binman

It was a terrible decision. The funny thing was that when he heard the whistle NW's immediate reaction was to start remonstrating with the ump as he assumed it had gone to TMac. Imagine his surprise.

I agree TD. He played with some real vim i thought. he's a team player and looks to create goals for his team-mates. I wish Howe was the same. The two examples you note were terrible by Howe. Both times he turned his back on the play which is unforgivable in modern footy. The other thing against Watts is as others have pointed out the delivery to him was woeful, particularly long kicks which often put in on the wrong side and not to his advantage. He got dirty on that (and himself a couple of times when he missed shots) which is great sign.

I'm confused Norm. Is that the last you'll say on the matter?

Excellent point. Take this weekend for example. I'm going with the kids whereas there is no way i'd be shelling out to see an away game under Neeld. The Saints will make mor out of this match than if it had been last week.

Patrick Smiths source was Andrew D apparently. I can't find an unlocked version of the article. KB and Greg Denham were discussing it this morning. Apparently the article says they ruled out Stockdale. Kennent and Freeman and given Roos first dibs on the spot. KB asked Melbourne how they felt about the AFL choosing our CEO, President and Coach. My though was bring it on. Bagdad Bob has shown great restraint i have to say. His analysis of how dysfunctional the board and governance of the club has been has turned out to be spot on. Well played sir, even if you had a clear agenda (joke). GNF your predictions haven't been too shabby either. Also well played sir.

Aligns with what Patrick Smith wrote in today's Australian. I for one have no problem with the AFL taking things over. Clearly they feel they have to and it sends a clear message they want MFC to not just survive but thrive. Perhaps the pain we have been going through was necessary. A handful of wins here and there might have just delayed the inevitable. I have said before that the club had to find some way to acknowledge and address the trauma that occurred in 2011, something the club seemed clear it was not going to do. Well now it has been, at least in so far as Schwab and MacClardy are gone and the board being dismantled. I still believe the new coach needs to acknowledged what the players have gone through rather than just going the draw a line and forget the past approach. It doesn't work as the last 18 months have proven I hope you'r right GNF about Roos. A mate and I put as much as the two bookies would allow at $7, which was $28 in total. Shows what a stupid market those bets are - free promotion fro the bookies and quoted by the media as somehow being an accurate gauge. Still $7 is way overs if you are correct and it is actually even money. Perhaps if a few demonlanders can back Roos it might make the jungle drums beat louder and influence Roosy to take the gig.

Nice article above, good job. This comment from Mahoney caught my attention: "He takes the game on, runs with the ball and also looks for good options through the middle of the ground." No wonder he didn't get a game with Neeld in charge. he didn't have the right skill set. Imagine a player looking for options in the corridor. What next? Players kicking to the top of the goal square not the pocket or the opposite flank?

Happy birthday Lifelong

If true, mindless, stupid stuff from Moloney. I'm sure Voss wouldn't be impressed. The boys who like Neeld are sure to be into him when we play the lions next

Where is GNF? Perhaps he is too busy celebrating to post

Its funny because after the maggies game he was going on about it being the young players showing up the older guys, particularity in terms of the older players turning it over (which was a a bit funny because i recall all players, including young guys butchering it. Terlich was poor as was Blease in this regard). Now i get he was frustrated and perhaps he was right but still i subscribe to the public praise private criticism approach. It seemed at times he could barely hide his contempt for some players

Well as i have said there is no point whatsoever arguing about whether it was a right or wrong decision. It gives me no joy but as i have said often enough history tells us today was inevitable. Coaches never survive such consistent smashings, never. A tough business and i wish MN all the luck in the world.

I have a gut feeling they'll go with Gary ayres.

It will be our best pre season ever. I can't wait

Thanks, but does not seem to be the case for me. Can i ask you to report for me?

Moderators, i strongly agree with the stance about inter personal abuse. It pathetic, boorish and tedious to the extreme. However there has also been a big increase in outrageous and disgusting comments such as the one above about spitting in CS face. Foul and should not be tolerated. I searched for the report button to no avail. I know biffen has form but based on his suspension surely HH deserves a a long ban.Too much. The next time anyone wants to joke about the 'feral' supporters of other clubs they might want to pause and re read some of pathetic posts on DL from a small but unfortunately vocal minority

I fully understand Neeld is hamstrung by the fact so many of the MFC have woeful skills, which makes it hard as he says to string chains of possessions together. But again it is too easily to fall into a blame the players, they're spuds argument. A coach has to work with what he has at his disposal in the here and now not what he might have in the future. if they can't kick properly his job is to help them get better. What i simply don't understand is we have had poor kicks for years at the dees. Given how crucial in modern footy good skills are my question is why has he not put a huge emphasis on skills training since being at the club, even if it means reducing the emphasis on fitness? From the start he has publicly emphasized how unfit we are and that our defensive skills are poor. Those areas have been his clear focus. But I'd suggest he has over emphasized those aspects (and perhaps also game plan) and not worried about building skills sufficiently.

