Analysis How will Richmond lose this year???

[Mr Magic]

I don't really buy your first sentence. Geelong have been around the mark for a long time, it's no surprise to see them eventually win one.

As for being underestimated, I don't think those in the know (ie, football departments) underestimate any contender. That is more the domain of supporters and the pathetic media outlets and so-called experts supposedly covering the game.

I agree a premiership is a premiership; but there's something definitive about finishing on top and winning the flag. Shuts everyone up. We've had 2 failed attempts since we last accomplished this feat in 1974 (1982 & 2018). Those of us who were around to witness our 1974 success would remember the esteem in which our team was held. Doing this in 2023 would be bliss.

Ignoring the irrelevance of shutting people up, some think CFC can win the premiership this year, not to mention the Pies. May as well use that to our advantage.

The facts are Gold Coast traded Jack Bowes and pick 7 together to Geelong for next to nothing according to some Melbourne supporters in particular who would have coughed up more for pick 7 in trade time. More to the point AFL HQ allowed it.

The fact is it is about winning premierships, not how you win premierships.

I see there is a comparison about Hawthorn's three peat and our recent three premierships in another thread on the main board. The fact is does anyone give a toss how we won when we won three premierships except 2017 was definitely a shock to many?

Does anyone remember when we made finals before we won in 2017? I don't, it has faded away, all that is left is the three flags!!!

 

[lumpinee]

work our way into position stealthily as in '19-'20,afterall it is marathon,survival of the fittest,rest players accordingly an we'll be fine
once again im more concerned about the stand interpretation

 

[Not Important]

gunna b a tough year. the dees and blues will be better. the swans have a lot 2 prove. the lions have recruited some serious talent. and the likes of the saints and norf will win more games.

 

[Masotiger]

Ignoring the irrelevance of shutting people up, some think CFC can win the premiership this year, not to mention the Pies. May as well use that to our advantage.

The facts are Gold Coast traded Jack Bowes and pick 7 together to Geelong for next to nothing according to some Melbourne supporters in particular who would have coughed up more for pick 7 in trade time. More to the point AFL HQ allowed it.

The fact is it is about winning premierships, not how you win premierships.

I see there is a comparison about Hawthorn's three peat and our recent three premierships in another thread on the main board. The fact is does anyone give a toss how we won when we won three premierships except 2017 was definitely a shock to many?

Does anyone remember when we made finals before we won in 2017? I don't, it has faded away, all that is left is the three flags!!!

The AFL can't legislate against stupidity.

If clubs can't manage within the parameters set then they will be exploited by the better run clubs.

Why should the AFL step in and prevent Geelong from picking up Pick 7 and a hack for nothing if the deal is presented to them? What about Collingwood's recent fire sale? We landed Prestia, Caddy and later Lynch who were all 1st round picks for GC. Why? Because we are an extremely well run club and have a natural advantage of being a big Melbourne based club that good players want to play for. Taranto (a pick 2) for example.

I'd take a premiership anyway it could be achieved. Winning it from 8th would set the salt mine alight. But being the dominant team all year and franking that dominance with a premiership is something else.

 

[Mr Magic]

The AFL can't legislate against stupidity.

If clubs can't manage within the parameters set then they will be exploited by the better run clubs.

Why should the AFL step in and prevent Geelong from picking up Pick 7 and a hack for nothing if the deal is presented to them? What about Collingwood's recent fire sale? We landed Prestia, Caddy and later Lynch who were all 1st round picks for GC. Why? Because we are an extremely well run club and have a natural advantage of being a big Melbourne based club that good players want to play for. Taranto (a pick 2) for example.

I'd take a premiership anyway it could be achieved. Winning it from 8th would set the salt mine alight. But being the dominant team all year and franking that dominance with a premiership is something else.

Not sure what you are on about.

We paid fair value for Lynch, Prestia, and Caddy.

Bowes and pick 7 was not fair value nor tested by the market. Working within parameters had nothing to do with it because Gold Coast got players they needn't bother getting. Pick 7 should have been kept along with Bowes, simples

We lost players to FA to.

Truth is RFC is a lucky club. There are other very strong clubs about. If we win the next four premierships we are simply a very lucky club!!

If we lose to CFC and the Pies early, fall behind and get a late surge run into the top four and beat up on all and sundry in the finals we simply are a lucky club. We put the work in, focus on premierships at end of the year and got lucky

If a Pies supporter comes up to me after we beat them in the finals I say we were lucky. If we beat them again next year I say we were lucky again!! That being said I will not not take the premiership flag for RFC!!

