Curious as to when people knew that 2024 was all over for them.

I suspected we were not going to make finals all the way back after the R3 win over Port Adelaide.  Our midfield got absolutely smashed that game and I have no idea how we actually ended up winning.  But of course, I wasn't sure, just shocked.  Getting the two wins in Adelaide papered over the cracks.  Then Brisbane beat us on the MCG and my suspicions deepened.

The loss to West Coast R10 was a bad omen ... but sometimes teams just have a bad one and the oppo play really well ...

It was the demolition by Fremantle in R12 that ended season 2024 for me.  Fortunately I was away o/seas for the middle part of the year and I didn't have to watch that debacle.  I'm having bad flashbacks to 2019 and 2020 ever since.

Kings birthday

When Trac came off Kings Birthday. 

When Grundy was let go for a Mc Happy meal.

When 15 people were still in rehab as late as February.

47 minutes ago, Frosticles said:

It was the demolition by Fremantle in R12 that ended season 2024 for me

Same 

When we lost to the Giants by 2 points a few weeks ago. It finally sunk in then. 

Friday, 15 September, 2023 at around 10:20pm.

After part 1 of the Fremantle horror show.

20 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Friday, 15 September, 2023 at around 10:20pm.

That still hurts. 

When Clarry makes one of the great comebacks of all time, get's a standing ovation from the crowd when he comes to the bench

Breaks his hand the following week and as good as he is can't win the following week with one arm tied around his back.

His season never recovers.

I don't know if you can re-do surgery on a hand but if you can I know back Clarry

Rnd 5 vs Brisvegas was the canary.

Rnd 10 vs the Eagles we just fell apart against a badly out-of-form team who had more intent and wanted it more.

Soon as Lever went down we juat seemed to look disinterested with May having a shocker also (probably still carrying rib/back issues at that point?).

Teams also know that if they switch and play possession against us for long enough they can pick their way through our leaky grass minding and eventually launch to a dangerous spot or hit up quick / smart leading options inside 50.

SG rarely goes man v man very often to arrest momentum for some reason.  And not saying many teams do that across the ground but they'll have a core group doing it, usually to make sure key oppo players are covered plus the corridor options.   The rest still guarding grass during these attempted 'lock' periods.

I also tthink oppos know we don't bat very deep through the middle without Gus and especially after the loss of Tracc and an out-of-form under done Clarry.  I'd suggest any team would struggle trying.to cover three similar problems in their midfield though.

But what that weakness does is, it encourages them to keep up the tackle / pressure, maybe put a run with on Vines if needed and have some quick zippy HBers running off the square for receives after the 666 bounce and Bob's your uncle.

We also try and cover Max with JVR through the middle which has been a fail all seaaon for mine as it robs JVR of the energy and focus that he should be directing into a solely KF role, robs us of the structure he provides as that KF and also doesn't really work as he rarely wins hit outs to advantage.

As i harped on about all season,  we should've at least trialled Fullo in the JVR chop out role for a short block to see how things went with JVR staying forward.

This also could've allowed Petty to go back again and he then covers McVee off who may have been able to be slowly blooded as another rotation through the middle.

Petty in the ruck was also mostly a big fat fail.  And should've been either dropped to Casey to help find form early in the season or moved back under the above trial scenario imv.

Edited August 13, 20241 yr by Demon Dynasty

1 hour ago, Nicko said:

Same 

Yep. 

In December I thought top 4 was out of the question.

After KB I thought that finals were out of the question. 

37 minutes ago, Wrecker46 said:

When Clarry makes one of the great comebacks of all time, get's a standing ovation from the crowd when he comes to the bench

Breaks his hand the following week and as good as he is can't win the following week with one arm tied around his back.

His season never recovers.

I don't know if you can re-do surgery on a hand but if you can I know back Clarry

Yep a season to forget and just got worse as the weeks rolled on.

Back to the old mantra "there's always next year!"

1 hour ago, At the break of Gawn said:

After part 1 of the Fremantle horror show.

It was part 2 for me. The optimist in me was hoping thay part 1 was a bad patch of form but part 2 showed teams had worked us out comprehensively. 

Pre season for me, too much noise and rumblings. Thought absence of Gus and Clarrie would have a devastating impact.

When Grundy pulled Gawns pants down in Rd1.
1st 2 clean hitouts to swans advantage in the game TBH.

 

Edited August 13, 20241 yr by Fork 'em

The eagles game was when my grieving for the season started. King’s birthday was the final nail.

Round 12 Alice Springs, watching from the Diamond Creek Hotel with a group of the only Fremantle supporters in the state sitting behind me. What a day.

Approx. 11.59pm on the 31st of December 2023...

But probably brayshaws retirement unfortunately. Tough to come back from that from both and on and off field sense

Fremantle drubbing.

There was something off about the players that day. Almost like a statement was made.

When Brayshaw was medically retired 

When Gus was longer able to play.

Edited August 13, 20241 yr by Jibroni

Gus's retirement announcement made me worried after the off-season from hell we'd just dealt with.

Going down to the tigers in the preseason family day game was perturbing.

When we completely stopped in the last quarter in opening round against the Swans, I had a sinking feeling, but was prepared to put that down to the humid conditions.

When Brisbane completely outplayed us I should have known.

But the nails in the coffin were the WCE loss and the 90-point Freo spanking. It was clear then that our new game plan had fallen apart. That was when I really noticed handballs going to empty space and frustrated players yelling at each other for not being where they should have been. 

The transition from a happy camp where players were smiling and celebrating small acts like desperate spoils as a unified team to what we've seen in the 2nd half of this season has been depressing.

Edited August 13, 20241 yr by gs77