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For me, this is not about being bitter or angry. I love this team. They will forever be my sporting heroes. This is just my own honest assessments and views on our 2022 season. I started to worry after the trade and draft period. We brought in a one player, a fringe player from St. Kilda who could potentially crack our 22. “Don’t worry. The improvement will come from within!” we were told. Teams don’t stand still. That Geelong side we beat in the prelim are an 8 goal better side this year due to changes in personnel and a tweak in their game plan. I believe that we just thought incremental improvement would happen. Into the season. We were winning, but there were worrying trends. Failure to bury teams. Drop offs in games. Lack of cohesion going inside 50. Scoring was labour intensive. “That’s okay. We’ll click when it matters” we all thought. Then we started to play the good teams. Teams that were ravenously hungry. Teams that had studied us intensively for 2 years and had worked us out. Teams that out-hunted us, and ran across the top of the ground a lot better than us. Teams that knew that if they stayed in games against us, they could run over the top of us. Did we have a Plan B for such occasions? I’m not sure. The football world could see the issues. Lack of skill execution under pressure. Lack of cohesion going forward. Lack of reliable focal points in attack. Drop off in our pressure game. What was done about it in the second half of the year to buck these trends? Nothing. Goodwin was stubborn. He backed in his game plan. He backed in his core group of players. And by the time it got to last night, we were forced to play banged up players and players in questionable form because it was too late to bring in options from Casey. I am glad the season is over. Truth be told, I didn’t enjoy the year at all. My heart was telling me we could win the thing, but my eyes and brain were telling me something different. The players said all the right things about being hungry, but Sydney showed us last week what it means to be truly hungry for 4 quarters. It is so hard to go back to back. Am I excited for next year? Bloody oath! We finished 5th in a year where our forward line was broken. We led in 7 of our 8 losses by 20 plus points. When it mattered, our important players were banged up and not at their best. I believe that with a few changes to 22 after an aggressive trade period and some adjustments to the game plan, we can challenge again in 2023.

Guess what, we found out going back to back is extremely hard and our players faded out. What an incredibly obnoxious, entitled topic to post. You support a team which won a premiership last season breaking a massive drought, and finished top 2, despite huge adversity. Cry me a river.

A wise coach once said that even a premiership side needs to turn over players from year to year. He suggested that you needed to bring in up to five new players to freshen up a side. We brought in two - Luke Dunstan for a handful of games and Daniel Turner who in the end played half a game. There wasn’t much inventiveness in dealing with our problem areas and, in fact, we kept repeating the same failed tactics that just about every decent coach in the competition had worked out and in the end, exploited. The time to bring youth into the side was in Rounds 9 and 10 - just one or two players of the likes of JVR and Bailey Laurie just to see how they fitted into AFL football. Our opposition in those games were West Coast and North Melbourne. Trying some new blood in those games would not have changed the result. Ironically, in the final quarter of our last game Harry Petty shows up on the forward line to be the only tall in the team to score a goal in such a vital game. Hoping the coach had some “learnings” out of this.

Weed just might turn out to be the Jackson replacement in the second ruck. Has had a good game

I love how last year our flag was built off the coaching of our assistant coaches and now when we don't win it, it's all Goodwin's fault.

To lose 2 home finals is totally unacceptable and reflects a poor performance from both players and coaches. Mistakes kept repeating themselves and there was no attempt to make the necessary changes to personnel and game plan. The high number of out on the fulls, down the field frees and 50 metre penalties were responsible for a lot of goals and probably the difference between winning and losing. A disciplined and focused side would not have made those mistakes. All the talk about wanting to perform well in front of a home crowd now seems like empty rhetoric because it was not backed up by action on the field. Everyone at the Club needs to have a long hard look at themselves.

Mate what is the point. Just go do something else with your Saturday if you find these players all not good enough for your liking.

