Norm Smith's Curse

Failed to win a premiership by a goal...

Truth is we asked Petracca what he wanted to do and he said become a pie, so we thought the next best thing would be to bring in a legendary pie in as coach.

No one at any stage suggested we were even into Daly and Longmire seemed underwhelmed with the prospect. Word and all indications are that Buckley was the first option from the start, love it or not.

Nathan Buckley's coaching record: 218 games (117-99-2) John Lomgmire: 332 games (207-122-3) Simon Goodwin: 203 games (111-91-1) Michael Voss: 196 games (88-106-2) Adam Simpson: 243 games (122-119-1) That was fun!

...but until I hear it from Tom Morris I won't believe it.

Buckley's footy brain and tactical analysis is frankly some of the best and most detailed I've seen in recent years. Suggesting Buckley and Hinkley are in the same bracket of tried coaches who never made it is a stretch.

Anyway let's get serious and stop debating and deliberating and just wait for Tom Morris to make the decision and announce it

Carlton - haven't had any players with quite the level of off field allegations that the Dees have and probably a better all round list.

I hope it's Buckley for mine and I even suspect it might be given the detailed insights he offers about our games and how we have played - like he has been carefully assessing us and our list. Roosey suggested Horse would have been called already.

What if they hired a psychic and found that the only way to truly break the curse was to sack and then reinstate Simon like they did the great one?

REINSTATE THE COACH! Learnings are to be had! No surprise from my end. Suspect we have someone lined up already.

Maybe it was Simon's camp that leaked the story? Just a thought as who else would have a relationship with Tom Morris?

The learnings from this are telling. Can't even sack a coach without it leaking. Good show old chaps.

There goes getting any work done today!

Fritta is absolutely not going anywhere. Judd maybe, Lever who knows but Fritta won't be being traded.

Pickett - good midfield moments Petty - maybe a forward? Fritsch - back at best Culley - taller than most

True but sadly WC's defense struggles.

From memory at the time Houston's management was the same as Tracc and Clarry so undoubtedly he knew a lot more about what was going on in the Dees in 2024 than we did.

Disagree. Lever has captain written all over him. Just had a bad ankle.

I had no idea Jai was 194cms! Taller than Aidan Johnson and TMac! Has a real presence and has some fantastic attributes. Could float forward and clunky a mark.

I'd argue that perhaps we should have traded some of these blokes at the end of 2024 when currency was high or higher. Need more leadership is the main problem, not less.

Is much as I appreciate the premiership, the 2025 version of Clarry is behind Harmes and it appears he has struggled with the game plan. Petracca would probably leave in a heart beat for mine. Almost get the feeling this year that love is the opposite of the reality - that players don't get along or don't rate peers. When that is happening it really is refresh time but we don't want to peel too far back. Fritsch for mine would be just silly.

I once sat sat a table next to Brad Green at a China Bar and he had duck from memory.

I invite you to spend some time if you can watching our comeback win against Geelong in the 2021 season. Compare those players to now in terms of strengths and footy smarts, disposal, defensive pressure. But also watch the influence of players who have left or been taken out of the game by thugs. It really is very insightful.

I will always be grateful for Simon and who ever else was involved in taking us to 2021 and the complete dominance that season was. But I just don't think he is that smart tbh. Doesn't really come across as Rhodes Scholar material.