Poor recruiting decisions hurting Demons

Dear fellow sadomasochistic Demons supporter, Yet another woeful,gutless,poorly executed kicks to people,position and the big stickd,handballs,game plan,no serious clearances,takcles and marking of players.....pathetic Maybe hopeless game plan DB was not so bad after all????????????????????? Time to cut our lasses,make the really tough decisions and move Clearly Mark King-excellent insightful,accurate and right on assessment on Insiders show on fox a few days ago-must see it on Fox or you tube very compelling and spot on-,Patrick Smith,Grant Thomas articles et al-see below are right...exactly the same group of players won 8 games last year minus $cully who missed 12 games saving and protecting his knee for GWS....an outrage in itself and adin Clark ans the woeful lumbering,lazy,unco Scott Sellar who does not "put in" thanks to Neil Craig As they say in the EPL-where coaches are often sacked mid-season it is routine there-Neeld has so obviously "lost the players and the dressing room"..they are patently not playing for him or the jumper and all the out of contract guys have given up and we will be off-Jamar and Maloney-disaster no slick such understanding combined skills and huge number of central or anywhere clearances as they did to Al Australian form in 2011 and 2011-Sylvia-very poor man management a good player-Davey and Green-no loss-leave them to rot in the VFL for the rest of the season that are not up for it,do not put themselves in except for today's one freak and unique exception by Green MFC-no imagination,no real ambition,vision,no focus,no desire to get down and dirty and fight in the streets as all the other clubs do and have done- did not short list Sanderson,Lyon approached Ross Lyon's soon to be sacked manager on several occasions but unlike Fremantle did not approach Lyon directly once-Caro Wilson wrote that he would have ben receptive to an offer and at the very least discreet direct face to face meeting in person- so he did not have to pay his manager his cut on the deal-eveybodyknew he had lost millions on the Cranbourne sewerage infested house developments.The appointment was urgent but "not a matter of life and death but given our last 45 years far more important than that"..Bill Shankly....""Football is not just a matter of life and death: it's much more important than that" As they did with Bailey and do week in week out in the EPL Neeld has to go-he failed the psychological profiling at Adelaide Crows and Port Melbourne where he lost out to the equally impressive Garry Ayres!Neeld is a bully boy who knows but one way that may have worked in Barassi's,Hafey's time but long gone as has that approach of insult,abuse and humiliation worked anywhere anymore...nurture and nourished,focus on the positives not insult,humiliate and degrade just does not work in 2012..just listen to the calm rational way that the Scott brothers,Hardwick,Sanderson and McCartney post match conferences......unlike the bitter and nasty finger pointing of Neeld..maybe let Craig do some as Alex Ferguson used to do so famously.....we are an embarrassment and disgrace to ourselves,our supporters and members and the AFL...the MFC must stand up and be accountable to its fans and members and sort it out-it is their job after all Bring in Roos or Malthouse nobody else would do! What the hell is going on? McLardy and Schwarz witter on about how all is going so well off field!But hey guess what we want some results ON FIELD you incompetent,inepreienced, out of depth overpaid out of depth has been and used car salesman What legacy are we leaving poor Jimmy Stynes and his family? Tahig Kennealy was dead right he would be "rolling in his grave" and his 85yo Gran could tackle better than Davey and Green combined...he finally lays his first and onlysignificant tackle for year today and end up in hospital with lung contusion/broken ribs...no technique and no practice We clearly rushed the appointment in just 3 days-please see Caro Wilson's excellent well researched and considered Age article last week-,took Malthouse's word as the Gospel.failed due diligence again-same group appointed DB-did no "profiling as ALL other AFL AND VFL,SANFL and WAFL Clubs have done and do,were badly let down again by fly in fly out Garry Lyon...James Brayshaw and Eddie McGuire seem to have no problem combing the 2 roles successfully...has Lyon been or done anything at the club since Neeld's appointment?...Neil Craig a proven failure at the Crows-what is or has he done to help the club and Neeld on and off the field?...."recruited" the lumbering Scott Sellar who jogs around clueless like a "drought stricken ewe"...yes Mitch Clark has been fab but he is not a one man team Lyon et al appointed Bailey over Hardwick who was "runner-up"-FACT and now have inflicted uncompromising ttough headmaster with a can type all stick no carrot who has lost the players Clearly Cameron Schwab and McLardy not up to it-Garry Lyon no prologed and dedicated commitment...blow in blow out no use to us Garland was clueless today vs Blues and killed by Betts-treated him like he was Peter Bosustow and why was he not moved off him? Davey,Sylvia,Jamar and Maloney combination of 2012 gone,kicking accurately to position e.g. Tom McDonald,Grimesa and Frawlry worse than VAFA Our list manager and recruiters have failed abysmally....no moderately experienced buy ins as previously pointed out like Richmond and Sydney have done so successfully-Get Matt Rendell who famously and brilliantly picked Patrick Dangerfireld over Brad Ebert Adelaide's Golden boy Richmond brought in-Grigg,Hooli,Miller,Maric x2 Sydney