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I've never heard a conversation about footy or cricket that I haven't wanted to join in immediately. If you disagree with me, you'll be made to work very hard to change my mind!
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The sadness factory of the AFL has manufactured some more of it, with Gold Coast botching the exit of Stuart Dew. Dew walks away…
Not since the days of the Geelong/St Kilda era of the late 2000s have we seen such pronounced dominance at the top of the…
Every once in a while, an opportunity comes along in sport for participants to prove they possess a unique courage to be bigger the…
“Two and two are four,” claims Winston, the protagonist fighting to maintain his grip on reality in George Orwell’s 1984. “Sometimes, Winston,” answers Ministry…
Richmond are arguably the most fascinating case of any club in the league, as is often the way with a fallen champion. We watched…
Brisbane, St Kilda, Fremantle and Sydney all come off the bye this week, ready to attack the second half of the year. Each one…
It’s time for us all to move on from this idea that Melbourne is a great team, or even could be a great team.…
In its 14th year, the coaching journey of Damien Hardwick at Richmond is over. Popular opinion is that it will continue on elsewhere, at…
What the hell has happened at Carlton? We cast our mind back to last May, and the Blues were flying high. With a new…
Rather than focussing on where a 20th team may be squeezed in, we should be working out how to whittle the league back down.
In the wild success that the AFL’s Gather Round seemed to be, the critics were made to stand up and take notice of both clubs.
Poor results have all eyes on the head coach.
Is it too early to be ringing the alarm bells?
The dollars should be put into the place it’s needed most – the playing field.
Does Nature Strip have one more race winning effort in the tank?
We’re two weeks into the AFL season, and what an incredibly odd experience it has been. Have we ever seen such inconsistency in teams…
Two big races loom as the autumn ramps up in Victoria this weekend.
Clamping down on head high contact is one thing, players not protecting themselves is another.
The All Star Mile is supposed to be Victoria’s answer to The Everest, but it hasn’t quite worked out that way yet. The Everest,…
Every team has a bottom six role players that look good when teams are playing well, and look terrible when things are going poorly.
Luke Beveridge is on borrowed time - he's an inconsistent coach who gets inconsistent results
I guess that’s what happens when you lose to a losing club like Essendon on the big stage.
I remember meeting Jake King once, who loved the fact that he was a suburban footballer that made it to the big league. Great self-awareness.
Luke Beveridge is on borrowed time - he's an inconsistent coach who gets inconsistent results
Ha, I like that. And he is certainly that.
Luke Beveridge is on borrowed time - he's an inconsistent coach who gets inconsistent results
And this has always been my point. You may point to ladder positions from 2016 of 4th, 4th, 7th, 6th, 10th and 7th and say they have been performing well. Most would say the same.
I say that is vast underperformance given the talent they had, and the hardest call is to make a change at that time. It’s easy to make the call after they tail off in 2022. Again, look at Buckley and Collingwood.
Luke Beveridge is on borrowed time - he's an inconsistent coach who gets inconsistent results
Ramblings… ouch. Not a bad point on Sheedy though, albeit I think we can all agree he was finished.
Luke Beveridge is on borrowed time - he's an inconsistent coach who gets inconsistent results
Lol, I was waiting for this. Sorry Macca. 😱
'Suffering from paralysis-by-analysis': Adelaide Crows have gone from box office sensation to under-performing turkeys
Decent overal points, NH.
'Suffering from paralysis-by-analysis': Adelaide Crows have gone from box office sensation to under-performing turkeys
When the Crows are firing, with Rankine and Rachele dazzling, Walker and Fogarty kicking the leather off it and kicking truly from everywhere, and Dawson nailing his 50m bullet passes inside 50, they are absolutely box office.
'Suffering from paralysis-by-analysis': Adelaide Crows have gone from box office sensation to under-performing turkeys
Yes, have certainly seen a bit of talk about what a low metres gained player Crouch is, so is the forward line getting clogged with opposition players while he is chipping the ball around or going backwards, giving them time to get back there.
'Suffering from paralysis-by-analysis': Adelaide Crows have gone from box office sensation to under-performing turkeys
Very bland.
