6 hours ago, rjay said:

I'm not so bothered by the culture 'bin'...

I always find that talk a little flimsy with all clubs.

Of course if we don't perform well on field this season then the C word will be all over here and the media.

It's going to be a tough year.

We are 5+ down before we start the season.

2 will not be back.

2 are pretty much done for, Tommy and BBB.

Melk is out for at least half the season.

Who knows how things will pan out for Clarry.

Petty can't get on the park.

It's going to be tough, good culture or not.

List management might be an interesting discussion.

There have been some puzzling decisions the last couple of seasons.

Well the mid year draft will be a godsend if we use it right. 

9 hours ago, Young Blood said:

Instead of being dismissive why don't you enlighten us of these other leaves on fire besides Clarry, Smith and now I suppose the heartbreak of Gus that might have some influence on the group.

If you've got some facts spill the tea old Roost it! Or is it more speculation?

We’re not allowed to discuss the other things going on. I respect that.

Our list is quite a distance from a flag atm

The 'culture' thing ain't helping

14 hours ago, Lexinator said:

Time to bring back this classic. 

 

I do think Strawbs is a bit too old to help MFC   maybe Jeelong,

but he was a favorite

15 hours ago, Lexinator said:

Time to bring back this classic. 

 

Let's not get carried away Lexinator.

14 hours ago, binman said:

"There's two teams out there today and only one of them's playing footy"

Great pick up! Love it!

14 hours ago, binman said:

We have to wait 18 years?

18 years?! Pfff! Peanuts - we've waited 57 before! No - I believe that the great avenger is already a Dees player - in the midst of adversity, people with character come to the fore!

9 hours ago, rjay said:

I'm not so bothered by the culture 'bin'...

I always find that talk a little flimsy with all clubs.

Of course if we don't perform well on field this season then the C word will be all over here and the media.

It's going to be a tough year.

We are 5+ down before we start the season.

2 will not be back.

2 are pretty much done for, Tommy and BBB.

Melk is out for at least half the season.

Who knows how things will pan out for Clarry.

Petty can't get on the park.

It's going to be tough, good culture or not.

List management might be an interesting discussion.

There have been some puzzling decisions the last couple of seasons.

Its a fair call that.

The season hasn't started and we are a fair way behind the eight ball.

Some of it with Bbb and Tmac our own fault. 

Most of it not though.

Gus having to call it a day is a tough one.

We still have fwd issues that we saw in the praccy match.

Now we have problems in the middle.

I don't feel all that confident anymore.

I think we will make the eight but that's all.

I don't think it's negative, I just think the club has been complacent . We lost 22 due to an injury depleted fwd line and didn't do much about it.

And then the same thing happens the following year. What have we done?

Maybe Jvr will smash it this year and Petty will have a great run.

But this seems to be a big case of hopeful maybes.

1 hour ago, leave it to deever said:

Its a fair call that.

The season hasn't started and we are a fair way behind the eight ball.

Some of it with Bbb and Tmac our own fault. 

Most of it not though.

Gus having to call it a day is a tough one.

We still have fwd issues that we saw in the praccy match.

Now we have problems in the middle.

I don't feel all that confident anymore.

I think we will make the eight but that's all.

I don't think it's negative, I just think the club has been complacent . We lost 22 due to an injury depleted fwd line and didn't do much about it.

And then the same thing happens the following year. What have we done?

Maybe Jvr will smash it this year and Petty will have a great run.

But this seems to be a big case of hopeful maybes.

It wasn’t just the forward line in 22 that had injuries while playing it was spread over about a dozen players. 

Some development and improvement will be vital from some players and new recruits a success in their roles in our system. Plus few injuries for good luck. 

17 hours ago, buck_nekkid said:

Reading all of the hand wringing about the Demons as we head into 2024 is enough to make me spew.  Honestly, can we be as big a basket case as we are being reported as?  The demons have huge challenges and massive messaging headwinds just to get to the starting line.

Today I got contacted about the Demon draw raffle - I’m in immediately.  I might break my oath to never bet on sport and choose dees for top 4, GF and premiers.

When you put coal under pressure you make diamonds.  We are under pressure now but I remain all in.

