Temporarily Hopeful Demon

Because watching them choke is fun. They're a [censored] loathsome club

Carlton are an absolute joke. It's so fun watching them choked every time

Cripps looks completely shot

Yes agree. His first three years were unreal.

He's very reminiscent of our recruitment of guys like Daniel Cross and Jordan Lewis. He's never going to star each week, but you can always count on him working his guts out and being an absolute professional. If we get this sort of output from him for the next two years then it's an absolute win for us.

If you've paid any attention to what's been happening over the past three years it's not rocket science why we 'dispensed' him. I highly doubt that GWS are laughing as we're getting just about the same output from Steele for a much lower price. And I highly disagree that he's right up there with the very best given that we have Max Gawn in the side right now.

I reckon Pickett's game in the middle yesterday was far more effectual and skilled than anything Oliver has served up since 2023 :)

6.Pickett 5.Gawn 4.Sparrow 3.Lever 2.Steele 1.Fritsch

If you read the game day thread you'd think the exact opposite. I was gobsmacked by the amount of criticism he was getting. Even in the first half he was our only one showing genuine skill and class.

Without a doubt that was one of the most satisfying, heart-warming and gutsy performances I've ever attended. I barely ever cry but I started welling up late in the last quarter. There's so many players I want to praise to the point where I'd feel bad to those I left out. Pickett was [censored] classy. The amount of criticism he copped in the game day thread was bizarre. His skills were sublime. Gawn's durability for a 34 year old ruckman is absolutely insane. Every week he continues to push his case for one of our greatest ever. Fritsch admittedly does go missing but his second half showed why you should never write him off. He has a knack for kicking goals when we need him most. Tmac showed why he should never have been out of the team. He and Lever were the reason why we were still in the game in the first half. And I owe Sparrow an apology. I criticised him during the game but his second half was the best I've seen him play. This is the most I've loved the club in about three years.

Reminder that Pickett has our last two goal assists. And apparently he's playing like [censored] according to some

I find it really stupid how much people have been getting into Pickett. He's been one of our few players cracking in. This site is pure brain rot sometimes.

Still find it really stupid how they kept Sparrow and dropped Rivers. He simply doesn't do enough.

This is giving me Mark Neeld trauma

He's a good looking bloke, wouldn't be surprised if that's the reason

Not sure what's up with Hogan this year. Miles off his 2024/25 form.

Stoked for both of them. I'm particularly happy for Tmac though. He played through the absolute worst of our dark era but he just kept at it. He's also been a highly adaptable player too. There have been multiple phases of his career he looked almost done yet he managed to reinvent himself. I'd say he's been our most reliable defender over the past two years. And Gawn is Gawn. For me he's the greatest ruckman of all time and our best player over the past 40 years. I still think people take him for granted sometimes. He's a real once in a lifetime sort of player.

And he was a huge part of the 'cultural and peripheral issues' that you mention. Do you not see the irony in what you just said?

Wouldn't it be beautiful if we hammer Essendon like this in a few weeks

Gawn once again reaffirmed himself as the absolute champion he is. I won't say much else about that game.

Good on him for finding his role but we're kidding ourselves if we think that he was the answer to our problems. This site has a tendency to grossly overrate players once they leave our club.

Our best player since Flower by a clear margin

6.JVR 5.Gawn 4.Mihocek 3. Windsor 2.Sharp 1.Jiath

Bluey can't get over the fact that he's taken over his golden boy Sam Weideman

Well done dees! I haven't felt this pumped about a win in a very long time. We played such a fast, attacking and daring style of footy and I'm so glad it paid off in the end. It's been ages since we've looked so dangerous when getting the ball into our forwardline. Our defence was leaky but I thought it lifted big time in the last quarter. JVR can take a bow. He looked a completely different player today. Gawn's last quarter was so inspirational. He taught De Koning a massive lesson. I'm already highly impressed by Jiath, Steele and Miocheck as our new recruits. They all played their roles very well. I think we're in for a really exciting ride this season regardless of where we finish.