Dee*ceiving

The failure of the FD to make Gawn/Grundy work was astonishingly poor. They had one plan! One! It's a 23 game season, why was it necessary for them to both picked every week? Could we not have planned for them both to play ~16 games? Hence 7 games where only one of them plays? Could we not have been smart enough, injuries permitting, to make sure these games are against teams that play two ruckmen? Could we not have used this flexibility to avoid Max travelling interstate 8+ times a season? Could we not have subbed one of the two off occassionaly if it wasn't working mid game? Max didn't hit the scorebard for a run of 4 games, in June... R13 defeated Collingwood 66-62 (BG: 13 disposals, 5 marks, 26 HOs 1g1b; MG 15 disposals, 6 marks 17 HOs) R15 lost to Geelong 63-78 (BG: 13 disposals, 5 marks, 19 HOs; MG 15 disposals, 1 marks 23 HOs;) R16 lost to Giants 45-47 (BG: 15 disposals, 3 marks, 16 HOs, 1g0b; MG 20 disposals, 2 marks 17 HOs;) R17 defeated Saints 79-58 (BG: 13 disposals, 3 marks, 17 HOs; MG 16 disposals, 6 marks 21 HOs;) After neither of them were able to hit the scoreboard, in the middle of winter. During a period where our highest conceded score was 78, we went 2Ws & 2Ls vs 4 teams that played finals where one game was played in a hurricane we completely abandoned the concept. Brodie was sent to the VFL until R22 a 56-60 loss to the Blues in the wet! Please! This was a balls up of epic proportions. Had we played one ruck v Giants and one v Blues we probably win both those games. Why on earth did we pick Max, Brown and Grundy to play the Giants, in a Hurrican in Alice??? Max should have been rested that game and come in cherry ripe v the Blues. Many of us raised these questions at the time and we were 100% right! I am a big SG supporter, have been all along but not being able to at least try another tact or two is utterly pathetic and now we've gifted the Swans exactly what they needed to jump from 6-8 to no. 1.

Maynard's initial intention was to smother. His second intention include zero compassion for an opponent

Sadly not one person held him to any account or even bother to challenge the broad narrative that it was a footy act. I have no doubt that if not Collingwood and/or during finals he'd have been suspended. From that vision it can only be one of two things. One, and at best, Maynard made himself into a missile and acted cowardly by by only protecting himself with no regard for Gus Two, and at worst, Maynard deliberately took the opportunity to maim his opponent, someone in a helmet with a history of concussion and one of the oppositions best players in the first qtr of a final.

We'll have cash this year, first time in a while though we did have enough to get Grundy last year. I think that would be a win for us even though I feel Clarrie could still get back to his best. When you add in his long term contract and recent issues it could solve a problem. Not sure why North would want to do that though. If resolved to losing LDU I'd think they are better off taking the FA compensation to the draft. Also not impossible he stays. They have a some good young players and managed to sign Larkey longterm. At 25 it wouldn't be a terrible idea for him to stick with the Roos

The psychology is being underestimated I feel. Off the back of 2020 and through to mid 2022 Goodwin & Gawn (and others) managed to galvanise the group. To play for the jumper, give it everything, back eachother, respect the game and appreciate the fans. It stuck fat for ~18 months, then took some body blows but hung in for 12 more months. I feel now it's been irreparably damaged. Goody looks & sounds exhausted to me. He's taken body blow after body blow for 2 straight years and tried manfully to hold his head high but the bludgeoning has been immense. On top of that club has kicked a number of own goals that just heaped on more pressure. A tired leader is not a good motivator

Not advocating for that exactly but I do feel we have become too nice. We let a lot of things slide by because that's how Max is and it's how Goody wants us to play but I feel it's gone to far now. We are being bullied. We need to get angrier and stand up for ourselves. It doesn't mean smashing peoples heads or breaking ribs, just be harder! I agree we should have known better than to send him back out...BUT It's so pathetic that a journalist feels the need to applaud Collingwood for not worsening an injury they caused as if they applied some form of chivalry. Complete nonsense and unnecessary. Disgraceful bulltish!

I'm not sure we'd make it if we played north 10 times... Ok, joking somewhat...for now. I'll revisit in 10 days 😉

The wins from here would be... See what's on the list No more long-term injuries A top 5 draft pick Wooing a free agent or two Maybe uncover a helpful strategy or two

That's exactly what I'm saying mate. Seasons cooked. If anyone is unfit, physically or mentally, don't play them. If you can get them fit and back playing footy before next season, great. If not have them as good to go day 1 preseason as possible Agree. Personally I reckon the coach is exhausted. All coaches carry a big burden and Goody's has been bigger than anyone's for the last 2 years. Might be time for him to take a break from footy. Players will sense when the coach is tapped out. If he is I'd suggest a tapped out coach won't be much of a motivator

I'd agree with the poster above. Use the rest of the year to trial some kids, get blokes fit and prevent anyone we really need next year from being run into the ground, eg. Max & May. If Viney is injured, don't play him. If Clarrie isn't fit, get him bloody fit! I'd also suggest we go back to playing people in their proper positions. Get Langdon on the wing, Petty in the backline & Sparrow in the middle for starters. And start hunting for FAs...now

Brayshaw was definitely the glue. A selfless player and person. Wonderful leader.

