In an absolute world first I've got nothing to say.

29 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Again last night we only used four players at centre bounce (outside the rucks) - Pickett, Trac, Oliver, Viney.

Since quarter time against Gold Coast it feels like we’ve completely abandoned our bye week plan to change it up and instead have doubled down by adding absolutely no one new into the mix.

I assume part of the strategy is the waning late-season fitness of Langford, Lindsay and Windsor, but zero centre bounces, each week, plus no Rivers, plus not bringing in Laurie or Woewodin or Culley or anyone else new just to try, is to me not the right strategy.

Going all in on the same four each week is how we ended up in this hole.

I’m so confused why this keeps happening

Finals out of the question, Goodwin confirming we’re in transition and we’re not running ANYONE else through the centre bounce?

I know centre bounce isn’t everything when it comes to midfield minutes but even then it seems that the usual suspects are still the ones lining up around stoppage

Why isn’t Rivers going in there? Why can’t we give Laurie a few games with midfield minutes to see if he can make it? Langford a few CBAs to get experience

But no I’m sure everything will turn if we just keep playing the same players in there week after week

2 hours ago, Howard_Grimes said:

It's just delusional Melbourne supporter 'woe is us' talk.

We lost the game because we were absolutely awful. Skill-wise, competitiveness.

Unless there was a non-call on a play that would have guaranteed us a goal, put us in front at the last second, it's just pointless to talk about.

We were pathetic. Goody needs to be held to account. Carlton's kids dominated us. Our senior players simply do not care anymore.

I thought we were appalling, especially the first half. I nearly turned off at half time which is unheard off for me. We looked every bit a bottom 4 team. We lost the game with our own ineptitude. But even then, with even-handed umpiring we would have won (bc Carlton are [censored] too). So we lost in two ways. It’s not taking away from our poor game to say the umpires cost us big time. We should have been good enough, however, to beat Carlton even with a leg up from the umps.

31 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Again last night we only used four players at centre bounce (outside the rucks) - Pickett, Trac, Oliver, Viney.

Since quarter time against Gold Coast it feels like we’ve completely abandoned our bye week plan to change it up and instead have doubled down by adding absolutely no one new into the mix.

I assume part of the strategy is the waning late-season fitness of Langford, Lindsay and Windsor, but zero centre bounces, each week, plus no Rivers, plus not bringing in Laurie or Woewodin or Culley or anyone else new just to try, is to me not the right strategy.

Going all in on the same four each week is how we ended up in this hole.

I’m with you on that. I know we want to win games, but likewise if we keep losing the same way you’re not moving forward.

Rivers spent a lot of time training with the mids in the pre season. Yes we’ve had injuries which meant he needed to cover down back, but why not bring Howes in to play his attacking half back role and give him midfield time in the next 4 games? Let him attend some centre bounces, and some stoppages and see if he can take that next step as an inside mid. His body is certainly up for it from a physically stand point, which might not be the case as you say for Lindsay and Langford.

Likewise I would love to see Chin get more time up the ground. Why not swap him with Viney?

Why not go crazy and try Bowey at half forward since we skills going inside 50 are god awful?

We have 4 miserable games left this season. I appreciate Goody saying he doesn’t want to waste time, well doing the same thing every week is wasting time.

I don’t think supporters care if we win or lose now, but they would love to see some balls to wall type moves to spark something. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. But if it does, we can take some away from this miserable season.

3 hours ago, At Least I Saw a Flag said:

I feel especially sorry for the Demon Army members who put so much time and effort into supporting the club.

No need to feel sorry for us, Bingers. We put the time and effort in regardless of how the team’s performing. We’re as gutted as every other fan but that never affects our enthusiasm. Delusional? Maybe. But without fans like us there wouldn’t be a cheer squad and while that might mean squat to other fans, it means everything to our players and they’re who matter most to us.

I watch a lot of different sport, and I’m convinced we are one of the most pathetic sporting organisations in the world. Our executive leadership lack the temerity required to lead us through the junction we find ourselves in. The coaching group are clearly bereft of ideas on how to get the most out of our list and do not drive the standards required to compete. The playing group are not fully invested, evidenced by regular quarters of diabolical levels of effort. The list itself has not evolved in line with how the game is being played post-2021. Our skills are deplorable and our game plan is unconvincing at best. I said a few weeks ago that we are in worse shape than many believe, and that is starting to show. It is nothing short of unacceptable to lose to a under-manned Carlton. That was one of the most crushing losses to date since our spectacular downfall last year and beyond.

The “veil of negativity” has certainly returned to the club, which I think is the most disappointing part of all. The new CEO has his work cut out for him - I hope he has the audacity to do what is required to make us relevant again.

Goodwin has stubbornly said we're still trying to win every game, and won't shut down players, but I'd love us to think ahead to 2026.

I don't think Laurie has what it takes, but give rest of the year to show something in the AFL. It'll either show us something, or give another team something so he can request a trade for his last contracted year.

Johnson has another year. Play him for more AFL exposure. I'd much rather him rucking than JVR.

Adams hasn't done enough to demand a call up, but it's time to see what's there, if anything. Out of contract next year.

Kynan Brown is out of contract. Poor kid played 2 games as the sub. Seems destined for delisting.

We're approaching Cleveland Browns levels of ineptness, only difference is we have no draft capital. Tough times ahead, unfortunately.

1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

Again last night we only used four players at centre bounce (outside the rucks) - Pickett, Trac, Oliver, Viney.

Since quarter time against Gold Coast it feels like we’ve completely abandoned our bye week plan to change it up and instead have doubled down by adding absolutely no one new into the mix.

I assume part of the strategy is the waning late-season fitness of Langford, Lindsay and Windsor, but zero centre bounces, each week, plus no Rivers, plus not bringing in Laurie or Woewodin or Culley or anyone else new just to try, is to me not the right strategy.

