2 hours ago, speed demon said:

 

I’m a “reader” and not a “poster” as evidenced by my 144 posts in 13 years. I’ve also never taken a fellow Demonlander to task before. Yet, your post kept me awake last night. I only post this now because of the high regard I hold for the quality of your posts and your influence on other Demonlanders. As an additional preface, I want to make clear that I share your concerns with all the issues you have raised about the present state of the game.

I have not followed the game for as long as you. However, in the 35 years I have followed the game, people have always complained about the umpiring, the rules, the tribunal and the administration. Furthermore, there have always been those who have claimed the game is at its lowest ebb. I suspect it has always been such and always will be. This discussion need not be restricted to football. People make similar comments about the state of society generally. So, I am naturally sceptical of such claims.  

What is missing from your post and similar lamentations is balance. For all the negatives you have identified – and with which I agree – there are positives. 

Most obviously is the phenomenal success of women’s football and the explosion in participation. This is great for the game, gender equality and public health more broadly.  

Football clubs and matches (AFL/VFL and local) were once places of open racism that was not only tolerated but encouraged. Racial slurs were seen as a legitimate way of putting an opponent off their game. Whatever you think of clubs taking a stance on the Voice, surely we can agree that there is less racism in football today and that is a good thing. 

What was once glorified as toughness has been better identified as thuggery and the game is cleaner. Does anyone really think we need more players running past the ball to shirt front an unsuspecting player? Toughness is better appreciated as playing the ball and never shirking a contest. Viney, along with Oliver and Petracca, are outstanding examples of tough and clean players.  

The players are bigger, stronger, faster and more skilful. The tactics and strategy are more complex. Fundamentally, when you strip away inconsistent umpiring and ambiguous rules, the game is still fascinating and spectacular.  

I look at my young boys. They love playing this athletic and skilful team game with an odd-shaped ball, just as I did at their age. They have no awareness of the concerns I have about the direction of the game. Though I’m sure they will when they are my age, when their own kids develop their love of the game and I bemoan how the game is not what is was in the 2020s when the MFC won a cabinet full of premiership trophies. 

My point is, just as the game and society change, so do we. Psychological research shows we have a tendency towards preferring to maintain the status quo as we age. We also have a cognitive bias towards negativity and we weight losses more than gains (i.e. the negative effect of losing $100 is greater than the positive effect of winning $100). Evolutionary psychology theory argues we have evolved thus because this confers a survival advantage (at the expense of our happiness and with the burden of anxiety). 

So, the negatives are easy to identify and we tend to overestimate their magnitude. We may need to look harder, but the positives are there as well. Across the course of my life, on balance, both football and society have changed for the better.  

Thanks for your great insights and humour over the years. I trust you will receive this post in the spirit with which it was intended. 

 

 

 

 

You're good.

Post more.

1 minute ago, Roost it far said:

Same guy who said Woewodin was debuting last week?

No not him.

19 minutes ago, layzie said:

I just want to meet one person that really likes the loud music at games so they can be interviewed on the news. 

Maybe interviewed at the ground while the music is playing?

2 minutes ago, Spargonicus said:

Maybe interviewed at the ground while the music is playing?

That would be best. Talking about how much they love it while being drowned out by music.

Reminds me of some kind of satire TV show that I can't think of right now because too tired. 

18 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Same guy who said Woewodin was debuting last week?

That was someone else’s prediction, not @Dee Zephyr’s. DZ was also on the money re Salo’s return. 

37 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

Joel Smith is in to play forward, Tomlinson and Hunter the other ins. 
 

Hopefully he does a Jake Melksham of last year's game and gets them completely off guard with a 3-4 goal game.

I'll be in the minority here but I actually wouldn't mind seeing Schache play. I feel one of the main reasons Tmac came in for Petty is that he can provide the versatility Petty has to be swung back when needed. I know he didn't set the world on fire against North but I thought he did enough in that game and has showed enough consistency at Casey to be considered again.

I think Goodwin will stick with Tmac to try to keep some continuity down forward for the time being. But I just think Schache gives you more and a different look. Tmac is so stiff in the contest and unable to get any separation from his opponent now. As Binman has mentioned its probable that he's simply there to bring the ball to ground in heavily contested marking situations to get our small forwards involved but I would love to see another/better leading option moving into space besides Frisch and I think Schache could provide this. Add something more dynamic. Note of course this could be Smith but I'm not sure about his forward craft/experience yet to structure up well.

