Engorged Onion

Classic Goodwin eh… Never one to risk, always protecting his mates and playing favourites 🤷‍♂️

Thanks mum x

Richmond absolutely ran interviews during our finals campaign in 2023, and yes, there were murmurs that Yze was distracted prepping for them. Having spent time in this industry, I think it’s important to put some context around what’s actually happening. Clubs are constantly balancing short-term performance with long-term succession planning. When a coach is under pressure, or when an assistant shows genuine potential, interviews in-season—even during finals—are unfortunately part of the landscape. They’re rarely ideal, but they are a known and accepted part of how clubs operate. Every club will publicly speak about fostering assistants into future head coaches. “We value their talent. We want the best for them. They can go learn elsewhere. Maybe even come back.” It’s a narrative that looks good and, in most cases, reflects genuine intent. So to tar Adem Yze with the brush of “distraction” feels both unfair and disingenuous. He was doing exactly what the industry expects and what any ambitious assistant would naturally consider. Yet when a coach is sacked, interviews happen all the time—in-season, in finals—formal, informal. It’s literally how the industry works. Everyone knows it. And then, lo and behold, in 2025 MELBOURNE does exactly that during a finals campaign, holding interviews, both formal and informal and suddenly it’s a “distraction”? A scandal? A breach of trust? Classic AFL bubble logic: perfectly fine for me, morally catastrophic for you.

Sorry, but I just had to... - apologies @The Jackson FIX (just saw yours). Slide 1 — Title SlideHeadline: "Uncompromising Excellence: A Five-Year Blueprint for Sustained AFL Success" Visual: Hero image of AFL premiership cup with team colours subtly in the background. Subtext: “Prepared for [Club Name] Board – [Date]” Tagline: "Two Flags. One Club. Lasting Legacy." Slide 2 — Vision StatementHeadline: "One Club. One Purpose." Core Vision: Deliver an elite high-performance program on-field and off-field Two premierships within five years Build a sustainable dynasty through culture, development, and recruitment Visual: Image of team in a huddle, words overlayed like a motivational AFL locker room wall. Slide 3 — 5-Year Performance Roadmap (Overview)Visual: Horizontal timeline, each year as a pillar Year 1: Build foundations — elite standards, culture, game plan buy-in Year 2: Finals contention — top 6 finish, emerging leaders stepping up Year 3: First Flag — grand final appearance + win Year 4: Consolidate — maintain top 4, regenerate list Year 5: Second Flag — dynasty status, sustained success Slide 4 — Key Performance DriversFour Core Areas: Game Plan Evolution — Fast, relentless, defensively accountable Talent Pipeline — Draft, trade, and develop with precision Leadership & Culture — Standards, accountability, connection High Performance & Sports Science — Recovery, injury prevention, peak match conditioning Visual: Split into four quadrants with action photos. Slide 5 — Culture & LeadershipEstablish "No Excuses" accountability system Player leadership group reset — aligned with club vision Cross-department integration: football, medical, welfare, analytics Community and fan engagement as part of player DNA Visual: Locker room shot with “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” quote. Slide 6 — Recruitment & List Management PlanShort Term (1–2 yrs): Target 2–3 ready-made impact players Develop 5–6 emerging talents into AFL-level starters Long Term (3–5 yrs): Maintain list age profile to avoid rebuild cycles Trade capital strategy for sustained contention Visual: Depth chart graphic showing current vs. projected best 22. Slide 7 — High Performance EdgeGPS & performance analytics to tailor player load Injury prevention & resilience protocols Benchmark against AFL's top 4 fitness & speed standards Mental performance program for clutch execution under finals pressure Visual: Graph comparing key metrics vs. top 4 teams. Slide 8 — Success MetricsYear 1: > 90% player availability, top 6 defensive efficiency Year 2: Finals appearance, 2+ wins vs. top 4 teams Year 3: Premiership Win #1 Year 4: Top 4 finish, > 60% win rate Year 5: Premiership Win #2 Visual: Two large AFL Premiership cups side-by-side with years underneath. Slide 9 — Call to ActionHeadline: “Let’s Make History” Subtext: A shared commitment to elite performance Courage to make bold decisions United in purpose: Two Flags. One Legacy. Visual: Club logo, cup, and a bold final image of players celebrating.

Recall 15-20 years ago when 'tapping up' (ie: having early conversations) was seen as unethical/problematic, and now it's de rigueur and just a normal part of everyday society in terms of gathering data, understanding peoples positions and their current landscape, so you can make an informed decision. It began with players, and the collective AFL fandom base shock at how on earth NRL players could sign contracts with alternate clubs and still play out the season fully invested in their current team. It has now understandably, shifted to the wider FD. To paraphrase Brene Brown - 'being clear, is being kind'. And that works well in a business sense, when the industry is effectively closed off and in a bubble. SG would have understood this having been in the industry for 3 decades, and not suprised that other coaches have been spoken to our sounded out..

