Grr-owl

I was going to start a thread like this way back when we were.... oh, 5-0.... which seemed outlandish at the time. I'd noticed I wasn't quite as interested in things, given all the positivity, and was experiencing an entirely different realm of imaginative outcomes and associated emotions: lossless seasons and massive GF slaughterings, etc. Yeah, it was balanced with guarded optimism, for sure, but nevertheless such things appeared tatalisingly reachable, like a Tatts win. But then I thought better of it and let the opportunity slide, and now I'm glad of it. I've settled into this positive thing quite nicely. It turns out that winning is interesting too, with fascinating twists and frustrations. It's nuanced. It's kinda like a really good bed: sure, you can't stay comfy in one position the whole night, and you still have to get up to pee, but on the whole its a great place to spend a third of your life. In other words, there's ups and downs, but there's support underneath that keeps things in a good place. And let's not forget that we're nowhere. If we don't make it to the final four, the season will be remembered as the one when the wheels fell off. If we don't make it to the final two, it will be a disappointment. I'm not expecting our still young and GF inexperienced side to win the cup this year, but making it seems about par. But we ain't anywhere near that yet.

A bloke near my folk's refuses to wear a mask.

sparGod

When we’re three goals up with two minutes to go in the granny, I’ll believe we’re favourites. Til then, lotta things to overcome, especially nerves in big finals.

Dunno, mate. The club seems to have developed the hell out of a number of other players in that time.....

Best win of the season. We don’t run, we lose. We run, we win.

We look tents in and slow and lacklustre. Not good.

And remember, if we don't get them in, other teams will. Would Treloar have improved us? Yes. Instead he improved the Dogs. If Merrett goes, he's going to improve another contender, otherwise he'll stay at the Bummers stuck on the mid-table merry-go-round. We need to be constantly vigilant and proactive. Oooooh, it's exhausting at the top......

Bit like 2019: without tanking we wouldn't have Dogga, Koz or Riv.

Only concern for me is we had 15 scoring shots in the first half and only 7 in the second even though we were well on top.

Awesome win. Everything I feared didn’t happen. Hard at it all night. Pressure and running. Hot!

Throw everything at Zac Merrett.

Double that. Make the pay equivalent to an elite sportsman (in Aus). You'd catch many of those players who aren't quite big enough to make it at AFL, but understand the game. VFL types and fitness fanatics would line up.

I reckon pay them a boatload. Make it attractive for all those fitness buffs out there. Then we would have the right to hold them accountable.

Just quoting Kate Roffey on the subject, as discussed this week on the Deeluded podcast. There is a thread here about it. I suggest we all have a listen.

Cheers for the interesting interview, Kiran and Nita. Was struck by the lack of specifics in the answers, but I suppose that's the way it has to be. Can't be letting us into the nitty-gritty. But in one case I thought the lack of detail was revealing. I drew the conclusion that we are nowhere when it comes to finding a home base....

There's a podcast app these days...

Might be a bit obvious. I think Demon supporters hope that the changeover was bloodless, but are certain it was significant. Can Kate assure us that it is not a sign of instability?

Yeah, this.

Well done, Weid!

Absurd umpiring.

Or a baggie.

And the following week in Adelaide, Weid'll stone the Crows.

Goody looked unconvinced in the presser. I'd say Sam is gonna need to perform very well, very consistently to keep a spot in the team this season other than be necessity through injury...

The parallels with my own life are a tad disturbing..... We must have elbowed each other aside at the bar at least once.