bought in (Daren Jolley),Shane Mummford.Heath Shaw,Josh Kennedy-amazing-Ben McGlynn,Mark Seaby,Marty Mattner,Jarrad McVeigh,Tommy Walsh,Nick Malceski.Mitch Morton,Tony Armstrong,Andrejs Everitt,Jetta and Matt Spangher...... etc etc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 13 OF THEIR CURRENT LIST! Demons........Clark,Sellar and slow lazy useelss expensive Joel McDonald that is all bar Maloney 8 years ago and on his way off Melbourne yes Mitch Clark but lumbering Scott Sellar and Joel McDonald?Is that the best we can do?Really? Cale Morton...useless other high wasted picks ditto Warnock,Gysberts,Bennell,Bail,Bartram,Jetta,Spencer,Strauss and L.Tapscott-taken one above L Ball.... to name but a few Where are/were the key position players Dunn etc yo-yo in and out of the side on a week by week basis never given a prolged run Rebuild again?We have been doing that for the last 5 years already Neeld has "lost the Senior players and the rest of the dressing room"-thay are not putting in or playing for him...Trengrove is a mere shadow of his former self Admit errors and make Nathan Jones captain ASAP Best wishes an angry,incredibly passionate but disappointed and disillusioned Demons fnatic fan Dr Nigel Grant Thomas finally talking some sense on nine msn last week..... "There has been much discussion around Mark Neeld's appointment and more specifically his ability to coach and lead an AFL club. The critical component of a very good AFL coach is his ability to implement the required elements to be successful. Great coaches lead in a manner that inspires the entire club - and most importantly the playing group - to firmly believe they are not just a part of the process, but they actually own the project and have not only formulated the plan but are instrumental in putting it into action. In my experience, there are two other alternative types of coaches. Firstly, there is the coach that allows the tail to wag the dog. This coach is generally an anti-confrontationalist, hates the stress of delivering bad news, making judgement calls or directing difficult assignments. He makes emotional based decisions, his primary aim is to be liked and fundamentally he has handed over the control to the wrong people. The other coach is the dictator. The coach who storms in and says it is my way or the highway. Shape up or ship out. Threats of termination, trade or being dropped for a career in the VFL flow freely. The guy who rules with an iron fist, is completely unapproachable, lacks empathy and understanding and bullies his way through projects. On one hand you have a coach who allows too much control to the playing group and on the other hand you have a manic bully who whips his charges into a frenzy which is unsustainable. I have not spent any time with Mark Neeld and do not know which of the three categories of coaches he fits under - possibly even an element of each. What I do know is that he can change his fortunes and by extension the club’s fortunes around very quickly. Mark might do several things differently if he had his time over again. The brutal environment of AFL does not allow that luxury and like starved piranhas a coach is fair game. If I was in Mark’s current situation, I would do the following; STEP 1: I would conduct a meeting with the entire club and start by accepting responsibility for the existing plight of the team (which all coaches should bear), before making any attempt to direct future plans. It is important to put responsibility for the team’s current position on the coach’s own shoulders and avoid placing blame elsewhere. STEP 2: Direct a pathway of conduct for the remainder of the season that you, as the coach, commit to driving and leading by example. Simple things like being "interested" not "interesting". Take time to recognise staff performances. Encourage people to communicate with you and show your inner self. Make a significant change. For example, if you’re operating from an office, stop it. Break down the walls and operate in open space. It sends a spiritually strong message that there is nothing to hide and we are all equal and accessible. A coach’s every move is highly scrutinised and analysed by staff, so your demeanour is critical. Let the entire staff (which includes players) know how important they are. Amazing things can be achieved when nobody cares who gets the credit. STEP 3: Conduct a more personal meeting with the playing group. It’s a chance for both the coach and playing group to acknowledge any mistakes made, and apologise accordingly. Heartfelt honesty delivered with strength and character. It lays the foundation for the culture and how things will be done from now on. Lay it out there that you,as a coach, are up for the challenge and whilst this is a watershed moment of recognising wrongdoings, you are all still in the fight. Admit that you may not have the holy grail of coaching or have a mortgage on solutions, but you will never give up on the cause and your people. You won’t blame others and will take responsibility for your actions. Unconditionally commit to the team’s development, support, understanding and leadership. Tell them that you want them to be the very best people and players they can be. STEP 4: Conduct an evaluation process from the players’ and coach’s perspective. Ask them to provide open and honest feedback on how you can improve, what you currently need to stop doing, what they want you to start doing and also importantly what they require you to keep doing. It is a simple five minute behaviour check that provides valuable feedback and allows you to show improvement in the designated areas month by