Demon Dynasty

I think we'll win by 8 goals or a tad more tomorrow OD. But even then it's only against a very under manned GWS. But at least we'll be off the bottom. If the worst happens, maybe you should go watch Casey. They play an attacking/creative brand of footy and they actually win sometimes. Just BYO your own seat or maybe you can park at some venues and watch from your car with a nice thermos of coffee and a few donuts! No buglar pre match either!

Sends the playing group a pretty poor message IMO. Tank in a game and you get a weeks rest then straight back in!!!?? Might play well tomorrow but i think most of the boys will against a very under done GWS in only its 2nd season at the G. We win by 8 goals or more i reckon. Regardless, a foolish decision by Neeld and the FD. Then again maybe Wattsy has already found form doing some visualising techniques with the Dalai! B)

Thanks for the report Bananas. My only issue here is that Neeld knew this when he recruited him. If he didn't want his flashyness and brilliance with not much on the defensive side (from a Neeld view point) then why did we (he) recruit him? And when was the last time a player at the MFC was able to dance through 3 opponents? We are in desperate need of some creativity and ball skills (footy smarts) at this club period, let alone the mid field. If he uses the ball wisely, is fed it/or gets it enough and creates forward attacks for us (in a pretty quick fasion at that) AND he has AFL premiership experience and an AFL bod, i say put him in the seniors and leave him there for the rest of the year! As for Neeld's defensive mantra, sometimes the best form of defense in any competitive professional team game is attack! Just ask anyone who's played the Mighty Cats in the last 6 years and so far this season. And if you have "too many" defensively minded players or you're too hell bent on making every player defensive in his mindset and general play, then i don't believe you will be capable (as a team) of taking the game on and attacking the opponent in a bold enough manner, making it very difficult for you to win a game. There's also no other options putting their hands up (or able to ...eg., Magner on rookie list) through the mid at this point and we are way under done on numbers/rotations/quality through there as it is. Hence why we're getting smacked after half time in every match so far. To leave Rodan out (other than for injury reasons) is, IMO, the mark of a very foolish (or stupid) Coach, especially given my first point.

Agree on the Jordan/Barrasi influence but need to add Swooper in there too. Most players were willing to put their life on the line for Northey. He bred the toughest most disciplined unit (at least on the field) i ever saw in his relatively short stint. Even average players played above themselves and were willing to put their life/body on the line on game day for Swooper. He managed to have the boys playing a brand of "win at all costs" footy that has rarely been seen around the MFC since his unfortunate departure. Swooper also opened the club and club rooms up to the supporters and had a warm genuine likeable manner about him post match. He loved the idea of the fans coming in and pumping the boys up after a win, or just being there for them if we didn't. And the fans LOVED it!! He managed to bridge the connection between the player group and the fans and i have a feeling many of the boys enjoyed the banter and feel of the club during this period. The club had a great feeling about the place and an amazing "Belief" that we were capable of going anywhere. This period (1986 - 1995 ish) was the only time (for me) where the club actually felt like a genuine footy club that truly connected with it's grassroots supporter base. The Northey culture continued for a few years under Balme with many players from the Northey era. However, as they matured and moved on that special feeling Northey had managed to garner (along with the "open door" grassroots culture) slowly dissapated. This was a hard act to follow for Balmy IMO but I also think he deserved a few more years and was cut a few years too soon. Not one of Diamond Joe's greatest decisions.

Brian Royal

You might be on to something here. How about we put our decent AFL ready and AFL "potential" footballers in at Casey permanently and every 2nd rate player we can get our hands on into the seniors until the worm turns. Then we bring the other guys back. At least we'd be protecting them from further mental carnage!

I've heard he's going to take over Dr Bate's role

$cully so impressed with our midfield (after Sunday) he wants to return for less money (but not much less) !!!

That's interesting because I heard from a reliable source that Greg Denham is in line to take that over from Peter Jackson in 6 months !!

