Robbie57

Be spewing to lose Martin; can't see us letting him go. First I've heard of Jones. Why would a second club battler like McDonald want to go anywhere? Warnock would probably get a run elsewhere. Morton is a Morton. Maric - hmmm. Dunn - ha!

An article not worth republishing. What a load of bollocks.

Back on topic.

No.

And no to Eade, Laidley and williams.

Clarkson maybe still in the mix.

I am a reasonably confident we can win. A proper analysis of last week was that in the first quarter we kicked ourselves out of the game.

We won that quarter in every other aspect except goal kicking, that wont happen again.

The second quarter was a disaster. Judd did the damage.

After that we were competitive (not great but competitive) but never likely to get back into the game having lost a player early and tappy later on.

The question is do the weagles have a blow out player? Sadly the answer is yes they have Cox, Kerr and Le Cras.

But at some stage luck may fall our way.

In addition they will come assuming they will win given our recent beltings and record at Docklands.

I dont expect Niknat will perform he puts in a good game every 4th week or so, not week in week out.

And I like Viney's record at Docklands.

Can someone wake me up before closing time.

Clarkson is the door ajar?

perhaps the door is not fully closed yet.

Scully is an unusual cat.

I think you have to factor that in in all of this discussion.

He simply is not like other 19 -20 yo players.

That makes it highly likely he did say I am going to wait until the end of the year and with his ability to focus and stick to his guns that is what is happening.

I fear however that decision (or the alternative that he has signed) has put him in a dreadful PR position.

Someone needed to tell him (and possibly has) that by letting the speculation continue he will damage his brand no matter what the outcome and is damaging to MFC.

At the moment this thread displays that he really has lost a lot of good will with supporters, if he goes GWS supporters will have the same nagging doubt will he go again to follow the money or a flag.

Personally I would like him to stay because I think our team does have the potential to be one dimensional and we need someone totally professional. I dont like that the speculation is doing the club some damage but it seems we have been inflicting that on ourselves in other quarters so he is not on his pat there.

Deep down i think he really hasn't decided but what I think doesn't count.

Good luck Tom, life is never easy for an outsider.

Get well Jimma every demon fan and the whole extended footy community is with you in this.

Some perspective especially for those who want everyone to have a steely resolve.

These signings say several things:

The club: we are not going to be pillaged by other clubs and let recent events distract us from what we have to do.

The players: we believe this team is going to have success and we are going to make it happen.

Now that is worth celebrating as a positive message of intent.

I like the idea of lethal with Neeld or similar, maybe with Lethal as the football director or something.

As for the age bull, I dont see Sir Alex losing his touch.

What we need is some fresh non Melbourne blood that will tell it like it is.

As i said elsewhere on this forum any elite footy director from any code who knows how to build an elite team would be fine by me.

The Way Back 2012

Jimmy resigns as President to become Club Patron

Gary Lyon agrees to become Board Member.

Cameron Schwab publically releases the infamous report and, if appropriate, apologises for whatever it is we don’t know.

We appoint an independent Football Director with experience of building an elite sporting team and supporting structures. (I don’t care what code they come from).

We appoint a Coach with proven game day abilities and a desire to build an elite culture.

Our coaching team includes the coach's possible successor, proven mid field and defensive assistants.

Our players are told they will be expected to achieve elite levels and perform their designated roles and responsibilities on the field at no less than 80% effectiveness otherwise they will be spending time in the magoos. No one gets a second game if they fall short of expected performance hurdles.

Our supporters sign on to become elite as well. The most loyal and supportive group in the league.

We stop compromising.

We stop whining and start with a winning attitude.

We fight and scratch our way back to the top.

Before the club picks the team next week Viney and the Football Department(?) should sit down one on one with each of the senior players and tell them they have a future with the club; or not.

.

This is a bad plan at this stage. Our new coach should have input into the shape of the team going forward indeed that is vital it may even change the attitudes of those on the edge.

I would be having talks with those potential coaches and finding out who they see as required and vital.

As for the flawed premise of this thread, it assumes that our team and coaches have not been focussed on winning. I simply dont believe that.

Sending Sylvia back to the two's was essential to get his head in the right space namely "you are a good player but doing just enough is not going to cut it going forward".

I'd be doing less talking with the players about the future what is needed is a culture shift. Viney has started it, you dotn perform to your potential you go back to the two's reputation doesn't matter anymore.

Roos is absolutely right about Schwab and Connolly.

Schwab knows it from his management books. What doesn't matter is whether they are being maligned by the media or not. Our Football department was not working as evidenced by the fact the players got involved in the situation. They had an obligation to get it working and they failed.

I think Schwab has done a great job up to a point but the point at which we have failed (and Schwab) is to get the right team in the football department and they both must take responsibility for that decision.

Connolly is the GM of the Football department he is responsible to ensure it has the right mix of talent and skills to get the job done.

If he was performing that job then we wouldn't be in this mess. Blind Freddy can see we didn't have the right tactical skills on game day nor to we have the right mix of assistants.

