon is dubious at best.

Reality: pick up phone, call Ross Lyon, ask him personally. Find out his deal with Saints not sealed. Make an offer. Be professional and gutsy in your search. Like Freo. That's reality champ. Lyon's effort was pathetic. But you're right, it is history now.

Yes it is. He wasn't a competent person to make the coaching decision. Paul Roos said on OTC "melbourne should call Ross". But our Garry knew better. Too clever to listen to Ross Lyon's best mate giving a none too subtle hint. Garry Lyon is to blame and is a total incompetent in administration matters.

We all know the list needs to be turned over. But I would feel a lot more confident about the process if I had evidence Neeld could coach. Watching Frenantle now and it makes me sick that amateur Lyon was put in charge of our coaching hunt. We could've had Ross Lyon if we had someone with the nous to pick up the phone and ask Ross - Roos spelt it out on national TV. Lyon fancies himself as a journalist yet failed at the absolute basics. Let's hope Neeld can achieve what needs to be done.

Yep, same here. Exhilarating.

This. But I absolutely despair of the Demons.

Pure gold.

Ross Lyon thanks. I'm not saying Neeld won't get there, he may well do. But I've believed Lyon is a terrific coach for a long time. Terrible luck that he doesn't have a premiership to his name. Melbourne's failure to sound Lyon out last year is an indictment on us, or more to the point, our preparedness to contract out every major decision to Garry Lyon. Here's hoping Neeld can really get things going in 2013. Clarkson and Hardwick had something to show in the second half of their first season. There's been precious little of that for Melbourne. I reckon GWS are better to watch than us right now. The coaching group, players and administrators better have one heck of a summer.

Insipid. Might just be me, but the little clips of Neeld coaching before the game left me cold. Hope it's just me. But he didn't come across well at all.

Tell you what champ, if you're going to respond to my posts, how about you get a decent handle on how to convey your point. You deal in oblique references that I struggle to follow. Your rhetorical question above is idiotic. How am I not a Melbourne supporter? It's clearly good news. I presonally would've liked it to be longer. I'm musing out loud on what his reasoning is likely to be. I don't need to read these pathetic lines from someone who, frankly, struggles to put together a coherent thought, let alone a proper sentence.