Have we gone backwards?

[Grimes2709]

Its hard for me to get the facts as Im living in Toronto at the moment. Ive heard a lot of "give it a year, Neeld has to clean out a lot of dead-wood" and the like. The thing is, at what point do we decide that we're actually going backwards?

I know we're trying to instil new structures and gameplans, but jesus, we need to win as well...

Thoughts?

 

[ExTasDeeMan]

Yes. Yes we have. And it makes me sick.

 

[Dory_77]

I think it's clear we've gone backwards, but the bigger issue is who's to blame? Neeld/new coaches are partly liable I think, although most of it lies with the players. The end of Bailey's tenure was full of guys not giving a shit. At the end of last year we struggled to beat GC at the G and were run down by Port. I think it's been a long time coming, and the issues stem from the 'Who cares?' attitude of a lot of the players.
Neeld's new plan has taken us right back to the basics of defence and football: win the most important aspects of the game (contested ball/tackles/clearances etc) and build from there. Neeldy seems a bit of a prick, which would no doubt have affected the players, but they need to grow some balls, move past the fact that the coach is a hard bastard, and play how he wants so that there isn't a need for him to be such an arse.

 

[ExTasDeeMan]

I remember hearing that the players were a bit scared of Neeld - my thoughts (in Feb) were 'great'. Now I can see more, and not really a fan.

We've all worked for assholes, and I can't admit that i've worked 100% for the assholes.

 

[Dory_77]

I too have worked for arseholes and wanted to do things half-arsed because I hate them, but then I realised that not being a sloth and actually trying got them onside, and to stop being pricks. Anecdotes don't really mean much though. The players have to decide whether they want to put up with Neeld being an arseh*le all this season and next (I'm assuming Neeld gets at least a couple of years to show his stuff) or get dropped/delisted.

 

[stretcharmstrong]

Guys like Neeld are only perceived as arseholes by people with the wrong attitudes.

For people with the right attitude (team, hard work, effort etc), guys like Neeld make fantastic teachers and mentors.

 

[ExTasDeeMan]

I'm just gutted (still) that we drew with this team last year, and even without their 2 key players we got smoked by that margin. There is DEFINITELY something wrong at the Demons.

 

[stretcharmstrong]

Further, we smashed them by 13 goals in 2010!

 

[guitarded]

I think Neeld has made a mistake making the two jacks captains. It hasn't worked. Should've gone straight to Jonesy, or at least Beamer. He might've pulled his head in. OR hell, maybe Green might've turned it around this year.

In any event, none of those things have happened. There is complete disharmony amongst the group which is visible for all. I want Schwabb gone, and take Robin with you as well.

 

[LeverPuller]

Yes, for three and a half years under coach Dean Bailey the Melbourne Football Club went backwards, without realising it. The club was on a hiding to nowhere, with the coach believing in a totally out-of-date game style which served to do nothing but leave the players further back than ever. In addition, the club sought to move on proven players with scant regard for who would replace them beyond the idea of 'youth'.

Now, under new coach Mark Neeld, the club is forced to build a modern game style completely from scratch and thus bring itself up to the modern era. Such a construction has been harsh on teams in the past, such as with West Coast (2008-2010) and Hawthorn (2005-2006) but has proven to be worth it, as once a strong foundation is in place it allows for an offensive side of the game plan to be tweaked based on what the team is coming up against.

 

[DemonsForever]

Well I dont care if people get offended here with this but I say we havent gone backwards,we have gone out of the league all together,we are the laughing stock of the afl,we are the worst team in victoria and like fitzroy maybe best option to merge.Its a joke when you get let down time and time again.For all those people saying we going to smash the GWS well got news for you,we wont even win yet alone smash them.With the offfield personal we have brought in this year and a number of top 10 draft pics we have got this season we are a total disgrace and any other team mark neeld would have been coach of this season would be top 4 by now.Melbourne Demons you are an embarresment to the competition and its a shame cause people might now come on and abuse me and call me stupid for saying this but I dont care.Im saying the truth and I have always stuck up for them but after todays performance enough is enough.Who knows for the future or rest of season but people honestly the fact is at this stage and through this season in fact we have been pathetic and a laughing stock.Get your acts together Melbourne.You were a mighty team before and look yourselfs and hurt at whats going on now.Yes and players to get lost are sylvia,davey,green,macdonald,bartram,morton,bennell.