'Suffering from paralysis-by-analysis': Adelaide Crows have gone from box office sensation to under-performing turkeys
– Strong home / poor away I would suggest indicate a developing team rather than an underdeveloped one, but that would just be language/semantics.
– Agree getting the Eagles twice helped but they still had some big wins, and I’d say they were far from poor away as the year went on – in the second half of the year they pushed Collingwood, Brisbane, Melbourne (all top four) to within a kick away from home.
– Take the point on Doedee, but defence hasn’t been the issue and they were okay in the second half of last year without him
– Agree Nicks didn’t need to be extended, but all clubs pretty much do it these days.
'Suffering from paralysis-by-analysis': Adelaide Crows have gone from box office sensation to under-performing turkeys
Do love a good supporter rant, and this is a good one. Things are certainly tracking ugly enough for Nicks to perhaps be a touch worried about his tenure, he’s got to find a way to release the shackles pronto.
'Suffering from paralysis-by-analysis': Adelaide Crows have gone from box office sensation to under-performing turkeys
Lol, I do have a great track record in this space. And they have beaten you comfortably the last two times, albeit in Adelaide.
'Suffering from paralysis-by-analysis': Adelaide Crows have gone from box office sensation to under-performing turkeys
Yeah, I’m certainly not sacking he should be walked from the Gabba tomorrow! I’m just raising the idea that there is often a pattern to these things.
Ratten was more in the Thompson/Cats and Hardwick/Tigers mould – they both had six years of progression, one year where it fell apart, and bounced back to flags in their seventh year. Ratten only had four years of progression before the off year, and never got the chance to bounce back. Not only that, Ratten’s “bad” year was better than Thompson and Hardwick’s!
The problem with coaches staying too long: Will Brisbane have the courage to punt Fagan if they don't contend?
I’ve been pretty consistent in saying I don’t think Beveridge has delivered appropriate results for the talent at his disposal. We all have our opinions on these things of course – I also think Sheedy under-delivered for the talent he had across his time. People will look at four flags and say he was a genius, I look at it and say he should have won more.
The problem with coaches staying too long: Will Brisbane have the courage to punt Fagan if they don't contend?
I don’t think the window is shut either Dingo, but it’s certainly worth watching this space on the Lions from here. And yes, Coleman a huge loss, especially no longer having Rich’s left foot either, he was going to play a huge role this year.
The problem with coaches staying too long: Will Brisbane have the courage to punt Fagan if they don't contend?
And I think you’ll find Hardwick acknowledged all of the areas I identified where he was poor and/or the club was failing. He needed to make significant changes, and did so.
The problem with coaches staying too long: Will Brisbane have the courage to punt Fagan if they don't contend?
The question is often raised, who else is out there, or how deep is the talent pool. But McRae and Kingsley have shown a new coach can often have an impact. Bevo had one at the Dogs. Of course you could land a Neeld or Watters too. But my personal belief is that clubs are too conservative and could do with shaking things up more than they do.
The problem with coaches staying too long: Will Brisbane have the courage to punt Fagan if they don't contend?
The axe must be getting sharpened, but coaches generally stick with their experienced players and back them in.
The problem with coaches staying too long: Will Brisbane have the courage to punt Fagan if they don't contend?
It’s a good point Macca, you’d say the Dons are one of seven teams who seem to have improved on last year, albeit early doors. Plus others like Port, Melbourne, Carlton who may not have to improve to stay ahead of most of those.
'The Essendon Edge': The Bombers are trying to fake it until they make it
Good points Dougie, and I went hard at Merrett late last year. To give him credit, he is playing the way Scott wants the team to behave, and that’s good leadership.
'The Essendon Edge': The Bombers are trying to fake it until they make it
😂 😂
'Dripping in inequality and stupidity': Footy is back... and so is AFL interference
All good points McNo.
'Dripping in inequality and stupidity': Footy is back... and so is AFL interference
Yes, that would be wonderful.
'Dripping in inequality and stupidity': Footy is back... and so is AFL interference
It’s okay to accpet that the Dogs played a brilliant finals series as serial underdogs, and that the umpires had their say.
Luke Beveridge is on borrowed time - he's an inconsistent coach who gets inconsistent results