Review Dees v the Suns and no Trac: the Good, the Bad and the Fugly

[I Love Lamb]

Is it me or have we suddenly become good at tap ones and booting it off the ground? I feel like we have always been shit at this and now suddenly look like the Harlem globe trotters doing it.

 

[stEdy]

How could I forget Melky coming back in and kicking 4 snags. Hanger was so pure. (he nearly took another few hangers earlier too - was LAUNCHING at the footy)

 

[schmuttt]

Is it me or have we suddenly become good at tap ones and booting it off the ground? I feel like we have always been shit at this and now suddenly look like the Harlem globe trotters doing it.

Players are more confident going forward like that and have trained it.

 

[Scythe]

Side note, man it's nice to be good at the 'G again. We'd been embarrassing at home in particular for the past few years.

 

[I Love Lamb]

It’s amazing how so many of our 2025 spuds are suddenly looking good. **** Goodwin was shit.

 

[Crimson Azure]

Lever’s role is looking different. Doing much of the same thing but in slightly more aggressive positions which seems to work.

Also seems to have a bit of an attacking role as an option out of defence.

 

[Scythe]

God it's funny reading oppo boards (particularly from other rebuilding teams) and seeing all this jealousy about how we're playing/how we've already gone past their team etc.

We've done a full 180 and are an exciting team again. Pretty incredible turnaround.

 

[Daemon]

I reckon goody is suffering a bit right now with all the praise for sKing.

Makes me sound like a campaigner, but **** him. We supporters had to suffer his shit for years.

I don't dislike him as a person but he seriously held us back for a long time. I still stand by my assertion we won the granny in spite of him, not from any genius coaching. It was a stacked side and would have won if my gran was coaching.

King is such a good breath of fresh air. And we are playing fun watchable footy!

 

[Higgs Boson]

God it's funny reading oppo boards (particularly from other rebuilding teams) and seeing all this jealousy about how we're playing/how we've already gone past their team etc.

We've done a full 180 and are an exciting team again. Pretty incredible turnaround.

 

[Daemon]

Tears of unfathomable sorrow!

 

[autocol]

I don't dislike him as a person but he seriously held us back for a long time. I still stand by my assertion we won the granny in spite of him, not from any genius coaching. It was a stacked side and would have won if my gran was coaching.

King is such a good breath of fresh air. And we are playing fun watchable footy!

I do dislike him as a person. Didn't like him when he was appointed, didn't like him (though was begrudgingly grateful) when we won the flag, don't like him now.

A bloke with a known history of drug and gambling issues really should not be put in a leadership position in an AFL club (or anywhere, really). Clarry was the best player in the game, and tore himself apart because he couldn't control his impulses. I put a chunk of the blame for that at the feet of Badloss.

The fact that he made us play a dour style of footy that was bland as all f*** to watch just adds salt to the wound.

I only wish we could've made the change two-three years earlier.

 

[Topkent]

Just blown away
Thought we were gonna get smashed, I seriously have to reconsider where we can finish this year because that type of performance can having us aiming for 5-10th
Someone else said Daniher esc, **** oath it was. How good is it knowing that if we go 15 points down at any stage its not going to take us a quarter and a half to get back into the game. Its such fun footy, I dont mind when we concede because you know were gonna have our turn

Rude said Koz was like Gaj, he was so good. Bro is the definition of hurt factor. He turns basic clearances into a massive scoring opportunity but now he has forwards who lead up at him

Speaking of how good to see guys coming at the ball, dont need a million dollar key forward just kick it infront of Melk, Mihocek and Fristch and theyll get it done

Melk and Mihocek were awesome, im gonna look wrong about him and another recruit if we're genuinely a finals contender.

Steele was awesome, the defensive accountability is having an impact on the other mids. No more Oliver just walking after a contest and his piss weak arm tackle, played like when he was being compared to Lenny Hayes

Lenny Hayes

Age

46

Ht

186cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.5

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

11.0

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

5.0

5star

CL

5.2

5star

No current season stats available

D

9.2

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.6

2star

T

0.4

3star

. I could be wrong, but feels like Steele has taken Vineys role and im not sure I want Viney back. But maybe he can adapt aswell to the new style.

Langford as a marking forward **** yeah

This new game plan is bringing the best out of some 'role' players. Sharp, Chandler and Howes are all contributing. They probably had to pick up Trac and Olivers training gear and give them rub downs under Goody. Now they play important roles

Just wanna mention kozzy again, wow

Only negatives were Laurie, **** off please. Our defence is gonna be an issue all year, Howes feels like the only one I trust to beat his man 1-1 , with Mcdonald second.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

It’s amazing how so many of our 2025 spuds are suddenly looking good. **** Goodwin was shit.