I didn't go last night, because I couldn't afford it. I did go last week against Sydney, oh and to 90% to our home games in the H&A , so I shouldn't say a word or complain about the way we played in this finals? Don't be too rushed to criticise your fellow supporters.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. For all of our “learnings”, we’ve learnt nothing. The most disappointing part for me about this season is that we walk away without having unearthed a single young player who I think can really help us improve next year. Casey lost one game all year, yet we debuted one player all year despite wavering form and injuries. Our big move was bringing Melksham back in and throwing Petty forward with 3 minutes left in the season. It was clear that things haven’t been working well since the halfway mark of the year. Yes we finished second and that was a good result, but our form was very up and down, particularly against good sides. And yet week after week nothing changed. The same predicable ball movement. The same dysfunctional forwardline. Hell even our defense has been leaking goals left right and centre. To start 10-0 and go out in straight sets is an unacceptable result.

I'm not talking about the past 2 weeks. We failed to address T Mac's absence. We had the chance to either experiment with Petty up forward or play JVR. Consistent performers at VFL level like Dunstan and Chandler weren't rewarded. We persisted with ANB and Spargo, when they were giving us little. The whole team seemed to lack energy in the 2nd half of the season. Some players were banged up. Maybe some fresh faces could have lit the spark. But the match committee and coaches stuck with the same players and game plan which continually failed against the better sides.

It's not the leaders you should be disappointed with. This is 100% on the coaching staff. They've absolutely butchered our season by their inability to have a plan B in place and also being too conservative at the selection table. Goody and the rest need a [censored] rocket.

Um . . . . because BBB helped us win our first premiership in 57 years. Quite frankly, I don't give a FF if BBB never gets another kick. He stood up in a grand final and we won a flag. He'll always be a Demon premiership player and forever a legend of the club.

Hunt earnt his spot. Rivers and Salem were poor in both finals.

Agree with that, but got his hands to about 12 marking chances and held one. That’s not his knee’s fault. Handballed to guys with opposing players all around and cost us multiple goals last night. Also not the fault of his knee. Lets face it he had a mare in the finals.

People give you crap, but besides when you’ve obviously been taking the p*ss you’ve been spot on. -Rooter should of been brought in literally months ago - Gawn stumbled into AA this year, and we desperately need a main ruckman to take the load off - Grundy is obvious quality, and surely wouldn’t have put in two insipid performances like Dogga has this final series (and the whole contract situation has definitely been a distraction for the whole club) - VFL players not rewarded. ANB did some great things tonight, but last 2 months has shown his lack of evasive skills in critical attacking moments that then swing the other way, can’t help but wonder what Chandler might have been able to do in that role this year. Salem as well has been mentioned but does have more credits in the bank than ANB. -Refusal to change any game plan tactics after we were found out post round 10. We as supporters get criticised for our lack of cheering this year, but our dour game plan doesn’t leave much room for excitement unless the ball is in Kossie hands or Hunt in full flight. We ain’t cheering for a cumbersome BBB going slo-mo for a ball while being double teamed, because we know the result. JVR might have given us something fresh and exciting to cheer about. -Lack of game day coaching creativity (I get there isn’t much you can do on game day, but ffs could we not have tried some proper corridor footy at any point in the last few months when we have obviously getting rolled in 4th quarters. Petty switch too late, and needed as a result of bad forward selection in the first place) - One of the most infuriating things for me personally has been the narrative Goody and some of the players had been trying to paint about us finding our best footy the last couple of months. We’ve been the worst f50 pressure team and worst 4th quarter team going around, don’t sell us or yourselves that bullsh*t. The premiership gives Goody some warranted goodwill going into next year, but we need some serious change next season. Straight sets to inter-state teams, gassed players by final quarters, and an appalling record at the G in front of hopeful fans (the place and people the club talked up as the main incentive for going B2B) doesn’t just hurt, it is a complete embarrassment. And that’s exactly how they should see it going into their season review. - let’s hope Goody is more in the calibre of Longmire or Scott, but it really does feel like a Beverage situation. For the love of God prove us wrong!

My disappointment will settle. The rage too. But to lose the same way, again, is just maddening. We lost 8 games this year. 6 of them all played out the same way - strong start, 20+ point lead, some point midway our opponent lifts and we absolutely fall apart and never look like righting the ship. Our fitness wasn’t good enough. Our hunger can’t have been strong enough. Our skills weren’t good enough. Our coaching wasn’t good enough. From 10-0, and after finishing 2nd, we should not be watching prelim finals from home. That is not good enough.