I 100% agree and said the same at the game. Set up is not about talent (though perhaps a little about intellect), spuds can still stand in the right spots can't they? I lost count the amount of times the ball went to the our offensive side of of a center square ball up and there 2-3 pies players by themselves to raffle the ball. Like other sides they ran it out from the center so easily which is another problem related to how they are set up. I wonder if the low scores are just a plan by Neeld to limit the number of centre clearances we have against us. If so its the only plan that has had any success.

You think? I'm not convinced, but lets say you're right and he has changed his game plan to be more effective. Another epic fail. Look at the figures Titan posted above. We are getting worse not better at scoring to half time! Our last 3 weeks have been 8, 8 and 4 scoring shots (yes i know they're all good sides but c'mon that's woeful, particularly given the hawks don't play a lock down style and collingwood only really pressed in one quarter). Against Carlton and West Coast, two good sides we had 10 and 11 respectively. So you change your game plan and it doesn't work because the players skill are not up for it. But you as a coach know that better than any one. And its their fault? Anyway i don't see chipping it around as a change in game plan. Going down the corridor and trying to score as many points as possible is a change of gameplan

Good points, well made. I agree that we need to really focus on being able to link up and get the chains of possessions happening. But i would argue that this inability to get scoring shots to an acceptable level is a function of the game he is asking them to play or an inability for him to teach them how to play it. Suddenly we seem to be talking about this team as if they have no ability at all. I mean jeez were were better last year and getting into our forward half. Again the theme from Neeld seems to be blame the players for everything rather than take responsibility for changing what he controls. Again its is on the coached head. And if the approach is not resulting in more than 8 scoring shots in a half than put simply the coach has to change something. Because he can talk all he wants about the future, building blocks etc but the teams confidence is shattered, morale among the fans is a ll time low and there is nothing, nothing more dispiriting than not scoring in footy. Actually that's not true - not looking like scoring is worse. One of my concerns about Neeld is that he doesn't seem to get the psychological aspect of his role. Teams need spirit, fans need something to cheer about. if the current approach isn't working, change - at least in the short term. Change the approach, just as Neelds mentor has said he has just a couple of weeks ago when recognized the blues side he had inherited needed an more offensive focus to be successful.

The dees had a red hot go in the first quarter. Gary Lyon said it is the best quarter of football we have played under Neeld. We were fresh, tackling with purpose and had Dawes up and about. We were playing a side just in the 8 who are a long way off their best. Our second quarter was not as intense but the effort was pretty good. I said to mate my mate at half time something along the lines of - you can't knock the effort. So we played almost at our best, the effort was there.Yes we had some big outs (Grimes, Clark and Frawley) but realistically not that many so not miles away from having our best side on the park (and of course they have their share of big outs). We were 13 points at half time, with a woeful number of inside 50s, most of which were shallow in Neeld speak. Yes there were some very poor skills but 13 points in a half? When we were competitive and it was a perfect day for football? Surely that has to be sheeted home to the coach and the game plan he is trying to implement. Yes of course you could say that the players are not implementing it properly etc etc but come on 13 points? 13 points (in a half where we actually played ok - what would have happened if were terrible?) is not acceptable, forget the effort. Keep Neeld? What the? Anyway forget the deabete its all moot. As i have said ad naseum such thrashing"s and inability to score cannot be sustained. My tip is that McClardy will quit and Neeld will be sacked at the same time 'í selected him and am duty bound to also fall on my sword blah blah" Monday of next week. Gonski.

I feel punch drunk from footy at the moment. On Monday it will be 8 days since our last game. Enough time for the worm of hope to wend its way into my brain. Maybe we will fight and scrap and fight some more. Maybe we will win. Please bring on Tuesday for the more comforting salve of reality to be applied.

The best post i have ever read from you RR. Spot on. One thing i would add is that Bailey could only dream about the resources and facilities (and perhaps board support) that the current coach enjoys and that history will be a lot kinder to him than Neeld.

I don't believe in superstars, Organic food and foreign cars. I don't believe the price of gold; The certainty of growing old. That right is right and left is wrong, That north and south can't get along. That east is east and west is west. And being first is always best. But i believe in Pete

I have to say Baghdad Bob has been very disciplined - the temptation to to loudly chant nah nah nah nah nah must be strong. Haven't heard much either from his foil RobbieF about the high standards of the current board or accusing Fanbob of wild imaginings and agendas.