Post Game Passion: AFL 2019 Rd 15: Carlton vs. Freo

[PaulP]

Only beaten 2 top 8 sides. Our game was Richmondesque, reverted that way when we lost Charlie. It meant if we couldn't get the ball into the 50 cleanly we got it in any which way we could then fought like crap with pressure to keep it there. Richmond won a flag with that style. Didn't look pretty but they soon got on top of their opposition with the constant pressure allowing more free scoring late. We got 5 goals in the last qtr allowing us to win.

The contrast between what Richmond do and what we did in the Freo game is like night and day. It's like comparing an original hard copy document with a copy of a copy of a copy - the latter gets to the point where you can't differentiate between a 2, a Z and a squiggle.

If you think the Freo game is an example of a sustainable game style that will win us a good number of games, I'm not sure what to say.

[jeza]

I don't think that there would be too many thinking we are a good side yet.  But the ability to kick and gouge our way to some affirming wins is a good start based on what we've had to suffer for years.

The way we were able to get Freo playing into our hands last weekend was enormous. How many times did Marchbank, Weitering, Jones, etc. intercept mark a long kick out of defense. It might not look pretty but it takes a lot of planning and commitment to get that happening.

Freo were sucking back all of their players into D50 - to get it out of there they were relying on some sort of relieving mark. The work our guys put in to deny them that for basically all of the last 3 quarters was impressive.

As much as the game looked like a scrap that was mostly because Freo went for the Ross Lyon 16 man defensive 50 tactic which cut off space.

[jeza]

The contrast between what Richmond do and what we did in the Freo game is like night and day. It's like comparing an original hard copy document with a copy of a copy of a copy - the latter gets to the point where you can't differentiate between a 2, a Z and a squiggle.

If you think the Freo game is an example of a sustainable game style that will win us a good number of games, I'm not sure what to say.

Why are you so sad all the time?

[PaulP]

We've troubled 3 from 3 so far.

We are clearly playing a more dedicated brand of footy.
We were noncompetitive with Bolton, far too often.

We also troubled GC, Hawks and Pies earlier in the season, but you were very quick to write those off. And we smashed the Dogs in R5, and at that point, crickets.

[PaulP]

Why are you so sad all the time?

I'm not sad at all. Not even remotely.

[LP]

Despite being in the Top 8 Freo is a very low scoring side, that helped us enormously.

It's a big reason why I don't want Ross Lyon, his teams never put the opposition away!

Watching us under Teague, if our backline stays fit, I get the feeling we will have a break out winning margin before the season is over.

[Thryleon]

We've troubled sides in almost every game weve played this season.  There were only 3 abject failures.  Gws, north Melbourne and the bombers.

We've played at least one uncompetitive quarter in every match this season.

[LoveNavy]

We've troubled sides in almost every game weve played this season.  There were only 3 abject failures.  Gws, north Melbourne and the bombers.

We've played at least one uncompetitive quarter in every match this season.

Our effort is unquestionable, abject failures aside.
I noticed the running stats on AFL.com. those figures are consistent with our boys doing the hard yards. Building confidence via some W's and the skill errors will decline. We're then on track imo.
Win a couple more of the close one's and it's a reasonable season at this stage of the rebuild. 

[tonyo]

The contrast between what Richmond do and what we did in the Freo game is like night and day. It's like comparing an original hard copy document with a copy of a copy of a copy - the latter gets to the point where you can't differentiate between a 2, a Z and a squiggle.

If you think the Freo game is an example of a sustainable game style that will win us a good number of games, I'm not sure what to say.

I don't look at last week's win in terms of how they went about it.  I am far more interested in motivation and hunger.

Consider this - we had a young side playing on hostile foreign soil without our very best player and captain.  Our second-best forward is also in the grandstand, and we lose our best forward within 10 minutes of the opening bounce.

We go 5 goals down at quarter time and haven't scored one single major.  We have the next 17 inside 50's and get back in to the game with goals coming from all types of sources.  It goes goal for goal until we fall 15 points down with 6 minutes left on the playing clock.  Even David King said at this point it had been an unbelievable effort despite how the result was looking.

We kick the next three goals in 4 minutes and pinch the lead.  They snaffle a goal with a minute or so left on the clock and that would have previously knocked the stuffing out of us. But they fight, scrap and scramble and with a pinch of luck, get the job done.  We kicked 11 goals in 3/4 of footy in the wet without our two best forwards and superstar midfielder.

Despite all the naysaying about how badly Freo played, and how scrappy it was, I think this was one of the greatest victories this club has had in 10 years.  This was a victory over adversity, and a victory over self-doubt.

These type of victories can build a team much quicker than any 5 goal win which might look much prettier, but doesn't do as much for the psyche.

[deags]

Calling it luck is a bit bah humbug if you ask me.
Sure we gave them a start and weren’t even on the field in Q1, but to come back from over 5 goals down, then again from 2 goals down in the last quarter shows a lot of desire, effort and hard work.
The boys weren’t pretty, but that was a pretty major achievement.