Obviously a lot of doom and gloom on the forum which I can understand as the season didn't hit all the 'Pass Marks'. Just trying to isolate that to those threads and have at least one thread of positives such as Another great year for Clarrie Continued improvement of Harry Petty Another AA year for May Another solid year of goals for Fritsch/Pickett Form/Development of certain players at Casey, yes a little disappointing we didn't see more debuts in 2022 but imagine a few will be putting their hands up during 2023 pre-season Off the field we had contract extensions for Oliver and Brayshaw, broke our membership record, renewed some sponsorships

Understand your anger, but what is the point of this post? We won the flag last year and broke the drought. Every club studied our game plan. We became the hunted. We finished in 2nd place. Yep, we were out of form second half of the year and we bowed out of finals in a disappointing manner. We still had some good wins along the way. It just wasn’t to be this year. It’s a failure for me too, but I’ll take this over talking about draft picks in July anyway. We must reset and get some players in to fill some gaps. We also need to see some more of the players in the 2s given opportunities. Too many players were rewarded with games when out of form

Well we were a laughing stock for 56 years so it's only appropriate for us to go out this way. $1.20 favourites on your home deck against an interstate side and give no yelp. Normal service resumed. Completely arrogant season from all involved. How about talking about how we are still trying to change the culture and it is a work in progress instead of spouting off about this great culture we have after one good season. This club just doesn't understand what it takes to be at the top. This season was a complete and utter failure. From the players to the coaches it was not only a lost opportunity to have another crack at a flag, but a terrible regression in our attitude to competing when things aren't falling into place for us.

Sadly, our second half of the year has to be seen as a massive capitulation, and that game was the perfect capper. A team we smacked twice this year, badly undermanned, and they made us look like utter amateurs in that second half. Can’t win at our home ground, get easily rolled in our second halves, and when oppositions come hard with the pressure, we go belly up, retreating into our slow methodical attacking strategy with a massive attack of the panics down back. None of the fast, rolling waves of possession, just fumbly, horrible rubbish that gets easily turned over. Dunno how it happened, but it’s absolutely there for all to see. Shattered for the boys, cos I reckon they’ve got no idea how it happened either. Here’s the other thing, and I’ll definitely sound like a smartarse saying it, but HARRY PETTY IS A FORWARD. I’ve been saying it for 4 years. You don’t waste great marking competitive beasts like him down back. Next year, peeps!

Good on the OP and good on you all playing the positives. I agree with most of what's been said. A positive for me is we are clearly still in the window - we were in every game and largely when things are equal (at the starts of games), we were the better team in all but maybe 1 or 2 matches. I'm not convinced those teams remaining are miles better - we are just banged up, in a weird headspace, copped a lot of 'higher than expected conversion' against us and we really were everyone's grand final. The planets need to align for a flag and they never quite did for us this year. That's ok.

People forget how crucial BBB was in the 2nd quarter of the Grand Final - the only goal kicker when the tide was turning. I think people are happy to jump all over him because he’s relatively new as a Demon. He’s had to battle a knee injury the entire time he’s been with us and been played as a single key forward against the best defenders every week. Will defend BBB any and every day.