I hope your not afraid to win premierships! If it is there for the taking I take it. No need to get fancy, I take it. A premiership is a premiership, nothing special, we were lucky and got another one, I am happy.

Does not matter what we do through a season, if we don't win the premiership I am sad. We have to wait till we win another one... So winning premierships is important, not everything, it is a journey, but it is important. If your not winning premierships what are you doing??We need to get ourselves in a position to be lucky in the finals again this year and hopefully we can win another one.

I am happy to stare a loss in the face and snatch a victory but I focus on finals. RFC needs to be lcuky in finals so we can try and win more premierships

 

[energyquant]

Not sure what you are on about.

We paid fair value for Lynch, Prestia, and Caddy.

Bowes and pick 7 was not fair value nor tested by the market. Working within parameters had nothing to do with it because Gold Coast got players they needn't bother getting. Pick 7 should have been kept along with Bowes, simples

We lost players to FA to.

Truth is RFC is a lucky club. There are other very strong clubs about. If we win the next four premierships we are simply a very lucky club!!

If we lose to CFC and the Pies early, fall behind and get a late surge run into the top four and beat up on all and sundry in the finals we simply are a lucky club. We put the work in, focus on premierships at end of the year and got lucky

If a Pies supporter comes up to me after we beat them in the finals I say we were lucky. If we beat them again next year I say we were lucky again!! That being said I will not not take the premiership flag for RFC!!

I hope your not afraid to win premierships! If it is there for the taking I take it. No need to get fancy, I take it. A premiership is a premiership, nothing special, we were lucky and got another one, I am happy.

Does not matter what we do through a season, if we don't win the premiership I am sad. We have to wait till we win another one... So winning premierships is important, not everything, it is a journey, but it is important. If your not winning premierships what are you doing??We need to get ourselves in a position to be lucky in the finals again this year and hopefully we can win another one.

I am happy to stare a loss in the face and snatch a victory but I focus on finals. RFC needs to be lcuky in finals so we can try and win more premierships

 

[Masotiger]

Not sure what you are on about.

We paid fair value for Lynch, Prestia, and Caddy.

Bowes and pick 7 was not fair value nor tested by the market. Working within parameters had nothing to do with it because Gold Coast got players they needn't bother getting. Pick 7 should have been kept along with Bowes, simples

We lost players to FA to.

Truth is RFC is a lucky club. There are other very strong clubs about. If we win the next four premierships we are simply a very lucky club!!

If we lose to CFC and the Pies early, fall behind and get a late surge run into the top four and beat up on all and sundry in the finals we simply are a lucky club. We put the work in, focus on premierships at end of the year and got lucky

If a Pies supporter comes up to me after we beat them in the finals I say we were lucky. If we beat them again next year I say we were lucky again!! That being said I will not not take the premiership flag for RFC!!

I hope your not afraid to win premierships! If it is there for the taking I take it. No need to get fancy, I take it. A premiership is a premiership, nothing special, we were lucky and got another one, I am happy.

Does not matter what we do through a season, if we don't win the premiership I am sad. We have to wait till we win another one... So winning premierships is important, not everything, it is a journey, but it is important. If your not winning premierships what are you doing??We need to get ourselves in a position to be lucky in the finals again this year and hopefully we can win another one.

I am happy to stare a loss in the face and snatch a victory but I focus on finals. RFC needs to be lcuky in finals so we can try and win more premierships

Ah, I'm not quite sure what you're on about to be honest.

Luck is reduced if you're a well run entity.

You can go and ask GC why they decided to throw away pick 7. Fair value or not, who GAF. Don't blame Geelong or the AFL for GCs stupidity.

I've seen 8 premierships thus far in my lifetime and I can tell you not one of them was a result of luck.

Anyway, lets hope 2023 brings another regardless of how.

 

[Mr Magic]

Ah, I'm not quite sure what you're on about to be honest.

Luck is reduced if you're a well run entity.

You can go and ask GC why they decided to throw away pick 7. Fair value or not, who GAF. Don't blame Geelong or the AFL for GCs stupidity.

I've seen 8 premierships thus far in my lifetime and I can tell you not one of them was a result of luck.

Anyway, lets hope 2023 brings another regardless of how.

But I do blame the AFL HQ, they created GC and oversaw it.

