Members have a right to be devastated and angry - I know I am. However assuming that we're not going to close the doors (as tempting as that may seem tonight), we have to fix this club, specifically why this type of performance and result keeps happening.
Tearing up membership tickets isn't the answer. Your can tear up or melt the card, but you can never remove the emotional attachment you have to the club - that's why this result hurts so badly. For those of us who've been around a while and remember when the club was truly great, the current situation is sickening.
The answer remains with the following: -
1. Sound financial off field position - just about achieved that via TFTF and now there should be no more selling off home games. Cairns deal needs to be ended now. Members will chip in to buy it out if need be - raise the membership price by $10 per head. This is a cutthroat competition and we can't afford to give any opponent any advantage, regardless of how minor. Gale has done many good things, but the Cairns deal isn't one of them. In this case the football need outweighs the $ gained.
2. Recruiting better players so that we have a better list and not have the depth issues that has hurt us today. Might be a step back to take two steps forward.
3. Developing the players we recruit to be the best that they can be - still not convinced that this is being done properly.
4. Better game plan (with options A,B,C & D) and better game day coaching - Hardwick still to prove that he's up to it in my view. Must say that I've lost massive faith in him over the last month - nice guy but don't think he's up to it - challenge is for him to prove me wrong.
5. Improvement in on-field leadership - time has come to make our best player the Captain and that's Cotchin.
6. More honest communication with members - tell us how it is and no b/s. I don't expect an apology from the club about today, but expect a committement from those in charge that we must work toward fixing this mess. Everybody should be gutted and hurting today.
The last 30 years have been truly miserable. Results like today need to remind us all what has to be done, so that we never end up here again.