Post back-2-back straight sets finals exits, in particular, the debilitating 23 finals campaign, has been solidified, at least in my mind, that this group is suffering from Footballers PTSD.

More so exacerbated when we come up against Collingwood & Carlton. The overwhelming crowd, the noise, the energy. No doubt it’s become a burden on this group.

I have to admit, the 23 finals campaign has even somewhat scarred me as a supporter, so you can only imagine how the players feel about it all.

It’s as if they knew that series was their chance for another flag & they blew it - Now their belief is completely shot & they just can’t deal with the pressure that comes with it all to perform & deliver in the big games, in the big moments against the big clubs.

These blokes are battling serious trauma & i dont believe they’re strong enough mentally to overcome this… not at least at the Melbourne Football Club.

After last night, I’ve made peace with the realisation that some of our most decorated players should move on, even for their own footballing sake.

Sad, but I just can’t see these guys recovering.

We need a clean out.

Thoughts?

My thoughts are that some of you are masochists and just want to burn it all to the ground and are happier lamenting a talentless club that never is, than an underperforming club that should be more.

17 minutes ago, RedLegs23 said:

Post back-2-back straight sets finals exits, in particular, the debilitating 23 finals campaign, has been solidified, at least in my mind, that this group is suffering from Footballers PTSD.

More so exacerbated when we come up against Collingwood & Carlton. The overwhelming crowd, the noise, the energy. No doubt it’s become a burden on this group.

I have to admit, the 23 finals campaign has even somewhat scarred me as a supporter, so you can only imagine how the players feel about it all.

It’s as if they knew that series was their chance for another flag & they blew it - Now their belief is completely shot & they just can’t deal with the pressure that comes with it all to perform & deliver in the big games, in the big moments against the big clubs.

These blokes are battling serious trauma & i dont believe they’re strong enough mentally to overcome this… not at least at the Melbourne Football Club.

After last night, I’ve made peace with the realisation that some of our most decorated players should move on, even for their own footballing sake.

Sad, but I just can’t see these guys recovering.

We need a clean out.

Thoughts?

Yes I agree, we're 4-11 in 2024-25 in games decided by 12 points or less.

Change has been made, we'll have a new coach who can hopefully address this. I wouldn't be throwing out the players before we explore whether they can fix this with the right directions.

It's why we "need a new voice".

Edited August 23Aug 23 by old55

What did Roos call it? The 'veil of negativity'.

I suspect it is a little more treatable than the impact of a decade of abject cellar-dwelling, but being so good and falling short against your own expectations has to be tough.

We really Isandlwana'd it, and we're in need of a Rorke's Drift to reset.

7 hours ago, Little Goffy said:

What did Roos call it? The 'veil of negativity'.

I suspect it is a little more treatable than the impact of a decade of abject cellar-dwelling, but being so good and falling short against your own expectations has to be tough.

We really Isandlwana'd it, and we're in need of a Rorke's Drift to reset.

As a reader of George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman series, I know what you are writing about. Hmm, makes me feel kind of smug <laugh out loud>.

Edited August 23Aug 23 by redandbluemakepurple

We just have a losing mentality and lack the grit and fight to win out those close games.

Viney and Gawn are the few who battle no matter what.

New coach needs to work on that, and we go from 7 wins to 12-15 approx if we win just a few close games.

5 minutes ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

We just have a losing mentality and lack the grit and fight to win out those close games.

I’d argue that it’s more to do with the fact that we aren’t well suited to the burst, speed game, so when we play it we are gassed by the end.

Our list wasn’t built for modern footy.

There's so much supposition there. You could be very right or anything down to a bit right. Of course there's so many factor in this, including that the players are individuals rather than a single entity. Hopefully the new coaches are a high standard and thus make diligent decisions.

As much as we've heard about the love within the group this season it hasn't translated to connecting on field. When pressured we have defaulted to poor habits and panicked disposals. We've been close many times but have just lacked the belief and confidence that should translate to composure.

I can't actually think of anyone on our list who oozes composure in tense moments. I can however think of at least 5 off the top of my head who play for Collingwood

Is it trained or is it inate? I'm not sure but we have no one.

