Glass half full - the thread

[Mofra]

It might be tough, BUT - in October 2014 we had no captain, coach or CEO.
If someone had said that by 2021 we would have 7 more finals wins (given we only had 14 in our entire history to that point), 2 Grand Finals appearances and a flag I would have absolutely taken that.

So where do we go from here?

Well, we have two glaring deficiencies for mine - ruck, and an intercepting defender.

I trust Sam Power and think we'll address both of those (partially or completely) this upcoming trade period. The franework is there.
We were ahead in the third quarter of a GF - we can absolutely mix it with the best, and need to find a way to do it for longer.
Our core players should either maintain from or improve perhaps Alex Keath excepted.

What else?

[DOG GOD]

Well, we have two glaring deficiencies for mine - ruck, and an intercepting defender

This is it for mine. We need 2 “A GRADE” players to play ruck and Defence. I’m not talking about b/c grade players to fill a gap. I’m talking stars and I don’t give a toss how we get them. It’s obvious we need it so if Power doesn’t deliver that, then that’s a failure.

Having said that, I’m not expecting Power to deliver in these instances.

[SonofScray]

Darkest timeline: I wonder what folk in 1961 thought were the things pointing to a glass half full.

[MrMahatma]

Darkest timeline: I wonder what folk in 1961 thought were the things pointing to a glass half full.

It’s a different time and level of professionalism. Sure, can’t take anything for granted but we have a lot of young talent and we should logically be there abouts for the next few seasons. Of course, if we lose a few guns to injury or trades, or something random happens in-house like did to Richmond, then we may come back to the field… but all things being equal we’re a top 4 team and should expect that for the next few years.

As for glass half full, I think it’s good to know that we can get MUCH better by getting 1 role fixed. A better ruck and we’re way better. A better KPD and we’re way better. This isn’t about small increments, we know where our list is deficient and it can be massively improved over trade period.

Will we do that? I don’t know. But at least we aren’t scratching around to find the problem… or we have to wait 5 years for development of the entire list. A good trade week and our list can be much stronger.

[soupman]

This is easy.

We are already good, really good. Aside from that 10 minute capitulation we were as good a chance to win that game as anyone.

We have the best player in the league. He is young, can possibly still even get better.

We are better than almost the entire league. We demolished one of the best sides going round in a Prelim Final, and have beaten basically everyone else this year.

Naughton remains as good a key forward prospect as there is in this league. He struggled last night and probably would really benefit from having an athletic and pacy key forward to partner him and make our forwardline even harder to defend. Unsure where we find someone like that though.

We have performed to a high level in a year where Covid has f*cked us on a number of levels, have still managed to get valuable gametime into a bunch of young guys (while clubs like Geelong have basically given the little young talent they have nothing).

It appears that the assistant coach shuffle we have asked for will happen should King leave (and maybe one other).

Beveridge still has "it". I was sceptical going into the season (and after the last three rounds) but he turned it back on for finals. Looking forward to seeing which random fringe player becomes borderline AA next season.

This should be the start of a pretty good period for the club. Our squad is built around a bunch of players that are either in their prime for a bit longer or haven't even got there yet. We have 3 of the most marketable players in the league and should add JUH to that soon, are fun to watch, have genuine elite talent everywhere, and have good people in key roles (Power and Beveridge the standouts). Making a Grand Final is a huge achievement, even if it plays out as it did last night. Aside from Melbourne i would be surprised if there is even a single club that wouldn't prefer to have our list and be in our position going forward than their own.

[EasternWest]

What else?

We've got Bont.

[EasternWest]

What else?

We've got Bont.

Edit: not two Bonts.

[Ghost Dog]

This is easy.

We are already good, really good. Aside from that 10 minute capitulation we were as good a chance to win that game as anyone.

We have the best player in the league. He is young, can possibly still even get better.

We are better than almost the entire league. We demolished one of the best sides going round in a Prelim Final, and have beaten basically everyone else this year.

Naughton remains as good a key forward prospect as there is in this league. He struggled last night and probably would really benefit from having an athletic and pacy key forward to partner him and make our forwardline even harder to defend. Unsure where we find someone like that though.

We have performed to a high level in a year where Covid has f*cked us on a number of levels, have still managed to get valuable gametime into a bunch of young guys (while clubs like Geelong have basically given the little young talent they have nothing).

It appears that the assistant coach shuffle we have asked for will happen should King leave (and maybe one other).

Beveridge still has "it". I was sceptical going into the season (and after the last three rounds) but he turned it back on for finals. Looking forward to seeing which random fringe player becomes borderline AA next season.

This should be the start of a pretty good period for the club. Our squad is built around a bunch of players that are either in their prime for a bit longer or haven't even got there yet. We have 3 of the most marketable players in the league and should add JUH to that soon, are fun to watch, have genuine elite talent everywhere, and have good people in key roles (Power and Beveridge the standouts). Making a Grand Final is a huge achievement, even if it plays out as it did last night. Aside from Melbourne i would be surprised if there is even a single club that wouldn't prefer to have our list and be in our position going forward than their own.

