I am guttered.  We all are.  Yet the clarity and leadership expressed by SG after the loss restores some faith.  You either 'win or you learn'.  As I lick my own wounds I'm reminded that there is a system in place, that we have come to pass as a team looked upon as deadbeats.

If there be any comments about the positives of 'learning' and how what we are doing is a 'process' and a 'system' bring your constructive thoughts pls.  I need to hear from fellow dee fans how our culture (in recent years) has evolved.

Edited September 23, 20186 yr by Dee-mon

9 minutes ago, Dee-mon said:

 

If there is any comments about the positives of 'learning' and how what we are doing is a 'process' and a 'system' bring your constructive thoughts pls.  I need to hear from fellow dee fans how our culture (in recent years) has evolved.

How the club reacts to yesterday’s smashing, from the ground up will give you the answers you ask 

41 minutes ago, Dee-mon said:

I am guttered.  We all are.  Yet the clarity and leadership expressed by SG after the loss restores some faith.  You either 'win or you learn'.  As I lick my own wounds I'm reminded that there is a system in place, that we have come to pass as a team looked upon as deadbeats.

If there be any comments about the positives of 'learning' and how what we are doing is a 'process' and a 'system' bring your constructive thoughts pls.  I need to hear from fellow dee fans how our culture (in recent years) has evolved.

Aren't you the same "fan" who  jumped ship post match yesterday?

I'd say our culture has evolved an enormous amount in the past month alone,  let alone the rest of the year. There appears to be enormous belief among the playing group and coaching staff. There is a lot of improvement to go and we have huge upside.

Yesterday was a very poor effort no doubt about it,  they looked cooked mentally and physically very early in the first qtr. The fact is we are just not quite ready to go all the way and you can expect a few more disappointing performances at times next year. 

Most fans can see the future unfolding and it looks awesome from where I stand. Unfortunately there are still many fans like your good self that seem stuck in the veil of negativity culture.

I'm not gutted. I'm barely even upset.

I'll be looking forward to the 2019 season with more anticipation than any other I've experienced.

We all rebound from disappointements at different speeds and process it in different ways, but I think soon enough everyone on here will be climbing the walls waiting for 2019 to start and for the next effort to get rolling.

I don't know about anyone else but i find that i get less angry or biased when sitting next to someone that i can talk to about the game. I was at my brothers house (He's an eagle supporter) watching the game and while everything was unfolding he could see the things that i was saying. If i was alone without anyone to share my thoughts with i'd probably be fuming and as angry as anyone that we played in a way that was reminiscent of the times we thought gone. Yet i can sit here now and say i've not lost faith in anyone and i'm sure all the guys will learn from this experience and while we might not win it next year either, i'm sure we will compete.

 

 

I'm the same, Goff. 

I thought I'd be distraught after losing a prelim, but we were playing West Coast in WA and we took a young team with significant structural weaknesses (especially through injury) and we beaten soundly. 

If we'd won it would have been a truly exceptional win. 

And now we go into 2019 with a flag in the forefront of our minds. We get to be a team whose season doesn't begin until September. We have a few gaps to fill still, but the cream of the team is very young and in the important spots. Plus we have significant improvement.

Now I'm just excited for the new season to start. And we don't need big names to join to manufacture that excitement. We'll be in the top 2 or 3 picks for the flag next year across the board. That's a type of fun I haven't experienced before as a Melbourne fan.

After having time to settle down I am certain the club is destined for bigger things.  Injury aside next year we should challenge for the big one!  A few tweaks to our list and the hunger will bite over the summer!  The last 5 weeks we have been the best side in the comp ending with an epic fail in Perth.  Mentally need to get better to achieve ultimate prize that’s our archilles heel.  Now wishing the Eagles a stinking dirty loss, and their spoilt annoying supporters. 

Finally a big thank you to Peter Jackson!  

I think some of our boys need to bulk up is Weideman, Fritsch, Brayshaw. Jones needs a role, small forward anyone?

I don't have an any faith that needs restoring. That was a great September journey. This team is going places and with a few more games into everyone and possibly filling a few gaps we will play finals each year for some time to come. 

Of course that was not a great way to go out but I think we just ran out of gas. You only need a 10% lapse in effort and that's what you look like in a final when the other team brings their A game. 

For me i have enjoyed the whole ride. I have backed this team through some hard times and i am looking forward to backing them through some good times over the next 5 - 10 years. We are setup for sustained success. Bring on 2019!

4 hours ago, Axis of Bob said:

I'm the same, Goff. 

