Post Match. Pies lose to Dogs. All comments, please.

[PyreneesPie]

I’ve stuck with bucks for too long, and it’s not even failure that really killed it, it’s the Treloar thing, I simply thought Bucks was a better human being than that, and I’m sadly disappointed. He’s done. A fresh outlook is what we and the players need. They looked like headless chooks at the end of the season, no desire to get in there for a second go, ball watchers, fumbles, points instead of goals. We have royally $%$ed up, we do not have 1 genuine count on forward.

My sentiments exactly,TP.

It has been reported that Bucks apologised to the playing group over the "Treloar thing" and that this was well received, outwardly at least.

However, trust and respect is a delicate commodity. Human beings what they are, once there's a chink in it, it can erode pretty quickly.

I can't think of any other sport on earth, where trust and confidence in the coach would be more influential to a team's performance. Success it's not only reliant on skill, decision making and physical attributes, but on courage, will to win, selflessness, sacrifice for the team and joy in the contest. Absolute faith in the team's leader is necessary for these mental qualities to come through and flourish.

Personally, my faith as a supporter has been severely damaged. It would not be unexpected if the majority of the players were feeling the same, but I guess that will become clearer as the season progresses.

[Pies2016]

So half on here want us to play the kids after round one and the other half weren’t impressed with Henry after one game ( and Ruscoe ) and want them dropped.
Let’s hope we can all be a little more tolerant and objective when those kids who haven’t played a competitive match in 18 months, don’t set the world on fire in the opening minutes.

So you would keep both Trey and Ollie in for next week?

That’s tough to answer because so much is involved in selection.

All things equal, I would probably “ rest “ Henry because I’m not convinced he was ready in the first place. The kid played as a high flanker at times and that’s such a big ask when you’ve gone from a see ball, get ball “ mentality all your life, to now being equally as accountable for an opponent ( in the space of one off season ) I find it hard to believe he is ready to play senior footy, particularly from a defensive point of view.

I’ve never been the Ruscoe fan that some are but I would probably keep him in because there are times when he looks likely ( kinda ) and it should be a bit easier against the Blues. I think he’s a cagey player who can occasionally find space but not much more than that.
Having said that, it’s not like we are over burdened with reliable deep forwards waiting in the wings either.

[PyreneesPie]

Our biggest problem now is that being Bucks last year under contract, he is under severe pressure to play finals and even win one or two of them. In truth, we should use this as a development year, sacrificing our ladder position to blood 4 or 5 new players.

Yep, I agree RB.
If this is the last year for Bucks (and hopefully Harvey and Sando as well), why don't the coaches just encourage dare and enjoyment in all the players ie go out there boys, be brave, take risks, make mistakes, learn and above all have fun and enjoy the experience, senior players included.

Bucks looked like he was attending a funeral in his press conference last night. Such dourness and air of defeat is the opposite of what the players need now.

[Collingwouldn't]

How far has this club fallen when supporters cheer an opponent and boo their own player.

Well, we're doing a lot of it here.

[magpieazza]

Scary thing is we dont have too many to call on to improve the team...Sidebottom, Mayne and Greenwood.
There is a huge gap between the experienced quality players and the young guns ( IMO there is plenty of quality coming up ) and if we get injuries to the wrong players then we really are in for a world of pain this season. Its a fine line this year unless the new recruits really fire us up ala Baby Bombers but its a big call.
So its a boom or bust and if we find out soon enough then I hope we play the young ones and fast track them. Sadly for Pendles and Bux this year is their small window.

[Magpietothemax]

^Agree PP and TP. The Adz disaster will always be in the back of my mind. I think that we saw on display during this time the ruthless and insincere nature of Bux and his willingness to sacrifice players to further his own immediate interests and that of the leadership as a whole. The reaction of our team to Adz last night was an emotional moment for me, and all the more so for them. It totally demolished Bux's narrative according to which the playing group wanting adz to move on.
I think alot of 2018 was to be explained by the incredible team cohesion and team trust established in that year. Clearly, this was not of Bux's doing. I dont see how a man capable of such treachery to Adz would have been capable of forging the trust and inner cohesion that almost won a flag. As others have suggested, the likely explanation is that it was due to those coaches who we then moved on.
I am waiting to see how the next game pans out before I entirely subscribe to the view that the team has been irredeemably torn apart by the crisis last October (I think that actually is far more critical than the subsequent Do Better report in its psychological impact on the playing group)
I absolutely want Buckley to be gone at the latest by the end of this year. But if catastrophic team performances happen early in the year, I would be in favour of removing him earlier.

[ANNODAM]

It's so pleasing to see so many on the piss Buckley off bandwagon.
Lose the next 4 & he'll be gone sooner rather than later.

[PyreneesPie]

^Agree PP and TP. The Adz disaster will always be in the back of my mind. I think that we saw on display during this time the ruthless and insincere nature of Bux and his willingness to sacrifice players to further his own immediate interests and that of the leadership as a whole. The reaction of our team to Adz last night was an emotional moment for me, and all the more so for them. It totally demolished Bux's narrative according to which the playing group wanting adz to move on.
I think alot of 2018 was to be explained by the incredible team cohesion and team trust established in that year. Clearly, this was not of Bux's doing. I dont see how a man capable of such treachery to Adz would have been capable of forging the trust and inner cohesion that almost won a flag. As others have suggested, the likely explanation is that it was due to those coaches who we then moved on.
I am waiting to see how the next game pans out before I entirely subscribe to the view that the team has been irredeemably torn apart by the crisis last October (I think that actually is far more critical than the subsequent Do Better report in its psychological impact on the playing group)
I absolutely want Buckley to be gone at the latest by the end of this year. But if catastrophic team performances happen early in the year, I would be in favour of removing him earlier.

Absolutely thumbs up to this post MTTM. A brilliant summary of the whole sordid episode and strong statement regarding the future of Bucks.

[K]

How gettable is Clarko?

He's gettable... but Carlton have their eyes on him.

[K]

the only positive from tonight was that nick daicos played a blinder in the vfl. ...

Really? That's interesting.

[K]

If Grundy isn't dropped i will spew. He is deplorable.

Will not happen as long as our arses point to the ground.

Dyso, I'm trying to work out if you're doing handstands.

[K]

After the first quarter, I'd have shifted De Goey onto Bailey Smith (the mullet bloke) because at least he was always where the ball was.
...

I know what you mean, but there were about 10 mullet blokes out there.

[K]

They were 18-0 weren't they ?

So, we outscored them from that point on.

We also outscored them in points scored in the last five seconds of a quarter. (Nice finish, Jack.)

[K]

...
Compare him to Bailey Smith. He was always a real lad at the Dragons but he took his opportunity at AFL level and I had heard he put himself through a torturous off season and pre season program just to get himself right for 2021. Exhibit A was on display last night.
...

Really?

When he was drafted he had the reputation for being too intense and caring too much about footy. He has been pretty public about mental health concerns.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Who here reckons our first win won’t be till we play Gold Coast at the mcg round 7