btdemon

His first option is always to use his hands rather than put his body in. It probably comes from his basketball background. He is incredibly clever in this area and I see him do some amazing things. It seems to be his first instinct. However, he has been in footy long enough now to know that he has to put his body in as well. It might have been enough at junior level to use his skills but now he is just being brushed aside. He rarely sticks a tackle and doesn't seem to know how to use his size. He loses his feet when he has to go body on body. The club needs to bring somebody like Carey or Dermie in to show him how to do it. We know that he doesn't have mongrel but his lack of willingness for the physical contest will kill his career unless he learns how to overcome it mentally.

If the ships turns around over the next few weeks I will be very happy to be wrong in my speculation.

Yes Billy, I am speculating, but like everyone else here I'm not on the inside and can only observe from the point of view of a member and spectator. Like many on this site I spend way too much of my time contemplating the state of the club (and reading everyone else's opinions). I'm not an expert in management, I don't have much playing experience, I don't have corporate experience, so I don't have too much constructive advice about the admin structure of the club. But I have been following the club for a long time through its darkest periods and can only observe and speculate. On the field I see confusion and lack of unified purpose and what appears to be a lack of heart with some players. I see players who seem not to know what their role is. Off the field I hear all of the rumours, like most of us. I read the media reports, listen to the radio and watch the telly. Some of it is most certainly scuttlebutt but where there is is such a massive plume of smoke there has got to be a fire. I saw the shabby treatment of the senior players. I see the way mark Neeld speaks to people publicly. I don't like it and I respond instinctively. He may be a very good person, and I have great sympathy for his current situation, but I don't think he is the right one for us at the moment. The damage appears to be worsening by the week. As for requested task Billy, I'm sorry but I can't provide you with that information but at the moment things are sure looking, walking and quacking like a duck.

I wonder if the players might hasten his exit by producing another "186" against Collingwood on the big stage. It is clear to me now the supposed 'buy in' to the Neeld plan by players has not been across the whole group and the damage to relationships and alienation of others is possibly beyond repair. While Davey may have got on board recently it would seem that many others are disenchanted or have completely had enough. Others seem incapable of implementing the game plan and are no longer playing with any natural instinct. Playing under those conditions with a fear of breaking team rules and being out of favour with the coaching panel would make it very difficult to enjoy playing. Getting flogged week after week wouldn't help either. Players aren't stupid. Most of them would have experienced more positive coaches, better playing environments and more on field success in their early careers and would be very disheartened. People can talk about "sticking fat" and all that, but most people have a limit. These guys have a short career and can see it quickly disappearing under miserable circumstances. It is clear that most of them are not playing for the coach! Many are not playing for each other now either. They are confused and exasperated. I wouldn't blame any of them if they wanted to walk at season's end and rejuvenate their careers somewhere else. A person who can galvanise the group is desperately needed NOW! I don't want to lose Frawley, Watts, Sylvia or anyone else because our footy environment is crap. I don't want older players like Jamar, Davey, playing like they don't want to be there. I don't want young player like Toumpas, Hogan, Viney wrecked either. I don't want our better performing players like Howe, Jones, Clark, McDonald getting any more disillusioned they they must already be. We will have a record low crowd for the QB clash and a massive flogging is on the cards. It may be brought on by the players lack of ability, effort or understanding of the game plan. Consciously or unconsciously the players may make sure that this happens. If it happens then we must have a caretaker in place by the game after the bye. Even if they put up a better show I won't believe that it was for the coach.

By the time Hogan plays regular senior footy he won't be the biggest, strongest man on the field. He may not be able to push people aside like he does now. But he does look like a footballer and hopefully will adjust.

Check this. Does it bother anyone else that the quote infers that they haven't yet spoken to Watts, Frawley, Sylvia or gawn's management? "Neeld said Melbourne fans should rest assured that the club was leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to retain all three former first-round draft picks as well as securing the Demons' young stars of the future. "We'll go and speak to their managers and see what they're thinking and speak to those players and continue to speak to them like all clubs," he said. "We'll follow down that path, but… when we've got something concrete to say we'll offer it." http://www.melbournetimesweekly.com.au/story/1522036/neeld-readies-as-rival-clubs-circle-demons/?cs=12

This is a joke right! I love the Ox and love listening to him but he is neither a great strategist or leader. Affable yes, likeable yes, amusing yes, a great player, most certainly, but a FD manager or president? You've got to be joking!

