Richo31

I dont see a statement anywhere?

Watch ABC report, a statement from the club is cited at the end of the report.

If all of the allegations in the 7:30 report are true, the coaching, fitness and medical staff need to be replaced, pronto!

The club's statement has distanced the MFC from these actions and placed the responsibility squarely on Dr Bates. This is a complete cop out and those involved need to be held to account.

A great montage of Flower highlights.

Robbin the great, as skillful as Pele and the courage of a warrior.

Flower...yeah!!!

Yep

All that footy show interview showed me was that it is a stupid program that is more concerned with its own egos than any real news. Still have no idea how he's getting involved.

Didn't see it, what was the gist ?

This may be symptomatic of the fact that no one else has put their hand up or showed any real interest which is a tragedy.

Yes, McLardy should stand down.

So the new board should be made up of past players who were good footballers, but nonetheless part of the post '64 era of mediocrity? And again, were better at running around chasing a ball than running successful organisations.

By the way. G Lyon stood up and offered an opinion - we selected Neeld on his opinion alone. Look where that got us.

Read my section on Costa @ Geelong.

Getting the "right people" means just that. You need some with business knowledge, football knowledge, inter-personal skills, organisational skills on the board and around the club.

Of course this means the involvement of some players from the post '64 period, as those from the pre 64 period are all either in or approaching their 70s.

By setting out to win a flag you are forced to address all of the minutiae that you are discussing.

What ever it takes!

Our board's primary goal has been business oriented, clearing debt and chasing members. Certainly assuring the future and establishing a sound basis for the future is important, however there is no cohesion or shared beliefs that are evident at the MFC.

But the primary goal should be to win a flag. If this requires a re-build then re-build. In any discussion about Melbourne the talk is to become competitive, to play finals, to get draft picks etc... and look at where this has got us.

Do you think that Frank Costa and his team at Geelong aimed to be competitive, to play finals, to get draft picks? No bloody fear! Costa set about getting the right people, setting the expectation that failure wasn't an option, making good business and football connections with the Geelong community etc... But the club's sole objective was to win flags and win flags they have. They will be in the mix in 2013, make no mistake.

We have been aiming too low since 1964. We have been settling for mediocrity and guess what ? That is exactly what we have ended up with.

With regard to Schwartz, at least he is standing up and offering an opinion, in stark contrast to the insipid "leadership" that we have on our board at present. He could with right people around him including some past players- Neitz, J McDonald etc... Add some sorely need leadership in the current leadership vacuum at the MFC.

Waynewussell should be in this week's selected side.

We could do worse than the Ox. He has connections in the media and elsewhere. His sole vision for the club would be to win a flag, which is what it should be.

Solution to the current woes= spill of all board positions+ election +extraordinary general meeting set goal to win flag x (Ox get a ticket together)

Paul Macnamee is looking for a job.

I would certainly prefer him to have any role at our club than, as been suggested, Sheedy.

Barassi is the heart and soul of what made us great in the 50's and early 60's. He had more than his fair share of success throughout his career and he still knows what it takes to be successful. Our current players and coaching staff don't know what success is and I am sure that most of our players have little or no awareness of our once great success.

Agreed! If Gawn is fit get him in! Any wise people have some answers re: the following...1/ Will Sylvia and Toumpass be retained for WC. ( I feel both should play R 3 especially Sylvia)2/ I know this is contentious but here goes? How many games will Neeld survive if Melbourne continues to be flogged. (Flogged = 50 point loss). Note: I like him and he obviously has passion but does he have anything else? After reading all the commentary on this one I'm torn.3/ What's the progress on Taggert and Gawn. A Fit Gawn similar to the one I saw V Tigers 2 years ago is badly needed to replace an ageing and slowing Jamar. IMO. Taggert looked very promising before getting injured.4/ Is Barry any good and if so is he ready for a call up given desperate times?

Taggart a good honest toiler, fit following back injuries. Dom 'Hollywood' Barry fast and flash would bring some excitement with him. Probably a fraction light at this stage.

Joel Macdonald?

Nothing about beards though? Maybe they should have sought out your man Gary Baker....

Bloody hell, big Gazza looked sharp when he shaved it off in '81. Didn't do him any good 'though. Did his knee shortly after.

Ron Barassi has spoken on 7 news. Simple message, hardness at the ball and have a go. It is as simple as that lads.

Sylvia would be a champion if he had come up under Sheedy @ the Bombers, or under Clarkson @ the Hawks or Bomba @ the Cats.

Again your just looking for a scapegoat.

Jnr there is no getting past the failing of the club... Its our culture, not onfield, the Nature of the Club is the clubs achilles heel.....

We do not have enough Fire in the belly... we hoist kids up onto pedestals when they're almost ready for their fist game, & then 3Yrs later wanting to point the finger of blame at them for all our Ills.

We as a club have to harden up, & stop the finger pointing,,, as many here have blamed a former player for, now where do you suppose that character trait was learnt from, by that player???

Agree with much of what you say, but Col Sylvia appears to bludge a fair bit. His stats this year would indicate that he is well and truly under performing and has done this for the bulk of his career. He is fortunate to be still at the Dees.

He has the occasional habit of playing well for a quarter of football, usually when we are going well, only to disappear after kicking a big goal or taking a speccy. When the going gets tough, he goes missing. Under-achiever.

Might be lining up for the Merbein Magpies in 2014.

That's how we treated James McDonald. No, he walks out head held high.

Yeah, he showed Junior the door with Bailey cowering in the corner. Shame, shame, shame.

Schwabby, make sure you shut the door on your way out.

Bring back the Demon logo. The new logo is so bloody complicated just like our gameplan.

DemonAndrew, you have hit the nail on the nail on the head. Correct

Garry Lyon is an interesting case, he should be the man to bring this club back together but he is rat -cunning and deliberately keeps himself at arm's length from genuinely having any real involvement in the club. He could be an Eddie Maguire type figure at the Dees but that would mean some degree of self-sacrifice and require him to stand up for the club.

It is far easier to live in the world of the media and throw "grenades" rather than be productive and support the club that gave him so much.

Stand up and be counted Garry.

Nicholson has a fair dinkum crack each week. He is hard at the ball and will compete regardless of the situation. Leave him in drop Silvia.

In the short term worth trying Gawn, Jamar is in strife, Spencer should be given a run. While we are at it, give Dom Barry and Rory Taggart a spin,

Wizard, love your style. Too many of our "fans" bleating, turning their backs on us, whinging, offering no real solution. We need to hold fast, ride out the storm and be part of the solution.

I want my son to have a club to follow and for him to experience some success in the not-too distant future. Whilst this seems unlikely at the moment we need to rise above this and ensure that we can move forward.

I agree with waynerussell that our past players should have a presence around the club this week. Barassi in particular should be invited in as I'm sure that he could do some value adding to our players.