Well Things are never as good as they seem (Rd 1-10) and things are never as bad as they seem(last night) - there’s venting but really some of the posts are just crazy A coach once told me, after a defeat don’t address the players for too long, short sharp and succinct otherwise you will say something out of emotion you later regret. It meant little to me at the time, but when I became a coach I had that moment, which on reflection was really poor and a light bulb moment and it’s impossible sometimes to get the moment back. I would recommend that to several on here, don’t think we all don’t hurt after a loss and see issues. I hate posters who get personal with players. After turning the phone off after last night’s loss, I have calmed down and reflected on what no doubt is a poor end to the season. It’s not wasted, they never are you learn something from them good and bad. Hawthorn started to expose a blueprint and others went to work opening up more cracks. We backed ourselves and stuck for a long time with what we knew. When we tried to change, with quicker ball movement and taking on the 45 in the corridor it wasn’t natural and often saw us getting hurt on turnover either by lack of confidence in not hitting the kick the minute you see it or by running into a wall and trying to handball our way through it. Watch vision from the last 7 games players have the ball there’s a 45 kick on in the corridor the player looks hesitates as if it goes against what we know and then tries the kick or passes on responsibility to a teammate, the moment is lost and you over handball or bomb it in. The pressure up the ground isn’t at last year’s level and we get burnt on the way back I have no doubt the players were told and coached to alternate how we play, but it needs a lot of work, a full pre season and more. When you’re under pressure you go back to what you know muscle memory and what has worked previously. The tweaks to the plan have started but a lot of work to go. Tmac is vital as the lead up the ground creating channels for Brown to lead into. Brown is not a contested mark never has been and has been asked to do what’s not natural for him. I’m not sure JVR is ready, another pre season will be massive VFL and AFL gap is huge, we could roll the dice but list management is always ticking over and player development isn’t always necessarily occurring at AFL level. You come in when the time is right. Fitness, again the Burgess myth, don’t get me wrong he’s probably the best in the business but we’re comparing apples with oranges between last year and this. A lot of our injuries were impact related and we were so banged up towards the end we just couldn’t run out games. Last season outside of Tomlinson almost everything went right injury wise. When Trac went public about not taking a proper break at the end of last season alarm bells went off at the time, the season is long and you need that time to freshen up, he wants to be the best he can but needs to listen to his body and rest up Attitude - injuries had an impact but I reckon we lost that manic hunger to just do whatever it took. Selfless acts weren’t as prevalent and our pressure in the midfield and up forward wasn’t the same as last year. So many times we gave up late goals in quarters which hurt us It’s one thing to say after winning a flag, we want to do this back at our home, but it’s another to actually do everything you can to ensure it happens. Think Rayners spoil last night in the last quarter the kick into the corridor wasn’t immediate, then we take the kick and Rayner decides I’m putting pressure on Salem to at least prevent him playing on quickly. Salem waits for the kick, doesn’t attack it in the air and Rayner who is desperate gets to the ball first. That was us last season you make your own luck and by not being ruthless this year we didn’t put teams or games away and gave teams a sniff For me the biggest need considering the change in style they started to try and implement is another elite kick off half back. Salem got sat on and there were no other options. Jackson isn’t a dud as emotional posters are labelling him, he’s hampered but going to be a good player but he’s the opportunity to play hardball. Two first rounders would be great but Hayden Young is the asking price it changes things big time and you just dig your heels in because you have to give something to get something. Simon and co along with the playing group need to review, reflect, rest and recharge. Come back hungry, change things up a bit, not massively but just have a few more arrows to fire. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water, but don’t pull the trigger to late Goody it’s part of evolving as a coach Good luck to Casey boys today. Watch the AFL finals now with envy, the dog will certainly be calmer now when I’m watching

I’m sorry, but the “I’ve spent (enter amount here) on membership/s” really [censored] bugs me. A lot paid up in 2020 and got absolutely nothing out if it. There’s also a lot that probably can’t afford memberships, still get them and don’t whinge about it.

Other than Oliver, and perhaps Petty, who actually improved this season? Oliver is a next level player. He wants it so badly. I feel like the rest of the list was very complacent. We lost that fire and the desire and we were not ruthless enough. How many times this season have we lost while 20+ points up? 2021 Melbourne would never ever allow that. We seemed to think Bang Bang Bang will just happen again and save us. That we can play 10 good minutes of football a game and win. Need to rediscover that hunger and dare and FITNESS if we want to contend again next year.

The last minute of every quarter is so important. Tonight we gave away 5 goals in the last minute of quarters - 1 in Q1, 1 in Q2, 2 in Q3 and 1 in Q4.

Selwyn Griffith should probably start looking for a new job. Our last quarters this year have been absolutely deplorable. Teams have known they can run over us, and have done so. Also, why bother switching up positions with 5 minutes to go if you've been stubborn up to that point, even at selection?

As soon as Geelong have decided who they’d like to play and where 😉

Casey Dees did a lot that the Melbourne Dees couldn't do last night. Ball movement and F50 entries so much cleaner. Some nice young prospects as well (esp. JVR, AMW). Nothing will ease the deep pain of last night, but that was the equivalent of a Panadol.

A brilliant performance. The tackling and hardness at the ball a real stand out. Casey doing us proud after last night’s very disappointing effort.

