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Pretty sure I could hear Neeld from the third tier during the break. Not happy

One of the worst displays I've seen.

Inept ball movement. They had no idea what they were doing.

Zero structure. Poor coaching. Bombing long to a small forward line. It requires a Howe hanger to get a mark inside 50.

Why Jetta?

Cant question the effort but foot skills are confidence and we are devoid of it

Magner getting an unfair whack I reckon. Playing an unfamiliar role. Should be back in the middle doing what he does best - stoppage work and clearances.

A defensive forward for Melbourne is just about the lonieliest position in the AFL. He will continue to have low possession games playing like this. Swap him for Dunn, Petterd, whoever, and put in the middle.

Re the comparison with Beams and Boak...Boak would like a million bucks in that Collingwood team. He's a little bit out of sight with Port, but is a jet. I'd have him over Beams

Charlie Dixon will be a very good player? yet Cameron will be a superstar?

Johns was not cut down by injury, I would say he was partly cut down by weight of expectation

Kossie showed a hell of a lot and has never properly fulfilled

Great if Cameron does progress, but do we really need to chase? Maybe if he produces next year and kicks 40 or 50, maybe

I'll give you one more name to mull over....Jack Anthony

Not a great comparison. Jack kicked goals / looked good in a good side and has been exposed by a mediocre one. Cameron looks a jet in a poor side, among kids, and as a 18(?) year old in his first year in the big time.

I think Jetta is worth holding onto seasons end and I think we will. The lack of small forwards will work in his favor. His probably the best small forward we have. Davey and Lawrence arn't making the cut.

I don't know about that. I think sometimes he falls into the 'small indigenous player, therefore small forward' stereotype. I see him more as a midfielder. He's hard at it and can run.

Lawrence looks like he can play, but doesn't seem to get involved much. He could get lucky given our need in this area. If he kicks a bag soon he may hold on. Good build and has potential.

Syndicated across News Ltd....

Can't stand the talk that we got an 'overs' deal, as well the comparison to Ablett. We invested heavily in the draft and got dragged through the mud for a year by this saga...Also, bringing Scully's performance now into the argument is irrelevent. When he reaches his early 20s and he starts to fire, that's what Melbourne will be missing, not what he's producing now.

I have my own similar themed piece if anyone's interested: http://www.backpagelead.com.au/afl/6503-melbourne-fc-coach-under-pressure-afl#comment-535644448

Yes you're right, the players are the only one's who can get their hands on the ball. But if we've got players that aren't putting in the effort, intensity or following instructions then it is a reflection on the coach.

The coach holds one of the most important leadership roles in the team. If he's a hard coach that wants a hard team then he needs to make some hard decisions. If a player isn't putting in the effort, drop him. If they're not following instructions, drop him.

Neeld has to set a standard for the playing group and is just as responsible for the performances as the players are.

I am not sure it is. I think Neeld's inherited this problem. It's time the players asked what they can do for the club, instead of what the club can do for them. The problems Neeld is dealing with aren't an 8-week fix.

If what we're seeing is the response by the senior players, then his decisions have been justified. Culture needs changing.

My 2c: http://www.backpagelead.com.au/afl/6503-melbourne-fc-coach-under-pressure-afl

This sort of behaviour from players would happen at no other club. The culture is apalling. Do we have to find another coach that puts everything the way the players like it?

I would imagine Norm Smith would've lost a few of these players. They drop off too easily, because somehow its easy for them.

+1

Players can't be let off the hook again.

A lot of his time is tied up with his construction business down around Torquay, and the weekend boundary-riding working suits him and doesn't dominate his time.

From what I am told.

not sure it's construction, but he just about owns half of geelong with a few restaurants, bars etc. I think he's also coaching Geelong Grammar.

Awful piece, poorly written, with a contention supported by flimsy dot points. That's what they call a 'filler' in the industry...friday night game + demons = 'we need a piece about the underdog'

They were picked to grow into the role, quite clearly. They're not there yet with any aspect of their game (form / leadership), but out of the whole group they show the most potential to be stable and influential leaders when the group matures. Again, this is about 3 years from now when a mid 20s Trengove / Grimes lead them out in much better times.

We needed a new direction, we got one. They will learn and grow under Neeld and become people who set the culture. Had to be done. Short term pain.

Jack will be a gun. This is all part of his development. He needs to be pushed and we all know why, he isn't hard enough. He will get to an acceptable level before too long. A great decision, which sends a great message.

Actually looks a bit like him too!

haha

I was thinking about the game plan the other day and it reminded me exactly of the mighty ducks 3 movie if anyone has seen it.

Those guys were all about attack and then the coach came in to instill a defensive edge. Will be interesting to see how it goes this weekend. Be almost the first chance we can do a bit of our own bailey vs neeld comparison in a way i think.

I can see this game plan working just as it did in the mighty ducks

Haha, love it. Mighty Ducks 3, great movie. Coach Orion is Mark Neeld. Hard defensive edge drastically different to the former attacking style (Bombay / Bailey); players don't like it; they rebel; they come around; they win; we're all happy.

Jamie shows us a glimpse of his talent every now and then but that's all, he just doesn't get enough of it or do enough in games. You can't give a player a game if he is continually getting 6 or 7 possessions each week.

Agree. Reckon JB's a jet though. Just looks like a mini McLeod. We all know there is a big difference between finding your feet in VFL and AFL. He just needs to do that. Confidence is king.

Not really sure he's a had a settled role at all either. Perhaps half / back and wing. He did look good forward under Bailey for a while.

Yes, I read the efficiency % in the paper this morning. Pales in comparison to the Bulldogs. Amazing we came close.

No doubt this is due to just poor skills by some, but the way we get our (limited) ball is also a factor. It's in tight, with no one (or structure allowing) to release it to. It's always a hurried kick.

The good sides have structure and set plays with players in waiting and as a result, they move away from stoppages quickly and efficiently. We either have no one in a good position, or too many going in while the oppositions whisks it away.

It is almost impossible for a player to get 30 touches with our style. There is no balance between inside and outside ball.

For us to win, good players need a lot of the ball i.e trengove etc.

My feeling is the way we are playing makes it look like he, and others, are badly out of form. bombing long and focing stoppages is not a way to rack up possessions and have a big influence. It will come, but there is not enough looking inward, hardly a switch and hardly any easy ball (not a bad thing).

One positive: it's the same problem every week. As Neeld said, it's about building a foundation. A foundation built from layers of hard ball gets. Not a bad place to build from.

That logo is gigantic

Agree. There always appears to be an internal crisis when we have a dissappointing loss with rumours and low blows flying everywhere...a professionall, closed door approach is needed. Outside influences have affected us in the past and they shouldn't.

In short, we have been an easy media target for years. They find it easy to create a $%^& storm around us.

Read nothing into it. When your down, you get kicked. Media clutching at straws to find another angle.

I highly doubt it's true, but there is the potential to overreact to it and cry racism. MFC has had a strong indigenous group for years and it is precisely that, a group. It's no secret they support each other, relate to each other and socialise with each other (not exclusively). I doubt meeting with Neeld one-on-one is the purpose of the exercise, or indeed the priveledge afforded to the non-indigenous. Rather, perhaps he thought he would get more out of the meeting if they were together. I seem to think Jurrah is more communicative when he's next to Davey - he's shy! Just a thought, but i highly doubt this is true at all.