Red But Mostly Blue

After 83 pages, I hereby declare Trac is not going anywhere. I can't point you to anything definitive, BUT I make this conclusion based on: - Original story was started by gutter rat tom morris. - There's still no categorical substance to this story. Silence/lack of definitive response from Trac is not necessary, and does not, of itself, prove the story. Sorry, tom. - No other viable team has the trade capital. Deal just can't get done. - On a human level, I can see Trac might have some issues. He could have died. I would think such an event makes people think and see things differently. Maybe not always perfectly. Who knows? Either way, it's quite possible it was not handled the best perhaps from everyone. These guys play footy for a living. They are not comms/relationship experts or psychologists/counsellors etc. They're fallible. They make mistakes. I am sure mistakes have been made across the ground. Trac said his piece yesterday and I trust that this will be the building blocks upon which they will build a better version of all players for next year. Trac's road to recovery/full health (physical and mental) will be a long one. Who better to assist than his band of brothers, many of whom with he won a flag. He will need their support to return to his best next year, and I am sure everyone will learn from this. - There is no outside supporting evidence of didly squat. Anyhoo, now that it's settled, I propose we call this thread... Christian Petracca tears it up for the Dees in 2025

Whether you were happy with Staff or not, and hand on heart, I think it was probably time for him to move on - and that's ok - that's not a dig - sometimes you just need change and that can be said for both parties. Our forward line/approach needs a fresh set of eyes and it's time (perhaps a little late...but again, just me) so it's a good decision and I wish him the best. To those potting the guy, it's easy to do so from the couch, but the reality is that we won a flag with him there, and very little was said about that. It should be acknowledged. Thank you. All the best, Staff!

#BringBackMac

Terrible, gut-wrenching news. Condolences to Sam's loved ones. So young, carrying out the everyday task of traveling to work - which always brings these things too close to home :-( A reminder that this is, after all, just a game. The (overlong) hoo-ha in the Tracc thread, our disappointing year, the 2000 GF, Tom Scully (*shudder*), the Neeld era, etc. - doesn't truly mean anything of substance (as much as some of that still burns). We cheer at games, united by a sense of adventure, shared adrenaline and hope for a taste of glory, we hug our loves ones, and every moment is at the whim and grace of the universe. Nothing is promised beyond now. Going to hug my better half + little ones now (I returned to my laptop to finish some work - which, also, doesn't truly matter).

Awww that's sweet. I am sure they are, you and the rest of the DA invest a lot of time each week. Treasures - all of you. Thank you :-) (I was a member of the cheer squad some moons ago. When my littlest one (18m) is a little older and I start bringing him to games - I will very much look to bring him and my eldest (5yo) into the cheer squad to take part as well. Great times with lovely people, for the best club in the world).

Can we please just have a normal end to 2024/offseason and 2025 preseason so we can focus on good footy? We were in the wilderness forever. A burnt out shell of our former glory days. Then we built a seriously good side, won a flag, worked our way back into discussions and relevance again, and rebuilding a reputation... only to now find ourselves sliding down the ladder and heading back into murky territory. A lot of this stuff is still mostly/likely rumour and like every other side, there will be stuff that needs to be resolved. But the other teams aren't being spoken about. It's us. Again. Our leadership group needs to band together and put this [censored] to bed and commit to continuing our path to a new legacy of glory in the modern era. We can either be like Geelong and Sydney, and maintain success at the top - or drop off like the Bombers etc. Whatever the basis for all of this, I'd love to see the Club stand up at the end of the year and commit to us + one another to continue what we have been building. We are coming from a long way back, so there's still a lot to do. One flag will not erase a million years of drubbings. We can still return to where we belong, or we can return to irrelevance and wait another million years for success and respect. It's our choice.

We have now lost two leaders this year, which is a big hit. I wish ANB the best. A true clubman. Played his heart out every game. Unfairly a whipping boy for many years. Always had a dip and did the 1%ers. Played his role and helped us to win a flag. He will be missed. But, this situation now provides an opportunity. Who will stand up amongst our group to fill these leadership positions? Who will be hurting in the guts that last year it got away (for some valid, and some not valid) reasons? Who is gutted that this year has been a disappointment? Who will stand up and take us into 2025 to win a flag?