I can tell you every premiership has a element of luck. You cannot control everything over the journey. Sure you have to prepare and work hard, work as a team, remained focused, implement skill etc.. however lets not kid ourselves we are not ants in a big big world.

Humility feeds stronger leadership, growth and success. So if we win the next four premierships naturally we are lucky, deserved but still lucky. In fact if we ignore a little luck that might come our way we probably do not win four premierships in a row even though we are unlikely to do it anyway.

The point is one cannot ignore the opposition, if they are ignored we cannot accept them, embrace them, and get them close enough to understand them more to beat them in a number of different ways. Furthermore, we can learn more from defeats, learn more about our opposition and how to defeat them. When there is luck involved we can't put everything on our shoulders. Like Balta, it was a mistake but I am not blaming the loss on Balta. We had plenty of opportunity to win against Brisbane in a number of different ways so blaming Balta would be stupid. Next time we have the opportunity to play better without referring specifically to Balta.

Part of winning is knowing how to lose and how to win so when we have to win on the big day it is natural and everything makes sense without doubt even though there is always a element of luck. That is the title of the thread, knowing how to lose is part of winning, winning and winning some more. We can't win all the time, no one can. Losing every now and then is part of winning especially when it counts for those that wish to win a lot over the journey. Black Caviar was not a person and did not play football, nor did she win a AFL premiership. A better analogy would be a firefighter where you would learn from every battle with the fire, understand how it can move, jump and react so from experience and losses the best way to overcome it is learned and achieved so mini losses is part of understanding the nature of the beast so we can win over and over in the long term to survive when it counts and achieve our greatest successes. If you get close enough to the fire you know when to pull back and find another way. Remember that footballer that walked on the hot stones and got burn't? He did not understand the fire!! Was it Nigel Smart walking on hot coals?? Apparently he spoke to the players before hand as part of some pep talk!! The point is Nigel got burnt there is a better approach!! The other thing I will say about that firewalk is rarely are things straight forward like Nigel's firewalk effort, rarely are things linear, nature tends not to operate that way and we are organisms playing against organisms in footy! Life is not that simple as a straightforward firewalk over hot coals, nature has to be nurtured to help it grow. I know the crows went back to back but if the straight forward firewalk approach, even on grass, was taken it is unlikely you win premierships again and again, life simply does not work that way.

The fans will never shut up, nor should they, I am not worried about the fans, then again I do not live in Melbourne, but I would like us to win at the right moments and be happy about that, winners are grinners, the fans can say what they like..

 

[sregit]

But I do blame the AFL HQ, they created GC and oversaw it.

I can tell you every premiership has a element of luck. You cannot control everything over the journey. Sure you have to prepare and work hard, work as a team, remained focused, implement skill etc.. however lets not kid ourselves we are not ants in a big big world.

Humility feeds stronger leadership, growth and success. So if we win the next four premierships naturally we are lucky, deserved but still lucky. In fact if we ignore a little luck that might come our way we probably do not win four premierships in a row even though we are unlikely to do it anyway.

The point is one cannot ignore the opposition, if they are ignored we cannot accept them, embrace them, and get them close enough to understand them more to beat them in a number of different ways. Furthermore, we can learn more from defeats, learn more about our opposition and how to defeat them. When there is luck involved we can't put everything on our shoulders. Like Balta, it was a mistake but I am not blaming the loss on Balta. We had plenty of opportunity to win against Brisbane in a number of different ways so blaming Balta would be stupid. Next time we have the opportunity to play better without referring specifically to Balta.

Part of winning is knowing how to lose and how to win so when we have to win on the big day it is natural and everything makes sense without doubt even though there is always a element of luck. That is the title of the thread, knowing how to lose is part of winning, winning and winning some more. We can't win all the time, no one can. Losing every now and then is part of winning especially when it counts for those that wish to win a lot over the journey. Black Caviar was not a person and did not play football, nor did she win a AFL premiership. A better analogy would be a firefighter where you would learn from every battle with the fire, understand how it can move, jump and react so from experience and losses the best way to overcome it is learned and achieved so mini losses is part of understanding the nature of the beast so we can win over and over in the long term to survive when it counts and achieve our greatest successes. If you get close enough to the fire you know when to pull back and find another way. Remember that footballer that walked on the hot stones and got burn't? He did not understand the fire!! Was it Nigel Smart walking on hot coals?? Apparently he spoke to the players before hand as part of some pep talk!! The point is Nigel got burnt there is a better approach!! The other thing I will say about that firewalk is rarely are things straight forward like Nigel's firewalk effort, rarely are things linear, nature tends not to operate that way and we are organisms playing against organisms in footy! Life is not that simple as a straightforward firewalk over hot coals, nature has to be nurtured to help it grow. I know the crows went back to back but if the straight forward firewalk approach, even on grass, was taken it is unlikely you win premierships again and again, life simply does not work that way.