 

[tasmanlvr]

We were 91 points up against effectively the same team two years ago.

Two years ago. It's unbelievable how things quickly change.

 

[chopper41]

West Coast (2008-2010) and Hawthorn (2005-2006)

There are a few examples of this. Richmond 2010 is another good one. Lost their first 10 under a new coach and system. Looked as bad as we do now. They're now pushing for a finals spot.

 

[DemonsForever]

Hey fellow supporters but look at this ok. There is jurrah,green,howe,watts,clarke in a forward line and we kick like what 5 goals or so in an entire game. Am I the only one who sees this is a massive mystery. I mean really the forwards we got sound very strong capable of massive scores yet we cant ever score. Does anyone see a real problem here. Add in petterd and we have a very strong forward line and yet we cant even put a decent score on the board. Must we say it that our midfield terribly sucks, either that or Im rating those forwards far too highly etc green but really with the forwards we have our midfield does nothing to help them at all. Its a waste of talent up in the forward line and Im fed up with it.

 

[Dee Won]

Hey fellow supporters but look at this ok. There is jurrah,green,howe,watts,clarke in a forward line and we kick like what 5 goals or so in an entire game. Am I the only one who sees this is a massive mystery. I mean really the forwards we got sound very strong capable of massive scores yet we cant ever score. Does anyone see a real problem here. Add in petterd and we have a very strong forward line and yet we cant even put a decent score on the board. Must we say it that our midfield terribly sucks, either that or Im rating those forwards far too highly etc green but really with the forwards we have our midfield does nothing to help them at all. Its a waste of talent up in the forward line and Im fed up with it.

You could replace those names with the backline players and say the exact same thing, yet how do we keep leaking points, it seems every inside 50 the opp gets they score on us?

 

[juzz_e]

You could replace those names with the backline players and say the exact same thing, yet how do we keep leaking points, it seems every inside 50 the opp gets they score on us?

Well it's a bit of everything really isn't it.

SMASHED the hitouts (62-30)
Won Clearances (40-39) (Probably not by enough considering ruck dominance)
Yet destroyed in the inside 50's (71-35)

How does this happen?

Then to make things worse Sydney were more effective going forward (138/71 = 1.95) to (37 / 35 = 1.05)

So the problems are everywhere (except the ruck!)

 

[RedLegs#5]

We're so incredibly terrible. I do not blame Neeld and I don't see how anyone else can. Some of these players have no desperation to win...none. I'll say it again, watching some of those guys smiling and laughing with Sydney players after the game makes me so incredibly sick. I'm tempted to write a letter to the club. Losing is one thing, not caring is another. Don't f'n spit in the supporters faces after we've paid money from our own pockets to buy memberships. Players like Sylvia must go. The respect some of these guys have for the Melbourne jumper is pathetic.

Neeld is going to do a big clean out at the end of this year...I hope every supporter gets behind him.

 

[bing181]

We were 91 points up against effectively the same team two years ago.

Two years ago. It's unbelievable how things quickly change.

We were double that down against another team less than a year ago.

I wish people would stop bringing up the Swans win in 2010. It was an aberration, we played nothing like that most of the time. Or in 2011 for that matter, especially the last third or so.

 

[Rudeurrection]

Yes, for three and a half years under coach Dean Bailey the Melbourne Football Club went backwards, without realising it. The club was on a hiding to nowhere, with the coach believing in a totally out-of-date game style which served to do nothing but leave the players further back than ever. In addition, the club sought to move on proven players with scant regard for who would replace them beyond the idea of 'youth'.

Now, under new coach Mark Neeld, the club is forced to build a modern game style completely from scratch and thus bring itself up to the modern era. Such a construction has been harsh on teams in the past, such as with West Coast (2008-2010) and Hawthorn (2005-2006) but has proven to be worth it, as once a strong foundation is in place it allows for an offensive side of the game plan to be tweaked based on what the team is coming up against.

Great post.

 

[old_clint]

We were double that down against another team less than a year ago.

I wish people would stop bringing up the Swans win in 2010. It was an aberration, we played nothing like that most of the time. Or in 2011 for that matter, especially the last third or so.

It is worth bringing up because Sylvia, Davey, Green, Jamar and Morton were among the most-significant contributors on the day. Where were they all yesterday. Jamar's taps amounted to nothing.