binman

INCORRECT, we are the oldest professional football club in the world. 168 years old. And we'll be around for another 168 years - long after we are all forgotten. A proud club, with a proud history, with players who have given their all, even in the many barren years. A proud club that deserves respect- least of all from supposed supporters. I've had it up to here with posters on this forum taking every opportunity to slag off the mighty dees.

And I'd add, why should she say anything? Presidents make statements when there is a crisis. However much the handwringers and media flunkeys would like us to think, a stretch of poor form does not equate to a crisis. I don't hear any noise about the cats wretched form. I'd prefer the president not buy into the fugazi

It may not be a perfect solution WCW but I have found it to be a pretty effective one. I have been kicking around DL for ages. For a big chunk of that time I got in any number of back and forths with people who views really got me wound up (as opposed to posters who i disagreed with on many things but who I enjoyed the banter - Pro dee for example). But I realised it was a dead end, so put them on ignore. I don't have many people on ignore, but it works. There are also posters who views i diametrically disagree with, which is fine, but I feel like they post to get people riled up. I have got better at just skimming and only occasionally responding, so no need to put on ignore. The key for me is not biting when someone posts something provocative. Well, not biting all the time to be more accurate. And then there are posters who I just disagree with about specific footy stuff but we both end up repeating the same arguments, which becomes tiresome for other posters. And I now do my best to stay clear of non footy stuff. I've found the combination of the strategies above have worked well for me and improved my demonland experience (that and avoiding the game day thread during games!).

Yep. Unfortunately same goes for petty, McAdam, BBB and possibly tmac (I say possibly because tmac has looked in remarkably good nick given he had an interrupted preseason).

People talk about the power of AI, but it has a long way to go.

Text book 50

Ok. A serous question. If we win next will you give us credit for the victory. Or will you downplay the win because 'it's only the roos'?

And Gerard Healy

Three months is a lifetime ago? Ok. Lets agree it is. And therefore our spanking of the dogs has no current relevance. Then by the same logic September is also a lifetime away. And if our win over the dogs has no relevance then neither does our loss to freo in terms of our chances come finals.

I backed over the tmp of 165 in this match. It's a chance of being covered by the 3qt. Love it.

The dogs? You mean the team we beat by 8 goals?

I feel sick.

No, not at all (too concerned with the w/lost column). I have consistently said from the beginning of the season that by design we won't be playing our best footy till August. Which is why i have also said, echoing Daniel Hoyne's comments, we need to wear some losses and poor performances. I have also consistently said we will revert to our traditional goody game plan come finals (hopefully with improvements to our turnover game - a process that by the by began ladt year). That model is built for finals. Every single finals team will use a variation of it. It's why the hawks are focusing on contest and pressure this year whereas last year it was all about fast transition from the back half footy. I have also said I think there is the possibility our evident lack of fitness is also by design (ie ramp up at the end). Given I believe all of that, and have all season, is it any wonder i remain bullish? I mean of course I would have hoped we didn't get rolled by the eagled and thrashed by the dockers (the pies loss was disappointing too of course, but more because of those previous losses - the pies favourites to win, we played better than scoreboard indicated as evidenced by the fact the x score had us losing by 4 points). But otherwise, we are tracking only a bit worse than I thought we would be at this stage of the season. Goody is a student of history. Speaking of Daniel Hoyne, after round 10 he said of the swans (I think this is right) that there had been 8 previous times a team was on top of the ladder more than 20% clear of second (and iirc 8 points too?). And only once had that team gone on to win the flag - the hawks in 2013. And of course it could just be a coincidence, but it also may not be, that at this point in the season last year the swans, giants and blues were 13th, 14th and 15th. And of course it could be a coincidence, but it also may not be, that two teams currently in the 8 - the cats and giants- have both lost four of their last four games. Or that the pies lost their first 3 games.

It would be well and truly good enough for me too. It's also what I expect will happen.

Of course our season is not done. If people want to run around hysterically with their hair on fire, calling for rebuilds and saying the season is a write off that's their pergorative. But i for one remain bullish. And I don't give a toss that most posters might find that ridiculous. We are 4 points from fourth for pete's sake. We will likely win 2 of our next 3 and be back in the 8. The doomsayers on here may be proven correct. Or they may not. And if they are not I'm going to enjoy whatever success comes our way safe in the knowledge that i stuck fat and didn't get sucked into a doom spiral some on here seem to revel in.

