The heart beats true

And.... Cue the doomsayers threads about Neeld and 3/4's of the list.

I'd guess the following will stay: Bail Bartram Jetta Morton Spencer I think Morton has a year on his contract doesn't he? Bartam works hard and I think the cub is erring on the side of hard work over 'potential'. Spencer is playing with aggression and I'd think next year he'll need to come on but I would think they'd give him another season. Jetta's injuries will give him more time too I think. Let's be clear. I'm not advocating for any of these guys but I also think we have to be realistic about how deep we want to go in the draft and with trading. If we lose more than 7-8 I'd say we make it harder in the short term when injuries hit.

Amen. I think Neeld knows it. I also think having Couch and Magner remind the first round draft picks that you have to take your chances. Thats a HUGE insult to a bloke that has traveled all over the country working hard on improving when everyone wrote him off. If half our list over the past 5 years had the work ethnic and desire of Couch and Magner I can guarantee we wouldn't be 16th.

I would have thought that this kind of thing goes without saying. Am I also fortunate to have running water and live in democracy? Thanks for the insight.

I think I read on here that Jamar and Rivers can go onto the vet list next year and come out of the salary cap. This will push Brad out. Would free up some cash for us to go really hard after a free agent. Think Brad's been a really good servant of the club but I just don't see the point in holding onto him after this year. It looks like his body has given up on him. Doesn't help him that the boys at Casey refer to him as "Fossil' either.

Or there simply are no words for players that get paid 250k a year to kick a ball that can't hit a target 20 metres away. I know I've stopped yelling at them because it's not making them better. Maybe Neeld saves it for during the week.

Well thought out post Bergly Sanders. I already know I'm in for a bashing here but I do find it fascinating that the basic construct of the argument boils down to who is better Neeld vs Bailey. Is it naive to assume based on what we've seen that Bailey wasn't much good and Neeld's done nothing to encourage the thought that he's a good coach either? Don't get me wrong I genuinely want him to succeed and I 100% agree he's had no luck with injuries and things outside his control. But just as the original argument is that the club lacked ambition and genuine drive can the same argument be made for a supporter base that accepts the lack of competitiveness we've shown in 80% of our games this year? I guess the crux of my argument is that I'm not sold until its proven I should buy in and I've seen nothing to make me believe yet.

I've actually fallen in love with the word 'mediocraty'. It sounds exactly like what you get when everyone gets a vote in a democratic sense regardless of knowledge base. There's a great deal of 'mediocratic' thinking around here at the moment. ;-)

Agree on the midfield and the sentiment of not blaming the coach solely. Unfortunately we've already had our super draft and one of our picks has struggled with pace while the other moved to surfers pardise. I suspect the frustration aimed at Neeld is actually misguided frustration at the clubs ability to uncover and develop genuine talent.

Carrot Top you better hope those 'best availables' aren't scrawny outside mids or I'm going to lose it.

Calm down and actually read what I said. Where did I say that? I actually said it was a solid plan. We just have no midfield to execute it. Some people on here want to rush to attack or defend a game plan that I don't think we've really seen executed. So all we can take from that is that we can't evaluate the coach yet (which is fortunate for him as we've looked terrible). I don't get beating him up but I also hate the blind faith. You get faith when you show something to deserve it.

The idea was right for Collingwood in 2010. It is a solid plan but it's clearly not built on anything we have. That's why the draft and trading period is a great indicator of the goal. If we go after bigger bodies the club and coach are aware of the need for short term accountability. If they don't get what they want or go young then I fear for Neeld in the current climate.

I could be wrong but it looks like the game plan is built on contested ball and percentage play (boundary) that gets us a stoppage and keeps the ball in dispute if not in our favor. Great plan! One slight problem - we have the worst list in the league for this style. Next year is going to be equally as rough. It's a very long term plan and I'm not sure an industry built on winning can withstand the pressure of the losses sure to come. I hope the club can keep the faith that it's asking of all it's supporters when the sharks start really circling.

It's not worse than 2008 in execution on field but it's much worse in terms of hope. It's pretty clear from the support at games that most believe we are going nowhere and have really resigned themselves to kicking the club. It's not pretty but it's not entirely unfounded either.

Jose, just wondering what you think these improvements are? Not saying they aren't there just interested in where the improvements been from your perspective.

I agree Clint. Neeld is a whipping boy for the ineptitude of the MFC across the board. He deserves a chance but he has to be held accountable for what is happening with what he's got. (I also hate how often he dwells on positives in the presser now. Nobody believes it and it just looks really disingenuous).

Put Clark, Jurrah, Jamar, Watts and Davey in and we'd still be terrible because we have no midfield, but we wouldn't be THAT terrible. Is the club still having those crisis meetings with members? I think they might need to hold a few more if this keeps us. Not a lot to look forward to I'm afraid.

Well I think our game and the Brisbane game pretty much ruined the 'quality' of the round. I reckon we've played in 2-3 of the worst games of footy I've seen this year.

He may have but everyone at the club needs to accept responsibility for where we are.

Yeah, they come in next year and Bendigo go back to being unaffiliated. Geelong, Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond with their own sides in the VFL comp in 2014 with Melbourne, North, Bulldogs, Carlton, Hawks, and Saints being affiliated. Wonder what Carlton and Hawthorn are thinking?

Tigers to field standalone VFL team Thought this was interesting. You'd have to think that by 2014 potentially another club will field their own side. Wondering if the VFL continues with such a fractured season how long will it be before the non affiliated sides begin to play each other in the VFL weeks off so their players get game time. Makes me wonder where the league is heading. I could be wrong but the MFC seems to be really engaging with Casey with the goal of building a much needed suburban fan base while other sides seem to be looking for a way out. Love to get opinions from those of you more involved in the VFL to get your take on where it might be heading.

Here's a novel idea... Bring back the Reserves! From memory I think the AFL is very reluctant to have games played on the surface prior to the AFL games as the turf gets torn up due to rain.

I reckon they are intent on making rookies really earn their spot. A policy I 100% support. Evans is coming off one game in 12 months. He needs a lot more game time yet.

What a side. I reckon we've fielded better teams at Casey. Interesting no Beamer, no Morton but Magner comes right back in. I'd be nervous if I was those 2. Really nervous.

I reckon the club figured that even with a 7:10 start Bater would still get sunburn.