Engorged Onion

Picking apart language is important. Inevitably under stress - you start to perform what we call 'safety behaviours;' - typically self protection, at this expense of the team. For example , this may look like (flight) short little dinky kicks, unwillingness to zone off to 'try to influence' or (fight) see ball get ball midfielder - at the expense of structure. So... in a big match - all of a sudden you are behind... so because of your stress you switch into safety behaviours *note this is not getting ahead of your self But supporters see it as the getting ahead/drinking the bathwater narrative. Because they are not in the maelstrom. The beauty of Clarkson, Hardwick and now Goodwin (and I mean that seriously) - is that the system that he implemented becomes the default, and now its the maturity of the players (3-5 years) within that particular system - that now becomes the default safety behaviours, its no longer guided by individual excellence, (historically , Lyon, Schwarz, Neitz, Farmer...) or individual anxiety (as much) as the expectation to get us over the line, the excellence is now adherance to structure - with clearly some very very good players elite at their roles - because a range of supporting players default back to their role/ (which are non safety behaviours) more effecitively and in a more timely manner - irrespective of the game (stress) situation. It's incredibly important stuff - that we've never had as a club and importantly now have the players to implement certain roles at certain times. It's not about individual excellence now for us - but we're fortunate that we do have a smattering of that across all lines now.

1000% - I cannot fathom how a universally lauded player (finally for MFC) does not get the rub of the green. Much like Carey in my junior days ' You can't touch him umpire, he's a protected species!' - now THAT should be Max.

Ah, you are right @Wrecker46 - well spotted.

Bump! You would assume Bontempeli will not get any votes (or very very few) from last nights match. I'm assuming that Boak would get 10 votes and the other major votes shared between Wines, perhaps Hunter and Macrae from the Dogs...Bontempeli for a max of 4 votes?? With Bontempeli trailing by 3 - Oliver would need to poll a min of 0 votes and a max of 1 votes to sew up the AFLCA tonight. So, he probably has won the AFLCA. But, does it translate to the Brownlow? And does that even matter? A bonefide superstar, forgotten or not.

@Clintosaurus - thoughts on the drivers of the outcome of this match?

Nice goal there from J.Somerville 😂

Ooof - both teams look trash from a Premiership perspective. Now whether that’s because they actually are, or the pressure between the two teams…neither should hold fear for the Dees from watching this low standard skills match.

Great work @Wunders and also kudos on giving context as to why you know what you know. More sports science if you know stuff, less vague punditry on here please 😘

Why would it matter either way? Are you worried that the team would get ahead of themselves. I genuinely cannot imagine the team scrolling through their phones, imbibing all positive and negative reviews, and then referencing themselves against those reviews, either getting ahead of themselves or conversely not believing in themselves. As Goodwin once spoke about - it's all Fugazi.

A good article this week on how Jake Lever demonstrably fits in and guides our game plan

I may have missed it if someone has already posted - but here is a great read Jackson = Unicorn

Well done, a nice concise site. Perhaps linking in Mongrel Punt and Stats Insiders stuff on The Dees would be good as well.

Agree on both points 100% - thus it's not risky.

How so?

Well, lock down is hard, but I need to remember it’s not Afghanistan hard, or being indigenous hard, or being a Collingwood supporter hard 😂

Apologies- yes I did… one of those nights

Yeah… I’m hoping those players hold on to the pain like some vitriolic supporters - as though that’s a driving mechanism

Did we not do it 2 weeks ago - 🙄

I hear that it’s meaningful for you @tiers - I’m not sure many others are so vigilant about language as you are. Language evolves - 100 years ago - ‘ladder’ didn’t mean what you currently interpret it to mean and hold dear to your heart. 😘

FMD - two people have it - just spill the gawd.damn.beans :p

That is so ruthless... I love it.

Holy Moly - there were jungle drums beating about this perhaps 2 years ago... Happy to be guided by anyone else as to what he would offer, or assist with that we don't currently have.

Are you referencing your optics there @Chook or particular stats?

So ordinary, you had to say it twice!

I personally feel Port will get up - Dogs defence has been susceptible all year...