Lucifers Hero

Another Thurs night Ess game! Stupid.

John Ralph reported Petracca wants to stay. The club desperately wants him to stay and (paraphrasing) "will help set him up for life after football, if it hasn't already happened". I assume that refers to his food interests but it could mean they explore other areas. I wouldn't trade Oliver either, as apparently there is no interest. He has been improving and had his best game in two years last week. Not having the 'linus blanket' of Goodwin's protectiveness might be the making of him and he matures as a player and as a person. A bit of tough love might just be what he needs, with a bit of kit glove. My guess is he will respond to that and if so he will be far more valuable next year if he/the club want to part company.

Flags are very difficult to win. In the meantime I will settle for finals most years and often contend at PF and GF ala Geelong and Sydney. Longmire's track record speaks for itself. He galvanises players and will make the tough calls on standards and culture eg. Didn't select his Captain for the 2024 GF even tho fit. He has gravitas and will not let players rule the roost signs of which have crept into our team in recent times. As they say in the classics: you need to be in it to win it! Longmire is thereabouts most years. So Longmire for me.

No handshake at the end spoke volumes. Goodwin can hold his head high.

Good! I tipped him as our next GM FD too friends a few weeks ago. Hope it happens.

Hopefully we appoint a GM FD before committing to the coach. A coach would want to know who his boss will be and that their ideas on game plan, list etc are aligned. Lets not put the cart before the horse and get the coach first! Ideally the GM FD is onboard in time to finalise the coach.

Looks like my femaie intuition was right!

And if his manager is worth his salt he would have made sure Kozzy knew the possibilities.

Green's email just arrived. Goodwin goes immediately. Sadly no mention of a press conf, some sort of farewell or gesture of goodwill. Female intuition suggests the divorce hasn't gone well.

The club should do whatever Goodwin wanted. He has earnt the right to go out his way.

The club would know who keeps feeding TM. It should have ousted them eons ago. The club should have been ready with a contingency plan in case it was leaked. ie Call a press conf for 9.00 am, which would immediately trigger speculation. But at least the club could control the narrative.

The dignified waywas to thank him at a press conference, with Simon in club colours, with players and family there, assuming he agreed. And for the fans outline the coaching plan for the rest of the year. There is no dignified way out for the club now. I bet they are scrambling on how to manage 'the optics'. Too late! The damage is done. A press conf now will be an embarrassment. To not have one is a disgrace. A real catch-22 of the club's doing. Talk about another 'own goal'.

Whoever at the dees is feeding that creep should be ousted from the club immediately. Unacceptable to allow him to break the news, especially if players and Goodwin's family don't know yet. It should have come from the club. Goodwin deserved a dignified exit, not a media shiiit storm

I just hope this isn't another knee-[censored] decision by a Board who wants to be seen to be doing something. Should have let him coach out the year. Very disrespectful of our Premiership Coach. Gave everything he had in at times very difficult circumstances. Deserved better. I believe he truly loved the club. Leaves a bitter taste in the same way as the sacking of Junior.

Trac's contract isn't in the same league as Oliver's which reaches $1.7m by end of contract. Trac is in the top 3 impact players at the dees this year. He has no baggage. In the top 3-5 in the league on a number of metrics. Versatile positions. So Hawks or any other team should pay full value to us and to Trac. A hypothetical trade to Hawks should be 2 first round picks: Carlton's 1st this year, a future 1st and they take his full salary. Clark doesn't have a clue and trying to stay relevant.

Thanks. Towards the end of the article it says the club kept Oliver and Petracca to their contracts and at the Board's request extended Viney's contract! Another dumb Board decision as Viney was already contracted The irony is the Board has now unceremoniously and very publicly put all 3 (and the whole team, bar Max and Kozzie) on the trade market. How stupid does the Board look now re keeping those 3! The other irony is the Board has little idea of how it exposed its incompetence in the last week: admitted it hadn't monitored the FD review implementation didn't ask for an agreed start date from Guerra put our whole playing list (bar Max and Kozzie) on the trade table. We have 17 players uncontracted. An unheard of situation for us at this time of year. After the Board's statement any player, contracted or uncontracted, would be within their rights to call their agent. That would test the Board's mettle. Look out for their back-pedaling!

How could the Board possibly not agree a start date with Guerra before appointing him. Then be surprised it wouldn't be until September ... Incompetence, right up there with failing to monitor the implementation of last year's FD review!

I may have missed something but what is the difference? And interested in the drafting rules for players from the 'aboriginal academy'.

The Saints missed some capable players but they struck the jackpot: Nasiah was part of Port's NGA!

It was a rusty start but yesterday showed we can successfully play the 'transition' game. It was great to see players looking for targets and using precise handball or short kicks to find them. Max handballed, Clayton ran in fwd waves, tackles were broken and we used the corridor for better shots on goal. After half time it all clicked and we scored 15.7. While better teams won't let us do that all game, I hope it gives enormous confidence to players that they can make the system work. They looked very happy. btw, loved Max's huge smile and teammates all over him when he kicked the 'round the corner' goal. 100% strike rate using that technique 😁. I'm sure we will see more of it.

Not match winning but Oliver’s best game in many a day. Ran hard. Took time to find targets so had good disposal. Seemed invested. Delighted for him. More of that in the next few weeks would be nice ❤️💙

You may need to watch Sunday's first quarter again. A number of those goals came directly from Petracca's kick i50 exactly to the target he intended.

If so Ralph did us a favour. Has not performed at recent Port level. One report was he may be dropped given the number of Pies players to come back. Dodged a bullet!

Thank you. The answer is the same: The politics is not my go.