Well done Soupaman. You've hit on my sentiment exactly.

[bornadog]

Despite the loss, it has been great to make a Grandfinal, only the fourth one in the VFL/AFL era. As my wife said last night, now you know what it feels like to win and lose one.

I am confident going forward, we will continue to be a threat for the flag. This time it is a little different to after 2016. In 2016, our mix wasn't brilliant, because we had alot older guys who were close to retirement, and we had some really young guys who are now the core of our team. The team that ran out yesterday didn't have a player over 200 games, but had 9 players who are in the 50 to 100 games band of experience.

Add in a good ruckman and if we can either get a good CHB, or Gardner/Schache can develop into that role, we will be top four again.

Also, I can't wait to see Jamarra out there after another preseason.

[AshMac]

A lot to look forward to as dogs fans….

- we have a core group of genuinely elite footballers who have the peak of their career ahead of them
- we have last years pick no. 1 sitting in the wings building his tank
- this year we’ll have a pick 3 as a father son and have the ability to trade our picks to be aggressive in the trade period and still nab him (perhaps w a deficit for next year)
- the boys are a tight knit unit again - much like the 2016 outfit
- they’ve never really had a reason to dig in - now they know how much it hurts and what they’ve missed out on
- we have a full off-season now to be driven by this pain to fuel an opportunity next year

It’s a good time to be a dogs fan if the whole team leans in and embrace the challenge.

For me we need a ruck and a lock down defender - release Keath as an interceptor and have him lockdown in small patches.

We need new coaching assistants and some fresh blood in the box

[Twodogs]

This is easy.

We are already good, really good. Aside from that 10 minute capitulation we were as good a chance to win that game as anyone.

We have the best player in the league. He is young, can possibly still even get better.

We are better than almost the entire league. We demolished one of the best sides going round in a Prelim Final, and have beaten basically everyone else this year.

Naughton remains as good a key forward prospect as there is in this league. He struggled last night and probably would really benefit from having an athletic and pacy key forward to partner him and make our forwardline even harder to defend. Unsure where we find someone like that though.

We have performed to a high level in a year where Covid has f*cked us on a number of levels, have still managed to get valuable gametime into a bunch of young guys (while clubs like Geelong have basically given the little young talent they have nothing).

It appears that the assistant coach shuffle we have asked for will happen should King leave (and maybe one other).

Beveridge still has "it". I was sceptical going into the season (and after the last three rounds) but he turned it back on for finals. Looking forward to seeing which random fringe player becomes borderline AA next season.

This should be the start of a pretty good period for the club. Our squad is built around a bunch of players that are either in their prime for a bit longer or haven't even got there yet. We have 3 of the most marketable players in the league and should add JUH to that soon, are fun to watch, have genuine elite talent everywhere, and have good people in key roles (Power and Beveridge the standouts). Making a Grand Final is a huge achievement, even if it plays out as it did last night. Aside from Melbourne i would be surprised if there is even a single club that wouldn't prefer to have our list and be in our position going forward than their own.

Beautiful.

[1eyedog]

It might be tough, BUT - in October 2014 we had no captain, coach or CEO.
If someone had said that by 2021 we would have 7 more finals wins (given we only had 14 in our entire history to that point), 2 Grand Finals appearances and a flag I would have absolutely taken that.

So where do we go from here?

Well, we have two glaring deficiencies for mine - ruck, and an intercepting defender.

I trust Sam Power and think we'll address both of those (partially or completely) this upcoming trade period. The franework is there.
We were ahead in the third quarter of a GF - we can absolutely mix it with the best, and need to find a way to do it for longer.
Our core players should either maintain from or improve perhaps Alex Keath excepted.

What else?

We have a good interceptor, Keath, it's just that he's needed elsewhere. Maybe we need a decent lockdown tall to free Keath to play his more natural role. Might be easier to find than a good interceptor.

[boydogs]

Bont's post game interview was one of the best I've ever seen. It was really insightful into what went right and what went wrong, how Melbourne's style is hard to defend. He saw the year as a great step forward for the group and is expecting us to learn and grow from it

I think one thing that hasn't been spoken about enough this year is 6-6-6 and its influence on our improvement. Our strength was already our midfield, then we added Martin & Treloar as well, then Naughton, Bruce & English teamed up in our forward line and we started to be able to score really quickly and easily. Melbourne beat us at our own game on the day and I'm sure we will be looking for a ruck and our mids will be striving to improve for next time

[jeemak]

Bont's post game interview was one of the best I've ever seen. It was really insightful into what went right and what went wrong, how Melbourne's style is hard to defend. He saw the year as a great step forward for the group and is expecting us to learn and grow from it

I think one thing that hasn't been spoken about enough this year is 6-6-6 and its influence on our improvement. Our strength was already our midfield, then we added Martin & Treloar as well, then Naughton, Bruce & English teamed up in our forward line and we started to be able to score really quickly and easily. Melbourne beat us at our own game on the day and I'm sure we will be looking for a ruck and our mids will be striving to improve for next time

I guess the issue with the 6-6-6 rule is that it only benefits us when our mids are playing against a contingent opposite that is inferior or unbalanced like we can be, and not possibly just as good or close to as us but supported by two very talented rucks.

