rpfc

It will happen and it will be fine. Fun even.

8 teams from 18 teams playing finals leave mechanisms like the ‘wildcard weekend’ as useful to keep people interested in their team, and by extension, footy in general.

Get upset about more important things.

9 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

I hope so

He needs to add attack to his repertoire 

Huh? I’m talking about relationships and pathos. That’s what keeps these stars around. The gameplan will continue to evolve as they realise they can’t ’defence’ their way through. But the people side is most important right now.

Let Goodwin be Goodwin.

I think the next 6 months will be the making of Goodwin.

Oddly, I have absolute faith he can navigate this crucial period.

6 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

But but but we have negative one ruckman on our list beyond Gawn, so how is giving Gawn another 2 years bad for our list health? We are not exactly brimming with ruck talent. 

Does anyone seriously think that Gawn wouldn't be able to contribute, even as a backup, in 2 seasons? 

Look at some of the absolute NQRs that have rucked in a premiership after the age of 30.
If Gawn drops his output by 50% in 2 years time, he will still be better than half the rucks in the competition.

Besides, it's ridiculous to suggest we signed him as a PR move, he didn't decide last night to take George on a bike ride, then call Tim Lamb and say "George finally learnt the words to the song, let me sign a 2 year extension".

I don’t know why it couldn’t happen next year. 

Hate to sound like DeeSpencer here, I really hate it, but what are we doing? He had a year to run. He’s 33 at the end of the deal, now 35. I have said it before - Gawn will not wimper into the night in a pocket - he will go out doing a massive injury playing first ruck. He should be on year to year contracts to give us flexibility. And he should hand over the captaincy to Lever or (here we go) Petracca.

Ah well, what’s done is done, but when a resigning makes more sense as a PR move than for list health - rpfc ain’t gonna like it.

Never has a waste of time revealed itself so quickly and forcefully.

Well done 

Don’t think so. There is no hard and fast rule but I don’t think so. Not that it matters nor do I really care either way.

5 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

Damn objective data, there’s no room for argument when it enters the fray.

‘Objective data???’ as a person in IT  - the use of the above data was wholly to back up a preconceived argument or notion to pin blame on a singular individual. 

It’s the furtherest thing from ‘objective’ use of data.

Tank pls. No point risking Gawn, and a few others.

This seems more benign but no less impactful with the question marks over 5, 7, and 13.

We are in a state.

Would love to know what his concerns are, beyond the obvious management of his terrible injury. 

He is the next captain. Max should hand it over if we can calm his concerns. 

I am a bit disillusioned tbh, we are playing like the team played in 2015-17. Just minimising damage and little excitement and intent. It’s gotten a bit better but it’s galling watching the Dees versus a Hawks or any team that plays with confidence.

We have to keep him. We just have to keep him.

But if we don’t - clear it out - we are not going anywhere if we lose him.  

9 hours ago, layzie said:

Need to stick together.

Need to show up to games. 

Or be attractive for people to show up.

Lovely sentiment. 

I think that we couldn’t overcome the loss of 3 of our best 6 players for the bulk of the season.

Brayshaw, Petracca, and God Oliver are not easily replaced. 

Tou have to mention the two players that have come into the Star/elite conversation - Pickett and Rivers. 

Both impact in fun the midfield and offer different aspects but both are elite kicks.

You get Demi God Oliver back, Petracca and Pickett swapping out, and Rivers through the middle - we are going to get first use if Gawn and Viney can maintain what they have delivered. Windsor, McVee, Tholstrup, JVR, ND6, AMW are exciting and all over the ground. So we can bounce back and be strong but we may need some new ideas and some new voices. It always helps.

8 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

That would mean the Saints passing us. Unlikely but 6 or 7 is a real possibility. My guess is 8. We'll beat the Suns and the Pies (maybe)

I think the suns will beat us and the pies are in our heads. And we should be shutting up shop if we lose against the Dogs. We should prepare for 2025.

We are a good show for top 5 pick…

16k.

Sam McClure is going to bring it up and he is right to.

We don’t want to watch our own team.

Probably should reflect on why that is.

WERE THEY TOO QUICK TO CATCH AND THEREFORE KEEP THEM??

Things would have to be pretty bad if we pay someone to take him. He hasn’t just lost his mojo, he had a limited pre-season and he is our premier mid which means that teams can curtail him and he can’t break through tags and out run like he has done in the past.

I wouldn’t be making any decisions this summer other than trying to get him fit and happy for pre-season.

1 hour ago, Engorged Onion said:

I'm not understanding the thinking that when you are 2 wins off 2nd then we're ostensibly out of the final race.

For those that think like this, can you help me explain your logic?

Lose make my sad face. Win make more happy. 

Lose make me think lose all time. Win make me think win rest of time.

explained?

4 more years!

Oliver is out of form and he needs to have an interrupted preseason to play good footy. That is the key. 

If he can do that at this club - you keep him around on that salary.

If he can’t, then you have to ask the questions. 

To me, after that start to the year - his current form was immaterial to any trade. 2024 was always going to be a write off.

Good thing we didn’t risk Gawn…

This young team was outclassed by a team that is where we were in 2018/2021 (can’t decide which) and we are not what we were.

If we can escape the next 5 weeks with only one more horror day then we might call this season a success considering what we were up against, battled through, and with the issues we sustained.

49 minutes ago, Nasher said:

Range of plausible ladder possible outcomes today is 4-10. Likely outcomes: 6th (we win, we don’t claw back enough percentage to bump Power or Cats, Brisbane lose to Sydney) or 10th (we lose). This is so crucial, especially given how badly the Dockers humiliated us last time we played. So much to atone for.

Added bonus: if we win, we guarantee pushing Essendon out of the 8.

Yeah, screw work, I am heading over to squiggle. 

Excuse me…

16 hours ago, John Crow Batty said:

The AI artwork is a little wonky but I get the gist.

Looks pretty [censored] ing cinematic to me