Ollie fan

If you listened, the busted ribs was something that they found after the Port game – I wonder if it was when he got punched right in the chest, which was described by the MRO as, I think mild or moderate😱😤😭

"One of the all time greats" is very accurate. Already 2 coaches' awards. Multiple AA, multiple club champion - 2 Brownlow votes in his first game!!!

All clubs ask their players to play through pain. Until last week we were still in the finals race. I understand that despite everything. Clarry was our number one possession getter. His demeanour suggests that he is dealing with his mental issues and is in a much better place. The way the club has dealt with all this is quite appropriate.

Don't be effing ridiculous. He had a bad injury and had surgery on it. What else were the club supposed to do? We don't know what the ongoing issues are but it may well be that the plates themselves need removing.

His hand injury has been obvious to anyone watching him, but I wasn't aware of the knee problem which certainly explains why he has lost his pace. I understand why the Club has continued to select him - he has still been an important and valuable player for us, just miles below the champion that we know he normally is. And it's also been, I have no doubt, very important for his mental health to keep persevering and working with the Club that he knows and loves. But completely agree that it is time to address these issues and get him ready for a big preseason. I'm sure next year we will see a completely rejuvenated Clayton Oliver and that is a very exciting prospect!

I just hope we don't trade for Houston. We have Bowey, Hore, McVee, AMW , Rivers, Howes, Woey - we don't need another HBF. Out of left field: Ratagolea? He does some really dumb things but has size, can take a contested mark, and can chop out in the ruck.

I haven't met him but otherwise 100% agree. My memory tells me that when he started he was one of two or three players that arrived at about the same time, none of whom were particularly skilled or outstanding. The others have dropped by the wayside but Nibbler found/was given a role that suited him perfectly - to run all day, going from contest to contest, always in the thick of things and under pressure, and often unrewarded. It suited his endurance, determination and selflessness perfectly and became an integral part of our all-team defence. I Hooper Chandler can take over but we will really miss him. Funny how he found such a perfect role for him. Could that possibly be... good coaching? Did the coach design a role and, indeed a system, that suited certain players perfectly?

Reading this thread, one thing hasn't been said: I expect he is a bit gutted at having to leave. I doubt if it was an easy decision to make.

Agree with all of this. I'm watching the replay right now, and Chandler is probably the man to play Nibbler's role. Don't want Houston though- he us not what we need.

I strongly suspect that his wife has something to do with this. New mothers often want to be with their family. It would particularly be the case with a footballer because they have to travel interstate, spend long hours at training and club commitments etc. I'm not blaming his wife at all, mind you. I'm saying, this is probably a very genuine reason for him leaving. And I, and the club, will really miss him. You can't teach that kind of determination and effort.

Of course it does - the timing of the baby. I doubt if that's what you meant but it's the only relevant timing.

A little beef of mine is that our players don't know how to play for free kicks. Ben Brown is a master of it - not cheating, not creating a free when it us not there, but of making sure that the umpire sees it when it is there. I wish more players would do that. Thus, if eg a player is blocked for a run at a mark, they just complain later instead of throwing their arms out and making sure the umpire sees it. Other teams do it and get the resultant free.

The Goodwin detractors operate on several assumptions which I believe to be wrong. The first is that seasons 2022 and 2023 were a complete fail. Sure, I was not happy that we went out in straight sets in both of them, but to be top four in each was a real achievement - compare Richmond in 2021, Geelong in 2023, and now Collingwood. And particularly in 2023, there were good reasons - the injuries to 2/3 or more of our forward line made it almost impossible to succeed, and all credit to everyone involved for how close we came. The second assumption is that because we have eg the best ruckman in the comp, we should win every hitout; because we have a great midfield we should win every clearance, etc.. It only has to be said for the fallacy to be obvious. Then there is the assumption that there are, eg, good ruckmen around who would be prepared to come to the club and spend the vast bulk of the year at Casey in order to replace Max if he goes down for a short or a long period. Such palyers are in very short supply. And we don't have 'lifestyle" to offer a la Geelong, and the come-home factor for Victorians is shared with many other clubs. Finally, there is a lot of criticism of Goody for not changing to a game plan of speed and skill. In short, our list was built for defence and contest. In 2011-2012, Neeld was given a list built for pace and skill and tried to turn it into a hard defensive team - with predictably disastrous results. To do this in reverse would be equally disastrous. Goody has tried to change the game plan up a bit this year, with mixed results, but why should we? Our game is contest and defence and it is still effective despite the injuries that we now have- getting so close to Brisbane, GWS and Port Adelaide, all genuine contenders, shows that. Some people say it is dull and boring. That is a matter of taste - personally, I love a hard, defensive game and absolutely hate a boring goalfest a la basketball. And what I absolutely love is to go along and see us being competitive, even when we are expected to lose by 10 goals as we were against Port. Yes, there have been a few very poor performances this year, but generally we have turned up to play and have shown some spirit. After decades of watching games with only the hope that I might see a glimmer for the future, this is now a real pleasure.

Me too

My point was this: he showed once again that he is a great contested mark; he is moving much more freely after the year that experience tells us is necessary to recover from his foot injury (as was the case with eg TMac and Jack), and anyone with an eye for potential can see that he is growing into the forward role and will be a great KPF.

Of our top six players: Brayshaw out for the whole season, Oliver a shell, Trac out for half a season, and now May out. It's not how many you lose, it's who they are.

And get so many people keep bagging goody despite his valiant efforts with a list which, this season, has been decimated.

Anyone who DOESN'T think Petty is a forward didn't watch the game last night

Get our players right, a strong pre-season, and all will be well. One thing this season has shown us is that there is no one team that will be impossible to beat. Last night showed me that Petty can play both ends and is a very underrated contested mark. With him, Turner, JVR (who I think will establish himself as a champion next year) and hopefully Jefferson we should finally have the structure of a forward line. We need to recruit a replacement for May and continue to develop a backup ruckman. I am full of confidence. Oh, and it world be nice if they learn from this year that after contest and defence in the backline, we need to move the ball FAST into our forward line.

I thought TMac was not good tonight, and was outmarked by Ratagulea multiple times. Chandler was terrific in his pressure and tackling - surely you saw that, Joeboy! Hore was much better in there second half as he got the pace of the game. And Oliver has many issues, with his hand and his fitness, but not lazy! So: Joeboy - got many wrong.

I think he must have been ill. There is obviously a bug going through the club - 3 last minute changes for illness tells us that. And one poster said he saw Clarry trying to throw up too. I suspect JVR had it too and was totally done by 3/4 time.

Effort fantastic. Kossie one on one will beat anyone. Great to be here on a beautiful night.

How about some positive? The effort is excellent, despite the appalling turnout; Rivers and JV7 are great, Max is AA again, surely.

And justified.

For once, Cranky, I agree with you. I don't understand how you can say this and consistently bag Goody - but for Brayshaw we would have won that flag, despite 3/4 of our forward line being injured. That is because of his overall good coaching (and yes, I do think he made a mistake by not activating Schache against Carlton, but we all make mistakes). PS against Carlton, I believe the worst mistake was Lever kicking the ball down the line to a contest with 25 seconds to go (or whatever it was) instead of kicking it to Rivers and wasting 10-15 seconds by waxing it between them.