C’mon Dees, stick it up em all and take the flag!

You lost me at “massive messaging headwinds”

i get enough of that corporate BS talk at work 

56 minutes ago, DubDee said:

You lost me at “massive messaging headwinds”

i get enough of that corporate BS talk at work 

Ok, hows about “a desire by all the media to pile on and drool at any sign of failure, and ignore good stuff we do”.  Like Goody saving a life in the surf, etc.  that clearer?  Sorry toi trigger you re work.

13 hours ago, rjay said:

I'm not so bothered by the culture 'bin'...

I always find that talk a little flimsy with all clubs.

Of course if we don't perform well on field this season then the C word will be all over here and the media.

It's going to be a tough year.

We are 5+ down before we start the season.

2 will not be back.

2 are pretty much done for, Tommy and BBB.

Melk is out for at least half the season.

Who knows how things will pan out for Clarry.

Petty can't get on the park.

It's going to be tough, good culture or not.

List management might be an interesting discussion.

There have been some puzzling decisions the last couple of seasons.

Whatever happens there will be handwringing and unfortunately to many are so driven to want change overnight they can’t see subtle change.

Lets not gild the lily we are not currently in a great place injury wise or with the off field issues relating to some of our players. 
I like many of our fan base have been around a long time and seen a lot of footy and still love the game and to be involved in it. It’s a cliche but I stand by the things are never as good as they seem and are never as bad as they seem.

The media and many here seem to forget the club is aware of some of the issues at hand. There was outrage at the thought of the club trading Clarry and some were going to walk away from the club. Was that the moment when the club drew a line in the sand and whilst the JS revelations this week are not ideal we may be already down the road to beginning to address those things.

I personally recall being quite happy towards the end of 2020, whilst we didn’t make finals after2 losses against Sydney and Freo, there were big signs of how good we were looking defensively and there were some smart (not many) footy people who thought we’d be top 5 in 21 if we stayed healthy.

We know how that ended and whilst this year will be challenging, injuries, suspensions and retirements bring opportunities as we’ve seen before. Sometimes they take 30-50 games to really bear fruit but they all start somewhere.

I don’t accept mediocrity and I never consider us top 4 certainties. I understand the game and the peaks and troughs it brings. Whatever will be will be in 2024 and any issues in the playing group will certainly be addressed and action will be taken. 
Its going to be fascinating 

Yep, @Pennant St Dee.

I reckon a few need to perhaps disengage from the mainstream media and AFL media.

I personally don't have the headspace atm, which is handy, because until the season starts and we get a few rounds in, we really won't get a good read on things.

Intangibles like culture are bandied around all the time. Collingwood had seemingly huge issues, even as late as last year, their premiership year.

The perception can turn like that.

I don't personally believe off field issues play a great role in a team's ultimate success. But I do think luck and injury play a huge role.

If we're to do well this year, we need our best players on the park at the right time. If we get that, have some luck go our way as well, we can win the flag.

Let's leave the self pity until we've at least got a read on the season. And even then, things can turn. Think Carlton last year and Collingwood the year before.

We still have the best midfield, one of the best interceptors of the modern game in Lever, one of the best full backs and Fritta and Kozzy. If Petty gets on the park consistently with JVR, that'll make a huge difference.

Let's hope backs to the wall suits us.

Edited February 23, 20241 yr by Binmans PA

6 hours ago, Roost it far said:

We’re not allowed to discuss the other things going on. I respect that.

Really 🙀

2 hours ago, buck_nekkid said:

Ok, hows about “a desire by all the media to pile on and drool at any sign of failure, and ignore good stuff we do”.  Like Goody saving a life in the surf, etc.  that clearer?  Sorry toi trigger you re work.

ha! no my bad. i’m sensitive this week. dead set gutted about Gus

agree with your post 👍🏻

22 hours ago, 3183 Dee said:

To paraphrase Paul Kelly: “They say the darkest hour is right before the dawn. And in the hour of the greatest slaughter, the great avenger is being born.”

Resurgam

Problem is 3183, it will be at least 18 years before we get our hands on him!

(sorry Binny, didn’t see your post.)

Edited February 23, 20241 yr by Neil Crompton