6 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

They are cooked.

Now Danger is injured they might well be but Cooked is still OTT/strong language for a team that may well still make the eight. 

The Eagles on the other hand....COOOOOKED

Edited May 22, 20231 yr by DemonWA
Typo

6 hours ago, Demon17 said:

Well said rj. Ports pattern is target max because it worked before in 2019 and other times.  . Hinkleys predictable . Where's rod Grinter when we need him

Actually, I want Moose back and then picked up Mid Season Draft

18 hours ago, rjay said:

I'm not sure...Port have been targeting Max for a number of years now.

They were prepared to give away a few free kicks because the tactic works.

First & foremost Max needs to look after himself by taking the game on. He's a big boy.

If he goes up another level then the tactic fails, but he didn't. His game was off which ensures he will get more of the same.

As for the team, they need to up the pressure rating in these games then maybe flying the flag wouldn't be necessary.

The opposition would be more concerned with getting a kick away & hitting a target.

Nevertheless the members of our clandestine leadership group were notably absent and its these little 1% ers that were done in 2021 without question. 
A drop off in this culture 10 times a match say, indicates that we are missing out that extra unity and team bonding/ spirit that made us almost unbeatable in our Flag year. 

It's time for Gawny to gather the troops and release a few home truths. A gentle reminder with our next 4 games as crucial to a top 4 spot is just what the doctor ordered. 

We are not far off it but need all the ducks we can get in a row to beat the Pies Lions and Cats. Even Port and the Dogs would not be scared by us on Friday's effort which was short on really good classy football acts that win games. Trac and Clarry slightly hampered in the last quarter was telling but it's time for some other heroes other than Maxy Trac Clarry Maysie and JV to get us over the line in the close ones. 

18 hours ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

Honestly Max need to harden up and retalliate sometime himself.   He had Powell-Pepper and Butters doing most of the bumping and annoying.  Both are half his size.  If he does not react himself how are others in the team to even know it is happening?

Max tends to be right off every time this happens.

Here is a tip though Melbourne....You defend your own...Every player. Get in there and fly the flag for your captain.

Watching the game it appeared we gave them the initiative for 3 quarters.   The only time we really fired up was in the 3rd quarter when there was probably the most niggle in the game.  Starting a brawl can change momentum and get players cracking in that much harder.

I think we missed a trick by not reacting to all the niggle he received on the day...Maybe next time!

If we can see Maxy bring targeted I am sure the players can.

Thats the worst excuse I have heard that they couldn't see it!!! Please . 

It is  just where the team sits and as well is in life the more you put in the more you ( deserve to) get out of it!!! 

14 hours ago, dworship said:

I've read through most of the posts on this thread and I think a lot of what is being said regarding Gawn's current demeanor, during games, has relevance. I've seen the same in recent times and it has started to look a lot like "woe is me". That's a very slippery slope as a leader.

I often rail about the lack of umpiring that allows some of the things done to Max go unchecked but Max doesn't have the same luxury, he's the Captain.

Someone and I mean Goody, needs to speak to him and explain that this is the way things are. I know that complaints about this have fallen on deaf ears at the AFL. That isn't going to change but the one thing Max can control is his own reactions to this.

Nail on head.

Max is the Captain.  Captains lead....they dont shirk. Others will look to that lead to take 'instruction'  

I dont really want to enter into Max bashing as thats certainly not my intent. Max is a very good player. I just cant help but feel hes lowering his guard and lowering the flag somwhat at the same time

How do walk tall on a field when your leader cops serious attention and seemingly does nothing. What is the message supposed to be ?

Footy isnt a Softly Softly game. It's very hands on.. and gladiatorial. Not in a Neanderthal Rugby like manner but its hard body on hard body often. It requires a great deal of commitment.  Commitment is a mental state of mind. Its something you can direct and control. Good teams  need to apply that commitment for as much of those 4 qtrs as can. Ideally 100% o the game.  Thats not a realistic result as its human to ebb and flow a bit. Nonetheless it must be the default intent..

A lot of psychiatry is employed in modern day sport. The reason is because the mind drives the body..   work away at your opponents  psyche, get them to second think,to doubt , to put them off their game and half ( or more ) of the battle is won.

Superior coaching will target any and all weaknesses,  real or imagined in the opponent.  Plan will be made to understand the weaknesses of others,the chinks in their armour and home in on them.

Im sorry Max..theres a good reason oppositions target you...  1.. you let them. 2 by you doing little it sends a message to the others....  3  They get you ...and its cutting the head off a snake. 

