AFL

Scott talks up Knights as AFL coach

Geelong AFL coach Chris Scott says Matthew Knights would make an outstanding candidate for the newly-created vacancy at Melbourne - if he was interested in the job.

Voss denies links to Neeld's woes

JON PIERIK He doesn't think it has any bearing on his position but Brisbane coach Michael Voss says Mark Neeld's axing by Melbourne shows the importance of results in the AFL.

I was no dictator: Neeld

MATT MURNANE Departed Melbourne coach Mark Neeld has refuted assertions that he had "lost the players", and that he was a "harsh dictator" that went too hard too soon in trying to drive a new culture at the struggling club.

Lyon takes responsibility for Neeld appointment

MATT MURNANE Melbourne Football Club great Garry Lyon says he takes full responsibility for selecting Mark Neeld as coach 18 months ago, and has told Demons supporters he is sorry the appointment failed so spectacularly.

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Roos backs experienced coach for Demons

MATT MURNANE Reiterating his stance that he has "no burning desire" to take the Melbourne job himself, former Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos says the Demons have no choice but to appoint an experienced senior coach to replace Mark Neeld.

Experience the key

JON PIERIK Mark Williams and Rodney Eade have emerged as leading candidates to become coach of Melbourne, as the hapless club begins yet another rebuild.

Kennett not man of the moment for Dees

GREG BAUM Melbourne's road back to self-respect will be long and slow, but there is one affirmative act that it can perform immediately, and that is to distance itself, politely but emphatically, from Jeff Kennett and his noisy push.

Timeline: Neeld's tenure at Melbourne

MATT MURNANE Neeld declared, 'I simply want to coach the team that is the hardest to play against in the AFL'.

Schwarz warns Melbourne players could be axed

MATT MURNANE Former Melbourne champion David Schwarz has declared Mark Neeld's sacking as the first day in the building of a "new club", and has warned a large group of players could also be axed by season's end.

AFL

AFL doesn't want me running Demons: Kennett

Jeff Kennett's bid to become Melbourne president seems a lost cause, with the former Victorian Premier admitting the AFL won't give him the support he needs.

Demons coaching choice is close at hand

CAROLINE WILSON Having botched its critical senior coaching appointment less than two years ago, Melbourne has no choice but to look for experience and authority in seeking a replacement for Mark Neeld.

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Dees' cupboard is not completely bare

EMMA QUAYLE Mark Neeld was right when he said three weeks ago that he had only gotten started on the big picture he was asked to paint at Melbourne.

Neeld just one part of the problem

ROHAN CONNOLLY History will record Mark Neeld's one-and-a-half season stint at the helm of Melbourne as one of the bigger disasters AFL coaching has seen.

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AFL

Demons finally sack Neeld

Jesse Hogan Melbourne chief executive Peter Jackson will seek to convince the club's disgruntled players to extend their contracts "as a matter of urgency" after axing coach Mark Neeld on Monday morning.

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Kennett doubts Freeman can help

JON PIERIK Jeff Kennett says Melbourne is in need of an urgent cultural overhaul, and has questioned whether fellow presidential candidate Geoff Freeman really wants the top job.

AFL to pay for Dees' changes

JAKE NIALL Company confirms it will fund club's major overhaul in the wake of club president Don McLardy's resignation.

AFL

McLardy to declare his plans today: Demons CEO

Don McLardy will announce on Friday whether he plans to continue on as president of beleaguered AFL club Melbourne.

Ailing Dees to put case to AFL Commission

CAROLINE WILSON Melbourne's bid for an AFL-funded multi-million dollar restructure comes with the club still struggling to lure an experienced football boss and uncertainty lingering over the replacement for president Don McLardy.

Jurrah jailed for assaulting woman in Alice Springs

Former AFL player Liam Jurrah will spend another six weeks behind bars after being jailed over an assault on a woman outside a 24-hour store in Alice Springs.

Kennett tips big changes soon for Demons

STATHI PAXINOS Melbourne presidential aspirant Jeff Kennett is expecting "significant" changes at the Demons on Friday after the club’s meeting with the AFL Commission to discuss potential funding options.

Demons push not personal: Kennett

Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett says he's determined not to let his battle with Melbourne AFL president Don McLardy turn into a personal slanging match.

AFL

Hot Pies keep Neeld, Demons in furnace

Melbourne coach Mark Neeld's future in the job remains shaky after the Demons suffered an 83-point thrashing by Collingwood in their round-11 clash at the MCG on Monday.

Comments

Club 'feels Neeld's impact'

EMMA QUAYLE Mark Neeld had transformed Melbourne into a ''totally different football club'' since starting as coach last year, according to co-captain Jack Grimes.

New boys leading the way: Demons coach

JESSE HOGAN Mark Neeld will spend much of the team's bye round pondering whether to persist with some of the team's established players.

McLardy slams Kennett

JESSE HOGAN Melbourne president Don McLardy is adamant that the ''rejuvenation'' of the club board must not degenerate into decimation.

One-way traffic after early fling

GREG BAUM This was one quarter of match, three quarters of match practice. The first quarter was Melbourne's nod to the occasion, the biggest day of its football year. That only made what followed all the more anti-climatic.

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No Demon interest in Kennett

JESSE HOGAN There was a very good reason Victoria threw former premier out of office, Demons boss says.

Dees review board, seeking rejuvenation

JESSE HOGAN Melbourne president hopes internal review of club's board will identify valuable board-room recruits, but is adamant that 'rejuvenation' must not degenerate into a complete cull.