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"Whether they hit a target or not, they were willing to back themselves in and they trusted themselves because they practised it over many, many years. We have to get to that stage eventually where we trust our leg, trust the guy who is leading to us and hit those targets. You may miss a few but [eventually] the reward will be better." - Shannon Byrnes (via Daniel Cross) talking about the amazing Geelong teams of the recent past. (Daniel Cross is the centre of a very good article by Peter Ryan on the AFL website: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-04-04/dees-must-be-hell-bent-on-winning-cross Trust is such an important aspect of any endeavour but in team sports it takes on even more substantial consequence. How you see yourself and your talent and how you see your teammates will dictate your actions when your actions matter the most. We can all talk a good game, but training ourselves to truly believe that we are good enough to do something is a battle. Another battle? Trying to train yourself to believe your teammates are good enough. From here - football on the weekend, and the Demons. Why don't we move the ball quickly? 'I can't hit that target.' 'I don't think Cam/Shannon/Jeremy can win this footy.' 'I can give it to Nathan/Bernie/Jack right next to me though. They will be able to do something.' Evolving/graduating/cleansing ourselves of these trust issues will what sees us become a 'team' of worth and note. I can't put a timeframe on it (and, yes, a forward line of note helps) but it will turn and click and the brave souls that join Nathan/Daniel/Jack/Bernie/Dom(!) will be better than they think they can be right now. Next opportunity? Sunday 6 April 2014 - 3.20pm against GWS.

Well, here we are. Amidst the doom of the season we still must admit that the off-season recruitment of established names in footy development is a pleasing aspect to the Neeld era. My concern is that many on here don't realise, or refuse to acknowledge, the need to let the more talented, if poor in performance and less mature in body, to have the time to use the expertise of Craig and Misson to turn their fortunes around. There are no promises in this game but Morton, Watts, Bennell, and Bail are a few names that given the right advice can transform their bodies and give themselves a chance to succeed at this level. And remember that this doesn't occur overnight - it is a project that takes a few years. Do we still wish to delist Bennell? Do we still want to trade Morton? List management decisions must be made I believe, with an eye to the new development dynamic. I will admit this thread is a reaction to seeing Morton called a dud this morning - not on what he has done this season, but because of the previous dynamic that was not conducive to getting the best out of players.