Mark Neeld

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Mark Neeld

| image =

| fullname = Mark Neeld

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|7|13|df=yes}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| originalteam = St Joseph's

| height = 188 cm

| weight = 88 kg

| position =

| statsend = 1996

| years1 = 1990–1993

| club1 = {{AFL Gee}}

| games_goals1 = 48 (17)

| years2 = 1994–1996

| club2 = {{AFL Ric}}

| games_goals2 = 26 (16)

| games_goalstotal = 74 (33)

| coachyears1 = 2012–2013

| coachclub1 = {{AFL Mel}}

| coachgames_wins1 = 33 (5–28–0)

| careerhighlights =

}}

Mark Neeld (born 13 July 1971) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong and Richmond in the Australian Football League (AFL) during the 1990s. He was senior coach of the Melbourne Football Club from 2012 to 2013.

As of 2024, Neeld is CEO of Geelong United Basketball.

Playing career

=Geelong=

Neeld, originally from St Joseph's Football Club, started his football career with Geelong. He spent four seasons with Geelong and had his only full season in 1991, when he played 21 games, three of which were finals. Used on both ends of the ground, as both a defender and forward, he kicked three goals in the semi-final against Hawthorn and two goals in Geelong's preliminary final loss to West Coast.{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/M/Mark_Neeld.html| title=Mark Neeld| publisher=AFL Tables}}{{cite book|last1=Holmesby|first1=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim|title=The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers| publisher=BAS Publishing|year=2007|isbn=978-1-920910-78-5}}{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Mark+Neeld/12734|title=MARK NEELD|access-date=13 December 2022}} Neeld played for Geelong Football Club from 1990 until 1993 for a total of 48 games and kicked a total of 17 goals.{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Mark+Neeld/12734|title=MARK NEELD|access-date=13 December 2022}}

=Richmond=

In 1994, Neeld joined Richmond after being traded for the 38th pick of the draft, which Geelong used to recruit David Innella. He retired at the 1996 AFL season.{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Mark+Neeld/12734|title=MARK NEELD|access-date=13 December 2022}} Neeld played for Richmond Football Club from 1994 until 1996 for a total of 26 games and kicked 16 goals.{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Mark+Neeld/12734|title=MARK NEELD|access-date=13 December 2022}}

Coaching career

Shortly after his retirement as an Australian rules football player, he was appointed the new head coach of the Ocean Grove Football Club in the Bellarine Football League, taking over from Brendan McCartney (who had won four premierships in the previous six years, and later coached the Western Bulldogs). As coach of Ocean Grove, Neeld steered the club to a further four successive premierships from 2000 to 2003. He then moved to the higher level Geelong Football League, for a two-year term as coach of perennial finalist, and his junior club, St Joseph's Football Club. After an unsuccessful initial season in 2004, he left with a year remaining on his contract, and spent the next three years as the Western Jets senior coach in the TAC Cup.

= Collingwood Football Club assistant coach (2008–2011) =

Neeld was appointed the defensive assistant coach of Collingwood Football Club in 2008 under senior coach Mick Malthouse. His coaching duties changed in 2010, when he was put in charge of Collingwood's midfield.{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/533237/who-is-mneeld|title=Who is M.Neeld?|date=29 July 2011|access-date=17 February 2022}}

= Melbourne Football Club senior coach (2012–2013) =

On 17 September 2011, it was announced that Neeld had agreed to become the senior coach of the Melbourne Football Club beginning in season 2012 on a three-year contract. Neeld agreed to leave Collingwood immediately, despite the fact that the club was still competing in the finals.{{cite news|first=Matt|last=Windley|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/demons-raid-magpies-nest/story-e6frf9jf-1226139306807| title=New Melbourne coach Mark Neeld says Demons to play tough| newspaper=Herald Sun|date=17 September 2011|accessdate=17 September 2011}} Neeld replaced Melbourne Football Club caretaker senior coach Todd Viney, who replaced Dean Bailey, after Bailey was sacked in the middle of the 2011 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/demons-lock-in-neeld-20110917-1kepa.html|title=Demons lock in Neeld|date=17 September 2011|access-date=9 February 2022}}

Upon being appointed Melbourne senior coach, Neeld promised that the Demons would play hard. This promise was fulfilled partially when Melbourne upset 2011 runners-up {{AFL Col}} in a NAB Cup match in early 2012. However, when the 2012 home-and-away season became underway in March, the Demons under Neeld were defeated by the Brisbane Lions by 41 points in Round 1. Following this loss, the Demons under Neeld went on a nine-game losing streak which included two losses by more than 100 points, the streak ended in Round 10 with a six-point victory over Essendon. The Demons under Neeld went on to finish the season in third-to-last place, with just four wins from 22 games played.