I'm calling BULLTISH on this one.....the big journos are no doubt under such a pump from their bosses to keep coming up with a BETTER "controversial" spin story in order to out do their counterparts... that they'll put any little bit of hearsay out there. And as far as i know they're saying this was heard through the grapevine.... by a someone who heard it from someone who heard it from...... Hardly rivitting solid sourced journalism. Not even worth a thread IMO. Time to close this one Mods

Really DeeZee? What exactly is making you feel this way hmmmm?

If you believe in this present board so much maybe you should put your name up Stuie. Like serious...get involved mate. Be good to have a few grass root genuine supporters on the board. This present board (and most before them) seem so far removed from what it is they're actually there for and the FD/game itself, need some real footy people there other than just poor old Greg

Great. So the Toiges fans get a chance at a $45,000 car just for turning up....and we get to run on to the G for free! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! (i actually love running on for a kick with me son....shhhh....don't tell anyone!)

I reckon Dr. [censored] is an AFL/Bummers' plant. They built him up and helped enhance his CV a little, then tossed him out to us as soon as they (the AFL & The Bummers) got wind of ASADA on their ass. No doubt the Bummers went to the AFL with this problem. Vlad came up with the idea, the meeting went along the following lines.... "Hey Golden Boy, get him down to Demonland through a back door quickly. Get him to contact that ding bat Dr of their's ... Man Dates. Don't worry, just offer him a few sweetners, he'll take the Bate! Besides, they're a catfish (bottom feeder) club so it will take the heat of you blokes and make it look like 'Other teams' are implicated. No one cares about 'em anyhow so they can cop the rap and act as a distraction. We'll make sure they go down in a big way with drip fed text leaks to the press from our mate Dr. [censored]. It's all sweet Golden Boy. And don't worry, if you need a leg up you can call on your mate Bill anytime for a chop out. Just pick up that bat phone in your office at Rooty Hill and we'll send him over in the Vlad Mobile pronto!".

Drill Drill Drill hand and foot skills into every player from the ruckman down, including marking practice, until their effective disposal % during a match (in an average team sense) is at least equal to the benchmark (Geelong/2nd Quartile) of approx 72%. We are presently running at 69% (3rd Quartile). Drill Drill Drill tackling skills into every player as above versus some sort of par/standard benchmark. Bring in Melbourne Storm expertise if needed to make this happen (or more of it if we've already done a little previously). Our tackling methods and effectiveness has to be some of the weakest i've seen of any Melbourne team in the last 4 decades. Bottom quartile (17th) versus the rest of the comp with only Richmond sitting below us. However, Richmond don't have to tackle as often as they're one of the best effective disposal teams in the AFL over the first 3 rounds, sitting 2nd only to St Kilda. The Toiges are also much quicker across the ground and in their general ball movement. Who knows, it may be a lack of burst speed as well but our turnovers/clangers are certainly confidence sapping for us....and a confidence turbo boost for our opponents! IMO the key here is technique during training and don't overtrain them in terms of heavy bag work as they'll have little left in the tank for match day. Offer a reward or something to incentivise the playing group.... eg., who gets the most tackles gets something. Maybe a day off laps/tackle training the next week or a bag of Wizz Fizz! Recruit at least 2 ready made AFL (or near to it) inside Mid Field players from the VFL, SANFL and/or WAFL that also have great ball skills (also adept at SHUFFLING/FLICKING the ball quickly to our players or out to their advantage in a tight contested stoppage), a quick change of direction and solid burst speed. There has to be more undiscovered Pridduses, Kerr's and Blacks around in the West that are waiting for a chance. Some of whom may have been overlooked in recent drafts. Maybe even a few mature age ones around the 21/22 mark. As above except 1 outside Mid with silky skills that can run both ways all day and is prepared to lay a tackle that sticks and knows where to run and position himself around the stoppages and isn't a "ooo look...there's the ball, lets get it along with my other 2 inside mids". Ie. football smarts. This could be Kent but we'll have to wait and see. Has a burst of intiial speed/laterall movement who can break lines, generally taking the opposition on and able to hit a lead up forward having a decent knowledge of when /where to release taking advantage of the forwards running patterns and favoured side. Recruit some speed and more skilllfull players by hand and foot to play off half back who are willing/able to QUICKLY find a man/or close one down and run with him when we don't have the ball but who also run laterall and forward of the ball quickly once we obtain (or look like getting) possession, playing on at all costs when we do, breaking lines, generally taking the opposition on and able to hit a lead up target with speed. Find 1 or 2 goal kicking dangerous smalls who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty and get in the face of their opponents. Ie., white line fever but extremely talented a la Milne, Betts or Rioli (sorry to bring up that name) A high leaping ruckman like Nic Nat/Ryder to take advantage of the new "1 meter no contact" rule in the ruck contests (ie., tapping more often than not to our preferred drop zones) as well as being reasonably quick/mobile (for a ruckman) and a decent overhead mark.

