Jonathan Steffanoni

The Economist recently published this article which considers how the weight of expectation placed on “golden generations” of football players can be so damaging.

I feel that a culmination of factors (our history, the pandemic premiership, strength of playing list) have created an oppressive weight of expectation which we’ve struggled to deal with.

While not alone in struggling with it, I’m curious to hear thoughts on how successful teams to thrive under the weight of expectation. What have you seen that works, if anything?

NB. The link will only work for the first five clicks… as I had to use a gifting feature to share.

I'm in need of distractions from thinking about last night's game, and this landed in my work inbox.

"Diamond Joe's" involvement with the Club was many years ago now, but this still may be of interest.

https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-release/2024-releases/24-041mr-asic-disqualifies-former-asx-listed-merlin-diamonds-director-joseph-gutnick-for-four-years/

Is there any word about how Gus is doing? He seemed pretty shattered, as was Goody’s reaction. I cant help but wonder if he’s told himself and loved ones that he’d give it up if he was concussed again. I wouldn’t blame him if this is the case. The risk of CTE is pretty scary.

Actually, let’s just beat them in the grand final. That’s motivation enough for next week.

I’m emotionally ruined after that and could say many things. Let’s keep it simple and say:

It wasn’t our night and it didn’t go as planned. Let’s focus on a better performance next week.

Has anybody noticed that our performance at the MCG seems to have improved significantly since Gosch’s Paddock was resized to match the MCG? Would this make any difference? I guess it can’t hurt, but there are undoubtedly several factors at play…

It would have been nice to win, but I think we can take a lot from the match:

- Our best is the best

- Intensity lapses are costly for us

- We seemed to have worked them out by half time

- Max will be all the better for having the ruck load shared

- We should have stolen it but for missed opportunities and some tough luck

- Grundy not in the starting 23, but a good backup if Max goes down

- Oliver will be better for the run

- Fritsch will make a welcome return soon

Next week against Hawthorn will be a tough assignment. We should win, but we’re probably best to finish in fourth spot and get a home QF. 

I wonder if we keep it simple with Petty out, Oliver in. Send Clayton to Full Forward and see Carlton’s backline try to deal with two competitive beasts up forward.

The midfield actually has a good balance at the moment. Clayton and Christian up forward could cause all sorts of trouble for the opposition.

6 hours ago, DutchDemons said:

Well we won, but finishing 3rd by percentage is going to make me very sad.

It’s quite plausible we finish on top too. Collingwood May only win one of the last three. I reckon there’ll be three teams on top and percentage splitting the three.

The way that we won is the kind of thing that can inject that elusive and unquantifiable factor that makes success happen.

The self belief that we will win can’t be artificially created any way other than on the field, as Jack, Jake, Trent, Max, etc. showed us on Friday night.

That feels profound, as did our last round win in 2021.

8 hours ago, RedLegs23 said:

Yeah old news DB. But im actually starting to think that it's the forwards that are having a major play on this.

The footy IQ of our front half is real average... & that's probably being polite.

I'm talking footy craft, & as a foward.

Movement.

As a forward you have to dictate the play. You have to direct the kicker where to go. Doesn't give the kicker many other alternatives but to dump kick it long if our fowards are all running back towards goal saying kick it here.

Lloyd, Hawkins, Reiwoldt (Jack)... could go on & on.

Start leading to the footy!

& just for a moment, imagine this team with the front half of the Daniher era...

This is true to a certain extent… but, leading requires space to move into. Our system sees a lot of forward pressure and therefore sees a lot of bodies inside F50.

I wonder whether the tumble punt could be an interesting addition if forwards simply play in front. It’s unexpected and doesn’t allow defenders a clean attack at the ball.

Giants next Sunday. Forget about it and move on to next week. Sloppy game in the wet, mid week, mid season, mid sized regional town.

I hope that he is started off the bench and goes straight into the ruck. It’s important that he is involved early on in the match, and his career.

6. Christian Petracca

5. Darren Burgess

4. Max Gawn

3. Clayton Oliver

2. Gus Brayshaw

1. Charlie Spargo

Great coaching and execution. We looked way more organised and structured than usual even.

I wonder whether the absence of crowd noise allowed Lever and May to be even more effective with giving directions for defensive structure.

Our defensive structure and running really seemed to trouble the opposition and they constantly appeared to have nowhere to go.

6. James Harmes
5. Clayton Oliver
4. James Jordon
3. Rick Lever
2. Trent Rivers
1. Bailey Fritsch

… and nice to finally beat a team above us on the ladder!

Why don’t we just keep things simple and train on the MCG? ?

