PaulRB

I think it's more of a message to Melbourne fans as to why we need Neeld as an antidote to purge us of this "old Melbourne" style...

Scary thing about Jolly's tale is it describes a culture where the senior players were pampered and the junior players neglected. This culture stills seems to be biting us 10 years later.

That's a sad tale he tells of Daniher.

To know how much we need to improve in order to win the flag we first need to honestly accept where we actually are at right now. Neeld has been hosing down short term expectations and talking about the rough road to improvement since arriving. This week we've been discussing removing most of our senior players for lack of spine and application. Etc... That said things can turn quickly.

Coming into this season I looked at the first half of the season draw and saw two wins (Brisbane and Richmond) from teams we easily beat last year a couple of maybes (Doggies, Swans, Saints and Dons) where they may slide we may rise and at least half a dozen spankings (last years top 5). Lets take the two games I expected to win: Round 1 - Brisbane - A week before the season Jimmy dies, the week of the opening match his funeral. We lose. Upsetting, but given the circumstances not unexpected. Round 3 - Richmond - We all expected to beat them, but we lost. THIS is the only game based on last years ladder and results we should have won. The rest of the games based on the last season and/or recent results I expected to lose. Yet we are so surprised, appalled and upset every week, when logic and form from recent years suggests we actually should have been ready aware and honest about where Melbourne actually sits in this competition. Not saying I like it, or accept it, or are not [censored] off by it every week. I just don't think any of us are really surprised. And if losing the one game we had a reasonable expectation to win (Richmond) has sent us in to this frenzy of self analysis and despair imagine if we can't win some of the 6 winnable games in rounds 13 - 23. We are the Melbourne footy club and we have a lot of work to do before we warrant the expectations we all take into every season and game. That's where we are at. The coach knows it, the players know it and now we know it. Carn the Dees

I watched it too and I was thankful that he and the FD at Melbourne have faith in their vision and will keep moving down the Neeld path despite the results.

Barty is the rock.

Love to see the Ox and Lyon rock up to training and tell a couple of the senior boys directly what they think of their efforts.

Problem with dropping players is that you need to have better ones to replace them with. At the moment we don't.

He wanted the biggest challenge. He is an ambitious man. Coaches of flag winning Melbourne teams are immortalised, for reasons this week has highlighted. If Mark can do what so many have failed to do, he joins Checker Hughes and Norm Smith as a legend of the game.

I think Don's message to the faithful is "brace yourself!". Things are going to get ugly over the next three weeks as the FD moves on the following issue: "It will take time for the game plan to become instinctive, and for the players to have the confidence in themselves and each other to execute at the standard we require.". Time to shake it up.

Aligns with the other discussions on the board. I reckon there is a "night of the long knives" coming at selection on this thursday.

Delicate situation (if true) as we will want to ensure we get max value in trade later in the year...so we need to let them show their wares.

Grant just doing some low grade PR work for Footy Classifieds. The guy is a circus clown. His "analysis" and "insights" are self evident and he's too lazy or stupid to offer any real solutions to our predicament.

Old Dee

"Everest"

I think you are spot on. Against the Swans we kicked two points while they kicked two goals, and you could see the confidence evaporate.

A clue: One word.

still cold. (and slightly off topic)

Lets assume he picked us over Adelaide (for the sake of this thread). Why?

cold

Adelaide just pole axed the Blues (gotta love that) and sit in second spot. Mark could have coached them instead of us (if you believe some reports from last year), so what made him pick us instead of the Crows? What did he see? Anyone?

Children!

We should NEVER tank ever. However, nor should Neeld deviate from his program and strategy to bring in the new template and test in real games who should be at the MFC next year and who should not. And if that gives us the same result as tanking, i'd be Ok with it.

I'm getting quite keen to hear Mark sing the song. And I am sure is he is too.