This narrative is absolute rubbish. 85% of the crowd last night was Melbourne. Every metric you look at shows we have the second best turn up of Members to games across the comp (second only to Freo because of their member numbers and where they play). The supporters are tired of seeing the side get beaten in exactly the same way for the last 3 months. Last night we turned up and we wanted it. I can not stand that supporters blame other supporters. It’s factually incorrect, and an entirely useless exercise.

17th for pressure acts tells the story this year. The ruthlessness has gone, they are content they won one last year.

Simply, we were not good enough this year. We all thought that we were better than that, but we really weren't. There is no shame in that. What would be shameful, given our player base, would be if we cannot, during the season review, determine what went wrong, and how we can dramatically improve next year. It's obviously not just a player problem.

Great performance by Casey. It was a team effort all around. If we're dead set wanting to save cap money then forget Grundy and trial Weideman as a ruck/forward. Give him one last hit because the last two Casey games I've watched him as a ruckman he's dominated. He could relieve Gawn but also play as that 2nd tall with JVR as the 3rd tall forward with maybe Harrison Petty/Tom McDonald. JVR is the real deal. I've banged on about him far too much this year. Told you he's the real deal @Bitter but optimistic. The excitement is real. His 2nd efforts and defensive tackling pressure for such a big dude is insane. Chandler and Bedford need to play more senior games next year, it's as simple as that. The dynamic and X factor these two have is untapped imo. Spargo and ANB are under pressure imo because I think they've been incredibly disappointing this year. Blake Howes has certainly grown. He looks 192cm tall instead of the 190cm as listed. I would also like to see him train in his natural position as a 3rd floating forward. Reminded me of Gunston when he took that mark. Corey Ellison is absolutely worth a look imo even as a train on player. Has solid hands and is physically mature as well. Rarely gets beaten. How exciting is Andy Moniz Wakefield? His ariel work and leap is very impressive. He's such a unique player that I actually don't know who I'd compare him to in the AFL. Strong summer and hopefully few NAB games next to Kozzie. Onto the big dance!

I see what you’re saying. But I think you’re writing Tomlinson off too soon. It’s his first year back from an ACL.

2022 positives 1. TRAC IS A STAR ⭐️ 2. CLARRY IS A STAR ⭐️ Brownlow 🤞 3.THE KOZZZY SHOW 🚀 (wish it was on weekly) loved the goal v blues … goal of the year for Dees 4. FRITSCH GOT BETTER AND BETTER 🚀- loved his goal v Swans 5. 2nd Position on the ladder (about right … Cats deserved top spot and premiership favourites) 6. 65000 members 7. 7-0 interstate record 8. ALL AUSTRALIAN FOR MAY, GAWN, CLARRY & TRAC 9. Long term contracts for Gus, Clarry and Trac 10. Big crowds back at the MCG 11. Petty had a full year and is very very good - signed until 2025 12. positive Lingers was very very good 13. JVR showed really positive signs at Casey 14. Casey 16-1. (And who knows how finals will end )

Petty season worst game is the worst take of the year

Petty taking a contested mark and kicking a goal late in the 4th, is such a big kick in the guts to the lack of experimentation/ willingness to address weaknesses for most of the season

The DARE has been deliberately coached out of the side. It is forbidden, not part of our game plan. The side has been drilled to relentlessly play the defensive percentages, kick down the line for Max to mark or knock it out and set up for the throw in and repeat. Kick long to the fwd pocket basically to get an out of bounds again, then hope for a goal from the throw in. It mostly works but not against the best sides who read what we are doing and start to congregate around where they know the ball is going then intercept and run and take risks to get the ball forward quickly with low passes into their fwd 50.

