The biggest problem we are going to have moving forward is the current culture at the club. Our boys are often out very late mid season and often on the booze. St Kilda have are very bad in this way and I'm a little worried we might be heading down the same path. I think if we are going to win premiership success the boys need to change their attitude and think about whats important. A lesson or two from Brett Kirk and the Sydney boys wouldn't hurt. They wouldn't accept it and we can't either.
Perhaps Pagan had a bit to do with this and hopefully Ratts will turn it around

Any thoughts?

Only If they were deliberately rebeling.

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Just because I'm offended, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

Part of the solution - recruit a player who has won a premiership before and has leadership skills/runs on the board.
In other words - a person who commands respect by having the runs on the board to back up what he demands of those around him.
And no, I don't necessarily mean Judd either.
A quality player that would automatically be considered in the top 5 players at our club.
I believe Ratts will take care of the players that don't show the attitude that he expects.

I think you'll see HUGE changes it attitude and behaviour as well as status in the next 12 months.

The LION is awakening!

BEWARE!!

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Stay tuned We're in for a BUMPY ride

Yeah.. just a few times this year I've seen a large number of the boys out in a worse state than I which isn't a good thing. In todays game you have to be in absolute peak physical condition, and anyone in the sports medicine industry will tell you just how badly alcohol dehydrates the muscles. I takes days to recover.

But I don't think Ratts should enforce ant bans on alcohol or nightclubs etc. I just think someone be it senior players, coaches, officials, past players, need to convince the players to want to do it. This is what has made Sydney successful and what is currently helping geelong be successful.

Too tired for riddles
Voss as an assistant? Brisbane trading Brown for Ackland? Aka's pregnant?

Aka could be pregnant.
His brain is flowered at least.

Pagan is a pisshead?

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Losing week after week has that effect!

The issue to due to the relatively high proportion of kids on our list, and with such poor leadership around the club from our senior players who are just as bad as the kids this looks unlikely to change any time in the near future.

But what I meant was many of the kids were supposedly unhappy with Pagan and hence kind of couldn't really give a flower. They came to the club, got on the grog a bit etc and Pagan was able to get them in line because they wouldn't listen to him.

Yeah I hear ya but what I'm saying is that the partying and drinking is one of the main contributors to that losing culture.
And perhaps the PP

They should bring back a social drink after the game or a club supervised and endorsed function mid week to get some team bonding and allow the players to let their hair down a bit. It could be be quite constructive and helpful to the players and the club.

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1945 - End of round 3 Carlton was last.

Last round Carlton made the final four for the first time.

Eventual premiers.

That's what I'm talking about!

cant do that when you have a Social CLub that closes an hour after the game is finished.

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

Hate to harp on this again but SS has hit the nail on the head again.
Us moving away from PP cost us in more ways than one.

The social club after the games was where the club and supporters felt like they belonged and where part of the club if you like. Players, etc strolled in and had a chat, drink what had you and it felt like home.

TD/MCG social clubs and even footy in general is not and probably will never be the same again.

That is however what is missing these days, the "togetherness".

I do recall King Dick earlier this year saying we will play games at PP next year. Or something very closely along those lines. When King Dick wants something, King Dick gets it. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of this.

Cause or effect or vicious cycle?

Thoughts?
Yeah,you have posted a big sweeping statement(some of "our boys" dont even drink!)
Having socialised with most of them(Andys 21st for eg.)They are a group of fine responsible young men during the season ,any suggestion they have attitude problems with drink and cultural issues is sheer bloody nonsense.

I'm lead to believe that most footballers don't drink these days it puts on to much weight.

They find other methods

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

When players like Murphy, Gibbs get into leadership roles then i think a better culture will follow.....you dont want robots who end up freaking out if you put too many limits on them but you need some sensible types to keep the strays in check.

Geelong stood firm with a talented but wayward Steve Johnson but have reaped the rewards.....Mooney is another who has curbed his pisshead ways and settled. That happened because of a strong leadership group, if the coach and admin tell you to pull your head in its one thing but when the playing group and its leaders tell you to get your act together I think it works better.

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"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen