Mark Neeld’s job hangs by a thread entering Monday’s Melbourne board meeting, but the Demons coach insists there are signs of hope from the AFL club’s latest uncompetitive loss.
Neeld will front the Demons board on Monday after his side were thrashed 21.17 (143) to 6.12 (48) by Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday.
The top-placed Hawks kicked 12 goals to one in an extremely dominant first half, which could have been even more lopsided if not for their early inaccuracy.
But while there is speculation Neeld, who has coached just five wins in 32 games, could be sacked on Monday, he insisted post-match he expected only a routine board meeting and would be shocked if the axe fell.
“I’ve had what I would consider normal conversations with the CEO, normal conversations with the president and the board members. That hasn’t been indicated to me,” Neeld told reporters.
But he’s ready to make his case if pressed.
“We’ve got a really clear pathway that we’re following and we haven’t hidden that from anybody,” Neeld told reporters.
“We believe we’re assembling a really good list that will take us forward.
“We’re not hiding from the fact that we’re particularly upset to get beaten by that much.
“But we’re realistic as well. We’re running around with a development team … I think most people are pretty realistic.”
Demons president Don McLardy said pre-game that structural changes would be made in coming weeks, although he didn’t specify what that meant for Neeld.
Neeld said if the Demons’ focus was results this season, they wouldn’t have used early draft picks on under-age recruit Jesse Hogan, who can’t play AFL until next year, and midfielder Jimmy Toumpas, coming off two hip operations.
He also cited season-highs in the Demons’ one-percenters count – measuring selfless acts – and their disposal tally on Sunday.
While the pressure on Neeld grows, North Melbourne eased the heat on them after a string of narrow losses with a 19.19 (133) to 10.5 (65) thrashing of St Kilda at Etihad Stadium to celebrate Brent Harvey’s 350th game.
Earlier in the round, Collingwood thrashed an injury-depleted Brisbane 14.16 (100) to 7.9 (51) at the Gabba on Friday night.
Carlton outclassed Greater Western Sydney 22.16 (148) to 8.6 (54) at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Fremantle held firm to win a tough encounter with Adelaide 10.6 (66) to 8.11 (59) at AAMI Stadium on Saturday to enter the top four and dislodge the Crows from the eight.
Adam Goodes overcame a tough week to star with four goals as third-placed Sydney notched an impressive 17.13 (115) to 10.11 (71) win over Essendon at the SCG on Saturday night.
It was the Bombers’ third loss in four games.
Fast-finishing Geelong downed Gold Coast 18.15 (123) to 10.11 (71) in the first Simonds Stadium night game on Saturday, despite the heroics of the Cats’ former favourite son Gary Ablett.
The Western Bulldogs posted their second straight win, a comeback 10.7 (67) to 8.10 (58) victory over slumping Port Adelaide in Darwin despite losing Tom Williams to a shoulder dislocation.
West Coast host Richmond on Monday night.
Bill C
Guest
I feel for Neeld, he's been in the job for only 18 months and inherited a poor performing team. On the other hand Voss is into his 5th season and by comparison, barely a word gets mentioned about his failed tenure as coach. Yet he "masterminded" the Fevola/Rischitelli/Bradshaw debacle and will most likely see out the season as coach of the Lions. Anyone who puts their hand up for the Demons coaching job would need rocks in their head to do so, on the other hand the Lions job could be considered "cushy" being so far away from the Melbourne media spotlight..
langou
Roar Guru
I would be approaching Rodney Eade, Mark Williams and Gary Ayres are other options
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
Coaching Melbourne at the moment would not be the best way to begin a senior coaching career. All but career suicide, as Mark Neeld, sadly will find.
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
Franko, I think it would cost the AFL more in lost support if they were to let Mebourne FC die. Hawthorn already have the Launceston market and North Melbourne are already moving in to the Hobart market. I don't think there are any other sizable AFL starved areas to move into without relocating completely and I think that is out of the question. It would also benefit the AFL in terms of broadcast rights money to have more competitive games each week, hence the draft, salary cap & other equalisation measures.
