DV8

We need more speed and run, and delivery, from our mid-sized players. IMO, we cannot play too many, not with speed and high disposal quality.

I tend to think our ceiling is not much higher, if it is at all. This is why we need to continue recruiting top quality from draft and free agency, etc. They, the Pies, will be doing the same as Us. And they will come knocking for the Weide, no doubt.

There's quality and quality... a culture clean'-out is different, to a list clean-out of old players and list stoppers.

Hah, you've done the work before me 'Dnx'. great work.

The Pies have been tracking ahead of us marginally, for a few years, in a way by having more mature players than us, giving them more cohesion, and confidence in big games. They haven't been thru the ringer like we have. We've been building from a way lower base... But this was necessary in our case, due to the weak defeatist comfy culture infiltrating this club, for many a moon. Our rebuild was all about ejecting this culture. That's why it was necessary to cut so deep. To start fresh. 'They', have a lot of players in their 34Yrs to 29+Yrs age bracket which will finish soon enough. https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/tp-collingwood-magpies?year=2018&sby=15 IMO they will miss their older players finishing... than We at Mfc will with ours.

We need to improve in ALL areas. AFL footy never sleeps... nor does it stand still. Speed and marking strength + small forwards. and improved depth to vulnerable areas.

The thing with ''fugazi is, it can cause the opposite effect. It can lull innocent players into a false sense of security... and at the same time, spur the object of derision on to greater heights. Did this 'fugazi', trip up 2 teams this weekend ???

Kelly is a better thought, than Gaff. Kelly... or Whitfield, or Shiel ? either, would help the cause.

Pick 6, your kidding. Not enough to do a deal. Even if Hoges wanted out. 2 picks or Freo can zip off. Anyway who says Hogan would go to Freo, or West Aus', for that matter ? Maybe he would be tempted to go to help up on the Gold Coa$t ??? I hear they need replacements, to ante-up ? And are cashed-up. Maybe Jesse wants to play midfield with us, or wing/half-back ?

It''s time to consider a polished 'Gorilla tamer. now the footy's finished for us and we also need some more speed, and X-factor. jDegoey could have been amongst our list, from a couple of seasons back. > https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_drafts?year=2014&t=N&s=P Maybe we should go all out, to try to lure him in a years time ? He's off contract in 2020. https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-collingwood-magpies--jordan-de-goey We need some risk-taker types. X-Factor. ... remembering David Schwartz, and Jeff Farmer. and Alan Jakovitch__ we need one in the side, who can turn IT on.

$cully who.? Scully's wag'', maybe.? but not Tommy boy.

Past players come out of woodwork, & appear in papers... Media personalities join in the throng... everyone wants to talk the talk"", and not let the players do the walking"', and the talking"" !!! Lay off you people, (yes you mitchell, and others) and stop soaking up the media spotlight. Taking the media out of the clubs and players hands. You all each had a small part in our players lack of focus today.

In retrospect, this Martin Flanagan piece has come at the wrong time. When we needed our players feeling aggressive and feisty, and wanting blood ... We did not want them feeling all melancholy, & feeling warm, fuzzy, and longing for people & things of our past. Thanks, but not next time Martin... do this at the start of a season... not entering Finals. We wanted hardened soldiers out there today. searching for blood.

I agree McQ. King has been close to the mark, more times than most. Just like us all, he can see real spirit in-play... it's hard to miss, genuine Spirit. And like today, its easy to see when its missing. - - - - - - And we are NOT close to any Dynasty.

Get to Melbourne around midnight. I think they leave there about 6.00pm Perth time

The game-plans these days are tinkered with constantly, based on personnel available in the 22.

Critical judgements of game-plans cannot give an accurate indication of strengths or weaknesses, from a game where our boys simply were not in the mind state to perform at their best. Trying to make critical judgements on such games, is a waste of time.

Maybe that's a reflection of the level of confidence within the coaching group, and also the selectors... That they thought we need to change structure as many of us did as well... suggests they were concerned about the opposition, to bring in a raw kid not long back from a long-term injury. I think in the back of my mind, I might have thought we had done enough in one year... = satisfied with 2018 ???

I think we thought we were good enough against the Cats this year, up to Semi's. The Hawks as well, but was a slightly bigger stretch for us... we overcame almost too much, in one sitting, to digest in the one season... With the new charges coming into the side this year,,, Spargo, Weidemen, the new Frost, jSmith, Fritta, we've gone realistically as far as anyone could expect, in 2018__

The players are learning this year, to believe in themselves individually. They are just learning this year, to believe in themselves as a team, as a collective. but 'to believe in themselves', within the Melbourne footy Club, with its Win/Loss history under pressure of expectation,,, since the 70's, so far is too big an ask, for them. I think the big build up this week, the Fed square thing and everything thing else, has been too much for them. A low key approach this week, I reckon in hindsight, might have worked better for us. The big build up suits those with superior belief in themselves collectively,,, and those who are a wee bit shy about their chances,,, it will overawe them. I think this is what we're seeing.

Every coin, has two sides. How do we use the energy, at our disposal. Creatively, or destructively trying to hurt others, and things around us ? Everything that happens, brings its own energy. IMO, Its how we choose to put-forth, that energy we feel. Neeld was the Fulcrum, between the miss-handled era, and the resurrection. He began the undoing of the rotten culture. By cracking it wide open, with force. A very disliked force. Nevertheless, it was done. And the repair had begun, with the clean outs coming from his lead. The only problem was in hindsight, some needed to be gone sooner, for perhaps some picks... to try to regain some of their original values. - - - - - - - - ... anyway its time now to enjoy the fruits of all the hard work and pain, and be focused on the games ahead. no distractions no self-sabotage. .

He missed the late eighties then. The same theme and excitement was there, BUT the off-field supporter unity seems stronger to me??? Maybe its our supporters anger-aggression that's the difference. I sense that back then, the supporters were more hopeful-excited... but now I sense there is an aggressive-expectation in our excitement. This time it feels like its more we'll take on all comers (aggression based), without the conservative trepidation. = (fear)... a sort of Hawthorn character trait.

Absolutely, but most say things publicly (talk the talk), and then attack others for opening up and sharing... this is the zenith of abuse and negativity. It makes you mentally stronger as a person, IF the community hearing, accept understand it and show their caring & repectfulness. If not, then it can even get to be life threatening. Sadly there is far too much immaturity out there.

Yes, his focus has waned, thru tiredness... past 3 matches or so. I'm not sure if one match off will do it now. He's fatigued and looks spent. His heart says go for it,,, his head looks clouded.

The truth is, there is no such thing as an owner of land... because simply, the land owns us, as long as we are a physical body of matter. We need the land, the land does not need us humans.