Just read this article by David King. He makes a big call - that this is the biggest change in footy in the last 20 years. I don't know about that but it's very interesting and may influence the way we recruit. http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/geelongs-revolutionary-game-plan-that-has-changed-the-face-of-football-forever/story-fndv7pj3-1226645548410

The appointment of Chris Connolly as (I've forgotten the title of the position), after after not choosing him as coach, would seem, in retrospect, the height of this problem. The "old boys" network problem was in full swing. The lack of proper process has been endemic at this club as long as I can remember. The fact that Garry Lyon has entered the picture as part of the coach selection process on two occasions is another. The amateurism of the structure is breathtaking!

Listening to SEN yesterday (tragic) and Dermie had some really interesting things to say about kicking action, both on the run and from a standing start. He was talking about it like a golf swing, where all of the components have to be in balance. The biggest thing he mentioned was the importance of keeping the hips perpendicular to the target. This requires good flexible hammies if the follow through is going to be straight. Combine that with a reliable ball drop, clean strike and good timing and touch and you have a good kick. All of this things can be taught but combining them together in one symphony is a rare skill. Some guys have it, some have to work like buggery to achieve it and some never do. Jack Grimes, Chippa and t Mac is are really good examples. You can see them thinking out the kick. When the pressure is on they often falter.

Neeld's hard line talk is all very well but it seems to me that his ego gets in the way. If he is challenged by a journo he puts them down with a sarcastic comment. he does the same to Robbo in his little interviews. I have suspected that he does this to players as well. if i was a player it would not make me want to play for him. If he is to change the culture he needs to emphasise more positives. Players like Viney and Nathan Jones will give their all for any coach, and for their teammates. Its the only way they know. But there are other talented players on the list who don't seem to be playing for him. Neeld just seems to get rid of any players he can't get through to rather than finding a way of best utilising the personnel he has got.

Have our backline all had lobotomies? The decision making is appalling! Frawley looks like he has lost all confidence and we desperately miss Rivers saving us with timely spoils and directions. i like the look of Terlich. He's a goer, but the lack of system and communication made fools of all of them.

It's time for Neeld to go! Why the hell has he subbed Davey off? Talk about destroying the confidence of our most talented players.

spot on. They don't know whether to attack the ball carrier or just watch.

spot on. They don't know whether to attack the ball carrier or just watch.

I think we made a good call. Oldie Wines is a beast, and he played very well today. He is as hard at it as Viney and with enormous power for his age. His flaw is his kicking. It is up and under and lacks penetration and accuracy. We could do with his frenetic attack on the contested ball but Viney has this too. Viney's kicking is a little better but still flawed. Toumpas, on the other hand, has sublime kicking and showed some moments of real class today. He knows what to do with the ball and showed decision making beyond his years. In amongst the dumbness of our team he lpoked pretty good.

The "360 degree" player is an interesting concept. At the moment I don't really see any on our list. I assume that we mean players who have fantastic spacial awareness, good lateral movement, can change pace to avoid being caught, and can dispose creatively, by hand or foot, in amongst all of the chaos of contested stoppages. As much as I admire Jones and think he is fantastic value for us, he is not a true "360". The players I am thinking of appear to create space around them. Davey, at his best could, but was hampered by his need to kick on his left. Jurrah certainly could, and was blessed with that amazing ability to accelerate laterally. Maybe Toumpas will, but we haven't seen enough of him yet. Viney looks a little more straight ahead, but again we need to see more of him. It's not all about speed either. Think of Jobe Watson, Diesel Williams, Sam Mitchell, Josh Kennedy. Gary junior certainly has it in spades, plus a turn of speed and power. Cyril's got heaps. The Richmond, Carton, Swans, Geelong, Adelaide, Collingwood and WCE have all got at least a couple in their midfield lineups. We have some "good ordinary" but undersized "grunters" at the moment and I don't see us doing much September business until we have those couple of class mids backed by a solid midfield tail.

Were you at the game? I wasn't and was wondering whether Watts spent a lot of time on the bench. Watching the replay I didn't see much of him. Maybe that would account for his meagre stats sheet?

I have just finished the book. Without wanting to whitewash him, it would appear that in the second half of 2009 that he was so busy with treatment and focusing on his health that his involvement would have been minimal. I'm not sure if it is just my interpretation but I think that was the case for much of the time between the initial diagnosis and his sad passing. It also points to the great job that Don McLardy did to keep things together.

Did he get off the 'reality bus' in favour of the 'age and experience' train. Hopefully he will get to the desired destination.

Thanks. That worked

I just subscribed but how the heck do i access the mobile skin?

More of a Nick Dal Santo, I reckon. If the Saints had a choice between Dal Santo and Lenny Hayes you think that they'd choose Hayes. That's why I think we should go for Wines ahead of O'Rourke.