22 minutes ago, D4Life said:

The coaches aren’t kicking for goals!

Correct but goes deeper than that our presser turnover has dropped off, our marks inside 50, who’s our danger marking fwd ?? our mids are not what they were, call it game plan, call it ageing and or injury certainly Trac not the same Oliver has dropped off, Viney he’s given everything but he’s not the elite, game plan coaching, we have gone from Yze to Mcqualter both senior coaches now to Jones & no disrespect but the 2 before him coached under 2 coaches who won 7 flags.. it seems as though the strategy is to improve the list via the draft and Finnish outside the 8 rather than trading in exp talent like the cats, pies, lions who are challenging but what would they know!

I know that we kicked poorly in the first and I wasn’t expecting a win over there but we were right in the game, we bought intent and a hard edge to the game, I started to think we could win this. In the second we took control of the game and could have been a lot further ahead with a little bit of luck. They on the other hand started to get their hands on the ball and had a lot of luck plus their big loud booing crowd egging them on. The game ebbed and flowed, Max and Rick both received heavy hits that slowed them down, Disco had his eye split and both sides started making pressure related mistakes particularly with their handballing and field kicks. They deserved the win But it could just as easily have been ours, had we taken our chances. I was on my phone following the Casey game at the same time so it was two close games that got away from us within a couple of hours. Very disappointing indeed, however we are not far off the pace and hopefully if we maintain this level of endeavour we can win a few on the run home.

2 hours ago, DubDee said:

We kick straight in the first Q we would be 6 goals up at HT and we win

pathetic kicking from straight in front

Correct!

30 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

unlike in Star Wars where there was a new hope, with us it is just

nope there is no hope

This is more like Revenge of the Sith.

Feels like you can insert Oliver or Petraca in Anakin's role... "You were the chosen one..."

1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Yet another game we should have won, but didn’t

Nothing changes with Goodwin & Co

Not Fit enough above the shoulders…

The Football Department needs a serious clean out

At the coaching, fitness and player level.

Bar a few cameos for maybe a quarter or a bit more, this team is unwatchable now and full on amature performances have become the norm whenever the oppo turns up a bit of heat. We crumble like a house of cards.

So easy to beat under any reasonable pressure.

Simon has us still trying to save games when 3 to 4 goals down with 10 to 15 mins to go.

Then there's Simon's inexplicable decision to play an unfit fumbles Lever ahead of our 2nd best defender (prior to being dropped) in T-Mac.

Senior players which need to be seriously considered for trade at year's end in order to start the rebuild...

❌️ Viney - Too slow, getting caught far too often, doesn't kick goals and can't hit a target by foot. Almost always plays on and panic kicks in straight lines into the F50

❌️ Clarry - Sadly not a patch on the pre 2024 champion. Can play out a quarter or two but that's it. No tank to keep it going beyond that and zero ability to go with his oppo after half time in any defensive sense or just get back inside D50 to help out & intercept (on occasions).

❌️ Fritsch - A shell of the premiership player of 2021. Wants the easy ball out the back almost always. Refuses to work off his opponent and lead up at the carrier, mostly always running back to the goals hoping for a long over-the-top kick for the joe-the-goose. He's become a cheap selfish player that doesn't do the team things often enough including in a two way coverage pressure sense. Too easily beaten in one v ones i50 and up the ground as well. Downhill skier at best.

❌️ Tracc - where do you start. Often just nowhere near it in general and a massively flawed panic stations footballer with ball in hand now. Is he a chance to ever get back to the pre-injury rampaging player we once knew? I guess anything's possible but 2026 has to be the turning point surely!

❌️ Lever - There's no point intercepting if all you have in your kitty is down-the-line long bombs and, when under heat, continually panic handballing straight back to the oppo for easy turnover goals

Depth / fringe 22 with occasional looks at AFL level when they knock the door down at Casey...

Chandler - a good ordinary footballer who always starts the season well but peters out by about Rnd 8 - 10. Looks busy and is handy at times but just doesn't do enough to justify automatic selection in the 23. Rarely kicks goals after about Rnd 8 for whatever reason.

Players on the fringe / Coin flip. Personally i would trade and/or delist the lot at years end bar Sharp who has shown something on occasions, albeit he has also been bog ordinary on many other occasions.

IMV these players are all flawed footballers in their own way...

Sharp* last chance saloon 2026

JVR - One trick pony whose hands / athleticism simply aren't good enough to justify a regular spot. 2026 or bust.

Salem - Constantly getting caught / fumbling or being beaten in most one v ones now. Great servant, ever appreciative of the 2021 flag year plus other VG performances over the years but time to move on.

Jeffo - Year four and we are still looking at a player who looks like he's in his first year. A handy VFL player at best.

Sparrow - Doesn't have many weapons apart from the occasional goal when he gets away from his opponent. Gets beaten by opponent in one v ones far too often and can't play through the middle ie; mostly ineffective when he does. Aside from the occasional opportunistic goal, what else does he bring?