Duh! Scrutiny of the Pies has been outlawed... What a class act! A superb human being. All the best Trac, love ya!

I am also of the view we won't play finals. Mentally shot, you can see it on the players faces and their efforts on the ground. Bullied by Collingwood twice in a row now, barely gave a yelp physically on Monday Completely gave up for the first time in years vs Fremantle Embarrased by the Eagles I wonder if we've underestimated the losses of Melksham and Hibberd to, in the sense of their leadership and harndess. Could probably add Harmes to that as well. We have no one that plays on the edge now, Viney is to banged up and we've done our best to coach it out of Pickett.

To be fair, we've had our share of coaching blunders recently. - Couldn't find a way to make Gawndy work, more appallingly giving up on it after ~10 games then gifting him to the Swans - Picking underdone players/players showing no form at VFL (Clarrie, Hunter, Petty, McAdam) - Not playing Langdon on the wing, going from 500m gained to ~100m gained per game - Not playing Sparrow in the centre with time up forward (has actually taken marks and kicked goals from 50m enough to suggest he might do it again) - Continually playing backmen in the forward line - Drastically changing the gameplan post Yze - Seeing Max get owned in the center v Sydney and again v Collingwood (no adjustments)

I would agree we should give him a run of games before season's end to see what he's got. Turner not likely to be significantly better and Petty definitely should return to the backline, though he was a touch better vs Pies. Our backline looks especially slow at the moment sans Lever

VFL stats and Demonland podcasters don't point to much hope, but I'd love to be proven wrong

There is a core chunk of our list that still have a chance to play close to their best footy if fit, eg. they are young enough to believe the cliff hasn't arrived yet. Breaking out the depth chart it doesn't look disastrous yet IMV. Still capable of best footy Petracca Lever Fritsch Pickett Langdon Viney Neal-Bullen Oliver Bowey Fritsch Hopefully still capable of best footy Gawn May Sparrow Petty Salem Potential to improve further Van Rooyen McVee Windsor Rivers Howes Turner Tholstrup Unknowns – can they still/will they make the grade? Sestan Wowoedin Melksham Spargo Billings McDonald Laurie Jefferson Verrall Hore Adams Chandler Moniz-Wakefield K Brown Kentfield McAdam Moving on (delist / retire) Smith B Brown Fullarton Schache Farris White Tomlinson Hunter Brayshaw

Agree. From multiple points of view this is the biggest failing of the FD under Goodwin. Gave up after 1 failed plan, then managed it all so poorly that Brodie (allegedly) refused to play for us again a month short of finals. Pathetic & bizarre.

Fritsch was manned by Moore in the first half. Moved up the ground in the 3rd and got into the game. He can be laconic and defence is not his go but we play him out of the square copping the best defender who doesn't have to worry about Petty doing any damage at all.

Just a reminder that this can be fixed. The question is whether the coaching group we have are.uo to it. Collingwood needed a change but also have an impenetrable support base, fans, media, sponsorship, etc.

We are too nice. There is no fire in the belly anymore. We've always played like gentleman, Goody has coached for it and Gawn has lived it but there used to be an edge. Hard at the ball, no backward steps, steely determination. Flying the flag for your mate...it's all gone. Bereft of confidence, playing a style they don't enjoy and can't see working. We've got a long way to go. Simon is also exhausted, it came through in the article last week. It's all filtering through.

You mean being "crashed and bashed" takes a huge toll? I haven't seen us do any meaningful bashing or crashing since the cats game

Go after him? We were grinning and slapping him on the backside. Then he tried to bury Fritsch under the forward pocket. I have no idea why a Melbourne player would think that's ok! Bewildering

Since round 11 2022 we've had pressure piled on to us. One thing after another and sadly more that one own goal. Once cracks appear they either get fixed or widen slowly. May / Melksham The President debacle Extra curricular culture allegations Grundy disaster Oliver disaster Smith/Asada disaster Angus tragedy The media has attacked us in a fashion most other clubs wouldn't have to endure, with no protection from the league. I'm tired from it...it's hard trying to run through brick walls day after day.

I was on L4. Could definitely hear us booing Maynard at first but it didn't take long for them to drown us out. Plus boo May