Schwarz spray for faltering Demons

FORMER great David Schwarz says under-siege Melbourne is bordering on irrelevant.

In a scathing assessment, Schwarz pointed the finger at the players, coach Simon Goodwin and the board and fears a challenge to the club‘s hierarchy if performances don’t improve.

The Demons are 1-3 this season and have won five games from their past 26 matches.

Schwarz has levelled his frustration at all senior office holders at the club, including Goodwin, president Glenn Bartlett and new chief executive Gary Pert. Of the players, he said too many were gifted games and many “won’t die for their jumper’’.

And he also queried Melbourne’s recruiting, suggesting some players only came to the Demons for money.

“It’s almost as if Melbourne is irrelevant,” Schwarz said.

“It’s a strong word, ‘irrelevant’, but that is what everyone is saying. I’ve felt it for a long time.

“They haven’t had a backbone for a long, long time. They don’t have anyone who will speak up and be honest.

“I’d love someone from Melbourne Football Club to fly the flag for us (fans) and say, ‘it’s not bloody good enough, we ain’t accepting it and we’re not going to play players who aren’t up to it’.”

Schwarz acknowledged Goodwin, who is under pressure to fix his ailing forward group, was calm and levelheaded in his press conferences, but believed the coach had to be harder on his players.

“I want to see Simon Goodwin come out and say, ‘these players aren’t hard enough, my players at the moment aren’t fierce enough and won’t die for their jumper’.

“Everyone has to take responsibility for what happens, and I know there’s a million excuses going around, but every other club is in the same predicament.

“When the Bulldogs were questioned after Rounds 1 and 2, Luke Beveridge came out and said, ‘we’re not good enough, not hard enough and I’m going to put it on the boys’ and Marcus Bontempelli stepped up against GWS.

“Who’s that Melbourne player who’s going to do that for us? Too many players at Melbourne for too long have been given games when they don’t deserve it.” Schwarz described his frustration level as “eight, or nine out of 10”.

Other Demons fans have voiced their anger on social media and to the club.