we talk of lack of depth but maybe the issue is mindset of the club - if Cripps doesn't play we're [REDACTED]! If we have to play a couple of kids we're [REDACTED]! etc. Maybe we need a genuine exploration of next man up rather than lip service. when. the actions (playing. injured players) seems to indicate the opposite?

Also playing the injured players never @#$%&! works for us anyway!

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

But isn't that in essence a depth issue?

not if the players are not picked so we never know if they could play those roles or not, not if the new kids picked are treated as outsiders rather than integral to a result, no... I could go on, but you get the gist.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

or another way of looking at it

lack of depth because its not there or because its not used (to find out if its there).

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

Yeah , get 'em in and find out . Don't die wondering .

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All my dangerous friends

I’m with you Mick.

I think the last time we had a Mark McGough moment was probably Andrew Walker.

More than 20 years ago.

Tim Watson was playing in a far more physical competition at 15.

It’s not going to work for everyone but there are some who should be let loose.

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus.”
Turkish Proverb

and Mick's with me so you're with me! Just sayin'.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

But isn't that the point of the VFL?
You can't play average football in the VFL and then expect to replace a senior.
Especially when a senior like Doc comes back and puts on a show in the VFL, that alone is a depth highlighter.

Last weeks game was not a great example but Billy Wilson was supposed to be next man up.
He went from 24 disposals, 79.2% Disposal Eff, 6 intercepts and 5 contested possessions in the VFL and stood out.
To 7 disposals, 137m gained, 71.4% Disposal Eff, 1 intercept and 0 contested possessions against Port and was hardly sighted.

The gap between our VFL team and AFL team is wider than most people think.
Exposure might help to a degree, but until we fix the team balance in the seniors they will always be more pressured to perform and more likely to fail.
It is also why injuries affect us so much.

For example, you have a player like Doc who can blitz it in the VFL and comes into our seniors and is lame.
We have our top 6 players who are all well above the rest of the senior team, then we have our next let's say 18 who are well above our VFL team.
There is little to no competition for spots that would make a difference and as a result our top 6 don't have to perform at 100% to keep their positions.
I think if you want to talk mindset then a lack of depth is the key issue, no pressure from below is the reason our players feel safe no matter how they perform.
So an injured or sick Cripps/Weitering will be much better players than any of our VFL players and is why they get a game.

Yep , so lets all get around each other . And our team .

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All my dangerous friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3oVSfdXXIE

This weeks Champion Data take.

Go to Minute 13 for the Blues talk.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Very good watch.
Speed kills if you have no skills and we have no skills.
And long to a contest (or free player) is what we need if we don't want to get wiped this week.
Bring in the long kicks to the HB line and wings.

2023, 9 game win streak. our ball movement was as good as anyone's. our skills top rate. our bottom 6 were statistically the 3rd best bottom 6 in the afl.

we have skills. what we lack is belief. we don't believe in the system, we don't believe our mate is going to go when he's number is called (docherty won't/ can't) and we don't believe in our leaders (charlie will give up, cripps will only run one way and weiters will crack the shits and sulk)

and we don't believe in our kids - so I ask again, is it because we shouldn't believe or our attitude to them and their roles, their "equality" as it were?

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/ ... e-claptrap

Worth a read. Bang on in many respects.

I regret spending time reading that exaggerated content presented as clickbait.
Then again, should've I expected anything better from that gutter mucking news agency.
Warning for others, don't waste your time, Braithy has more compelling arguments and insight than that hack.

Just for that, I decided to read it.

I think we've found braithy's day job.

He'd be the leading sports journo if what was presented is the standard.

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“I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” ― Richard Feynman

Thanks for highlighting the best part or should I say, the worst.
"terrified of making mistakes", I mean I've read some BS but this is right up there.
I'd hate for the players, especially our A grade experienced ones to be fearful of you know, hitting targets by foot and kicking goals 20m out in front.
Did this journo just troll through social media to pick up his facts and opinion?
FMD.

Information overload will do that to you .

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All my dangerous friends