monoccular

Six days.....thank goodness it is over.But It is never too early to be positive...after all, the squad and the draft / trade picks will be dissected out relentlessly especially by the regular naysayers, and my (baseless and totally unfounded) sense of excitement and optimism could quickly fade. You must be very young to only mention the last 6 years....how about the last 48 years!!

From your thread title I was wondering if he were staging a coup? Having read the link I am very happy and drooling with the usual pre preseason expectations of a huge Demon year.

Are you intimating that there wouldn't be room for he and Lynden Dunn in the same team?

Has anyone heard any FACTUAL updates on how his foot is progressing. I don't want any BS along the lines that "my neighbour's 99 year old grandma saw him walking without apparent difficulty" etc, just FACTS. His full recovery is about as pivotal to our progress as would have been a full recovery from the Ox's first knee reco.

The very poor choice that was Moorcroft (throw in Heffernan for that matter) is absolutely irrelevant to the current discussion....different players and more importantly very different footy departments at both clubs this time around. maybe Monfries can kick and maybe Monfries can and will chase and provide defensive pressure and maybe Monfries doesn't 'sook off' if asked to do something by the coach that he 'doesn't like'! I would imagine if any of those KPIs didn't match Neeld's expectations then he would not be offered a contract.

It would be a far bigger 'story' than the jPod.

I presume you are not referring to 426. Tell me more.

That would defend entirely on which Colin Sylvia you are referring to. The late 2012 one or the earlier versions?

I strongly suspect that Neeld will have a pretty big say (or influence, however you want to put it) in who we pick up this year. One can pretty much guarantee that there will be no "nice skinny athletic gentlemen" amongst our 2013 newbies. Bring it on - skip the finals and fast forward to the draft and the pre-season.

I would be very happy should Neeld et al be able to pull this one out of the hat.

Leigh has displayed an incredible desire and determination in even getting back to training, let alone playing any level of footy this season. So easily could have been excused for throwing it all in....yet he came back through the 2s and apparently played good footy late in the season in VFL. I will be interested to see if he can make the next huge step.

No kidding, Einstein. Of course there would be [at any club] were that to happen, so just lets get behind those who make the cut and encourage them to succeed.You would probably have sacked Norm Smith in 1953, which was a shocker, so I am glad you weren't able to post on supporter websites then. And who may I ask do you think would want to come to Melbourne if Neeld were sacked in his second year? "Oh, yeah, I will toss in a good job to go to MFC, who support their coaches working up a crap list, just so well."

Maybe under Bailey and Daniher, but not under Neeld.

Surely he is, as I mentioned above, just challenging various players to see if they are "too precious" to play in unfamiliar positions, and to asses the overall balance of the team going forward.I would strongly suspect that those who survive the pressure test aka season 2012 and who are up to the challenge will be spending a lot more game time in their "favourite positions" but at least he has seen just what they can do. Many complained that ND in particular, and DB to a lesser extent, had absolutely no idea of a plan B when things didn't turn out as planned....they would all too often just leave everyone where they started and let it all fester. At least Neeld will know who can do what when a change is required. I repeat season 2012 is a huge pressure test and total player reassessment, an extended 2013 preseason. And that is not tanking, it is realism, a realism than all to many here, myself included in a major way, did not have at the start of season 2012.

Why is it so "Pretty clear sign that Riv is another one that the boss doesn't like", merely because he has thrown him a challenge and tried him in a position not familiar to him? And what the hell is "playing him out of position"? Out of position is somewhere outside the boundary line - everything else is "in position" especially in a year in which "the boss" wants to see for himself what the guys are made of and whether they are up to challenges. There is really a lot of nonsense and unfounded speculation going on around here. Riv is one of a handful who has certainly risen to the challenges Neeld has thrown him and both should be very satisfied with his efforts.

You didn't mention Lazarus Williams, who from the accounts of those who get to see Casey games has made far, far more progress towards AFL level than could have reasonably been anticipated. I look forward to seeing how he comes along with another pre-season.

Maybe a part of his development under Neeld - possibly, now that he has shown that he can do a "harder working role" in the midfield, he will spend more time up forward or as part of a rotation with the likes of Sylvia and perhaps Tapscott.And JW may have learned specific skills in his time in defence to make him a better forward. Possibly Tom McDonald has had a similar learning experience with a view to a successful move forward, especially if Sheahan comes on as a KPP defender. Neeld certainly doesn't seem to want one dimensional players.

This thread should be moved to become a subsection of the MFC's Poor Drafting thread.So are Williams and Sheahan both eligible to be moved to the senior (?only) list for 2013. I have seen neither, or rather a brief glimpse of Williams on TV, but they both sound like at least well developed physically. And Williams aft his near death experience sounds as if he has a real hunger for life and success....bring 'em on! Looking forward to the preseason.

?...another injury prone ruck an to supplement Spencil, Fitzy and Maximus??

I think you may find that Ratten is available, who as I recall had a pretty good midfield going when he was with us before (dementia prevents me from remembering exactly when, and who was his midfield). But I also agree that Cam Ling, or possibly Lovett would fill the bill admirably should they be winning and available. Yes...Lloyd as a midfield coach??....would like to see that (not)!

Spot on.....zero.Miller played a couple of good games but we haven't missed him. Petterd has played a couple of good games, 2 years ago, and we will not miss him either. Flashes in the pan are not what we need....it is hard workers who are not only prepared but actually looking to put in the hard yards - look at Nathan Jones - and share the results of that hard work with committed team mates.

I suspect that jnrmac was being tongue in cheek !

I keep asking my psychiatrist during our regular sessions whether it is paranoia if they really are out to get you. He never answers, probably because he is out to get me too, or so the voices tell me.

I also wondered about that connection.

Yes gentlemen (and ladies) - a bloody flag is surely what we should all be looking for.Set the bar high!! 1953 - second last: 1954 - runners up: 1955,6,7,9,60 flags!!!!!