Wells 11

It’s ok because we’ve got pert now .....and he gets these things across the line....right. I miss Roos and pj.

Seems like an age ago already that I looked at our team and thought we could win the whole thing. That was frikn August. When I look now we seem fully a mile off even being a goodish, ordinary team. In time we’ll find out exactly what happened in the summer of 18/19. I have a complex theory but it involves black magic and Voldemort.

Bring Chris Dawes back ... oh wait... we learned everything he can teach us.

Once but No longer true. Franklin and the hawks is the biggest example. FA has changed many things.

Thought the boys tried hard tbh... agree with a poster further back that said we did well for a bottom 4 team trying to make a statement. Hard to accept but that really IS the truth of where we’re at. We’re not a good team out of form. The player that concerned me the most, and I never thought I’d say this, was Oliver. His disposals used to be like knives, cutting the opposition to threads. Now he’s turning it over or choosing dumb options.... looks a different player.

This is the bit that hurts. He’s fallen well behind others of his year now. He showed enough in the finals to think there’s something that could emerge.... but like so many others has gone backwards since then. Leading patterns don’t look great, gets both hands to the ball and it pops out , slow and ineffectual at ground level. Big summer needed.

Not a place for a fist gamer tonight. Might ruin his career b4 he even starts. Love to see him get a decent go this year tho.

Anyone know what time the pregame stuff starts?

...wake up and realise I was dreaming. Part of me doesn’t even want to go tonight. Feels Like going to see your ex so she can explain more fully why she left.

Agreed. This shows it is a coaching issue. If we get pantsed tonight...... and I believe this is going to be our biggest loss fr the year, let’s aim the criticism where is belongs.

I’ve got the familiar dread that I used to have in the Neeld years before Roos came on board. I’m going, but will if it’s a 60 + game and contest over at half time I’m not staying. It’s an emotionally helpful habit I picked up in 2013. This may be the game that really sits the club on its [censored] on the big stage and brings the Hard spotlight our way. We deserve it. I’m an interstater these days, so the saints was the first time I’ve seen them live this year and I could tell half way thru 1st qtr that something was just wrong. No spark, no real emotion, no system, no flair. Just like when Neeld came in everyone is blaming the players and not enough heat coming onto Goodwin and the coaches. Seems like there’s questions of fitness, off season application .......and coaches. Reports now of Disharmony between McCartney and some players ( he’s got history here) and I suspect, in Chaplin’s case, he just doesn’t have the players trust. It’s u12 stuff back there at the moment. Mission leaving at years end after a pre season where he didnt get the group ( not suffering from post season operations) to required fitness and several careless and tragically bad calls on injuries. He Might have stopped caring even by 5% once he chose to move on..it’s all it takes. so He can’t leave fast enough for mine. I still think Goodwin is , or was ....and still can be, a good coach, but Ive lost confidence in those that surround him right now. Can feel a coaching clean out on its way. Something is needed to reunite the pack.

Well, We had one of the best in jade Rawlings and imo his influence may have been bigger than we know. Certainly the backs are a shambles since he went. He’s coaching Casey now... I say bring him back at years end as a matter of urgency.

I think the season we were expecting or hoping for is over. We’re not challenging fr the flag this year. We’re just not. I think it’s time for trying out new ideas... and maybe that’s the way to turn things around.

I agree with your other seven points DD but not this bit. Only one of two points may be true but both cant be. If we got unders for hogan then I think we paid the right level fr lever. If we paid overs fr lever then hogan was at the right level. Plus hogan had industry known issues. We have seen but a glimpse of how good lever could be yet. The pies paid 2x pick 7 fr Trelor and they’re not complaining. There’s much to complain about atm but , providing lever has a decent career with us I don’t think this will be one them.

I fear that’s exactly where we are. A better core this time for sure but we have three or 4 older players that are cooked and no really good talent coming up. We have next to No pace and a need to redo our approach and game plan. Hate to say it but yes It’s another rebuild . The game just moved on and passed us..... again. Sigh. Hopefully this is just a mini one.

