Demon Dynasty

This is spot on IMO Hard. With a great team or at very least a solid one (from the previous season or two's form), you might be able to make such a major change overnight. Not with what we have on offer list wise. Part of this is a marketing excercise in the short term as well. The club needed to at least win a few early games (Brisbane at the very least....and possibly this one!) in the short term to at least give "potential" new supporters/decent sponsors some hope as well as encouragement to jump on board and get more $$$ coming in. Serving up this crud week after week is putting the whole future of the club (in the medium to long term) in jeapordy i reckon. Like you said, observe and analyse first, make necessary changes (with this team....ever so slowly), including list changes, thereafter. Rome wasn't built overnight and to me this is what Neeld is asking from a team (overall, some individual exceptions) that just can't go there (as the list stands now). Such a massive change so soon, seeking the holy grail, is very bold and may well provide a great pay off within 2 to 5 years IF it was a different list. Unfortunately i can't see it with this one, not without a huge clearance sale of some existing stock and some very nice purchases the other way anyway. As you said, he just doesn't have the cattle to step up to his standard and style, which is such a change of direction from what most of the existing list were trained for in the last 3 years or so. IMO It's no coincidence that some of the new players, who weren't in the team last year, seem to be standing up ok (eg., Clarke, Magner) versus some of the existing NQRs under the Neeld regime.

Very much so. This is no great opposition we faced today and we failed as soon as they turned up the wick a little. And one bizarre decision for me is Neeld & the selection committee's decision to have Dunn on the bench as sub. To have any chance of winning, or to at least stem the damage in a loss, you need multiple avenues to goal and at this point Dunn is one of those few avenues/options (like him or not) that we didn't have (early enough) today. Mitch Clarke doing a solo act, no matter how courageous, isn't gonna win us many a footy match other than against GWS and GC....maybe. Morton should have been the sub. HUUUUGE error IMO. Basic stuff guys. Lift your game. Fast becoming one of the worst teams i've ever seen open a season for the MFC and crap decisions like this aren't helping.

Morton has "moments" pretty much anytime something's asked of him in a contest. I wouldn't be so forgiving as to single just that one out. His decision making, even when given gift balls well in the clear, is atrocious. Rarely lifts his head above what's directly coming towards him in about a 30m zone and even kicking to that contest he often just doesn't kick to the advantage of team mates. The Cale experiment is well and truly over. Time for the MFC to discard stick figures and relics that play 80's style VFL level football (at best). And by 80's style footy, one classic example is the amount of time Cale takes to decide on a disposal once he's marked. He rarely moves the ball on quickly enough which is a key aspect and basic skill needed in today's fast flowing game. Doesn't have it upstairs either. Not alone here though. P.S. Much of the blame here lays with Neeld & the selection committee though. Morton should never have been a starter in this contest. Dunn on the bench (at worst and definitely not sub) to provide a 2nd avenue to goal. Morton as the sub. HUUUUGE error IMO. Basic stuff guys. Lift your game. Fast becoming one of the worst teams i've ever seen open a season for the MFC and crap decisions like this aren't helping.

WInning the contested marks at this point. 6-1 One big positive so far and something that stops the run and carry of the opposition for the time we have it and allows us to set up (offensively & defensively) and direct the game a little more to our advantage. Need to start winning more out of the middle obviously....losing this contest yet again although we started to turn this around towards end of quarter....nice to see finally. Martin into the ruck from here for the main Neeldy! Need his leap, mobility and better work at ground level through the middle. This is critical for mine. If he's in the middle for most of the game we have a chance, if not we're toast i reckon.

Richmond vs Melbourne Round 3, 2012 – Team Stats Total games played Tigers - 1,566 1,287 (Last Time They Met, Rnd 14 2011) Demons – 1,354 1,356 Games Average Tigers - 71 59 Demons – 62 62 Height Average Tigers - 187cm Demons – 189cm Weight Average Tigers - 86kg Demons – 89kg Number of players by category 0-49 Games Tigers - 9 / 23 (number of players/average games played) Demons - 10 / 23 50-99 Games Tigers - 7 / 72 Demons - 8 / 77 100+ Games Tigers – 6 / 142 Demons - 4 / 127 Stats courtesy of footywire.com

Richmond vs Melbourne Round 3, 2012 – Team Stats Total games played Tigers - 1,566 1,287 (Last Time They Met, Rnd 14 2011) Demons – 1,354 1,356 Games Average Tigers - 71 59 Demons – 62 62 Height Average Tigers - 187cm Demons – 189cm Weight Average Tigers - 86kg Demons – 89kg Number of players by category 0-49 Games Tigers - 9 / 23 (number of players/average games played) Demons - 10 / 23 50-99 Games Tigers - 7 / 72 Demons - 8 / 77 100+ Games Tigers – 6 / 142 Demons - 4 / 127 Stats courtesy of footywire.com

