DEE32

I agree we are way too nice and intimidated by opposition. That could be said about the supporter base as well. In 21 we did have an edge but I believe it was created from selflessness and parking of Ego’s. The Nibblers hard defensive running allowed tracc to cheat forward offensively, Petty holding a monster along with May allowed Lever to play free. Ben Brown took the no1 backman allowing Fritta space and opportunity. Who helped who this year? Every player has a weapon, but is usually reliant on a team mate.

Maybe the media department can put something out like “there’s only one Wizard” or “we had the real wizard” or “Anything you can do he did better” you get what I mean and just show off his highlights reels all day especially when the hawks do for their phony. The Wiz is still the best. I don’t even have to say his name, you just know. 😏

Brisbane worked hard to our number our girls and It looked like they brought their own umpires today. I thought it last week too, but it looks like they play to defend first, and score second. Defensive set up is ok but when we have the ball they don’t run forward and constantly get outnumbered in the forward 50. Easy turnover and run out. It’s a territory game and we just guard the centre of the ground. well done Banno on 50 games, but the ultimate down hill skiier. Zanker gets so down on her self she struggles to keep her head in the game. Kate can’t do it all on her own. Paxy still one of the better players, but maybe a little loose to be played in defence. B Mackin another good game as well as Goldy. A few too many injuries now makes for a potentially sour year.

Part of Burgo’s philosophy was resilience and playing through duress and injury. I wonder if part of the disconnect between the playing group is there is a split in belief. Max clearly for the model playing through injury half the year, Trac post incident certainly not, but also playing Spargo game one or Petty all year, surely created doubt in its effectiveness for some of the team. Even May might be thinking twice. Maybe this forms part of the grievances and a fresh approach needs to be sort out. At least a model that is universally trusted.

Reading the book “Between the flags” by Ian Munro, a tough read in places, our club seems to have a knack of f ing it up. But there’s a paragraph that really hits rights now: it talking about country zoning and how alone it can’t be used at why we didn’t have any success. ‘A lot has to do with culture and leadership’ Greg Miller says. Zoning alone does not equate to success, and the most important one is the impregnability of the top people at a footy club. Those people set the tone and the culture. The President, the coach, the football manager, and cheif executive. Development through good culture is more important than recruiting. ‘You have to have an impregnable force at the top, even more so now because the media will try to break you up. It’s the Chairman, it’s the coach, it’s the Cheif executive and it’s the footy manager. None can have and ego and none can let the others down. people, the media, look at recruiting because it’s measurable. You can’t measure leadership. ‘ Ian’s Munro’s book should be on the desk of any power broker in our club. A book on an awful history which many learnings should stem. Thankfully the book has a happy ending. But Our club has a talent for cocking it all up! I hope it doesn’t again.

Hopeful of some positivity being injected back into our football club, but fearful the success batten was handed over to Geelong in the finals last year and they are on their way up and we are moving down. So much talent has left our club, but that does mean new talent has arrived. I expect the team to take some time to come together and unfortunately. Cats by 25

I honestly can’t shake the feeling of trepidation for tonight’s game, being at that final with Gus out cold and Oliver rolling him over followed by mass Filth cheering and chanting was one of the worst experiences I’ve had at the footy. I thought I was past it but as the game gets nearer, 😣 I hope the team can turn the tide on this one. Smash the filth!

The reality with Trac, he is a ‘brand’ and his fiancé is his marketing brand manager. They need to maximise every opportunity possible. The MFC put brand CP5 into jeopardy. The magnitude of the situation is still not known. I really hope all parties can get him going again and event get his buttery fingers working (🎣) I hope he comes out and says something. The messaging “he is contracted for 5 year he’s not going anywhere” sounds really [censored] from the club. There must be a fair bit of junk happening at the club, I just hope that it can all be cleaned up. I don’t want to go back to the dark old days😔

Stuff all the doom and gloom, we supporters know what the bottom looks and feels like and It’s nothing like what we have now. Trac out is a huge loss, and this compounds a lot of [censored] going on but, we this team has a chance to show true grit. The Pies narrative for the game was 3 little pigs “The big, bad Melbourne wolf was way off target with the huffing and puffing as Collingwood proved their house was made of bricks in a convincing win at the MCG.” I would love the team, and the supporters to lean into this narrative. Of course one wolf can’t blow a brick house down (Maybe that was CP5, and a punctured lung impacts huffing and puffing) but a wolf pack can do some almighty damage. The dees of 21 were a wolf pack, hunting in numbers. It’s going to take a whole pack to turn this year around, and if the Filth think we are a big bad wolf then they are wrong because we are a wolf pack! Ready to rip shreds. Go Dees!