Hore - Never gets on the park. Can't stay there when he does and just doesn't impact enough at AFL or VFL level

Fullo - delist (Casey list only if he wants to stay on it)

Edited July 6Jul 6 by Demon Dynasty

1 hour ago, Demons11 said:

Let’s move our best defender, what an awesome idea 🤐

TMac was our best defender before Goodwin decided he wasn't the Future. So yeah smart Alec it'sa great idea. Turner is better than any fwd we have and TMac can go back

30 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

I know that we kicked poorly in the first and I wasn’t expecting a win over there but we were right in the game, we bought intent and a hard edge to the game, I started to think we could win this. In the second we took control of the game and could have been a lot further ahead with a little bit of luck. They on the other hand started to get their hands on the ball and had a lot of luck plus their big loud booing crowd egging them on. The game ebbed and flowed, Max and Rick both received heavy hits that slowed them down, Disco had his eye split and both sides started making pressure related mistakes particularly with their handballing and field kicks. They deserved the win But it could just as easily have been ours, had we taken our chances. I was on my phone following the Casey game at the same time so it was two close games that got away from us within a couple of hours. Very disappointing indeed, however we are not far off the pace and hopefully if we maintain this level of endeavour we can win a few on the run home.

This list from the AFL site would support your observations, as do I.

Kozzie aside, we desperately need more scoreboard impact from our smaller forwards. The stats are a bit grim

Chandler: 11 goals from 16 games (granted he's stepped into more of a midfield role of late)

Sharp: 8 goals from 13 games

Tholstrup: 2 goals from 7 games

Henderson: 2 goals from 5 games

Spargo: 1 goal from 9 games

Even Petracca's scoreboard impact has dried up in the past month.

Despite how grim this season has been I thought I might continue my love fest for Kozzie. How good is this guy? The biggest knock on his game in previous years was his inconsistency but 20+ possessions and 2 goals minimum have almost become a norm for him this season.

I will be seething if he doesn't at least make the AA squad of 44.

Here is the Stats Files post:

I've said before that I don't mind losing these games as long as we are trying to develop the game style.

But was this the style? Does anyone know? Did we use the corridor at all?

I was pleased that they stuck to what was clearly an instruction with the uncontested marks. We had double the uncontested possesions of Adelaide by half time. However we clearly don't have the fitness to play this kind of style all game. The fitness battle of AFL footy was in full affect today with Burgo on one side and systematic Selwyn on the other. Far too often we have finished quarters like garbage and the 2nd quarter of today was no exception.

Good performances were ok but looking for positives in most of them is a fruitless exercise. Apart from Viney, May and possibly Turner no-one really put together a full 4 quarter performance today. When the pressure was dialled up on the 2nd we didn't go with them, and probably couldn't.

I would like to see a new head of football. We need new ideas. I would like to see them hire new fitness staff. Whether Goodwin is here or not the coaching staff needs a revamp. I cant say that Troy Chaplain has been a success as forwards coach.

Not the worst loss out of the last 5 (ouch). What are we actually playing for? Otherwise just start the trip early.

20 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

TMac was our best defender before Goodwin decided he wasn't the Future.

Jesus H Christ.

TMac was a decent 3rd defender, nothing more.

And Goodwin doesn't have to decide he isn't the future, he isn't the future. End of.

5 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

TMac was our best defender before Goodwin decided he wasn't the Future. So yeah smart Alec it'sa great idea. Turner is better than any fwd we have and TMac can go back

Aside from Kozzy and Melk. Def our best tall forward prospect (at this point). Handy down back and can be played there anytime to good effect.

But absolutely no reason why we can't trial him forward for the remainder of the season. Nothing to lose and better to cross this off as an option (yeh or neh) well before commencing proceedings in 2026.

Our second best (tall) defender this season in T-Mac can't get a game under Simon though. Who for some perplexing reason, prefers to play an alternative out-of-form Lever. A player that probably cost us at least two goals directly from his clangers today (possibly more).

No reason why you couldn't bring in T-Mac and move Turner for a trial run forward for the remainder of the season. Won't happen under Goodwin though.

3 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Aside from Kozzy and Melk. Def our best tall forward prospect (at this point). Handy down back and can be played there anytime to good effect.

But absolutely no reason why we can't trial him forward for the remainder of the season. Nothing to lose and better to cross this off as an option (yeh or neh) well before commencing proceedings in 2026.

Our second best (tall) defender this season in T-Mac can't get a game under Simon though. Who for some perplexing reason, prefers to play an alternative out-of-form Lever. A player that probably cost us at least two goals directly from his clangers today (possibly more).

No reason why you couldn't bring in T-Mac and move Turner for a trial run forward for the remainder of the season. Won't happen under Goodwin though.

Poor TMac probably playing his last games of professional footy and actually being decent, then inexplicably he fades in the background after Goodwin drops him for no apparent reason.

