5 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

The final 10 games starts with Port Adelaide (before the bye), followed by GC and Adelaide post-bye, all away. I’ve never seen a side have three consecutive road trips (whether or not including a bye). It’s a brutal month.

We then get North, Carlton, St Kilda and West Coast, before closing with the Dogs, Hawthorn and Collingwood.

Even if we do win the next 3, having to go 7-3 from the rest seems very difficult IMO.

But for me, let’s just see how we go tomorrow. As good as last week was, and even respecting that we’ve gone 4-1 over the last 5 weeks, a loss tomorrow will flip these sorts of threads back into “sack Goodwin” and “omg we don’t have a first round pick” again.

it will be very difficult

to make it we can only lose 3 games from here. tall order

but we've won 4 out of 5 and won at the Gabba so i'm much more optimistic than i was 3 weeks ago

I don't see how we pull this back. Still have the Pies twice, Dogs, Suns, all in-form teams, plus Adelaide at home where they're doing well etc. On top of that, we can't afford to stumble against teams like Carlton or St Kilda (twice), yet alone Hawthorn.

If we're in the conversation, great, but going to need a LOT of luck.

Letting those last few lazy goals in today didn't help our percentage either.

Courtesy of AFL.com.au:

7) The Dees of 2025 are tracking like the Lions of 2024

Eleven rounds into the 2024 season, eventual premier Brisbane was just finding its feet, with four wins and some burgeoning momentum. It came home with a wet sail to become simply unstoppable and this year, Narrm is treading that same path. Its emphatic 53-point win over Sydney on Sunday was its fifth of the season - from the past six games - and evidence of its damaging, difficult-to-defend fresh brand. Slick handballs, hardness at the contested ball, and an unwavering ruthlessness in its defensive actions, Narrm is back in a big way. Can they follow Brisbane's path and go deep into September? - Gemma Bastiani

Thanks Gemma, couldn't have said it better myself. 👏 Anything can happen this year.

The trajectory is upward and the new game style is taking shape. Well done, Goody and co.

Blips will come, but we have to stay the course.

45 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Letting those last few lazy goals in today didn't help our percentage either.

Late goals: Sydney 2, Melbourne 1. And that was after we kicked four in a row.

37 minutes ago, bing181 said:

I don't see how we pull this back. Still have the Pies twice, Dogs, Suns, all in-form teams, plus Adelaide at home where they're doing well etc. On top of that, we can't afford to stumble against teams like Carlton or St Kilda (twice), yet alone Hawthorn.

If we're in the conversation, great, but going to need a LOT of luck.

Letting those last few lazy goals in today didn't help our percentage either.

Fans wants us to run out games, and when well up keep piling on the goals.

Which is faire enough, we all love the sugar hit of goals.

But if the aim was to increase our percentage then the best way to achieve that goal would have been to park the bus, suck time out of the clock, deny them scoring opportunities and not worry about scoring ourseves.

Thats to say NOT allow the game to become the shoot out It became.

But no fans want that.

Edited May 25May 25 by binman

We need to belt St.Kilda next week 70+ and keep them under 60 points.

We’re ahead of where Brisbane and Hawthorn were at the same stage last year.

We’re unrecognisable from the team that went 0-5. That run included being flogged by the hopeless North Melbourne - there’s no way we would see a result like that if we played that game now. We are not the same side. We have cohesion, the side is settled, our style is established and all our best players are back and at or near their best.

We’re 5-1 on form, and arguably the form side or the comp. I can’t see why we couldn’t maintain a W-L ratio like that on the run home. Optimistic perhaps, but I’m all in.

Bring it on, losers. The Demons are coming.

I still think we are dead for this year but I am loving the improvement we are showing and how good is winning. I think Goodwin and his coaching team need to be acknowledged for turning this around. It certainly helps when your best players are playing well. Bring on the Saints.

We have all the tools to go on a run, except the finishing for goal may cost us against better sides.

