In a few weeks' time I can see myself being in an unaccustomed situation, looking at whoever's holding the cup and thinking, 'That could have been ours.'

2 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

Ahhh, I get it (I think) - I think what you're misinterpreting is that those that believed things would resolve, did not have ANY concerns at all. What I am saying is that there are many entitled (ie: we SHOULD have won, ergo, x player is a spud, coach is stubborn) posts - and THAT entitlement/expectation coming off the back of last years Premiership SHOULD mean that we got to a prelim at a minimum... it's a failure to take into account a myriad of other factors.

Matter of fact, for those that raised concerns - there should be less vitriol!

ps...nothing in this below GIF - just riffing on your Pulp Fiction one. 👌

Well, one of the benefits for all this pain is do think it builds empathy as you imply and educate posters who don’t really follow footy closely, only the Demons.

When we were [censored] all we needed was a coach and a list to compete but the nuances build up when you are a flag chance every year; form, injuries, playing style, et al. They all play a part and they can all bring you back down to earth…

4 minutes ago, Deenooos_ said:

Yeh I agree. I really hope the club is smart enough to ensure we recruit the players we need for the positions where we are lacking. I think JT is reliable and will get us what we need.

We have Turner to come in for May when he retires (I really hope May doesn't drop off a cliff next year at 31 and hope he play until 33, he's just too good). Anyway we will have JVR to come in as the pack crashing marking forward which we need so badly and TMAC has another 2-3 good years in him. I would just drop BBB next season, his knee is cooked and he won't be better than JVR or TMac next year. How good would a forward line be with those two contested marking forwards?

In terms of injuries; I'm convinced we had at least 8 players out there under a significant injury cloud: 

- Max (cooked syndesmosis ankle, and groin)

- Lever (multiple rolled ankles in the last 2-3 games)

- Petracca (fractured leg)

- BBB (cooked knee)

- Jackson (ligament sprain in knee needing surgery)

So when you look at it, we are completely banged up and it shows. Gawn realistically has a 4-5 month injury and many others including Pickett and Fritsch with knee issues too.

If we don't make at least a prelim/grand final next year we will be a complete laughing stock. I can't accept that we come out next year with everyone healed up and not cause the comp some serious problems. We will learn that our 2021 style won't win us another flag as we will have learned this year, so they will go to work in the off season to make us better. We are too good for that not to happen.

In the end the premiership hangover did hit us I think, and the pressure and expectation of it all was too much. It was embarrassing that we couldn't at least make a prelim but it is what it is. The better days are not over.

 

You forget that Oliver said in an interview a few weeks ago the Max hits it straight to him and he just handballs to Trac without looking because they play in seamless harmony!

I want to know if he actually watches replays while Salem is doing his hair.

And we wonder why they didn't win

8 hours ago, Brownie said:

We can all sit back and watch JVR, Chandler, Dunstan. And Bowie carve it up in the VFL tomorrow.

It's criminal to not have given them a better run at seniors based on their form and the lack of form and fitness of others.

Wat does it say to these young blokes and subs who sit there all game watching injured team mates run out of legs in the second half.

Insanity indeed

Bump this

7 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

So it was the coaches spraying the ball everywhere but through the sticks in the 1st half was it? The coaches were the reason Kozzie dribbles the ball into the post? The coaches the reason we couldn't win a one on one contest in the 2nd half, were outnumbered at the drop of the ball and didn't pressure the ball carrier?

Give me a spell.

Haha you genuinely believe this don't you.. My god the delusional is clear in this one. Game style and method is a by product of poor coaching and having a zero back up plan.

Not the fact that our game plan was completely flawed from the moment Freo Sydney and the likes exposed it mid year.

Goodwin and the coaching group showed a complete and utter lack of match day innovation when we were challenged throughout the year especially in the 2nd half.

They continued backing of the same method in our forward structure that was being pulled apart by teams because of how easily one dimensional it was. Bang it into the pocket and pray like hell our smalls lock it in, yet we were rated 17th for forward half pressure. So the smalls weren't even doing their job.