Not just should have. He was equal top possession getter last week against Frankston and he's been in the best players in every match for the Scorps this year. Then we have Morton, who's also been doing fairly well but nothing spectacular for a more experienced AFL player, and Davey severely out of form and no time spent downstairs. Then Tappy, who was not mentioned in the best players by any review that i've seen to this point. And no, this is not a witch hunt on any particular player, just calling it as i see it. So if we're basing our selection criteria on "Effort" and "Form".... and necessity ie., 1 player down in the mid (Beamer) with a ready made AFL sized frame to replace him who's racked up the most possessions in the VFL the week before, also playing through the mid, and who's also been in the best in all 3 weeks so far for Casey ....the most deserved and logical choice is................................. COUCH!!!!!! ......Ummm.....Nup....sorry mate....this is the Melbourne Demons here....we don't tend to reward players who've earned their place....there's other more important and complex factors at play here including match ups etc that you supporter plebs would never get (Yeh, THAT'S YOU Rusty...you know nothing about this modern game....so just go back to playin poker!!). That's right, we're going with past performers, one of whom has spent no time trying to find his form downstairs (Davey), and another who's really only had 1 full VFL game since injury and didn't show all that much and probably could have done with at least one more in Tappy (who i'm sure will be a great addition when he's had a little more game time and fully earned his spot and gained some form etc...a big Tappy fan here if he can get and stay fit). And then there's Morton, who based on his performance at Casey, could be argued has at least earned his return. But hasn't Couch also earned his place ahead of Davey and Tappy at this point? It's my belief (and just my op) that rewarding performance, rather than reputations, should have a more positive reinforcing impact on the playing group in the short to medium term where it counts....on the field! Oh well, WTF do i know.... Anyone for cards?? B)

<<< That's my favourite Melbourne Demon logo ever Weedster....i think...Lets bring it back and stick it on our flags it's a beaut!!! (source pls....wouldn't mind sticking it on a jumper lol?)

Very much this. So many "unforced errors" every week. We gift a general advantage to our opponents in most games from week to week in this area, even when we get clear and aren't being directly pressured in a physical sense. There were at least 5 clangers/unforced errors that i witnessed just in the 1st quarter on Saturday, where players were under no immediate physical pressure. Albeit they were no doubt under a little perceived pressure. But you would think some perceived pressure would be standard fair in most games other than maybe against GWS and GCS. Obviously more intense against the top 5 or 6, hence you would expect the disposal efficiency/option decision making skills to drop etc. No one is perfect under any sort of intense pressure...and not expecting them to be. Can't help but admire yesterday's match. If any player ever needed an eye opener/leg up... i reckon i would just keep watching yesterday over and over and over....until things start to sink in lol. I realise we're a long way behind and lacking anywhere near the skill level/talent & experience in these 2 teams atm but still....why not aim high.

Digging a dirty great hole so that those who cant or dont wanna climb the next level can stay at base and go crap in it?

Was hardly a normal "omission" event mono so i don't think it's really comparable to a standard omission in other weeks. Was he listed as an emergency? Maybe he had no choice Could be wrong but seem to recall he was put through a hit out while over there post start of the match.

You better believe it. This is a kill or be killed business....both on and off the field. Only the strong will survive and prosper

Damn sweet post Jungle. Would like to see beamer get a big shaking down by the coach and to be asked the question before we just caste him aside though. Still think there's some upside with the big fella. But the Magner, Jones, Couch combo (with beamer rotating through too) just might be the roots we can build a gun team around, with Jay coming in for the icing from next year. And yep....a few (or even just one) classy outside line breakers and one small classy forward are desperately needed. Time for Martin to take over the main ruck duties through the middle.

Play him in the forward line at Casey for the next 8 to 10 matches. If he becomes a regular crumbing goal kicker and shows something amazing..... maybe he gets a look in towards the end of this season to see what he has, if anything. If he doesn't....it's trade/delist time IMO. Has shown nothing anywhere else on the ground until now and this is the only area i can see that he just might offer us something. Would have to harden up 10 fold though and learn how to chase down and tackle. Soft as butter at this point (not alone) and this club is already severely short of warriors who yearn for hard nosed never- say-die footy.

