2 hours ago, Lexinator said:

There is some weird irony here, given Zurich is a sponsor partnership with Melbourne. 

You could cut the irony with a Rex Hunt fish cleaning knife.

On 07/08/2024 at 20:38, DemonOX said:

If we only win one more game this season I want it to be against those brainless and  entitled collywobble [censored]. They are my most hated team even more so after the Gus incident. 

Agreed - and it would be even better if they still held out some hope of top 8, and we could KO them.

On 04/08/2024 at 19:59, Jaded No More said:

This incident has totally changed how I feel about this game. Something died in me that night. 
It still eats at me what that POS did and how he got rewarded for it. 
 

I hope Gus finds his peace ❤️

I absolutely get this, Jaded.  There are a few in Demon Army, including WCW, who knows how close I came to walking away from the game.  It weighed on my mind all summer, and to be frank I think there are elements that still affect me.  I absolutely love and support the club, but my feelings towards AFL and the AFL media is still absolutely rock bottom.

Gus was the glue that bound the team together both with his onfield leadership and experience

But his role as a holding/defensive midfielder gave us a real advantage as playing that role is quite unique

His vigour and physical presence at the back of the midfield was another factor

When he is ready, he'll be ideally suited to some sort of coaching role

A line coach as a minimum but he'd be nigh on perfect as a midfield coach

Sadly missed as a Demon player

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by Macca

He's probably exactly what we need as a midfield coach.

On 04/08/2024 at 21:52, praha said:

Last year's finals really broke me. I hope this crop can recover and bounce back next year. 

This is something of a recurring theme for a few of my Melbourne supporting mates. 

A couple have detached from footy completely and can't engage with the game at all anymore after that Collingwood final. These are longtime fans and members who'd regularly attend games in Melbourne.

Almost like a version of PTSD.

 

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by ChaserJ

1 hour ago, Young Angus said:

He's probably exactly what we need as a midfield coach.

You may be too young to remember but we once had a top line midfielder in Laurie Fowler* who played his role (ruck rover) in a very similar way to Gus

He was hard at it, tackled hard, had very good defensive skills and got heaps of the ball.  Our coach at the time (Bobby Skilton) put Fowler into the middle as our centreman, Greg Wells, wasn't renowned for his defensive skills (although Wells was a dynamic attacking midfielder)

Laurie won 3 Bluey's and was a coaches dream

I can imagine that the person who misses Gus the most is Goodwin

 

*Laurie also played as a back pocket and will also be remembered as the player who shirt-fronted John Nicholls in the 1973 GF (playing for Richmond)

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by Macca

46 minutes ago, ChaserJ said:

This is something of a recurring theme for a few of my Melbourne supporting mates. 

A couple have detached from footy completely and can't engage with the game at all anymore after that Collingwood final. These are longtime fans and members who'd regularly attend games in Melbourne.

Almost like a version of PTSD.

 

Really?

Sure it was an unpleasant evening at the footy, but one game shouldn’t ruin their footballing experience forever.

53 minutes ago, ChaserJ said:

This is something of a recurring theme for a few of my Melbourne supporting mates. 

A couple have detached from footy completely and can't engage with the game at aOll anymore after that Collingwood final. These are longtime fans and members who'd regularly attend games in Melbourne.

Almost like a version of PTSD.

 

It's so true, i went to the round 2 game when Essendon pumped us by 152 points with 3 Essendon supporting mates and it ruined footy for me for a good 3 years i reckon. 

even going through the drama we are right now i try to remind myself how much worse it has been.

12 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Really?

Sure it was an unpleasant evening at the footy, but one game shouldn’t ruin their footballing experience forever.

I don't want to exaggerate, but it was about as close as you can get to watching a death happen on the football field. Short of the player actually dying, the Sachse incident would be the only one worse on the scale of impact to the player that I can think of.

Supporters had to watch that unfold with the baying of Collingwood wolves in the bays, then sit powerless as the media and AFL world slipped slowly but surely towards the inevitable acquittal at the tribunal, then watch as the premiership cup was hoisted a few weeks later by the culprit himself, again to the baying of wolves in the bays.

Dreadful and disenchanting in the extreme. I myself haven't recovered from that either. I don't think I'll ever care about football in quite the same way again. It represented a sort of "removing of the veil" moment for me, as if something dark and nasty was revealed about the game I used to love watching.

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by Chook

9 minutes ago, Chook said:

I don't want to exaggerate, but it was about as close as you can get to watching a death happen on the football field. Short of the player actually dying, the Sachse incident would be the only one worse on the scale of impact to the player that I can think of.

Supporters had to watch that unfold with the baying of Collingwood wolves in the bays, then sit powerless as the media and AFL world slipped slowly but surely towards the inevitable acquittal at the tribunal, then watch as the premiership cup was hoisted a few weeks later by the culprit himself, again to the baying of wolves in the bays.

Dreadful and disenchanting in the extreme.

I fully agree with your sediments. I still struggle with what happened to poor Gus that night. I don’t think I will ever get over it and will never attend another Collingwood match. 
I cannot even fathom how distressing this must have been for Gus’s family and his teammates. 
A piece of me broke that night and I cannot look at footy the same way.
 