Anthony D'Arcy
Roar Pro
The only person I feel worse for than Mark Neeld is the person who has to takeover from him.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
5 massive winning margins in one weekend? I'm a relative new-comer to the sport (I've only lived 8 years in Australia, although I did watch it a bit back in the 90s during my back-packing days), but I don't ever recall seeing so many thrashings as we're seeing this year. Is there a precedent for this? Or are we seeing the results of the AFL expanding too much and too fast? Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this situation may serve the AFL's interests though. The lop-sided draw is looking farcical (where else could one see 18 teams playing only 23 rounds?), and the AFL have in the past made noises about moving or merging Melbourne clubs. How soon before a cash-strapped, perennial wooden-spooner (most likely Melbourne) get offered a lucrative merger with a flailing expansion club I wonder? GWS Demons anybody?
Chairman Kaga
Guest
Not sure you know what you are talking about. Melbourne have recruited players that are not good enough. If he had talent at his disposal, then he would be in the 8. Problem is Melbourne has just a lot of plodders. The previous Melbourne coach to Neeld, Dean Bailey lost his job 18 months ago after the Demons were beaten by 200 points at Geelong one afternoon. The previous coach to Bailey was Neale Daniher and the end of his time at Melbourne the rumblings were of no new talent on the horizon even back then. Combine that with two expansion teams sucking the talent out of the system for 3/4 years and also losing their priority pick Tom Scully to the Giants has had a big effect. Another coach will be brought in and they will still get smashed. A lot of Demon's players are not good enough to be AFL standard players.
Franko
Guest
It’s a good point Andy, I too think Melbourne need a helping hand from the AFL and a director of Football there to sort out the mess. The problem is the will of the AFL to do it. They wanted Sydney and Brisbane to be a success, so they did whatever they needed to manipulate the league in order to get those two clubs to be successful. They want GWS and GC to be a success, so even if they fail with this round of 17-20 year olds, the AFL will come up with some other intervention to all but guarantee their success. I just don’t know if they have the will power to do it for Melbourne. How much would a successful Melbourne help them in terms of $$$, that’s what drives king Andrews thinking.
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
Here comes a long post. I feel for Mark neeld and for the Melbourne Players and supporters. I remember they dark days when by beloved Sydney Swans won three wooden spoons in a row in the early nineties. There were calls then for the Swans to be dumped from the competition and the fight to save the club was a long and hard battle. The Swans needed the intervention of the AFL to bring in a top coach in Barrassi and with the recruitment of a marquee player in Tony Lockett amongst others like Paul Roos the team became successful and built a strong culture which other clubs can only hope to emulate. 4 Grand finals and 2 premierships in the last 16 years is a pretty good run of success. Melbourne are in a similar situation with their team being at or near the bottom of the ladder for the last 2 or 3 years. There are calls for the club to merge, re-locate or die. They have a playing list that needs time to develop. They don't have a champion player like Tony Lockett. Draft concessions given to the Suns and the Giants have made recruiting difficult. The coach is under so much pressure and the club has recenty lost its great leader, the late Jim Stynes. AFL intervention has is some way brought Peter Jackson to the club as CEO and hopefully he can get things going in the right direction off the field. Mark Neeld has the job of getting things going in the right direction on the field but most people feel and are saying that he should be sacked. If Neeld was to be sakced who would be Melbourne FC's Ron Barrassi? Roos?. A successful coach but is his defensive game plan best suited to the task at hand. Sheedy? May be available next year but not likely to want the job. Malthouse? Too late. Maybe they should have got him last year or approached him before Carlton did. Matthews? Hasn't coached for 5 years now and has a good media career. But his tough and disciplined approach might be just what the Demons need. My choice would be Matthews. Maybe the AFL could persuade him to take on the challenge. Seeing the Melbourne FC survive and rebuild to become a successful club again is what most football supporters want. Nobody likes to see them struggle they way they are at the moment. I think merger or relocation are out of the question for this club so the only other option is to support the club in its efforts to rebuild.
Top Secret
Roar Pro
I dont follow this sport but could it be any more obvious Melbourne need to dump this dud coach? Should have happened a year ago. The poor bloke doesnt know what he is doing.