Frankly we should not have to resort to Garry Lyon coming in to do Connolly's job, the director is just that an overseer to the GM and liason to the rest of the club and Board.

We should find an independant Football Director who is empowered to tell it like it is with a desire to do the job.

Schwab's failure has been to mistake loyalty to the club as being the same as ability to get the result. Whilst loyalty is fantastic attribute its not a substitute for talent.

That said I dont think we should replace Schwab as he has ability on the administration side which is hard to get but as an outsider I think he needs to rethink how he interacts with the FD.

So here is a wild idea: Paul Roos (or similar) as the Football Director, this would not require him to be in Melbourne full time. He has the ability to develop talent including coaching talent. Then we could go with a coach from the ranks of the emerging assistants (like Neeld).

Roos

Malthouse

Clarkson

Neeld

Why go for the also rans, we would be better with a young gun coach with something to prove.

Today's news in the the Hun is shattering.

At the moment I have but one wish, Jimmy gets better.

Of all of the things that came out of yesterday's press conferences, surely one of the most obvious was Jim's ongoing health battle.

Really Jimmy should stand down in his own interests. Perhaps it is only his spirit which is holding the club together - but the longer the rift beneath him continues the harder it will be to contain the damage when he is gone.

Don - take charge; Gary - take over as Football Director until the new coach is settled ; Cameron - stay out of the football department ... or quit ; Chris - back up the new coach .. or quit.

Jim - look after yourself

Agree except if Jimmy wants to stay as President thats fine by me (he can take all the leave he needs and come back when he is ready to do so).

Shame on all those who put him in that room yesterday, how about showing the same intestinal fortitude he shows.

Anyone but Eade, he doesn't have the goods.

Malthouse is a chance.

Why not Clarkson? He would get to work with Viney again inherit a young list with potential and return to the club.

The Dawks window is closing and we will offfer a long term deal which would be more attractive than any offer from the Dawks.

5 years versus a likely 2 with an option for an extra year.

I think I'm beginning to piece together the underlying troubles.

In short, the veteran and mid-age players became acutely aware that they had limited control over their future, and there was a great deal of tension about the continuing imposition of the "Red & Blueprint" on the footy department.

Obviously this points to the Schwab 'interference'. Perhaps Connolly was also a player in that agenda.

Perhaps Bailey had set out to distance himself from that agenda (the public comments on 'regretting' the McDonald sacking and how it was handled)

There's no denying that the 'senior' players in the team have been the key 'unexpected' weakness this year. Perhaps we just didn't have enough to cover for when the few we had lost form. Perhaps their sense of agency over their own future was eroded. Which is as good as saying, they were despondent. And played despondent football.

Fortunately I was overseas and came home to this debacle.

I didnt see they game but the extracts I have seen show that our on field team was totally missing.

I think the on the couch team have it right our leaders have got involved in some off field fight and ended up not being ready to play saturday.

I think this has been the case for most of the year for them. Lets be frank and brutal some of senior players this year have not put it all on the park.

If that is because of some slight to older players or gripe with administration then its not acceptable. I know they will respond its not been the case but the reality is if in the recess of your brain you are not happy at work you will not perform at the top level which is the same thing.

Whatever the cause everyone at the club should be ashamed that their collective failure to sort it all out meant Jimmy had to face the press yesterday.

So here is a message to our administration, our FD and every player here is a man dealt a crappy hand and rather than complaining about it he plays it to the best of his ability. Think about it why cant you take the lead and do the same?

I'd like to commend the AFL on their fixturing this year. Giving Melbourne a bye, then an interstate 'home' game at the height of the ski season is most welcome. We can head to Buller for 2-3 weeks and catch our 'home' game on tv from our chalets.

Rumour has it once we win 6 flags in a row, and Gary Lyon is the CEO of the NINE network, the AFL will in 2020 move the "traditional Anzac day" clash between The Dees and Gold Coast to the newly constructed Hotham stadium. Vlad will say: "Sure its cold there but our latest expansion team plays in Singapore and its bloody hot there."

Shouldn't this thread be called "we have a bye this weekend" , so who you gunna call.

I am off on a holday to make the most of the 2 week recess.

Range Rover are you skiing?

I wonder whether three 6 day breaks in a row was a reason for their insipid effort?

If so they should have planned better with resting players etc.

I think they were spent from the 18 day roll over and Bails bizarre decision to make that a talking point in the lead up. the silent message to the players was you will be tired this week so we dont expect much.

Poor atmospherics.

Not Eade, seriously he will never take a team to a premiership.

I am loving how we are blooding new players and creating a merit based system.

My dog just told me Scully was staying.

My dog is a member and is delighted with that canine insight.

Condolences to his family and friends.

Terrific teamman and player, loved seeing him play.

Sad day for the club.

You can put a line through Geelong at Skilled now. They haven't lost there since the Jurassic period.

I remember being invited by a mate to the Cattery, sat in the middle of a group of memebers and we won with a kick after the siren.

Cant recall the year, 2000 perhaps. I will never forget the slience apart from me. Pure magic.