1 hour ago, BDA said:

On Gawn

and i know this won't be popular

Uploading a social media post of your son singing the Carlton song after they've embarrassed you is not funny. And its not cute. Or cuddly. it's embarrassing actually. I thought it demeaned the club and your role as captain

maybe i need to chill a little but it really grated with me this week.

That video is well over 12 months old.

It is not something he has filmed and then posted since our loss to Carlton last week.

Hope that helps.

After 2011, the number 186 took on it's own meaning and meant visceral pain to Melbourne supporters.

Now in 2025, 46 has become a new number that will haunt this club for years.

I've never been more embarrassed to be a Melbourne supporter. I was just lost in a daze when the final siren sounded. I just couldn't believe what happened. I was incredibly disappointed in the outcome of a draw but I couldn't even fathom a loss. How could we lose in 8 seconds?

186 led to a sacking and there just has to be consequences for that loss.

I'm a Trident member and I can't bring myself to not support the club, but by God I would donate more than I can afford for the club to sack Goodwin.

2 hours ago, Mickey said:

You could see JVR was trying to do the right thing with keeping the ball in close in those last fwd50 stoppages. And our dumb leaders kept trying to kick miracle goals out of their [censored], getting the ball in to space.

1 minute ago, BW511 said:

My 8 year old came to me at 3/4 time and said what’s the score, I told him and he asked would Melbourne win?

My answer, it would be a horrible loss if they don’t but it’s probably going to happen.

Wish he’d never asked

I had an experience like that in the 2000 teens sometime against the aints one time.
Melbourne hit the front with 20seconds to go and they running around celebrating like they'd won the game.
My daughter of similar age comes ups, declares there's only 20seconds to go and we'll win.

I said "20seconds darlin', anything could happen."
Bounced the ball, straight outta the middle and Montagna into an open goal.

Seen it all before.
Far too regularly.

Edited 6 hours ago6 hr by Fork 'em

At least we’ll always have 2021

And each other

And the therapy bills

Amirite? 🤣🥲

1 minute ago, Fork 'em said:

I had an experience like that in the 2000 teens sometime against the aints one time.
Melbourne hit the fron with 20seconds to go and they running around celebrating like they'd won the game.
My daughter of similar age comes ups, declares there's only 20seconds to go and we'll win.

I said "20seconds darlin', anything could happen."
Bounced the ball, straight outta the middle and Montagna into an open goal.

Seen it all before.

I presume you mean the match where the Saints kicked the ball from the centre bounce, and Montagna kicked the winning goal with seconds to spare.

I hardly ever go to Doglands, but I was at that match too.

2 hours ago, Hellaintabadplacetobe said:

I feel for anyone who made the effort. Particularly the children that sat thru that last quarter. What a traumatic experience and will get worse for them at school tomorrow morning.

My son wanted to leave I said no, we have to ride it out and see what happens. He was getting upset at the end couldn't watch the final kick after the siren as we were walking out.

I'm at the stage where I go to the footy if my kids want to. Last week they were both keen. This week the youngest (10) wasn't interested. I doubt either will want to go next week although before 3/4 time my oldest was talking about next week's game. We shall see, I think we'll struggle to crack 10k next week surely that sends a message to the club.

Just now, At Least I Saw a Flag said:

I presume you mean the match where the Saints kicked the ball from the centre bounce, and Montagna kicked the winning goal with seconds to spare.

I hardly ever go to Doglands, but I was at that match too.

You presume correct.

One thing this game highlights is how far away we are from challenging again. Yes we have some good young players and yes we have beaten a good side in Brisbane and challenged some other good teams. But on a whole we have a bloody lot of work to do. I am not sure who is the best sports psychologist in the world but we need there help in particular.

3 hours ago, Flower Magic said:

I don't like bagging our players, but how on earth could you get the 6-6-6 wrong with 26 seconds to go. Just unbelievable stupidity by someone. Who got it wrong? I switched off the TV in complete disgust so I didn't see a replay or the explanation. And don't you only get a free kick if there's been an earlier warning? When did that happen? And if it did, who caused the warning? So may questions. But the big question for me is why do I keep watching this hopeless team of losers?

I am merely a fan, and played footy before 6-6-6 rule, so forgive my ignorance;

Who controls the 6-6-6 set up? Players? Coaches? Umpires?

Who is to blame for the error and how is it prevented from happening again?

1 hour ago, dimmy said:

On field leadership is more important than some people think.

We have lost our two main on field leaders in Gus & Nibbler. They were more than Kicks & marks in their approaches.

"The good thing" is that it should/must only happen ONCE and if we do not learn :

Part of elite sport is the mental capacity involved, not only in your skills (which are physical) , but your mental toughness ( Q How do you teach that !!)

Exactly right! I was thinking to myself earlier, that this would never have happened with ANB or Gus in the team. The loss of Gus has been the biggest blow to this team.

9 minutes ago, Red But Mostly Blue said:

At least we’ll always have 2021

And each other

And the therapy bills

Amirite? 🤣🥲

And Dan Murphy's.

