hemingway

Got to say DD, I have always thought these camps challenging masculinity and targeting physical and mental capacity/resilience, together with the so called team bonding aspect, complete and utter nonsense. I have been on a few and I can’t say that they benefited me in any way, shape or form. For many it’s no big deal and no damage is done but for others it can be very damaging. Part of the problem is that the people running these things are often not qualified or do not have sufficient expertise or experience to be dealing with the so called psychological issues that can come from confronting your fears and weaknesses. For god sake these are professional footballers with the same weaknesses and frailties that we all have. They are paid to play football and not be the subject of these “experiments” run by trainers who are here one day and gone the next.

Probably how we all feel. You never really know how much a coach particularly an assistant coach brings to a team. It’s hard to measure success. For many, the only real measure is a flag. Look at Goodwins history. If you took popular opinion 12-18 months ago, Goodwin would have been banished to the football tip of sacked coaches. There are thousands of Geelong supporters who regard Scott as a failure for that reason. This opinion will only change if they win this year god help us. With Yze the sentiment is that he is a successful Assistant coach but does it mean that he will make a great senior coach ? But as in life these things only become known if a person take their opportunities. Adem seems a terrific bloke who is liked by the players and respected for his knowledge and approach. As a supporter, I would like to see him stay for a few more years but at the same time be happy for his sake if got the GWS job.

I mean really, who cares. Just be positive. Panic merchants love the club as much as I am sure you do. Perhaps the panic merchants were simply anxious supporters who were worried that Gus might go. That’s okay. He has not. Time to be happy and for many, relieved. Again congrats to the club for their astute management during this trade period.

Agree wholeheartedly. I love what he brings to the team so I’m happy that he is staying. I was also concerned about the negative impact if he had taken up another offer. Jackson returning to Perth is understandable and can be explained away. My only concern is that long term deals have a financial risk particularly with a group of players on long contracts. And Gus does have a concussion history. That’s a risk but the club has no doubt taken all that into account.

Just as Uncle does not need a maid at the end of her career. .

Buddy a Demon are you serious? Kelvin Templeton and all those other chronically injured transfer players that came across to the Dees, where are you? More to the point, where are the geniuses responsible for those recruiting decisions. Got our hopes up until they ran onto the ground in a Melbourne jumper and we realised that we had bought a lemon or a bag of lemons.

It’s Greg Parke not Parkes. Terrific contested overhead mark, hands like glue but very slow on the ground and horribly inaccurate kick. But gave us some hope up forward on many gloomy Saturday afternoons. Did they really play on Sat afternoons or was it just a wistful dream ?

Love your positivity Big Kev. I was about to self harm reading earlier posts. I feel much better as I turn in. My mind has settled into a peaceful meditative state. Thanks.

Fancy lining up against Noel in his heyday. That face would have been terrifying. It spoke of unforgiving toughness and character. As his face with the 2021 Cup spoke of gentleness, peace and pride. A true great of the Club who linked the past glory years with our most recent triumph.

It’s annoying coming to the end of the season. Maybe it does not affect the players, but the on-going speculation over Brayshaw and Jackson I find a major distraction. Unsettling. Yeah I know that’s the way it is, but I hate it.

Just looked physically and mentally fatigued.

Success like life is temporary. What we must enjoy is the now. Live in the moment because everything else is so fragile. However, this is a time when we should sit back, reflect and take stock of where we are now and where we have got to, and the sheer joy of supporting a successful team without shame, embarrassment, or apology. There is a belief and an energy within the club, administration, coaches and players that is infectious and also convincing. It was a few years ago that Goodwin and others started talking about building a new club, developing a strong culture and creating something special. Despite the doubters, it has happened. 65,000 members is the result. Kids in jumpers and adults swathed in Demon gear is the result. The footy world talking about the club with respect rather than derision is the result. Everyone expecting the Demons to win is the result. The way the club handled the May affair and batted away the media scrum is the result. Having champion players is the result. And champions who love the club is the result. Amazing really. Yes, we will lose matches but gee what a turnaround. We have come a long way whatever measure you use. I love the way supporters quickly identify one another in the street with a smile and a “go Dees” comment. And the enthusiasm of the kids in their jumpers and face paint brings a tear to my eye. I suspect my final words before passing to Demon heaven will be “go Dees.”

Agree, the virus thing, simply pathetic.

Exactly.

Agree with most of this MB. Let’s not make comparisons. Both Flower and Oliver have their own unique qualities that made/make them special. Flower was sublime and Oliver is freakish. Champions in their own unique way.

Colin you were on track but let your petty annoyances about appearance come to the surface. With LJ, the pull of home is strong. It’s not about the money, it’s about going home. He may be happy here and the Club can do all the right things but clearly LJ wants to go home at some stage. Is it now or in a few years? We don’t know and perhaps LJ is in the same boat. He can be happy here and have lots of footy mates but ultimately I suspect he feels disconnected from Perth. It’s the way many of us feel who have moved away from their home base. Living in Japan, how do you feel about this issue?

So true

Summed it up perfectly. Courage, passion, intensity. Certainly one of the most courageous Demons to pull on the guernsey. Also very gifted, a natural sportsman. Tragic he went so young.

Errr, I mean the 4th Estate. Where’s my proof reader. That’s what happens when your dead.

Congratulations to MFC, together with Clarry and his manager for getting this done discreetly without the headlines from the shock jocks of the footy media scrum. Really refreshing that this can still happen without the usual fanfare and speculation from the great unwashed of the third estate. Says a lot for all the parties involved. Well done.

If Gunston wants out, he will be looking for a nice tidy package for 2 or 3 years to boost his property portfolio or other pre-retirement earnings. Seems like he is doing an Isaac Smith who was similarly [censored] off with the Hawks. Although Smith remains injury free and without a significant injury history. So no to Gunston due to age, dollars, and injury history. I would rather there be opportunities for players on our existing list. Much better for our training and development program.

Josh has much bigger fish to fry. The AFL talk provides him with some flattery but it is well below his ambitions and intellectual capacity. Well that’s what Josh confidentially told me.

Yes you are right thanks mate. Must be the rain and cold inducing the blues.

Not sure how you get back that manic pressure when our opponents are bringing more manic pressure each week than we are. Our pressure and run on the overlap are down. I can’t see how it can just reappear. It may be a combination of mental and physical fatigue over 12 months, training loads, the relentless pressure each week. Mental fatigue brings with it physical fatigue. The team effectively conquered Everest in 2021. It’s hard to do that twice particularly in successive years. It’s almost impossible to maintain that edge or appetite. That’s why talking of dynasties was always going to be premature and unwise. We are facing other teams that are playing with the energy and dare that we had in the latter half of 2021. I just reckon that the team looks fatigued. We look slow in mind and body. Time will tell. They need a few wins to rediscover that winning feeling.