Gawndy the Great

It’s a bit bleeding obvious. I’m not too worried given what Geelong managed to achieve with their list of 34+ old players. Well lose Gawn and May first in 2-3 years time, but our core group will be in place for at least another 5 years.

I’ve watched it. I see a slight flick of the wedding ring finger. It’s minor but it’s there. Easier to see if you manually scrub back and forth. I’m sure many club personnel have seen this and would be looking at it much more forensically than i, so if they are not making noise, then I’m happy with that.

I think the theme developing is mental fragility. It makes sense on a lot angles. How many games did we lose this year under 10 points? Too many for mine. And whilst all of those didn’t scream chokes, the lack of a killer instinct is evident. For years we couldn’t really put teams away. We’d cop 4+ goal runs, start games slowly. 2021 was the only exception? or did the lack of crowds play into our hands?- won’t be long till this narrative is permeating in footy circles. The club needs to do a lot of investment in addressing the mental shortcomings of this group in addition to the list rejuvenation. I don’t even know if it’s something we can recuperate in 1 season or even through the same list. Being mentally fit and full of confidence is just as important as being physically fit. It is like the golfing world - there are many many talented golfers playing off +6,+7 that could make it on the PGA or other professional tour but melt like butter when the stakes get big. The edge that some athletes have can be largely attributed to self belief and confidence to execute in the big moments. The straight sets exits in consecutive years will be a massive burden now for this team and even the club to carry.

If there was any doubt it would be in the headlines and Melbourne FC would have made sure of that. Especially because it was overturned.

I hate to say it but the ARC call saved the game for Carlton. It was touched and it was adjudicated properly. The uproar if it was later found to be touched and not called would have been merited and shown greater incompetence by the AFL. Don't waste your energy on this. Plenty of other things to be discontent with that we can address in the off season.

We are not soft physically. Mentally is on the other hand, a potentially different story.

it’s good. I hope they all get baked and that it burns during pre season. It should galvanise the team. I do have empathy for the players but the majority of the blame sits solidly in the footy department IMO. They have had years to fix the connection issue.

I hate excuses. Own it, learn and reload. Yea we have had a bad run of injuries, Brayshaw got a bad hit that was adjudicated most disgustingly. Appalling umpiring in R22, SF. Deal with it behind curtains. Use it to motivate the team in 2024. Build a theme around it. FMD there is enough out there to really polarise our club to come out next year seething and hyper focused. You would expect all this adversity to unify the troops. We have gone the other way, the soft underbelly some folks were throwing around just got a bit more real.

I think too much is being read into this. The combo showed many times it just did not work. Neither of those two were capable forwards. I think we knew he was going to go and that we had seen enough and didn’t want to risk an injury to Grundy. We need the pick(s).

It will never be an even spread when you have inequity in the draft system. Dynasties are hard enough. The Hawks, with their talent and arguably having one of the best footballers of all time. Richmond were a touch lucky with their ability to snare Tom Lynch after flag 1 and then 2020 with reduced quarters and their favorable fixture. All we needed was to pick Curnow instead of Weideman and we'd be looking at our 3rd flag in a couple of weeks.

100%. Said it last year that we have to evolve. Frankly didn't see any improvement in a ball use. I also notice that our inside-to-outside chains are non-existent. We never try to clear the contest to the outside, just win-it and hack it forward.

Its our game plan - Forward half territory. Its why a forward line like Collingwood, which on paper is "No Frills", can prosper. When you play with 3/4 of oppositions defense in the forward 50, what is the expectation? We take a contested mark? We have one of the shortest lists going around.

So what do we do with the excess of inside bulls? Oliver - extractor. No change Viney - Defensive mid. Similar to Libba, Dunkley. No Change Trac - Forward Mid. Similar to a dusty. Play him like that and reduce midfield minutes. All three of these guys are prone to rush their delivery or make the wrong choices by foot and have poor kicking efficiency. Need to bring balance to this area. Sparrow - Start off the bench. Needs to show more otherwise can end up being overlooked in the next few years. JJ, Harmes - move them on. Rivers - needs to play that 3rd midfielder role. Can kick and is a good decision maker and has speed and strength. Langdon - Reduce minutes and look to offload end of contract. Look to play Brayshaw, Rivers, Woey or Bowey more in that role more in 2024. Hunter the same but less so as he is a good kick but is not a great / quick decision maker. New recruit options: Reid, McKercher (other) One of these would be a steal. I think you’d start either of them at half back in 2024. Kynan probably spends 2024 in the 2s.

I think it’s going to be Hardwick style exit in about 2 years time. Just as we close the premiership window of the current list, we’ll make a change.

100% i am. I feel like if they win, i won’t be as sad. I hate the other 3 clubs left in it all equally and would love for them to lose so yes. Their big test is next week. Playing in front of 90K Collingwood fans is going to be a true test of resolve. Win that and I think they’ll knock of the Lions. A GWS vs Lions final would be great for the game but secretly the AFL would be scathing given the role they played in trying to get Collingwood vs Carlton final.

The AFL can GAGF. The umpires the MRO and even the media are just pissing me off big time. The team was woeful in front of goal that ultimately cost us but the umpiring was truely one for the ages. I can’t bring myself to watch the ARC review for Nibblers goal, which on the MCG screen was hard to tell whether it was conclusive. You need a bit of luck in finals - seriously someone has cursed us this year. The amount of [censored] that has gone wrong in the last month is out of this world.

This is so sad. A real kick in the guts this last week has been. RIP Ron

It’s pathetic. I’m not have a crack at our mob but I was so disappointed the sheer difference in support. What is it that makes us have this little support?

100% Langdon has to go. He has done f all for 2 years. Blood new players and turn over our list. Salem as well. Should have kept Bedford over Chandler in hindsight.

Just absolutely gutted. I don’t know what to say. The umpires were diabolical - I thought we were meant to get the best in the business? It was so bad but it will not be discussed because our inaccuracy and wasted chances will rule the headlines. I can see more teams overtaking us next year as we will refuse to change our game style and this quick transition footy is going to be the end of this list. Mini Rebuild required. Put a few on the market to get more picks to bring in a crop of better ball users.

Which we should have got instead of Hunter.

Could be nothing but I saw Saad run off with the trainer/Physio during their warm up. Our supporters don’t look like they turned up. Bloosers everywhere. They also have twice the number of bays in Olympic stand than we do.

My prediction - in a tribute to the Simpsons prediction fraternity - is that one of our players will end up being the guinea pig for the first suspension given for this rule change - whatever it ends up being - and the media will have field day with the optics and the ensuing drama etc. It will also likely be 150% of what the ultimate penalty will end up becoming by the end of the year. There will also be a player in the finals that will find a way to get off for a similar incident - probably someone who plays for either Collingwood or Carlton.

The optics are truely woeful. The AFL should be ashamed that this has happened under their watch. I have no doubt this will be used as evidence in the litigation against the AFL. Where is the humility!

Interesting to see Curtin slip down to 6. This means North / Hawks are more likely to chase Mckercher, Watson or Duursma before him allowing us to seriously consider trading with WCE Pick 1. Its about time we were able to benefit from the draft during the same time we have been a good side. Considering how the Pies, Lions and in particular Doggies have continually stacked up on talent while they have not been in a re-build.