Hardnut

Ignore the commentators/media, they have been out of the game too long and have their own agendas.

Our team has shown a very impressive improvement in getting/moving the ball - now it is time to capitalise on this improvement and refine the required skills and precision of movement.

Be happy - the Dees are on the climb!

Another memory - wing/flank MCG - Robbie facing off with David Rhys-Jones - left/right to and fro several times, but Robbie got round him!

1981 Western Oval, Robbie kicks the winning goal, the only win for the season - about 400 MFC members were there in the outer - we will never forget that day.

Personally, I will never forget Robbie trying to autograph my young son's football in pouring rain at a club function in Yarra Park - we all laughed and decided it was best to call it a day!

A few years later Robbie wrote a personal note on my son's Footy Record, and some years later again, did a personal photograph with him.

A superb player and a great person.

Vale Robbie.

How about some positives - we can't expect much more at this stage - at least the effort and attempted movement is OK.

IMO the biggest problem is moving Watts to the backline - players have looked up and seen nothing to go to - that should never be allowed to happen.

Watts should maintain his current weight, but work more on his one-on-one stuff, though he's improving. He should look to fill the Gunstan-type role in our forwardline. I think there's a place for all of them in our forwardline. They're all very mobile which gives them and the side flexibility. Clark and Watts can play in the middle or on the wings. Dawes and Hogan can play as lead up CHFs or deep FFs. Win-win. We just need a couple of dangerous crumbers at their feet. Hawthorn's Shane Savage is number one on my hit list. I hope Blease can play a role in there one day too.

A little confusing here AF - 'Clark and Watts in the middle or on the wings'? - I agree they are all mobile, but Clark and Dawes need to get over injury problems (doubts), whereas Watts and Hogan appear to be the future. I agree MFC needs crumbers for all these big guys.

One additional point - Dunn is proving quite serviceable - might yet make it!

Very happy with Watts' game yesterday, he certainly knows how to play up forward - now he needs to put on 15 kg and become a real power forward.

Will be interesting to see how Watts, Hogan, Clarke and Dawes work out - not sure there is room for all three, assuming all three are fit at the same time.

Garland and McDonald very good down back - with the return of Frawley it's a good start to a solid backline.

Now for the midfield!

Selective quote on my behalf TSFKA - you have made a very good call.

JW was trimmed down wrongly IMO - he needs to bulk up following a Tom Hawkins mould.

It would not be wise to appoint someone associated with the last disaster, hence no Craig.

I will not speculate on the possible future senior coaches - hopefully, MFC will this time exercise due diligence and make a well considered decision.

I think Craig could be the answer and certainly rate him as an option for MFC above Williams and Eade.

Like all interim coaches the next 11 weeks will decide

Go Dees

I will not speculate on the future coach, but I can say that anyone associated with the last disaster would not be a wise choice - so rule out Craig, end of story.

Reality time folks - we've got what we've got - move on.

No arguments from me. That said, Craig was very much a players coach, built a lot of trust with his players but also kept them in line. I've never been one to be entertained when he speaks, but I would definitely enjoy a 60%win ratio and going to games not expecting to be beating by 12 goals ever week!

Fair enough GD, but ask yourself why Craig was not retained by the Crows.

Wake up yourself 'Hardnut' and you will read that is what I have said. I agree with you. edit...well actually I don't, shouldn't post on the run.

Todd Viney was a lame duck coach, had said he had no want to go on with the job...the players smell this and the poor performances continue. With Craig hinting he may be interested in the job he may well be in a better position to take them through to the end of the year even if he doesn't want to go on next year. It has nothing to do with promoting his interests it is about keeping the team honest.

OK, we have a definitional problem here - a 'lame duck' is someone who is in power who is going out of power and consequently has no real power.

An interim coach is not a lame duck coach - the role of an interim coach is to ascertain the players on the list who show the qualities that suggest they should be retained and if possible, develop those players.

Uhhhh, hardnut... With respect to how you rate Neil Craig, I think you are being very harsh. He took over with 9 games to go in 2004 with a team struggling to show any cohesion, confidence or real ability and the very first game he played a Melbourne team sitting 3rd. The team he took over was 15th. That week, they promptly pulled our pants down and spanked us by 72 points. For the next 5 years Craig coached Adelaide around 60% win loss and every week Adelaide played, you knew that that team would be hard to beat and would give 4 quarters effort.