There are proactive coaches (McRae) and reactive coaches (Mitchell), but Goodwin is neither - I have no idea what he even does on game day. Just saw the presser - he said it was not a shock what happened, and we'll need to work on it, review etc. No evidence this was done in the 3 months since it all went to [censored]. He also said the players are fit enough which there is clearly no evidence for. How else can our last quarters so halfhearted? I don't buy into the theory that there's less hunger after the win last year. But somehow there's less clear thinking. Then when the opposition gets a run-on, you can see the stress seep into their heads. May and Spargo stand out in this way - they are too hot headed and need some brain training in staying calm in the present moment. The feeling of negativity seems to seep into everyone, and this is 100% on the coach. Also, in the first quarter, there were several switches and passages of creative ball movement that completely outsmarted the Lions. Why did that approach completely dry up? Are they not backing themselves in? Trac can hold his head up high - that double play in the centre where he set up a goal was inspirational, and Petty showed outstanding footy smarts and composure. On the other hand, guys like Rivers and Sparrow are completely lacking in that composure. Particularly for Sparrow, being a young premiership player and enjoying a long apprenticeship under some of the best, he just doesn't seem to be progressing (despite elite pressuring ability). I think people here have been hard on BBB - he's being badly misused. The guy is not Hawkins/Cameron/King so why are we expecting him to pull miracles? Also ANB - he's no Toby Greene or Papley, but continues to present in his role. Against Sydney he got tagged by Clarke and copped a ridiculous level of pressure, and in this game he did what was required. But to be truly effective he needs a more creative type - eg. Rayner, Heeney, Wingard to play off of. Pickett needs to do his homework on positioning - watch videos of Cameron (when in form), Stengle, Walters. Its so disappointing to win only 3 of our last 9 games at the G this year...after all that happened in 2021.

Kind of glad it’s over… we were limping to the finish line. Key players on every line seemed rooted. LJ can go, mini replenish of the list and fill some holes and back at it in 2023.

Gotta say, I really hate the umpire excuse. I hate it when all teams use it, but I especially hate it when we use it. Should have buried the game in the first quarter. Should have kicked another 5-6 goals easily throughout the game. We let them get easy goals at the ends of quarters. There’s the game right there. We absolutely choked and all ire should be directed at us for many reasons.

Failure of a season. Every single loss was the same where we get out to a lead of around 20 to 30 points and then get complacent and stop trying to win. No imagination with team selection or style. Half the team in on reputation while Casey had an all-time great saeason.

Very easy to get sucked into this sort of VFL performance the day after that sort of AFL performance. But surely we'll be seeing plenty of Bowey and JVR next year. Surely.

Simply must keep him. There are always ‘replacement’ players that are inflated after a flag win, their future is deigned as they are so close to stars they are artificially illuminated - Sparrow, Spargo, JJ - they have ceilings much lower than what their market speculated. They can go. Pickett, LJ, Petty - these are our only bonafide star players under 22. We can’t lose two of them.

Help winning Casey a premiership maybe? I’d call that upside.

During the season I called out that we didn’t use enough players and the nuffies here said “well it worked in 2021”. The result we saw this year was a team of burnt out players, not a surprise at all. And this was with a relatively healthy list. Our forward line in the past month would have looked far more dynamic with the likes of JVR and Joel Smith (the hill I will die on) instead of Brown, ANB, Spargo and Melksham.

Haha you genuinely believe this don't you.. My god you're delusional. Not the fact that our game plan was completely flawed from the moment Freo Sydney and the likes exposed it mid year. Goodwin and the coaching group showed a complete and utter lack of match day innovation when we were challenged throughout the year especially in the 2nd half. They continued backing of the same method in our forward structure that was being pulled apart by teams because of how easily one dimensional it was. Bang it into the pocket and pray like hell our smalls lock it in, yet we were rated 17th for forward half pressure. So the smalls weren't even doing their job. Coaching group completely butchering team selections this year. Not taking our opportunities to rest blokes against North and West Coast when there were early signs of fatigue. Exposed once again tonight for going in completely banged up and yet the coaching group had the absolute nerve to go in unchanged. Complete stubbornness and arrogance to not only refuse to reward the blokes who showed consistent form at VFL level this year in the likes of JVR, Chandler, Laurie, Bedford, Dunstan but the continued backing of Sparrow, Spargo, ANB Rivers who have all been consistently poor especially 2nd half this year. No willingness to try and bring in fresh face or personnel to give our playing group a different edge or new element come match day. Maybe explain to me what was our plan B this year? Only time Goody and the coaching group decided to show a hint of plan B was 3 minutes to go last night and they decided to throw Petty forward because it only just hit them then that our season was a bees [censored] from being done. Pur season capitulated on the back of poor coaching from our coaching staff. So yes, give me an absolute spell if you think this is solely on the players.