We have certainly wasted the last 2 years 

much depends on Clarry returning and getting 2-3 more good years from Maxy

No.

2022 was crueled by injuries and we did not allow for recuperation and recovery during the season.

2023 was crueled by losing Petty and Melksham (who surely would have been worth 1-2 goals) and the illegal hit on Angus that affected our options in the first week of the finals.

Maysie was right - we are as good as them. Let's hope that better injury management and greater fortune with the timing of injuries will enhance our prospects for this year.

12 minutes ago, tiers said:

No.

2022 was crueled by injuries and we did not allow for recuperation and recovery during the season.

2023 was crueled by losing Petty and Melksham (who surely would have been worth 1-2 goals) and the illegal hit on Angus that affected our options in the first week of the finals.

Maysie was right - we are as good as them. Let's hope that better injury management and greater fortune with the timing of injuries will enhance our prospects for this year.

Shh… you’re making too much sense for the media and the negative nancies on Demonland 

In all seriousness we have had mitigating circumstances the past two seasons - particularly 2023 - that have meant we haven’t been able to perform at anywhere near our best, particularly come finals time 

Clearly there are some coaching, gameplan and personnel weaknesses that have exacerbated this, but more than anything it has been bad luck with injuries that has crueled us

And I reckon new recruits, fire in the belly and a bit of good luck will take us a long way in 2024

Edited January 10, 20241 yr by demoncat

We’ll put a rock through it.

I thought 2023 was a cert for us. In fact I'd have been prepared to put my lefty on it.

Sadly a lot of [censored] ( injury ) happened and we bombed out. Albeit by a bugger all margin.

If it's not this year - it might be a very long wait .... again!

58 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

We have certainly wasted the last 2 years 

I think 22 was forgivable, last year we let ourselves down massively in the finals........and before anyone says we only just lost those games.......please think first.........Collingwood pantsed us in the first quarter and a half and then we gagged in front of goals like a 12 year old trying to ask their first crush out on a date but just can't.........Carlton.......FME....we should of beaten them by 6-8 goals in a canter but played undisciplined, scared to lose football............injuries didn't lose us the either of those games.

7 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

I think 22 was forgivable, last year we let ourselves down massively in the finals........and before anyone says we only just lost those games.......please think first.........Collingwood pantsed us in the first quarter and a half and then we gagged in front of goals like a 12 year old trying to ask their first crush out on a date but just can't.........Carlton.......FME....we should of beaten them by 6-8 goals in a canter but played undisciplined, scared to lose football............injuries didn't lose us the either of those games.

That’s 4 Home Finals in a Row…..

56 minutes ago, tiers said:

No.

2022 was crueled by injuries and we did not allow for recuperation and recovery during the season.

2023 was crueled by losing Petty and Melksham (who surely would have been worth 1-2 goals) and the illegal hit on Angus that affected our options in the first week of the finals.

Maysie was right - we are as good as them. Let's hope that better injury management and greater fortune with the timing of injuries will enhance our prospects for this year.

Absolutely spot on.  A series of unfortunate facts that many doomsayers either ignore or choose to forget.  (see Kane Kornes).  With a bit of luck with injury this year and the new blood, I reckon we will be OK.

"Gone with the wind" is very real!

Sounds a lot like "my mate Shannon worked at the Dees so i liked them - now he doesn't they're done". Slow news day.

1 minute ago, HarpenDee said:

Sounds a lot like "my mate Shannon worked at the Dees so i liked them - now he doesn't they're done". Slow news day.

AFL Media in a nutshell

There are only two leaps in our demographics which we need to overcome; Gawn and May.

It is unfortunate that Jackson left (booooo) and that our veteran forwards stumbled enough to make Petty to forward a near-compulsory move in 2023. Otherwise I'd say succession for both positions is well covered.

Ont he bright side, we have a wave of drafted talent coming through which would normally be associated with a bottom-4 team and I suspect an equally surprising salary cap position by the end of 2024.

Given our recruiting record over the last 5 years I'm confident that we can rise to the challenge of targeting two very specific roles with perhaps a 3-year delay before any other positional needs become urgent.

1 hour ago, tiers said:

No.

2022 was crueled by injuries and we did not allow for recuperation and recovery during the season.

2023 was crueled by losing Petty and Melksham (who surely would have been worth 1-2 goals) and the illegal hit on Angus that affected our options in the first week of the finals.

Maysie was right - we are as good as them. Let's hope that better injury management and greater fortune with the timing of injuries will enhance our prospects for this year.

It takes a lot to go right to win a flag, so whilst there was some elements out of our control, who’s to say it doesn’t happen this year and next too.

If we come out of this era with only one flag, I would barely consider it a success.

1 hour ago, Little Goffy said:

There are only two leaps in our demographics which we need to overcome; Gawn and May.

It is unfortunate that Jackson left (booooo) and that our veteran forwards stumbled enough to make Petty to forward a near-compulsory move in 2023. Otherwise I'd say succession for both positions is well covered.

Ont he bright side, we have a wave of drafted talent coming through which would normally be associated with a bottom-4 team and I suspect an equally surprising salary cap position by the end of 2024.

Given our recruiting record over the last 5 years I'm confident that we can rise to the challenge of targeting two very specific roles with perhaps a 3-year delay before any other positional needs become urgent.

I see it similar to Mooney. I think we have one left in us and it would need to be this year...

If luck is with us then we are a better than good chance.

Gawn & May are going to be hard to replace and their best footy is nearer the end than the start.

The unknown is what we have coming through. Will Adams be up to replacing May long term???will JVR be a star???Tholstrup the next Trac??? Windsor the reincarnation of Robbie???

