Spud

In 2000 we made a GF with a young list after the retirement of a number of champions in 1999. Everyone then thought it was the beginning, but it never eventuated. Even at the end of 1994 under Neil Balme, the world was going to be our oyster, but injuries, in fighting etc...all happened and we fell away fast. Again in 2018, people expected it to be the start of something big, with an immediate drop off. Take your chances when you can, because you can never be sure if the opportunity will come around again. Things change, players get injured etc..., you can't just expect everything will go right again next year. Even at the end of 1994 under Neil Balme, the world was going to be our oyster, but injuries, in fighting etc...all happened and we fell away fast. The time is now, the worlds have aligned and only a flag is worth celebrating! Then start a dynasty thereafter.

Agree with this in most part OD, I would place one caveat though that you do need to look at "horses for courses". I think Joel Smith has played fine the last 2 weeks, but I also think that if Hibberd is a better match up for Charlie Cameron and Smith would effectively not have a suitable opponent, then considerations need be made on this basis occasionally irrespective of form. There may be other match ups for Smith that are suitable, but I'm not sure we have too many better match ups for Cameron apart from Hibberd with Hunt unavailable. With Tom Mc, I believe he could win us the game, but if he doesn't play, any replacement is unlikely to? He did win us the game v Sydney and was instrumental in Richmond and importantly the Brisbane wins along with a few other games. On that basis he should and will stay in.

Any chance of handballing the Powerball numbers too? You called this at 44 points down! Nostradamus eat you heart out......

The fact Sir Kenneth Luke owned the land the VFL park was built on, probably helped his decision as head of the VFL as to where the ground should be built!!

Also worth noting TMac is on 39 votes, having polled in 10 different games. He is actually in the top 3 non onballers on the list, so has to be considered for All Aust on those grounds. Like the Brownlow this list with all on ballers. Tom Stewart the first non onballer on the list with 43 votes.

Tickets on sale Wednesday apparently. If regional gets an unlikely exit clause on Thursday from lockdown, I might make a road trip up myself on Friday to add a few extra at the game. The new NSW travelled case of covid has probably ruined that chance though....

Homer the Vigilante and Statistics - YouTube

I needed an extra ticket for Saturday and purchased a membership today to do so. I went into the "contact us" button on the membership website (under more tab) and then added info into "request a call back" outlining I needed the barcode. Got the barcode emailed to me 20 minutes later. I'd say try that, I was surprised and impressed having read your post.

Wow, that's a bit rough, I understand the Iranians and Americans tried to cancel Baghdad without much success in the past, but not sure what I have done to peeve the Iraqi people? I and my potato dwelling kin folk survived the Irish potato famine and will continue to prosper.... ? forever haha

Would be number 1 if we'd won. Was a great standard, but the result was horrible after coming from 7 goals down to lead by 5 goals and then lose still..... 2002

Unfortunately a false dawn. We were beaten by Freo the next week and complete rubbish for the next 10 years before a revival of sorts in 2016-2018. An often missed game 1998 at Princes Park V Carlton round 4 , first game for Nathan Brown who was insanely brave for a skinny 17 year old that day, great comeback and first proof we were a real chance of making finals after the disaster of 97.

Agreed, 5,465 views on youtube, I think 100 are me when I got down in the dumps in Lockdown! Enjoy.... Round 22 1987 - Footscray vs Melbourne - YouTube

The one that actually delivered on its promise!!

Bald bloke from W.C did that using Melbourne as that currency a few years back to get more money either from the pies or Visy, ended up at Visy on a Visy ambassador contract from memory!! MFC at the time thanked him publicly for his consideration when really they were fuming that he had done the same after he said he was coming for sure to play for the club he barracked for as a kid....

Sam Mitchell received 2 years at WC. If hadn't of retired after the first year, he possibly could have played in the 2018 flag instead of assistant coaching them to it?

Problem is this bloke is on coaching staff apparently?

Great effort, hopefully you at least got the Trifecta, 10 for 4th was almost a field job to get it!!

Nah, This is Cale Morton's best highlight reel and most fitting. Hunt has some attributes to be good player, but as others have mentioned, lacks the natural footy nous to be a great player. Needs a role, whether it be us or another club and he can be of value IMO. I'd like to think he could become a bit of a Tom Lynch from Adelaide type? He is good overhead and has good pace, just needs to learn running patterns on where to get to to and a tank and he could be very valuable? He probably lacks that nous to be as effective as Lynch when he was at his best, but he could still be an important contributor.

He said when he first joined that he would have made Melbourne regret not taking him, I think his plan maybe to make us regret not keeping him captain, judging by his conversations with Tim Watson. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/geelong/geelong-eyeing-free-agent-jack-viney-in-bid-to-strengthen-midfield/news-story/798fd6278582bef47832d9863a47bc71

I agree to some extent, so while I would be willing to put many on the table, you would only accept a trade where the terms are decent. I would say 2-3 trades if the value was there would be the max. You also have to offer something to get something, hence a Brayshaw or Fritsch who have value but seem to have regressed may attract a good offer. If not, you hope they improve and retain them. The trade can be for future year picks too to remove some of the speculative nature or for listed players that meet a need? I think the bottom of the list though has been tried, and just no good. Cutting 6 players plus the majority of rookies is probably too many in one season, but if lists are cut, that may not be far from the mark with a minimum 2-3 picks + plus rookies to come in and any traded selections?

