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Review Semi final vs Hawthorn - Ugly, Historically Embarrassing and Pathetic

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Regarding Smith starting to be selected again when he was even resigned to the fact he wouldn't see the AFL again.. panic, playing it safe and going back to that experience well.
What a ****ing surprise.
"We won't see Smith this year" "We won't see Murphy this year with ANB in the side" "Laird will play down back"

As soon as anything goes slightly pear shaped Nicks rushes to his security blankets.
 
Most embarrassing finals effort by anyone in the history of the competition.

Finish first and then play like a wooden spoon team

You will not find a worse effort. You can look but there isn't one. This is it. And it will never be beaten as the worst
119?
 
Just listened to Nicks’ presser. His whole demeanour was very much channeling Ken’s “finals are scary” mantra.

If your board has any spine, and if they’ve learnt anything from our 13 years of waste, they will pull the plug before the damage becomes irreparable…
As the old Spartan reply goes.... IF
 

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Honest question, do y'all think you would've won with Rankine?

Not trying to kick a dog or anything, just think next year is more likely your year anyway.
No. Tone was set from the top and having more talent doesn't help going into a game with a negative and dour mindset on how you are going to play the game.
 
Posting in peace, disappointing finals series for sure but as an outsider I think you have rebuilt really well taking into account your transition from the mid 2010s team to now + covid compromised drafts, while also being able to bring in quality kids over the last 2 drafts.

Just need a bit more speed in the middle, next year you're easily making a prelim.
 
Would we have won if we inserted Rankine into a team where otherwise everyone else played exactly the same? No

Would we have won if Rankine never got suspended and didn't suck the energy out of the team through his idiocy? Maybe

We played after losing Rankine exactly how we played in his final 2 games. Our coward of a senior coach had already sucked the energy from the group. Rankine would have made no difference.
 
Yeah, after last week i was hoping we would at least win a fnal this year just to get that feeling into the side as confidence for next year. Lots of deficiencies in the side and nick got caught with his pants down tonight...hopeless
Your worst result was last week I reckon, nicks was totally out coached although your lack of finals experience showed. You've come from 15th though and it usually takes a few finals campaigns to have success.
 
ROB is a turnover merchant when he gets the ball though.

It would have been better if he literally did not touch the ball once
AFC internal email:
2026 Team Rules re ROB (NOTE: internal only, not for public knowledge):
Former Club Champion ROB is our preferred ruckman for the next 3 years.
--- do not handball to him. Ever.
--- do not let him kick the ball; always have someone running past him to take a handball-then-kick
--- expect the handball to be poor.
--- be prepared; if it looks like he's shaping to kick to X, expect the ball to go anywhere.
--- ROB is on notice that if he enters our F50 that's an automatic $10,000 Club Fine
finally:
--- Mids, do NOT get separation from their Mids, or ROB will tap to them for an easy clearance.
 
AFC internal email:
2026 Team Rules re ROB (NOTE: internal only, not for public knowledge):
Former Club Champion ROB is our preferred ruckman for the next 3 years.
--- do not handball to him. Ever.
--- do not let him kick the ball; always have someone running past him to take a handball-then-kick
--- expect the handball to be poor.
--- be prepared; if it looks like he's shaping to kick to X, expect the ball to go anywhere.
--- ROB is on notice that if he enters our F50 that's an automatic $10,000 Club Fine
finally:
--- Mids, do NOT get separation from their Mids, or ROB will tap to them for an easy clearance.
Could just be confirmation bias from last night, but does he always seem to tap to a 1-2 oclock (if you consider our goals to be 12 and theirs 6)?

We never ever have anyone there, and it's the prime spot for their mids on the defensive side to hit at pace when running forward. I need to stop talking about Rob otherwise I'm gonna blow a gasket.
 

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Unfortunately this was inevitable given the lead into the finals. After the anger and dismay has subsided.

Backline
Was found wanting with Hinge off his game during the finals and Smith pushed back in.
Worrell, Max and Milera were all solid. Keane played way too loose but the delivery to Gunston was first rate
We should of played Butts not Murray, send Murray to the forward 50.
We need games into Ryan and Bond.

Forward
The lack of Rankine and Rachelle hurt plus Fogarty disappearing. We lack a forward who can crash packs, Murray could.
Keays had a terrible finals
Pedlar did pretty well

Midfield
Shocking display that needs attention and decent coaching. Berry went from a defensive mid to an average offensive. Soligo is a shadow of himself. Taylor played well when in there.

Midfield should be worked on hard next year with Draper, Edwards, Taylor, Pedlar and Curtin played in there with Dawson, Soligo, Berry.

But we need to go after a Merrett, Zac Bailey etc

Let's be honest, the team shat themselves along with being horrendous in the centre. Zero clearances, poor disposals, dropped marks, it makes winning impossible
 
Nicks is a pathetic spineless coward of a coach. A loser. A fraud. A tactically inept moron. A boring uninspiring speaker. A bed wetter and pant shitter. A failure. A historic embarassment to the club

He does not have it and never will. Get rid of him.
Say that to his face I dare you 🙃
 
Could just be confirmation bias from last night, but does he always seem to tap to a 1-2 oclock (if you consider our goals to be 12 and theirs 6)?
I've never noticed, but it wouldn't surprise me.
I won't be watching the two Finals' replays to check. I couldn't take them.
We never ever have anyone there, and it's the prime spot for their mids on the defensive side to hit at pace when running forward. I need to stop talking about Rob otherwise I'm gonna blow a gasket.
He has two Game-efforts/styles. 1) Pre-contract and 2) after (apparently :sneaky:).
Pre 24/07/2025:
1) does a lot right; taps to our Mids' advantage, clunks marks around the ground especially from kick-outs and in D50, even kicks ok.
Post 24/07/2025:
2) becomes his Bizarro-opposite. All of the above disappears .

Watching ROB in these two Finals made my head go :eekv1: .
 

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You cant be the hero if you are constantly pulled back from the fire
Nicks hates heros
I dunno if that's it :sadv1: .

Something is wrong/off. I do not understand how the Comp's highest-scoring and 2nd-best defensive team could play so badly in those 2 Finals.
There seems to be some kind of disconnect between how the players want to play and how Nicks reins them in according to his defence-wins-games default, core belief.
But it doesn't show in terms of team spirit or discontent on-field (not that I can see, anyway).
Only on Game Day, when their belief, run-on and composure all disappear.
 
Your worst result was last week I reckon, nicks was totally out coached although your lack of finals experience showed. You've come from 15th though and it usually takes a few finals campaigns to have success.
Not sure as I agree with this. Adelaide lost a golden opportunity to play a grand final in 93 when a coaching masterstroke by Cornes, 42 points up over Essendon at half time, dragged Hodges, who was running rings around their defence, so as his bum chum Two Inch Tony could play the lone hand. Forgetting that Fletcher had Modra's measure every time previously, and completely unsettling the structure of the forward line. No finals until 97 when Blight took them all the way at the first attempt. Coaches win or lose finals with their strategy regardless of finals experience.
 

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Review Semi final vs Hawthorn - Ugly, Historically Embarrassing and Pathetic

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