1 hour ago, The heart beats true said:

I’d argue that it’s more to do with the fact that we aren’t well suited to the burst, speed game, so when we play it we are gassed by the end.

Our list wasn’t built for modern footy.

I’d say it’s both. Look at the likes of GWS, Collingwood, Good Coast. They all fight to the death.

Then you have teams like us, Carlton, St Kilda (aside from one win against us) who all just give up.

It takes a load of mental strength to disregard what’s going on and the score to no matter what fight until the end.

2 hours ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

We just have a losing mentality and lack the grit and fight to win out those close games.

Viney and Gawn are the few who battle no matter what.

New coach needs to work on that, and we go from 7 wins to 12-15 approx if we win just a few close games.

I am sorry, viney very rarely stands up in last quarters. He is a grinder but can't influence when momentum is against us. 3 last quarter disposals on the weekend...

19 minutes ago, Gouga said:

I am sorry, viney very rarely stands up in last quarters. He is a grinder but can't influence when momentum is against us. 3 last quarter disposals on the weekend...

Never suggested he stands up, but you’ll never see him give any less than 100%. He’s never been a player who can drag a team from the depths of hell back to a win, he hasn’t got that kind of impact, but he will lay every tackle possible and dig out every ball he can. I’d have him any day of the week over most of our team as it stands.

3 minutes ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

Never suggested he stands up, but you’ll never see him give any less than 100%. He’s never been a player who can drag a team from the depths of hell back to a win, he hasn’t got that kind of impact, but he will lay every tackle possible and dig out every ball he can. I’d have him any day of the week over most of our team as it stands

4 minutes ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

Never suggested he stands up, but you’ll never see him give any less than 100%. He’s never been a player who can drag a team from the depths of hell back to a win, he hasn’t got that kind of impact, but he will lay every tackle possible and dig out every ball he can. I’d have him any day of the week over most of our team as it

5 minutes ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

Never suggested he stands up, but you’ll never see him give any less than 100%. He’s never been a player who can drag a team from the depths of hell back to a win, he hasn’t got that kind of impact, but he will lay every tackle possible and dig out every ball he can. I’d have him any day of the week over most of our team as it stands.

No doubt he gives his all. Just too limited too impact and prone to mistakes. Viney turned it over to carlton in the 2023 semi and viney failed to push back on the square against saints in the 46 point meltdown. He tries but often fails.

3 hours ago, redandbluemakepurple said:

As a reader of George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman series, I know what you are writing about. Hmm, makes me feel kind of smug <laugh out loud>.

I don't remember a specific Isandlwana reference in those mad novels but I do recall the Flashman and can see how it would play.

Ahh, Flashman, who I do believe went on to become Rowley Birkin QC after retirement.

2 hours ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

We just have a losing mentality and lack the grit and fight to win out those close games.

But wasn’t all our draft talk back then about drafting players that are super competitive? Draftees that are winners. Boys that hate to lose etc?

Which I think we nailed. Because they were exactly that & because of course 21’.

But they don’t have that same killer instinct anymore. You can see the confusion & fear in which these boys are playing with.

When the going gets tough thats when your stocks rise or fall.

Does a new coach fix this? Can he? I bloody well hope so.

12 hours ago, RedLegs23 said:

Post back-2-back straight sets finals exits, in particular, the debilitating 23 finals campaign, has been solidified, at least in my mind, that this group is suffering from Footballers PTSD.

More so exacerbated when we come up against Collingwood & Carlton. The overwhelming crowd, the noise, the energy. No doubt it’s become a burden on this group.

I have to admit, the 23 finals campaign has even somewhat scarred me as a supporter, so you can only imagine how the players feel about it all.

It’s as if they knew that series was their chance for another flag & they blew it - Now their belief is completely shot & they just can’t deal with the pressure that comes with it all to perform & deliver in the big games, in the big moments against the big clubs.

These blokes are battling serious trauma & i dont believe they’re strong enough mentally to overcome this… not at least at the Melbourne Football Club.

After last night, I’ve made peace with the realisation that some of our most decorated players should move on, even for their own footballing sake.

Sad, but I just can’t see these guys recovering.

We need a clean out.

Thoughts?

