Dees lacking desire to compete

Neil Craig and Mark Neeld at Melbourne training. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: Herald Sun

MELBOURNE assistant Neil Craig has thrown his support behind Demons coach Neil Craig, ruling out a return to senior coaching ranks.

Craig, Adelaide's longest serving coach, quit in 2011 after seven years at the club following the Crows 103-point loss to St Kilda.

"I'll be doing everything absolutely possible to support Mark Neeld," Craig, the Demons director of sports performance, told SEN radio.

"My days (as senior coach) are done.

"I think I was pretty clear at Adelaide about that. I'm enjoying my team at Melbourne... those days are done."

Craig said the Demons had what it takes to bounce back after last night's embarrassing 148-point hammering by Essendon at the MCG.

"We need to get this combative effort, this desire to compete, both offensively and defensively back... the intensity we see in our preparation we haven't seen in our games.

"We saw glimpses of it in the NAB Cup.

"The bottom line is we can't move with game plan structures unless there's competitive element in your game and nothing else happens until that's in place."

Craig stood by the Demons recruiting of tried veterans David Rodan, Shannon Byrnes and Cameron Pedersen.
Byrnes collected 11 disposals at 55 per cent efficiency last night.

Rodan was initially dropped, along with Pedersen, but came in as a late inclusion for Jordie McKenzie (calf) who
broke down in the warm up.

The former Port Adelaide and Richmond goalsneak picked up six disposals as the substitute.

"Those guys had an opportunity during the NAB Cup to push their case," he said.

You're reading an article about
Dees lacking desire to compete
This article
Dees lacking desire to compete
can be opened in url
http://aflnewstop.blogspot.com/2013/04/dees-lacking-desire-to-compete.html
Dees lacking desire to compete