The fans will never shut up, nor should they, I am not worried about the fans, then again I do not live in Melbourne, but I would like us to win at the right moments and be happy about that, winners are grinners, the fans can say what they like..

Magic get off the juice, your brain is fried. You just keep putting out nonsensical waffle.

 

[Mr Magic]

Magic get off the juice, your brain is fried. You just keep putting out nonsensical waffle.

You sound like the kind of bloke that walks on a straight line of hot coals, with no deviation or fail safe, and gets in the group with Nigel and thinks, I don't think I should put my hand up and think this is not necessarily a good idea like you are doing it Nigel, I will just go with the flow, it will work itself out. Don't know why I am doing it but we will do it, blind faith, I believe because we can control everything, we will mitigate all risks and what could the opposition possibly come up with to beat us let alone the umpires and other extenuating circumstances?

Imagine if one of the crows in the huddle shown some leadership and said, Nigel, I care for your health and well being and I know your trying to push the willpower angle, however, if we change a few things around we might still be able to harness the team spirit and willpower while at the same time use a strategy that prevents us, as a team, from getting blindsided more than we potentially could be. What do you think Nigel as leader? could have been asked. In this way, as a team we are able to better confront and overcome this obstacle and what it could present to us individually and as a group could provide a more enriching team bonding experience with added leadership points and synergy especially when teammates of the group are happy and comfortable to ask Nigel respectfully while Nigel is in a challenging situation while preparing to walk on hot coals.

Personally I prefer trial and error as part of preparation and experience before tackling a opposing force than just winging it and thinking the other side will not do anything different so the wins never stop.

 

[Masotiger]

But I do blame the AFL HQ, they created GC and oversaw it.

I can tell you every premiership has a element of luck. You cannot control everything over the journey. Sure you have to prepare and work hard, work as a team, remained focused, implement skill etc.. however lets not kid ourselves we are not ants in a big big world.

Humility feeds stronger leadership, growth and success. So if we win the next four premierships naturally we are lucky, deserved but still lucky. In fact if we ignore a little luck that might come our way we probably do not win four premierships in a row even though we are unlikely to do it anyway.

The point is one cannot ignore the opposition, if they are ignored we cannot accept them, embrace them, and get them close enough to understand them more to beat them in a number of different ways. Furthermore, we can learn more from defeats, learn more about our opposition and how to defeat them. When there is luck involved we can't put everything on our shoulders. Like Balta, it was a mistake but I am not blaming the loss on Balta. We had plenty of opportunity to win against Brisbane in a number of different ways so blaming Balta would be stupid. Next time we have the opportunity to play better without referring specifically to Balta.

Part of winning is knowing how to lose and how to win so when we have to win on the big day it is natural and everything makes sense without doubt even though there is always a element of luck. That is the title of the thread, knowing how to lose is part of winning, winning and winning some more. We can't win all the time, no one can. Losing every now and then is part of winning especially when it counts for those that wish to win a lot over the journey. Black Caviar was not a person and did not play football, nor did she win a AFL premiership. A better analogy would be a firefighter where you would learn from every battle with the fire, understand how it can move, jump and react so from experience and losses the best way to overcome it is learned and achieved so mini losses is part of understanding the nature of the beast so we can win over and over in the long term to survive when it counts and achieve our greatest successes. If you get close enough to the fire you know when to pull back and find another way. Remember that footballer that walked on the hot stones and got burn't? He did not understand the fire!! Was it Nigel Smart walking on hot coals?? Apparently he spoke to the players before hand as part of some pep talk!! The point is Nigel got burnt there is a better approach!! The other thing I will say about that firewalk is rarely are things straight forward like Nigel's firewalk effort, rarely are things linear, nature tends not to operate that way and we are organisms playing against organisms in footy! Life is not that simple as a straightforward firewalk over hot coals, nature has to be nurtured to help it grow. I know the crows went back to back but if the straight forward firewalk approach, even on grass, was taken it is unlikely you win premierships again and again, life simply does not work that way.

The fans will never shut up, nor should they, I am not worried about the fans, then again I do not live in Melbourne, but I would like us to win at the right moments and be happy about that, winners are grinners, the fans can say what they like..