I think we think we have a longer time at the top...I hope we are right but I doubt it.

I hope the FD is more realistic than the Board/Management.

One thing we don't want to be doing is hanging around 5 to 10...that's the death seat.

If we can't get a spike from picking up a star FA or 2 and the kids coming through then we're better off doing a Hawthorn (after a false start thinking they could defy the odds) and moving on.

Edited January 10, 20241 yr by rjay

Whilst we've got Jason Taylor as head of recruiting, we'll be more than competitive

His strike rate is fantastic and for years most of us were bemoaning the lack of quality on the list.  Many of those years we were bereft of talent and now look at us!

With a full list to pick from, we've got good players who are not in everyone's best 23

'07 - '14,  where was the talent? 

Years ago many here would have had Tholstrup & Windsor starting the season in the seniors. Now, we can afford to be patient

And it all comes down to talent and how many good players you've got.  Then it's easy to coach & administrate

So we've worked our way into a great position and windows can stay open for more than a decade (e.g. Cats,  Swans,  Pies)  

We can stay at or near the top for at least the next 5-6 years

12 minutes ago, Macca said:

Whilst we've got Jason Taylor as head of recruiting, we'll be more than competitive

His strike rate is fantastic and for years most of us were bemoaning the lack of quality on the list.  Many of those years we were bereft of talent and now look at us!

With a full list to pick from, we've got good players who are not in everyone's best 23

'07 - '14,  where was the talent? 

Years ago many here would have had Tholstrup & Windsor starting the season in the seniors. Now, we can afford to be patient

And it all comes down to talent and how many good players you've got.  Then it's easy to coach & administrate

So we've worked our way into a great position and windows can stay open for more than a decade (e.g. Cats,  Swans,  Pies)  

We can stay at or near the top for at least the next 5-6 years

...but you've got to have the star power 'Macca'

Oliver is now an unknown.

Trac is a star but closing in on 30.

Max of course but nearer the end.

May same as Max.

Geelong hung around and finally got a flag but their star power came from free agency with Danger and Cameron added to what they already had in Selwood and Hawkins.

Luck ran with them in 2022.

The Swans have been hanging around but haven't pulled off a flag in a long time.

The Pies finally got one after a pretty big & courageous shake up.

Looks like we will be cashed up at the end of this season...will we be able to lure a Danger or Cameron type to the club?

Will one of our kids be the next superstar?

I think this year is our big chance, after that there are a lot of unknowns.

7 minutes ago, rjay said:

...but you've got to have the star power 'Macca'

Oliver is now an unknown.

Trac is a star but closing in on 30.

Max of course but nearer the end.

May same as Max.

Geelong hung around and finally got a flag but their star power came from free agency with Danger and Cameron added to what they already had in Selwood and Hawkins.

Luck ran with them in 2022.

The Swans have been hanging around but haven't pulled off a flag in a long time.

The Pies finally got one after a pretty big & courageous shake up.

Looks like we will be cashed up at the end of this season...will we be able to lure a Danger or Cameron type to the club?

Will one of our kids be the next superstar?

I think this year is our big chance, after that there are a lot of unknowns.

Free agency?  We can play that game too.  Is that the next Jason Taylor episode?

Gawn & May fair enough but we'll find another ruckman as we've had a rich history in the rucking position

May?  That's a toughie but maybe Petty after a couple of years up forward.  He's still only 24

Petracca has got another 5 productive years as has Oliver.  Same for Gus and watch out for Sparrow to take it a level up.  Rivers continues to improve.  Salem will find his mojo

Lever is 27 ... there's another 5 years of good footy from him coming up

Windsor & Tholstrup?  Both could be stars.  JVR as well but he's got to get on the lead

Plus of course, our ongoing stellar recruiting through the draft and through trades

We're in great shape for the future.  Past 5 or 6 years, who knows?  But no point getting worried about 2029 just yet, rjay!

The Swans, Pies & Cats are constantly thereabouts or in contention

We can do the same!

4 minutes ago, Macca said:

We're in great shape for the future.  Past 5 or 6 years, who knows?  But no point getting worried about 2029 just yet, rjay!

I'm taking it one year at a time 'Macca'...

2024 with a bit of luck going for us is our year.

Just now, rjay said:

I'm taking it one year at a time 'Macca'...

2024 with a bit of luck going for us is our year.

Yeah, us supporters can't get ahead of ourselves as it will filter through to the club and then they'll start drinking their own bathwater!  

Seriously, it would be a boring old world without speculation with regards to sport (footy in particular)

It's what we do

2 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

That’s 4 Home Finals in a Row…..

I changed my mind. Cbf arguing with someone who’ll continue to mention this at every possible opportunity  

 

Edited January 10, 20241 yr by WalkingCivilWar

Yes.  Case(ment) closed.

Fullarton has height but no weight with mediocre showings at the Bears.  The other recrits are mid-sized.

There is say, a forty percent chance of either Brown and TMac of regaining their mobility but more unlikely than likely.

We have not got ourselves a "game changer" since Petracca and Oliver.

The game plan is highly susceptible in key games

Can we win it from 6 in 2024 ?

1 minute ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Don’t you ever get tired of pointing this out? Serious question. I mean, ffs… enough already. You weave this into pretty much every discussion on DL. We all know only too well: four consecutive home final losses, consecutive straight sets exits etc., etc., bloody etc. 🙄 

 

What do you want me to do about it? Forget it, brush it under the Carpet maybe?

IT IS A DISGRACEFUL STATISTIC 

so, no i won’t forget it 

Losing to The Filth and Carlton in consecutive weeks….