Rivers of Belief my friend

Fugazi

or are they leaving their loading run later…

And they sang the song next to each other in a big hug!

This is a great post, thanks. Totally agree re the result of this change in approach being the boys ‘having fun’ and lifting their confidence. you can see the Pies and Port players having loads of fun out there. We’re not down in the doldrums or anything, but certainly not playing with a lightness of being. I am a subscriber to the loading theory, but actually put sports psychology well ahead of it for impact. Anyone who has played sport to a reasonably high level knows how important the mental side is, and it can make a huge difference even if 1 or 2% off. (dismissing most of the mental side by discounting the oft-raised point that ‘players are mentally weak/soft’ is lazy thinking in my view - and, to add a pun, wrong-headed. Of course it matters. It matters a great deal.)

We are extremely average.

Yep same. Time slot is brutal. Especially living outside Melbs. Sometimes I do miss the all-Saturday arvo fixture.

Also, getting in each other’s way / not giving each other space / trusting that teammates will win the ball. Hand balling to stationary teammates. Often no overlap.

😬 sorry!

Well said, sir. I can say from recent personal experience, that people say some things that are nothing but nefarious and rabble-rousing. It’s sad but true.

There’s definitely something up among the players. I feel like the Melksham/May fracas broke the tight bond the group had formed. And while there’s still lots of good energy and fight, full trust in each other is hard to achieve and easily broken.

Maybe. Or does the ratio of goals/i50 continue to decline the higher the number of i50s? You know how like in video games, if you’re way out in front (racing game, Streetfighter whatever) the algorithm makes sure your competitors can catch up…

Have to agree. Sometimes it’s right to be positive and generous. But sometimes expressing extreme disappointment and anger is right. This was one of those occasions.

5.15

This team really does seem bereft of confidence and belief.

I hear you, but where I’m at is that if we finish top 4 (as we’ll need to to have a genuine chance), then from there, if we’re good enough we’ll win. We can win this year, no question, but I’m not seeing the team unity we had in 2021, and that Collingwood and Port have. long way to go though…

Yes. But I reckon they’re more deliberately creative - and they pull it off so many times. And a feature in this game has been the breakneck speed running past the ball carrier - incredible. They get 20-25 meters instantly each time. But then a silky delivery into 50. Very impressive. No pressure in this game of course. We showed what can happen if you hassle and block and choke their ball movement. But the Pies style looks very, very good if you give them an inch.

Not every time ☺️

Getting quite repetitive and sick-making now.

Maybe. And you know who they broke their losing streak against back then…

We got one with Grundy’s front on contract. (Pies)

Observations: - they’re taking almost every contested mark, which means we can’t retain ball - it’s turnover city for us. Crazy. - ground feels like it’s 15 x 20 with straight wings (literally, straight) - no room

Soooo…are you telling me that I don’t have to go to work tomorrow, that maybe even, Monday no longer exists? That there are four days between each weekend?

Idiosynchronicity?

Likewise, a player who intentionally pushes the ball into a grounded player to hold it in should be pinged with HTB.

Can’t believe the pro-Pies umpiring at the end. Shocking.