While I will mention that his last season and a half were very poor, he did mould the Adelaide crows team that last year missed out on a grand final by a goal. Furthermore, ill acknowledge that he had a finals record very poor in comparison to regular season games.

I'm in no way endorsing Craig, however I'm trying to point out that he has a record as good as anyone's in that time, including Rodney Eade while he was at the doggies. I think it's important to respect that.

Personally, I've seen a marked shift in Paul roos akin to James hird and mick malthouse over the past 2 seasons, and the answers he have given have gradually warmed from "no interest" to he now acknowledges he will take the call. I've heard more whispers that an ex-Melbourne and hawthorn employee who is now at afl level has expressed his recommendation to roos that he should accept the Melbourne position, which will be offered to him initially. After roos, take your pic of Craig, Eade, Williams etc.

MFC needs to perform due diligence and be harsh in its assessment of any potential coaching candidate - they cannot afford, and will not be allowed, to make another mistake.

Wake up yourself 'Hardnut' and you will read that is what I have said. I agree with you.

Apologies if I misunderstood your comments rjay, but I don't believe Craig should be making noises about the long term job and I don't believe he is what MFC needs.

As I said on another thread it is good he is making noises about the job, it will keep the players on their toes as he can't be seen as a lame duck coach to just go through the motions with. Whether he is serious about it or not only he will know.

Craig is not a 'lame duck coach' - he has been appointed as an interim coach, but he already 'has eyes on the top job' - wake up, 'rjay', MFC needs Craig to stabilise the ship and help develop potential players at MFC, not promote his own interests. Here we go again!

I only hope MFC appoints the next coach asap to avoid yet another round of 'ifs and maybes' - fortunately, I suspect the situation may be under control by more rational forces.

I said I would not speculate on the interim coach or the future coach of MFC and I have not.

The interim coach is in place and I accept the choice, however Craig has not even coached a game and he is making noises about being senior coach next year.

My comment that I would not speculate on the future coach was based on the assumption that Craig would go with Neeld, or at least not be a candidate for the senior coaching position in the future - he may have another role to play at MFC in future, who knows.

However, IMO Craig should not be considered for the senior coaching role at MFC - he had early success at Adelaide, but then it all went bad, and that should be a warning sign for MFC!

Ok H I'll do it then I'm not linked with any at the club!

If not Craig who would u look at?

What about GL?????????????

I will not speculate on either an interim coach or a future coach - hopefully, this time round those decisions rest with an informed group rather than one person.

Craig is not an option as interim coach - MN and NC are inextricably linked, both must go and quickly.

I was one of the handful of people on demonland calling for Neelds head at round 5, 2012.

Most of you shouted us down. We knew a lemon when we saw one.

An apology would be nice.

In fact there were people who were opposed to MN when it was first known he was a candidate!

To summarise RN:

1 You are correct on 'skills, skills, skills' - almost no club in the league emphasises this aspect of play enough.

2 You are correct that MN is not able to get the most out of players.

3 You are not correct in allowing MN any more time - MFC cannot afford the damage. I suspect the AFL already has this matter in hand.

Time to wait and see!

Fair enough.

Who would u like as our next coach H?

I do have my own 'ideal world' choice if he was available, but let me answer your question in a roundabout way.

I believe MN was a poor choice, partly because of the way he was chosen - one person making the choice is not good. I do not want to see that again and I do not believe it will happen this time around.

My preference for coach is not relevant - this time around it would appear that the choice will be made on a much more considered basis.

If due process is followed, I will support whoever is chosen as Coach of MFC - the Club is bigger than the individual.

I am not in the business of speculating - I believe it will be a very considered decision by the powers concerned - there is no room for error anymore.

God, I hope not. What a monumentally horrid decision that would be. He's a fricken VFL coach who could never get it done at AFL level. I'd prefer Craig to Ayres. At least he's coached at AFL level in the past five years. That would be a non-sensical appointment.

IMO neither Craig nor Ayres would be suitable and neither would even be considered given the current situation and who is actually controlling the future of MFC.

At the end of 2011, start of 2012, the MFC list had a lot of young potential combined with some good experienced players - the current list has suffered through the loss of some good players and the dubious recruitment of replacements - MN and Co. have a lot to answer for and their day of reckoning is fast approaching!