Looking at this list realistically based on contracts etc.. Bedford, Smith, Wagner x 2, Jones, Spargo and OMc all should go, no features to suggest they are going to make it. J Wagner, plays a role, but just hasn't improved his skill or decision making to a level that justifies retaining him any longer. I'd put Fritsch, Hunt and Hannan on the table for trade and see what is offered. If no reasonable offers, they are offered 1 year. 1 year offers for Hibberd, Jordon and Hore. Hibberd has had a pretty good year which is a credit as he was poor last year and has obviously had a difficult year personally. Deserves another year. Jordon and Hore, juries out still, I'd give both a year to make a call. Nietschke - rookie spot. I have no idea, but the club has promised to keep him on, so a rookie spot is reasonable. Petty, Viney and Sparrow I'd offer 2 years. I think all have shown enough despite flaws in Viney and Sparrow. Petty also looked very good at the end of last year, so if you are trying to stop him looking at S.A offers, need to offer what may be a slight overs offer. Rookies; Keep Bennell see if he improves with a pre-season, upgrade Lockhart to the main list, the rest have probably had their chance so replace most if not all (No idea on Bradtke though?). 2021 contracted Baker will have no currency and is contracted. Try to make him useful and see if he can do a hard run with role. He has some size and speed, but seems to have no footy nous and poor skills. It's paramount to try and make these type of players fit a role, whereas at present we seem to allow them to continue playing a role they clearly don't have the talent for!! KK retires, Jetta considers retiring and a role at the club or captains Casey, contracted and his leadership is needed (just about our only genuine leader)? ANB, Preuss - offered on the trade table to see what is available. Preuss can stay if nothing meaningful, but is aware he only plays if Gawn is injured. ANB if he doesn't get an offer (take any offer), most likely plays out season at Casey. The rest stay, but AVB is advised he can stay beyond only with a good year and if so is signed year on year (no more multi year for him). 2022 and beyond Brayshaw, Melksham, T McDonald and Harmes all on trade table, see what is offered? They obviously stay if no real interest or offers are unders. Not saying they all get traded, just see what is offered and if one or 2 get offers that warrant consideration or a move, so be it. We will still have NQR players The good sides still have NQR's, but their skill is making them still fulfil a role, whether they are good tacklers and pressure players or very good defensively in the air or whatever it may be, they find a way for them to play to their limitations. Our issue is the NQR still try to be ball users and outside type players with little defensive skills and little to hurt the opposition if they do in fact get it. Like probably others here, I have coached senior footy for a fair few years and the first thing you assess with a list is how you can best utilise each player for the benefit of the team. What role can this player do that is within their skill set that will assist the side to win matches? With the cattle available, what game plan will allow us to be the most competitive we can be each week to win games. That should carry through at all levels and it isn't rocket science. We don't seem to do this do we? Blokes like Baker, Bedford (probably slightly harsh but still 2 years on a list) ANB and Hunt etc.., they just don't seem to have a real purpose. They don't show any real consistent defensive aspects, they aren't skilful enough to hurt from an attacking aspect, therefore they're just filler and not the good waterproof stuff either! If we keep Baker, ANB, Hunt etc... they just have to be turned into role players to try and get some value from them, at the moment they really don't fit any category. (not offensive, not defensive, not creative nor aggressive). The reality is you can't get rid of everyone in one fell swoop, so if you have to keep some of the players, work out their limits and try to find a viable purpose. Again, every team has these blokes, its just that the better clubs, seem to be able to find the roles for NQR, (remember even Townsend at Richmond played in a premiership a few years ago as a cog in the game plan and the list of similar is endless) while others try to get them to become players and fill roles that their skill level is incapable of. End Rant!

We don't tackle very well, we don't man up too well, we don't really chase, we have terrible foot skills, terrible decision making and handball skills and no great marking players. We have a few who have a crack when the ball is in their area, but really apart from that, we are deficient in every other area of the game. Tackling and chasing are mental and the c grader type players (Bedford, Baker etc..) at least should do that well, unfortunately ours just run around like stoned beagles and when they get the ball kick as well as stoned beagles!

Worst part about the eagles loss was that we belted them in Perth only a few weeks earlier and gave the crowd a huge spray on exiting the field. Malthouse openly admitted using that as part of his address before we played them in the 1st Semi and we turned up expecting to win by 10 goals without trying because everyone said we would. The 25 goal loss was mid year to North. Like every year we had a [censored] patch I think we went from 7-1 to 9-6 before winning the last 7 (including Essendon Windy Hill, Eagles at Subi and Hawthorn when Tuck broke the games record and they were fired up for it). Geelong losing from 6 goals up to W.C was one part of the round 22 and the other was we were 10 goals up early- mid 3rd qrt and won by 12 points. Even if we won by 10 goals or more we would most likely have made up the percentage to finish 3rd. In my mind that and 1998 are the 2 real chances we have had of winning.

That was 1990 also. Really was our best chance of a flag. Injuries and the Collingwood V West Coast draw stuffed us that year.

Western oval 1987 and Windy Hill 1990 and Carlton Princes Park 1998, 3 of the best days I have ever had at the footy. Winning at the old suburban grounds actually gave the wins far more meaning and were so enjoyable. Was behind the goals at the scoreboard end as Bennett kicked 4 in the last quarter over my head, great memory, thanks for the footage!