Despite the off-season acquisitions of several players, such as Shannon Byrnes, Tom Gillies, Chris Dawes, David Rodan and Jack Viney, things did not improve for the Demons under Neeld in the first half of the 2013 season, with just one win in their first 11 games and an average losing margin of 77 points. As a result of this poor start to the 2013 season, during the Demons' mid-season bye on 17 June 2013, Neeld was sacked as Melbourne Football Club senior coach.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-17/mark-neeld-sacked-by-demons/4758312|title=Mark Neeld sacked by Melbourne Demons, Neil Craig to take over as interim coach|newspaper=ABC News |date=June 17, 2013|access-date=November 16, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/demons-coach-mark-neeld-sacked-20130618-2ofnh.html|title=Demons coach Mark Neeld sacked|date=18 June 2012|access-date=29 March 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/jun/17/melbourne-sack-mark-neeld-afl|title=Melbourne part ways with Mark Neeld|newspaper=The Guardian |date=16 June 2013|access-date=29 March 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/99756/neeld-sacked|title=Neeld sacked|date=16 June 2013|access-date=29 March 2022}} His sacking came within weeks of the departures of senior Demons' staff members Cameron Schwab and Don McLardy. Neeld was replaced by Demons senior assistant coach, Neil Craig, when he was appointed as caretaker senior coach for the remainder of the 2013 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-17/mark-neeld-sacked-by-demons/4758312|title=Mark Neeld sacked by Melbourne Demons, Neil Craig to take over as interim coach|newspaper=ABC News |date=June 17, 2013|access-date=November 16, 2021}}

Neeld was sacked by the Demons with just five wins in 33 games coached, for a winning percentage of just 15%.

= Essendon Football Club assistant coach (2014–2018) =

Neeld joined the Essendon Football Club in an assistant coaching role as a development coach at the end of 2014. Neeld however departed the Essendon Football Club on 14 May 2018 during the middle of the 2018 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/mark-neeld-quits-essendon-20180514-p4zf8s.html|title=Mark Neeld leaves Essendon|date=May 14, 2018|access-date=November 16, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/mark-neeld-resigns-from-coaching-role-at-essendon/news-story/c1c9569342c0f29a9bbb181edccfd71e|title=Mark Neeld sacked from coaching role at Essendon|date=May 14, 2018|access-date=30 March 2022}}{{cite web|title=Coaches Profiles|url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/team/profiles/coaches|website=essendonfc.com.au|publisher=Essendon Football Club|accessdate=16 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908020718/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/team/profiles/coaches|archive-date=8 September 2015|url-status=dead}}

Post-AFL career

In December 2018, Neeld was appointed CEO of Basketball Geelong and the Geelong Supercats.{{cite web|url=https://supercats.com.au/mark-neeld-lands-top-job-at-basketball-geelong/|title=Mark Neeld lands top job at Basketball Geelong|publisher=Geelong Supercats|author=bethdavis|date=21 December 2018|accessdate=1 August 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190315132118/https://supercats.com.au/mark-neeld-lands-top-job-at-basketball-geelong/|archive-date=15 March 2019}} As of May 2024, he is CEO of Geelong United Basketball.{{cite web|url=https://wnbl.basketball/blog/news/wnbl-welcomes-geelong-united-basketball/|title=WNBL WELCOMES GEELONG UNITED BASKETBALL|work=wnbl.basketball|date=10 May 2024|access-date=10 May 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com.au/nbl/story/_/id/40115963/geelong-united-replace-melbourne-boomers-wnbl|title=Geelong United to replace Melbourne Boomers in WNBL|work=ESPN.com.au|date=10 May 2024|access-date=10 May 2024|quote=But Geelong United chief executive Mark Neeld, a former professional AFL coach and player, felt the time was right for the basketball-mad city to return to the big league.}}