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by jane02
Edit

53 minutes ago, Macca said:

You may be too young to remember but we once had a top line midfielder in Laurie Fowler* who played his role (ruck rover) in a very similar way to Gus

He was hard at it, tackled hard, had very good defensive skills and got heaps of the ball.  Our coach at the time (Bobby Skilton) put Fowler into the middle as our centreman, Greg Wells, wasn't renowned for his defensive skills (although Wells was a dynamic attacking midfielder)

Laurie won 3 Bluey's and was a coaches dream

I can imagine that the person who misses Gus the most is Goodwin

 

*Laurie also played as a back pocket and will also be remembered as the player who shirt-fronted John Nicholls in the 1973 GF (playing for Richmond)

 

2 minutes ago, John Crow Batty said:

 

I don't believe Laurie was reported either

Nor Neil Balme who put McKay, Waite & Southby into tomorrow land

I've got Carlton mates who to this day, have never forgiven those Richmond thugs for what they did that day

A different game back then

The Blues took a while to get going again but they when they did, they won 3 flags in 4 years ('79, '81 & '82)

Also of note is that Carlton went out in straight sets in 1975 & 1976 (including 3 narrow losses)

So there's hope for us yet!!

31 minutes ago, Chook said:

I don't want to exaggerate, but it was about as close as you can get to watching a death happen on the football field. Short of the player actually dying, the Sachse incident would be the only one worse on the scale of impact to the player that I can think of.

Supporters had to watch that unfold with the baying of Collingwood wolves in the bays, then sit powerless as the media and AFL world slipped slowly but surely towards the inevitable acquittal at the tribunal, then watch as the premiership cup was hoisted a few weeks later by the culprit himself, again to the baying of wolves in the bays.

Dreadful and disenchanting in the extreme. I myself haven't recovered from that either. I don't think I'll ever care about football in quite the same way again. It represented a sort of "removing of the veil" moment for me, as if something dark and nasty was revealed about the game I used to love watching.

Spot on

And the online comments. Unrepeatable. Something is seriously sick when gus cops the blame for that in any way. And yet, that's the discourse if you go reading people's comments.

10 minutes ago, Macca said:

I don't believe Laurie was reported either

Nor Neil Balme who put McKay, Waite & Southby into tomorrow land

I've got Carlton mates who to this day, have never forgiven those Richmond thugs for what they did that day

A different game back then

The Blues took a while to get going again but they when they did, they won 3 flags in 4 years ('79, '81 & '82)

Also of note is that Carlton went out in straight sets in 1975 & 1976 (including 3 narrow losses)

So there's hope for us yet!!

That was a brutal game. A high hip and shoulder in the play wasn’t a reportable offence then no matter the hurt I believe. 

16 minutes ago, Chook said:

I don't want to exaggerate, but it was about as close as you can get to watching a death happen on the football field. Short of the player actually dying, the Sachse incident would be the only one worse on the scale of impact to the player that I can think of.

Supporters had to watch that unfold with the baying of Collingwood wolves in the bays, then sit powerless as the media and AFL world slipped slowly but surely towards the inevitable acquittal at the tribunal, then watch as the premiership cup was hoisted a few weeks later by the culprit himself, again to the baying of wolves in the bays.

Dreadful and disenchanting in the extreme. I myself haven't recovered from that either. I don't think I'll ever care about football in quite the same way again. It represented a sort of "removing of the veil" moment for me, as if something dark and nasty was revealed about the game I used to love watching.

I'm with you on this Chook.

I've never looked at the game the same way since either.  That day and outcome changed the way i see the entire AFL.

I now just see it as a conpletely fabricated / massaged competition where the outcomes and general direction are being pushed by the authorities to produce preferred outcomes wherever possible.

4 minutes ago, John Crow Batty said:

That was a brutal game. A high hip and shoulder in the play wasn’t a reportable offence then no matter the hurt I believe. 

I believe you are right

They came down hard on the use of the elbow back then though

But with Balme's 3 round arm king hits, he wasn't reported on the day and there was no reports via video

Think I'm right in saying that Matthews king hit 4 Demons but never got reported and never got weeks for those 4 thug acts

3 hours ago, Macca said:

Gus was the glue that bound the team together both with his onfield leadership and experience

But his role as a holding/defensive midfielder gave us a real advantage as playing that role is quite unique

His vigour and physical presence at the back of the midfield was another factor

When he is ready, he'll be ideally suited to some sort of coaching role

A line coach as a minimum but he'd be nigh on perfect as a midfield coach

Sadly missed as a Demon player

Very well put. Of all the hurdles our club has faced this year, losing Gus Brayshaw is the biggest, in my opinion. It has clearly devastated the playing group as, not only was he an outstanding, brave player on the field, but clearly the glue that bound the playing group and brought everyone together. Add to this, the imminent departure of ANB  means that our recruiting team have one helluva job ahead of them: not only to get hold of quality players,  but they will ned to be exceptional leaders as well.

