Prediction Dr Sonja Hood AM

[Sillygit]

Kate Roffey on radio today demonstrating why sticking your head up when there's shit going down not always the wisest course of action.

Go as far to say, unless you're going to direct that shit distinctly at someone/something else, then its the worst course of action.

 

[giantroo]

Didn't hear it - did she struggle?

 

[Rod Stroker]

"I remain bullishly optimistic about our future.."

As opposed to bearishly optimistic?

 

[Warrboy]

Letter hits the right areas for me

 

[Rod Stroker]

"And next year, for the first time in a very long time, we enter the pre-season with a stable football department with minimal changes."

Not sure about this. So despite another shitful season, only minimal changes?
And sounds like we're in for another year of Brady

 

[giantroo]

Hello all, At the end of the men’s season and on the eve of our women’s season, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on where we are and where we are headed. First, the men’s season. One word – disappointing. The disappointment doesn’t nullify the moments of light – and I’ll get to those in a minute – but let’s not pretend it was a good 24 weeks overall. For many of us, it’s 24 disappointing weeks on top of a succession of disappointing seasons. And that takes its toll – inside and outside the club. I remain bullishly optimistic about our future, but I am as flattened as anyone by the football we watched to finish our year. I know you are, too. Although those last two results are fresh in our mind, it’s important to acknowledge the realities of having the youngest and least experienced list in the competition, and some of the positives from the year. So what are those positives? If I was to summarise, some of our young players took big steps forward, our medical and conditioning team kept our list relatively fit and healthy, and players continue to commit to the club long-term. And next year, for the first time in a very long time, we enter the pre-season with a stable football department with minimal changes. This stability on and off the field is something we’ve been striving to achieve, because a strong, stable organisation is the bedrock from which improvement will come. Not just promising signs – but sustainable, long-term success. And, eventually, silverware. I simply cannot think of two better people to lead us out of this on-field predicament than Alastair Clarkson and Todd Viney. Their experience and the confidence they and their team bring to the club is as important as the instability has been challenging in the preceding years. Make no mistake, though – stability doesn’t mean performance isn’t questioned or challenged. It is, and will continue to be. But the people we have in place are the people who will fix this performance issue. Going back for a moment to the theme of players taking steps forward, it’s important to recognise those who have received industry awards or nominations in recent weeks. Congratulations firstly to Tristan Xerri 38 Tristan Xerri Age 25 Ht 201cm Wt 99kg Pos. Ruck Career Season Last 5 D 5.5 1star K 3.0 1star HB 2.5 2star CL 1.0 3star HO 2.5 5star D 5.5 1star K 3.0 1star HB 2.5 2star CL 1.0 3star HO 2.5 5star D 5.5 2star K 3.0 1star HB 2.5 3star CL 1.0 3star HO 2.5 5star and Harry Sheezel, who earned All-Australian squad nominations this year. Harry was also voted by the AFL coaches as their Best Young Player on Thursday night. George Wardlaw finished runner-up in the AFL Rising Star Award, and won a place in the AFLPA’s 22Under22 team alongside Colby McKercher and Harry. Tom Powell and Paul Curtis were named in the AFLPA’s extended squad of 44 players. And Jackson Archer’s Rising Star nomination was just reward for a strong finish to the season. Add the stellar seasons of Luke Davies-Uniacke 9 Luke Davies-uniacke Age 25 Ht 188cm Wt 89kg Pos. Mid Career Season Last 5 D 13.1 3star K 6.5 3star HB 6.6 4star M 2.5 3star T 2.2 4star CL 2.0 4star D 7.0 1star K 3.0 1star HB 4.0 3star M 2.0 2star T 1.0 2star CL 2.0 4star D 9.8 3star K 5.0 2star HB 4.8 4star M 1.6 2star T 1.8 4star CL 1.2 4star and Charlie Comben, who both put their recent injury issues behind them, and the first-year draftees who each made their AFL debuts – Zane Duursma, Riley Hardeman and Wil Dawson – and there is a great core of players aged 25 and under who will take us forward. The list needs time and experience – the two things you can’t fast track – but we have talent in spades. We know it, and the external validation via the awards and nominations underlines that confidence. Second, to AFLW, where expectations are high and performance hasn’t been an issue in our seven seasons in the competition. It’s a little over eight months since we fell agonisingly short against Brisbane in our first Grand Final. It’s painful looking back at that day. Making it was wonderful – but it wasn’t enough. I look back at that day – in fact, at last season as a whole – with incredible pride. Pride in the way that our team demonstrated to the whole world just what the North Melbourne Football Club is capable of. And pride in the roar of our fans when the team ran out onto the ground. I sense our players discovered what that pride feels like when they stood side by side with fellow North people on the hill at Port Melbourne for the magnificent VFLW premiership win. All loudly wearing the blue and white, singing Hearts to Hearts with gusto and joy – just like so many have done with the team in past seasons. So to coach Darren Crocker, our incredible skipper Emma Kearney and the entire team, make no mistake, we all believe in you. Bring your best, be your best, and expect the best from everyone around you. There are plenty of places in your life where it’s okay to just be okay, to turn up and tick the boxes – but this isn’t one of them. And finally, to all of you, our members and supporters, the best in the competition – your passion and love for this club is what keeps us going. Bring on Brisbane in Round 1 on Sunday, and ‘Go Roos!’ Sonja