I thought I'd be distraught after losing a prelim, but we were playing West Coast in WA and we took a young team with significant structural weaknesses (especially through injury) and we beaten soundly. 

If we'd won it would have been a truly exceptional win. 

And now we go into 2019 with a flag in the forefront of our minds. We get to be a team whose season doesn't begin until September. We have a few gaps to fill still, but the cream of the team is very young and in the important spots. Plus we have significant improvement.

Now I'm just excited for the new season to start. And we don't need big names to join to manufacture that excitement. We'll be in the top 2 or 3 picks for the flag next year across the board. That's a type of fun I haven't experienced before as a Melbourne fan.

Great post full of resilience which is the true test at times like these. I belive the club has resilience in spades now. 

The great north teams of the 90s  with Carey lost 3 prelims before making the gf. The journey to the next dees gf has now begin imo.

There has to be a plan to stop the barrages.

I don't care if we play 18 behind the ball for after the oppo kicks two or three in a row but we get rolled in short passages of time too easily.

Sydney would never allow such things.

6 minutes ago, Biffen said:

There has to be a plan to stop the barrages.

I don't care if we play 18 behind the ball for after the oppo kicks two or three in a row but we get rolled in short passages of time too easily.

Sydney would never allow such things.

Who the F is Sydney? What has he got to do with it anyhow?

Or, Sydney Who? Do you mean Walt Disney?

7 minutes ago, Biffen said:

There has to be a plan to stop the barrages.

I don't care if we play 18 behind the ball for after the oppo kicks two or three in a row but we get rolled in short passages of time too easily.

Sydney would never allow such things.

We'll fight them in the barrages, is that what you're getting at? I'm truly confused by your use of mind altering language.

2 minutes ago, dieter said:

We'll fight them in the barrages, is that what you're getting at? I'm truly confused by your use of mind altering language.

First we'll take Manhatten.....

 

2 minutes ago, Biffen said:

First we'll take Manhatten.....

 

Not sure you'd take Berlin these days...We now have ammunition.

19 minutes ago, Demon17 said:

The great north teams of the 90s  with Carey lost 3 prelims before making the gf. The journey to the next dees gf has now begin imo.

Great post, Demon 17. Too many hungry Demons on this site. Haven't been fed for years so no wonder. However, I really like your perspective, Kudos.

9 minutes ago, dieter said:

Who the F is Sydney? What has he got to do with it anyhow?

Or, Sydney Who? Do you mean Walt Disney?

He means South Melbourne.

Young kids like Biff forget the past too easily.

6 hours ago, Dee-mon said:

I am guttered.  We all are.  

I’m not guttered but I am gutted.

And that reminds me I do need new gutters so if anyone knows a guy let me know.

Edited September 23, 20186 yr by layzie

We've had a great year and we have young talent so we look set to have organic improvement through development and no loss of key personnel.  We have good list balance with no glaring deficiency 

But that won't be enough on its own to take us to the next level.  We need to keep making the changes to the structure and players in the team. 

Even then flag success is not guaranteed - some luck is required.  The Saints missed out through more than a dozen years of opportunity through to 2010.  Freo had a surge in around Pavs career but missed out  and Adelaide have been close but no cigar for a couple strong surges since their flags 20 years ago.  We need to take our chances  when they arise.

Exciting times ahead - enjoy the ride.

Edited September 23, 20186 yr by Fifty-5

As others have said, the initial disappointment for me faded quickly. I was through the worst of it by the time I’d polished off my pulled beef and gravy roll when the third quarter started. I’m just excited now and miffed that I have to sit through another long off-season before next year. It’s a month shorter than normal  this year though!

Regarding leadership and culture change: Jack Viney is about as hard to listen to as any skipper I’ve seen, but his post match with Burgs is worth a go. To paraphrase he mentions that he’s proud of the effort and growth of the team, but that we absolutely have to take our chances when they arose. To me it’s the first sign I’ve seen that there’s more to his leadership than “leading by doing”. I truly think he gets it.

This team to me has a track record of learning from its poor performances. It’s becoming cliche when Goodwin says you win or learn, but I think the team’s actions match.

Bring on 2019.

11 hours ago, Demon17 said:

Great post full of resilience which is the true test at times like these. I belive the club has resilience in spades now. 

The great north teams of the 90s  with Carey lost 3 prelims before making the gf. The journey to the next dees gf has now begin imo.