Going all in on the same four each week is how we ended up in this hole.

It’s seriously crazy and poor coaching. We have numerous players like Bowey, Rivers McVee, Langdon and Chandler that could all have a go in there to mix it up if the youngsters are to tired.

1 hour ago, demoncat said:

But no I’m sure everything will turn if we just keep playing the same players in there week after week

I think Goodwin genuinely believes this. Or that Kozzie becoming a 95% CBA player is all the change we need to worry about.

2 minutes ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

I think Goodwin genuinely believes this. Or that Kozzie becoming a 95% CBA player is all the change we need to worry about.

And this is the scariest part of our situation

1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

Again last night we only used four players at centre bounce (outside the rucks) - Pickett, Trac, Oliver, Viney.

Since quarter time against Gold Coast it feels like we’ve completely abandoned our bye week plan to change it up and instead have doubled down by adding absolutely no one new into the mix.

I assume part of the strategy is the waning late-season fitness of Langford, Lindsay and Windsor, but zero centre bounces, each week, plus no Rivers, plus not bringing in Laurie or Woewodin or Culley or anyone else new just to try, is to me not the right strategy.

Going all in on the same four each week is how we ended up in this hole.

My take is that aside from Pickett the others struggle to play in any other position. Tracc could play fwd if he could kick but we know thats a hopeless cause.

So we can't afford to have these guys playing anywhere else.

Wouldn't surprise to see Viney and Oilver on the trade table.

13 Premiership players against a team missing 10 of their best 22

Unless we change coaching nothing will change.

16 hours ago, bing181 said:

That's right, because no matter how good or bad the players are it comes down to the coach. Your premise is basically that next week we could put the Casey team on the field and when they lose it's Goodwin's fault.

Simon, we get it. Keep shouting same tripe. We don't believe you are up to it anymore.

17 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

My take is that aside from Pickett the others struggle to play in any other position. Tracc could play fwd if he could kick but we know thats a hopeless cause.

So we can't afford to have these guys playing anywhere else.

Wouldn't surprise to see Viney and Oilver on the trade table.

That may be the reasoning but we’ve barely tried it except for a quarter against a rampant Rowell, Anderson, Miller and Witts midfield, and got so scared we’ve given up.

Unfortunately the appears to be a short term commitment to Oliver and Viney which is preventing us from trialling new blood at centre bounces. Going into 2026 with the same core four as our centre bounce mids is not going to help us.

20 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

My take is that aside from Pickett the others struggle to play in any other position. Tracc could play fwd if he could kick but we know thats a hopeless cause.

So we can't afford to have these guys playing anywhere else.

Wouldn't surprise to see Viney and Oilver on the trade table.

Who would have them?

2 hours ago, doomsday dee said:

Who's McVeigh,never seen him

I haven't much either, lately. Over rated

I thought our average age for our premiership team was quite young.

Apart from our fwd line collapsing, what happened?

Do they just lose their appetite? And if so, why?

17 hours ago, Brownie said:

when May is suspended for a couple of years.

😮😮😮. Did he assassinate the umpire??

1 hour ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

I think Goodwin genuinely believes this. Or that Kozzie becoming a 95% CBA player is all the change we need to worry about.

This... this is what it's all about : Simon's belief.

We sit here and lament the "spin" but I genuinely think he 100% believes in what he's doing. He's able to spread that 'belief' ( at least for now ) to those that make the big decisions.

Shame Blind Freddy is not on the board as he can surely see both the fallacy of this predicament as well as the flaws in the gameplan/coaching to that end.

Goodwin thinks he's on the right track. Sadly it's more like ...

Edited 22 hours ago22 hr by beelzebub

48 minutes ago, monoccular said:

😮😮😮. Did he assassinate the umpire??

David King is calling for 6 weeks now. It's just ridiculous for a straight contest at the ball.

Nothing will be said by the club though

I guess I’m a bit confused what the difference is between the incident May is going to be suspended for and the incident where May got concussed himself…

In both incidents, all involved players are going for the ball, but May will be suspended for a 50/50 ball that he missed by a millisecond where both players are running for the ball, whereas nobody will be suspended for a flying knee straight to the back of May’s skull (which didn’t even result in a mark).

I love a speccy, but if they’re going to pretend to care about player safety, I do not understand how a running flying knee like that one or the one that almost killed Trac last year is currently acceptable but what May did is so vile blah blah blah.

Haynes officially sanctioned for his trip on Jefferson in the 4th quarter.

No free kick paid to Jefferson who would have been 35 metres out on a 45ish degree angle. The scores were 72 to 70 with 4 minutes to play at the time.

4 minutes ago, Random Task said:

Haynes officially sanctioned for his trip on Jefferson in the 4th quarter.

No free kick paid to Jefferson who would have been 35 metres out on a 45ish degree angle. The scores were 72 to 70 with 4 minutes to play at the time.

Yep - and then, in the following passage of play, Clarry tackles the Carlton player holding the ball. Not paid.

30 minutes ago, The Cult of Disco Turner said:

I guess I’m a bit confused what the difference is between the incident May is going to be suspended for and the incident where May got concussed himself…

In both incidents, all involved players are going for the ball, but May will be suspended for a 50/50 ball that he missed by a millisecond where both players are running for the ball, whereas nobody will be suspended for a flying knee straight to the back of May’s skull (which didn’t even result in a mark).

I love a speccy, but if they’re going to pretend to care about player safety, I do not understand how a running flying knee like that one or the one that almost killed Trac last year is currently acceptable but what May did is so vile blah blah blah.

Thanks I was thinking the same thing right.

If the injury is now part of the assessment, May will miss a week through concussion. The Carlton bloke was bloodied but not concussed yeah?