rjay

Well 'Macca' as you know with my love of racing (not), they needn't bother with me...

I've still got my original copy of 'Out of the Blue'...apart from the music the cover art from some of these albums is great. This one I've always loved, The Dingoes another, Sid Rumpo, The Spectrum/Mertceps covers... Yes, I met up with Rob for one of the Queens Birthday games when he was out here. One of those, if you're going to the game how about we catch up. From memory, a loss, but still an enjoyable day. He told me that he had caught up with you & your son. I knew someone that used to mime on Kommotion, was a friend of Molly's. Laughed that he was a pop star but couldn't sing a note. Mad North supporter... Anyway, hope your health turns around & you are up & about soon. Take care...

Yes, on top of the injuries that just capped it off for us. I forgot to mention this... The flow on effect of that incident meant we couldn't use Trac as much forward as we needed to.

Like all top clubs, good lists with multiple A graders...we don't play in a vacuum, it's a tough comp & you need your share of luck. Injuries to Petty, BBB, Tommy Mac & Melk...Fritsch not at 100% & JVR rubbed out for our last final. I think that's a little more than weak excuses. ...but please yourself.

I think this is something for another place & time.

Two things that consistently occur on this forum. 1. The list is overrated - it's a good list, a really good list...but there are gaps in it as there are in all teams. It's a tough competition and we are in contention. The list is not that unassailable, you need things to go your way - luck. 2. The coach is underrated - he's a very good coach. When we won the flag it was the assistants that got us there, Yze, Williams etc...when we lose finals it's all Goodwin, he can't coach, to set in his ways, no plan B. Goodwin can coach, he's proven it.

Still not convinced about the board/management 'Macca' but that's for another time & place. The football side of things is what PJ used to say is the business we're in and we're doing that better than I've seen in my time. I was too young to remember the golden years or Smith & Barassi.

I've decide to go back to vinyl...bought myself a nice new turntable, amp and speakers as a Christmas present to me. Still have a lot of my old vinyl, I purged a bit of it a few years back but kept the ones that were important to me. I reckon this one will be one of the first played...what do you reckon '@hardtack'?

Same 'Macca'...

I'm taking it one year at a time 'Macca'... 2024 with a bit of luck going for us is our year.

...but you've got to have the star power 'Macca' Oliver is now an unknown. Trac is a star but closing in on 30. Max of course but nearer the end. May same as Max. Geelong hung around and finally got a flag but their star power came from free agency with Danger and Cameron added to what they already had in Selwood and Hawkins. Luck ran with them in 2022. The Swans have been hanging around but haven't pulled off a flag in a long time. The Pies finally got one after a pretty big & courageous shake up. Looks like we will be cashed up at the end of this season...will we be able to lure a Danger or Cameron type to the club? Will one of our kids be the next superstar? I think this year is our big chance, after that there are a lot of unknowns.

I see it similar to Mooney. I think we have one left in us and it would need to be this year... If luck is with us then we are a better than good chance. Gawn & May are going to be hard to replace and their best footy is nearer the end than the start. The unknown is what we have coming through. Will Adams be up to replacing May long term???will JVR be a star???Tholstrup the next Trac??? Windsor the reincarnation of Robbie??? I think we think we have a longer time at the top...I hope we are right but I doubt it. I hope the FD is more realistic than the Board/Management. One thing we don't want to be doing is hanging around 5 to 10...that's the death seat. If we can't get a spike from picking up a star FA or 2 and the kids coming through then we're better off doing a Hawthorn (after a false start thinking they could defy the odds) and moving on.

Then I hope they are going to open up Casey for some sessions. ...it's the least they can do.

Take as long as you want 'SWL', personally I can't see the point. I'm looking forward to season 2024. I wonder what it will bring???

Good post 'BBP'... I must admit my inclination would have been to make similar moves to yours above. The Grundy T Mac one is a bit harder to justify as Grundy unfortunately proved he was not much chop as a forward...at least Tommy had some runs on the board. I might have been more inclined to take Grundy over of Schache but he wouldn't have given us a lot of flexibility. At least Schache could have played ruck, forward or back but we didn't want to use him, so not much point in him being there really... ...without being part of the inner sanctum I guess we will never know the logic of why we did what we did. You would have to think there was sound reasoning.

I would love to know the reasoning behind the Grundy decision...from the outside looking in it was baffling.

Which version of the Doobies do you prefer 'Red'? Just realised he also missed one of my all time favourites, Steely Dan who crossover with the Doobies on a few fronts. The Beatles are secreted in at 27, first look I thought he had missed them as well. Not used to seeing them come in so low. A great list non the less...

Don't remember this but it popped up on my YouTube feed the other day, I like it...Reg taking lead Vox.

I've seen a few just pot Goodwin without saying what they would have done differently. I think your suggestion is legitimate & wonder why we didn't make that move. All I can think is that they didn't trust Schache in the heat of battle and he was only there in case of injury (to Max in particular). Not saying it's right or wrong but just trying to think it through. I'm one who thought Goodwin coached well last season under a lot of external pressure plus the internal problems with injury. Doesn't mean he is beyond criticism but in my mind it needs to be reasoned and also attached to the rider that we don't really know the situation behind closed doors. The Grundy scenario is another case in point.. Why wasn't he selected? Had he already mentally checked out? Etc..

I think the options in the end where either Tommy or Turner, who they had tried in a practice game. That's how thin on the ground we were, we were even thinking of playing a kid who had never played forward in an AFL game. One who hadn't even established himself in his usual position. The well had dried up 'Kent'. What would you have done?

I think Goodwin was very creative in cobbling together multiple forward lines last season. In the end the well dried up.

Plugger Lockett springs to mind 'Macca'... Strong in the contest but also a great lead up forward who knew how to make space. The game has changed of course but these skills never grow old.

I heard JVR on an interview last year saying he's not a natural leading forward, he relies on the contest. If he can add this ability to his skill set he would be a lot more effective in my view. I hope they are working on it with him, BBB would be a good mentor in this aspect of the game.

Who said he won't change... He did last season and opened the forward half out a bit more which also opened up our defence. Problem was injury to key players (with limited KPF's to start with) meant we closed up shop again and played a more defensive game. It's going to be an interesting watch this year...

It hasn't helped us get a clean score but has helped us in limiting opposition scoring... It's going to be an interesting watch 'Macca'.