Hells Gates

Thats the problem we face, we are just not attractive at all. Back to the draft for kids and a longer process. We will get there, it'll just take longer than we wished for.

We will get better mate, it just might take longer than we wished for.

Hi All, Here is some info that may be news to some and common dog to others. But I'll share it anyway as I fly out to work tomorrow. Dont shoot the messenger. This is what I've heard first hand from people in command. The horses mouth. 1. Neelds first & foremost priority is to replace Tom Scully before anything else. The club see's Tom as a loss and are targetting a player with similar traits (on field). While Toms disposal efficiency wasnt the greatest he was quick, broke the lines & was professional. The club is actively seeking players for eg: David Mackay from Adelaide who has good skills, quick and works hard defensively. I have copped criticism for bringing up disposal efficiency in the past with posters saying it isnt relevant, well the club certainly is taking this stat seriously. What picks they will use or how they go about it I'm not sure but we did lose a #1 draft pick. 2. The club is very keen to get another power forward onboard. Whether this is through free agency, trade or draft I'm unsure but they are certainly active. A name that keeps popping up is Jesse Hogan in the U17 mini-draft. I'd say if we cant get an experienced KPF then this will be an option for the club. 3. After the above two I hear that we are keen to get 3 quality mids with the club hoping to bring 1-2 experienced heads & one being Jack Viney providing we pick him up as a second rounder. The problem being that the pickings for quality experienced mids in their mid 20's are slim pickings now. May need to rely on the draft. 4. Club is hoping for 2 free agents - but it looks like slim pickings now. This is the concerning thing for me & the club is its ok to delist the deadwood so long as you replace with better players. A lot of top draft picks and players OOC will hold no currency at trade time - thats scary. After TS replacement, KPF, 3 mids - I have no idea what the clubs intentions are, I'll leave that for you guys to discuss. Obviously I can't reel off names etc that havent been mentioned and have to be careful the way I present things but what I can say is the club is very active & have been for months & are leaving no stone unturned. Expect a few suprises if all goes well but also get worried about replacements if it doesnt pan out, the club may have no option but to rewind the clock and rebuild with kids again. The major concern is that the MFC is not attractive to players at the moment. I look forward to October but one part of me is very nervous at who we can attract/draft. We will NOT draft skinny kids, we will be after players who are ready to go Round 1, 2013 - The club knows its running out of time to keep members on side. Curve balls that I'd keep an eye on: (These are not the views of the club but my own, chinese whispers) Stef Martin to be traded. Jai Sheahan to be upgraded as a KPF prospect. Clint Bartram/Aaron Davey to retire. Jared Rivers to chase success. Royal out, Ratten in. Bruce & Junior offered a mentoring role off field. Players brought in from Adelaide, WA & Brisbane. Anyway all the best this week, I fly back to work tomorrow, dont stress out too much - its only a game remember!! PS: I dont intend to be the worlds best speller or have elite punctuation, all I do is get it in text well enough for you to read! I dont work in an office.

Who Cook? He's put on 10kg since arriving at the club. Dont beleive what you read on the clubs website. Anyone hes gone, I know you hate him old dee but the kid has potential, will be a player elsewhere.

I've posted this before but the clubs player page hasnt been updated all year. I know of heaps of players weights that have changed a bit, including Cook although irrelevant now. Watts is also 89kg not 91kg as listed. I will be in at the club today to discuss some things so I will mention this among other improvements. As for Davis he is a strong competitive beast who hates to get beaten, just disposal lets him down. He'd be sitting on the fence as to which way he could go but I'd say he'll be kept now Cook has gone.

Very good points. All good and well to offload but replacing them with better players is the bigger issue. Free agency will fizz out, lets hope the trade/draft brings the goods. I hear we are shopping Martin and Coll are interested, wonder what they would cough up, he's also still signed up for another year. Its all good and well to replace with Magners & Couch's but at the end of day they are just good VFL players.

Another good VFL standard player, has talent but no more basketballers please.

There will be more.

Don't shoot the messenger. It is a hard position for me to explain and its even harder for you to understand given that you werent at the scene at the time. This is why I hate posting on this site now, I shouldnt even share the limited info I can to anyone as I'm getting tired of being looked down on. I wish I could say more but it frustrates me people on this site assuming things. I would think any person new at any organization would have to earn some respect first, no matter who you are, even you and I. What I wrote to start with was that players "arent saying its too hard", they enjoy the elite performance program, it was well before they even got to that stage. Anyway I'm out, too hard to explain. But I will say once again that the players are not unhappy with the standards that are being set, just the person himself.

All good points nutbean. From my angle maybe he went a bit too full on to start with instead of earning respect first and foremost. Anyway we will sit back and hope....again. I really hope it works out for him (Neeld).