month. Tangible evidence of making a positive change is critical to the spirit and morale of the playing group. You are leading the behavioural change and what’s more, you are entirely satisfied to be judged by your players and coaches. STEP 5: Have the footy talk. Define the game plan with simplifications. It is not a difficult game. The statistics prove the areas that need to be delivered and they are all around effort, selflessness, intensity and mental toughness. Irrespective of outcomes or results you won’t be criticised if the side plays like a team and has an almighty crack at every contest. Agree on some basic fundamentals with the playing group’s input. Weekly goals and measurements are fundamental to any team environment. Make them transparent, put them up for all to see every moment they are there. A symbol of this achievement could be presenting the signed game ball to the player that most aptly emulates the agreed standards of effort and selflessness. This realigns player thinking towards us, rather than self, team not individual. Only talk about causes and not effects. Talk about inputs not outcomes. Importantly ask that from this point on that they all stay in the current moment, not the past and not the future - right here, right now. This is all about revitalising their minds, providing inspiration and a challenge to focus on and deliver. Finally stop any form of sympathy. Eradicate the victim mentality and transform the thinking into manic tyrants who go on a rampage for two hours every weekend plundering the expectations of opponents." Much,much easier said than done as the Demons have demonstrated ever since our last flag 48 years ago in 1964...yes we made fab brave runs from 8th to be thrashed by Hawks and Bombers in 1994 and 2000 respectively....long weekend flights form London to see those games.... .Neale Daniher did a good job but lost Jolley to Sydney and did not build up young players/recruiters nor experienced mid age ones to replace his out and out favourites White,Robbo,Travis Johnstone.Brock McLean,Neitz,Schwarz etc etc etc" AND/OR "The Melbourne Demons horrific start to the 2012 AFL season is a result of poor recruiting decisions over the past five years and its weak development of players. After another disappointing loss to the Western Bulldogs on the weekend, Melbourne is now zero and four and sits at the bottom of AFL ladder, along with Gold Coast and GWS. In a year which was promised so much, the Demons now look like they will endure a bleak and embarrassing journey. But why are the Demons so poor when other young sides like Richmond, Port Adelaide and Brisbane are all starting to make inroads and continue to show improvement. It comes down to two things. Firstly the Melbourne football department, over the past five to 10 years, have made some very poor recruiting decisions. This is starting to become very visible when you compare them to other sides. The club has continued to recruit players whose skills levels do not match-up to other players in the competition and who have not developed into superstar players. They have continued to pick the wrong sort of player, time and time again. These poor decisions are now really starting to become evident as other young players from other clubs become game breakers and superstars. The question needs to be asked what did Melbourne see in their recent top draft picks, such as Jack Watts, Tom Scully and Jack Trengrove, that other top draft picks in those same drafts, such as Nick Naitanui and Dustin Martin, did not have. Naitanui and Martin have developed into genuine superstars of the AFL while Watts and Trengrove have not nearly developed as quickly. Which brings me to my second point; why haven’t Melbourne’s recent top draft picks developed into these elite players. Why have players picked after Watts in the 2008 draft, such as Michael Hurley, Chris Yarran and Steele Sidebottom, developed into match winners and consistent footballers while Watts continues to struggle? It is becoming clear that Melbourne must not have a strong enough development program in place to create superstars and push these young players to show their full potential. Would players such as Trengrove, Watts, James Frawley, Cale Morton and Jack Grimes be genuine superstars of the competition if they were drafted by a different club? Most likely yes. In my opinion, Melbourne needs to get back to the basics and start making some smart decisions when recruiting players and introduce a quality development program. Such structures will give Melbourne’s youngsters the best chance they can to become elite players of the competition. While this may be a sad reality for this great club, and the thousands of fans who follow it, hopefully Mark Neeld and the new football department can get these programs in place so that Melbourne can re-establish itself as a powerhouse of the AFL. Hang in there, Demon fans." AND "ManInBlack said | April 24th 2012 @ 6:38am | Report comment Poor recruiting decisions?? Not stand alone. Part of the Dees issue was in letting go anyone over the age of 25!!! They moved on anyone with a mature body. Focussed on 18 year olds. And wonder why they get monstered even by Richmond and the Doggies!!!!".......... OR "Baldrick44 said | April 27th 2012 @ 11:35pm | Report comment To be fair, I think it was safe to say almost all the clubs had Watts in their sights as the stand out number 1 draft pick. The fact that Hurley and NicNat have blossomed quicker is something that is now known with the benefit of hindsight. What needs to be ascertained is whether Watts is a subject of poor recruiting or a poor club culture."

