Macca

The opposition wasn't much but we played alright. The win puts the Aussies back in the picture at least Top 2 in the group is still attainable but we'll need to get at least 2 of 4 wins against the Saudi's & Japan (and that's a big ask) 3rd or 4th in the group advances the team to the next qualifying round. Top 2 straight to the WC

Yeah, a bit of a step up in quality over tonight's game! It's a bit of a pity it's not the Brazil of old with Socrates & Zico et al

And 2 x WC qualifiers on tomorrow (live) on SBS 8.00am Venezuela vs Argentina 11.00am Chile vs Brazil A chance to watch 2 of the best teams in the World on FTA

2-1 now after that scorcher!!! Need more goals to increase our For & Against

Socceroos vs China on 10HD right now World Cup Qualifier (Must Win)

I reckon a lot of media types are getting their info from a lot of player managers And the player managers would have a lot of info

'Well at least we don't have to blow everything up' (like 2013)

Ha ha! Don't worry, you and I are on the same page although I'm probably harder on players who become laws unto themselves There's red flags everywhere including just lately with the 2 missed appointments (Compulsory) and the D & D at the Brownlow It's any wonder that the other players are more than annoyed. Team rules apply to everyone

So I'm talking about 2023 & 2024 We won the flag in 2021 so what happened in 2022?

Yeah that's what I said Did you read my post?

Ignoring the media isn't that hard ... it pays not to take things personally But buying into their garbage is another matter. Effectively blaming the club because the media are blaming the club is weak The main 2 issues surrounds 2 players. And in either case, the club is not at fault But because they are our best 2 players many are blinded by their own adulation Lose the adulation I say. Team first wins Anything else loses And we need to get back to playing as a team again with or without the 2 problem players

Excellent post, Clint

The pile-on the club with regards to the Oliver & Petracca issues is not just coming from the media, it's coming from supporters of all the other clubs and our own supporters But there are a lot of very disappointed Demon supporters who are quite angry that we haven't won another flag in the last 3 years So does that anger extends to blaming the club because we have 2 renegade players on our hands? Looks that way to me Any excuse to pile on but any comparisons with the current situation to 2012/13 is quite ridiculous Back then we really were a basket case with no redeeming features The way I see it is that we are able to fix the Oliver/Petracca issues, we'll be fine The supporters got their pound of flesh with Kate gone. You want more? A feeding frenzy?

It certainly has but up until now, I've avoided this thread with regards to posting on the thread But numerous others here especially many veteran posters were earlier saying the same thing as what I'm saying now Has anything changed? All we're hearing is that Oliver wants to stay ... and I could give you $10Million reasons as to why he wants to stay

How do you internalise things in footy? It's virtually impossible when the issues are massive As for the leaks, look for the player managers as Roos pointed out a decade ago It's hard to see because there's not great visibility but the easy option is to blame the club I feel sorry for Kate Roffey because as far as I'm concerned she did nothing wrong. But the wolves wanted answers and she gave them nothing The sacrificial lamb

Oliver is virtually untradeable unless we accept massive unders. So it looks like we're stuck with him As for the clubs stance, they have to play the poker face as there might be a club or 2 who might want him

So Oliver was squeaky clean in 2023? Really? I seem to remember him missing 3 months with some sort of mystery ailment And then he lost the trust of the players and the FD. That's ok? Oh, and we put him up for trade in 2023 as well. Is that the clubs fault? Seriously? And then this season after picking up his monthly cheque of $100,000k he decides to present himself unfit and overweight That's ok as well? As for Petracca, where do we start?

We were never coming from a strong position anyway so it would not matter what we said (or are saying) Maybe 'No comment' but even that creates a storm and garners scorn We've got 2 problem players on huge contracts who are virtually untradeable. We can't tear up the contracts but are the problems going away? We'll have to wait and see but I'm not holding my breath If they were lesser lights they'd both be gone already

Ok, so you don't agree with what I'm saying, that's fair enough, Baghdad But if I keep getting quoted my only reply can be what I've already said And that is that you cannot have 2 renegade players rule the roost Given your experience, I'm surprised that you're not agreeing with me

Both Oliver & Petracca are 100% to blame Have we seen Gawn, Viney, Rivers et al behave in the same way. No It's just those 2 but they just happen to be our best 2 players. But I can put that aside because the club comes first I'd like to know how the club made Oliver go off the rails? Please explain As for Petracca and his petty attitude dragging the club through the mud for close on 3 weeks, that was disgraceful

Well you are wasting my time so what do you expect You and numerous others here need to stop blaming the club because of the poor behaviour of 2 players If they were lesser lights, nearly everyone would want both players out of the club A rule for some and a different rule for others? That's toxic and you never win with that scenario

The thread is about Oliver and a big part of the discussion is whether he's going to be traded or not And his issues are totally related You lack experience and come across as a bit of a novice

It pays not to have favourite players as they can let you down My favourite players are those who get the best out of themselves. Even the average ones impress me if they give their all At some stage Clarrie won't be playing for us but the club will go on regardless I support the club but have critiqued the club when applicable But I'm not going to blame the club for the poor behaviour of 2 players. That's the media's angle and the power of the pen is mighty So don't get sucked in by the media. They're trying to sell stories and with the media, the truth often gets thrown in the waste paper baskets 3 years ago we were the media darlings and they loved everything that we did. That sold newspapers or got clicks. Now the opposite has the same effect Poor old Kate Roffey became the sacrificial lamb and what did she do wrong? Avoided questions like Tim Lamb did ... what's the difference?

They are playing the game Don't you know how trading works? Make no mistake, if the club could trade Oliver, we would. But the huge contract is like an albatross around our neck By the way, when the contract was drawn up and signed, none of this poor behaviour from Oliver was evident (at all) Here's his last 2 years (whilst getting paid upwards of $1.3Million per season) 2023 ... half way through the season there is this phantom hamstring injury that occurs in a game but oddly enough, he stays on the ground Then there's 3 months off (still getting paid) ... at the end of the season all is revealed that he's gone off the rails etc etc and has lost the trust of nearly everyone. Might be traded but again ... the contract He doesn't train properly in the off season (still getting paid) and comes back overweight and unfit. Barely plays a decent game all season That's Clayton Oliver And don't get me started on Petracca

@KozzyCan The only trade that can work for us is for Oliver to become someone else's problem (unless he can knuckle down with us) I'm putting aside his football ability here because we have to The club is always bigger than any individual especially one who has decided to take all the money and give back SFA