Coaching group completely butchering team selections this year. Not taking our opportunities to rest blokes against North and West Coast when there were early signs of fatigue. Exposed once again tonight for going in completely banged up and yet the coaching group had the absolute nerve to go in unchanged.

Complete stubbornness and arrogance to not only refuse to reward the blokes who showed consistent form at VFL level this year in the likes of JVR, Chandler, Laurie, Bedford, Dunstan but the continued backing of Sparrow, Spargo, ANB Rivers who have all been consistently poor especially 2nd half this year.

No willingness to try and bring in fresh face or personnel to give our playing group a different edge or new element come match day.

Maybe explain to me what was our plan B this year? 

Only time Goody and the coaching group decided to show a hint of plan B was 3 minutes to go last night and they decided to throw Petty forward because it only just hit them then that our season was a bees [censored] from being done.

Pur season capitulated on the back of poor coaching from our coaching staff.

So yes, give me an absolute spell if you think this is solely on the players.

16 minutes ago, Webber said:

Two associated salient facts that beg for explanation - 

1. On a ladder of ‘second half only’ results from Round 11, we came 16th, above only North and West Coast. This is frankly staggering considering how obvious and contrary it is to fact 2.
2. Ladder of first halves for same Rounds, top 4. 
 
Which confirms the following. Firstly, many of the factors people are blaming for our season demise are simply not a problem in the first half of those games - skill, pressure, forward connection, etc. Secondly, something went drastically and horribly awry in our planning and processes for the second half of the season to be a bottom 3 performer in second halves of games. 
 

Anyone any theories? And I’d beware making statements about fact 1 that are contradicted by fact 2. 

There can be only one answer surely. Fitness. What went wrong in that regard we may find out in time. I suspect injuries killed us. First quarter last night we looked great. Our running patterns were great in the forward half. We were proactive and lowering the eyes. Brisbane didn’t come up with the answer miraculously after 9 quarters of us belting them this year. It was obvious at the ground we had nothing in the tank in the second half

7 minutes ago, IRW said:

You forget that Oliver said in an interview a few weeks ago the Max hits it straight to him and he just handballs to Trac without looking because they play in seamless harmony!

I want to know if he actually watches replays while Salem is doing his hair.

And we wonder why they didn't win

Yeh well this season will surely be a wakeup call, probably the reason teams fall away after a flag. We could come back even stronger next year in a similar way to 2021 now that 2022 is out of the way.

The only concern is with Goody, I hope the coaches come to their senses and switch up the way we attack because it just isn't efficient enough and fix up our defence off opposition transition, killed us all year...

9 hours ago, Jack7 said:

Luke Jackson,now Faaark off to Perth,will be so [censored] if he stays.

 

Viney,no right boot,turnover,season over

 

Lever-dumbest thing i saw in football this season!!!

Hold on sport he (Lever) was trying to pick up the ball and was held by his legs I also would have questioned the umpire 

strongly

Watching Jackson closely last night, no intensity and prancing like a pony. Really got to me. Maybe he is gone, as his performance suggested. 

How many players with knees this year, bbb, Salem  rivers, track  kosi, ftitta. Limped into finals and fell out. 

Gutted. Was like watching a slow motion car crash last night, lost all composure and method with ball in hand as soon as Brisbane increased their intensity. 

The positional needs were laid bare for everyone to see, a centre half forward and outside mids should be top of the wish list for Jason Taylor.

Gameplan needs a real tweak. Let's continue to ply our trade in improving this team defence which is for the most part our biggest asset, but put a ton and I mean a TON of time into connection and forward craft. Look at a new forward coach, offensive co-ordinator... Freshen the ideas up. 

We have the talent to go again, burn up the track in the off season, make smart recruiting decisions and reconstruct ourselves for another assault at 14.

