Rivers of Belief my friend

Have to agree here. Also what I’ve been saying for a while is the mental side of things. Very difficult to quantify culture into stats or other metrics - I mean, you can with some things, but mostly, you know it when you see it, or feel it. There are principles; there are good practices; there is intent and standards and leadership. Look at Collingwood vs the Dees. At the moment, I’m sad to say, they have good culture in spades over us. We definitely had it around the Premiership, but a few things broke shortly after, and they haven’t repaired fully yet.

Agree - where the hell is TMac? He was one of our best players this season…

Totally agree. he also looks like Ramsay Bolton from GoT.

I admit that I didn’t watch or go to the Magpies game, by choice. First I’ve missed in ages. No regrets at all.

Also, the psychology of it seems to be that because we have so many players who can’t kick set shots, in each game, early on, 3 or 4 easier shots are missed which brings in the trigger for the whole team re: ‘here we go again’, and the pressure builds on each set shot.

goal kicking again Broken record. Should have easily, EASILY kicked 4 more goals in 2nd and 3rd quarter. That would have locked in the momentum, and given us confidence and belief to finish. Very frustrating to say the least.

Welcome to Stage 5: Acceptance

Yeah right. Seems to be a thing each year then. I’ve noticed similar each time. Aren’t WE the home team?

I’d rather win the Saints game and get a huge mental boost going into the Pies game. What I’ve said for a while now is that loading drastically underestimates the effect of psychology. The latter is THE MOST important aspect of most/all sports. Fitness and loading etc. is definitely important. But it doesn’t matter if you’re not getting up a head of steam in confidence and belief. Win the games you can. Win them.

100%. where the hell were our local supporters? Why so many Saints supporters in the local crowd? Beyond disappointing after 10 years. Why bother. (I’d like to sincerely acknowledge our cheer squad and all those who travelled - massive kudos)

I’m not a fan of this fixture. Also, why are there always many more opposition supporters at this venue?

Totally agree, Binman. And as you’ve mentioned on the poddy before, it’s a particular manifestation of MFCSS (self-loathing?) when our supporters do that kind of thing. (I’ve certainly been guilty of it before.) The positive framing would be: ‘we broke Sydney’, not: ‘our win was not as good as we thought’. Also, we beat the Lions who bounced back this week. Or maybe that was because Essendon is horrible. And when they beat the Hawks a week later, that’s only because the Hawks are pretenders. I mean, at some point, we have to try and cure ourselves (as a club / supported) of this consistent type of self-loathing. There’s a lot of trauma there though!

Or: “we broke Sydney”

Winter veggies planted 👍 Chooks given a run in sun 👍 Dog [censored] picked up and binned 👍 I’m all good to go too.

Yeah I grew up in Kew near Vic Park and went to quite a few games there with a friend who was a Magpie supporter. As you say, lots of rough but friendly and funny jest. (Although I was a kid so wasn’t ever going to be at risk!)

There’s something about Swans supporters that really gets my goat - have had a few run-ins after games at the G. (All unprovoked by me, of course.) Anyway, to be fair, there’s a few comedians over on their Big Footy forum. General gist: Gawn looms large as a threat, especially his intercept marks, and whether he goes ‘beast mode’ They don’t seem to rate May and Lever much any more, although acknowledge we rarely lose with both in team They think it’s a toss of the coin who’s fwd line is worse The intro had an amusing tale of the tagging that may take place - a merry-go-round of tags on tags on tags (starting with Claz on Chad) There’s a cheap jibe about Dees supporters only being relevant for the Mt Buller tourism trade and propping up VIC’s struggling economy. Or maybe that was about their player Buller - it was confusing They were lamenting their two suspensions from last week’s game and nervous about the Dees’ return to form They’re very worried about Kozzie running amok, and the only viable match-up being Wicks They seem quite obsessed about what the weather will be like and if it will be wet or dry (sound familiar? 😄) Overall, they’re not particularly confident, and a little nonplussed about their season in general.

Hell yeah I love youse all

Oliver kicked that as a torp. No joke

Lions Definitely wearing the butt crack shorts today.

Or, Xavier is from 1923, carries around a Tommy gun in a violin case and wears a pair of wingtips.

Looks like our trademark final quarter fade has kicked in.

Goal kicking killing us. should have been easy goals to: Sharp Windsor Fritsch It really starts to make the opposition feel more confident. Nothing to lose / no penalty.

I’m a little bit nervous before a game again. I’m taking that as a good sign…

me too - he had a few great moments last night. But clearly still coming back. A dynamic player. In the right mix of teammates / balance, can be devastating. So good at following up the groundball after rucking, and setting up a teammate with a forward space handball.

I remember when after winning the Brownlow, Woey was asked what had changed that year for him. I mean, he did have a breakout year. He said, amongst other things, that before every game he wrote in black texta on his arm: "run, run, run".