Master this is spot on. Melbourne are WAY behind on this part of the game as i've been harping on for nearly a year now. A BIG part of the way top players train (and others around them within most of the present day top teams ie., copy cat, do as i do) involves this half flick/toss/scoop/shuffle throw. The idea is to clear congested areas and opponents with a much faster disposal by hand versus a technically correct handball (in the traditional sense ie., by AFL law) in order to gain that first posession or multiple quick possessions to someone spreading latteral, forward or even behind the contest and escape that contest or opponent. But usually it's to someone very close and latteral to or behind the disposing player as often a traditional handball is the best option when moving the ball some distance away, forward ot the player's general motion. No, It's not used every single time a handball is on, but under the pump/in congestion (especially in close) it is being used quite widely and consistently and has been for the past 3 to 4 years now in a professional sense. And no doubt much longer in an accidental/unconscious sense by a few individual players prior to it catching on. The half flick/shuffle throw, demonstrated by Stratton in this passage of play, is technically illegal under strict interpretation of the hand ball law under AFL rules. It constitutes a shuffle throw and incorrect disposal in that Stratton moves/pushes (technically throws the ball) with the hand that's holding the ball (his left hand) just before making a "motion" to hit the ball with his right clenched fist. The ball is guided/pushed/shuffled in the direction of Buddy (ie., to the side of and behind Stratton's body) and only after this movement has commenced from the left hand, does Stratton just manage to connect with the fist putting a little extra air on the ball. So there is a connection with the fist but only AFTER Stratton has managed to push/shuffle in a throwing motion with the left hand in the general direction of the oncoming Buddy. I'm sure if the umpire could see this in slow motion under video review, or he was positioned under Stratton and whoever the Pie player was tackling him (laying prostrate on the ground lol) and had a perfect view, he SHOULD deem it a throw and penalise Stratton. However this is live/fast motion. There's virtualy no way an umpire would be able to call this in a live play situation. Hawthorn knows this, as do many other top teams and they've perfected this and a number of other scoops/shuffle methods so well now that the umpires can't see or call many of them. Especially in congestion with many bodies obscuring clear viewing. This is exactly what Melbourne (and some of the lessor) teams MUST learn to do effectively if we're to have any chance of moving the ball/spreading/clearing congestion quickly away from our opponents as well as move the ball quickly i50 for our talls if we're to have any chance of competing against the top clubs. We are already way behind in this and this is a significant part of why we are unable to spread and move the ball away from stoppages and our opponents quickly, like they do to us week after week. Part of it is talent yes, part of it is fitness yes, and part of it is drilling practice during training. But a large part is drilling practise using these flick/scoop/shuffle methods. If we don't start doing it you can forget about ever moving the ball away from the stoppages as quickly and as effectively....and (at the very least) as often....as many of our opponents are presently doing to us. At least those clubs that have mastered it (including many within their respective playing groups). The clubs that have so far gone a fair way to perfecting it include Collingwood, Geelong, Essendon, Hawthorn and West Coast. Sydney i haven't looked at enough to focus on this appect of their skills but more than likely they've probably caught up somewhat as well. Neeld and the boys better get moving with the times or we'll never catch them!

