Earl Hood

Didn’t we move to Casey to build our supporter base as it was in the major growth corridor of Melbourne? So it’s great that we are training at Casey at times unknown and when you do, you keep the sessions closed during school holidays and all other times for that matter lest a fan stumble into the inner sanctum. Of course I understand the need for utmost secrecy regarding our game plan, the new one we develop around this time every year that starts out with a few nuances but by the second half of the season looks exactly the same as it has for the past 5 seasons. Using a boxing analogy the Goodwin game plan reminds me of a heavy weight slugger who only knows one way to fight, keep moving forward throwing as many punches as possible hoping by sheer strength to overpower your opponent. It works most of the time until you run into opponents who know how to really box. That said for one glorious period of 10 weeks in 2021 we boxed like Ali and destroyed all before us. Where did that magic come from and where did it go?

Still believe even a mentally checked out Grundy (who was still training as required) was a better option than Schache, a selection that Goodwin refused to use in a crisis! Grundy playing the last quarter against Carlton would have at least been able to contest up forward (if not elsewhere on the ground) and bring the ball to ground. I still blame the Coaching hierarchy for a large part of our finals clusterf**k. The non selection of Grundy was mind boggling, selection of Schache and Bailey as subs in finals were baffling.

I sat in the Ponsford and saw close up most of his bag against Richmond this season. That convinced me that this guy is one of the answers to our forward problems. He made the Tiger backline look inept with his reading of the ball coming in and his ability to lose his designated defender and run at the ball, mark it with clean hands and then actually convert! If he can stay fit he could be one of the best KPF in the game, hopefully for us.

Gee I love how this club bends over backwards for its supporters! I mean did the Club advertise this move, did I miss the email? I have a family holiday house at Anglesea, if I knew I could have organised to drop in for a look. Oh but I guess the nature of the ground at Lorne means that they can’t lock out fans, so best to not tell anyone.

Were supporters know this event was on? I must have missed the email.

You couldn’t get Scotty to transport you inside the ground?

Yes let’s hope so. Although my observations, admittedly from when I was a regular track watcher, say up to 2020, the training day game plan practised didn’t always resemble the game day plan executed! At practice at least when I was there, the ball movement is constant and players are taking every opportunity & risk to switch play to find the next target forward. It’s great to watch at practice and for a sublime period of time in the second half of 2021 it appeared in all its beauty on successive game days right up to the GF win! Since then it’s been long stretches in games of one dimensional down the line delivery, muscling it over the boundary then push slowly forward, bombing it in to a crowded forward line but I am sure they still move the ball sublimely at practice.

I think it means that as opposed to Gosch's Paddock because Casey is surrounded by a high fence that we can actually lock people out, we will! Was thinking of taking a cruise up to Cranbourne tomorrow but not now. They certainly don’t go out of their way to encourage the fans. Not sure why I mean they won’t be practicing secret plays this early in preseason.

WCW Do you know the training time at Casey for Wednesday and if you are allowed into the ground? Thinking I might take my car for a drive up that way tomorrow. Last few times I drove interstate from Fitzroy to Cranbourne during Covid they had the ground locked and had to look in from outside😕!

Except we showed them our cards in the finals with our non selection of Grundy. They know the relationship is toxic.

Of course you are correct there. I remember noting to myself when Petty went down that our Cup chances were likely gone, then when Melk did his knee that was the ball game. However once that happened we had to improvise and as it turned out we lost 2 close finals by little more or less than a f**king straight kick. And in both finals we refused to select Grundy to play the sort of role we just witnessed Cox/Cameron/Frampton play to win a Cup. Still Flabbergasted!

I disagree. Unfortunately it turned into a massive blunder for the club, that I suspect had a greater impact on our finals campaign than just a player not getting a game. The blame for that ****show sits ultimately with Goody and to some degree with Max. I suspect Max cracked it mid season as he wasn’t dominating up forward or in the ruck. Remember originally Max was going to be the forward target, not Grundy. By seasons end Max was numero uno, the alpha male, and Grundy was a player who was “not to be selected under any circumstances”.

Yes in other threads where we discuss which big power forward we need to bring in next year to take the next step I have been meaning to post that maybe a good sports psychologist might be our best recruit next season. I have noticed the demeanour of teams in the tunnel at the beginning of big finals and it’s interesting the difference. The Pies are all smiling, enjoying the moment, so too were Carlton. The mindset is to stay loose, go out & enjoy it, I believe Dimma started this at Richmond in their Premiership run. Let’s face it we were opposite, all grim determination, played tight and we choked in 2 close fought finals; under pressure team rules and cohesion broke down as senior players at crucial times, ignored better options, trying to win the game themselves. The selfless team oriented mindset of 2021 has dissolved over time. We need to reset the team’s attitude as well as find that big forward who I think is already on our list, but just got injured late in the season.

Ummm well no I don’t know the facts but he is the main man, the big kahuna, the big cheese, the guy who had the ultimate responsibility to make the big and controversial decision to bring in Grundy, work for the Club. He failed to make it work for whatever reason and I believe it cost us dearly in a final series where games were decided by a straight kick.

Yes that was my real point (not playing Grundy). It is still a sore point with me and I am blaming the head coach! It could have cost us a Premiership shot.

No it won’t work unless the backup ruck can mostly play forward and kick a bag every week. Max has to play 90% on ball and we can’t carry another ruck that can’t also lead, mark and goal, you see. I mean you won’t see a Grand Final team carrying 2 big rucks that don’t kick goals and barely take a mark forward of centre.

Cox, Cameron and also Frampton got barely 14 disposals between them but played their roles working over Oscar in the ruck and providing a defensive, spoiling target up forward to negate the Lions intercepting backs and rebound out of D50. And yet we could not make the Grundy, Gawn duo work? In a final series with no real stand out team, decided by a straight kick at goal here, a free kick given or not given there it is still doing my head in. Whatever happened behind closed doors in the last part of the season between Grundy, Max and the coach, it cost us big time. And I suspect the fiasco involves some very unprofessional, selfish behaviour somewhere but we will never know.

This time Tuesday I will be in Madrid! Good timing.

The Lions seem to be the ones running out of steam, not getting numbers to the contest.

Re Daicos, we had to listen to all the experts explaining why Toby Green didn’t get that head high free all week, you know he bent at the knees etc. Then in the first half we have watched Daicos picking up head high frees at will as he drops the knees and leans in to the tackle!

Don’t mind the Hunters & Collectors Guy!

My memory is BP left the club early 2012 and went to Carlton. Todd came in and was calling the shots at trade time late 2012. He has to wear the Wines non selection. He knew how good Wines was and knew Toumpas as well. I thought the reason given as to why we went for Toumpas was that we didn’t need 2 in and under bulls. To be fair all the experts were a big wrap for Toumpas but we never saw why that was.

These fantasy trades just aren’t going to happen. I think we are stuck with our existing list and if everyone is fit for 2024, can I just say if we can’t construct winning scores from a set up involving Petty, JVR, Fritsch, Smith, Kossie, McAdam, Chandler, ANB and Tracc, there is a serious coaching problem. Especially if with our great hand in the draft we could pull in a couple of mids who have elite kicking skills and also like to run forward and kick the odd goal.

Cripps might come home late. I thought he was average in the first half of the season but has been polling votes he will only get more in the last 8 rounds. Although Neale obviously just had to be selected to poll votes.

Listening to the Ch 7 commentary DeGoey is just carving them up, gee the Pies must be 5 goals up at half time, oh hold on the Giants are 10 pts up and let’s be fair they should be 20 up but, like Melbourne, are keeping the Pies in it.