Didn't sleep very well last night. Really wired after the Lions vs Dogs match.

Was trying to imagine one of those two teams wearing the navy blue, and the adrenaline and pride we'd feel as supporters to see our guys go out and dig in a high pressure final like that.

I'm just not seeing it with our list.

Game plan will obviously be changed significantly, but scanning our list I'm coming up with less than a handful of players that have what it takes to win those games of footy.

The footy smarts.
The two way running.
The accountability.
The discipline.
The trust in each other to execute the plan.

I hope, in the absence of a senior coach (and almost entire coaching group), someone is taking the reigns and keeping our guys together and focused. Watching these finals should be required "homework" IMHO.

flower' love this footy club but just really flat right now at how far away we may yet be from the promised land. 40 years in the desert?

The AFL won't help us like they do the darling clubs. The media will kick us while we're down. It's on us and us alone to scrap our way out of this. Shambolic off field and shambolic on field. Pray for rain lads and laddettes. Pray for rain.

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O say does that star spangled banner yet wave.

I'm hearing ya Rob. And to make matters worse, if the Dees break the drought this year we will be second in line after St Kilda as longest droughts.

Let that sink in

I suppose for me, the 2016 Dogs are the one team that gives me hope. They looked all at sea for a few years before that, didn't look close to winning a flag. Then somehow they were able to go from 0 to 100 real quick & play the kind of footy they did in the 2016 campaign. And going by last night, it's been a sustainable model they've built. Fkn great game of footy!

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#DonTheStash

We do have the players - talent wise.

But for some reason, they dont gel and dont have the desire and hunger to compete all the time.

A lot has to do with the lack of leadership and pushing standards on field and off.

Players feel entitled to a spot on the team regardless and are not willing to put in the hard word.

I hope with the right coach, and hopefully new leaders they will push the standards we need.

We have far more talent than the bulldogs and Brisbane. And outside of possibly Melbourne who are cherry ripe at the moment, I think we can beat any of them. I really believe that.

We need to make Weitering captain and Walsh Vice straight away. Let Doc and Cripps just play - I dont think they are leaders. Scrap this leadership group as well. Traditional Captain and Vice.

Selection integrity needs to be emphasised in the new coach selection too. We need players to be hungry for their spot.

Also we need buy in from the players and play them in their preferred positions.

Doing all of the above, is not easy but if we select the right coaches now it can all click…

Also Collingwood making the grand final in both 2002 & 2018, and I hate to say it but Essendon* in 1993.

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There is no footy god

Not sure about that.
For example look at the Dogs midfield: Bont, Macrae, Smith, Libba, Treloar, Dunkley and Hunter are all top liners. We have Walsh and a banged up Cripps.

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There is no footy god

It won't take much at all. Just a coach that instills a bit of belief.

I disagree we have probably the most talented list of players of any club.
We need them fit and playing together
Weiters Jones Williams Saad Walsh Cripps Cunningham Curnow Harry McGovern
If they are fit and playing together no one can beat us

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

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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

I'm actually optimistic on the list. Just get the feeling the time is now for some of the younger crew who haven't had the shit habits ingrained yet to 'own' the team and drive standards, even if they don't have an official title.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

I'm optimistic because the Board finally appear on board (pardon the pun) that enough is enough with mediocrity
This may well be the first time the Board are in synch with the frustrations of the rank and file

Sayers appears a very much "football ops" president, who, with the right CEO and footy manager, will make things happen onfield

The Review into our football dept, and the fact that Liddle may have contributed to its dysfunctionality, tells me he's not sweeping issues under the carpet

This is just my take

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

We have the list only when they are playing and we definitely do not have the midfield which is a pre requisite to play in finals.

There is no way Cripps, Walsh, Kennedy, Dow, LOB, SPS, Newnes bat as deep as Bont, Macrae, Libba, Dunkley, Treloar, Hunter, Smith, Daniel in terms of class.

Even GWS who got knocked out... Taranto, Hopper, Ward, Kelly, Whitfield, De Boer, Coniglio

If we dont have two players minimum laying eight tackles and eight clearances consistently we are not going to win many games because the opposition will do exactly that.

We just dont have the necessary midfield talent and its been the case for a decade.

Sack everyone but when the club overrated the list over and over..and over again.

May as well hand in the keys as thats how clueless these fools are.

Jumping at shadows.

These guys have more guys in their prime than we do.

The crucial age bracket is age 24-28. We are only just getting some of our players into that group now.

I dont see it that way. You can tell a player with quality and class after 50 games.

If you dont show it by 23 years old as good as gone.

Its no shame drafting Xavier Ellis, Dom Tyson, Will Brodie and Jordan Gallucci...it's part of the gambling process that is the draft and quite frankly Dow, LOB and SPS are not up to standard we need three bonafide mids if people want to start winning games.

This is my line of thinking too. If standards are set at the top, they will eventually flow all the way down to the players. That’s where we may be able to move from talented group of individuals to a high functioning team with collective buy in. Remember Melbourne were the former for a long time and seemingly have clicked to the latter over the off season so it can turn.
Need strong figures across as lines - board, ceo, head of footy, coach and senior players. We appear to be moving in the right direction but plenty of work to do.

This seems to be the initial sense … let’s hope he gets things done right with the right people in place … there are still a couple of holes on the list but not many … coaching and player development are the keys …

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

when you watch the finals series makes me think how overrated our list is . This is why i am calling it now players like ,sps,setters, plowman must be moved on they would all fail in big final. just think how would they go in last night game lions v dogs.

Its not just about talent its about consistency and years in the system with playing experience.

Everyone knows an athlete irrespective of ability is in their prime in there mid to late 20's. Some get there a bit earlier, others get there later but it's a universal truth.

Talent is a different discussion. Almost completely irrelevant. Proof. Plenty of hacks win flags. Not every talented player gets one.

I would not be making any wholesale changes under a new coach. It all depends how the individual player reacts under him. All players mentiioned have talent to varying degrees particularly, SPS, Dow, maybe O'Brien.

Give it a year and then make a decision with the blessing of the coach.

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"Get ready, Teddy - you're on": Ron Barassi half time 1970 Grand Final