Last year at exactly this point in the season (after round 13) the Swans were 13th, Giants 14th and Blues 15th. They finished the home and away season in 8th, 7th and 5th respectively. The swans went out week one, by a goal to the blues. And of course the blues and giants made prelims (and the giants were very unlucky not to make the GF)

And his previous game (against the saints): Ruck Contests Ruck Contests RC % 2024 % 2023 % Max Gawn 63 81% 82.0% 57.5% Jacob van Rooyen 14 18% 14.2% 13.1% Harrison Petty 1 1% 4.3% 2.0%

Yep. Yesterday: Ruck Contests Ruck Contests RC % 2024 % 2023 % Max Gawn 78 91% 82.9% 57.5% Jacob van Rooyen 4 5% 13.4% 13.1% Harrison Petty 4 5% 5.3% 2.0%

Yep.

I think a reasonable question is whether the kamikaze, hard core training regime Burgess introduced - and Selwyn has carried on - is sustainable long term. I have heard many players over the last few years, and Burgess himself, say we train harder than any other team and that our training is often harder than games (which I find hard to believe to be honest). A hard model for senior players to deal with for multiple seasons - and super hard for young players, particularly if there is any drop off by the core senior leaders. Is it a coincidence that the crows, who looked the fittest side in 2022-23 looks one of the least fit this year? I'm hoping, perhaps against hope, the deskes have looked to dial that intensity down this season (with the goal of ramping up closer to finals), which might help explain our clear lack of run and cleary being miles off optimal fitness.

The pressure numbers were appalling. It's worth noting that pressure points are the weighed sum of pressure acts. Physical pressure acts are worth 3.75 points, closing acts are worth 2.25 points, chasing acts are 1.5 points and corralling are 1.2. I say worth noting because we were plus 23 for contested ball, which suggests we were OK in the contest - although down 20 less tackles cuts against that. But I'll bet if there is was a breakdown of the numbers we would have been hopeless for chasing and closing acts. That lack of pressure was a huge reason they were able to have free players to hit up on transition I think we are cooked physically and desperate for the bye. Which, I'd true, would result in a drop off in pressure. But there's a huge mental factor in being able to maintain pressure to a reasonable standard, even when fatigued ie pushing through. We didn't do that yesterday. And worryingly there was a lot of finger pointing and hiping teammates would cover spread. And there was almost zero third man in defensively. Quarter For Agn Diff 1 163 173 -10 2 146 199 -53 3 179 173 +6 4 167 201 -34 Match 164 187 -23

We are a curious mob, us passionate footy fans Many dees fans are hoping we go back to a game plan that last year many hated and wanted to see the back of.

Huge game. With our insipid performance last week we have put ourselves under huge pressure - both in terms of our effort levels being rightfully knocked all week and the need for the four points. But the pies also desperately need a win to keep in touch with the 8. We played poorly in our previous losses, but the freo game was different. Understanably, there has been some strong comments and condemnation on dl this week. But i dont take anything from last week in terms of our game plan, sytems, personel and lines. Apply that level of effort and any meaningful analysis is superfluous. But this is goody's 8th season as coach and that was the only time under goody that we appeared to give up. They have earned the benefit of the doubt. But they get that benefit just once. I'm super excited. I am firmly of the view that in terms of method our plan is to revert to our normal method, with improvements to our turnover game, come the end of the season. I think we will revert to that model today. Forward half, contest based, win the inside 50 count football (and go back to a more transition based game against the roos). Basically the same model we employed the last time we played the pies. And I suspect we have long set ourselves for this game, and planned accordingly in terms of our high performance program. I hope I'm right. We will know if I am pretty early I reckon. Dees by 27.

Agree with all of the above. Though I'd add another couple of factors as to why it is not discussed more - the AFL and its broadcast partners prefer the illusion that every game starts with a level playing field, so to speak, and each game will be a cracker - the culture in footy of not wanting to be seen to be making any 'excuses' for poor performances. 100% with your final point. Fatigue is now regularly discussed during games and commentators are alluding to the impact of increased training loads. And coaches are starting to be asked about it. Just one example - in goody's last presser he was explicitly asked if a factor in the freo performance was increased 'training load'. And I promise it wasn't me. It's getting pretty hard to ignore as a factor, particularly around the bye period, with the game having become so challenging aerobically- ie when teams can't cover the ground they are toast.

Indeed. That was a follow on from a comment I made the previous week, and without that context might have been confusing. My point was in relation to suggesting load management and/or fatigue as a possible causal factor to help understand a poor performance (for example several this round) being framed as making an excuse for the poor performance Whereas I have been saying our poor kicking has been a causal factor in our poor performances for years (and unfortunately still is)- and not once has anyone on DL suggested when I do so that i'm excusing a poor performance. Why? Because poor kicking being a factor is an accepted fact. And for some the impact of load management is not. It's in the voodoo realm and like injuries is never to be raised after a loss by coaches, players and fans lest, quelle horror, they are seen to be making 'excuses'. By the by there is an intersecting intersection between the impact of increased load and kicking skills......