Love it. Agree with nearly all you said. Hope goodwin is thinking the same. Except I don’t think trac can play that position and I’d rather leave Harmes doing what he’s excelling in. But all the rest. I think bringing jones back into the centre and brayshaw to the fwd line is a good idea. Reckon We gain more than we lose w that and Brayshaw may bring some brains into a dysfunctional fed set up also. Same with weid back. Any input into the game he has AT ALL will be an improvement and watching oppo fwds contested mark over frost and omac over and over is starting to do my head in. So that’s another another gain. Fritsch has more footy smarts fwd and will open up the fwd line. And having a one on one defence strategy when an opp team gets going is also needed.

It’s not what I’m seeing. Brayshaw, Oliver, Viney, hannon, Gawn are all still working hard and , while not at their peak, are still operating well. They’re always our best players. It’s not the mids imo. We are just so easily sliced open when opposition gets a free ball and, when WE do, it’s a race to see who can give it bk fastest! Either that or a competition between tmac, weird to see who can run under the ball or look the most ineffectual. Dead heat so far... Spargo challenging tho. There’s just no easy, systematic entries we’re having this year at all. I concur with the many previous. it’s the structure we’re playing with ...... the game plan. Its on the coach now. For the first time in his career he’s got to face this down. His plan have clearly fallen apart.lets see what he’s got.

Weid can’t mark it then can’t compete on the ground, Mc Donald is injured and slow and also can’t do either of those. Then we have spargo as the crumber who is slow and ineffectual. So it’s like we’re 3 men down in the fwd 50 at every entry. I love hunt but he’s not the answer up fwd. so 3.5 men down. Six v 2.5 . Quite frankly I’m amazed we even scored 7. Remember 2 of them came from Preuss in the 1st qtr and one was a freak mark from Melksham. Wed evening is going to be a 100 + debacle. IF that happens we’re about to find out a lot about our coach and his capacity to keep the group together.

Hore- a bright spot frost- our best defender gameplan- who’s on first. Mcdonald- defuq happened? Hogan- get him back. mfc- memories of 2013 me- watching 2018 replays. Off field- something has happened

Can’t run, can’t kick and cant tackle so, right now , why the [censored] are we picking him. I don’t want to permenantly write him off as he was valuable last year but whatever he bought then just isn’t visible this year. Has to go.

Its already a critical game. If we go 1-4 with tigers to come.... it’s almost season over.

Someone with half a brain will def help too. He’s got to do the thinking for 3 back there.

Agreed. Future 4th round is what the hawks paid. Super shadey that deal. Nominates hawthorn “ because of their record with treating injuries” all the talk is of no Scully fr 2019 or most of it... or that he may never play again. Then viola he’s playing round frikn 2. Meaning he must have known the injury wasn’t that bad. I don’t mind players nominating a club and the club paying what the player is worth but that deal was utter deception. If it happened to us I’d be going off my nuts. Scully is the worst with [censored] like this.... keeps inventing new lows fr himself. I’m amazed there has not been more spotlight on this.

I remember the lead up to the Kreuzer cup . I think they had two Players retired on the second last week of the season... so they didn’t play against us and possibly lift the side. They were much better prepared fr it than we were. I remember the sun interviewing people on the day before re their thoughts about winnng and no one was saying any side should try to win. It was so frikn accepted then. I remember the then Carlton president saying he didn’t want to sweat too much and wanted to lose by a comfy 5 goals.

I’ve got this familiar sinking feeling that This is going to b a looong season. All the harder to bear when hopes were just so high before it started. The press is going to have a field day w us and make it feel even longer as this streak continues. I just can’t see a turnaround anytime soon when the issue is so based on injury / fitness and the lack of It. When we’re all excited about stretch coming back into the side or wanting Maynard in its indicative of where we’re at isn’t it? Those aren’t the type of players who turn things around. The kk’s and wagners and lack of fitness of others mess with the game plan also as when one chain link doesn’t hold the whole thing breaks into pieces . We’ll probably hit some form in the second half of the season and get to enjoy lever and may ...finally...and finish 11th or some such. I’m still foolish enough to hope for more .... but my demon realist is very strong and born of bitter experiences.