I really liked the effort today but structurally it was frustrating to watch. We compress the ground so much making it small because our forwards push up the ground so far. Honestly it is so frustrating because it doesn’t suit our skill set. If we held some forwards back it would open up space for us to go fast on transition. We don’t have the depth in quality of ball users to play a possession game. It’s rope a dope football. Let us chip it around wait for the inevitable turnover then get us going the other way. Leave JVR deep forward with Melksham and a small as a minimum to straighten us up and allow us to go quick without overusing the ball and gives space for them to lead into. Not interested in honourable losses when we keep shooting ourselves in the foot.

1 hour ago, Pirlo said:

How about Viney scoring a try and not being pinged?

I don't think anybody understands that rule including the players or umpires.

The Oliver ones were blatant free kicks to him.

The deliberate rushed behind rule is a lottery. Viney was lucky, I think. But how can you tell? They pay the decision about twice a year and was bought in to stop players kicking back through the goals to resest

4 minutes ago, Dee Viney Intervention said:

I really liked the effort today but structurally it was frustrating to watch. We compress the ground so much making it small because our forwards push up the ground so far. Honestly it is so frustrating because it doesn’t suit our skill set. If we held some forwards back it would open up space for us to go fast on transition. We don’t have the depth in quality of ball users to play a possession game. It’s rope a dope football. Let us chip it around wait for the inevitable turnover then get us going the other way. Leave JVR deep forward with Melksham and a small as a minimum to straighten us up and allow us to go quick without overusing the ball and gives space for them to lead into. Not interested in honourable losses when we keep shooting ourselves in the foot.

This hasn't changed in four seasons DV.

Surely that tells you something!?

2 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

This hasn't changed in four seasons DV.

Surely that tells you something!?

Couldn’t agree more. Did we really need to radically overhaul the way we play? All I wanted was to sort out the front half of the ground. Mid to forward connection and forward line functionality. What do we look like ahead of the ball when in possession . This is the missing link It shouldn’t take 3 years to do. Goody is even saying it’s a results based industry and our results speak for themselves. I think change is necessary I just hope it’s done respectfully.

21 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

Poor TMac probably playing his last games of professional footy and actually being decent, then inexplicably he fades in the background after Goodwin drops him for no apparent reason.

… that you know of. That any of us know of.

You really think Goody dropped Tmac on a whim? For sch!tts & giggles? For no good reason? Think about it… why tf would he drop Tmac if there wasn’t a valid reason?

Just because you don’t know the reason doesn’t mean there is no reason.

1 minute ago, Ghostwriter said:

… that you know of. That any of us know of.

You really think Goody dropped Tmac on a whim? For sch!tts & giggles? For no good reason? Think about it… why tf would he drop Tmac if there wasn’t a valid reason?

Just because you don’t know the reason doesn’t mean there is no reason.

Go ask Goodwins mum then.
She might know.

Edited July 6Jul 6 by Fork 'em

11 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

… that you know of. That any of us know of.

You really think Goody dropped Tmac on a whim? For sch!tts & giggles? For no good reason? Think about it… why tf would he drop Tmac if there wasn’t a valid reason?

Just because you don’t know the reason doesn’t mean there is no reason.

That's why I said no apparent reason to the outside lookers. TMac was playing very consistent and mature footy.

Even try him fwd to help JVR and/or Jeffo. Big body can take the main defender.

This picture tells the story absolutely.

Timeline 1: 11:44. On the replay for those playing along at Home.

I was sitting right behind Lever here.

Harvey was pleading for him to give the handball over the top, which, you can see, would have resulted in a beautiful overlap down the wing and probably a goal.

We still had them on the ropes at this stage, and needed to play fast and put their back line under pressure. That’s how we kicked the first five goals of the second quarter.

Jake has no confidence in himself and his decisions/skills. Instead of the handball, which would’ve been easy, he kicked backwards to Disco who then kicked it back to him – for him to just bomb it long to a contest.

It looks like the Young players know what is required – it is mainly the old heads that need a good kick in the [censored].

Its time for a clean out and has been that way for atleast 2 seasons now

5 hours ago, Clintosaurus said:

Umpiring as good as ever

This arvo we had the "fool me once and fool me twice" by the cheating maggots.

First they tried doing a snow job on the good kick, but just grazed the post, and was picked up by one of our players and strangely took an eternity to be found to be a point.

Then we had the fool me twice. Same field maggot in charge, called a mistake by Brown, after dismissed. ALL OF SUDDEN EVERYTHING STARTED GETTING BLURRED. NO ADDITIONAL ANGLE and a goal in error was the result.

4 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Agree with this. I think our problems are more Coaching than players.

Coaching includes Fitness and Hi Performance Staff. We are not prepared to a High enough Level.

Players who are totally focused do not miss the shots we had at Goal in the First Quarter

You’re blaming the coach for our players not being focused on kicking the red football between the big posts..?

You’re hilarious!