Harrisonrules

In the spirit of the above posts, the honeymoon is over. Neeld brought a basic package to the club, defensive Collingwood/Malthouse game plan, (we will be the hardest club to play against) broad coaching panel, elite fitness team (Misson and Craig). I was encouraged after the Bailey era. He took a stand on player types and attitude. Hard bodies was the motto, even if it left some questions on skill, potential and speed ( a group of go between VFL - AFL players). He took a stand on culture by hastening the departure of older experience particularly leadership. This was symbolised by the choice of Grimes and Trengove as Captains. This is the base level he works from. It certainly offered a new era, but it left questions. Now into his second year and one game and big questions remain and if not careful will very quickly blow out into judgement time. Games against Ess, WC, had better be competative. If not judgement day will arrive on Sunday April 21st against GWS and Sunday 28 against Bris Lions. Of course players must lift, but the real issue is whether Neeld can stand up from his base line package and show he has that extra that surving coaches have, carisma, tactical nous etc. Without these he will have so lost the respect of the club from players to supporters that there will be no coming back. The month of April is judgement month for Mark Neeld. ps. Re the Collingwood/Malthouse game plan, from general discussion it is very possibly that by the end of April Melbourne and Carlton will both be sitting on the bottom of the ladder with a record of zip and 5

So Willo. You learnt nothing from last year's effort? I'm assuming you saw nothing similar in this game to last years tripe? You weren't expecting something a little more after a hard pre-season? So you wait to the end of the season. What will distinguish success from failure for you. One of my father's favourite saying to us kids when we did something silly or unacceptable was, 'I saw that coming a mile off'. Wisdom and experience is patient but it also can read signs far earlier than starry eyed hope. This year is not separate from last year or the year before. I see no signs of this being a short term glitch. We are now on the 7 year plan in my opinion. And Neeld will not be a part of it from what I can see. If you want to wait for the end of the year so be it, it won't make any difference. There's not enough positives to place any short term hope upon.

This is now Neelds list. He's made some big decisions. Second grade cast offs. Cut experience. If you blame the players it involves Neeld. You cann't separate the two.

Craig. Neeld has brought a club structure to the club. He's an organisational man. Listen to him speak and he is as flat as a tack. Not everyone is a contagious/inspirational speaker. Some in fact sap the energy out of others. I'm now suspecting that he is one such speaker. We went out flat for game one both last year and now this year. Last year it took 10 games to win one. If he is a counterproductive speaker it is very possible that something similar will happen this year. After an excellent off season why would we play so flat and lethargic. Don't just jump to the first suggestion of players not trying. That's lazy reflection.

Out Neeld In Craig

Such questions bring out the deluded. There is no way. Seven years minimum. A few of this group may still be around. eg. Hogan and I would think a new coaching era. Ridicule me if you like but we are so far off the mark its futile speculating on this group at this stage. See if you all say the same after this weeks game against the cellar dwellers

Not a final eight player I'll reconsider when he starts kicking well and staying on his feet. In the meantime we have plenty of other mids who deserve at least a go. The clubs obsession with harder bodies irrespective of skill will go nowhere and could end up being Neeld's downfall.

And if we hadn't picked up that priority pick,we would still have threads on this forum criticising the board for not having the werewithall to know how to do it like other big clubs like the p-pies and carl-s-tank. This is better because we got our pick

Two out of three lost in this saga. No don't jump to conclusion 1. The AFL have made a mess of it. 2. Caroline Wilson has lost credibility amongst many which she will never be able to recover. 3. We won. We'll pay the fine. We've still got our gaming clubs. and draft picks. Chris and Dean will both do something constructive for the year. No football follower will hold anything against them. They just did what any self respecting football person would have done and do do when you are leading a crap team. It will provide them with plenty of laughing material at any sportsman night. Chris will master it. The club got the extra priority pick..the Hulk Hogan (via Scully) When others call us tankers, We'll reply .. AND GOT AWAY WITH IT Go Dees..

