Webber

It’s hard not to be too reactive about this game, but in the cold hard light of day, that game was very instructive. We talk about culture a lot, and how it underpins the best teams, the premiership teams. I really hate to say it, but with all their board problems, list disasters, resigning coach and media hammering about them being a shambles, from 16th on the ladder against the ‘supposed’ premiership favourites, Collingwood have shown that they have something we don’t. At least at the moment. These are the games you win, for obvious ladder position reasons, but to show we ARE the real deal when outside distractions and expectation loads up. We kicked 9 goals. Based on today, in respect purely to premiership chances, we might just be pretenders. And I hate to say it even more, but it’s a very familiar tag and the reason this team don’t deserve our trust. Yet! They won’t have mine for the rest of the year. So much yet to earn.

Attitude and intent is everything in footy, other things being basically equal. We’ve been exposed today, when we knew they’d be playing with a full tank of it. Not up to it sadly….

This IS the pies grand final. Can’t see them dropping it from being in front.

Has he kicked a set shot this season?

Biggest difference between these two teams is desire. They have it, we’ve left it behind. Find it again and we bring it back. Don’t and we lose easy. Simples. The most disappointing thing is we MUST have known what they’d bring, and why. .

Standard Dees first quarter for 2021. It ain’t gonna work when it gets to the pointy end, not sure why they come out like this week after week (Dogs game excepted).

Haha, didn’t know there was a word for it. It’s gonna be useful as a way to describe all the amateur authorities on Covid too I reckon. But you’re never going to win this one CBF, as the many “I respect anyone’s right to ….but I DO have a problem with……” responses you’re provoking attest. That kind of inherent inability to see self-contradiction is sadly all too human, as is the fact that when progress happens, they won’t even see their own attitudes shifting positively with it.

Loving Demonland right now, particularly the considered analysis that isn’t so tainted by negativity. Game day thread is a shocker when things aren’t going well, but it’s so predictable as to be almost cute, like an irrational anger-frustration release valve. What gets me most, and I’ll never understand it, is the attacks on individual players, particularly when they’re personal, as if a skewed kick, an errant handball or a missed tackle reflects a personality or integrity defect in that player. It always makes me wonder if posters ever imagine how they’d react to reading or hearing such insults about themselves. And as we’ve now learnt, it can and does have an effect on players mental health. I remember a few years ago learning that Tom McDonald avoids ALL non-internal assessments or commentary on his football, thinking how smart that was, and then imagining how his haters (and he had lots of them as we all know) would use even that to criticise him. The dedication and work someone has to put in to play AFL football, regardless of their innate talent, is something I suspect none (or few) on here would understand. Gripe over…..GO DEMONLAND, and GO YOU MIGHTY REDLEGS!!!!

I live in the heart of Collingwood, and there’s a LOT of old-school, cheap-as ‘DEMONS’ beanies being worn on bearded noggins around here right now (maybe they’re escapees from west of Smith St). Otherwise, as it culturally now stands, Collingwood is one big fabulous melting pot…..can even have a kick down at Victoria park without needing a police escort.

But that would mean we have to wait for all players to mature before we start potting them! Nuh, can’t be right.

Wow!

Watch his interview from a couple of weeks back on MFC website/app....he’s a serious, thinking man’s footballer. Will always be looking to get the best from himself.

Yep, truly a dumping ground for raw and often poisonous mania - mostly anger, but equal amounts frustration, disappointment, blame-laying and bewilderment, with the occasional drop of hope and calm. Serves a purpose I guess, but wowee, it’s revealing of the human (dare I say Dees supporter) condition.

That Spargo and Nibbler are making the ‘whipping boy’ brigade look like the mugs they’ve always been brings joy to my heart. They are serious, professional footballers dedicated to playing to their potential in a team that understands the value of such an attitude. Never deserved the garbage so many dish up to them, and last night was the perfect vindication of that. Considering his size, the number of times Spargo not only halves contests he shouldn’t, but does the deft tap, the block, the tackle, and creates opportunity for others, not to mention his vision and ball use, is just special. And yet, just watch the knockers come back when he has a quiet one. ANB just goes and goes, always has, and for someone who has no flash and no tricks, to have found an extra skill level 6 years into his career should impress everyone. And yet......

And this time stats are the truth......58% game time, 19 disposals, 4 marks, 5 tackles, 1 very crunch goal. That’s a lot better than ‘fairly quiet’.

No thinking needed, like the Dees, and his housemate JJ, he’s the real deal.

Better, but still lacking.

Couldn’t agree more....horrible attitude, offers nobody anything.

And that’s the understatement of the year.

Kozzie just needs not to lean back on the kick, push body weight forward, simples.

We’re not even close to them sadly. They have the best forward line in the league, so playing one on one and making each of our back 6 accountable gives them the advantage, particularly cos they’re also winning the clearances with good possession, thus getting good service, and from the halfback line, where they’re also winning. Hard to imagine this not getting ugly, unless we somehow start taking control at the stoppages, moving quickly into 50 and accurately. Can’t see it, frankly. They’re by some margin the best team we’ve played this year, and by that assessment, best team in the AFL as of now. Still, footy’s a funny game.

Gonna take a mighty shut-down effort this one. They’re outstanding, and making us look very ordinary.

Funny thing memory. I remember Parke as too short for a KPF, too slow, and couldn’t kick straight, or take enough marks. Probably horribly harsh. Now Gary Hardeman could mark.

Haha, haven’t played since before any of the current team were born, and not since ‘Dubbinning’ my boots to protect against some very sodden ovals. Thanks for reminding me....??

Good stuff, Grippo. I used to use it, and on slippery days it was a huge help in marking. Waterlogged days and perfectly dry days not so much. Sam’s issue is confidence. Timing and belief are everything, both fly out the window when you’ve had some time out, and are finding the rhythm of the team. He’ll get it back, and it will grow with each mark. The bigger issue is, as some have said, his intent without the ball. Needs to get more urgency in wanting to get the ball back.