2 hours ago, demon3165 said:

Well the good news is tomorrow is soccer practice day so everyone should feel warm and fuzzy at training.

"Bring your shin guards to training boys"

9 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

My son wanted to leave I said no, we have to ride it out and see what happens. He was getting upset at the end couldn't watch the final kick after the siren as we were walking out.

I'm at the stage where I go to the footy if my kids want to. Last week they were both keen. This week the youngest (10) wasn't interested. I doubt either will want to go next week although before 3/4 time my oldest was talking about next week's game. We shall see, I think we'll struggle to crack 10k next week surely that sends a message to the club.

My 10 yo is the same

The club is killing the club

3 hours ago, bing181 said:

McVee half the player he has been. Howes being reminded of the difference between the VFL and AFL. On top of that, no May and Lever so basically a leaderless backline and ...

I'm not that shocked you went here as your first reaction, but it's still rather striking.

Presumably, as you almost always do, you think that our loss today is down in part to our inexperience, and/or our younger players fading? That certainly seems implicit in this post, noting the struggles of two younger players whilst bemoaning the absence of two older/experienced players.

Yet the reality is, St Kilda today was on average younger and less experienced than us.

So whilst we didn't have Lever or May, we did have in our backline TMac (245 games) and Salem (195 games), whilst in our midfield (where almost all of our losses stem from) we had Gawn (243), Viney (233), Trac (208), Oliver (201) and Langdon (198).

Also remember that other than TMac, who was dropped but has nevertheless been fit and available all season, the rest of those 7 players I've just mentioned have missed a combined 6 games all year (Viney's missed 5 and Oliver 1).

Turning straight to our two missing defenders to attempt to explain what happened today is really not it.

12 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

My son wanted to leave I said no, we have to ride it out and see what happens. He was getting upset at the end couldn't watch the final kick after the siren as we were walking out.

I'm at the stage where I go to the footy if my kids want to. Last week they were both keen. This week the youngest (10) wasn't interested. I doubt either will want to go next week although before 3/4 time my oldest was talking about next week's game. We shall see, I think we'll struggle to crack 10k next week surely that sends a message to the club.

Similar Doc. My boys are 13 and 15 and have lost all interest.

As have I....and I've barely missed a home game in 20 years since I returned to Victoria.

It was lost as soon as the football brains trust decided Petty should play forward. We lose both our premiership Hackman and we don’t put the other one in we still have? How completely stupid!

Howes, great at VFL but seriously not up to it. Jeffo should have been there and Petty back I mean it started off dumb and then just got dumber and dumber.

2 hours ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

Interesting that a lot of this thread is about small moments or single problems.

To lose a game when you're eight goals up at the start of the last quarter, with no notable injuries, close to EVERYTHING has to go wrong. Kozzie on the bench at the end or the 666 [censored] up are just two of dozens upon dozens of disastrous decisions and failures. You could do an entire thread alone on the absolute calamity that was our centre bounce work as St Kilda got a sniff.

We didn't [censored] the bed. We filled an entire bedroom with diarrhoea.

This team's fall must be close to the most precipitous of any team in the last 75 years. From bringing back a sense of pride in the club, to becoming as large a basket case as significantly less talented teams between 1970 and 2013.

What an unfathomable disappointment.

4 chords and the truth:

afl.com.au

First Up: Vision reveals how the Saints did it in 'bonker...

Sarah Olle and Kane Cornes unpack the big issues from the round of footy

and the analysis on First Crack was even more damning. The Melbourne players didn't know what to do, and that's 100% on the coaching.

Goodwin just standing on the sidelines, saying nothing. None of the Melbourne players seem to know the rules. Wanganeen-Milera clearing the St. Kilda forwards out to the right, and he sprints off to the left, and marks. Viney 30m away, Bowey looking the other way, Max still in the circle - he should have been at CHB. Put Fritter, Melksham, Spargo (hah!) and Langford in the middle for the free, and put the best contested mark in the comp at CHB.

This failure is unforgivable.

And that's not even touching on the failure to make changes to arrest the momentum change.

Collingwood don't lose that game, and it's not just because of their list.

And don't kill the messenger; I can't stand King, or Cornes - but they are 100% correct here.

Time for change.

3 hours ago, The Cult of Disco Turner said:

The closest I have ever been to canceling my membership.

DO IT I WILL!

5 minutes ago, frankie_d said:

4 chords and the truth:

afl.com.au

First Up: Vision reveals how the Saints did it in 'bonker...

Sarah Olle and Kane Cornes unpack the big issues from the round of footy

and the analysis on First Crack was even more damning. The Melbourne players didn't know what to do, and that's 100% on the coaching.

Goodwin just standing on the sidelines, saying nothing. None of the Melbourne players seem to know the rules. Wanganeen-Milera clearing the St. Kilda forwards out to the right, and he sprints off to the left, and marks. Viney 30m away, Bowey looking the other way, Max still in the circle - he should have been at CHB. Put Fritter, Melksham, Spargo (hah!) and Langford in the middle for the free, and put the best contested mark in the comp at CHB.