Probably has something to do with the fact that’s it’s an even completion and that all clubs give up leads. St Kilda is one of those outliers that make It seems worse than it actually is. 🤷‍♂️😎 How’s the mythology around Collingwood coming back from any position going these days… these runs of things, are always always temporary.

Having worked with someone in a not dissimilar scenario to CP5 - and went on to win a couple of premierships, the energy and effort expended each match was huge to manage his anxiety of re-injury and the potential cost of that, whilst being in a culture of - it's happened...just harden up. Coming back from a life-threatening injury isn’t just about healing tissue; it’s about re-wiring the brain’s threat systems. From a neurobiological point of view, those systems are designed to keep you alive, not get you back into contested footy. Even when the body is “ready,” the brain often keeps running protective patterns – subtle hesitation, altered decision-making, or a shift in how risk is assessed – and that can permanently change a player’s game. To me, that all looks pretty clear in how he plays now post injury. If Christian was 22, then maybe it would be different - the holistic view is, presuming he wants/has (IDK) a family, other interests, then mortality (be it philosophical or literal) would be consistently front of mind, be it game day, or training in terms of having to protect himself, subtly sometimes, and more pronounced at others. The challenge isn’t forcing the old version of yourself back, but learning to operate within the new reality. And that’s not failure; it’s the natural adaptation of someone who’s survived something most people never have to face

Oh the cognitive dissonance! Heaven forbid a coach outwardly praise the MFC with respect!

I was enraptured with the 😎

I’d be staggered if the club wasn’t running a proper process here — it’s not like Nathan Buckley is some obscure prospect dragged out of the Managatang Thirds. Recruiting a senior AFL coach isn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision; the groundwork starts months, sometimes years, in advance. That means background calls to people who’ll never be quoted, scenario interviews that test how you think under oddly specific pressure, leadership profiling that borders on personality anthropology, and a clear internal document about what the next phase of the club actually demands. But you know, he has been in the system for close to 3 and a half decades. A genuine process is about “how does this person integrate into the machinery we’ve built?” What are the tangible gaps in performance? Who can close them without simply inheriting the previous problems? If they choose Buckley over an untried assistant, the rationale is obvious: he’s survived the media furnace, proven himself in live-fire tactical situations, and knows how to turn a list into a cohesive, disciplined organism rather than a set of loosely connected talents. Our current list is crying out for a tighter connection between midfield acumen and forward efficiency, whilst we transition game plan, plus the ability to adjust tactics mid-game without looking like we’re improvising survival. That’s usually something you only learn by running the whole show before. If he’s the best candidate, great — appoint him. But the search has to be deliberate, multi-layered, and unflinchingly honest about what’s missing. Otherwise, you’re just hoping that charisma and confidence will fix structural problems — and history suggests that hope, while great for movie endings, is terrible at football clubs Ps: Sitting in the sunshine at a summer sailing regatta on Sweden’s west coast, you realise that Swedes are tall and hot — but not as hot as the Melbourne coaching job. And like both of them, I’ll never get near one… unless they both suddenly start recruiting from the “mildly competent but overly optimistic” pool.

Was it the clubs shortlist or a rando list put together in the media. 🤷‍♂️ Nothing sells like a problem to solve (and sex)..

It’s absolutely ludicrous that there are many fans that have the opinion that making a grand final equates to failure. Contrast that versus any other coach (plenty) that have not made finals. The unrelenting standards and lack of nuance in understanding the many and myriad of factors that allows a team the ultimate success, across effectively a 10 month period of time as well as some singular games,to then rule someone out of a coaching gig- that some posters show shouldn’t but does astound me. If that’s your measure, prepare to be disappointed for all other coaching appointments whilst supporting your team.

No need to apologise - your opinion is just as valid. 10 years ago, I would have been in the anti Buckley camp for reasons you described. Keep to your convictions 🙌🏼

Did he run over your cat? How do you know he struggles to build meaningful relationships, how do you know he thinks to highly of himself? And if so, what's the problem with that? You need to have conviction in your philosophy, or no one will buy into it. You also need to have flexibility, and an ability to reflect, on what works, what doesn't and why, which I feel he has shown in his media career post coaching. It's a high performance environment - and as per society, there will be a bell curve of people who think Bucks, Goodwin, Engorged Onion, or Neitaphart are pretty decent, let's say 70%, then 15% who think they is absolutely amazing and a clear communicator and 15% who will think, nah, wouldn't poke him with a stick. And each will have their lens on why he is or is not their sort of guy. Welcome to life... and particularly, welcome to leadership. People are not going to agree with all decisions made, particularly when livelihood/career prospects are at stake, because it's existential. In watching for afar since he exited coaching, there is a humility (which Goodwin had to work on) and demonstrates clearly greater understanding of why you would NOT invest in performance at all costs to the detriment of relationships, and how that impacts on performance. People evolve, get behind him rather than potting him, unless of course, he actually did run over your cat, and sent you a photo text and this guy.

