18 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

Losing always stings, but that game almost took me back to the 90s.

Fast paced and one on one footy. A great spectacle, well done to both sides.

I agree with Goody, we aren’t that far off from competing again.

We WEREN’T that far off competing again. We had to blow that up during the week though didn’t we….

3 minutes ago, Dees1911 said:

Not sure is recalibrate, we need to use ball better, cant do that with older players.

If u cant handball or kick, doesn't matter how many times you get it.

Turnovers kill you in AFL these days.

I use that as an all encompassing term.

Mindset

Strategy / gameplan

Emphasis on skills

Improve fitness etc.

Great game of footy against a quality opponent.

Very proud of the boys today.

Not amongst the best but loving seeing Roo compete like he does and slowly coming out of his form slump.

Can unfortunately add Trent Rivers to the momentum killing bad kicks list we have.

7 minutes ago, Fritta and Turner said:

I thought Langford was beaten by Baker of all people on the wing but never gave up. Great goal and assists. Gunna be a champ.

Would have been 3-5 contests in front of the MCC where Sauce beat him.

Purely effort related

Max's tap work in the last. 🤦

We showed a bit but our lack of leadership at the death is a massive problem. We can’t blame Goody for that one. But I'm sure some will.

At least we kicked straight

2 minutes ago, sue said:

come on. The post got in the way of him getting to 0-ten.

Great effort and good signs by the team. But someone has to say something to Max about centre hit outs. Did we win more than one clearance? Actually his hit outs almost anywhereon the ground are almost never to our advantage.

The post got in the way? The post don't move. Disco doesn't know where he is, he is just ball watching with no idea where he is or his man has gone.

You're right about our clearance work. It's been a disaster for years considering how dominant Max is in terms of winning hit outs.

2 minutes ago, sue said:

come on. The post got in the way of him getting to 0-ten.

Great effort and good signs by the team. But someone has to say something to Max about centre hit outs. Did we win more than one clearance? Actually his hit outs almost anywhereon the ground are almost never to our advantage.

52-30 hit outs to us resulting in:

31-46 clearances

10-19 centre clearances

21-27 stoppage clearances

So our rucks smashed them in hit outs to dogs advantage it seems.

Back to the days of happy with the effort in that defeat.

We just dont know how to win close games.

Smashed in clearances by Doggies. Our boys made to look like witches hats. That cost us in the end.

On the upside, we went toe-to-toe with the best forward offensive team in the comp. Our attacking had some semblance of structure and method, but boy were we fumbly and couldnt hold our feet.

Doggies are not going anywhere with that backline even if they make the 8. If we had any midfield presence / maturity today (like most top 8 sides do) we would have absolutely smashed them on turnover.

14 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

2025 has been the year of dishonourable losses

6 losses by 13 points or under now

Not fit enough to run out games

Or, taking the pessimistic glasses off for just a tiny second, we were learning a new game plan and blooding new players and therefore the close losses and inconsistency was justified and to be expected. 2026 could have been a year of great progress, proving Goody right, but now we’ll never know.

Edited August 10Aug 10 by dxwal

Just now, Adam The God said:

Max's tap work in the last. 🤦

We showed a bit but our lack of leadership at the death is a massive problem. We can’t blame Goody for that one. But I'm sure some will.

Love max but his last quarter ruck work, he hit it down the bulldogs throats numerous times

For the first 15 minutes I thought the game was going to be a disaster, but it wasn't. Which is something, I guess.

1 minute ago, Hellaintabadplacetobe said:

Great game of footy against a quality opponent.

Very proud of the boys today.

Not amongst the best but loving seeing Roo compete like he does and slowly coming out of his form slump.

Apart from last week vs Zero competition he has been an out and out FAILURE in most of his games this year. His elementary failure to judge the ball in flight leads me to the belief that he WILL NOT make it

1 minute ago, Adam The God said:

Max's tap work in the last. 🤦

We showed a bit but our lack of leadership at the death is a massive problem. We can’t blame Goody for that one. But I'm sure some will.

The way our mids set up at stoppage is goddamn woeful. I know who our stoppage coach is and I know that he needs to be the first one replaced.

We constantly chase tail in the middle, because we are constantly set up wrong. The only times we looked like winning a clearance was when we had Windsor wide able to run at the footy.

It’s a crime to be losing clearances with a midfield like ours on a regular basis.

25 minutes ago, Little Richard said:

Tough loss but not disappointed with that - excellent effort against a quality side and the players looked reinvigorated.

Really liked Chaplin's use of Petty and Disco, right away he's more flexible with those guys than Goodwin appeared willing to be on game day.

Actually, Goody has done exactly that on several occasions.

Liked seeing Bowey at half forward in the last. Refreshing to see a kick to a key forwards advantage that draws them to the ball.

It's a pretty good list for a new coach to inherit

Just need to clear out a couple of the turn over kings and replace them with clones of Bowza and we're cooking!

Just now, Adam The God said:

Max's tap work in the last. 🤦

..

Sorry to be seen to be putting the boot in, but it was all game.

1 minute ago, MurDoc516 said:

The post got in the way? The post don't move. Disco doesn't know where he is, he is just ball watching with no idea where he is or his man has gone.

You're right about our clearance work. It's been a disaster for years considering how dominant Max is in terms of winning hit outs.

I'd need to look at a replay carefully, but I think he was unsighted by the post (as well as it getting in the way of him taking action in time). He played a pretty good game overall IMO

Proud of the effort. The close loses once again does my head in.

Viney is a dead set liability. New coach either needs to find him a new position or trade him off.

kicked 15-9

we're usually inaccurate so good to see straight kicking for once

Good effort against a very good team.

All that really matters this week and the next 2 weeks is that the players present a product that looks appealing to a high quality prospective coach. They held up their end of the bargain today.

Gary Ablett snr had more of mark than Darcy’s was.

Also, great couple weeks from Petty

If you can't win, you might as well have the next best thing - an entertaining close loss against a serious opponent, which keeps the possibility of knocking either Hawthorn or Collingwood out of finals in your remaining games.