Autopsy Sydney Legacy in Grand Finals continues 10 goal loss to the Lions

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Very hard to get excited or optimistic about the the upcoming season.

This flag was on a platter for us . You could not ask for a better opportunity to win a flag and got absolutely humiliated .

Little to no injuries all year, top of the ladder all year,2 home finals, a grand final vs a non vic team who had struggled most of the year, oppo had lost their number 1 ruck.

2022 we could move on from because they guys were young and we overachieved to get there. This one just keeps getting worse and worse the more time goes by
See you in 26
 
Get on the track as a group
And not give themselves a break and down-time to switch off mentally from footy? They would be cooked by the time round 1 even arrived.

You would be surprised the amount of training footy players do anyway, even whilst overseas on holidays.
 
Couldn't agree more with all of these KC, but the bolded point number three rings true to me the most. The AFLCA votes and B&F results were just a gut-punch to me. It told me all I needed to know about what our coaching staff value, and it's a lot of the wrong things. Actually a gut-punch is putting it mildly. It ****ing infuriated me.
Which is exactly why it needs to change. It's why defenders never win B&F. I don't mind Jake Lloyd, and maybe it's unfair to single him out, but I could never understand how his contribution could win him a B&F. He has played a role invented for him while being possibly the club's worst one-on-one defender of this century. Symptomatic of the criteria for many years.
If we value defensive and pressure acts Rowbottom should have won by streets, though Heeney wouldn't have been far behind, but Warner a fair way back. Melican a long way up, and so on.
This is on the coaches.
 
Which is exactly why it needs to change. It's why defenders never win B&F. I don't mind Jake Lloyd, and maybe it's unfair to single him out, but I could never understand how his contribution could win him a B&F. He has played a role invented for him while being possibly the club's worst one-on-one defender of this century. Symptomatic of the criteria for many years.
If we value defensive and pressure acts Rowbottom should have won by streets, though Heeney wouldn't have been far behind, but Warner a fair way back. Melican a long way up, and so on.
This is on the coaches.
McVeigh was worse 1 on 1 and taught him
 
Which is exactly why it needs to change. It's why defenders never win B&F. I don't mind Jake Lloyd, and maybe it's unfair to single him out, but I could never understand how his contribution could win him a B&F. He has played a role invented for him while being possibly the club's worst one-on-one defender of this century. Symptomatic of the criteria for many years.
If we value defensive and pressure acts Rowbottom should have won by streets, though Heeney wouldn't have been far behind, but Warner a fair way back. Melican a long way up, and so on.
This is on the coaches.
Can’t agree with you here KC.

There is absolutely no way that Heeney didn’t deserve the B&F. None.

As for Lloyd - I really think you’re doing him a disservice. He’s durable, tough as nails and I’m really not sure how you deem him the “worst one on one defender this century”. Waaaaaay too harsh in my opinion.
 
Which is exactly why it needs to change. It's why defenders never win B&F. I don't mind Jake Lloyd, and maybe it's unfair to single him out, but I could never understand how his contribution could win him a B&F. He has played a role invented for him while being possibly the club's worst one-on-one defender of this century. Symptomatic of the criteria for many years.
If we value defensive and pressure acts Rowbottom should have won by streets, though Heeney wouldn't have been far behind, but Warner a fair way back. Melican a long way up, and so on.
This is on the coaches.
It was the lack of Cunningham in the top 10, as well as Mitchell & McInerney winning awards over key defenders that clearly deserved them more that did it for me.

I don't think anyone could say with a straight face that Florent, Papley (who missed five games!!!!!), Jordon, Lloyd or even Grundy had better seasons than Cunningham. On par with, sure. But better? No chance. There were long stretches of this year where many thought Florent and Lloyd should be dropped, games where Jordon didn't even seem to have a role or impact at all, and Grundy was widely seen as disappointing in the second half of the season.

Cunningham didn't have the big eye-catching games or the big stats or the highlights, but the B&F isn't supposed to be about those things. It's supposed to be about rewarding the players who do their roles to a high standard consistently, regardless of fanfare, to make the team better.

That's how Nick Smith, who never even received a single Brownlow vote, was able to finish top 10 in the B&F every year between 2011 & 2016. It is how Heath Grundy, who didn't even make the 40-man AA squad in 2016, was able to finish above Dane Rampe, who made the 22-man AA team, in the B&F that year.