Love your passion and you make some interesting points. But we need to put things in perspective.

Luck is a vital commodity in everyday life. It is boundless.

As I stated previously, not one of the 8 premierships I have seen have been as a result of luck. Nor was the 30 years we spent in the abyss a result of bad luck.

However, I do believe there was an element of luck in our recent premiership trifecta. How? At seasons end 2007, when Mr Whore Judd was offering his services like a seasoned Ho, our club came in at the eleventh hour and offered picks 2, 19 and a player for Judd. Now think about that for a moment.

Pick 2 was our triple premiership captain Trent Cotchin. Pick 19 was the best defender of his era in Alex Rance. How do we go without those two? And just to add more spice, I would suggest that with Judd in Yellow and Black colours we probably don't win the spoon in 2009 and therefore miss out on possibly the best player in my lifetime - one Dustin Martin!!

Do we win 2017, 2019, & 2020 without Cotchin, Rance & Martin? I would lean to the negative. Thank the Good Lord Judd refused our overtures.

So luck does play a part, but moreover, good management is the overriding prerequisite. I have total confidence in the current custodians of our club to keep us contending for the ultimate prize.

 

[DickieKnee]

our club came in at the eleventh hour and offered picks 2, 19 and a player for Judd. Now think about that for a moment.

We lucked out getting it knocked back then. Judd was an awesome player but struck me as a FIGJAM and not a team man. Cotch alone is a much better pickup in the growth of our club.

 

[Coach_Required]

If Dusty gets on the beers in Geelong, then we will get done

 

[Masotiger]

We lucked out getting it knocked back then. Judd was an awesome player but struck me as a FIGJAM and not a team man. Cotch alone is a much better pickup in the growth of our club.

We didn't luck out then, we LUCKED IN big time with that Group 1 Tosser not choosing us!!

If he chose Richmond, we'd still be searching for our eleventh flag. He could play but he was of no value to us then. Pointless lifting us to mid table for a year or two only to crash back down. Surprise, surprise, as per the team he chose.

 

[DickieKnee]

We didn't luck out then, we LUCKED IN big time with that Group 1 Tosser not choosing us!!

If he chose Richmond, we'd still be searching for our eleventh flag. He could play but he was of no value to us then. Pointless lifting us to mid table for a year or two only to crash back down. Surprise, surprise, as per the team he chose.

Imagine Judd and Deledio but not Cotchin and Rance?

Pick your sides.

 

[Mr Magic]

Love your passion and you make some interesting points. But we need to put things in perspective.

Luck is a vital commodity in everyday life. It is boundless.

As I stated previously, not one of the 8 premierships I have seen have been as a result of luck. Nor was the 30 years we spent in the abyss a result of bad luck.

However, I do believe there was an element of luck in our recent premiership trifecta. How? At seasons end 2007, when Mr Whore Judd was offering his services like a seasoned Ho, our club came in at the eleventh hour and offered picks 2, 19 and a player for Judd. Now think about that for a moment.

Pick 2 was our triple premiership captain Trent Cotchin. Pick 19 was the best defender of his era in Alex Rance. How do we go without those two? And just to add more spice, I would suggest that with Judd in Yellow and Black colours we probably don't win the spoon in 2009 and therefore miss out on possibly the best player in my lifetime - one Dustin Martin!!

Do we win 2017, 2019, & 2020 without Cotchin, Rance & Martin? I would lean to the negative. Thank the Good Lord Judd refused our overtures.

So luck does play a part, but moreover, good management is the overriding prerequisite. I have total confidence in the current custodians of our club to keep us contending for the ultimate prize.

I agree with that.

Another sliding doors moment would have been what would have happened if Ben Griffiths did not get injured in 2017?

The beauty about telling oppositions supporters we were lucky is they think its mainly about luck whereas you and the team know there was far more to it including work, effort, preparation, teamwork, planning etc... which would not hurt us if we desire to fly under the radar

 

[Masotiger]

Imagine Judd and Deledio but not Cotchin and Rance?

Pick your sides.

All things being equal, that would be a hard call. Judd & Deledio were better players, but Cotchin & Rance created culture.

Sadly for Deledio when he was drafted the club was still very much in the financial mire and didn't have the support structures in place to enable success. That happened toward the end of his career but he wasn't there to be part of it. I do feel for him.

 

[Lacustrus]

Not sure what you are on about.

We paid fair value for Lynch, Prestia, and Caddy.

