Bruce tells Demons fans to be patient
Melbourne utility Cameron Bruce has warned Demons' supporters not to expect any short-term fixes.
The Demons are now the only AFL team not to have won a match after five rounds, having gone down to fellow strugglers Carlton by 33 points on Sunday.
Bruce has pleaded for fans to be patient, pointing to the four years it took Hawthorn to resurrect itself when new strategies were implemented by coach Alastair Clarkson.
While the Hawks made the finals last year and are second on the ladder this season, they finished 15th, 14th and 11th from 2004-2006.
"You've got to remember we've just started implementing all these new structures and plans," Bruce said.
"Hawthorn four years ago were doing the same thing and they were in a pretty ordinary situation and now they're spot on.
"We obviously want to fast track that a bit more but it's all about getting out and training.
"We've go to continue to train to execute the game plan we need to get to ensure that we play the style of footy we want.
"We want to get to the stage where we turn in a position and it's instinctive we give it off to the person we know should be in that position who'll give it to the next person in the right position and so forth.
"That's where we're heading to. You look at the top sides, they do it instinctively, Hawthorn, Geelong, where they turn they know there'll be someone there."
Bruce said the club retained faith in all the players and confidence would come when skill errors could be minimised.
"There's confidence that we're getting our hands on the footy and that we're putting ourselves in the position to do the right thing, we're just lacking that execution and that finish.
"Once that gets up and going the confidence will rise - we've got enormous confidence in our playing group and in the talent we've got out in the field.
"There's definitely no writing anyone off at all."
Bruce said at the moment the team was relying on too few players and admitted the team leaders were not standing up.
"The leaders have to show the way and we haven't obviously been doing that too well to start with but there are so many more games left and so many opportunities to turn that around," he said.
"For many years we've relied on 22 players contributing and we've made finals footy doing that and that's what we've got to get back to, everyone contributing."
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