That the reactions to the Max targetting seemingly are none, that it goes unremonstrated must be by instruction. If it is it's the wrong one.

Its all well and good to play ...turn the cheek and get on with it but thats not working anymore.  We could rely on our game to carry us through but that game hs been worked out, countered and bettered ...by better coaches.

We are getting hounded, we are getting pressured, we're getting worked over. And when an opponent does that we are a very ineffective team. Some opponents only manage it for 1 or 2 qtrs... manage it or 3...you beat us...   The idea o weathering the storm doesn't work any more.

And that hounding/ unsettling / niggle is about showing whos top dog on the day.

Who better to target than the Captain . He doesn't do much about it... the team does sfa.

Oppositions do this by instruction.  Its not some random occurrence. 

Everything you need to know about Melbourne  is summed up by how we deal with that.

Doesn't make for happy reading does it.

 

 

Deep down we’re they happy simply  to win one flag or game plan is taxing and no5 suited to multiple flags or worked out.? Massive response coming this week

23 hours ago, DeeZone said:

I think Jack handed a bit back and Max wasn’t the only one copping it, it’s Hinkley’s DNA.!!!

Who won the game?

Next time this happens Max should run straight over PP/Butters/whoever is blocking his path creating an all in brawl.

It is about time we stood up.  i would prefer to see a lack of discipline for a few chaotic moments and actually stand up to this BS.

The weak approach is to do nothing...it will simply keep happening.

The whole team needs to be a little more on edge and much more unsociable/tough to play against. Standing up for teammates should be a given.

To me this is a massive indictment on the club and insinuating we don't have great culture/unity/strength/spirit.

We need to respond and make other teams realise we will NEVER allow ANY of our players to get treated like that.  Massive response required by whole team. 

Expect them to all come out breathing fire this week vs Freo.  If we don't play on the edge of unsociable i will be very suprised.

Freo are in for a shock this week.

Gamesmanship 101.  Start a brawl, give away a free kick, make it a headline. Whatever. Its 2023. The issues that are front and centre on websites are the one that will be watched on game day by the umpires.  Historically Max and co dont make it enough of a focus such that the umpires are forced to watch it. Accordingly, it keeps happening. 

Brodie Grundy was dismissive of King's observation in his presser. "Oh he doesnt know what is said inside the four walls".  Well, to stop it, it needs to be discussed and put on notice outside the four walls.  Almost guarantee Fremantle won't get away with it this weekend. Any cheap elbow in the back or fist to the ear will be paid . So yea actually thanks David King.  

Edited May 23, 20231 yr by Jjrogan

Maybe we need to learn to get our retaliation in first.

2 hours ago, Demonstone said:

Maybe we need to learn to get our retaliation in first.

I actually think we need to come out on the front foot and target Pepperoni the next time we meet them

Send Max, Maysie, Viney and even Sparrow / Harmes (if in) to him before the bounce just hammmer him into the turf.

Turn it into a full on melee and forget the pill in the first 3 minutes or so.

After that, any bumps / blocking on Max or any other player ....same thing. 

Two or three go straight at whoever does it.  Dragged to ground..  another melee/all in.

Make it the ugliest scrap ever seen throughout the game and don't let up.

Everytime... BANG BANG CRUNCH!

You have to come out and hit them every time from the moment you take the field to the final siren.

If you don't and come into the match as meek & mild again they'll feel they've got a physical edge and just keep bullying.  It also gives them a mental edge believing they can just do what they've always  done and most likely also win the match.

FULL ON TARGETING OF PEPPERONI & ANY OTHER NUMB NUT WHO TRIES.

An eye for an eye every time plus extra in return!

Gawn has been targeted for years. 

the difference is now we are seeing a drop in his output. and we are losing a couple 

this would not be talked about if max was playing well

On 5/22/2023 at 4:40 PM, Demon17 said:

Well said rj. Ports pattern is target max because it worked before in 2019 and other times.  . Hinkleys predictable . Where's rod Grinter when we need him

Reporting for duty sir 😉

I love that King did this. I have huge admiration for our team who have brought us all so much joy. But we were off the boil against Port. Hopefully the respond with fire next Sat.

Honestly, I think this is where the game is messed up at the moment.  I've seen Brisbane target Max in much this same way and sorry, but I think it's completely BS.

