Demon Disciple

Oh well, I guess we’ll just have to beat the Pies come Monday to make you feel better

Sydney are a shadow of their form pre GF. At least we’ve got a flag to show from our run, the Swans are going backwards at a rate of knots.

True stat, that still isn’t the lowest scoring quarter in Swans’ history 😁

No doubt the Saints will now try to save the game, having build up such a lead

Horse is surely done?

I quickly realised why I’m not a fan of Ross the Boss again. 🥱

Trade our future first along with our current 2nd round pick for a lateish first rounder (15-18) and bring more talent in (trade or draft). Id much rather picks 8, 9 & 16 in the draft than just pick 1.

I actually think last night was a good rehearsal for next week. Carlton love playing fast flowing footy, to get it into their forward line quickly and give their KPF’s the best chance. Sure it was dour, but it was effective. It was a dress rehearsal in trying to control tempo and limit opposition momentum, something that the filth take full advantage of when in their favour. A good hitout for next week methinks.

These guys live footy 24/7. If they ain’t playing they’re training, if they ain’t training they’re recovering, if they ain’t recovering, they’re in meetings about footy. can’t blame them for not being passionate all the time.

Imagine having Clayton as your owner 🤩

At 13-12, we’re a middle of the ring team. An accurate reflection I’m afraid. Not worthy of top 4 based on that effort.

Don’t worry about Himmelberg, go after Naughton

Carlton love to attack through the corridor and quickly, they also like to switch the play (our Achilles’ heels). We need to study the Blues vs Lions game earlier in the year. Brisbane denied them the corridor at all costs and so must we.

‘You are playing like a bunch of flowers’

Yes I found it towards the backend of last year. It’s starting to reappear once more.

Hardly a rebuke at all @WalkingCivilWar. No criticism or disapproval but encouragement. If I wanted to denigrate I would’ve included the first part of Checker’s speech. It’s telling the boys to keep their chins up and fight on.

Here’s a simple message for the front of the banner this week ”Lift your heads and play like demons!” - Checker Hughes

Despite that one tap straight down a dockers players throat in the ruck, I thought Grundy was one of our better players (way better than Max, who got comprehensively beaten). At least when Brodie plays on the fly, it’s unpredictable for the other team. I’d take that over the boring same old stuff that the opposition seemingly now gave a handbook on how to unravel it.

Yes a lot has to go right and there is an element of luck involved, however I am also a believer in making your own luck. There are things that we can control that we simply are not maximising. Things such as effort and mindset, game plans and willingness to take the game on, instead of waiting for things to happen. It’s almost as if we are afraid to make a move due to making a mistake, so we don’t make a move at all. We need to be more cavalier moving into the forward line, instead of the predictable long bomb. We also need to fix up our brainfades in the backline.

Gotta get over the whole premiership thing. Adapt or you’re going backwards. You question the playing group and they’re waiting for things to happen. I reckon the entire MFC is being far too conservative in all their operations. In what areas are we being proactive? It certainly isn’t on-field with the coaching and playing group, and it isn’t when it comes to finding a home base. Organisation-wide we are simply treading water.

By end of year we will know if our window remains legitimately open or not. If it does, then I’d be all for trading in quality players (I’d be prepared to jettison some who are on good money for them too - gotta give a little to get a little). Id be more inclined to draft in youth if our window appears to be closing, just so as to avoid full re-build right at the time Tassie comes in.

That won’t happen whilst we continue to go with a zone structure. Back in 2021 we had complete buy in, with one chink in the system it breaks down and we have many chinks atm. Id love to see us go 1 v 1. It quickly highlights players not putting in the required effort and makes them more accountable.

We are not a proactive team. We wait for something to happen before reacting. We play not to lose instead of trying to win. We are too concerned with try to limit the opposition scoring that we tend to forget how we should go about it ourselves. Goodwin has continued to trot out that he wants the team to play a style of game that supporters recognise and believe in. Well he’s got the first part of that correct. Since mid 2022, he has reverted back to misoneism.

Our lack of numbers through the middle yesterday was really concerning. There was very little run provided. Is it a fitness issue? Also some of our turnovers in the back half were inexcusable. Bowey and Hibberd’s pathetic turnovers in particular resulted in goals. That inexcusable stuff really does halt momentum.

I think it’s because our problems have been building for quite some time and not much has been done to try and prevent it. The game plan is tired and predictable, yet Goodwin does nothing to change it. Team selection is a farce and uninspiring and our key pillars of contest and defence have been very suspect all season. The gap between our best and worst remains miles apart and our attack and pressure on the contest has been fleeting and unsustained. I think the supporters are well within their rights to ask some tough questions on our coaching and playing group. To not make a PF for the second year in a row with the list we have would be unacceptable.