To be fair, I think it was safe to say almost all the clubs had Watts in their sights. The fact that Hurley and NicNat have blossomed quicker is something that is now known with the benefit of hindsight. What needs to be ascertained is whether Watts is a subject of poor recruiting or a poor club culture.

Even if you are one of the 12 remaining people who doesn't think Naita is either a super-star or an emerging super-star, surely the debate about whether Watts over NicNat was a recruiting disaster has been resolved with a resounding yes by now?

Poor article. In what world are Naitanui or Martin 'superstars'?

culture is the biggest issue Melbourne faces, it must be poisonous in there. Even if you draft well and have an outstanding development program a poor culture will destroy all the of the earlier good work instantly. Get the broom out and clean it out from the top down!

Dude. Trengove

Agreed. But some great off field recruits should help the Dees- Neil Craig is a fitnrss and sports science GENIUS, and Mark Neeld is the take no crap straight shooting we're crap and now we know it Mark Harvey esque figure they've needed for a while. These two blokes (with time and help from the players) could work some miracles. The biggest concern i have of Melbourne is that they have a culture which has resultedd in (as mentioned in the article) few genuinly promising top end young players from many top end draft, and apparently no genuine leaders over 20 years old. Grimes and Trengrove are fine young men and worthy captains but c'mon, were there really NO captain types in the older brigade?! something is very wrong with that picture

I doubt a big name free agent would want to go to Melbourne right now anyway

Sums it up very well. The recruiting isn't too bad in terms of drafting. There still is, and always will be, a fair amount of guess work with recruting 17-18 year olds. Though that in itself is the big problem when relying on the draft to build a list. It's not an exact science. The problem is list management as wella s the apparent expectations on what it takes to be selected in a senior AFL team. Cutting senior players and leaders and playing a bunch of kids each week is a poor strategy for so many reasons. When a kid gets drafted into most other clubs he knows that he will have to work so very hard just to make the 22. When they actually get selected they appreciate and value it much more because of the hard work they had to put in to get there. The kids at melbourne have basically been handed games regardless of performance. Back in 2010, when Melbourne beat the Swans by 70 points, Paul Roos came out and blasted some of our kids, who didn't even play in the game! His point was that there were spots in the team up for grabs but the kids who should be stepping into the senior side, weren't doing what they needed to do in order to force their way in. He wasn't going hand a kid a game just because he was young, they needed to earn their spot. You get the feeling that if those same kids were at the Demons they probably would have been handed 10-20 games by that stage purely based on their age. Look at where the two clubs are now..... Here are his comments from 2010 http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/99734/default.aspx

I disagree about Scully - essentially, he was a trade for Mitch Davis, 200k in cap room *and* a first round pick. Their problem is good, experienced depth. If I was them, I'd be looking for a Chad Cornes and a Luke Power to add some steel and calmness to the kids, and a Tim Mohr and a Jon Giles out of the State leagues, to add some muscle on a big frame. I wouldnt be going after a single 'name' free agent - I'd just build depth.

When you're getting monstered by the likes of Richmond, the doggies, and don't forget the Lions as well, and on top of that you had a few years of good draft picks, then you have to question the recruitment policy. When you consider how well Magner has gone, and how all the top clubs have been successful in drafting mature age players, it's clear that Melbourne took a wrong turn at some point in the past 6 years or so. Of course losing Scully was a bit of bad luck, and it will probably hurt the Dees more than the loss by any other club of a player to GWS.

Poor recruiting decisions?? Not stand alone. Part of the Dees issue was in letting go anyone over the age of 25!!! They moved on anyone with a mature body. Focussed on 18 year olds. And wonder why they get monstered even by Richmond and the Doggies!!!!