Hawthorn's three-peat team had some of the most brilliant and dynamic players of their generation in their midst - Buddy Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli, Shaun Burgoyne, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Grant Birchall, Brad Hill, Isaac Smith, Jack Gunston, Luke Breust. Yet their three B&Fs won during their three-peat were won by a contested key defender (Josh Gibson twice) and their most unremarkable midfielder (Jordan Lewis.) Big names and thrilling football be damned, it showed what Clarkson & co valued the most.

Meanwhile we clearly valued runners and goalkickers the most. Well, that's fine, but it goes a helluva long way to explaining the grand final.
 
Round 1 2025 can't come soon enough (or round 0). We'll just be sitting around rehashing the GF debacle until then.
I cannot even think about round 1 next year, I’ve got this thing in my head, what’s going to change, nothing new in changes, as we all know, couldn’t of had a better year regarding injuries, even in our losing streak, all the teams below us, lost the games that might of put them closer to us, I thought this is definitely our year, though at the back of my mind, I thought we played pretty football, I kept saying to myself “Is that really finals footy, really didn’t think we looked tougher enough when the pressure was on us, it’s the first time following the Swans that at the moment I have no hope at all for next year and I am a 20yr Premiership club member, never felt as despondent as I do now, not one word from the club has given me some reason to hope again.
 

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I cannot even think about round 1 next year, I’ve got this thing in my head, what’s going to change, nothing new in changes, as we all know, couldn’t of had a better year regarding injuries, even in our losing streak, all the teams below us, lost the games that might of put them closer to us, I thought this is definitely our year, though at the back of my mind, I thought we played pretty football, I kept saying to myself “Is that really finals footy, really didn’t think we looked tougher enough when the pressure was on us, it’s the first time following the Swans that at the moment I have no hope at all for next year and I am a 20yr Premiership club member, never felt as despondent as I do now, not one word from the club has given me some reason to hope again.
The addition of 4 inside mids, who never played in the GF, in Mills, Adams, Sheldrick and Cleary will change the makeup of the side. This alone is cause for hope. Slim. But hope anyway.

All have the necessary ball winning ability lacking in our side in important games lately. Hopefully it provides the necessary 5% that propels the side from a crepe paper outfit to a rugged outfit willing to accept and inflict bruises.
 
Can’t agree with you here KC.

There is absolutely no way that Heeney didn’t deserve the B&F. None.

As for Lloyd - I really think you’re doing him a disservice. He’s durable, tough as nails and I’m really not sure how you deem him the “worst one on one defender this century”. Waaaaaay too harsh in my opinion.
Each to his/her own opinions as we often say.
 
The addition of 4 inside mids, who never played in the GF, in Mills, Adams, Sheldrick and Cleary will change the makeup of the side. This alone is cause for hope. Slim. But hope anyway.

All have the necessary ball winning ability lacking in our side in important games lately. Hopefully it provides the necessary 5% that propels the side from a crepe paper outfit to a rugged outfit willing to accept and inflict bruises.
Really hope those midfield changes are made
 
The addition of 4 inside mids, who never played in the GF, in Mills, Adams, Sheldrick and Cleary will change the makeup of the side. This alone is cause for hope. Slim. But hope anyway.

All have the necessary ball winning ability lacking in our side in important games lately. Hopefully it provides the necessary 5% that propels the side from a crepe paper outfit to a rugged outfit willing to accept and inflict bruises.
Knowing Horse, if he plays those guys in the midfield it will probably be at the expense of Heeney and Rowbottom's rotations, not Warner and Gulden's.
 
This flag was on a platter for us . You could not ask for a better opportunity to win a flag and got absolutely humiliated .
This is why things look quite demoralising heading into next year. We had all the advantages, the best team in it and we still get belted. Because of that you have to ask the question if we cant get a flag with the best circumstances, is this group even capable? Its pessimistic but a totally fair enough view.

Also reflecting on the season from a fan perspective, the weeks just flew by given our on field success. It felt like I wasn't able to cherish the wins as much because of not only the high expectations but also predominantly thinking about the end goal and just waiting for the finals then the granny to happen.

Personally I want to try and get around and cherish the little things a bit more next year. Will make things alot more worthwhile given really everyone's confidence of us going all the way has been hindered. Still proud of the year we manufactured, but unfortunately it'll be a year to forget given what happened against the Lions.
 
