I've gone through a self-imposed ban on this site since the last time we played this bunch of degenerate scum.

It's been a terribly disappointing year in so many respects, and reading a few of the threads on the front page here over the last 24 hours has been tough to take. The club seems to be in quicksand.

Regardless of how any player feels about Ratten, who is picked, who isn't picked etc, you would hope these players understand one thing. As a playing group they were humiliated by Essendon* in Rd 4, and they've been paying for it ever since. They copped a smack in the mouth and didn't have it in them to respond. If they're not walking off the park tomorrow afternoon able to look each other in the eye with the knowledge they haven't left one ounce of effort behind, they've got a lot more problems than who the coach is or any other crap behind the scenes.

If these players want to take a bit of ownership over how they are viewed, tomorrow would be a good place to start. The weather is going to be diabolical, and 90% effort will get found out quickly in those packs. We know Essendon* will be tackling to hurt and we need the same mindset.

Who knows (and some here obviously would like us to believe they do), the coach might already be gone. But these players own their effort and they own their reputations. If they've got any pride among themselves as a group, they won't leave anything behind tomorrow win lose or draw. Doing anything less indicts them as much as anyone else at the club.

Betts?

Very little chance of that.
This is a statement game.

Yeah but what is that statement going to be???
You talk dirty and play rough and we'll get all upset and push you over ....
or
No matter what you do we're going to run straight at ball and put our head over and if you're in the way - bad luck.
I know which one I want to see.

It may not be what we want to hear but Ratten and co. have really revved the boys up this week and they're all ready to go.

I don't understand this, why wouldn't we want to hear this?

I don't understand this, why wouldn't we want to hear this?

I've gone through a self-imposed ban on this site since the last time we played this bunch of degenerate scum.

It's been a terribly disappointing year in so many respects, and reading a few of the threads on the front page here over the last 24 hours has been tough to take. The club seems to be in quicksand.

Regardless of how any player feels about Ratten, who is picked, who isn't picked etc, you would hope these players understand one thing. As a playing group they were humiliated by Essendon* in Rd 4, and they've been paying for it ever since. They copped a smack in the mouth and didn't have it in them to respond. If they're not walking off the park tomorrow afternoon able to look each other in the eye with the knowledge they haven't left one ounce of effort behind, they've got a lot more problems than who the coach is or any other crap behind the scenes.

If these players want to take a bit of ownership over how they are viewed, tomorrow would be a good place to start. The weather is going to be diabolical, and 90% effort will get found out quickly in those packs. We know Essendon* will be tackling to hurt and we need the same mindset.

Who knows (and some here obviously would like us to believe they do), the coach might already be gone. But these players own their effort and they own their reputations. If they've got any pride among themselves as a group, they won't leave anything behind tomorrow win lose or draw. Doing anything less indicts them as much as anyone else at the club.

Gumby has been dropped