3 minutes ago, Macca said:

I believe you are right

They came down hard on the use of the elbow back then though

But with Balme's 3 round arm king hits, he wasn't reported on the day and there was no reports via video

Think I'm right in saying that Matthews king hit 4 Demons but never got reported and never got weeks for those 4 thug acts

Round arm swings or clothe line whacks were rarely if ever reported. Only became a reportable offence after Rod Grinter flattened Terry Wallace. 

20 minutes ago, 3183 Dee said:

Very well put. Of all the hurdles our club has faced this year, losing Gus Brayshaw is the biggest, in my opinion. It has clearly devastated the playing group as, not only was he an outstanding, brave player on the field, but clearly the glue that bound the playing group and brought everyone together. Add to this, the imminent departure of ANB  means that our recruiting team have one helluva job ahead of them: not only to get hold of quality players,  but they will ned to be exceptional leaders as well.

You are right

ANB's role is not easy to replace either.  High half-forward with enormous stamina and an ability to get to contest after contest

Gus' role as in defensive midfield role with a physical presence along with decent aerial skills, the same

Those who follow the league closely (I don't) could probably put forward a few names that we could possibly trade for

Draftees?  Identifying 2 similar types is difficult when considering how under 18 footy is played

Or we change our style of play to accommodate players with different skillsets? 

Although I wonder if Windsor could play that high half-forward role?  Looks a likely type

 

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by Macca

1 hour ago, Macca said:

You may be too young to remember but we once had a top line midfielder in Laurie Fowler* who played his role (ruck rover) in a very similar way to Gus

He was hard at it, tackled hard, had very good defensive skills and got heaps of the ball.  Our coach at the time (Bobby Skilton) put Fowler into the middle as our centreman, Greg Wells, wasn't renowned for his defensive skills (although Wells was a dynamic attacking midfielder)

Laurie won 3 Bluey's and was a coaches dream

I can imagine that the person who misses Gus the most is Goodwin

 

*Laurie also played as a back pocket and will also be remembered as the player who shirt-fronted John Nicholls in the 1973 GF (playing for Richmond)

My favourite player at the time.

29 minutes ago, loges said:

My favourite player at the time.

Fowler wore the number 9 and Flower was #2 and even though they were very different players, I'd often think one was the other and vice-versa

He didn't mind the rough stuff either and wasn't to be trifled with

I was at Vic Park in the last round of 1976 when Wearmouth knocked Laurie out in the first minute of the game ... we won the game but just missed the finals (half a game)

But the Filth won their first spoon that year after we inflicted that loss on them 

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by Macca

20 minutes ago, Macca said:

Fowler wore the number 3 and Flower was #2 and even though they were very different players, I'd often think one was the other and vice-versa

He didn't mind the rough stuff either and wasn't to be trifled with

I was at Vic Park in '76 when Wearmouth knocked Laurie out in the first minute of the game ... we won the game but just missed the finals

The Filth won their first spoon that year after we inflicted that loss on them 

Laurie was number 9 and I had his number on my jumper. 

I share the sentiments of many of you. My love of footy hasn't been the same since what happened to Gus.

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by Hellaintabadplacetobe

2 hours ago, ChaserJ said:

This is something of a recurring theme for a few of my Melbourne supporting mates. 

A couple have detached from footy completely and can't engage with the game at all anymore after that Collingwood final. These are longtime fans and members who'd regularly attend games in Melbourne.

Almost like a version of PTSD.

 

Yeah something died that night. Obviously when you love the game and the club a big drop off can still make you appear to be a keen fan of the sport to others, but I've totally backed off this year. Barely watch more than one game a week, no footy media, few footy conversations. There's just a limit to how much I can take of this organisation now and plenty more that life has to offer.

I've never had it in for Maynard but my beef is completely with the AFL. To not only fail to uphold the rules they created for severe and careless concussion, but to tick off the defense that Brayshaw could have deviated his running path and was thus responsible for his own concussion and retirement??

I rarely go the dogmatic approach on these things but this organisation appears to be fraudulent and has no interest in doing anything about head trauma and ongoing effects. My partner's father who played for the Dogs in the early 70s currently suffers from head trauma symptoms and insomnia. He's mates with Mark McClure who the HS reported a few days ago as suffering from early onset dementia. I want people involved in the game to actually start giving a damn about the remainder of life stuff. As for the thickwit Collingwood and other footy fans who were worried that the game they love where the big men fly and KO each other, would you like to look your son/daughter/grand kids in the eye and suffer from conditions like this?

The game doesn't have 50 years left it, hell it doesn't have 30 years left at this rate. Moment in time..

 

13 minutes ago, Hellaintabadplacetobe said:

Laurie was number 9 and I had his number on my jumper. 

That's right, he was #9

Maybe it was something else that had me link the 2 together

Henry Coles wore #3 (before that #13) in 1979/80 and I mainly remember Henry as I would often run into his old man in the standing room area in the old Southern Stand

Henry could really roost a torpie on occasions and he didn't mind a scrap!

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by Macca