Great news. Clarry has been hampered all year, and persevered despite an unideal preseason. I have never questioned his commitment or ability to return to his god-tier status on the field. And I maintain that. The problem with Clarry is everyone will judge him based on his lofty heights. It's not fair. He was good this year, and sure, maybe not what we have come to expect for various reasons. He is not alone in this respect! Our success in 2025 will require Clarry to return to his usual form. Provided we make the necessary adjustments to our midfield and overall game plan (which was a mess this year) - because it's NOT all on him as much as people want to pot him for not winning us games, that's not how it works - I am certain he will return to the Clarry we know and love. He looks happier and healthier, and with a few tweaks to his body and our game plan - boom, watch out 2025. Rest up, Clarry - you did your best this year considering all circumstances, look forward to seeing you firing in 2025. I also look forward to those asking for him to be traded/sold down the river to own their mistake next year.

I reallllyyyy don't want to spend another offseason talking about whether Trac will stay/or not, and then whether he is truly committed, or seeing out a contract, or part of it, and as a result the ensuing scrutiny of our culture. We started 2024 with a spotlight on our culture - to the point where all our losses, or 'quiet games' from Clarry, or soft response games, were put down to poor culture. We have a very limited window to capitalise on Maxy/May - it's probably just 2025. ANB leaving does not help our chances, and other teams care catching/caught up/gone past us. We are going to have to make nothing but great decisions before the first bounce in 2025 to have a chance. We need to convince the big names being talked about/on our shopping list (Houston, Callaghan etc) that we have our business together, and they will see success with us - and not be constantly harassed by the media for poor culture. It's a reality to say if those players have to decide between us (window closing, admittedly with some good junior talent - but not premiership winning, right now, junior talent), and the Hawks who are on the UP (frustratingly), with junior talent, and not a basket case, or Geelong (of course), they cannot be faulted for choosing other teams. We can't afford that. We have holes in the team that will need to be filled with plug and play stars. So if we are to be a chance next year, all of this [censored] has to stop NOW. I don't believe Morris, but it is quite possible Trac (and others, who knows?) has concerns that need to be sorted out - and it is evident, from our results and position this year, that things did not go to plan. Clearly some things were not sorted out in the 23-24 offseason (excluding the loss of Gus, of course - a big loss, and Trac later in the year). So, SORT THEM OUT NOW. Over to you, Roffey, Goody and Co. We have one chance here. We back you in, but I think there needs to be some ownership, accountability and forward thinking. GET US EXCITED!!

Pretty bummed about this. Nibbler is a leader of the club and always has a dip. Has improved over the years with plenty still to give, but understand his reason, as a father of little ones myself. But I gotta say, this, together with the Trac malarkey today (not that I believe it - although his silence is a little worrying, he doesn’t have to say anything of course but geez it would help), doesn’t give me great confidence right now, as I worry we’ll spend another offseason batting away trade rumours/ defending our culture, when we should be finding players who will plug the holes we have, and solving the issues we have so we can give our last year or two to win a flag with Maxxy and May etc a real crack. The distractions don’t help. Anyway, Nibbler will be missed - wish him all the best, hope we do right by him as he has been good for the club, but it is another hole to plug, just not sure who can do it. A very important offseason ahead. Get players/get right for 2025.

Yeah that’s still a sore point. BUT Bombers. Being beaten after the siren and almost certainly no finals. Small price to pay I guess for a winning moment 🤣

We lacked polish, which we have to fix. Got to quit with those hospital hand passes and giving oppo so much space. On the upside, Mac Andrew just kicked the winning goal after the siren against the Bombers, who now look almost certain to miss finals. And that is most certainly a win for good footy folk. There’s always that!! ❤️🤣

Great effort from the boys. Heart was there, just need to work on skills, which let us down in pivotal moments. 2 more games, let’s give us something to work towards in 2025.

hahahaha I can!! I think lawyers are generally terrible and pointless, which is why I have been working so hard over the last 5-10 years to distance myself from it all and forge a new career 🤣

LOL - funny story. When I was in law school, in the first class they asked who was not planning on being a practising lawyer, and two people put their hands up. I thought at the time, why would you put yourself through this for, then?? After spending some time in the industry, I understood. I've spent a decade slowly working my way further and further away from it all - I'm nearly out!! haha :-)