Agreed however, it was a good post game interview and extremely gracious which is what I would expect from someone of Bont's quality.

[macca]

It might be tough, BUT - in October 2014 we had no captain, coach or CEO.
If someone had said that by 2021 we would have 7 more finals wins (given we only had 14 in our entire history to that point), 2 Grand Finals appearances and a flag I would have absolutely taken that.

So where do we go from here?

Well, we have two glaring deficiencies for mine - ruck, and an intercepting defender.

I trust Sam Power and think we'll address both of those (partially or completely) this upcoming trade period. The franework is there.
We were ahead in the third quarter of a GF - we can absolutely mix it with the best, and need to find a way to do it for longer.
Our core players should either maintain from or improve perhaps Alex Keath excepted.

What else?

The problems we say on the GF, and woofers highlighted are good problems to have . Let me explain.

As a club we are in a fantastic position of strength to address them :
1. We have the financial resources, so we not suffer from all the stress of being in trouble in the past, and having that tragic poor club mentally overhang anymore.

2. Would be attractive to players who genuine want to play in a GF. I am baffled wtf, would Cerra want to go to Carlton and have his whole footy career ruined with s%%!%^house admin and politics. Sure, may he may get a career after footy in the Carlton Corporate connections games... go ask Kreuzer, scotland, McKernnan how well they did after footy ?

Is Cerra the burst type midfield player we need ?

3. We have the resources to develop, improve and address the players problems, injuries and grow their development. Also outside of footy there seems to be a good program for them

4. Strong, close and well connected group who have all bought in. My observation is I do not often see selfless acts from the players onfield.

I have faith in Sam power, in his recruiting and trading. We need to get those players in where we have gaps. He knows where they are, who they are to target. Just has to nail it.

Ed Langdon proved to be a super pickup for Melbourne. His seriously quick and runs all day.

5. Coach - well respected internally and externally. Genuinely loved and revered by the coaching group. They have all bought into the game play, belief. Maybe the coach needs more support or an external/fresh voice to really challenge them .

[Mofra]

Adding to the Marra/Sam Darcy point - in an open market, how much would a team have to give up in draft assets to trade up a couple of first rounders in the teens to get the no 1 pick one year and the number 3 pick the next year?
The cost would be absolutely horrendous yet that's exactly what we will get.

[comrade]

Something tells me Marra’s chances of winning the rising star in 2022 have just skyrocketed.

[kruder]

Something tells me Marra’s chances of winning the rising star in 2022 have just skyrocketed.

The fact he is at the gym today?

[wimberga]

The fact he is at the gym today?

And Mia Fevola has put up a post saying her and Marra have split...

[bulldogsthru&thru]

And Mia Fevola has put up a post saying her and Marra have split...

Marra away for 4 weeks. Split up already. Hmmmmm…..

[comrade]

And Mia Fevola has put up a post saying her and Marra have split...

Bingo.

[bornadog]

Marra away for 4 weeks. Split up already. Hmmmmm…..

Reason: Allegedly with another girl

[Sedat]

Reason: Allegedly with another girl
Relevance of this sits somewhere between zero and zero. Other people's private lives are of no concern or interest to me.

Hope he rips it up in the pre-season and has a cracking year in 2022. He is an exciting talent.

[bornadog]

Relevance of this sits somewhere between zero and zero. Other people's private lives are of no concern or interest to me.

Hope he rips it up in the pre-season and has a cracking year in 2022. He is an exciting talent.

Well we discuss all sorts of things on WOOF, and you can choose to respond or ignore.

[Sedat]

Well we discuss all sorts of things on WOOF, and you can choose to respond or ignore.
You're well within your rights to post that information on WOOF, and you did. It has precisely zero relevance or interest to me but it might have relevance to other posters.

What does interest me is Marra's onfield form. Whatever he decides to do in his private life, if he is performing at a high standard as a player that makes me as a supporter very happy.

[1eyedog]

Relevance of this sits somewhere between zero and zero. Other people's private lives are of no concern or interest to me.

Hope he rips it up in the pre-season and has a cracking year in 2022. He is an exciting talent.

Agreed and I'll be uncouth as it is often my way. Unless he's rooting under-aged girls with kids at home and hence has the potential to impact on the brand and the culture of the club I have zero care.

[LostDog]

What's the word on Matty Crofts boy