There have been some very insightful posts on this thread. And many without being derogatory. I often feel out of my depth when I read some posters analysis and comprehension so it's always good to learn things here. (And I'm not having a dig at our coach with this comment )

But I do appreciate the time some people take to share their knowledge so that others can understand and evolve in their own understanding. The podcast is excellent for this.

I know I have, a little.

And #Adamthegod, for the record, you were right and I was wrong.

Laziuras is up and about for sure.

I guess people are more considerate and patient when the team is up. And it's good to look forward to games again. In my shame I've tried Nrl watching and no matter how much, I can't really enjoy it.

I guess the old adage of changing your jobs, religion and wife but footy codes is true.

The pulse is getting stronger

It is hard to fathom that this is the same side who struggled to kick 6-7 goals in the first 5 rounds, with basically the same personnel

What ever the problems were, they have been ironed out

Can the momentum continue?

Saints are up against it, form lines suggest we win.

Pies will be a great test.

What do we, Collingwood (1st), and Gold Coast (3rd) have in common, distinctly from the other 15?

4 wins from the last 5 rounds.

As is often said in these hallowed halls,

"Just sayin'"

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/1791042/rd-11-goodwin-post-match-media-conference?videoId=1791042&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1748174040001

He is a bloody impressive coach. Particularly, his response at 8.38.

This bit in particular - "...but we're not gonna change our process away from not talking about outcome. It's just not helpful to anyone...".

This will hold us in such good stead moving forward.

It's basically the new "re-set".

Psychology is such a huge part of coaching, player management and the modern game, and Goody is a master of this. @Engorged Onion

I know the percentage is way different but the Dees have now only lost one more game than the Western Bulldogs, who some are tipping to win the flag...

Food for thought.

Edited May 25May 25 by Chook

7 hours ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

We need to belt St.Kilda next week 70+ and keep them under 60 points.

Percentage will look after itself if we keep winning. No need to to win by 70+ considering that are 12 games still to play

I cannot believe we find ourselves in this position as we speak.

I, like many others thought our season was done after the Gold Coast game. The North game was just diabolical, but to lose to the Suns in the manner that we did, I then accepted that we were no chance and put the rest of the year down to a development year in getting games into the kids. Credit to Goodwin, I thought he had lost the players at this point.. how wrong was I.

Now we find ourselves a game and percentage out of the top 8!

Whilst I still think we've left our opportunities late with those early losses, I dont think we'll die wondering either.

We have some tough games after the bye, but also some real winnable ones as well. Our system and cohesion is in place, it's now just a matter of executing on game day.

Edited May 25May 25 by dazzledavey36

IMO we'll need to pray for the downfall of GWS or the Hawks to make finals, all the other teams in the 8 look too strong.

Unfortunately we already blew chances to beat both of those teams in what could be '8 point games'.

Still, I'll be happy to challenge for finals and ruin the pick we gave to Essendon.

i think the silver lining in our putrid start is that we can now play without too much expectation.

no one expects us to play finals so we can play with freedom and dare.

its the same energy that propelled the Hawks last year. nothing to lose

its probably the perfect environment to bed in our new game plan as well

go dees

Edited May 26May 26 by BDA

On 20/05/2025 at 10:09, Adam The God said:

This has long been the question mark on Brisbane though. They're arrogant and downhill skiiers. And had they not come up against a mentality weak, choking Sydney, they'd still be flagless after playing so many finals series in recent memories, including in their home state during 2020 COVID.

Brisbane have not only been blessed with Academy accesses, they've been blessed with father sons that can win Norm Smith's straight up.

Their older group though is soft bellied. Think Zorko, Andrews and McCluggage.

They were lucky to make it past the semis, the Giants choked big time against them (and Daniher played out of his skin).

Edited May 25May 25 by Dr. Gonzo

On 14/05/2025 at 23:30, Adam The God said:

@YesitwasaWin4theAges vis a vis not improving our list year on year, I reckon we've had the same strategy as our initial 2013-2015 drafting strategy. Bring in an elite group together and build the team around them.