8 hours ago, 1964_2 said:

More than happy to put this on the line. It is an absolutely horrific coaching performance for this list to go out in straight sets!! No other way to view it.

hypothetical, what if Bartlett wanted goody gone for various reasons last year, and Bartlett was correct. But after a 3-4-0 start, The other fence sitting board members ditched Bartlett, and decided To back goody. Goody pulls his head in, gives power to other smarter people such as Yze. But then after winning the flag, ego comes back into play and it’s all about him? 

Just some food for thought. 

More than happy to put on the record my views that the biggest priority for the MFC should be signing up Yze, and not goody. Know most of you will disagree, but really couldn’t give a stuff. Especially given how wrong most of your views have been.

 

Agree about Yze. Very strongly. The team has lost its identity as 'a team'; it is fully functioning as a series of unrelated  individual performances and manic attempts at filling gaps that selection has endorsed. I've always been sceptical of SG, he was not knitting players to a purpose or three and it exposed increasing numbers and areas of dropped stitches.

 

18 minutes ago, von said:

There can be only one answer surely. Fitness. What went wrong in that regard we may find out in time. I suspect injuries killed us. First quarter last night we looked great. Our running patterns were great in the forward half. We were proactive and lowering the eyes. Brisbane didn’t come up with the answer miraculously after 9 quarters of us belting them this year. It was obvious at the ground we had nothing in the tank in the second half

That’s how it would appear. But can it be that simple? I’m inclined to think it can’t be, because if so, it’d be one of the greatest failures of fundamental preparation I can recall. Mental fatigue a factor maybe. Goody suggested as much. Either way, it’s just a staggering stat. 

Berry gets tackled to the ground, all G, have some more time to dispose of it. Jake the same, no more time given, free kick. Absolute joke. The one against May was [censored] too. Made an attempt to dispose so not incorrect disposal.

7 minutes ago, RedFox said:

Gutted. Was like watching a slow motion car crash last night …

yes but worse. It was like watching a slow motion replay replay of the SAME crash we watched in almost every loss we’ve had. 

Surest way to beat the dees is to be 5 goals down near the end of the 2nd. 

3 minutes ago, Clintosaurus said:

Berry gets tackled to the ground, all G, have some more time to dispose of it. Jake the same, no more time given, free kick. Absolute joke. The one against May was [censored] too. Made an attempt to dispose so not incorrect disposal.

yep. some real shockers weren’t there. Topped off with that ridiculous call against lever.  How many questionable frikn free kick goals did we get hit with in the finals. Just So many dodgy ones went against us. We just couldn’t take a trick. 

@binmanhave you posted anything re 'loading' since our win vs Brisbane up there?

Genuine question because you're silent everytime I @ you. 

 

Pressure.  Our finals run last year was ideal because the teams we played loved possession and we applied pressure and broke them down.  This year, teams returned the favour and we wilted.  Our biggest failure this year is not being able to execute basic football skills or decision making under pressure.  We get out to four goal leads, and fold like a camp chair under Clive Palmer.  Our effort is there, but our process, skills and ‘method’ as Goody so often speaks about does not know how to absorb pressure and apply it back the other way. We take the pressure, doof up our skills and decision making, then remain poor from there.  We rarely steadied and regained our composure all year (perhaps the Blues game?).

Big off season to come, our game will need to be evolved and the personnel that can deliver it retained, recruited or developed.

A good year by 2015 standards, a poor year by 2021 standards.

The game was lost when we didn't kick straight imo. So many blind pings at the sticks thay went out on the full too.

Didn't deserve to win but could have with a bit more polish on the execution in front of goals. 

Keen to see VanRoyen, Chandler, Barry and a few others get a shot next year. Hoping Salem can stay fit and recapture his best form too

Remember the talk of a Demon Dynasty?

More like a DEMON DIE NASTY.

11 minutes ago, Wells 11 said:

yep. some real shockers weren’t there. Topped off with that ridiculous call against lever.  How many questionable frikn free kick goals did we get hit with in the finals. Just So many dodgy ones went against us. We just couldn’t take a trick. 

