Webber

If you want to see how blessed this football club is to have a Max Gawn there as a leader, watch his presser. All class, doesn’t bite at the journalists (not sure how he controls himself, frankly), manages to put a positive spin on it and all whilst being at turns completely authentic, seriously considerate of the incident, yet wholly Maxy. He is simply unique in football, a playing statesman of the highest order.

“Incessant”? I made one challenge.

No, and I’ve given NO indication of that at ANY point. I accept that we are beatable on any given day for a number of reasons. Loading is but one, and makes us MORE vulnerable. Obviously.

You understand how that reads? What it says about your expectations? That we are probably loading, but should still be able to win against two top 4 aspirants even whilst at our most vulnerable. Ergo, we should really go through the season undefeated.

So you’re both accepting reason, then acknowledging and understanding imperfection. Shame on you.

Now that @Engorged Onionhas invoked Socrates, I’m going to give Schopenhauer a bit of a whirl ….”All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident”. 👴🏻

Just makes me like @Lord Nev more, particularly because that post is so gleefully and obviously tongue-in-cheek. I think you need another example.

Well put, and in significant part why the club will never venture into ‘reasons’ territory, because the red corner (I know you chose red because it denotes anger, thus hinting you might be in the blue corner 😉) will habitually re-position them as excuses. Essentially the ‘reds’ (see what you’ve made me do?) want 100% diligence converted into 100% performance and outcomes 100% of the time, and find it near impossible to accept that this is an irrational expectation. Hard to imagine why they follow sport, let alone the MFC, as gloriously short of 100% as almost any club in the AFL (nods to lifelong St. Kilda supporters, admittedly the true hero supporters of the AFL).

The polar positions on this topic are fascinating I guess, if a little frustrating, but of course VERY Demonland. And why wouldn’t they be? Boils down to two issues I reckon - does in-season loading happen? Are we currently loading? Of course loading happens, that’s not a debate, it’s been an established strategy to ‘time’ peak performance since full-time professionalism in footy became a thing. Those who question its existence simply don’t know what they’re talking about. As to whether we are currently loading, we can’t know for sure, because it’s one of those things clubs NEVER talk about. That’s a whole other topic, one that, along with injuries and other clear performance-related issues (training facilities, illnesses, fixturing that affects rests between games) that the industry childishly - dare I say born of ridiculous group male pride - won’t mention because it invites criticism over ‘making excuses’. So we’re left with what we know from history, and what we see on the playing field. The notables on here have prosecuted the argument that we are currently loading, and it’s compelling to say the least. But if proof can only be had via an admission from the club, that’s NOT going to happen. They prefer to let the media and supporters speculate with their ever-reliable mania for doomsday hyperbole and click-bait commentary than fess up to their inner strategies. Part of me admires the discipline, the other part asks ‘to what end?’ Not sure which one wins.

Yep. As has been shown up in our pressure ratings status this year. We’re way off the mark of 2021, and particularly the last 2 weeks. Bring that back, and we’ll bounce again. The question is why it’s dropped off. The much discussed ‘loading’, the fatigue of being hunted, fatigue of wearing expectation, individual players dropping form (a consequence of any/all of the previous). Almost makes me wish we weren’t still top of the ladder. Also reinforces that footy is a week by week narrative, one that can change very quickly. Three things give me hope - firstly, that we are still a game clear on top of the ladder (despite our fortnightly form putting us ~ 10 - 14th position) thus diffusing panic, secondly, as reigning premiers, all those with influence know intimately what’s required, and thirdly, Tmac excepted, we are still in a sweet spot with lack of injuries. Despite that, on exposed form, I just can’t see us beating the sky-high with confidence Pies on Monday, whose pressure and contest game is currently the polar opposite of ours. They’re in their best form of years, and trust in it, and we haven’t been this beatable since the season-ending losses of 2020. Then again, as said, a week’s a long time in footy.

Watched the whole Casey game at the ground yesterday. Hibberd played a basically flawless game. If he’s fit enough, he absolutely comes in, for Hunt I presume.

Wow. All the evidence is to the contrary. Not saying it won’t happen, but at the moment this couldn’t be further from the observed reality.

The uncomfortable truth is that this year, that’s yet to be established. Freo, Swans done, Brisbane, Geelong, Carlton to come. Not looking good from where I’m standing.

Last week really did tell the story. The weaknesses in our ‘system’ have been exposed because the whole thing relies on pressure and contested ball dominance. In both those areas, we are nowhere near it. Find that and things might come good. Might. Get on top of us in these two areas, and our very very ordinary forward line (barring Fritsch and Kozzie, our two genuine forward stars) gets even more ordinary service, whilst our backline just gets overrun with fast, low, targeted entries. Steven May alone cannot not fix this. Basically, we are currently just cannon fodder with some out of form stars running around. As per last week, Max, Jack and a slightly sub-par Clarry tried to haul us out of the hole. They were outstanding, but on the whole, our Flag defence has more holes than a rusty colander.

You saw him play today? Kid would get slaughtered. He’s very promising fledgling VFL standard at the moment.

Seems like we’re flat, second guessing, which will now affect confidence. Bye can’t come soon enough. 15 scoring shots to 8. This may get ugly I fear.

Cos it wasn’t even close to a push in the back. Just out-bodied, out-positioned.

Agreed. We are largely voiceless.

Last week really was the template. Match our pressure and move quickly to spares so we don’t have time to set up. Every Swans forward movement looks likely to score. Meanwhile our forward entries are frankly an embarrassment in their predictability. Unless we change both our pressure and contest rating and our forward speed at the turnover, we’re gonna get done again. And easily. They know they’ve got us, just got to maintain the work-rate.

JJ just landed 2 torps from the Telstra 5G logo on the 50. Both went through mid-post high. BRING BACK THE TORP!!!!!

Effing cold!!!! Bring blankets! No rain, and the VFL game showed no signs of swirling wind. Both Browns warming up. Nibbler’s already run a half marathon, Tracc kicking to Greg Stafford along the line of the centre square. Maxy just hacky-sacked the footy 8 times before losing it. Tracc just squeezed a goal 45m out on 45 degree angle! Bowser did same from boundary line, didn’t deviate, didn’t flutter, split the goals perfectly.

Nibbler has already run about 5km.

Mitch Brown warming up on the G now.

Other opinions are available. Was in the best for me, and JVR was far from ‘disappointing’.

It’s not slippery. He was good, competed well, chases, makes good position. Didn’t stand out today.