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Players drinking and partying in the off season is a real non event. The demands of an AFL player are rigorous. Supporters can't expect these guys to keep it up 12 months of the year. If they go out and get sh*t faced then they are no different to anyone else. Human. Side note: I hope Gawn doesn't spew on Hogan.

A few things have been bugging me this season, don't get me wrong - I have enjoyed the march back to relevance - but there have been some odd missteps and frustrating emanations from the club that won't be solved by Jack Watts being traded... We all have a list of areas that go to explain why we didn't kick to extra goals over the course of the season - that is code for 'missing the finals'... My main ones are: Injuries and fluctuating form of our best 6-8 players (Jones, Gawn, Hogan, Oliver, Viney, Hibberd, Petracca, and T McDonald). The vacuum of leadership at the club The disappointing performance of the coaching staff These latter two bring into focus our fledgling coach Simon Goodwin. Coaching Performance: Tricks, a motivated group, but naivete abounds There is no doubt that he has motivated the core group of players to play a certain way; they play on with abandon, they handpass in tight spaces and trust 'the next man' to not fumble and to 'do their job.' However, this is overbalanced still and we didn't show much progress from the middle of the year to the end of the year in kicking when we were in position to. Sometimes, our forward line was not in position to make the most of a player quickly released by a chain of fantastic handballs; the player would look up and see player hurriedly running back into guarded space and/or expecting a kick so precise only 3 players on our list could hit the target. His 'trick bag' is innovative; the forwards coming off the back of the square threw teams for a loop and I look forward to more innovation and not resting on that move now that the competition has worked it out. This leads me to the forward line - it is schizophrenic - and I appreciate Goodwins ability to make changes at will if something isn't working, I felt like we had so many changes and different structures going forward that we ended up the season with nothing working. Hogan missing isn't an excuse for changing the structure. It's an excuse for that structure to work less efficiently. We would sometimes have a deep presence with smalls beside the tall, and when that didn't work we went 'fwd line is lava no one in the fwd line' with players running back into there. And there were a few setups in between there and while that is unpredictable to the oppo, it is also unpredictable to Tysons left foot... Then there were the two weeks we spent getting beaten by wind... I didn't see much of the NM game in Hobart but I saw the GWS massacre in all its gore. I wrote about it at the time - but the wind at Manuka always goes to the Kingston side pocket and that playing a man behind the football is a fact of life against a good team (the GWS respected us enough to have one in the 2nd term when they were 36 points up...), and yet we threw away our surprise 3 goal start by not only leaving our backs exposed for much of the quarter, but also by playing up the grandstand side of the ground for reasons that are yet to resonate with me. When you go up the grandstand side at Manuka, the wind is a propellant for the opposition to go through the middle of the ground and carve you up. Naivete or arrogance? I don't really care. It was the difference between being in the game and being out of it by quarter time. We had reports of similar play against NM the week before. If a team could drop a coach - those two weeks would seen Goodwin have a stint with Casey... The Vacuum of Goodwin Then there are the more complicated aspects to his persona that I wish he would address, I know he doesn't flame any bad narratives when he speaks - he hardly says anything when he speaks - but he would do well to understand that he can alter narratives for the better that might alleviate public (even if only Dees fans) pressure from certain players (Watts and Oliver come to mind, and of course Watts), prompt responses from those that should shoulder more burden than they do (outside of Watts and Tyson who is to blame for being 9th again?), and, lastly, shore up his own position and leadership (no one is that wooden, and no one that wooden leads anything for very long). Without this - we have a vacuum - Roos filled it quite easily. He would push narratives and could seem self-serving and distracting. And sometimes, that is the point; when talked about the scars and burdens of the past ad nauseum we felt like he was giving the club a continued excuse, but as he outlines in his new book - he was trying to push a creed of patience against the screed of despair that was rife internally. That helped lift the pressure of the players as they relearned how to play proper football. Goodwin seems in-cognisant of this ability, a we got a recent reminder of that with the below clip illustrating an awareness of a damaging narrative: that Watts "is the most talked about player" for someone who is not a core player, not in the leadership group, not in the coaching staff, and not in the administration. Those last points I added myself as Goodwin only stoked the narrative that Watts was worthy of all this attention after our failed 2017 by covering himself by saying he has a good relationship with Jack, mentioning the coaching staff are clear with Jack, and keeping the narrative of 'Watts = Melbourne' fermenting by giving the discussion relevance with the content and tone of his response about his contract and him staying at the club. Goodwin can come out forcefully and protect Jack Watts (or the next saviour) by shifting the focus and sharing the burden around with himself, his staff, the admin, and the leadership group that does very little leading when it comes to the burden of being the public face of the club, and the target of the ire of the club. Lewis does some and Gawn too, but years after Watts revealed himself to be nothing more than a uniquely talented role player, we are still shoving him into the coalface with little hesitation. If the rumours are true that we are shopping him around while at the same time that we are pushing him forward for cringeworthy press spots (https://au.sports.yahoo.com/afl/a/37206220/jack-watts-opens-up-on-2017-season-and-trade-talk/) - then the situation is more dire than I thought. I have heard from a good source that the interpersonal relationships at the club are good - and that gives me some solace, but I sit here and I have no idea who the leader of the club was. Last three years I could tell you who it was - for good or bad - it was Paul Roos. Oddly enough, he shielded the enigmatic blonde kid a couple times and Watts responded. But this year - I haven't heard much from the Admin so it isn't Jackson, it certainly isn't Mahoney or Bartlett. Nathan Jones has been seen and heard, but no more than previous years as captain. A novice coach doesn't have to be as good as Paul Roos - he is a great coach who helped redefine AFL in the professional era - but this novice coach needs to step up and start leading the club and driving the narratives that help his team, his players, and his club. Because, I have only seen or heard one leader since September 1 - and he might be traded next week...