Christian Petracca looks fine this morning…

It might be best to maintain our structure with a simple swap for Petty. Same applies with Viney remaining unavailable, meaning Sparrow should come in for Baker. No other changes are likely this week…

6. Christian Salem (Stood up when it counted)

5. Christian Petracca (No explanation needed)

4. Michael Hibberd (For the number on Dusty)

3. Luke Jackson (Contested marks, clean disposal, score involvements)

2. Jake Lever (Organised the defence)

1. Jack Viney (Tackles!)

I actually really like the collar, the logo, the deeper red, the blazers, but not so much the bugle.

It has nothing to do with the match day tripe which has been served up.

Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

There's a noticeable split between supporters on Demonland. I'll call them the traditionalists and the modernists (obviously a massive generalisation).

The Cultured Traditionalist (The European)

Values the identity of the club as being part of the establishment, and favours a brand image guided by our rich heritage and past.

Probably reads The Guardian or The Economist, watches SBS and ABC and lives inner city or out in the country.

Prefers the British English spelling of words (organisation).

Drinks wine, or beer from green glass bottles.

MCC member (or on the waiting list... still...).

Would take a free holiday to any destination in Europe.

Mistakenly believes that holding on to past glory will bring it back.

The Modernist (The American)

Values an identity that does away with the links to the establishment, as it's seen as some sort of bourgeoisie class identity which they don't identify with.

Probably reads the Hun, watches reality TV or cooking/renovation shows on channel nine and lives in the suburbs.

Prefers the American English spelling of words (organization).

Drinks beer from brown or clear glass bottles.

Would take a free holiday to any destination in the USA.

Mistakenly believes that modernising will lead to success.

---

We need both kinds of fans, we need all the fans we can get!

An interesting discussion for the off-season I think. Has absolutely nothing to do with the on field performance.

Besides, it's better to shoot for the stars and miss than aim for the gutter and hit.

It's true, and I tend to think that turning up to a game of football isn't too heavy a burden if you really care about the club.

Our Melbourne Football Club is perceived as being weak, a perception which accurately reflects the reality of our current situation.

I was at the cricket ground on Saturday night, and it hurt deeply as a member, it hurt deeply as a supporter, it really did cut deep. I felt frustrated, angry and then even apathetic. The thought of tossing my membership card out onto the turf briefly crossed my mind, but then there was something which stopped me.

Deep down something told me that this was the kind of attitude which made our club weak. Its the attitude which some call the curse of Norm Smiths sacking, and its the perception that we head to the snow in July, the reality that our players chose not to gut run to make space, the reality that there were 85% Essendon fans at the game at our home ground. On the field, as soon as the game started to turn against us the players seemed to abandon the club too. The curse of Norm Smiths sacking is the curse of withdrawing support when challenged with a difficult situation and it has permeated the supporters, the administration and the playing group.

We often feel that we are powerless as members and supporters, resorting to expressing our frustration and anger with calls to change this or that in the hope that it will turn things around. There are even those who openly withdraw their support for the club. While it may be a way to blow of some steam, and even a noble effort to do something about the situation, I believe that this kind of attitude amongst the supporters is the very manifestation of the culture which we need to change if the club is to succeed. Can we not see the forest but for the trees? If the club is to change then it needs to start with us.

Supporters and members of our football club are not impotent. We have to power to provide the support that the players and administrators are crying out for. As supporters we need to commit to our part in supporting the club. If there was ever a time where we are able to cast out the ghosts of Norm Smiths sacking, to be part of the change which we all want to see in the club then that time is now.

Stand Up as a Club

If you have posted here on-line that youre walking away from the club, please reconsider simply logging back on and stating your support for the club. Its not hard but its a significant step in our collective psyche.

We are up against the Eagles this Saturday, and the most likely thing that will happen is that a small but loyal group of fans will be there, but there will be droves of supporters who have decided to spend their time doing something less difficult, maybe checking the scores, maybe not even bothering. I guarantee this, if we could get 60K Melbourne supporters at the game next week in a show of solidarity I guarantee we will see a definite change in the team. They will see that they are supported, that we care, that we are in it with them, that we are committed.

We have the power as supporters to do this. We can actually do something. Speak to another supporter and say Hey, we need to get behind the club, come with me to the game on Saturday. Its not really that hard, but this is how change happens, stop blaming others and start doing what we do have the power to do. It's what Norm Smith would do, it's what Jim Stynes would do, it's what we should do. Stand Up.

More than ever.

All Blacks will win this tournament finally and probably with plenty of points to spare.

They completely out classed the Wallabies last weekend, and should do the same to the French, who to this point have been wholly unimpresive, despite making the final.

Tonight the Aussies won the bronze medal match against Wales and played far, far better with Barnes and Sharpe in the opening fifteen. Makes you wonder???

But it has been a long time waiting for the Kiwis and personnally I hope they beat the French on Sunday......

So the All Blacks did end up taking the cup in 2011. Nice to get some closure on this thread.

Sometimes it's better to look the other way...