Bowes and pick 7 was not fair value nor tested by the market. Working within parameters had nothing to do with it because Gold Coast got players they needn't bother getting. Pick 7 should have been kept along with Bowes, simples

We lost players to FA to.

Truth is RFC is a lucky club. There are other very strong clubs about. If we win the next four premierships we are simply a very lucky club!!

If we lose to CFC and the Pies early, fall behind and get a late surge run into the top four and beat up on all and sundry in the finals we simply are a lucky club. We put the work in, focus on premierships at end of the year and got lucky

If a Pies supporter comes up to me after we beat them in the finals I say we were lucky. If we beat them again next year I say we were lucky again!! That being said I will not not take the premiership flag for RFC!!

I hope your not afraid to win premierships! If it is there for the taking I take it. No need to get fancy, I take it. A premiership is a premiership, nothing special, we were lucky and got another one, I am happy.

Does not matter what we do through a season, if we don't win the premiership I am sad. We have to wait till we win another one... So winning premierships is important, not everything, it is a journey, but it is important. If your not winning premierships what are you doing??We need to get ourselves in a position to be lucky in the finals again this year and hopefully we can win another one.

I am happy to stare a loss in the face and snatch a victory but I focus on finals. RFC needs to be lcuky in finals so we can try and win more

 

[Drunken Wookie]

You sound like the kind of bloke that walks on a straight line of hot coals, with no deviation or fail safe, and gets in the group with Nigel and thinks, I don't think I should put my hand up and think this is not necessarily a good idea like you are doing it Nigel, I will just go with the flow, it will work itself out. Don't know why I am doing it but we will do it, blind faith, I believe because we can control everything, we will mitigate all risks and what could the opposition possibly come up with to beat us let alone the umpires and other extenuating circumstances?

Imagine if one of the crows in the huddle shown some leadership and said, Nigel, I care for your health and well being and I know your trying to push the willpower angle, however, if we change a few things around we might still be able to harness the team spirit and willpower while at the same time use a strategy that prevents us, as a team, from getting blindsided more than we potentially could be. What do you think Nigel as leader? could have been asked. In this way, as a team we are able to better confront and overcome this obstacle and what it could present to us individually and as a group could provide a more enriching team bonding experience with added leadership points and synergy especially when teammates of the group are happy and comfortable to ask Nigel respectfully while Nigel is in a challenging situation while preparing to walk on hot coals.

Personally I prefer trial and error as part of preparation and experience before tackling a opposing force than just winging it and thinking the other side will not do anything different so the wins never stop.

Nigel is all that stands between us and a Premiership.

 

[Phar Ace]

Play Lynch back pocket, put George full forward.

Genius loser!

 

[Phar Ace]

Umpires

I'm shocked by your response

 

[Phar Ace]

getting on george for a hundred behinds in a season

You an odds-on backer are you?

 

[Phar Ace]

'STAND'

'You moved blinked, that's another 50m penalty against Richmond'

Amended for historical accuracy

 

[Phar Ace]

I don't really buy your first sentence. Geelong have been around the mark for a long time, it's no surprise to see them eventually win one.

As for being underestimated, I don't think those in the know (ie, football departments) underestimate any contender. That is more the domain of supporters and the pathetic media outlets and so-called experts supposedly covering the game.

I agree a premiership is a premiership; but there's something definitive about finishing on top and winning the flag. Shuts everyone up. We've had 2 failed attempts since we last accomplished this feat in 1974 (1982 & 2018). Those of us who were around to witness our 1974 success would remember the esteem in which our team was held. Doing this in 2023 would be bliss.

It's OK, a lot of us stopped buying a lot of Magic's sentences - let's just call them unusual. Conspiracy theories abound in life at the moment (this decade) so why shouldn't there be a few more than usual in footy.

2023 and 2024 premierships would have some lovely synergy. Top to Premiership to Top to Premiership would be the stuff of dreams - dare to dream!

 

[Phar Ace]

All things being equal, that would be a hard call. Judd & Deledio were better players, but Cotchin & Rance created culture.

Sadly for Deledio when he was drafted the club was still very much in the financial mire and didn't have the support structures in place to enable success. That happened toward the end of his career but he wasn't there to be part of it. I do feel for him.

The Dimma/Cotch leadership combination was crucial at the end of 2016 - No Cotch, possibly no Dimma, probably no premiership regime. I know there is more that would need to be considered, but in a nutshell moment it so plausible it is frightening.