 

[Mr north man]

"And next year, for the first time in a very long time, we enter the pre-season with a stable football department with minimal changes."

Not sure about this. So despite another shitful season, only minimal changes?
And sounds like we're in for another year of Brady

Letter like this expected time to practice what you preach .
Do you want to end up like that cow who is the Chair women of Melbourne and made to look the fool?
Time to take a stand.

 

[justroyal]

Yeah, I’m not sure I’m copping that Sonja.

Going from flattened and bullishly optimistic to saying one light was one young player?

I think talking about how the club will be bullish in the off-season and pre-season would have been a better angle to sell it to us. We don’t need reminding of the small lights of Xerri and Sheezel and a young list with talent.

Oh and the Hardeman shout out who played like one game. Seriously?

Just tell us these lazy campaigners are going to get their arses handed to them at training this pre-season

 

[Carlos Herrrnandez]

What an embarrassingly arrogant club we have.

"The people we have in place are the people who will fix this performance issue"

2024 3 wins 20 losses 17th
2023 3 wins 20 losses 17th
2022 2 wins 20 losses 18th
2021. 4 wins 1 draw 17 losses 18th
2020 3 wins 14 losses 17th

Can we ask what she's basing that statement on? There is literally nothing to indicate the people in place are competent in the slightest. Where is the evidence?

 

[Only Forwards]

Letter was always going to be a hiding to nothing.

There is nothing that can be really said to appease people because the collective now need action and improvement to play out on field and specifically in the win loss column.

She would not be able to put into a letter to members pointing out specific short comings most certainly not the specific short comings of individuals either within the FD or within the playing group.

 

[Only Forwards]

Can we ask what she's basing that statement on? There is literally nothing to indicate the people in place are competent in the slightest. Where is the evidence?

What would you have her say?

Clarkson is coach until 2027.

He brought on Viney who is not going to be moved on any time soon (nor should he TBH)

You want her to say what?

"We have no faith that we have made the right decisions for the football club and we simply don't know what is going to happen. But we pray that at some point the perfomances will improve?"

I am really interested in what people think that she could say given how shit we have been.

 

[Carlos Herrrnandez]

What would you have her say?

Clarkson is coach until 2027.

He brought on Viney who is not going to be moved on any time soon (nor should he TBH)

You want her to say what?

"We have no faith that we have made the right decisions for the football club and we simply don't know what is going to happen. But we pray that at some point the perfomances will improve?"

I am really interested in what people think that she could say given how shit we have been.

There's more to performance than Clarko and Viney btw.

I would not have included that line. Your suggestion is actually the truth, but I'm not an idiot and appreciate that would never be published. I would certainly not write the line I highlighted.

 

[Cyber_punk]

"The disappointment doesn’t nullify the moments of light"

Yeah, dunno about that. 4 decent weeks against 20 absolute shits ones.

Then again, this is a club who's happy to have a captain who has had about 20 good games out of 200, so the bar is already low.

 

[DocSholl]

There's more to performance than Clarko and Viney btw.

I would not have included that line. Your suggestion is actually the truth, but I'm not an idiot and appreciate that would never be published. I would certainly not write the line I highlighted.