I heard from a reliable source who was there and this is apparently how it went down guys.... Frawley was boasting big time that he had a beard and Col didn't ...this was in front of a few lasses they were chatting to at the time. Sylvia responded "you can keep your beard Chip.....nobody can match my smooth looks on the field or the dance floor mate!!". Chip then stated that he could take anyone on the dance floor anytime including Col "smooth as" Sylvia!! Some bloke called 'Rick' happened to be near them and overheard Chip boasting and challenged Chip to a dance off! Chip foolishly accepted, Col tried to stop Chip from embarrassing himself and this is where a little push and shove occured between the two of them but nothing too serious. This was caught by a patron on a smart phone and posted on you tube this morning! Check it out guys!!! ........

Oh.....one other massive positive.....Nic Nat didn't play! Phew

Good points. Still lack any dangerous goal kicking smalls forward of centre around drop of ball too. The opposition clears the ball too easy from the drop of the contests up forward. Having an under manned mid allows too many easy transistions out of our forward line. Not only too many easy transistions, our inability to put intense defensive pressure on through the middle & out wide means the ball is coming into our defensive 50 far too often & too quickly to get extra numbers back = heapz of marking/scoring opportunities for our opponents.As much as I'm looking forward to Dawes coming in, we are still seriously deficient in the quality small man dept and have been for decades (with the exception of The Wiz) and the mid field stocks are ugly as hell Not really anything new I realise. Trying to be positive Terlich had another solid game. Evans, M Jones, Howe, Tappy & McDonald had a reasonable dip. Sylvia actually fired for a change. Clark was solid. Jones boy in and at it always giving his all. Grimes ok in the first half. Trengove showed something in patches but fairly dodgy under pressure. Much better game than last weeks effort though. At least they fired a little for the first half. Beats one quarter or so against Port and about half a quarter against the bummers. At this rate we might win a match in approx 5 weeks or so!

It does. Jamar.....Gawn. For Lucifers sake, get him in. & somehow get Magner & Couch off the rookie list & into the squad. While Rodan isnt gonna be a game breaker either...he must be given 3 to 4 chances in the seniors. Has to be better value than Seller, Garland, Frawley, Toumpas et al. & not having a go at Toumpas. Shouldn't have been selected over Rodan in the first place

Far from ready. Another poor decision by coach and selection committee. Rodan (premiership player with an AFL bod & massive experience) versus an underdone inexperienced Toumpas? Nah, lets choose Toumpas haha. Wouldnt have made that much of a difference to the result but even a few extra possessions going our way and maybe a goal here or there helps. Probably too early for Kent as well but i'd choose him over Toumpas at this point if there weren't many experienced alternatives on the selection table (& unfortunately there isn't). Sure know how to ruin a young blokes confidence at this club. Well done Neeld & crew.

Ww and wizz I just wanted to congratulate you both (& anyone else who helped get this rolling). I've been past Goshes a number of times in the past 3 months filling in for some drivers of ours on the 605. I used to honk on way past the boys when training as I felt they needed every little encouragement possible seeing as there was hardly anyone watching. Seriously I could count on 1 or 2 hands the numbers other than officials. Then yesterday I drove down around punt. Turned into Swan. No one training in the usual front paddock there. I figured must be a change up to usual routine due to Sorrento. Ok fair enough. Then I get to Olympic park. I was in shock. Thousands of Pie supporters watching them train and egging their boys on. Suffice to say I was hit by another wave of depression. As if witnessing the last 2 weeks wasn't enough. To drive up Punt today and look across and see a fair turn out in the red & blue. What a great sight. This would have to give the players some sort of lift & reason for being surely? I'm even thinking of taking a sicky or RDO next week or whenever the next designated day is to get there. We even got coverage on SEN which is the most positive marketing this clubs had probably all season. Well done guys and to all who got down there. You just may have started something special. Carn the Demons!

