Crunch Time

[Sir Why You Little 36,458]

This playing list has hit the wall. Changes are needed, both in procedures and personal 

This next month will show us what Goodwin is really made of, because we are at The Crossroads right now. That effort yesterday was listless and boring. 
Has the list got any fire in the belly?

It’s Round 10, so the Season is not done, but that performance yesterday, looked like a Team that was out of fuel….

long weeks ahead for the Coach and his Assistants 

[Red But Mostly Blue 4,378]

It's one of those line-in-the-sand games. 

Teams are allowed to lose. It's normal. But we were bullied by a bottom 4 team - who will finish bottom 4. The midfield were owned by a 9-gamer. Behind closed doors, they should feel like the ego took a solid hit, because it did. We came off a 10-day break and had no excuses not to come out and torch them. 

SO

What does the team stand for? Is it about respect? Because none was earnt yesterday. It eroded some of what we have done. Because our regular poor starts, and wasted chances show we haven't learned anything.

Whatever we do this week has to be sustained from here on in. Not only because the last two losses (wasted against the Blues because we turned up in 4Q, and yesterday...) mean we are now behind the pack - so we have to win tough games, but also because the yoyo-ing through respect and waste/embarrassment is seriously tiresome.

Of all the teams in the league, we always seem to play 'inspired' opposition, even if they're battling. And the honest reason is because they see us as beatable - with good reason. We start slow. Take teams for granted. Waste chances. Our best and worst is light years apart. We essentially have created this circumstance. The only way to end that is to stamp it out by 4 QUARTER FOOTY EVERY WEEK, and respect for our opposition.

So, whatever we do against the Saints - will, and should be the year ahead, if we're serious about respect/another flag.

[Little Goffy 13,903]

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your bingo cards.

I've already got "Crunch Time", "Line-in-the-sand", "What do we stand for", "hit the wall" and a capitalised "at The Crossroads". Plus "Play the kids" from another thread title.

 

 

[Kent 2,822]

We have been at crunch time for 3 years

Over confident poor list management and we really believe we are full of stars and play like it!

Rebuild time in my view.

[John Crow Batty 8,731]

1 hour ago, Red But Mostly Blue said:

It's one of those line-in-the-sand games. 

Teams are allowed to lose. It's normal. But we were bullied by a bottom 4 team - who will finish bottom 4. The midfield were owned by a 9-gamer. Behind closed doors, they should feel like the ego took a solid hit, because it did. We came off a 10-day break and had no excuses not to come out and torch them. 

SO

What does the team stand for? Is it about respect? Because none was earnt yesterday. It eroded some of what we have done. Because our regular poor starts, and wasted chances show we haven't learned anything.

Whatever we do this week has to be sustained from here on in. Not only because the last two losses (wasted against the Blues because we turned up in 4Q, and yesterday...) mean we are now behind the pack - so we have to win tough games, but also because the yoyo-ing through respect and waste/embarrassment is seriously tiresome.

Of all the teams in the league, we always seem to play 'inspired' opposition, even if they're battling. And the honest reason is because they see us as beatable - with good reason. We start slow. Take teams for granted. Waste chances. Our best and worst is light years apart. We essentially have created this circumstance. The only way to end that is to stamp it out by 4 QUARTER FOOTY EVERY WEEK, and respect for our opposition.

So, whatever we do against the Saints - will, and should be the year ahead, if we're serious about respect/another flag.

Yeah,  the self satisfaction and self congratulating was evident after the Gather Round and Geelong win. 

[roy11 3,614]

38 minutes ago, Kent said:

We have been at crunch time for 3 years

Over confident poor list management and we really believe we are full of stars and play like it!

Rebuild time in my view.

Hopefully we go less moneyball this offseason with the trades and can snare a key puzzle piece. 

[Wells 11 5,234]

7 minutes ago, roy11 said:

Hopefully we go less moneyball this offseason with the trades and can snare a key puzzle piece. 

definitely thoughts are travelling to the off season now arent they!

[Red But Mostly Blue 4,378]

51 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your bingo cards.

I've already got "Crunch Time", "Line-in-the-sand", "What do we stand for", "hit the wall" and a capitalised "at The Crossroads". Plus "Play the kids" from another thread title.

 

 

haha yeah there certainly is that bingo card feeling to all of this, and I myself used one of them. But honestly, I don't know what else there is right now? We kind of are at a point where we make or break the season (another one for you lol), because this loss, and the way we played, aren't acceptable for a team who wants to be taken seriously . We can't win a final(s) with such inconsistent displays - not only because our worst is so bad and our best not often/sustained for long enough, but also because every team will always feel they have a chance. 

I grew up watching us get hammered by the titans of the eras (Hawks and Cats notably) and always going into games knowing it was a loss - because they had the record and aura of being untouchable - and against us and pretty much across the board they were. I don't recall ever feeling there was always a sniff against the Cats or Hawks. They got beaten, sure, but they had to be beaten - they didn't really beat themselves in the manner we seem to be so good at.

[ElDiablo14 4,818]

2 hours ago, Red But Mostly Blue said:

It's one of those line-in-the-sand games. 

Teams are allowed to lose. It's normal. But we were bullied by a bottom 4 team - who will finish bottom 4. The midfield were owned by a 9-gamer. Behind closed doors, they should feel like the ego took a solid hit, because it did. We came off a 10-day break and had no excuses not to come out and torch them. 

SO

What does the team stand for? Is it about respect? Because none was earnt yesterday. It eroded some of what we have done. Because our regular poor starts, and wasted chances show we haven't learned anything.

Whatever we do this week has to be sustained from here on in. Not only because the last two losses (wasted against the Blues because we turned up in 4Q, and yesterday...) mean we are now behind the pack - so we have to win tough games, but also because the yoyo-ing through respect and waste/embarrassment is seriously tiresome.

Of all the teams in the league, we always seem to play 'inspired' opposition, even if they're battling. And the honest reason is because they see us as beatable - with good reason. We start slow. Take teams for granted. Waste chances. Our best and worst is light years apart. We essentially have created this circumstance. The only way to end that is to stamp it out by 4 QUARTER FOOTY EVERY WEEK, and respect for our opposition.

So, whatever we do against the Saints - will, and should be the year ahead, if we're serious about respect/another flag.

Unfortunately their current form makes all their speech after the Carlton loss feel like empty shallow words.

They say they want us to win one at the G and celebrate with the Dees faithful... Actions speak louder than words.

[Dee*ceiving 1,578]

Outside of a key forward we've got enough kids in the team that haven't fully matured yet (Windsor, McVee, JVR, Howes, Woewodin) and a couple at Casey (Kolt, Sestan, Verrall) that should still come on. 

Unfortunately losing Brayshaw has hurt a lot, exacerbated by not retaining Jordon. Plus Smith. Both were not replaced. 

And for whatever reason we've not been able to lure a key forward which hurts us now. 

The two straight set exits were supremely disappointing (2022 more disappointing than 2023 IMV) but, we easily could have won both those finals last year with a touch more luck and Angus not in hospital. 

[Dee*ceiving 1,578]

If we are not looking like contenders come the bye, I think it would be time to

• trial a couple more kids
• trial some more positional moves 
• play Petty in a role that will maximise his value for trading 
• Avoid running Max and May into early retirements