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I’m just not sure why footballers owe us, the irrational and emotional supporters anything. The club and the league don’t show players loyalty, why do we expect it back. They are their own business/brand acting in a way that fits that description. In the world of modern sport the loyal athlete is the exception and the surprise. Him leaving doesn’t knock his integrity, it may create more and or better stories and relationships for himself, only he can figure that out. The future is unwritten. My values lie much closer to yours than what I am suggesting a modern athletes does but I am not an athlete with a short shelf life. It’s also easier to hold those values higher when you’ve lived a longer life, accumulated more wealth and had those experiences that get you to the well rounded place you find yourself. He is in his mid 20s with a brain that only just matured and took a hell of a beating along the way and is on his way to those experiences. We are irrational, emotional football supporters freaking out that we may not go back to back. I think he stays but if he doesn’t we will fall in love with the next guy.

What an amazing resume you must have. Such a well listened gentleman. Along the journey of your Stirling academic and professional career did you come across the idea of rational self interest? Gus has roughly 10 years to make as much as he can. If he can get an extra 100 grand a year for the next 5 years that does a lot for him in the next phase of his life. There is always a balance between loyalty and getting what you’re worth. Clarry and trac got what they are worth because they have to. They are top 5 league talent. It becomes a more complicated negotiation when you are the next tier down. We don’t know the details of any negotiations. All we are doing is implying things based on hopes and fears. Gus played the game of his life to help win us a flag. He can do what he wants after that.

This is the greatest period of football in my life by so far it’s impossible to measure. We have three of the best players in the league. We have stars across the ground. We are in every game. We expect to win against everyone, I can’t remember ever experiencing that. We get to discuss why we are losing in a very different way to the way we used to, and the theories are magnificent. I’ve had to learn how to watch and understand a top football side. The Daniher years are the closest I’ve been and it was nothing like this. We were never the best side in it. I think we get 5 or so years of competitive football starting last year and one flag or three is perfectly fine. I’ll remember this group of players and tell people about them many years from now. Losing still sucks as much as it always did. Go dees

Nailed it

I think it’s too early to tell where we stand. Jordan is slow but so is gus. Us being exploited with run is more than one wingers problem I think. There seems to be a defensive team that involves the forward flanks the wings and the midfield. They seem to fire as one or not. Lately there’s been a lot of not. Like last year through winter. Not drawing comparison to prove any point but it’s no different. I think Bevo relies on emotion too much rather than tactical nous. Goodwin sticks to his guns which in the short term can be painful but may be the best season long strategy. His coaching ethos does seem to differ to a lot of coaches. If we get to a grand final again his stubbornness will prove to be a great tactic. May wasn’t sent forward, he followed his opponent. We seem to want our players to work it out and learn for themselves which I think is a good long term strategy.

I reckon we just don’t want it enough. Happy with one. The stars have all signed their big contracts and are just going to coast through to retirement now. Brayshaw is about to sign but it will only result in him settling in to mediocrity for 5 years before moving to Perth. Jackson is gone and we will get nothing back but a Brent Grgic type. Can’t see us being relevant moving forward. You’re right with the bulldogs and look at the wins losses and percentages for the year. Backs it up perfectly. Strong observation. Not to mention how well they stacked up against us last year when it mattered. Bevo is clearly a mastermind, not the unhinged madman some have claimed.

Not true. You still need enough top A grade talent and the best bottom six etc. it probably just helps seperate the top 4 from each other and probably always has.

That sounds awfully reasonable

Makes sense to me. Especially given our start to the season. Look at what will get top four and play for that and put as Much work into then as possible. I’m in the same boat as you regarding the last four rounds and I’m convinced I saw signs of it in the first half against the dogs. I’m looking at teams like us, lions and freo to start taking back their mantles to finish out the year. Teams like Collingwood to start falling away. Percentage wise they are the eighth best team I think? They are this years essendon or port. Next year they lose most of the close games and fall back to the pack as they revert to the mean. As the anti loaders love to say it’s all conjecture, and fingers crossed we see it start to come together.

No one ever said we are the only team impacted by it. Where was that stated? You can measure it by looking at last years strangely similar patterns. When we played well last year we looked a certain way. When we played poorly we looked a certain way. That correlates very well with this year in my eyes. Throw in some injuries and that explains quite a bit I’d say.

We had inconsistent form from A graders last year too. Why do those who hate loading assume those who are aware of the method think the flag is ours and that’s that. No one has ever said that.

Cool, good chat. I assume you love the astute analysis of David king and the like. Enjoy your surface level, emotional roller coaster support and I’ll talk to you in a month when the season wraps up.

It’s possible we’ve gone harder than everyone else because we had the luxury of being 10-0.

So because you don’t know what you’re talking about then no one knows what they are talking about? Some people have deep knowledge of football and of sports science. They probably know a lot more than you and me. Seems strange to assume everyone’s in the same boat as you. Can’t learn much that way. It is a different year and there are different contributing factors but do you really not see any parallels form wise?

These people couldn’t possibly have a feel for a fair game of football. They’ve never seen one

We had no legs in the second half. All the signs of fatigue were there. Our flanks and mids disappeared. We were second to the ball. Not getting to contests. This correlates perfectly to every game fatigue has played a factor. It seems to happen identically when it happens. then there was the dogs getting the bounce of the ball all game which is partly hard work and partly luck. Then there was the umpiring, which in a three point game obviously cost us the game. Statistically a game decided by less than a goal is pure chance. Throw in the free kick gap from the blatant dual application of the rules and there’s your game. To suggest the umpires didn’t affect the game is noble but [censored] in this case. we looked the best we’ve looked for a while in periods during the first half. I expect to see more of that moving forward. I think we are trending positively. They played out of their skin and got a limo to the finish by the umps and just got over us. Both they and Geelong had to bring their best stuff and only just got over us despite being significantly fresher. We won’t change our game plan so we need more pack marking ability. Weideman just can’t do it. He’s never shown that ability. I thought Steven may was good. Took lots of strong marks when no one else was. The late turn over although it cost us doesn’t define his game tonight. Max got ragdolled which was hard to watch. we will look better next week. Plenty to play out still. Our season had been declared over by the majority at pretty much exactly this point last year.

Geez

Very few people in history can step into Oliver’s role

Expectation is brutal

Never in doubt

I don’t care. It looks wrong. Also I’m joking

That will change in exactly two weeks

Someone needs to get into langdons ear about his short sleeve jumper. He looks ridiculous.

Don’t know how you play well when you have a certain amount of injuries and are loading. Form isn’t a magical thing. It is often explainable.

Aren’t we looking ordinary today. Nothing unexpected though.