Agree with all GWS points. The fans have joined because they actually love the sport and have bought in, and are wholly decent. Would be nice to see Jesse (although I wish he was still with us, but happy he seems content) and Snooze (lol) (also wish he could have stayed, but understand) lift the cup. Rick knows what's up and the socials are GREAT! haha love the pics, that's the right kind of spirit - thanks for sharing WCW :-)

hahahah - if it's worth anything, I am not a practising lawyer 🤣 Answer: most definitely! Wouldn't even make it to trial. You might even be sent a box of chocolates! (Kind of related - with us not making finals, it's petty I know, but I am all for living through others not making it either. I am all in on the Bombers (especially) and maybe even the Blues missing (I played around with the ladder and somewhat expected results, and it requires the Eagles beating them over there - certainly possible), but I appreciate this also means that the Hawks would slip in, and I am not sure how I feel about that. At least they are playing exciting footy, which is both fun to watch and also aggravating for the usual hawthorn reasons. While this outcome could also open a spot for the Pies, I know we'll bump them in the final round (as they did to us a while back - 2017? 2016? When there was nothing in it for them, and in a similar place to us), so should be good. Anyway, no bombers or blues in the finals? How good!

Sorry if my sentiment came across as light/non-committal. I'm a lawyer, so use words very carefully (mostly) haha. I am all about should/could/would etc. But you obviously have much closer contact with the group. As a specialist in observing surrounding circumstances as a whole to make conclusions, I'd have to say my comfortable gut feeling is the group very much backs Goody. Big time ❤️

Here to +1 any use of circle-jerks in correct circumstances like this one. And +1 to the view generally. I hate potting the players/coach. I don't agree with everything Goody does, or any player for that matter, but you never will. Goody brought us a premiership, and consecutive top 4s. Yes, it didn't work out the way we wanted but them's the breaks. Lots of things had to go wrong (and indeed did). I hate the reactive 'sack them all' mentality when things go south. It's like we want to invoke the Norm Smith curse all over again. Just look at Bevo. Fans and media have been calling for his head for a while now, and look at them - in with a real shot of a flag and playing great footy. Those people are very quiet now/have quietly changed hats and are all of a sudden pro Bevo. I suspect the same thing will happen with us. The sack goody now thread will get very quiet, but there will be a good record of such champs. I am disappointed by the year, and expect a thorough, proper level of scrutiny at what happened, what needs to be done etc, but we just need to make a few smart decisions, tweak some stuff then come out hungry and renewed. Anyway, as you say, the man to lead us through that is Goody and I back him, and importantly I think the boys do, too.

This is a great, positive, post. Thank you. Look, I agree. But I think there has to be some room for reasonable emotional posts and thoughts. You’ll note that I said been a member for over 20 years and probably appreciate I had MANY better opportunities to cancel my membership. I don’t know a tougher time to support the club. I stuck through that and went to many, many very sad games. My sentiments now are that we are finally a relevant football club again, and I am concerned we slide down again without proper and honest scrutiny. I know there have been reasons for our inability to capitalise on our list the last few years. Some good ones. Some not so good ones. I just want a proper review so that we can be like the cats and swans of the game and maintain our newly rediscovered relevance, We are after all investors, as well as fans. I have signed up my 5yo, we’ve been to games and will no doubt sign up my 18 month old, hopefully next year. Go Dees. Truly 💙❤️

For what it’s worth, I think we can, too. But it will need smart, effective recruitment and some better ideas for game days, plan Bs and 4quarters of consistent footy each and every game. A reliable gameplay again. Consistency. We need a real deep dive on the off season, not a gloss-over because the big part of this is we need to attack real talent to plug holes immediately and that will require convincing them that we’re not a rabble on the downward slide. Dan Houston etc will want success. Watch this space

Absolutely smashed. Should have been 100 points. It’s kind of fitting and sad that the doggies did this to us tonight. We smashed them to win a GF to herald what we thought was a dynasty and they have smashed us not even 3 years later to close our door. Is it closed for this year? Or for good with this list? I don’t know. But all I know is they must have felt good ending our season. We were terrible. Cant believe I’m saying this, but can we do a turnaround like the dogs? They were lost last year, slid out of the 8 as we have and started poorly this year. It can be done, but it takes honesty and hard work. I may hold my 20+ year membership next year, unless I see we’re actually going to perform a review on what has happened. I know we lost Gus and Trac but that does not mean effectively 100 point loss. We didn’t lose to an invincible either. Lots of questions to be asked at year end. sad tonight, friends. That was woeful. We will always have 2021 I guess ❤️💙

Maybe the dogs will get tired given they are coming off a 5 day break? Kind of like we do after a 5 day break? It’s about our only chance to steal a 5 goal loss here.

Bang bang bang But not for us 😔

We have been gifted with only being 3 goals down, I wonder if we’ll make anything of that…