Mentally "up" for 7 years ... and what AFL history

[Legendary]

There's a core of 10-15 blokes in this group who've been mentally "up" for 7 years, since 2004.

They have basically believed they are good enough to win it, and they've fallen short in 7 out of the last 7 years.

It's got to take it's toll eventually. At some point there is a level of mental fatigue where the effort is going to drop off ... at anything in life, there's only so long you can persist unless you see results.
It's called being human.


We've gotta be realistic. We've had 2 really really serious chances at winning a premiership and we haven't.

Sometimes that's life - you do your absolutely blood best and it's not good enough. That's the way it goes.

History tells us that you can't ask for 2 GF's in a row ... lose both ... and then expect another chance straight away.


Basically through the expertise of our coaches, the committment of our playing group and a little bit of luck we were given the opportunity to win a flag ... twice ...

But we didn't.

And it's unrealistic to expect that we would defy history and challenge for a third year in a row. It's probably defying the human psyche too.

So we now re-load, we back the ability of our coaching staff and the current playing group to address the situation, and we take a longer term view ... look to the next 3-5 years.


Collingwood finished bottom 4 in 2004 & 2005 ... a couple of years after playing in 2 GF's.

They reloaded just like we will do and built the nucleus of their next premiership squad from that time down the bottom. Just like we can do.

Time to keep the faith ... we really have had the "ride of our life" since 2004. Part of us must be thankful.

Now it's about the future.

[saint patrick]

The post of the night by a country mile..thank you

[Thinline]

I agree. But I'd add that if we're smart, we still have time. Might make the eventual trough a little deeper, but it can be done.

[NoMore]

As i have said before. It is in our blood to miss opprtunities.

I have seen us be genuine chalenges 4 times

90/91/92 then again we should have won in 97 then in 04/05 we should have got one and then again in 09/10.

A club with a winning culture wold have won at least 2 of them. A club like Hawthorn might have won 4.

I'm sorry and it kills me to say it.

We are losers.

[dcstkfc]

May Ross have the serenity to accept the things he cannot change, Courage to change the things he can, And wisdom to know the difference.

[remboy]

This is what hurts me the most. We've been contenders for the last 7 seasons and we've got nothing to show for it. I remember Paul Roos saying when the Swans won their flag that you don't usually win flags by having one good season, you had to string a number of them together and when everything aligned you'd get your opportunity. Why don't things ever seem to align for us? Every time we get close something stuffs up.
Still, I've been a supporter for a lot of years and I'd rather the last 7 years than go through 79-86 again.

[linz]

As i have said before. It is in our blood to miss opprtunities.

I have seen us be genuine chalenges 4 times

90/91/92 then again we should have won in 97 then in 04/05 we should have got one and then again in 09/10.

A club with a winning culture wold have won at least 2 of them. A club like Hawthorn might have won 4.

I'm sorry and it kills me to say it.

We are losers.

Even your user name suggests you're not very optimistic about life. Get over it. We can now look forward to seeing some new kids having a go & we'll have another crack soon. Sooner than you think I'm sure.

[cwrcyn]

No more, please don't trot out that CULTURE word. That's a load of nonsense. Carlton were full of dickheads and criminals in the 80s and won flags. Collingwood went 32 years losing countless GFs but no-one questioned their culture. Did Sydney take 100 years to win a flag becuase of their culture, and do the Bulldogs have a culture issue because they can't get past preliminary finals?

The word is a cliche that's been dumped on St Kilda because the club was a failure during the 80s, and a few people attributed it to the fact thet we had a disco at the club, when the rality was that the club had crippling debts due to the construction of the grandstannd at Moorabin in the 60s.

For the best part of the past 20 years our club has been stable, well run and for had for the most part a commited and professional group of players.


Culture my arse!





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[bigcarl]

Time to keep the faith ... we really have had the "ride of our life" since 2004. Part of us must be thankful.

Now it's about the future.

Yep, no flag but we've had a pretty good run.

[bigred]

We are losers.

Speak for yourself.

[Thinline]

As i have said before. It is in our blood to miss opprtunities.

I have seen us be genuine chalenges 4 times

90/91/92 then again we should have won in 97 then in 04/05 we should have got one and then again in 09/10.

A club with a winning culture wold have won at least 2 of them. A club like Hawthorn might have won 4.

I'm sorry and it kills me to say it.

We are losers.

Your attitude is appallingly s***. This post is the icing on a large cake.

[NoMore]

Yes the Bulldogs are in the same boat as us

Sydney were and it took something major to pull them out of it. Namely an unbelievable coach and a group of leaders rivaled by few in the games history.

Being criminals has othing to do with winning culture. Carlton expect to win that is why they won flags. They believe it is there birth right. As much as i hate to say it Eddie, Mick and that scum Maxwell have turned collingwood around. Maxwwell tells the players not they can win but they will win and for some reason they believe it

Hawthorn for the last 50 years believe if they make it to a GF they will win it because as a club that is what they have done for 50years

West Coast are the same, as well as Essendon.

It is sad but we are not in the same boat

[georgie girl]

Mentally tough call for the team to come up again after 3 GF losses in 2 years. Remember Geelong lost many Grand Finals and then came back to win some and remain a force. Don't write the Saints off yet!