Earlier in the year I mentioned that Mark Neeld had lost quite a few of the players early on, only to be howled down even though I have many contacts within the club including players & board members. It was evident to me that Neeld, even though trying to do the right thing, fire & brimstone or whatever you want to call it, got players off side from day one. Now you can sit back and say "Well at least It'll weed out the players that don't want to be there". This may be true but what he forgot to do was earn his respect first. You must earn it before you can gain it. His approach was not well received by quite a few players. People will also sit back and say "players just don't like him because they don't want to work hard". This is quite the opposite, I've talked to many players and all of them say they are loving the new elite performance regime with some saying that they dislike Neeld and his approach and how he deals with people. I know there are players who have signed on who dislike Neeld. Whilst I personally think he is doing his best and trying to establish a tight bunch of hard nosed footballers, at the end of day its the players who can make you or break you and getting them offside is not a great start to a coaching career. This club seems to be going well off field but in circles on field, you cant just keep losing good quality experienced players at the drop of the hat. There will be more to follow. I think Neeld would be a better football director & Neil Craig would be a better coach, but thats just my take. Anyway I wish him well & I hope that more than anything it works out well for him and the rest of us, we need to start winning games to create a better culture. One recognised win for the season is not enough, first year coach or not. On Jurrah, I wish him well even though he should of handled it better, Ithink most could see the writing on the wall early so I dont see what the fuss is about, definetly a loss for sure along with Greeny & Beamer. I dont post that often anymore & those of you that continually ask what my sources are, Im sorry but my lips are sealed. All the best Demon fans, Im off fishing & watching the cricket for the summer. Lets hope we pick up some rippers in the draft/trade.

Your point?

Bruce Hearn Mackinnon (Rudeboy) on Jurrah - SEN. http://www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Bruce-Hearn-Mackinnon---Liam-Jurrahs-Mentor/5783

Actually you're spot on. Thats exactly where I heard it from. Thanks. I shouldve known better but for some silly reason I thought they signed him up in 2010 early.

Well obviously the commentators stuffed that up then. Can't remember which one it was now. Anyway that's why I thought he was out of contract.

He is out of contract and I thought a few weeks back he'd be ok to pick up.

We are easy targets & will get trampled on from behind our backs until we create a culture that is worthy of a tight unifying bunch of hard nosed footballers. It does start at the very top lets remember. I just spoke to a relative of McLardy who said that Don is gutted & angry about what has happened after all of the man hours and $$$ the club has put into Liam. I dont expect to see any of this in a press conference but thought I'd share the info with you.

Explains the 4-6 week injury from 2011 onwards!!

Dont get your hopes up about that. I'd imagine we will give up pick #3 despite everybodys dreams.

Interesting times down at the club. A bit of experience and quality we are/may lose. Club cant afford this too much. Brad Green - retires but tells Schwarz his body is fine & Schwarz reckons he may play for another club next year eg: GWS. Kelvin Lawrence - Has left the club and gone back home. Liam Jurrah - Quits the club Jared Rivers - Apparantly wants to go to Geelong. Gysberts - has been approached by Geelong. Moloney - Will most likely leave, hasnt looked happy all year. Strauss - Apparantly wants out. I'd say Neeld has ruffled a few feathers and I know for fact he upset a few very early on. You must earn respect before you gain it. Whatever the outcome, this trade/draft period is absolutely crucial for our survival.

Time in forward half: North 79% - Melb 21%

Paul Couch thinks otherwise, I'd assume he knows what he's talking about.....

Dont read into things so much. All he needs is the players......so that we can see if he can actually coach. Is a waste of time judging him until we get class players & our list fit. "I'm also concerned at your comment that "we must draft kids with our high picks that are fit enough to play the top level straight away, this will take a lot of pressure off Neeld." Surely we need to pick the best young talent we can and if it takes time to develop so be it. Why is the objective to take the pressure off Neeld. Surely it's to do the right thing by the club. - And we would be doing the right thing by the club by drafting fit players wouldnt we??? Neeld has said himself numerous times he only has 3 years to have a shot at this, I doubt he will draft unfit/skinny kids that take years to develop. For some reason I dont think its part of Neelds grand plan to draft anymore undeveloped, skinny, unfit kids....but I may well be wrong. Cheers.

Gday Binman, thanks. Yes my view is exactly that, time will tell but he needs time for sure, he needs everything to be heading in the right direction and all he needs now is players. The club will back him all the way until all the boxes are ticked. The jury will always be out until the team performs, thats just part of the job. Definetly bullish re Misson - this guy is a pro and as I've said alot of injuries have been collision or breaks, I think theres been a huge drop in soft tissue injuries since hes arrived, it will only get better. We just need him to hang around thats all. A realistic timeframe on fitness is a tricky one when the teams above us & a better FD keep getting better, I think your timeframe is around the mark, 2014 we should be up and about both physically & mentally, it also gives time for the new recruits to settle in also. I dont think we will be fit or strong enough before 2014. When we draft this year we must draft kids with our high picks that are fit enough to play the top level straight away, this will also take a lot of pressure off Neeld. Only simple brief answers as im on my way out the door. All the best, cheers HG.

FFS! Then you tell me exactly which piece of info that you thought I shouldn't of said Choko?! What I said was extremely low key. And if you aren't aware I work part time for the club on a voluntary basis & my brother plays in the senior side, I know damn well what I can & can't say. Get over it. It's posts like yours that will stop me from sharing anything worthwhile for Demon fans on here because everytime I do some idiot always has to have a go. Move on.