Reality bites

[White Winmar]

On that effort, we're nowhere near where we need to be if we're going to be top 4 in 2018 and premiers by 2020. We've been sold another bulls*** pup. Not pleasing, nor positive. The number one pick we were going to build around is a bust, thanks to our totally unqualified, numpty recruiting head. Our development is hampered by hiring token appointments rather than those who can get us ahead. We are way off it. A s*** team spanked us. The dopers are no good. Yes, we've come off three, 6 day breaks, but good teams overcome those obstacles and prepare properly for them. In another couple of years, Mr. Pleasing and his numpties will leave, only to be replaced by another budget team of second raters, who are what we can afford, rather than what is needed. I've seen it from the inside.

We simply can't compete with the big boys. Tonight was a watershed moment. Had we moved from second ratesville, or had we advanced? We've gone backwards since GT and RL. We've got an appalling history of hiring the wrong people. It's more important to hire a pc appointment as a development coach, rather than someone who is qualified and competent. The results are obvious. i weep for our generation. Methinks I'll never see the holy grail.

[Proph3t of egan]

Hahahaha, nice melt.

Always funny after a loss

[Joe Bloggs]

A little bit dramatic but points taken.

[iwantmeseats]

That 1st pick. Will Haunt us. For a long time.
We buggered it up not picking Judd as well. Just got lucky getting Ball instead!

[borderbarry]

We apparently are relying on a handful of players, and two of them were absent tonight. Hickey to replaceLonger terrible decision, after Holmes's game last week. 5 times the hitouts of the entire Footscray team.

[elizabethr]

Stevens and Steele have drunk their own bath water

[Waltzing St Kilda]

I chose not to watch the game.

Had a terrible feeling.

Throwing in a schoolkid for Membrey, ffs. Talk about flirting with form.

The Bombers would have been all over it. "They're treating us with contempt!"

Amateur hour again.

[Moods]

We were quite simply embarrassing. No other word to describe it. We were so outplayed we could easily have lost by 100 points. Our decision making deplorable. our field kicking terrible, our goal kicking even worse. We were able to apply pressure for 15 minutes in the last quarter.

Blokes dead in front spraying the ball. Hate to say it but Hickey actually has a pea heart - goes back with ball in goal square and crapped his pants. Could have taken his only mark of the game. Billings has improved, but PLEASE stop comparing him to the Bont. He isn't close right now. He was recruited for his kicking. The last few weeks (including last week) it has been well below par. I expected Billings to be like Zach Merret to be honest when we got him. Tonight when we needed a lift with a goal he wasn't capable. At least he's capable of getting it and having a shot. Roo is worrying. Stevens looked so slow tonight. So did Steele. they didn't look AFL standard. Jack Steven showed why he's not AA standard. Not because he didn't have a great game, but because his disposal under pressure is terrible. Just sprayed the ball everywhere. Seb was down and even got caught with the ball.

At least Roberton had a crack. God help us if he wasn't down there tonight. Our backline is constantly under siege.

Yep let's let Paddy have the year off and get himself right so he can crack at it next year. Wait. Isn't that same thing that was said last year, and the year before, and the year before? I can't think of another club that has ballsed up #1 draft pick selection in the last 20 years like we have

And I COMPLETELY agree with WW re the PC development coach selection as well. Said it at the time and sadly it's starting to come to fruition. Our younger players just aren't coming on like other clubs. Look at the Hawks? Looked like a basketcase at the start of the year. With a bunch of mid 20's 30's selections in the draft they actually look promising.

I am so frustrated. Have barely seen a decent game all year. Even when we have won half the time I'm frustrated because we look like we should be able to do so much better. We have been smashed now4 times this year. Wasn't supposed to happen, we were supposed to be more competitive.

The most worrying thing though - we barely have an injury throughout the club!!!!!!!!

[Saintly Passion]

Embarrassing performance after a strong month. No excuses but 3 games in 13 days incl Perth. Heard a number of blokes laid up ill during the week.
Scary part is next fortnight!

[Sainternist]

I don't think this evening is a true reflection of the team. We got caught flatfooted on bad night.

Willing to let it slide, however, the next two games look extremely difficult after coming off this loss.

[SydneySainter]

I had a very bad feeling about this game. A combo of consecutive 6 day breaks and all the "sky's the limit" hype was a recipe for disaster.

While I was prepared for a loss, it's a shame that it was yet another 50+ thrashing. It's never nice losing a game, but if we're going to lose, it would be great to at least have some fight. A four goal loss and at least we've made them earn it.

Looking ahead, I think we're now in real jeopardy of just missing the finals yet again - tough run combined with a crap percentage. For any chance at September, we now need to win one of the next two. The problem being, that would be the Swans in Sydney (bogey and always thump us) and Port at Adelaide Oval (yet to win there). Barring a herculean effort over the next fortnight, I don't think we'll playing finals.

It's not all doom and gloom though. There is still a lot to be excited about moving forward. The way I see it, we're just a year behind our rebuild. The debacle of the 2014 draft largely being the reason, plus some of Pelchan's wheeling and dealing delivering "meh" results.

[Con Gorozidis]

Cannot believe people were beating their puffed out chests and popping champagne after beating Richmond in a home and away game.

Richmond. Ninthmond. Shitmond.

Call them whatever you like. But getting carried away after beating them is what is wrong with our club and supporter base.

People were carrying on like it was the moon landing or something. Just absurd stuff.

[Moods]

Cannot believe people were beating their puffed out chests and popping champagne after beating Richmond in a home and away game.

Richmond. Ninthmond. Shitmond.

Call them whatever you like. But getting carried away after beating them is what is wrong with our club and supporter base.

People were carrying on like it was the moon landing or something. Just absurd stuff.

So losing to the 10th placed (or wherever the bombers were) is expected? Especially by 10 goals! Yeah some may have got carried away but pretty sure no-one expected that sort of effort last night. That's not indicative of where we are, that was just pathetic. I mean winning a game against the tiges is one thing but losing by the same margin the following week to a fairly ordinary team that 2 years ago was banned from the first 2 rounds of the draft? It's not like we lost to Sydney in Sydney or the Crows at Adelaide. We stunk it up against a good to average team on our home deck on a Friday night in front of 45K+ fans. I for one was happy , very happy about last week, but was nervous about last night. I could accept a 10-25 point loss where we were in the game all night. I expected to win though which I don't think is overating our list. Last night wasn't about how good the Bombers are, but how poor we were.

[The Pinch Hitters]

Call them whatever you like. But getting carried away after beating them is what is wrong with our club and supporter base.

What is the point of barracking for a club if you can't get excited by them producing an unbelievable half of football. If you don't want to enjoy that kind of performance that is all well and good, but what gives you the right to be the fun police and suggest that by enjoying it, we are what is wrong with our club?