Like most here, I was pretty circumspect about yesterday's loss.  Was pretty much over the loss before the game was finished in the end and in a way it was better for my own sanity that we got thrashed the way we did than loosing by a more winnable margin.  Not sure that I could handle loosing another 2 prelims along the way, but at the same time, I realize that could well pan out to be the reality.  We have built the core of a very good team, but having followed us through the 90s I also well realize that in itself doesn't garentee success from here on.  Preliminary final results asides, what I really don't want to repeat are the embarrassing GF performances of 1988 and 2000 - the club cannot erase it's history and I know dwelling on it like I am doesn't help in a way, but we simply must put those type of GF performances behind us.

That all said, getting back to the original topic, I am very reassured by Goodwin and Viney.  It took me a while to warm to Goody, as he was not quite as articulate as Roosy, but he makes up for that by being very direct, focused and calm.  The connection that he has with his players is also a huge benifit.  I think the next round of growth will come from younger players like Oliver, Brayshaw, Patraca, Hogan, O Mac, Frost, Harmes stepping up their understanding and leadership to the same level of maturity as Viney.

Just thinking about things a bit further, the other thing I think we need to develop and learn is how to better play different game styles at different times and circumstances.  The chaos, attacking style we play can be devastating for our opposition when we get it right and get on top, but as I think we whitenessed yesterday and at other times throughout the season, it can be equally devastating for us.  

I hope we don't give it away altogether as it is so exciting to watch when it comes off, but we just need to learn a few more strings to our bow and when to play the right ones.  Seeing how we have evolved our game style in this respects within this season, I'm sure it's something that is well within the capability of our coaching staff as I think they have already demonstrated themselves to be quite agile and not wedded to any one particular tactic.

They don’t need to restore faith. 

We have seen improvement year in year out for 5 years. We have played Fanals and won 2 without hogan and lever 

we won 14 with lever and Viney missing huge chunks of the year

we have had young players come through and some seriously develop like James Harmes and Sam frost 

Most coaches would love our list with the age profile, talent, style and the future ahead of us.

we had a mare in the prelim and that’s dissapointing but it doesn’t change the long term direction of this club.

we are right on the edge of something very special thanks to Goodwin and co they don’t need to restore faith, we all need to keep it.

13 minutes ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

They don’t need to restore faith. 

We have seen improvement year in year out for 5 years. We have played Fanals and won 2 without hogan and lever 

we won 14 with lever and Viney missing huge chunks of the year

we have had young players come through and some seriously develop like James Harmes and Sam frost 

Most coaches would love our list with the age profile, talent, style and the future ahead of us.

we had a mare in the prelim and that’s dissapointing but it doesn’t change the long term direction of this club.

we are right on the edge of something very special thanks to Goodwin and co they don’t need to restore faith, we all need to keep it.

Completely agree with you.

I actually have found a lot of the hysteria bizarre. I'm not angry. Or disappointed. Nor proud or excited. I'm indifferent. 

It's a super tough league and we still have some way to go. All this talk of a fairytale was misplaced. Bulldogs and Richmond had both already played on the big stage.

You just gotta expect them to compete and be thereabouts. 

You just gotta keep your expectations in check.

You have a really good young core and 2 players who will likely place top 5 in the Brownlow. Two AA selections. Lever and Hogan to come in. Potentially May, and that ruckman from North. Goodwin to evolve as a coach. Viney to get better. 

Since round 23 2017 I have been completely indifferent, and that's allowed me to be calmer during the season, with a varied level of expectation.

I expect us to beat teams like St Kilda. I get angry when we lose games like the ones against Geelong. Or round 4 vs Hawthorn. But I just can't be angry when we lose against West Coast in Perth in a Prelim. It was a poor performance, but that happens. They were exhausted, shellshocked, and bullied. It happens.

Geelong beat Collingwood by 90 points in the 2009 Prelim. What happened in 2010? Perspective is also important.

The season was somewhat lost to me after the Sydney game. We played great football after that, but I can't understand how no one could see Saturday coming. I hoped for better but also expected disappointment. That allowed me to deal with it better than some have.

My family were clamouring and worrying about tickets to the GF. I lost my [censored] and got angry at them because we hadn't even made it yet. I get applying for the ballot and planning ahead, but there was this hysteria and "woe is me" at the prospect of missing out on a ticket. I literally told my sister to stfu and just look forward to the game on the weekend. Then we lost and she carried on like as if the sky was falling.

Football is important to us all, and it's imperative in life to be part of something bigger than yourself. I never understood the mantra of some here who always said to keep perspective and understand that it's "just a game". You gotta find a balance between being involved emotionally, and being able to deal with the highs and lows with equal emotional investment. 

If you go overboard when they win, you will go overboard when they lose.

Goodwin and Co know what they're doing but you just can't expect the world from them. If you do then you're setting up for disappointment.