https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17WPGAGFUW/

On 15/10/2025 at 20:33, ElDiablo14 said:

You'd hope we secure Langford, Lindsay et al early next year. Don't want any more sagas with our young core.

I feel that a key part of Trac and Oliver moving on is that it becomes our younger players midfield, with Gawn, Viney, Steele etc to guide them but in a way that hands over the mantle to our young core of players. I'd expect Langford, Lindsay, Windsor, Kossie etc to be really excited about the fresh start and imagine our older players will enjoy the fresh start. While I think we will be up and down next year I'm hopeful that we will hit our straps and could achieve anything by seasons end.

Last time we de-listed this many players was 2019..

6 hours ago, layzie said:

Very happy with Mihocek however I don't think he's ever been someone who takes the best defender. He's more a nice 2nd or even 3rd tall, yes Collingwood asked him to be the no.1 a lot in recent times and that was part of their problem.

A good get but I don't think he's the Gorilla Monsoon key forward that some are making him out to be. We need to keep working on that.

‘Gorilla Monsoon Key Forward’

If I key word searched that would I find anything?

I think most that are hopeful is because he is an established tall forward and we have only had Ben Brown since Hogan left.

Our problem has not been the lack of a big forward to win us games - it has been the cumulative failure of terrible ball movement, spasmodic and glacial decision making, and pathetic forward craft from those that are meant to attract the ball.

Mihocek solves that last bit, and gives a chance to King to make headway on the ball movement and decision making.

THEY WILL WIN THE PREMIERSHIP THIS YEAR! MARK MY WORDS.

As long as they use my best 23's each week they will be fine because I know my stuff.

I wasn't wrong in 21 but I have been wrong since then but whose counting.

14 minutes ago, rpfc said:

‘Gorilla Monsoon Key Forward’

If I key word searched that would I find anything?

I think most that are hopeful is because he is an established tall forward and we have only had Ben Brown since Hogan left.

Our problem has not been the lack of a big forward to win us games - it has been the cumulative failure of terrible ball movement, spasmodic and glacial decision making, and pathetic forward craft from those that are meant to attract the ball.

Mihocek solves that last bit, and gives a chance to King to make headway on the ball movement and decision making.

You will definitely get search results rpfc.

Of course, it will be great to have an established key forward. However the suggestion that he'll take the best defender every single week in stride is probably not what he built his career on. If it was then the Pies wouldn't have bemoaned not having a key forward for years.

I've also never been keen to chase a key forward and also think it has been the way we move the ball. At least we got someone in.

WE MAY EVEN WIN IT NEXT YEAR!

1 hour ago, red and blue forever said:

Last time we de-listed this many players was 2019..

So we will just barely miss finals in 2026 and then we will be flag in 2027! 🤔😱

1 hour ago, red and blue forever said:

Last time we de-listed this many players was 2019..

Hunt never went to Brisbane he went to West Coast.

1 hour ago, Demon Dynasty said:

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17WPGAGFUW/

I dont know who this bloke is but man that summed it up. In 2021 the world was our oyster yet somehow Im not surprised where we are at in 2025...

Looking back the thing I hate the most was that I didnt really get to enjoy the 2021 premiership because - due to past PTSD - somehow the whole game I still expected us to somehow lose. haha.

I wanted two so bad. To prove this was no flash in the pan. But alas.

9 hours ago, Norm Smith's Curse said:

I dont know who this bloke is but man that summed it up. In 2021 the world was our oyster yet somehow Im not surprised where we are at in 2025...

probably because the curse never really lifted. obviously Norm doesnt effect grand finals not at the G

Some thoughts about hope and changing of eras.

In hindsight, the beginning of the end started the moment Brayshaw lost consciousness in the opening moments of the ’23 preliminary final. We lost our composure and so too finals series. We lost an important clubman and players lost their way.   

The 23/24 “offseason from hell” continued into 2024 onseason. It was awful but I thought – or preferred to believe - it was more bad luck than bad management.

 Come Jan ’25, I attended an opening training session with my two excited boys. The smell of barbequed sausages was in the air and so was hope. We bought both.

The boys held still for the players to sign their Dees jumpers (including a 2021 Premiership version) and smiled for photos with Goodwin, Claz and Trac. A photo from that day is the screen saver on my phone.

A month or so later, I was concerned when key ball users were felled by injury, casting doubts about the feasibility of implementing of a new game plan, characterised by better ball movement.  

By 0-5, hope was nearly extinguished. Yes, there was a mid-season renaissance, with stirring wins over Freo, Sydney and Brisbane but it was a false dawn. Honourable losses followed but losses cease to be honourable when they become habitual. Then there was that Saints game.

 Goodwin told the board we were so close they “could smell it”. He was still selling hope. I could sense it in January but not in August. Eventually, the reality of experience needs to triumph over hope.

 I believed in Goodwin’s ability to evolve the game plan – he had done it before – but not our personnel. Trac, Oliver, Viney, Lever and May were not going to play in another premiership together. Hard decisions needed to be made. I don’t hold it against Goodwin if he was unable to do this; perhaps his close relationship with the players enabled ’21 in the first place. Perhaps without Goodwin, Oliver doesn’t have one of the best early careers in VFL/AFL history.

I find myself both sad and happy that Goodwin, Trac and Oliver have left. All three were integral to our best era in 60 years. All three contributed to our decline. All three are human and flawed like the rest of us. The future does not change the past; while I think it’s best they move on all should be remembered as MFC greats.

Guerra and King have started well; they communicate clearly and act purposefully. They been making difficult but necessary changes to create a fresh start and establish a new era. Hope springs forth again.