PaulRB

I reckon Wonna will be back and in form to play the Darwin game. July 16th.

The best way for the MFC to retain Scully is to win games of footy, make the final eight, play in a final, and win a final, this year. I know, well beyond schedule etc... However, that journey, more than much else the club could do, would build a bond and expectation between the players that Scully would not be able to walk away from. It started with the Dons last week, and continues with the Pies tomorrow... Carn the Dees

With a fit Tapscott and Strauss playing with greater confidence, we have two great kicks on the HB line to open up and create play down the ground. Plus the option of playing Tapscott on the HF line...

No, those players didn't exit the team for form reasons. Although if Tapscott does not come up, we need Strauss's boot, so Barty would have to replace one of the rookies, and I'm enjoying the zip they have added to the team...

No change. Reward victory and punish mediocracy. Heard Tappy may be back?

Gone. Has to be at least 2 weeks.

Been saying this to my Bomber loving brother for a couple of years. I call them "bagels", nothing in the centre...

Daisy has to get at least a week for that punch... hee hee hee

Tom when asked about Jack Watts today said ''I think once we see him at his full confidence, mate he's going show why he was the No. 1 draft pick.''. Toms in for the journey, we can relax and enjoy the season. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/attitude-was-the-difference-says-scully-20110604-1fmfg.html#ixzz1OMhicPyO

Add magic Martin to that mix tonight.

The reality of the public perception of Melb is such that if we win tonight, we are back "on track". If we lose "valiantly" we're as expected (i.e. mediocre) and if we lose badly or lose face we're gonna have to shaft the coach. Personally I don't agree or think we (the MFC) should give a toss what the public think. I'm actually more concerned that some of our younger players in their desire to "make" themselves and the club will "break" themselves or an opposition player in a serious way. Goad young men long enough and they will feel compelled the cross the line, as Trengove appeared to three weeks ago...

I think the transition we are in is flipping players from regular 22 pool into the extra/depth pool more quickly than we imagined. This is forcing us to move quicker in redefining who is in which pool than we would have liked. Unfortunately it's been because those previously fringe regular 22 players have been unable to adapt to the requirements of Baileys plan or apply the defensive pressure in the forward line that all teams must apply. The extra/depth pool is now made up of languishing players who have had a chance and young development players whose time will come. The cull at the end of the year will focus on the former group.

Welcome back Tom. Have a great game. Go Dees

Malthouse, Thompson, Clarkson, Roos, Worsfold, Matthews... - premiership winning coaches of the past ten years How many of these came in halfway through the build of these premiership teams to replace an ousted coach? Maybe Clarkson? It seems in the weekly angst/blame the coach session we are all failing to contemplate that most of the successful clubs of the past decade DIDN'T sack their coach. Prior to breaking through Thompson, Clarkson, Roos all faced criticism and scrutiny, but those clubs were ultimately successful because they stuck fat with the coach. Food for thought. Another prespective is, how many times in the past 45 years has changing the coach at Melbourne led to us winning a flag?

No Thanks Derm, I'm sick of certain great players who have decided to become armchair expert sprouting off about whats required to improve the Demons. Gary and Dermie, if you're so f#%king smart re coaching then coach., put yourself is a position where you self inflatory/congratulatory opinions are actually put to the test

Its also about the timing of this article. Bailey has come out and earnestly said he is the right man for Melbourne. He's timed this to come out on the Day the team goes into it's hardest month for the year with the highest amount of injuries for the year. Why? To tell his players he believes in them, trusts that they won't humiliate him again and that he intends to be there at the end of the journey they have started together. His resolute belief in and commitment to the rebuild /development strategy he started and his drive to improve, his humility and his obsessive resolve all mark him as a top level coach. All he needs is a patient club and fewer injuries and he may turn out to be a great coach.

This season is not over yet. When we have Scully, Trengove, Tapscott, Garland, Jamar, Davie and Bail back in a month the Demons would added another recruit to their team, hunger. Hunger driven by the humiliation of the season to date, the realisation that success is not going to arrive on a platter and the knowledge and growing pride amongst the playing group that we're are alot better than we've shown to date.

+1

I liked the way he showed the players his "fangs" after the performance against North.

I think the Herald article is also saying that Toms value has slid this year with his injury and subsequent absence from the field.

You are one sick mo fo ;-)) Love it...

You can't limit the time a sub spends as you can't control if and when an injury may occur (i.e. last week tappy in the first brought Bate on for most of the game). Tom should play VFL if he can't go a whole game.

Tommys Back!!! Whoooo Hoooo

I think Bailey is the right man for the job. I also think that the MFC is still playing catch up to the top teams in terms of coaching resources, development (of coaches) and augmenting the coaching team with what they need to succeed. I hope that the review conducted over Summer into the Footy dept has shown the way forward. Too often the media and fans desire to blame someone focuses in on the coach, despite the blame being elsewhere.

I suspect given what has happened at Essendon (i.e. Thompson supporting Hird), that Bailey has been told to put together a revised coaching team and strategy proposal for 2012+. Hence, the meetings he and Schwab had with Lethal? The idea of an experienced Premiership coach joining as a "Snr Assistant Coach" role would be a huge boost for Bailey. The Coach review just past would have included a SWOT of the current coaching setup and Bailey has to lead in responding to it. The game has moved on from knee jerk "sack the coach" when things go wrong, to conducting a thorough analysis, internally and externally, to determine whats ACTUALLY wrong and then how to best fix it... and improve faster than the competition...