bing181

The whole backline goes up a notch with May as the anchor and driving standards.

I can't imagine Viney going to North. He spent years and years playing in a rubbish side where the season was over before it had begun, I can't imagine that's how he would want to spend the twilight of his career.

Selectors' decision to stick with Petty & Turner forward rather than bringing in Jefferson is starting to bear fruit. Starts to give us a glimpse of what next year could look like. Big Turner fan.

May for Tomlinson? Can't see Jefferson getting a cameo, much as it will pain some here.

Nibbler is going to be a big loss ... especially after losing Brayshaw. Heart and soul players and onfield leaders both. Even if both Clarry and Trac get back to their best, some big shoes to fill.

Also now losing ANB. Will be a bigger loss than people realise. Agree re Melksham, not so sure re Tom McD in terms of leadership. But I'd give him another year anyway, he's not exactly disgracing himself out there. As for leaking and Trac, we don't know where it came from, and it could well have come from outside the club.

Childish nya nya nya post. The change is pretty obvious if you think it through.

Bowey doesn't replace Oliver. But he does move into the backline and allow both Judd and Rivers midfield time.

What timing? It's effectively the end of the season, when was he supposed to ask?

Just wondering: have you ever given a press interview?

Remarkable result given that, which is what many of us suspected.

Another who was perhaps unwell, or was suffering the effects of? He certainly looked pretty rough on the bench.

I suspect that there are concerns as to what happened last off-season, and that it's better for his mental health and well-being to stay in the gameday program. Could be wrong. Sad to see him like this at the moment though.

Who will undertake it? Equally, isn't this or something like it standard at the end of every year?

People demanding that we "play the kids" can't now turn on them when they stuff up or are outclassed.

Did a lot right with who we had out there. To keep a top 4 team to 50-odd points is a credit to the coaches and players. Forward line still very much a work in progress and that coupled with our ongoing Achilles heel mid - forward connection was enough to do us in. Oliver again a shadow of himself, I wonder at what point they rest him? Playing Viney forward was a smart move, but we don't have enough mids to cover for him for the whole game.

Not good at all. There are always other players who are affected, even without realising it.

Too much logic.

Not what Burgess said in that lengthy interview he gave at the end of his time with us.

Putting aside the "question" as to whether or not a coach should be aiming to play finals (!) or manifesting a never-say-die attitude, there are plenty of coaches who try to finish off the season as strongly as possible to bring positivity and optimism going into the pre-season. "We may have missed the finals, but look at how well we did in the last couple of games, yadda yadda." I also would have thought that throwing everything at denying the Pies a place in the finals is a hill worth dying on.

Confirmation bias much?

"We've got so many good players and so many good coaches that it's exciting.” Ed Langdon

And to think he could have been ours ... Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, Dustin Martin. Easy in hindsight of course. Great player.

Reasons to be optimistic for 2025: easier draw.

People should look up regression to the mean - especially when the AFL has its finger on the scale in terms of access to high-end talent. Further skewed by Academy players (Sydney especially, but also the Dogs with JUH), and father-sons (looking at you Collingwood). But take all that out and teams will rise and fall. Always.