In 2013-2015, it was Salem, Trac, Gus and Oliver.

We've brought in Windsor, Kolt, Langford and Lindsay in two years. I'm not sold on Kolt, it's clear to me he's not of the same ilk as the other three. However, I hope he'll be an important glue player like Gus was in that group.

I think we should be looking for 1 or 2 more elite picks to join our latest group.

Then, I presume we'll follow the same strategy as 2016-2019, with Lever, May and Langdon, and we'll target some FAs.

Overall though, I think our list is improving, but we need more class in the midfield and better finishers forward of the centre. We need to bring in guys with x factor, who will hit the scoreboard.

I can’t believe how many words u have wasted on this topic ! I think u overlook that we have an elite group of young mids and flankers . Not many clubs have a group like McVee, Bowey, Langford, Lindsay, Windsor, to which I add Rivers and Chandler who are still young . If Tom McDonald, who has had an excellent season, can’t get a game , our defence is strong . Our mids, including several experienced stars , were outrageously good yesterday especially when Kosi on the ball. I agree there are gaps on the forward line, but if JVR can regain form , it would look pretty strong . It’s tough to maintain momentum after such a bad start, but the season is obviously well and truly alive .

A great week to be a Dee.

Won 5. We need. Say. 13. Need another 8 wins percentage is carp.

12 games to go (I think). If we get there we will have won 13 and had 5 losses over those 18 games. Since we first won.

If we get there that will be as good a form run as any other side. It’s easy all we need to do is keep winning. Just like 2021 and Bowey first 17 games. And he is playing brilliantly. Go Dee’s

11 hours ago, Nasher said:

We’re unrecognisable from the team that went 0-5. That run included being flogged by the hopeless North Melbourne - there’s no way we would see a result like that if we played that game now. We are not the same side. We have cohesion, the side is settled, our style is established and all our best players are back and at or near their best.

Summed it up well.

This has come as a complete surprise to me, mainly because the North game seemed like a major milestone on a serious descent. It was an absolute disaster any way you looked at it (I actually think they're building quite a nice list, but they're still a long way off making finals). The Essendon game was almost as bad. Goodwin said in a press conference six or seven weeks ago that things can change quickly. I didn't believe it; I thought the best we could hope for was to grind out four or five dirty wins against mediocre teams and maybe sneak an upset or two. This, though, has been a complete shift.

Anyway, what a thread from @Adam The God! There were definitely good signs in the Hawthorn game, but this still a ballsy declaration.

Finals still seems a long shot to me, but I still reckon we have a really shallow list, so I didn't think we'd make the eight at the start of the season, anyway. I'd love to make finals and see what we can do with far lower expectations than in 22 and 23, but if we don't, establishing a new way of playing, getting games into Lindsay, Langford, Windsor and Tuner (as a permanent defender), washing away some of the stench associated with the 'culture' problems... I think this could end up being a good platform to build something on in 2026 and beyond.

Imagine if we could find a way of keeping Kozzie!

Well isn't this just lovely and unexpected, we're playing well and we have much more than a pulse now which is a great feeling to have back. Whatever happens, we're playing damn good footy and still need to tighten a few things up but good footy is good and we have a really amazing group of experience and youngsters that are working well together and that is important.

Loving the coaching, doing very well, and its great things have turned around a bit for now and vindicated the club which is really my favorite part.

Love the group, lots to be excited about, then imagine adding Jackson to that list too wouldn't that be lovely .

On 24/05/2025 at 14:29, beelzebub said:

You're pretty close I'd say.

By my figuring there's approx a 70% chance a team needs 13 wins this year to secure themselves into the 8. Possible with 12 but a lot of cards need to fall that team's way.

From current that's 9 out of the remaining games.

Not impossible, just rather implausible for mine.

Tomorrow might tell us a lot.

Go Dees

It did indeed tell us a lot.

9 may not be as implausible as first thought.

Back it up Dees 👍