Go Ds

That would affect memberships and tv ratings a bit but really in the grand scheme of things it's whether the players and coaches are happy with this. Are they? I doubt it. Most people want to do their best at whatever they do and I doubt many of our players would have bothered getting serious about footy as teens if they spent whole games being shown up. And i'm sure Bucks and / or whoever is new in the coaches will also want to break what seems like a curse.

Who's accepting close losses? Even if many fans were I doubt the coaches and players are. I'm sure I've seen the occasional coach after a gallant say they were happy but .... "happy, but ...."

Huh? Coach said Culley subbed cos he probably has whiplash.

I think there was a game where ex-Collingwood star Travis Cloke got his new Bulldogs team over the line and Collingwood fans were ropeable! Just imagine their grief if Buckley gets us a flag, especially if we mow down Collingwood to do it!

You make that sound like a bad thing! 😂

Hmmm, I came here to discuss the same concerns. I feel almost like something snapped in 2022 and we went from untouchable to never-over-the-line. So many times that year we'd get 4 or 5 goals up and if we didn't then get 6 up AND the opposition was in the best 10-12 teams they'd reel us in! In 2021 we'd tie a knot round teams they couldn't get out of. But almost ever since we can't 'beat' teams - they'd always know that if they kept fighting they're a chance to make us fall apart. Conversely I don't think we have done the opposite often in that same period - there was that Brisbane game at the G where Melksham got us over the line and arguably the Brisbane game this year. But I'm sure there are teams that can steal games they shouldn't and save ones they should. Whether it's tactics, poor coaching or on-field leadership or something like unaddressed player doubts or a useless or non-existent team psychologist we're leaving so many games out there. Even on this alone if the new coaches can solve this we can shoot up the ladder. (And it might even lessen panicked shots at goal and inside 50s and preserve our energy helping us run out games.) BTW thanks for your efforts this year, guys.

Thank you, no problems. I do contend that we do need change. But certainly a team finishing with a percentage of 93.3 and lots of close losses isn't a basket case .... just a work in progress. And who knows? Next time at training you might get to meet our new coach!

GW, I am grateful for your contributions here. But I really do feel the new coaches will need to look at this. Honestly I hope EVERY team looks at all sorts of things EVERY year. Usually I am positive on here too. Getting back to that if my concern is somehow corrected we'll become a much better team. I can see all sorts of reasons why we can improve next year. I'm quietly confident next year will be better. (And thank you for your positivity and training reports this year. I really mean that.)

I hate to be negative but I could argue this even goes back to 2022. So many times that year we'd get 4 or 5 goals up and if we didn't then get 6 up AND the opposition was in the best 10-12 teams they'd reel us in! In 2021 we'd tie a knot round teams they couldn't get out of. But almost ever since we couldn't 'beat' teams - they'd always know that if they kept fighting they're a chance to make us fall apart.

Right now I'm sure lots of fans can't ever see the current flaws/situation changing /improving. Of course that's not true. A few tweaks; even average 'game-finishing', even average team fitness, slightly better football intelligence, arguably better team morale etc etc; hell, even just a couple of these and barracking for Melbourne will be so much less frustrating!

How long is a piece of string? We may as well be non-astronomers pointing at stars in the night sky guessing their specific details. We get to see two hours a week of what our players do/can do. There's so much we'll never know, such as team dynamics/ "office" politics and individuals' private lives. I just hope the 'new' Melbourne factor in everything in their decisions and the fallen players that can bounce back are not recklessly discarded etc etc

Integrity? Umm, of course the AFL's not perfect but here we are talking about the league on this website and watching games and probably doing other related stuff like watching panel shows. I'd say if the AFL got unbelievably bad suddenly they'd lose millions of fans. So, yeah, I'd say theres still some integrity.

I'm guessing it's been said elsewhere but I expect more list changes than usual. Of course some will just be of those consigned to the Magoo's but possibly a few premiership players will get moved on too. It won't just be the coaching ranks.

If we got a novice coach Choco might have been a useful mentor . Of course I doubt Buckley would need that. Is this another sign that Buckley is over the line?

There's so much footy media out there I hardly pay attention to it. I'm sure the Brownlow and a few other big awards like the coaches votes help with salary negotiations and getting sponsorships. But most of the stuff such as Lyon's votes are just fluff. If after our losses next year he does this again once again I'd be more interested in other stats.

Huh? You're basing this on 22 weeks of a Melbourne legend on a show? Even if he wasn't watching each round as a frustrated Melbourne supporter do you have any actual evidence we didn't regularly have one opponent carving us up?!

It's all good, mate. I don't know much about you but there are plenty on here who are only happy when they've got something to complain about.

You do realise this conversation was about comments like this? "Not earth shattering news to say that the two key coaches think the team is on track"

Yeah, and Tony Lockett missed some shots at goal. Your point?

How about the premiership coach who potentially thinks Melbourne can win the whole thing next year?!

Support by the miserable sods that ended up on Demonland?

Those aren't bad things. But surely his close GF loss eclipses any of them.

Hehe I ended up watching the first two episodes on YouTube last night. Minder was more something my parents watched. But it was kinda good - better than the 25 footy shows on Monday night :)

I dunno. I'm sure people have looked at/ listened to stuff older people have raved about and scratched their heads. But who knows - maybe you'd enjoy 80s Brit show, Minder, with the dodgy Arthur Daley and his muscle Terry.

No! I'm not excusing 96 minutes of last week. But it's disingenuous to argue that Hawthorn aren't trying to finish as high as they can. I know when we missed finals in 2017 by a bee's appendage we had a late game against lowly Carlton where we coughed up a lot of late goals. It was easy to forget as Collingwood won and Adelaide rested players that we still would've gotten through on percentage but for the Carlton lapse. Hawthorn might rue their late lapse too. BTW if people want to look at the St Kilda comeback and our other close losses and say "yes, but scoreboard!" they should be saying the same about last week and accepting the "inaccurate" margin.