This failure is unforgivable.

And that's not even touching on the failure to make changes to arrest the momentum change.

Collingwood don't lose that game, and it's not just because of their list.

And don't kill the messenger; I can't stand King, or Cornes - but they are 100% correct here.

Time for change.

Yep ann̈nd been saying it forever!

1 minute ago, frankie_d said:

4 chords and the truth:

afl.com.au

First Up: Vision reveals how the Saints did it in 'bonker...

Sarah Olle and Kane Cornes unpack the big issues from the round of footy

and the analysis on First Crack was even more damning. The Melbourne players didn't know what to do, and that's 100% on the coaching.

Goodwin just standing on the sidelines, saying nothing. None of the Melbourne players seem to know the rules. Wanganeen-Milera clearing the St. Kilda forwards out to the right, and he sprints off to the left, and marks. Viney 30m away, Bowey looking the other way, Max still in the circle - he should have been at CHB. Put Fritter, Melksham, Spargo (hah!) and Langford in the middle for the free, and put the best contested mark in the comp at CHB.

This failure is unforgivable.

And that's not even touching on the failure to make changes to arrest the momentum change.

Collingwood don't lose that game, and it's not just because of their list.

And don't kill the messenger; I can't stand King, or Cornes - but they are 100% correct here.

Time for change.

This might all be true but we never should have been in a position where we could have lost.

The way we fell apart from 46 points up is a far more significant embarrassment than the final minute, as bad as it was.

And not that any of this really matters, but this is another loss where:

• we "won" on expected score;

• we had more scoring shots;

• we had more inside 50s;

• we lost by under 10 points (that's 0-3 in such games this year, after 3-4 last year and 4-6 the year before. A combined 7-13 since 2023);

• inaccuracy plagued us (6.2 in the first quarter, then 7.10 for the rest)

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by titan_uranus

2 hours ago, Coobs said:

Defending Goodwin over Gawn is a good one. 🤮

Not defending Goodwin but Gawn just isn't a great onfield leader. He leads by example sure, his efforts today for 3/4 were nothing short of herculean. I'm sure he's a very good off field leader too culture wise but when it comes to big games or big moments in games we have failed again and again under his leadership.

Maybe it's the blokes he's stuck with I dunno, and yes one man can only do so much. Again, not faulting his efforts whatsoever but he should be settling the team halfway through that last quarter, slowing things down, creating stoppages to take time off the clock, telling his teammates to hold possession for a while to burn some minutes. Instead he's belting the ball into space and grabbing the ball out of the ruck to just back it forward. Look at what Collingwood do in those types of games, at a ballup the ruckman taps the ball to his feet to allow the mods to clog things up, allow a secondary ballup in the centre so other players can crowd the contest. Nope not us, we keep playing helter skelter footy straight into the hands of our opponents. I could not believe it was happening but all I could do was laugh. At this stage of the season it's a dead rubber so really I wanted to see how the team would react and they just fell all to pieces.

1 minute ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Not defending Goodwin but Gawn just isn't a great onfield leader. He leads by example sure, his efforts today for 3/4 were nothing short of herculean. I'm sure he's a very good off field leader too culture wise but when it comes to big games or big moments in games we have failed again and again under his leadership.

Maybe it's the blokes he's stuck with I dunno, and yes one man can only do so much. Again, not faulting his efforts whatsoever but he should be settling the team halfway through that last quarter, slowing things down, creating stoppages to take time off the clock, telling his teammates to hold possession for a while to burn some minutes. Instead he's belting the ball into space and grabbing the ball out of the ruck to just back it forward. Look at what Collingwood do in those types of games, at a ballup the ruckman taps the ball to his feet to allow the mods to clog things up, allow a secondary ballup in the centre so other players can crowd the contest. Nope not us, we keep playing helter skelter footy straight into the hands of our opponents. I could not believe it was happening but all I could do was laugh. At this stage of the season it's a dead rubber so really I wanted to see how the team would react and they just fell all to pieces.

Gawn should know better, I agree.

But he's been coached this way.

When the going gets tough, Goodwin has always wanted us to take territory. It's been ingrained in us since at least 2020.

So when under pressure, Gawn does what's been coached into him to the point of instinct - he belts it/hacks it/moves it forward.

It's not the right play. He should know better. But his coaches should be helping him, and the rest of the side, realise this.

14 minutes ago, Young Angus said:

It was lost as soon as the football brains trust decided Petty should play forward. We lose both our premiership Hackman and we don’t put the other one in we still have? How completely stupid!

Howes, great at VFL but seriously not up to it. Jeffo should have been there and Petty back I mean it started off dumb and then just got dumber and dumber.

Yep.

I’ve got zero [censored] clue why we even have him let alone play him, he’s as weak as a packet of ramen noodles.

Give Jefferson or any of the upcoming forwards MUCH NEEDED game time for them to gain experience in gameplay, and match fitness and better opponents.

To play Petty forward again is the definition of insanity. It’s proven not to work on countless occasions after working only once against Richmond.