Then people would complain she's avoiding the issue. This sort of stuff is no win so take such emails with a grain of salt

 

[Ball Dont Lie]

Not much of a member communication. No mention of how we plan to replace the Tasmania money. No update on the Arden Precinct. No indication around how the club performed commercially this year. No questioning of the players and current leaders. Seems like the club just takes the average members for suckers who would only be interested in win/loss and nothing else.

 

[TruRoo]

"I remain bullishly optimistic about our future.."

As opposed to bearishly optimistic?

I'd rather steadfastly.

Edit - "steadfastly confident". This talk of optimism sounds a bit like she's not overly confident we won't have another few years of dumpster fire.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Not much of a member communication. No mention of how we plan to replace the Tasmania money. No update on the Arden Precinct. No indication around how the club performed commercially this year. No questioning of the players and current leaders. Seems like the club just takes the average members for suckers who would only be interested in win/loss and nothing else.

Lip service.

That’s all this sort of stuff is.

Wouldn’t put it past Jen Watt to sneak a fifth Tassie game in after her absolute membership debacle.

 

[TruRoo]

Lip service.

That’s all this sort of stuff is.

Real boilerplate stuff

 

[Ball Dont Lie]

Lip service.

That’s all this sort of stuff is.

Wouldn’t put it past Jen Watt to sneak a fifth Tassie game in after her absolute membership debacle.

I understand that but a few dot points on the commercials wouldn’t hurt. The club clearly now see itself as equally representative of the women’s and men’s programs. On field the women have been successful. I would imagine the club is content overall with the performance of the club and its direction given how well the women perform. The commercials however are mainly generated by the men so it’s important to keep evaluating them whilst the men continue to be underperforming.

 

[Marstermind]

I read that letter and thought 'meh'.

It starts off with one paragraph of "Well that was shit" - Duh

Then 13 paragraphs of "But what about all the awesome stuff amongst the shit?" - So what? We finished miles below the modest expectations we had. Of course some players were OK, but collectively they sucked and the rest individually were putrid.

And then the rest was all AFLW - So what?

I like Sonja. And she was on a hiding to nothing writing anything. But that was very, very underwhelming. The natives are getting restless and "We're young and experience and it's going to take time" doesn't cut it when we've been so shit for so long, and the next youngest team is playing finals next week.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

I read that letter and thought 'meh'.

It starts off with one paragraph of "Well that was shit" - Duh

Then 13 paragraphs of "But what about all the awesome stuff amongst the shit?" - So what? We finished miles below the modest expectations we had. Of course some players were OK, but collectively they sucked and the rest individually were putrid.

And then the rest was all AFLW - So what?

I like Sonja. And she was on a hiding to nothing writing anything. But that was very, very underwhelming. The natives are getting restless and "We're young and experience and it's going to take time" doesn't cut it when we've been so shit for so long, and the next youngest team is playing finals next week.

Screams of ‘we thought we’d be a lot better, but we’re not….and we’ve no ****ing idea why.’

 

[trooroo4life]

I deleted it without reading.

Instead of the copy paste emails every 12 months, why not get in front of the members/fans and answer questions in one of those q&a videos they do.

 

[Sillygit]

What an embarrassingly arrogant club we have.

"The people we have in place are the people who will fix this performance issue"

2024 3 wins 20 losses 17th
2023 3 wins 20 losses 17th
2022 2 wins 20 losses 18th
2021. 4 wins 1 draw 17 losses 18th
2020 3 wins 14 losses 17th

Can we ask what she's basing that statement on? There is literally nothing to indicate the people in place are competent in the slightest. Where is the evidence?

do we have the same people in place as 2020?

 

[Sillygit]

you know what, nevermind, the entirely predictable bitch and moan session is inevitable it seems

 

[Marstermind]

Screams of ‘we thought we’d be a lot better, but we’re not….and we’ve no ****ing idea why.’

And "we don't know what to do about it except be patient."

I get she can't spruik doom and gloom or tee off against the coaches and players, but pissing down our backs probably isn't a great move either, yet she has to say something at some point. Tough gig. Maybe just let the dust settle a bit, wait for the whole shebang to wrap up and take the time to offer up something more substantial and constructive.