Don't need to be quick to get posessions through the mid and use it decently. Ask Sam Mitchell, Lingy, Kelly, Chappy etc. Just need the work ethic and football smarts....and an AFL sized bod. Simple fact is we don't have enough mids of AFL size/quality in the 22 we put on the park each week so far this season. That's why we've been smashed and will continue to get smashed by almost every side in the AFL that does this year and beyond until we do. The better teams have 6 to 8 players (and some have about 10!) they can rotate through the mid who are fairly solid/decent quality. And the top teams each have at least 1 A grader or more. We'd be lucky if we had 1 solid (Jones) to rotate through and 2 fill ins (Grimes/McKenzie) who can hold their own (to a point). We might have approx 3 others as fillers but just aren't up to it. So we manage for approx a quarter (barely) and afterwards the oppositions quality/rotations get us. Pfffft.....game over. Easy picking and they run off our men knowing they have us well and truly covered (out classed) through the mid field. Having such a poor skill set (Coach & FD...WTF??) in the rest of the team doesn't help either. Other Coaches/teams know this of course. Know we'll turn the ball over with even a mediocre degree of pressure placed on us, so most of their players just run forward in waves or latterell to the contest, waiting for the easy receive out in space whenever there's a contested ball. They're usually rewarded by either their players quality of ball use or our turnovers. Massive confidence boost for them. Ugly for us. Pitty our defence. No wonder they're confidence and mental state is shot. Having Jamar contesting the stoppages and centre bounce doesn't help either of course. Not the Russian's fault. A great bloke and i'm sure he gives his all, but the game appears to have passed him by after that unfortunate injury.

There's only one person that i believe can truly unite this club and make it a powerhouse of the AFL (given a reasonable time frame of say 5 to 10 years)..... poll anyone??

What i would like to have seen.... (OUT) Jamar, Sylvia, Toumpas, Blease, Gillies, Watts, Seller & Trengove (IN) Gawn, Jetta, Evans, Bail, Couch*, Magner*, Tappy, Kent (Sub) I realise * = rookie listed but what a massive error placing these 2 on the rookie list. Reminds me of the 2 Jack Captains blunder. Mid field screaming for some kind of support and the only 2 reasonable ball getters at Casey can't be called up. Seeing as we can't and he kicked 6 then Tappy's an auto call up obviously. Trengove was recalled at least 2 to 3 games too soon IMO so only placing him in as an (Out) as i believe he should never have been called up last week. Tappy should have retained his spot and given time to settle/redeem from previous week's poor effort. Chopping and changing 2nd or 3rd season young blokes every other week is the worst thing for their confidence i reckon. And lets leave Sylvia in (again and again and again) after yet another sub par performance. Yet Rodan, who had about 1/3rd as much game time gets 1 less possession, but we'll drop him straight away, best he doesn't get a chance to settle and find some form! Send him back to the Magoos and lets bring in a less experienced player with a smaller mid field AFL bod so he can get taught a lesson by Priddis, Kerr, Selwood & Co And Jamar stays in after getting smashed last week? Can't leap, can't mark. Shocking disposal even for a ruckman. But lets leave Gawn in the Magoos who is at this point our most 'likely' ruck prospect for this season and beyond until/unless we trade in someone decent. Height will at least help him compete in the centre bounce under the new ruck rule and couldn't be a worse liability around the ground vs Jamar. More than likely isn't AFL match fit at this point but i'd take even half a game of competitiveness versus a whole game of virtually zilch including dropped marks, panick handballs etc. Comedy selection capers at the MFC.....yet again