Wells 11

I’d forgotten how good the game day thread is so many hours before the game. I feel optimistic again! … but I won’t be revisiting this page during the game.

it’s pretty funny though that he defended the bombers all through the “ supplements” scandal isn’t it.

I think youre reading the tea leaves right WCW. But he's also still traumatised and in pain and shock. Lets wait til it settles. If he's speaking the same way in 4-6 weeks I'll be right with you. Its a huge thing to leave the game and opens up a massive hole in young mens lives when they do. So, he might change when things settle down and also when he gets back around the club again and feels the love everyone has for him. Hopefully he starts missing the game again. But if he retires for his health reasons then I will of course back him ...with a broken heart also...but will get behind our norm smith player whatever he does.

Hi Guys ...thanks as always for the pod. Demonland is fraying at the seams now but you three are still having balanced intelligent conversations! 2 questions. 1./ A lot of talk now about Oliver. What strikes me most about him is he's lost his break away pace. He was never a great kick but he had developed that burst speed and it's now almost nowhere to be seen. Could it be that his hamstring is so damaged that burst speed is impossible? or do you think is he still just too fatigued and its a fitness issue....he is being tagged after all. Im just struggling to see even 50% of the player we all loved. Do you think he can come back to be even close to the player he was in 24 or 25? 2./ Interesting to hear Gawn post game talk about how the new ruck rules have changed the craft. There's a lot more body use at centre bounces and its changed how the centre bounce clearances are playing out. Gawn said " he was late to the party" in understanding this. So do you think its possible then that our whole centre bounce set up hadn't yet adjusted? Ie we can look a whole lot better than we have been if we now adjust? But also who the F is the coach looking at such things!!!

Let’s hope the AFL stay consistent on this… i’m becoming convinced the blues players practice it.

It’s not our usual way is it. But Im sure he’ll get game time. There must be reasons.

After reading this “ informative” cough thread there’s also Trac wanting to be traded to the pies.

verral to get a game at the back end of the season if form maintains.

thats my wish for 2025. Wont happen this year.

This is the same Mick Malthouse that recommended Neeld to Lyon when we were looking for a coach. The same Mick Mathouse that destroyed Carltons list and culture when he coached there. I just dont think he's credible enough to take seriously these days.

We now have no Trac, no Brayshaw and an Oliver and Petty on half rat power . On top of this we have maybe 3 players or more hobbling through their final season ....and no Joel Smith. So I wonder what there is to realistically hope for in 2024. We aint winning a flag without Trac and the rest of the above...that much is clear. So on one hand I could say what would be theoretically best is a full capitulation, a clean out and some good draft picks a la 2019 and maybe a good FA or trades. But there's a looong way to go in 2024 and I don't like the feel of that enough to hope for it. On the other I think we could still push for a finals birth and, if we got there and won one, I reckon that would be impressive with the reality of our 24 list ... and we could at least get that "straight sets" monkey off our back. Barring that I'd like to at least see them refind their mojo, energy and connection and build for a decent 2025 shot. Maybe see a few younger players tried and assess with more clarity? Any thoughts?

true 👍 and also true that Neeld somehow got us jackson and Roos. We got lucky on the way up didn’t we.

He’s the best I’ve ever seen I think. You can make a cases for Whitten, Barassi or Mathew’s . But Dusty had that explosiveness and potency with his kicks. Still pains me he went in the draft at 3 when we had picks 1 and 2.

Imo it’s becoming clear that we need a refresh of assistant coaches. We just look soooo stale and fumbly and out of synch. We all love choco but tbh our kicking around the ground and for goal has never been worse. fwd coach ? midfield coach? Goody is a keeper for mine.

Goodwin 3 x top four finishes and one outright top finish. Bevo zero top 4 finishes. I think Goodwin gets those points back personally.

it was.

don’t worry.. with good coaching we can can rid him of those habits.

" a hole filled with more hole" its sadly true. Billings is the one for me. I mean he is such an everage kick of the football and a slow / poor decision maker. At some point that hole within a hole turns into a black hole doesnt it ...and starts sucking the life out of the team.

Jesus...poor buggar. Is that season ending for Trac? Given how this frikn season is shaping up Im imagining it is. I honestly feel like we've been cursed since late last year.

A few comments and questions. Looking for some kind of silver lining., 1./ Collingwood are elite with turnovers and we just couldn’t defend their fast breaks. They seem faster, more physical but also much better kicks. Are we really suddenly this far behind? 2./ Our kicking for goal was a mix of terrible but also unlucky. Kozzi hit the post .. was it 3 times? As poor as we looked do you think if we kicked straight we’re actually in that game… or am I clutching at straws. 3./ I can’t quite put my finger on it but there seems to be a definite lack of buzz or joy or energy in this group at this point. I can’t help but wonder about what’s going on behind the scenes. Did you feel the same?

yep... forgot about the broadcast partners and the need to speak of a level playing field. Thats big. And yes also, post game you will never hear it spoken of from a losing coach or a winning one for that matter. It seems like the coverage CAN cope with commenting on a warped version of "loading" ie the byes as impacting results. Many comments on who hasn't had one, who's coming off one, how many each team gets... but they still talk about the byes as representing "a rest" rather than a loading block. We've got a looong way to go. I love that you talk about all this so much by the way...Im much better informed now.

The only reason I can think of that this doesn’t happen is it’s for internal eyes only ie a place clubs look fr an edge over other teams. So high performance managers while critical and, as you rightly point out, who DO have a big impact on apparantly strange results, are secretive of their methods. Even so, I’m with you, you’d think more people would at least be asking questions of them. I also think the days when it’s being ignored are numbered.

A good point. Angus will do what he feels liked to do. But sometimes life also just lays down certain pathways doesn’t it. Given what happened to him next to the fate of the father of his bride it must be a strong pull.

his comment was NOTHING to do w financials. read it again before attacking please.