Players stand their ground in the wrong way or don't have their hair brushed properly in a marking contest and it's called a free kick as interference / shepherding.  Max get's essentially shepherded miles off the ball repeatedly all night and that's ok?  You can guarantee if Max pushes the player out of the way in its instant free kick against and (would often be 30 - 50m out from the oppositions goal for kick in scenarios), yet his opponents are allowed to do the same to him all night.  Can't tell me with 4 umpires out there, they can't see/police it.  He's our main target at kick outs so you'd think the umpires would see at least some of it.  One way or the other.

There's definitely one rule for Max and another for our opponents.  The Daniels 3rd qrt GF sling tackle which would have 4 weeks for any Melbourne player, but no free for Max is case in point.

Time Goodwin actually took a public stand and held the umpires to account.

54 minutes ago, DubDee said:

Gawn has been targeted for years. 

the difference is now we are seeing a drop in his output. and we are losing a couple 

this would not be talked about if max was playing well

Bingo

Just now, Kozzie4PM said:

I love that King did this. I have huge admiration for our team who have brought us all so much joy. But we were off the boil against Port. Hopefully the respond with fire next Sat.

We have been off the boil for more than last week. I’d argue that we never really turned up after the premiership. Think about every game since then and how many where we have showcased a game where you are just in awe of the awesomeness. 
 

Don’t include the teams we beat up, but I think of Brissy Round 14 last year, Doggies and Sydney this year and that’s about it. I’m sure there are 1-2 more but you get the point. We have not been playing great consistent footy for a while time. We Bob up every now and then but quickly fall away. 

4-0 next 4 weeks - no excuses. Get it done and we become relevant again in the premiership conversation. 

 

I’d love to target Luke Jackson this week and make a statement 

4 minutes ago, SPC said:

I’d love to target Luke Jackson this week and make a statement 

Yeah, but I do wounder if effectively targeting the younger Brayshaw would actually have a bigger impact on their output.   Although doing the same to Jackson might also suck in their other onballers as well anyways, so have the same effect indirectly.

7 minutes ago, SPC said:

I’d love to target Luke Jackson this week and make a statement 

I’d love for Steven May to give him a bath when he plays forward and for Gawn to remind him who he learnt his ruck craft form. We don’t need to target him in any other way. 

8 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

I’d love for Steven May to give him a bath when he plays forward and for Gawn to remind him who he learnt his ruck craft form. We don’t need to target him in any other way. 

 

16 minutes ago, SPC said:

I’d love to target Luke Jackson this week and make a statement 

Why not do both / all?

I don't really have super hate for Luke and have some degree of personal respect for him returning to his home state, but I do think it would be nice if the team let him know leaving the Demons isn't the right thing to do as well.  Would serve as a nice example.

23 minutes ago, Gawndy the Great said:

We have been off the boil for more than last week. I’d argue that we never really turned up after the premiership. Think about every game since then and how many where we have showcased a game where you are just in awe of the awesomeness. 
 

Don’t include the teams we beat up, but I think of Brissy Round 14 last year, Doggies and Sydney this year and that’s about it. I’m sure there are 1-2 more but you get the point. We have not been playing great consistent footy for a while time. We Bob up every now and then but quickly fall away. 

4-0 next 4 weeks - no excuses. Get it done and we become relevant again in the premiership conversation. 

 

Youre on the money I suspect.

After that wonderful "dance" i had opportunity to dine with a number of the lads... Spoke at some length with Jake Lever. (Interesting fella btw )  I asked him point blank...  " so... have a flag... now ?.   How will the team react this year ( last year)  Hang the hat and coat up... job's done ?? 

He was adamant ( quite civilly) that it was anything but..   not satisfied til they hold the cup up at the G....and keep going.

Plainly someone's writing cheques that aren't being cashed.

We've been way off the boil. .. as you suggest

1 hour ago, Gawndy the Great said:

We have been off the boil for more than last week. I’d argue that we never really turned up after the premiership. Think about every game since then and how many where we have showcased a game where you are just in awe of the awesomeness. 
 

Don’t include the teams we beat up, but I think of Brissy Round 14 last year, Doggies and Sydney this year and that’s about it. I’m sure there are 1-2 more but you get the point. We have not been playing great consistent footy for a while time. We Bob up every now and then but quickly fall away. 

4-0 next 4 weeks - no excuses. Get it done and we become relevant again in the premiership conversation. 

 

Freo in Perth last year

Under the rules of AFL football a player may shepherd an opponent when the ball is within FIVE meters. It's an old rule but pretty sure it is still on the books.

One of the most effective ways of upsetting a dirty player without getting reported is to pinch them, hard. They lose their 💩