Lol at the WTF from Howe.

I want to win a flag AND keep max and jack

Bingo. We have a winner!

Once per year? That's a once a decade kick.

For the record, all this Trade Watts stuff craps me to tears. I think he has become a remarkable and - until the injury this season - one of our most consistent performers. It's obvious there is a rift between what Roos expected and what Goodwin expects. Have also heard from an ex AFl player who knows people connected with Melbourne FC that Watts is on the table. I would be very sad to see him go.

If this [censored] club has this bloke up for trade and at the same time sanctions a puff piece for him to address whether he is up for trade - then we are getting no better as a club. It screams that we are just a [censored] for attention and the most divisive player we have is a good way to get it so let's trot him out and let him soak up the ire of fans still hurting from a few weeks ago... Just a pathetic way to treat an employee. Who is the leader of this club again? Honest question. Who shoulders the burden?

Plenty women there Biff. No need to shag themselves! I did vote yes,but to suggest they go and shag each other is a joke.

Hope they get an absolute skinful,shag themselves silly and come back ready for the pre-season.

Get a grip, they need to unwind as well, not just from footy but from personal issues too. Hope they have a good break and come back fresher and rearing to go for preseason

Bruce went full creep.

I thought Jayden Hunt myself. A 70 plus metre barrel after the 3 quarter siren, degree of difficulty, very high. How often do you see it? Not often maybe once per year. How many dribble goals do we see every week? They look good and are good but they happen every game and how many miss, but we only get to see the ones that do go through.

The most drawn out, painfully slow, advertisement ridden, boring hours of television there is. Will be watching something else.

Tom McDonald too. I hope Nev Jetta polls like mad to shove it up the cretins who continue to ignore him. Seriously, how does a guy whose name was in AA discussions all year not get an invite to the Brownlow?

Only got 30 seconds into that clip before I wanted to rip off my ears and gouge out my eyes. Panel of arse-clowns.

Probably because Oliver was handballing it to them all the time. Can't believe how poorly he polled.

I always enjoy Brownlow night, but this year's has been over-produced, really flat, and cringe-worthy . I just cannot understand the goal of the year and mark of the year. Not to include either of Dangerfield's left footer from the boundary at full speed or Oliver's banana is ridiculous. But Daniher for Mark of the year when Howe took pnenof the best ever - contrived and Essendon-centric. No respect or time given to Melbourne, Port Adelaide or Gold coast. Pathetic. And Pendlebury on 15 votes?!?! I really rate this bloke and love his footy, but he did not have that good of a year.

Surprised Toby McLean didn't throw his head back when BT tapped his shoulder.

Winner winner, chicken dinner!

I did a bit of painting maintenance at The Manor today - various stains and fluids etc were getting a bit ugly. Anyway, I'd find it far more entertaining to watch said paint drying than tune into the brownlow.

It is pretty simple, Jack Watts will be traded if the Football Club thinks the trade will make us better. He will play for Melbourne next season if this isn't the case.

I'm not sure how long Cameron should be given the keys to a Rolls Royce if he's going to keep crashing it every year. Don't give me injury lists. They still have more first round picks in their 22 than most (if not all) sides. If I were the GWS hierarchy, I'd be looking to poach the very best. Someone like Clarkson.

Big Max was at the EFL GF yesterday watching Mattie Jones go round. He is a popular fella the big unit. Even the coppers were getting him to pose for selfies with them

Good to see Hoges having some fun with the boys. Lord knows he's due for a long run of better circumstances.

What would Dane Swan be if he wasn't a footballer? Inmate 657.