I appreciate your anxiety - “backroom deals??” — all appointments in footy are handled discreetly for obvious reasons. Public blow-by-blow updates might make fans feel included, but they also risk damaging relationships and negotiations, just like any organisation on this earth. Critique is fine, but calling the process a shambles without knowing the internal detail isn’t fair on the people doing the work — and it underestimates how much is happening behind the scenes.

3 Votes.. P...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Cripps* *Champagne Comedy? Non? Que?

You're right — pro sports isn’t an office job. The intensity, visibility, and physical demands are unique. But that doesn’t mean we abandon what we know about how people function under pressure. High performance is high performance — whether it's on a field, or off it. I'm not saying AFL should be run like an HR department. But dismissing the relevance of psychology because "it's not an office" ignores the fact that athletes are still people. They still respond to leadership, emotional cues, stress, fear, and feedback in human ways. And what we know — from decades of research across sectors — is that cultures built on fear or volatility are rarely sustainable. They might produce short-term compliance, but long-term, they cost people and performance. So no, pro sport isn’t an office — but that’s not a reason to reject the science of what helps humans thrive under pressure. In fact, it’s the very reason we should be doubling down on it.

Why do you think that would be helpful? Is that way of thinking based on as though, it's acceptable that he's a coach being punitive to his employees? Or analogous to the kids have disappointed him? (due to his own expectations, which may be miles off) Or it shows that he/the team are passionate about winning? Personally, my lens is that it shows someone who has zero ability to manage emotions when the heat is on... It wouldn't stand for any other workplace, so why is it acceptable in this context. To think that 'it's football' and gives it a free pass, is an indictment on the culture that IS football. What we know as a fact, in terms of behavioural change, is that the best motivator in the world is fear... BUT it only ever works for the short term. And is not sustainable long term, people tune out, or disengage. Think of it in terms of someone getting overtly angry at you... how do you respond?

How's that culture going...

I think it's a good time to evaluate whether we think we (as supporters, not the FD) would go far in finals. For me this is a development year, rather than pushing for the finals. Thus problem of disappointment and expectation solved! 😀

That'll be all about perceived feel and touch in the hand, which is personal preference. Personally I couldn't give a [censored] about what he does or thinks until the ball drop - because if you/he is aware of what he is getting caught up in, it should have minimal impact ON the ball drop, or the mechanics of running in - BUT it is all about the biomechanics around the ball drop to ensure as much as possible (with lee-way) that he strikes the ball correctly.

Oh please — AFL player salaries aren’t some moral barometer of “worth.” They’re entertainers in a billion-dollar TV show. Their pay reflects broadcast value, not how well they handball under pressure. The idea that they “deserve” or “don’t deserve” X dollars is like saying a sitcom actor gets paid based on how believably they cry. And let’s drop the myth around payment... . If you were scrutinised at work like they are — slow motion replays of every mistake, every comment dissected by a panel of ex-players — you’d want danger money just to open Outlook.

I think it's useful to get an average in AFL land.... so my interpretation of this data is... that the Hawks currently sit around 1 mark every 3.5 entries and we are around 1 in every 5. So (and not that it is as binary as this) - a question that will be asked in terms of the personnel on the field is - do you try to increase the mark rate when it does enter, or do you aim to increase the entry rate? I'd say Goodwin's coaching career/philosophy in terms of attacking and how to best go about it - has been defined by a talented midfield than extract the ball, and so he banks on as many entries as possible per game as the data set to follow, as it would appear over the season, you are likely to come out on top, more often than not. *Further to this - both Hawthorn and Melbourne are averaging around 53 Inside 50's a match - so thus far Hawthorn would take around 1 extra mark each quarter inside 50, if we went head to head, so to speak.

Serious question, can anyone walk me through how it has come to pass that since The Brayshaw incident, the desire to incessantly rehabilitate the image of Maynard continues in certain sections Of the media? As in, why him. He’s a middle of road player. What gives, what am I not Understanding?

Ange Postecoglou often speaks about the stonemason’s creed — the quiet, relentless work of striking the stone, knowing it might take a hundred blows before anything shifts, but believing that it’s the 101st that cracks it open. Not because that final strike is special, but because of everything that came before it. That idea — of persistence, belief, and purpose-driven effort — mirrors the Melbourne Football Club’s 2025 season to date. In Rounds 1–6, they looked off: the system wasn’t clicking, the forward line felt disjointed, and fans questioned if the spark had gone. But beneath the surface, the work continued. Structures were tweaked, roles clarified, effort sustained. And now, Melbourne looks like a different side — more connected, harder at the contest, more daring with ball movement. It's not a miracle turnaround; it's the 101st blow. Just like Postecoglou’s creed, this resurgence is built on the foundation of unseen toil — stone by stone, blow by blow — until finally, things split open. *edited by ai - as i couldn't be bothered typing