Go Ds

I'm sure I could find others. But don't forget other teams have these moments too. Even IF we're the worst it may well be only slightly. (We only concentrate on our team.)

Ok. I agree with a lot of that. But still a club's employees mostly would "go into work" each day focussed on on-field success. I don't think the fact that even the 18th team gets a cut of the pie means many in the staff want to just coast along.

What are you talking about? Maybe there are players or staff that prioritise getting more spare time who take short cuts. But overall surely every club wants success, success, success even it's more a coincidence that that's the same thing the supporters want. Surely no one on the MFC payroll wanted that result today nor would be surprised supporters didn't either.

A) If the players are at fault it seems bizarre they'd not only claim it's not them but also go out of their way to throw someone else under the bus. Regularly players would get delisted not due to lack of ability but because they downright refuse to follow coaches' instructions, and come October, they've used up every last bit of coach leniency. Ive no idea why our players cannot get things right. But it might mainly be selfish or stupid players or conversely it could be you're right and Goodwin should be turfed before November. B) If Goodwin has lost the players a much easier plan is to just keep failing spectacularly - a 10 goal loss to West Coast next week may well save everyone a fortune. Just keep in mind if he hasn't lost the players his sacking may do more harm than good for team morale and suddenly like with GC and GWS's debut drafts we're forced to watch Tasmania take the highest picks we desperately need (and if the players are the problem we prolong the suffering a few more years while throwing away the rare phenomenon of a coach who proved he could win his current team a flag)

No, you can't claim losing Treloar was a good idea. If someone's started betting on roulette and is losing a grand or two each month it can't be claimed he's a brilliant punter because he's in a better car (which is because his salary went up 100k you don't know about and nothing to do with his punting losses)

Huh? Everyone wants perfection but how about we accept most of what happens with our club? Unless a posse of disgruntled fans can assert beyond reasonable doubt their club needs drastic change and these fans act on that , brooding about your less than perfect team only causes stress and misery. Anyway I remember how frustrating to see time and time again Melbourne have false dawns. But now, unlike quite a few adults, I know what it feels like to see my team win a flag (and they don't.... and supporters attitudes can be so different to the players and coaches... who I hope are never satisfied and always want to improve and have more success.)

I am but some random fan. I'm sure there are people at the club in a good position to answer you. Unfortunately there may be too many stupid, incompetent people 'steering' our future. I dunno - it's hard to see any sunshine after today's waking nightmare.

Do we have a sports psychologist? So often we underperform due to complacency or fear. Surely we need a new one (and obviously a new fitness coach) before the preseason starts.

Umm, but did they? I already asked this. Collingwood might have gone backwards one step due to losing one or both of those players. But if the introduction of the likes of McRae, Nick Daicos and Bobby Hill moved moved them forward FOUR steps it would be easy to overlook that overall Collingwood moved three rather than four steps forward and that Grundy and Treloar's moving on were actually mistakes. Anyway, I expect some upheaval come our finals-less September. Hopefully this will be done by competent people showing due diligence.

It's just an estimate. I'm sure at the end of some season he'll realise it's time. End of 27 or 28 is realistic. But like other old-timers he might go longer if his body and motivation are still strong.

Do we honestly know most of the behind the scenes discussions players have with other teams? Correct me if I'm wrong but unlike players in the draft these ones can decide which clubs they move across to. Is it possible Melbourne tried to get these players in vain? Didn't North have few years where they failed to get players such as Dusty and Josh Kelly?

I'm not sure Treloar leaving didn't hurt them. Buckley lasted only half a season and the Pies were awful in their first year without him. Collingwood have been great since. But how much of that is McRae, Nick Daicos and other players as opposed to good planning?

Umm didn't they mainly get rid of those players because their salary cap was 'bursting at the seams'? And weren't Collingwood paying a good portion of their salaries at their new clubs?

Were you being serious? Nothing wrong with different opinions, but please not illogical ones. Do you think it's a good look whingeing about a teammate's verdict given the bias and potential backlash , and the fact that many e former players (and even Paddy Cripps) are much more effectively championing May's case for acquittal? How about Gawn's son? Don't make out Dad went out of his way to teach and coerce his son into singing the Carlton theme song. It's fluff that gets a quick, harmless laugh and not even remotely a black mark on Gawn. So what was illogical? Melbourne having any interaction with fans and viewers? The whole team not whipping themselves as per the villain in The Da Vinci Code? No! And while I agree with concerns of you and @poita it is what it is. We lost Bradshaw. We almost lost Trac. The likes of May, Lever, Viney and Oliver are getting older and slower and well, the next captain choice hinges a lot of whether it happens in 2027 or 2029. If it's the latter every current player has at least 4 years under their belt and possibly a player from another team comes across and after 2 or 3 yrs is the unanimous choice for Max's replacement. Honestly you may as well be having big discussions with your spouse about which high school your newborn should be going to.

The Essendon player delisted after he couldn't get a game in their 11th-place team? 🤣🤣🤣

It's possible that we wouldn't even have won the flag in 21 if Gawn weren't captain. Do you really think it's helpful for everyone to be desperately miserable their every waking minute while we flounder?! Your post is dreadful!

