The team selection was digging deep in to the coffers the last few weeks. No May, Lever, Trac, Oliver, Windsor Viney tagged out of the game, Fritta being quiet, Bowey injured early ish has its impact. 
 

enough to be optimistic next year. 

Losing Lever before the game with gastro didn't help.

But still very disappointing to end the season in a whimper.

Especially with so many vile and disgustingly obnoxious Collingwood supporters gleefully laughing at us.

It's very difficult to respect the Melbourne Football Club at the moment too.

We really have a soft and weak minded underbelly which needs rectified.

I would of liked to see an all-in brawl and for Brayden Maynard the horrid thug to get knocked out. Unfortunate it didn't happen. At least Kozzie got Darcy Moore in accidental contact. A little bit of pay back for Christian Petracca at least.

Edited August 23, 20241 yr by Supreme_Demon

Well, so it ends.

From the Oliver trade story 11 months ago, into Joel Smith, into copping a fixture that we now can see was as difficult as could be, into Gus, we had an off-season we all wanted to believe we'd put behind us, but which ultimately wrecked us before we even set foot onto the SCG for Opening Round.

At the absolute least, the capitulation from 6-2 and 4th on the ladder after Round 8 to 11-12 and in the bottom 6 with a sub-100% percentage tells us that we do not have the right list, coaching staff and general approach to contend, so it forces us to change. We can't sit still, make list changes at the fringes, and go again.

Already seen a stack of posters going on about getting a key forward. That's not the number one issue. The number one issue is, and has been all year, our midfield. Even assuming Trac and Clarry get back to their peak levels next year, we don't have enough depth or support through the middle, nor do we have anywhere near enough quality ball users. We need a complete re-think of how we approach the midfield in 2025.

After the midfield, I don't want an A-grade forward as much as I want a cheap third tall who can ruck and therefore allow us to stop rucking JVR. It's wasting his development. I don't hate Petty as a forward as much as others (although I find it hard to run that argument when we gave him 20 games this year for 9 goals) but if the consequence of getting a proper second ruck is that we have to play Petty back, that's not exactly a bad thing. 

And the other thing I care about? Our fitness. We didn't have repeat soft tissue injuries but we also didn't look fit enough for most of the year. We won just 10 of our 23 fourth quarters, which is a shadow of the side we were in 2021-23. Whatever approach we took to fitness this year failed IMO. 

Let's celebrate the wins of the year (getting Windsor, Rivers in the middle, McVee again (but not as a mid), Gawn's hopeful 7th AA jacket) but acknowledge that on most measurements this was a failure.

Wouldn't be surprised if Tracc may be gawnsky with a no show on 7 tonight and sitting way at the back with hoody on when BBB was being cheered off.

Almost hiding.

Not looking good.

Go Saints.

Go Suns.

[censored] off 2024.

I hate the filth, but they do have a game plan and system that all the players know and execute well, because they are skilled and smart footy players. Yes they won't be in finals but they'll own us for years to come and be back up the ladder next year. Us not so sure .

The chocco Williams kicking academy is worse than Trump University

Edited August 23, 20241 yr by Bates Mate

6 minutes ago, Deelectable said:

Spot on. And let's reverse the situation and all the aforementioned playing at their best with the Daicos boys missing and or two others absent. Result flipped? You reckon? Most definitely.  Funny how so many see the ' jumper' and nothing more. What if 18 blokes were missing? Would the remainder be slated for an insipid performance? It's just embarrassing how injury to key players does not factor into peoples/ pundits minds.

And if my auntie had balls she would be my uncle, does not excuse skill, football awareness an ability to man up stick tackles make all the excuses you want because if we continue down the same path kiss next year away and we will be doing a North and Hawks path quicker than you think, and if one really thinks about it giving Viney and Gawn extensions when there was no need to was just a solidarity feel about it.

Booing Maynard was cathartic. And it put him off his game. He is already a bog ordinary footballer, but boy did he stink it up tonight. 
I hope we boo him like that for the rest of his miserable garbage career. 

A gutless thug. 

Pooh-trid

Tomlinson lovers - come at me 

Definitely looking at pick 6 with a chance of pick 5

Which is so much better than pick 10

Reload for next year

5 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Wouldn't be surprised if Tracc may be gawnsky with a no show on 7 tonight and sitting way at the back with hoody on when BBB was being cheered off.

Almost hiding.

Not looking good.

maybe give the bloke a break as he is struggling mentally?

6 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Wouldn't be surprised if Tracc may be gawnsky with a no show on 7 tonight and sitting way at the back with hoody on when BBB was being cheered off.

Almost hiding.

Not looking good.

Firstly he wasn’t hiding he was standing behind May and he was smiling and clapping. Let’s not make up things. 
 

