The heart beats true

It was Neeld's desire to stick to the plan that actually gives me confidence in him. He's not just reacting, he's watching to see how the players respond in unfamiliar circumstances so he can learn more about their strengths. This is tha mark of a good manager in my opinion. He's virtually not acknowledging the scoreboard and is instead focused on development and teaching. If we had him as a coach with that attitude 3 years ago you can bet we would have won yesterday by 10 goals. It's easy to want a win, but I think you have to acknowledge he had 7-8 of his best players out and a lot of our guys are still very new to his more defensive game plan. Hang in there. I think it'll be worth it.

Today we were an easy target. So many good players out before the ball is bounced, and then losing a key position defender in the first 5 minutes really killed us. Put Clark, Jones, Jamar, Green, Davey, Jurrah and a fit Tom Mac in that team and we look a lot better. We'd still need 3 really genuine ball finding midfield players but we'd compete against more than half the competition with just those guys in. I feel for Neeld. He's had a horror run. I think we've seen progress in Watts and Grimes in the last month, and I think we saw good things in Clark, Jones, Tom Mac and a few other blokes so far this year but otherwise it has been a really negative season. It worries me what we'll gain from playing an injury depleted team against average opposition in the next few months. I think it could just further deplete confidence and self belief. I really want this season over.

Nope. That was no spelling mistake ;-) We have had nothing go our way since February. It's becoming absurd. Can we just give up on this year now? Nothing good will come from getting beaten by below par sides. I vote we just come out and say we are playing our kids and winning isn't even a thought.

I really feel for Mark Neeld. He's had zero go his way all except for the week we ran into Essendon. This is our anus horribilis. We are and will be a better side than we are showing currently.

Gees we can't take a trick this year. Put Clark, Jones, Jamar, Green, Jurrah, Davey, McDonald back in and we aren't this bad. I reckon Brisbane have got us at our most vulnerable twice this year. We deserve to pummel them next year.

Deal. You can go watch Ricky play for Casey, and I'll watch Cale play for Melbourne. Like it or not Cale will be there next year. I think they'll put some work into his upper body and he'll continue coming along. He's an easy target now that Watts is playing well.

I can't believe some of the pathetic comments on here. The club has been accused of playing bruise free football and being soft. What we've seen in the last few weeks is a definite over correction, and just like the over correction to our game plan it will take time to get right, but do we need it? Abso-f*#king-lutey. Maxwell looked so weak going back with one hand on the weekend. Our players created that fear in him. We haven't done it for the best part of 10 years. I will take one week suspensions if it starts to prove that we really are the hardest team to play against. If you don't like it you can always go support Fitzroy. Oh, wait.....

This may just be the most reliable source in the AFL. Did your source also have an off the record conversation with Jason Mifsud earlier this year?

If we don't finish the year with 7 wins I think I'd consider the year less than a success. The Rd 1 loss to the Lions was a shocker. I reckon we'd beat them by 5 goals now at the G. I'd think we'll beat: GWS x 2 Suns North And sneak over 2 of Freo, Port, Brisbane, or Richmond. I like that we've got a bit of mongrel in us too. It gives me more confidence.

Me too RR. I still like the D'land idea that he arrives in his white Land Rover and takes off his ski jacket to reveal his velvet smoking jacket underneath. Laugh at it now but in 2 years when we are smashing teams opposition fans will hate it so much it will drive them crazy.

It's worrying isn't it? Yesterday again he looked terribly slow. He has all the mobility of Matty Bate at the moment. I think he needs a week off. He just doesn't look fresh. Blah, blah, blah injury Blah, blah, blah training load It better be something, or else RR is right.

WYL for the win.

The great thing about the footy in this country is that we all sit together and we can get into it a bit (in good spirits of course). Yesterday a 14 year old kid and his dad sat behind us in the AFL members. They moved at 3/4 time as they wanted to sit with only Collingwood fans. Not only did I take that as a moral victory, but I also felt bad for the kid as he's not really getting the spirit of the game. Melbourne, North, and Bulldogs supporters don't have the luxury of always being with our 'own'. It's character building. Let people sit wherever they want. It won't effect the scoreboard so it shouldn't effect the fans.

I'm a dude married to a dude (in NY where such things are legal) and I'm nowhere near as gay as that band. Who lets this stuff happen?

He made some mistakes. Let me ask you this. Would you rather he didn't get the ball so he didn't make a mistake or would you rather he work hard and learn the new system and make mistakes in the process? The difference between the 2 teams tonight was kicking skills and playing to a well drilled game plan. Our endeavor, and Cale's, was good but we dont have the natural game down yet.

The Good: Grimesy, Howey, Mitch, our highest score for the year! The Bad: Sylvia, Trenners, Moloneys impact, Cale's turnovers The Ugly: Going missing in the first quarter and game over at quarter time.

Oh great, we need a player that someone handballs to in the square to make his stats look better than they should. ;-)

What's that? Club acknowledges off field decision making does impact on field performance and CEO resigns. For shame! Did nobody tell him not to show up, call your mates and push the blame onto everybody else? This bloke has a lot to learn. (I'm sorry, but I really thought we could get through a week here on D'land without this old chestnut again)

None of the players or coaches missed it though. I reckon it's open season on Jetta now. Everyone will be into him now he's the boy who cried wolf. Fletcher on the other hand can do no wrong. He's a protected species.

Good article. I think Mick has struggled a bit with the line between opinion and sensationalism this year, a lot of it due to his new employers exploiting his obvious relevance. Anybody that has a crack at Stephen Milne the way he did is ok with me though. ;-)

Based on some of Col Garlands efforts on Saturday night I reckon we might have Simon Eishold coaching our goal kicking. He had that same nervous look in his eye.

Pay attention to his efforts in the last quarter. It was a real captains effort. He definitely stood up when he needed to.

What a bunch of A-holes. That horse is a freakish athlete the likes of which we see once every century. They are just a bunch of mid range footballers who so far have had a good draw that sees them sitting 4-6 spots higher than they should.

I noticed a few times we had more players pushing back in defence after the initial clearance. More like a flood of a couple years back. I felt like it really helped our spread out of defence once we had the ball coming out. I didn't remember seeing us roll from more flooding and then into one on one when we had the ball in previous games. When I watched the replay one of the commentators brought it up too.

Me too! It's a fascinating insight into the psychology of fans. You could replace the team name and the players names and it reads just like D'land after rounds 1 - 9. We are a sad bunch us footy fans, unless we are winning - then we are glib bastards. ;-)