If it is and you don't want it. I'll take it. I love anyone who has given their time and effort for the red and blue. I cann't stand those who bag our players for the sake of it

A healing article. Its done me a great deal of good to read it. How about we all copy it and post it to her by snail mail

Taken me a few days to share my observations of the practice match, as I've been trying to catch up on having taken the time to go to Casey Fields. Let me start by saying I was pleasantly surprised by the improvement in the complex since my last visit a year or so back. Roads andparking finished. A suburb of houses surrounding the 'fields', magnificent athletic track and reasonable ground. Whether the best decision to go their or not only time will tell but I congratulate the admin for this inititive. Re the game: I thought it was the best disciplined team orientated practice match I can remember seeing of the demons. Of course the pressure was not the same as a real match, but you have to be able to do it in practice if you hope to do it elsewhere. Despite still being a cynic of the collection of cast off players we have gone for, Byrne was a real winner, and benficiary of the team movement of ball into the forward line. He knew how to position himself / lead etc really well. I still wonder what the long term value is in a Geelong reject, but He will add value in the short term through the first half of the year. Rodin as theother two time reject showed the Rodin qualities and we will similarly enjoy his contribution for a while. To expect a consistently good year from him is over hopeful. No doubt Jack Viney is a beauty and will be even better than his father who took a long time to be really significant. Give Jack one or two years and he'll be having a great influence. Toumpas is not far behind. Moves well and as someone said silky skills, good brain and I am excited. I think he is a bit behind Jack at this stage but wonder if in fact he will turn out even better. All other mid fielders did their usual stuff but none stood out to me, Jones, Grimes, Sylvia were at runnjing at 80 percent, and I don't blame them and I'm not worried. Glad evans was out playing which was a win in itself. I puzzle over Jordie McKenzies staus in the club pecking order. Did his things which included a few miss kicks etc, but still committs the cardinal footballers sin, he constantly falls to his feet - a close checking scragger that in time will be surpassed by a team we build for further up the ladder. Jones is well worth keeping an eye on. I reckon he'll play at least half the season and may do even better. This is based not so much on the amount of the ball he got, but looks as though he has the attributes and with some casey games will surely be given a chance. He's ahead of couch in my opinion, although there was a player (no 47) who was doing some good stuff and only after the game I learnt it was couch. Better than I had seen of him before. Jamar ran at 75% pace and despite others opinions I thought Jake Spencer did reasonably well against him. Although I've never been a fan of his despite his clumsiness he does surprise me. I would have kept Martin as the backup. And that is his role. He is our backup knock ruck man at the moment. He has a good leep and will be as competative as any in the big mans wrestle. I think Cam Pederson and Jack Fitz are fighting oneanother for the second ruck and utility forward. Cam looked okay without shining and I think will be given first shot. But I expect it again the be just a matter of time before Jack Fitz passes him. Of the back line Chip looked good and along with Jack Watts are the play maker (quarterbacks - forgive me) Jack has finally made it physically. He looks like a supreme athlete. Not bulky but strapping athletic muscles. Yes one stranger standing next to me at one point stated he thought Jack was our best player (not on the day but in general) I would not have disagreed. If he hasn't got 'Sylvia-itis' this should be an excellent year and who knows in '14 and '15. Dunne payed a good solid game and I am surprised I think barring reports and injuries will play the year on the backline. But the better news from my point of view was the Kent played on him for much of the game and I thought remained competative, not bad for a new kid on the block. Tom Mc was again doing well and I think with a season behind him will be better for it becasue I have always believed his a a good mark. something that was limited last year as he established himself. I liked the look of Tom Gillies ( despite my Geelong fans staement we could have him) although he didn't do lots. I'll enjoy watching him closely to see if their is something worthwhile. I believe Straus-ie will play first game and maybe the rest of the season. I thought he was more competative. His running and kicking have never been questioned, but along with Nicho they should be our small running backs (nothing to do with the american football chess). Not many back line positions left, Col Garland , Joel MacD, Sellar will have to fight oneanother for the other positions. I assume Col Garland will be first choice but I'm concerned he has reached his peak. Injuries will give them all a chance. Blease will do better on the big stage. Tappy was okay and has a challenge to keep improving. Jetta will have to fight hard. I liked the look of Dom Barry moving around and will need time. Tynan di a number of good things and may surprise a lot of us. I think he might even be on the bench in the early part of the year. A fit Clarke, Dawes 2nd ruck, Byrne and the Tassie flyer should be the core of the forward line. So these boys will all be competing hard. But I've kept the best till last. I'M IN LOVE, YES HOGES THE HULK, just 17, and showing he could play at least competatively against some big well developed players was great. He moves well, knows how to play the game, can mark and kick. Who needs JB LF Pav, etc....we've got the Hulk. Yes I'm mature enough to keep the lid on it, but it is hard,,,,, by the way how's thank guy.....what's his name..doing at GWS..WHO cares...We've got the HULK

Whether good bad or mediocre is irrelevant. Our future is in the hands of our younger players. He'll be gone in a year or two or three. He won't see finals at Melbourne so is therefore irrelevant to us