8 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Wouldn't be surprised if Tracc may be gawnsky with a no show on 7 tonight and sitting way at the back with hoody on when BBB was being cheered off.

Almost hiding.

Not looking good.

Maybe he's not ready to front the press and even if he wanted to go they should make a stand don't trade him till Tasmania come in full stop but I don't think that's the case.

Edited August 23, 20241 yr by demon3165

12 minutes ago, Deelectable said:

Spot on. And let's reverse the situation and all the aforementioned playing at their best with the Daicos boys missing and or two others absent. Result flipped? You reckon? Most definitely.  Funny how so many see the ' jumper' and nothing more. What if 18 blokes were missing? Would the remainder be slated for an insipid performance? It's just embarrassing how injury to key players does not factor into peoples/ pundits minds.

Delusional take. We played them on Kings Birthday with a third if their team out and they still killed us. It's about mindset, they have the right attitude we fall to water when it counts. Yeah we can beat up on a soulless Suns team but can we apply the same pressure/aggression against a Pies team with their rabid supporters screaming from the stands?

Some of the efforts to ight were deplorable, many of them when the game was still alive early. They were not the only culprits but Bowey and Fritsch were two notable ones who just [censored] themselves at the thought of contact.

It's actually embarassing the way we continue to have our pants pulled down by this mob. We've beaten them twice since 2017 and one of those games was at the Gabba. What does it take for us to say "no more" we will not let this mob roll over us anymore!?

It has nothing to do with gameplan, footskills, turnovers etc and has everything to do with mindset and aggression at the opposition and the contest.

List needs a re-tool. Bring on the off season

15 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

Oh so one game he was in the midfield twice another for one game and played against GC and you call that a midfield role? 

He's been given a bigger midfield shot than Laurie. Undeservedly. 

If you genuinely think McVee shows promise as a mid, I'm not going to bother arguing with you. 

29 minutes ago, ANG13 said:

Adam is getting to much thanks. 

Sorry… I have no idea what this means.

Just now, fr_ap said:

He's been given a bigger midfield shot than Laurie. Undeservedly. 

If you genuinely think McVee shows promise as a mid, I'm not going to bother arguing with you. 

Good saves my breath then.

1 minute ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Delusional take. We played them on Kings Birthday with a third if their team out and they still killed us. It's about mindset, they have the right attitude we fall to water when it counts. Yeah we can beat up on a soulless Suns team but can we apply the same pressure/aggression against a Pies team with their rabid supporters screaming from the stands?

Some of the efforts to ight were deplorable, many of them when the game was still alive early. They were not the only culprits but Bowey and Fritsch were two notable ones who just [censored] themselves at the thought of contact.

It's actually embarassing the way we continue to have our pants pulled down by this mob. We've beaten them twice since 2017 and one of those games was at the Gabba. What does it take for us to say "no more" we will not let this mob roll over us anymore!?

It has nothing to do with gameplan, footskills, turnovers etc and has everything to do with mindset and aggression at the opposition and the contest.

You said it. Thankyou. 

The happy clappers can get [censored]. We are consistently bullied by this club and show nothing. 

A dismal performance by a disinterested and untalented group of players who were poorly coached by an individual who is completely clueless about modern ball movement and structures. 

Unfortunately the club seems convinced that overturning a few close losses is all that is keeping us from contending, when the reality is that we are light years from consistently competing with the better sides. 

Either through the draft, trades or internal improvement, we need to find 7-8 additional quality players by round 1 to hope to be competitive in 2025. Fronting up with the same tired, ageing group will guarantee a bottom 4 finish. 

27 minutes ago, BDA said:

i enjoyed booing Maynard all game.

If the ghost of Norm Smith had any real spiritual heft he would’ve aimed a lightning bolt right at Maynard 😂

10 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Firstly he wasn’t hiding he was standing behind May and he was smiling and clapping. Let’s not make up things. 
 

He pulled out of the 7 interview.  Could've put the naysayers, media nuffies and speculation to bed in 2 minutes and chose not to.  You have to wonder why that doesn't happen.

He's a grown maturing man and a leader of the team who is now back at the club and should be capable of speaking for a few minutes by now surely.

Edited August 23, 20241 yr by Demon Dynasty

12 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Absolutely this.  2025 is most likey more of the same trash if we think we "just need a big pre-season and get the boys fit & healthy".

Without significant change to systems, game style, skills, pressure (4 quarter effort) and a big win at the draft / trade table... bottom 6 looms large.

Too many very ordinary or worse footballers on this list right now.

Agree except for change to systems. What system? Watching Collingwood tonight, they were operating like a well oiled machine, rapid and constant ball movement, they instinctively know where to run, where to put the ball to their team’s advantage. Anyone know what we are trying to do? If you do know, please tell the players. 

At least I can tell my grandkids I was there when Jack Billings kicked a goal for the dees.