Genuinely criminal not sacking Goody after 2024, let alone 2023. Personally I'd have been happy to see him go after 2022 but you can understand why they might have kept him around since he was so loved by the players if he promised to change things, which he barely did in 2023. Then I reckon they saw the forward line injuries of late 2023 and figured Goody was hard done by and they couldn't sack him.

But how the **** did he survive 2024. The absolute tragedy of not getting to see Trac and Oliver play under a proper coach with teammates who could make the most of their brilliance...

 

[Demon Attack]

Yep Goodwin spent four years with a generational list trying to win each game by kicking 8 goals and conceding 7 goals. Gagf can't stand they campaigner and I'm hating him more and more each week.

Petty shifted forward is bad news for him with all the big boys playing well in the twos.

Demon Dash was savage, Kossie absolutely crushed that kids dreams. I loved it. Ruthless club all the way

Crowd was small but feral and awesome. Fans seem to be fully behind this team.

Midfield was unreal, demolished one of the best in the comp. Third week of scoring over 100. Latrelle had his best game and could easily have kicked 3. Melky snapping snags and taking hangers. Langford gonna be unreal when he is given the keys to the midfield and rests forward . Sky is the limit for that kid.

Kolt is a duffer but I loved his goal. Sharp is a handy player.

Steele what a recruit. Thanks Saints enjoy Silvagni.

Max embarrassing a quality ruckman like he does every week.

We look so fit. Outran and looked fresher than teams off a bye back to back.

Iced the clock in a calm and professional way.

I'm nuffing it up. September beckons. Imagine winning a final at the G this year

 

[Topkent]

Also wanna point this out again for anyone who still thinks we need one. GC I reckon had the 3 best key forwards on the ground in King, Walter and Reid.
Yet we not only outscored them we pumped them. When you move the ball like we do you just need seperation on your opponent not size.

 

[Topkent]

But I'm full nuffed, I absolutely love this team

 

[Running_Lifter86]

Shows you how full of shit Goodwin was. 3 years and no progress. sKing got us 3-1 playing the complete opposite of what we were doing previously.

Ball movement yes

We won
Clearances 39-28 and 18-9 centre clearances
CP plus 22

Some things in footy don’t change.

But full credit to king and the playing group for embracing the new style of footy. Sides relying entirely on defensive systems and clearance/CPs are behind the game.

 

[Running_Lifter86]

God it's funny reading oppo boards (particularly from other rebuilding teams) and seeing all this jealousy about how we're playing/how we've already gone past their team etc.

We've done a full 180 and are an exciting team again. Pretty incredible turnaround.

Those clubs forget we still had a good nucleus of senior players and premiership players at that.

Having Gawn as captain and the best ruckman of all time is a huge advantage.
Kossie taking his game to another level.

Adding in younger talent drafted in the last 4 years
JVR, Windsor, Langford, Howes, Lindsay, latrelle, etc.

Rivers will come good, but guys like Bowey, petty - premiership players will time on their side but 100 games experience.

Makes it easier to stay in the hunt rather than completely bottoming out

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Ball movement yes

We won
Clearances 39-28 and 18-9 centre clearances
CP plus 22

Some things in footy don’t change.

Even then though, King has tried to balance our centre square mix far more than Goodwin ever did.

 

[mrmonkey]

Even then though, King has tried to balance our centre square mix far more than Goodwin ever did.

Simon was all about contest, contest, contest. The problem is if we lose the contest we were stuffed. That happened more often than not even with Trac, Oliver and Viney. King obviously still rates contest but is much more balanced. That's why Sparrow and Steel work well, they are there to win the contest but we still have mids staying out. Pickett also can go in and win hard ball but he's just a talent where he can easily find space quickly.

 

[Headless]

He's got something to prove, and at the moment he's proving it.

Momentum's a big thing in football, and at the moment, it's going all the way of... MELBOURNE.

 

[mrmonkey]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but Melksham mentioned that the players are playing with freedom. Funny what can happen if you let footballer's play football rather than playing like robots.

 

[Jamurp]

Far out how good is footy again? Feels like coming out of 4 years of absolute slog footy, King has breathed life into this group and it’s just so fun to watch. Young players playing with so much confidence, and we have leaders across the ground, including Steele who’s come in and been fantastic.

Unfortunately missed the game but caught the last quarter, has to be one out best wins in years against a genuinely good Suns side who challenged us.

Will watch that on replay, when would you ever watch a Goody dees match on replay post 21? King dees is where it’s at.

 

[Topkent]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but Melksham mentioned that the players are playing with freedom. Funny what can happen if you let footballer's play football rather than playing like robots.

Interested to see how far this takes us, it's full on vibes footy.
It doesn't feel like it's all attack though. The freedom to attack means you can see people wanna run and chase because it's being rewarded with scores

 

[Johnny Karate]

Momentum's a big thing in football, and at the moment, it's going all the way of... MELBOURNE.

This game is over… MELBOURNE… lead by… SIX… POINTS…