At the break of Gawn

We’ll need a diffuser against Sicily this weekend. Melksham did it brilliantly last year. Sicily is basically the only player that could get in the way of us winning.

Yeah I noticed that too. Not to fan the flames, but it was reported that Harmes was at Entrecôte that night so maybe there’s some tension there.

This sort of detail is always lost on the so called “journalists”. An MCG tenant against the Dogs always gets relatively low crowd numbers because Dogs supporters don’t show up to away games. A similar time last year Richmond vs Dogs got 52k.

Still a lot of work needed on our entries. Oliver has absolutely butchered some of his entries. Trying to be too cute and just completely missing the target. Feel like if we just get some better connection and can nullify Jones better we’ll run away with it.

Today we’ll find out if we’re a challenger this year. Dry weather football at the G. No weather excuses, and barring some unforeseen injury crisis, we’ll get a proper look.

Anyone else hear about the whisper Joey heard about Max being sick?

Our crowds in 2018 during the finals were extremely loud. It’s crazy how loud a crowd can get with the momentum of winning a final. The fact is in all 4 of those finals in 2022-23 we barely played any sort of electric footy with 5+goal leads like we did in 21 or even ‘18.

Still not sure Carlton are the real deal. Their defence still looks dodgy. Maybe Weitering makes the difference.

I also felt Spargo’s high shepherd in the 3rd really cost us. We had all the momentum going the other way and it just killed us.

I honestly feel Goodwin’s contract is 1 year too long at the minute. A failed year this year would put a lot of pressure on him and then he’d have 2025 to turn things around. Crazy to think he has 3 full years ahead of him (it expires 2026) which brings him to 10 years in total at the club. If there’s not at least another grand final in 2024-2026 then surely his contract won’t be renewed. Although I fear our window would definitely be shut by 2027.

Yes, we bemoan losing Hogan, but without May we don’t win the ‘21 flag.

I don’t think we’re getting anywhere near both of these teams this year.

Credit to Carlton. They made some big tactical changes at half time and won territory. If only our coaching staff would make in-game moves…

To be fair, Grundy has a very good record at the SCG. The smaller dimensions suits him and his limited tank isn’t exposed. I remember one time he got like 65 hit outs there in 2019

Love how we got shafted with the humidity last night and Carlton get none of it tonight.

For me it wasn’t the forward connection issues (as that’s hard to judge in slippery conditions), but rather our inability to stop the opposition from piling on multiple goals when they get territory and no way to transition out of it. This happened time and time again last year. Here are a few examples Port round 10 - last qtr Carlton Round 22 - kicked the first 3 goals of the last and then held on Even against Collingwood in the QF. We need to get better at transitioning out of our d50 when we lose territory. I think losing Bowey was crucial as it forced May to take the kick outs in that last qtr and he has literally no other way but kick it long. Also, people are forgetting the Richmond practice match too easily. A bottom 4 team piled on 10 goals against us. There’s no way that would have happened in ‘21.

Pretty sure they don’t train at night when the ball is slippery. The problem is that they’re a kicking side and the conditions suited that and our players are dumb and still do handball chains in horrible conditions.

Heeney has absolutely killed us.

Damian Barrett having Geelong as Runners up is wild. Probably the most unhinged prediction I’ve seen. Considering we’ve gone out in straight sets twice as premiership favourites, it’ll be interesting to see how we go without some of the pressure.

I know this is frivolous, but does this also mean the end of Gus and Gawny? Today’s news is just a [censored] sandwich. He’s a heart & soul player.

Maynard’s medal will always have an asterisk for mine.

Missing finals for me. I think we’ll finish around the 10th to 12th mark. For me, it’s not the off-field stuff it’s the lack of upcoming talent in key positions and injuries. May will be on his last legs by season’s end, Gawn will be exhausted and our lack of leg speed off the half back line will really be exposed. This competition moves at break neck speed and there’s quite a few teams that will unfortunately leap frog us.

I know it’s only a praccy, but to lose to a team expected to be bottom 4 further cements my thinking that we’ll slide out of the 8 this year.

Winning the flag this year would be so incredibly sweet with the media pile on and to shut up all the Pies supporters who think they're going b2b. Unfortunately I just can't see us making the leap. I can't see where the improvement is really going to come from in our front half and to do it in a reliable and consistent manner. I know I'll get flamed for this but I think we'll finish just outside the 8.

Not sure how accurate the Swans numbers are as a lot of assumptions thrown into that. Collingwood probably does have the biggest supporter base. I hate to admit it but with yesterday’s victory you’d probably argue Collingwood has probably been the most successful club out of all the original foundation clubs given they’ve won the equal most AFL/VFL premierships and contended in the most grand finals.