It was a soft effort with poor skills, and a lack of desire to do the hard things. Too many wanting to offload the hot potato to release the burden. However, taking key pillars out of a highly structured team and [censored] going to hit the fan. No Langdon, no Lever, No Rooey are key elements to a big loss. Gawn was smashed and virtually out of the game as well. Worst, is the midfield are getting smashed in contest and speed. I agree with most, billing’s is not good enough and BBB is not good enough anymore. I hope the Duke can become a better kicker, and wished they played the Kolt tonight.

Personally I think some of the narrative has to change in that why did the Carlton player “have to go for that ball” and put themselves in a position to be taken out. He was never going to mark the ball and his action was conducive to negative impact. I do agree Greene could have made impact with arms out wide, but the narrative is he “had to go” as well. this was similar situation to Oliver a couple of weeks ago. He chose to not go, thus preventing injury to himself or the opposition player.

“Unrecognisable” both the team and might I add this forum. I had heaps on my mind about the game and why we played so poorly but the considered, calm comments post game pretty much summed up my thinking too. It’s great to read the educated views of the collective! Team was tired and banged up, Lions got away with everything including roughing up our key players, Thursday games suck, sorry but even the cheer squad was flat, we get a reset, bring on the Tigers, Go Dees!

Those who liked Benny Gibson, he has a podcast called The watch with Ben Gibson, with the first two guests Kade Chandler and Blake Howes. Really good discussions and a deep and meaningful chat about Gus. It won’t challenge the demonland podcast 😎 though which will always be no. 1. I’m not Ben, just liked his work with the demons and though people would like to know.

Probably been said earlier but just wanted to send some kudos to Billing’s. For a guy rated lowly for his defence was solid across the half back line, with some telling tackles and defensive acts especially later in the game. I was really impressed with his game! Well done Jack Billings.

The club in all departments is just too stubborn imv. Which in turn makes things stale. In 23 we weren’t far away but that doesn’t mean things just carry on keeping on. Imagine if they addressed the issues we are all fully aware of. And when was the last time we went into a game with a direct plan for the opposition, seems almost every week our apposing team does that to us. What we always do will get it done is the only plan. Never an adjustment for conditions either. On the small snap shot of this weekends games, there’s no way we have the fundamental skill to beat this weeks winners, and we know the pies will be better. And we still wilt under pressure. And as supporters there’s never enough consideration of the rest of the competition. Adel, Cats, Suns, Freo will all be big improvers, along with Carlton, Gws, Port, Pies already at or above our level. And who knows what dogs, Saints and Bombers will be. It’s never been tighter.

What a shame, what a guy. Devastating for him, the club and everyone of us that supports the MFC. truely one of the good guys! you talk of culture, Gus was the man driving it, I have no doubt. Gus Brayshaw - Thankyou!

To me it was the sameness to what we were poor at in the past that was disappointing. There was nothing fresh about any of the plays. There were some different combinations in positions. But not better outcomes than the a team. Positive is if they work on creating their own tempo and be less manic the skills should improve.

There is a sameness to how they performed in the finals, and the game plan looked very familiar with a heavy reliance on a tall at the edge of the square who didn’t take marks and their finals downfall was poor kicking which led to poor forward connection. It’s hard not to compare. but gee the girls brand of footy was great to watch up to round 8. Actually so were the men…..

To me there is a vibe thing with Tayla. The team just plays differently with her in. Not sure if it’s a reliance or not. But they are always trying to “get her involved”

Wow another mix in the centre, waiting for Gillard, birch and zanker next

Same as last week, set up to defend but find themselves in between nothing. At least defenders seem to be in front but this week the ball is getting over them. The one wood is kick to our 1 tall down the line. Defended by 3 apponants. Our smalls just watching and not even playing the game. I hope they start chipping it side ways then over the top of that 30 m wall. To Bannan. I thinks she’s still there?

Ironic quarter time song “ I fell in love with a hopeless case” wow this team has lost the fun. Why can’t they spread the field wider with some shorter kicks and more running, and to the city side of the ground please!

I hope we get Adelaide’s special umpires tomorrow. When the game was in the balance the umpiring was heavily unbalanced.

I went yesterday and quite few games throughout the year. The girls have taken on a similar plan/problem as the boys in that it’s a contest defence strategy that feeds into offensive play. Early in the year it’s 60/40 split in defence and offence and it’s enjoyable football to watch. But as the finals come closer (see rd 8 last Nth game) the defence becomes almost 80/20. Players don’t run forward to make contest in our 50 they set up ready to defend turnover. The dump kick is to a 3 on 1, the kick out is to tall on edge of square, where apponant sits our side of contest and pass it side ways to open us up. We set defensively ready for the ball to come back into 50 here too. The Irish girls were great yesterday but they are poor kicks and were the ones putting ball inside 50. The smalls aren’t even used as options with short passes. Work rate looks horrible but maybe it’s defensive discipline. I hope it turns around but we look cooked!

I wonder if we can get Kate Hore into the mens team, amazing game today, got behind the ball to help out then popped up in all the right places to kick 4. delivery was sublime!