It's like we were adjudicated to a different standard to other teams. Too many times we weren't paid frees the oppo got, or were pinged when they weren't. 

8 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

I’m most angry that we let that sack of $h!t Zorko have the last laugh. 
Brisbane fans booing Petty and walking away with the only win that mattered this season. 
Argh!!

Better change your name to 'Jaded Again'. 🤨

8 hours ago, deegirl said:

There’s a million things that went wrong but here’s my top 3
 

To kick 11.13 and at least two out in the full is infruiating

To give away stupid goals in the final minutes of quarters is enraging

To sit there at 3/4 and KNOW they have nothing in the tank & Brisbane will run over us is depressing

I don’t enjoy going to watch them 

There were at least 5 out on the full.

Disgraceful entries into F50 and totally dysfunctional forward line. 

I know BBB has been poor but try having two opponents and the ball bombed in on your head all day. He's great as a second tall forward with lots of room to lead into one on one.

Where did our kicking skills go over summer. We were laser like last year and all applauding Chocco for his skills coaching. 

So many stupid kicks in the air to team mates instead of flat fast passes. 

59 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Haha you genuinely believe this don't you.. My god the delusional is clear in this one. Game style and method is a by product of poor coaching and having a zero back up plan.

Not the fact that our game plan was completely flawed from the moment Freo Sydney and the likes exposed it mid year.

Goodwin and the coaching group showed a complete and utter lack of match day innovation when we were challenged throughout the year especially in the 2nd half.

They continued backing of the same method in our forward structure that was being pulled apart by teams because of how easily one dimensional it was. Bang it into the pocket and pray like hell our smalls lock it in, yet we were rated 17th for forward half pressure. So the smalls weren't even doing their job.

Coaching group completely butchering team selections this year. Not taking our opportunities to rest blokes against North and West Coast when there were early signs of fatigue. Exposed once again tonight for going in completely banged up and yet the coaching group had the absolute nerve to go in unchanged.

Complete stubbornness and arrogance to not only refuse to reward the blokes who showed consistent form at VFL level this year in the likes of JVR, Chandler, Laurie, Bedford, Dunstan but the continued backing of Sparrow, Spargo, ANB Rivers who have all been consistently poor especially 2nd half this year.

No willingness to try and bring in fresh face or personnel to give our playing group a different edge or new element come match day.

Maybe explain to me what was our plan B this year? 

Only time Goody and the coaching group decided to show a hint of plan B was 3 minutes to go last night and they decided to throw Petty forward because it only just hit them then that our season was a bees [censored] from being done.

Pur season capitulated on the back of poor coaching from our coaching staff.

So yes, give me an absolute spell if you think this is solely on the players.

Harsh but fair summary of the key issue IMO DD36

The team has solid foundations with flag standard midfield and defence, but changes needed.

The club is solid for the first time probably ever financially, well run Board and Execellent List management and recruiting, team leaders group etc.

It's coaching stupid as they say.   Goody and team have a lot of soul searching to do, albeit the team was banged up last night and running on the spot after 1/2 time.

Your comment on Petty was exactly what we said when we saw it. I'ts taken time on in the last to wake up to this option. If I was Goody I'd be embarrassed.

And get back to 2021 fitness levels if at all possible.

Its all part of the 'journey'.

 

 

Well that’s a disappointing end to the season but in a way I’m glad we went out in straight sets. No chance we would have been good enough to beat cats next week. 
If we had of got to a prelim and held our own then I would be worried that it would have glossed over how poor we have been in the second half of the season. 
No wins against the other top four teams this year and couldn’t win a home final against the Lions. 
As others have said our fitness levels are way off other teams and a million miles from where we where last year. We ran over the top of teams in the last quarter last year. Complete turn around this year. 
Our game plan needs a serious bit of tinkering with, we need to bring in some new players that can kick well but also cover a lot of ground. 
We still have a great list and are very much still in the premiership window but we need to nail our off season,  there’s gaps in our list that we have to sort, we need to get our fitness back and clearly we to change things up tactical especially in our forward line.