This is the single most insightful and accurate post ive ever read on all my years on Demonland.

4 hours ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

New coach needs to work on that, and we go from 7 wins to 12-15 approx if we win just a few close games.

And thats the most frustrating thing. The confidence that those close wins would’ve given the boys would've been huge.

Gotta get these boys believing again.

The situation is quite simple.

0ver five decades without a flag molds ones thinking and expectations into constant failure. It permeates the supporters... players....and all at the club.

It was miraculous to turn it all around.

After four years of winning most games including a cup, we had come to realise and taste what so many other supporters of other clubs have eaten.

Now that the menu has reverted to a select few courses of inaccuracy....poor fwd entries......fwds that can't mark .....mids who turn the ball over frequently and players who just aren't good enough, it's very hard to swallow.

Success is a wonderful thing until its gone. And we as supporterd who have had so little felt like the sun shone only on us.

Now the darkness is back......it seems blacker than usual.

The issue is, how long with this period last?

Edited August 23Aug 23 by Previously known as LITD.

17 minutes ago, Previously known as LITD. said:

The situation is quite simple.

0ver five decades without a flag molds ones thinking and expectations into constant failure. It permeates the supporters... players....and all at the club.

It was miraculous to turn it all around.

After four years of winning most games including a cup, we had come to realise and taste what so many other supporters of other clubs have eaten.

Now that the menu has reverted to a select few courses of inaccuracy....poor fwd entries......fwds that can't mark .....mids who turn the ball over frequently and players who just aren't good enough, it's very hard to swallow.

Success is a wonderful thing until its gone. And we as supporterd who have had so little felt like the sun shone only on us.

Now the darkness is back......it seems blacker than usual.

The issue is, how long with this period last?

I think we're all wondering where it went so quickly.

No long ago we were overrunning opposition in the last quarter.

We had belief.

We were desperate.

We had a defensive structure and backline so well drilled making difficult for opposition to score.

And we had the fitness to put in a high standard 4 quarters.

We've long had inadequacies within the playing group but that did not stop us from competing.

Yes, our list has aged, but the drop off has been alarming.

We didn't seem to have the fitness to overcome an ageing Collingwood team that seemingly everyone else was able to do in the last 6 weeks.

It reminds me of the Bailey era where the players were calling off training sessions.

We seem to be focussing on, for want of a better word, peripheral issues and forgotten about the core principals and values of an elite team.

Standards have dropped.

49 minutes ago, Gibberish said:

I think we're all wondering where it went so quickly.

No long ago we were overrunning opposition in the last quarter.

We had belief.

We were desperate.

We had a defensive structure and backline so well drilled making difficult for opposition to score.

And we had the fitness to put in a high standard 4 quarters.

We've long had inadequacies within the playing group but that did not stop us from competing.

Yes, our list has aged, but the drop off has been alarming.

We didn't seem to have the fitness to overcome an ageing Collingwood team that seemingly everyone else was able to do in the last 6 weeks.

It reminds me of the Bailey era where the players were calling off training sessions.

We seem to be focussing on, for want of a better word, peripheral issues and forgotten about the core principals and values of an elite team.

Standards have dropped.

Great song choice

2023 was absolutely brutal. From the moment of the ‘touched’ goal against Carlton (which most likely cost us top 2, it just felt like one kick in the guts after the next. Injuries to Petty and Melksham, then losing Brayshaw, and watching Collingwood go onto win a Premiership. Just excruciating. I still watched the game on Friday, hoping for some little bit of poetic justice… but no dice.

I appreciate the post; it’s always hard to discuss these intangibles, and it’s harder to know how to act to improve them. How can they go from a side to who spectacularly reversed the momentum in the third quarter of a Grand Final, to being so incredibly fragile, they lose almost every game when our opponents are within two goals.

The last occasion, I felt we really willed ourselves to a victory was against Brisbane in 2023, where Melksham was absolutely enormous. Two weeks later Petty kicked 6 goals, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like it was all falling into place again. But then it all bloody changed. Damn.

I do sometimes wonder how things would have been different had that Carlton defender, soon after delisted, didn’t claim the touch. At very least, our finals opponents would have been different.