Agree. In the short term, this is an AFL matter, not an Eddie matter. Thanks for the offer mate but no thanks. I suspect that deep down some within the footy world might be a little jealous of our boy Jim getting the magnificent recognition and send off that he did. Don't fool yourselves, Acker may not be alone in this. Watch your back Demons....watch your back. As for new major sponsors, there's no other AFL club that gets as much publicity for it's off field dramas than us on such a regular basis ... and i'm betting there's more than one decent sponsor out their willing to take us on. They'll get some pretty good bang for their buck. We'll be taking it up to the rest of the comp, including Eddie's mob, within 2 to 3 seasons both on and off the field i reckon. Keep the faith fellow demonoids B)

Yep. He's one of the few who wont lay down and gives it everything pretty much every week, even when we're getting hammered like yesterday. Hopefully Magner can keep up this level and improve gradually as well. Add Couch in here if he comes on a little in the next year or so. You never know. If we're gonna turn our fortunes around it has to start from the middle clearances and spread. However, i'm not convinced our list is overloaded with gifted players as stated in your last line. Far from it really. Free agency might be just the tonic needed for our sub par list at this point. A few new sponsors might be helpful before it kicks in though....

Hope Tappy gets a good hit out. Will need him in next week all going well

Kevin would probably have stuck his hand up for the PR component too.....How much is CS on again?

No coach would have either i would bet. Tough entry for Neeld. At least we've got everything in place within the FD, or appear to, to find something in the next 2 to 3 seasons. A long haul ahead for all of us.

I think you might finally have your wish OD....i doubt he'll be put forward again unless he grows an extra leg or something. Might not be alone either.

We haven't done this on a consistent basis since 2000 that i can recall. And prior to that it would probably be 1994 under Balme with massive gap years in between. We are a mile behind AFL standard now in this (and many other skill areas). This is a hangover from the Bailey era and such a basic blunder that many of our players make week in and week out. The opposition must rub their hands together at the thought of playing us the next week. No wonder they're so eager at the start of every match and throughout. Mentally we're so far behind them as they're expecting this crap and we rarely let them down. We just aren't able to man up or play accountable footy for extended periods (when we don't have the ball or it's in dispute) during a quarter against mediocre opposition teams or better. At this point i think we'd even struggle against the 2 new entrants in this area. If you can't run,spread and carry in waves, break lines, stream down the ground with creative precise skillful play off HB or through the middle for a good percentage of each quarter when you gain possession, then you better be prepared to play tough, man on man bang in footy and pressure/harrass the hell out of the ball carrier and be accountable, when the ball is lost to the opposition or in dispute, in order to get it back and at least hack it forward without the classy clearance/outlet work. We do neither of these very well (in general) at this point. There are exceptions but just not enough cattle that are either willing or possibly capable. Maybe this is a cattle factor, but i've seen some pretty average teams over the years punch above their weight 'on occasions' to achieve some pretty amazing performances and upsets playing accountable man on man footy. When was the last time we upset a quality top line opponent when we were expected to get soundly beaten? It's this sort of thing that can turn a looming disastrous season around. Even if you lose making that effort, sometimes the previous weeks effort and momentum was the spark for the win or wins in the weeks to come. Where the hell is the spark boys....where's the fire?????????? You mean they played accountable man on man footy for much of the game through the middle and our HF line, when they didn't have the ball, and pressured the ball carrier with intensity? How about we also isolate him for a time and allow him to contest one out, changing up once in a while?? Lucifer forbid we should try something different to FIND A WAY.

Just the Eagles total number of games played....and their "average games played". Although the word just is probably not a good term given it's a fair jump from the original figure

Oops.... after your comment WYL i though i better check total games played and the related average. I had an incorrect formula sitting in the Eagles column. Ours remains as is (unfortunately lol) but you might want to reconsider that upstairs bit a tad lol. Thanks for prodding me though. Always pays to double check your formulas once in a while P.S. On a lighter note (pardon the pun) the previous team 'games average' i had in their for the Eagles was their average weight lol

I disagree. We don't have much speed or line breaking options in this team as it is. He needs to put in over 4 quarters, i would hope off the HB line and play the game of his life if we're to have any chance of keeping it under 12 goals i reckon. And when he's not running his guts out off HB then he should be resting in the forward line to try and create some crumbing/goal scoring opportunities there if at all possible. No genuine small forward in this team which is nothing new for us i realise.

West Coast vs Melbourne Round 2, 2012 – Team Stats Total games played Eagles - 2,199 Demons – 1,537 Games Average Eagles - 100 Demons – 70 Height Average Eagles - 188cm Demons – 189cm Weight Average Eagles - 89kg Demons – 89kg Number of players by category 0-49 Games Eagles - 5 / 23 (number of players/average games played) Demons - 8 / 25 50-99 Games Eagles - 9 / 72 Demons - 9 / 71 100+ Games Eagles – 8 / 179 Demons - 5 / 140 Stats courtesy of footywire.com