Anyway just a casual thought.

In: Schache (or Smith),

Out: McDonald

Harmes to swap with JJ as sub 

 

32 minutes ago, layzie said:

That would be best. Talking about how much they love it while being drowned out by music.

Reminds me of some kind of satire TV show that I can't think of right now because too tired. 

Probably Utopia!  Or that's just my confirmation bias working haha

45 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

This is from a friend and his ‘mail’ has been accurate lately in regards to changes. 
Joel Smith is in to play forward, Tomlinson and Hunter the other ins. 

Presumably Tom Mac and Harmes (or JJ) out for Smith + Hunter. If Tomlinson, then who from the backs? Perhaps resting Hibberd, otherwise ...?

Will find out soon enough, but not bad changes if true.

13 minutes ago, Young Blood said:

I'll be in the minority here but I actually wouldn't mind seeing Schache play. I feel one of the main reasons Tmac came in for Petty is that he can provide the versatility Petty has to be swung back when needed. I know he didn't set the world on fire against North but I thought he did enough in that game and has showed enough consistency at Casey to be considered again.

 

I would even consider Schache as a key defender. He played really well as a defender against us in our 2021 loss to the Dogs. Must have been a one off as he was a forward again by the 2021 finals series.

On another note, why not start T Mac as a defender to help out May and Lever?

 

19 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I would even consider Schache as a key defender. He played really well as a defender against us in our 2021 loss to the Dogs. Must have been a one off as he was a forward again by the 2021 finals series.

On another note, why not start T Mac as a defender to help out May and Lever?

 

T Mac is cooked No to this proposal!

36 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Presumably Tom Mac and Harmes (or JJ) out for Smith + Hunter. If Tomlinson, then who from the backs? Perhaps resting Hibberd, otherwise ...?

Will find out soon enough, but not bad changes if true.

They might drop McVee to give him a rest. 

Edited June 1, 20231 yr by Jaded No More

Welcome back Joel!

What happened to Hibbo? 

Still no BBB? Joel Smith promoted after a whole 6 disposals for Casey last week as apposed to BBB with 19? FMD.

I think we will go close to losing this match with the selections we have made. IMO we are light on for run and rotations in the midfield. 

Just now, wizardinoz said:

Still no BBB? Joel Smith promoted after a whole 6 disposals for Casey last week as apposed to BBB with 19? FMD.

I had exactly the same thoughts. Surely BBB should of come in!

What’s wrong with TMac? Injured again or just struggling with age?

Reckon they’re getting Hibbo cherry ripe for KB. Maybe to play on Adams. 

If Brown was in for JVR those ins would have been perfect.

Hibberd out is huge.

41 minutes ago, wizardinoz said:

Still no BBB? Joel Smith promoted after a whole 6 disposals for Casey last week as apposed to BBB with 19? FMD.

I really hope he has a great game but 11 goals in 6 games at VFL level - not sure that fills me with confidence but he can mark a ball.  .

Edited June 1, 20231 yr by YearOfTheDees

Carlton only six changes, most due injury.

1 minute ago, wizardinoz said:

Still no BBB? Joel Smith promoted after a whole 6 disposals for Casey last week as apposed to BBB with 19? FMD.

I think we want some pace/athleticism in the side 

We are struggling badly with ground balls. I think BB will come in when JVR has a rest as he plays a similar role closer to goal. 

T Mac just posted an instagram story where he appeared to at hospitality with a cast on left foot (?)

Oh dear.  Joel Smith as a key forward.  We really have problems

Edited June 1, 20231 yr by Orion

6 hours ago, Cyclops said:

Agreed Sydee, that is on BBB'S form. BBB is a very ordinary pack mark, always has been. Watching his VFL skills he begins a lead but is soon overtaken by his opponent who then marks and runs on. Should BBB be then able to spoil his ground skills are negligible. Hard to see BBB now ever improving where necessary

And he is our one tall key forward on the list. We need another desperately and Verrall to also develop into one.