Southerntakeover
Hall of Famer
I've been thinking about this a bit this week, and the more I think about it the more I'm sold on this idea.
We'll find out a lot about our team this week. I think we'll find out whether we're legit. Not so much in terms of winning or losing- winning won't answer all questions because of how depleted Melbourne is, though losing would be a massive black mark against us.
No, I think the answer will be in how we approach one Mr Bernard Vince. We've twice now let him have his way pretty much unimpeded to carry on a campaign of niggling our best players. The way we let Sloane get smashed with no protection last game was a disgrace, and set the tone for the terrible form that followed.
We now have two weeks to avenge some of our greatest slights this year, the defeats to Melbourne and Geelong. If we're at all serious about being 'the man' (in a champion sense) then we must show something here. We must show that we're a team that doesnt forgive or forget, that we're a team that will not be bullied. We must be into Bernie from before the first bounce, and we must not let up at all. We need some of the harder nuts of our team to show that they'll put the club and it's pride and reputation above personal friendship. I get it, he's an old friend he's an old comrade, he's pretty much a brother to some of them.
No truly great team has been willing to be bullied on the field. We won't be the first. If we want to contend, we must beat up our brother- it's the only way we can send a message to the other teams that think we're easy prey.
*To be clear, I'm not condoning that crosses the line, such as anything that would be an assault for instance.
We'll find out a lot about our team this week. I think we'll find out whether we're legit. Not so much in terms of winning or losing- winning won't answer all questions because of how depleted Melbourne is, though losing would be a massive black mark against us.
No, I think the answer will be in how we approach one Mr Bernard Vince. We've twice now let him have his way pretty much unimpeded to carry on a campaign of niggling our best players. The way we let Sloane get smashed with no protection last game was a disgrace, and set the tone for the terrible form that followed.
We now have two weeks to avenge some of our greatest slights this year, the defeats to Melbourne and Geelong. If we're at all serious about being 'the man' (in a champion sense) then we must show something here. We must show that we're a team that doesnt forgive or forget, that we're a team that will not be bullied. We must be into Bernie from before the first bounce, and we must not let up at all. We need some of the harder nuts of our team to show that they'll put the club and it's pride and reputation above personal friendship. I get it, he's an old friend he's an old comrade, he's pretty much a brother to some of them.
No truly great team has been willing to be bullied on the field. We won't be the first. If we want to contend, we must beat up our brother- it's the only way we can send a message to the other teams that think we're easy prey.
*To be clear, I'm not condoning that crosses the line, such as anything that would be an assault for instance.
... they're afraid to even get anywhere near Bernie or Patrick let alone actually touch them, they carry some kind of residual aura that the playing group bows down too.
, and many posters commented on a noticeable increase in physicality from Tex and JJ last week, bolstered by McGovern's return.
