The Taciturn Demon

I'd take a fourth rounder.

The idea that we are "so close" is either an outright lie or vibrant delusion. When challenged in any significant way, this team has lost any capacity to grit its teeth and fight back. The result was inevitable from the five-minute mark - and that's disgraceful for a group with so many proven senior footballers in it.

They're a delight. Brightened my mood after a deeply depressing showing from the men. Absolutely loved Maggie Mahony's game. I reckon we've found one there. The tackling was obviously excellent, but I think she just looks a natural footballer. Brilliant hands in close.

Very good explanation. Thanks. I have no doubt at all gravitas and aura have an influence. I think one of my hesitations on Buckley is whether that aura has dimmed. Good to hear you think not.

You might have mentioned this elsewhere - apologies if this comes across as a lazy question: what do you like about Buckley?

"We need a new voice" is a weak, flawed and laughable concept, but the weather... that's a rich discursive vein?

Exactly. And the women's 'product' must be constantly compared to the men's 'product'. It's incredibly stupid. The dumbest marketing orthodoxy.

One of the most overrated people in football. Bizarre that they even considered having him back.

Exciting to see O'Hehir, Mahony and Ebert debut. Annoyed I won't be there due to the ridiculous men/women overlap. Atrocious scheduling.

It's a fair point. There's nobody at the club I'm more confident will keep up his form - at least.

Whoa. The injury list is lot worse than I realised. That Grace Beasley knee seems like it's going to take more than 12 months. I expect several debutants. Looking forward to seeing how they go.

If this is satire, it's really good.

The poster who says Chandler doesn't serve our energetics due to his profound psyhosocial failings might be able to help with this.

Just a wild idea. What then? Give Shane McAdam three more and hope for the best?

Me too. He's 35 games in and clearly my favourite player. I'd ask Max if he could do one more season and then think Turner, if he wanrrs it, is perfect. Twenty-four years old, 50 games under his belt. Do it.

It's almost impossible to believe it happens so regularly. Glad I'm not the only one thinking he's far too limited to be considered the first-picked player he seemed to be under Goodwin.

Is that hat energetics is?

I agree. Kade Chandler refracts light in the wrong way, rendering our chromotherapy regime ineffective.

I think it was definitely time for Goodwin to leave, but on Sunday I shook my head when we chipped it around the half forward line at the Punt Road end and then, after what seemed like a all-too-slow build up that would inevitably end with a high kick to the hot spot, we found van Rooyen on the lead with a 23 to 30 metre bullet. As far as I understand it, that's exactly what Goodwin was aiming for as he "transitioned" to a new game style (and when the fast break wasn't on). But it happened all too infrequently.

When he started in the goalsquare at times in the second half... so exciting.

This may be true, but did he find a way of turning this personal philsophy into a practical coaching method? Theory into practice? His results at Collingwood, apart from 2018 and 2019 were... kind of the definition of mediocre.

Kentfield was kind of at the heart of the question. Him and Petty, really. I think the Petty hate on here is a bit much. But I now understand, even after that very good game yesterday and a couple of glimpses here and there, that he's not a forward. I want him back as soon as possible to bed down a combination - realistically, a post-May and -Lever combination. To me, Turner and Petty is a really solid starting point for a tall defensive trio. It's tricky this year because McDonald is in such good form and leaving May out is probably still unthinkable. I also wonder if Kentfield can play at the level and as a genuine number one, whether Jefferson becomes more viable as a third tall.

Let's say we get Wade Derksen during the trade period, but can't attract another key position player. Let's also say Tom McDonald retires at the end of the year. What's the combination of tall forwards and tall backs you'd go with not necessarily to win games in Rounds 1 to 5 2026, but that are most likely to work in the longer term?

And also not just one monolithic thing. Everyone talked about Langford's speed in the draft discussion. I think lots of people are still talking about it now - I've worried at times during the year. But his top speed is fast. He just takes a while to get going. If he was a FIFA player he'd have a speed rating of 85 and an acceleration rating of 50.

Is part of the appeal with Buckley that he still has the aura of a champion/huge name around him and so will help us attract players? I get that he'd be on our list. I'm not sure I quite get the idea (I know it's just rumour at the moment) that we've put the blinkers on and he's the one.