There has been something inherently wrong with the Melbourne football club since round 12, 1965, when six-time premiership coach Norm Smith was sacked. The Demons were the reigning premiers, third on the ladder when Smith was informed via telegram that his services were no longer required.
The following weekend, Melbourne lost to North Melbourne for the first time in 12 years. Smith spoke of his disappointment and suggested the club would never recover. The Curse of Norm Smith was born.
They haven’t recovered. Two days after his sacking, the board reinstated Smith but they missed the finals for the first time in 12 years. It would be 22 years before Melbourne returned to September. The Demons played in the preliminary final in 1987, and Jim Stynes ran across the mark late in the game. The ensuing 50 metre penalty gifted Hawthorn’s Gary Buckenara a goal after the siren.
A sporting tragedy…
Since 1964, Melbourne has played just two grand finals for two heavy losses. Twelve coaches have tried and failed to lift the Demons beyond Norm Smith’s curse. The latest victim is Dean Bailey, and he’s having a tough time.
At the weekend Geelong thrashed Melbourne by 186 points. The loss is so much more than shattering, unacceptable and insipid. A week ago former Adelaide coach Neil Craig quit following a 103 point loss. That’s not to suggest Bailey should quit following the second largest loss in VFL/AFL history, but the situation now is untenable.
A 186 point defeat, in a competition sanctioned by the salary cap and draft shouldn’t ever happen. The AFL is designed by limitations. Some clubs are good at it, others not so, but the rules are there to ensure equalisation.
Melbourne is not the equal of any club they aspire to be. Bailey has 22 wins from 83 matches as coach. He’s been under pressure ever since he took over as coach. Damningly, Melbourne is widely perceived to be soft, playing bruise free football. If the accusation stung earlier this season, the Demons have done naught to rectify their fragile, timid nature. Perhaps there’s nothing Bailey can do.
The aftermath to the weekend failure has been predictable. Bailey is under pressure to resign. The board is under pressure to sack him, CEO Cameron Schwab and football manager Chris Connolly.
After the game, captain Brad Green defended Bailey and said the players were to blame for the embarrassment.
‘Our performance was not up to the standard that we require to play AFL footy and that is disappointing,’ Green said.
Bailey spoke pragmatically when asked about his future. ‘The Melbourne Football Club had a really dark two hours today,’ he said. ‘I think we’re all on notice. Each week you play you get scrutinised and today’s game was as bad as you could get.’
Geelong kicked 20 goals in the first half and 17 in the second. Melbourne managed seven for the game, just one in the second half. The differential in possessions was a staggering 228, with the overall possession count 510 possessions to 282.
Crisis talks took place yesterday. Blood will be shed. It is just a matter of time. On Saturday, Bailey indicated he wouldn’t quit.
‘If I get the chance to go on, I will,’ he said. ‘But the decision is with the board and they will make it in the best interests of the club. There is no greyness in that. It’s black and white.’
During the post match press conference he mentioned the best interests of the club. Bailey should be considering if it’s in his best interest to continue coaching a group of players he has been unable to inspire, or convince them to show some fight, at least for a quarter.
When a club performs as the Demons did on Saturday, it is clear the coach has lost his players.
It’s doubtful if Bailey slept on Saturday night, or Sunday night. He’d be mortified by the cold brutality of simple reality, that his team isn’t good enough and what he’s doing isn’t working.
Journalist Caroline Wilson predicted blood shedding during a chat with 3AW on Sunday morning. Wilson suggested three people, Bailey, Schwab and Connolly could be sacked by Sunday afternoon. Wilson was wrong in her timing, but she could still be right.
Melbourne is in crisis, again. It’s almost a state of mind, no matter who coaches or plays, no one will make a difference. The stench of failure is foul, invading all at the club by osmosis.
Bailey stinks right now, just like his players.
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