Honourable losses aren’t good enough

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golions said:
We are 0-3.

All 3 games have been “honourable losses”

But the fact is that game after game, year after year we continue to have these.
Often it’s because we have the youngest players showing signs of potential but not going on with it. Or, they leave.

This time around it’s because Zorko, Beams, Andrews, Witherden and Hipwood have gone backwards from last year. Hipwood showed a bit again today and look how close we got.

If past years are anything to go by, we will have an “honourable loss” to Richmond next week and then probably get flogged the week after because of the petrol tickets they used in the 2 weeks of “honourable losses”. That means a 0-5 start to the year and another season with not much to aim for.

It’s gutting.
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Guess it time for you to switch to being a Richmond supporter :)
 
I 'm not looking at our win loss ratio so much at just rd 3.

We need to play with that intensity every week .
Wins are coming if we can play like that and to me the boys now have that belief they are good enough , thats the difference from last year.
This year we beat the Bulldogs in those games.
Still expecting around the 8 wins min. for the season, lets don't forget we are a different team to last year, more development into QUALITY younglings and add players like Rayner, Hodge and CC. A few X factor players right there. Also Bundy and Mitch back in.
For what its worth I think that was our only Honorable loss thus far this year.
 

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I can understand the frustration that underpins the opening post of this thread and while the Lions have been ‘selling hope’ for nearly a decade, I think it is worth hanging on. Our list is gradually improving and hopefully in two or three years we might be able to win more games than we lose.

The commercial reality is that we have to, or supporters are naturally going to drop off. I will always be a Lions supporter, but it is a struggle to keep my two sons interested. We bought a Victorian (Plus) Family Membership this year and I am finding it increasingly difficult to get the kids interested in Lions games. That Membership gives you all Lions games in Melbourne plus 6 AFL Reserve games per season and they are far more interested in picking out Richmond, Hawthorn or Essendon games to attend than going to a Lions game. This season I have been to two games as a ‘neutral’ supporter and to be honest, watching supporters who were attending games with a reasonable expectation of winning made me a little jealous.

I am going to stick with the Lions, but I will not judge those who drop off, we all have our breaking point. It is also a fact that we are going to lose a generation of kids (if we haven’t already) unless we can turn it around on the field and soon. While we continue simply ‘make up the numbers’ each season the prospect of a dedicated and ongoing fan base in Melbourne diminishes.

Most people get this, which is why we have to go ‘all in’ with Fagan and cross our fingers that we get it right. We can’t afford any more instability and we need to be as united as we can be.
 
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Anyone being realistic knew we would be winning 4-8 games this year. This list is ripe for 2020 - until then, occasional wins and honerable loses are par, anything beyond that is unexpected IMO. No point being angry at a team with so many young players for losing to port at home. Also, we were a bit skittish round 1 and 2.. looks like we have settled, if we gad saints this week at Eitihad, we would win.
 
lioninthesand said:
Anyone being realistic knew we would be winning 4-8 games this year. This list is ripe for 2020 - until then, occasional wins and honerable loses are par, anything beyond that is unexpected IMO. No point being angry at a team with so many young players for losing to port at home. Also, we were a bit skittish round 1 and 2.. looks like we have settled, if we gad saints this week at Eitihad, we would win.
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4 wins would be underachieving unless we are sitting above 85%, of course imo. I'm also considering an average healthy list, not decimated with injury.
 
There's honourable losses and then there is perspective of where the club sits amongst the other 17 AFL clubs.

Sure I would've loved to have won all three games, and of course, we were in winning positions of each, but irrespective, I've been damn proud of the boys in 2018, particularly after the game against Port when I, like many others, were expecting a battering.

Whilst we didn't go on with our development following the 2011 season, this season has similar hallmarks of 2011 in that we gave it our all, never gave in, but were respected by our opposition despite not getting the wins on the board.
 
Big Sauce 21 said:
what is it with under powered snaps that cost us upset wins. See Lester Vs Cats a while back
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Funny story about that game.

Was watching it at a pub in Bourke in outback NSW. Said at 3/4 time I would shout the bar if we won which the publican yelled out to everyone. Can't believe how interested everyone in the pub was in Aussie Rules for 30 mins.
 
Players aren't coming off the ground and going out celebrating "honourable losses"
I can definitely give ya that TIP that's for sure.
That brand of footy for just 20 mins longer (over the whole game) would beat most teams on any day.
And that was with some not going as well as they would have liked, and with two of our best not playing.
I was so proud of that effort but also so pissed off. Best reaction I reckon. It means not happy till we are winning!!!
 
mikey127 said:
Funny story about that game.

Was watching it at a pub in Bourke in outback NSW. Said at 3/4 time I would shout the bar if we won which the publican yelled out to everyone. Can't believe how interested everyone in the pub was in Aussie Rules for 30 mins.
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Bet you were happy with the end result then?
 

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Nunez said:
My first thought - followed by the ump missing a free kick - see Chapman. lol
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TOO SOON.

I still rage about it to this day. My cats-supporting friend and my bombers-supporting friend think it's amusing.
 
You can never achieve true progress if you reside yourself to accepting defeat. Loses are to be learnt from, but never should it be accepted. Do you think Fagan accepts honourable loses? * no and neither should anyone here.
 
The good news is that we have definitely bottomed out and the only way is up. Since 2010 we have had more losses that any other club in the competition, having dropped 129 games out of 179 matches. Gold Coast and GWS have played fewer games but have better win/loss ratios. So yep, we have been rubbish over an extended period. In fact, no club has been more rubbish. WE ALL GET THAT because the numbers don’t lie. The thing is, just like the old stock market adage says, “buy in gloom, sell in boom,” so now is the time to get on board. We are going to improve and watching that with this current list is going to be exciting. When we once again stand on the mountain top, those brave few who hung on for dear life throughout this dark Terry Wallace Predicted Decade of Pain will feel more righteous and vindicated. Cue Music:

 
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