The addition of 4 inside mids, who never played in the GF, in Mills, Adams, Sheldrick and Cleary will change the makeup of the side. This alone is cause for hope. Slim. But hope anyway.

All have the necessary ball winning ability lacking in our side in important games lately. Hopefully it provides the necessary 5% that propels the side from a crepe paper outfit to a rugged outfit willing to accept and inflict bruises.
Who are the four players making way for them?

Longmire doesn't make so many changes generally unless he's forced to.
 
I cannot even think about round 1 next year, I’ve got this thing in my head, what’s going to change, nothing new in changes, as we all know, couldn’t of had a better year regarding injuries, even in our losing streak, all the teams below us, lost the games that might of put them closer to us, I thought this is definitely our year, though at the back of my mind, I thought we played pretty football, I kept saying to myself “Is that really finals footy, really didn’t think we looked tougher enough when the pressure was on us, it’s the first time following the Swans that at the moment I have no hope at all for next year and I am a 20yr Premiership club member, never felt as despondent as I do now, not one word from the club has given me some reason to hope again.

I think there is always going to be natural change each new season. And fresh challenges for the coaches.

Even thinking back 12 months ago. We had no more Lance Franklin in the forward line. So we had to hope that our 3 younger talls would step up and also stay fit. We probably expected to have Mills, Parker and Sheldrick in the midfield but that did not happen. Also I did not think Roberts would be playing regular AFL. And we had to see how the 4 players we traded would fit into the team.

Obviously we have got issues we need to work on. And hopefully the coaching group finds it mentally stimulating. It will be interesting to see if they make adjustments to our inside midfield set up and if we have a smaller forward line. Or changes in our defence. And if any of the fringe players or draftees can push for selection.
 
Also reflecting on the season from a fan perspective, the weeks just flew by given our on field success. It felt like I wasn't able to cherish the wins as much because of not only the high expectations but also predominantly thinking about the end goal and just waiting for the finals then the granny to happen.

I was thinking about that through the season. That even if we were brilliant all year and went 23 wins 0 losses. It does not guarantee anything in September.

We can get injuries at the wrong time. Or play well but lose a close knockout game against a side that kicks a few flukey goals. I always think of finals as anything can happen.
 
Couldn't agree more with all of these KC, but the bolded point number three rings true to me the most. The AFLCA votes and B&F results were just a gut-punch to me. It told me all I needed to know about what our coaching staff value, and it's a lot of the wrong things. Actually a gut-punch is putting it mildly. It ****ing infuriated me.
Yep. Outside run is icing.
 
It was the lack of Cunningham in the top 10, as well as Mitchell & McInerney winning awards over key defenders that clearly deserved them more that did it for me.

I don't think anyone could say with a straight face that Florent, Papley (who missed five games!!!!!), Jordon, Lloyd or even Grundy had better seasons than Cunningham. On par with, sure. But better? No chance. There were long stretches of this year where many thought Florent and Lloyd should be dropped, games where Jordon didn't even seem to have a role or impact at all, and Grundy was widely seen as disappointing in the second half of the season.

Cunningham didn't have the big eye-catching games or the big stats or the highlights, but the B&F isn't supposed to be about those things. It's supposed to be about rewarding the players who do their roles to a high standard consistently, regardless of fanfare, to make the team better.

That's how Nick Smith, who never even received a single Brownlow vote, was able to finish top 10 in the B&F every year between 2011 & 2016. It is how Heath Grundy, who didn't even make the 40-man AA squad in 2016, was able to finish above Dane Rampe, who made the 22-man AA team, in the B&F that year.

Hawthorn's three-peat team had some of the most brilliant and dynamic players of their generation in their midst - Buddy Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli, Shaun Burgoyne, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Grant Birchall, Brad Hill, Isaac Smith, Jack Gunston, Luke Breust. Yet their three B&Fs won during their three-peat were won by a contested key defender (Josh Gibson twice) and their most unremarkable midfielder (Jordan Lewis.) Big names and thrilling football be damned, it showed what Clarkson & co valued the most.

Meanwhile we clearly valued runners and goalkickers the most. Well, that's fine, but it goes a helluva long way to explaining the grand final.
Correct. The fish rots from the head down as the saying goes.
 

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Autopsy Sydney Legacy in Grand Finals continues 10 goal loss to the Lions

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