Yep! In 100 minutes of play you just can't lose due to umpiring alone. Our season/season and a half drop-off is not due to umpires. Maybe we really would have won 3 more games this year and one more last, with less umpire howlers. Regardless that doesn't get us into finals or excuse much. Anyway I know the team will at least try and address our issues in September while many of 'em will feel that these two inactive Septembers shouldn't have happened.

Okay. I see your point. Admittedly I notice player mistakes too. In the best game ever played I bet the successful team still made mistakes. I really don't know what to make of umpiring. It's impossible for it to be perfect and often the public should just shut up and not use it as a cop out for most of their team's losses. But if a player misses a shot from the goal square or an umpire does as bad with a dreadful decision it's fair enough for me to comment - even blame both in a close loss.. For both of them I'd hope there are coaches and supervisors to iron this stuff out, especially if attitude, poor technique or strategy or bias are to blame. (Oh, and I bet no coach and few players totally dismiss their part in a loss - even if they're cursing the umpire(s) and brooding on what might have been.)

Sorry, do you mean a decision in the last minute is no more important than ones in the other 100 something 100 minutes? I still can't agree with you. Do the umpire bosses review the umpiring of entire games. I bet there are times where there's a few howlers and team A should have had 3 frees awarded 25 metres out and / or team B should have less frees at similar spots at the other end. Given plenty of margins are under a goal it can be all of one mistake which has the wrong team win.

As easy as it is speculate on a lot of this stuff we really don't know though. There differently needs to be change. I expect movement , probably at least one dismissal, among the coaching staff, obviously some delistings and quite realistically some surprise ones or trades. Anyway I hope all these judgements are based on what is or probably is rather than based on supposition from even the loyalest supporter (who nonetheless would be still in the dark .... AND I am grateful of all our loyal fans)

It sounds like a lot of mind-reading there. Have you heard Goody actually say the above or seen incredibly obvious behaviour of premiership players, say, now arriving late/leaving early from training regularly? Yes, there's a drop-off. Players are older or have left, too many recruits either haven't made it or are a work in progress and we've had injuries. We arguably had the best midfield circa 2021. But Oliver had challenges and lost a whole pre-season and Petracca was incapacitated for months a year ago. None of this is a 'get out jail free card' but it probably explains a lot. It's so easy to get stuck in a moment. But who knows what happens in the next year or two. Some good recruits, more natural improvement from the younger players and perhaps revivals from senior players with injury-free passages or possibly attitude improvements, some new coaches, stability in the administration etc etc could make us improve markedly. No guarantees but we do have plenty of good to great players and ****, imagine how much better we'd be if both Trac and Clarry fully get back to near Brownlow-medallist level again.

Umm, no! I promise you we don't go down this road. You know in cricket that it is/was possible to bet on whether the next ball would be a no-ball? The two teams score about 300 runs each; who cares about an extra run here or there, right? But suddenly there's 3 of them or batter is called back because of a bribed bowler's "slight' indiscretion and goes on to have the match winning innings ...... and both the supporters and punters would disillusioned later if the dodgy no-ball was revealed. I don't know the footy equivalent of a no-ball but I'm sure a dropped mark, slightly errant ruck tap, a rushed handball or a poor ball drop for a set shot could be kind of disguised. I won't mention who as I in no way, shape or form believe this but recently a player rushed a shot at goal ... a defender marked it in the goal square. Because the forwards hadn't had time to set up the ball was slingshot back the other for goal and the "two-goal turnaround". From this one original miskick the opposition gained all the momentum and kicked maybe 5 goals in 10 minutes which was the difference for the day. I'd hate to see a player pocket a nice sum for what they hoped would be an insignificant mistake. (BTW what would be enough of a bribe if it risks a team loss, the player playing reserves the rest of the year or the respect of his teammates? Unless the guy's a complete mor0n it better be a lot to commit this felony.) Anyway, as much I support some AFL betting I don't want the game's integrity among other things ruined by it.

Umm, I get a lot of what you're saying and also are not totally happy with the AFL. But.... Richmond will play 6 teams twice AND the worse West Coast will too. A lot - maybe 10 - teams will get one of these bonus games, and maybe 2 will re-play both. Do we get rid of free agency? Clearly players that have played years for basket case are gonna prefer an equal deal with a new team that's on the up rather push **** uphill for another 4 or 5 years. AND while the finals race is exciting as a carpet commercial if anything the AFL would have tried to help get a few of the also-rans over the line in close games since May, say with dodgy late-game umpiring (and it's debatable whether that ever deliberately happens)

Did we? Many of our players are noticeably below their best this year. Should we have expected that?

Umm, so just come out and say we were aiming at 11th? Wouldn't even West Coast have been aiming for the flag this year? Of course they wouldn't admit it but if out of nowhere they had had Adelaide's year they'd still be aiming for the highest and never have been telling their players to aim low. Maybe nothing should have been said ( though then there's complaints the club doesn't engage with supporters). But I'd hope we started the year aiming to go deep and I'd expect every team to adjust their goals as the year progresses. (BTW I hope even when teams go into games as huge underdogs that the coaches and players haven't already decided they'll lose. I'm not sure how it's different for seasons, except between them when list management needs to factor in where the team sits)