How good was the way Matisse Stynes spoke? At 16 she spoke with poise to a massive audience, she did her dad proud.

Fitzy acting the clown next to Tom Mitchell on Hawks table. I guess he's the comedy act for the night

Watts with 1 vote against Geelong, nice little reward for almost single handedly lifting our team over the line as the replacement ruck.

Haha, good one! but you left out phoney, manicured, tarty, ridiculous, self promoting, boorish and cringe worthy. Hehe

They just had a small piece on Jack Viney and his missus getting ready for the Brownlow. He blamed Jack Watts for the price of his partners dress and vowed to have words with him about it.

His natural progression is from GWS NEAFL to Carlton. I'd imagine that he's on big coin and GWS are trying to offload him for next to nothing. I'd still pass.

Not to mention that Griffen (assuming it's Ryan) wouldn't want anything to do with the guy who coached the Dogs at the time he left them for GWS.

A great debut season for Goodwin. Couldn't be happier with him to be honest.

I don't believe that Cotchin should have been suspended for that incident, but I can see what people believe to be huge inconsistencies in the MRP. Above all that though, I am very happy that we get to avoid all the drama that goes along with the MRP, Tribunal, appeals, etc. in the lead up to the game. We can now just focus on the match and not the ten thousand different opinion pieces about whether he should miss or not.

Huh? Lever is 21. He's not even close to being a free agent.

As an Adelaide person all I can say is Come on Richmond! Adelaide are a fantastic side and deserve it but their supporters are the biggest whingers of all time; its like having 60,000 Mother in laws.

Don't the tigers to win it, so i'm going for the Crows. Generally if we're not in it, i usually want an interstate team to win (GWS not included). Crows have been the best all year, so deserve to be premiers.

If that's how they judge those incidents, great, I actually like it, but what about people getting fines/ suspensions all year for the same thing. And let's remember even a fine would have tipped him over the edge. MRP making it up on the run again.

Cleared to Play sanity prevails

This comment looking from another angle, also suggests that he's a boy & he just wants to have fun. That he doesn't play for the kill, but just for kicks.

Trade rumours make me laugh, if Barrett or Nixon said we were getting Josh Kelly everyone would be licking their chops, because it's Hogan and Watts everyone squeals like a [censored]. It's just a trade rumour thread FFS, don't take it to heart. As more unfold, everyone should post them, all part of the fun.

I question why Watts would even do an article like this? I mean seriously, the only thing it achieved for me was, well... Pointless.

Wise, I agree it is worth being cautious. But Jack seemed to confirm a potential trade when he said something like: I want to stay but it depends on what the club wants to do, I suppose. Not something a player with 2 years on his contract would say if a trade wasn't being considered (doesn't mean it will happen). Even if he was interviewed to speak to his love of the club I see no benefit to the club or to Jack. If the club wanted to skwosh rumours the best thing to do is say nothing or have his manger say clearly that he is not up for trade like Connors did for Salem and he didn't do when asked about Watts.

Melb supporters boo him so Pies supporters will ravage him if he 'makes a mistake'. Agree Jack will hate it at the Pies. He is obviously keen to stay so he will probably hate it anywhere other than the Demons. Let Geelong have their fairytale and get their prodigal back. 5 of their top 6 players are over 30 and the 6th (Dangerfield) will be 28. And they have only a few potential stars coming on but they certainly don't have any KPP players coming thru or a half decent spine. Their premiership window is rapidly closing and I would be very happy to see them take Ablett and slide down the ladder

I hope Hoges doesn't tweak his hammy getting his leg over.

If the rumours are true that Geelong are fed up with him and pushing him out the door then that is a fair rocket to be delivered to a player in his prime. A new environment and a coach who understands the value of a cuddle occasionally could (should?) bring the best out of him consistently. He has exactly what we need more of: line-breaking ability and class forward of the ball. With Petracca's move to the midfield this further reduces class and x-factor in the forward line. He is also the best player of this type available this off-season (left-field trades aside) and would come at no cost. I would be extremely surprised if we aren't looking seriously at him

Good on em. Hope Mnt Agung volcano doesnt decide to go off!

It unusual that the whole game wasn't covered but betting industry is irrelevant. i don't mind a bet but the last thing i want is for the AFL industry and broadcasters to make decisions with that in mind. Hate the fact my club relies on pokies for revenue. The sooner all clubs drop them the better our kids will be,

They may not be the unbeatable juggernaut we all feared. A few are at the end or close to it like Stevie, Deledio, Griffin, Shaw and Mummy and they won't get the bucket full of first round picks again. They are now what they are just like every other team. They should have made a GF but haven't. They are still talented but lack some real mental toughness.