[perfectionist]

...91/92 then again we should have won in 97 then in 04/05... then again in 09/10....

Agree with all that (and you could add 71), but not you conclusion which is simply the result. In fact, we are jinxed. No team has come so close to two flags in consecutive years (09/10) and lost both. I blame plugger66.

But on the OP, I think you are pretty right. If we remember that so much of the game is played in the mind, then today is the culmination of so much heartache. I can barely bring myself to think about it and I only sit in the stands and pontificate. Imagine the poor bloody players. In reality, our shot was in 2009 where we underperformed on the big day. Last year we over performed, until GF2 anyway. Now we are about six players away from being a threat, because some have just reached the end of the road, a couple after magnificent service, like Jason Blake and Steven Baker. Stephen Milne is also near the end, and was stiff not to be AA at least once. Whilst the cry will go up "play the kids", the problem is none of the kids are much good. They might replace very average players but none of the top six or eight. Alas, with GC and WS, even finishing low does not bring any reward anymore, unless it's last. We might give it a shake.

[cwrcyn]

So if the ball had bounced into Milne's arms at the end of the GF last year, our culture for the past 20 years would be considered as completely different?

Grand final wins are not the be all and end all in relation to winning culture. Playing finals on a consistent basis is a more reliable reflection of it, and based on this, since 2004 we have had a winning culture.

I think that you can really only judge a football club by their recent era, as all those who went before lived unnder a very different environment. Every club has had their share of failure. The professional era only really started in the 70's, so I think it's fair to judge the current group of teams within that time frame. All teams ahve ahd a mix of success and failure in that period, with maybe one or two exceptions.





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[dcstkfc]

...91/92 then again we should have won in 97 then in 04/05... then again in 09/10....

Agree with all that (and you could add 71), but not you conclusion which is simply the result. In fact, we are jinxed. No team has come so close to two flags in consecutive years (09/10) and lost both. I blame plugger66.

Collingwood fans had it pretty tough for a while there.

4 points in 64
1 in 66
10 in 70 (having led by 44)
Draw in 77
5 in 79

didn't even mention 60, 80 or 81

[plugger66]

...91/92 then again we should have won in 97 then in 04/05... then again in 09/10....

Agree with all that (and you could add 71), but not you conclusion which is simply the result. In fact, we are jinxed. No team has come so close to two flags in consecutive years (09/10) and lost both. I blame plugger66.

But on the OP, I think you are pretty right. If we remember that so much of the game is played in the mind, then today is the culmination of so much heartache. I can barely bring myself to think about it and I only sit in the stands and pontificate. Imagine the poor bloody players. In reality, our shot was in 2009 where we underperformed on the big day. Last year we over performed, until GF2 anyway. Now we are about six players away from being a threat, because some have just reached the end of the road, a couple after magnificent service, like Jason Blake and Steven Baker. Stephen Milne is also near the end, and was stiff not to be AA at least once. Whilst the cry will go up "play the kids", the problem is none of the kids are much good. They might replace very average players but none of the top six or eight. Alas, with GC and WS, even finishing low does not bring any reward anymore, unless it's last. We might give it a shake.

Surely it isnt all my fault?

[NoMore]

So if the ball had bounced into Milne's arms at the end of the GF last year, our culture for the past 20 years would be considered as completely different?

Grand final wins are not the be all and end all in relation to winning culture. Playing finals on a consistent basis is a more reliable reflection of it, and based on this, since 2004 we have had a winning culture.

I think that you can really only judge a football club by their recent era, as all those who went before lived unnder a very different environment. Every club has had their share of failure. The professional era only really started in the 70's, so I think it's fair to judge the current group of teams within that time frame. All teams ahve ahd a mix of success and failure in that period, with maybe one or two exceptions.

GF wins are it
They are everything
They are the only thing that determines success




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[perfectionist]

..Surely it isnt all my fault?

I'm afraid so. It's a cross that you will just have to bear. If only you had been nicer or not been a subscriber to the Herald Sun.

[satchmo]

GF wins are it
They are everything
They are the only thing that determines success

Sounds like you have other issues. Please don't breed.

[plugger66]

..Surely it isnt all my fault?

I'm afraid so. It's a cross that you will just have to bear. If only you had been nicer or not been a subscriber to the Herald Sun.

Sorry.

[NoMore]

GF wins are it
They are everything
They are the only thing that determines success

Sounds like you have other issues. Please don't breed.

I have other issues

Sorry would u like a participation award

Winning is everything

Anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves

[clarky449]

Its just a shame that we have to wait even longer. But hey the saints could only blow the chances we have had.

[thejiggingsaint]

Onya! A LEGENDARY post indeed! I felt Bloody awful (still do) but your sentiments give me back some faith and a wee bit of backbone too for the struggles to come!!!

[joffaboy]

GF wins are it
They are everything
They are the only thing that determines success

Sounds like you have other issues. Please don't breed.

I have other issues

Sorry would u like a participation award

Winning is everything

Anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves

You are a sad see you next tuesday if you define yourself by a football team and think the only success in life is winning foorball matches.

What a sad deluded life you must have led

BTW OP right on. We are done.

It is over.

Time to let this year go, blood some kids, get a couple of decent dp's and have another crack before the nucleus of this current team is too old.