Lots of this I would like to have said if I had taken the time to do so. I will thus just add I thought Tim Lane's artical today (Sun 17) was grappling with the broad context which made the entire issue complex. I believe the AFL would have been far better off, drawing a line in the sand once the priority pick was removed, held a moritorium and invited clubs to come up with their opinions on what was acceptable team management (eg Dockers leaving their best doz players home in their game against hawks in Launceston the week before the finals) Vlad is a heavy handed autocrate who does not see much value in the opinions of others - it seems to me. Hence he missed a better opportunity than the root he took

He started the year with three best on ground, then driven into ground. Essendon held a players meeting under sheedy to vote on getting Cam even at a high price, Led by Lloyd and Hird they all agreed. People have short memories. Not many utilities kick 7 goals a game. About time those twisted supporters kept their ignorance to themselves. What 's to be gained by mauling our own past players..says a lot about the poster..its sick

Surely we will be hearing from the AFL very soon. I'm inclined to think they will be harsh for they have to make a statement about the notion of tanking. I think they expect a fight and will even be happy if the outcome is watered down. But to begin with they have to sound tough, that is their way. I expect our board to fight for our innocence or at least having team managed in a way that has been common league culture for as long as I can remember (lets say 55 years- I'm now 65). To put it succinctly, I expect the Board to throw absolutely everything at them. This is our line in the sand moment. This is the equivalent of our premiership fight. It is the beginning of our new era, 'our no holds barred' moment. We will no longer be Mr Nice guy. Noone pushes us around. We'll kick sand in anyones face. This is our culture moment. We know what we stand for, we stand for the Melbourne Football Club Yes its a new tanking thread, but specifically your chance to pass on your message to the board. Lets get a thousand comments before our first NAB cup game. GO DEES

Accusations of playing our players out of position in the tanking debate is hardly worth the paper it's printed upon. Knowing it has always been part of the game our moves were fairly ho hum. The most ridiculous one (on paper) I could think of was Matthew Richardson to the wing. I wondered what other so called strange moves people could think of. We could send a list to the AFL

Regarding the multimoves we are supposedly not meant to make. I recall my frustration and that of our mates that Bailey wouldn't try anything different. We felt he was stubborn. I recall our drive home from some game after another poor performance and listening to Gerard Healey and Spud Frawley. They were highly critical of Bailey for failing to try something different. Spud stated that he knew that chip had played forward as a junior. Surely it would have been worth trying him or one of the other back men forward. When finally he did and we go ahead we are criticised for playing players out of position. As you say, when you want to find guilt whether there or not, you will find some argument to support your intent.

Great isn't it. We are equal top. I love this time of year. We have gone so far ahead of all other teams. WOW I love the VIBE

Sorry.. if we are still playing Jordie in 2014 we will be still outside the 8 and Neelds plan will be stalling. Apart from his lack of skill he still committs the cardinal footballers sin. Constantly falls to his knees. He's got an awful lot of improvement to make. What disturbs me is that the coaching panel put him in the top five last year. That points to further questions about Neelds ability to coach. Good administrator but the coaching question remains.

Its not only about catching those ahead, it's also about keeping ahead of the 2 new teams. They will be coming with a roar sooner than later. No guarantee we are going to win all four of these games. Lets hope so but sooner or later it could happen. It all looks rosey at the moment but it always does pre Christmas

Jordon hadn't convinced FD after three years because of a philosophical shift in coaching. He hadn't been a failure (As neither Martin nor Morton had) but didn't fit the preferred type of player. Neeld has taken the club in a completely different direction to the one we were previously committed to for three years as the premiership template. Will the new approach work. It didn't the first year. It's an extreme approach to have topped up with good VFL players at the expense of young developing players. Pederson came virtually at the cost of Gysberts and Martin.(Martin was given away for nothing) In my mind Pederson has to be better than Martin, Fitzpatrick and Hogen to have justified giving up on Gysberts for his inclusion. He couldn't make it at North so he has to really step up with us. Neeld has taken an extreme direction that had better work by the end of three years, or we will be needing to clear out a dozen good VFL players and have a new hole where we gave up on developing players. Yes Gysberts has gone and their is a lot I like about several of the new young kids. But one question remains as a result of Gysberts going. Will Neelds extreme approach work?

I've watched his highlights several times and love what I see. If he and Toumpas can step up to the required level we will have a potent midfield.

Jack Trengrove, Luke Tapscott, Jimmy Toupas, Jack Viney. ..... a great SA group will keep them all here

While this tghread might have begun with genuinely good intent. I think it should be removed. Attitudes to women are a major concern of the AFL. Already the thread speaks of women as girls. Reference is made to looks. It will go down very quickly. Obviously too many don't understand the topic. REMOVE IT.