AFL Rd 23 2022 Post Game Postulations Carlton vs Collingwood

[PaulP]

i think the coincidence of two consecutive last minute losses may be leading to false conclusions. We held on for a few close victories in the early part of the season, with other teams coming at us in the latter stages. No choking there. There's a body of work both ways, and it's inconclusive at this point, whether these last 2 games were chokes or just lack of nous / experience in the back line, or fatigue or many other reasons. Don't forget the Pies have overrun half the competition this season.

[laj]

i think the coincidence of two consecutive last minute losses may be leading to false conclusions. We held on for a few close victories in the early part of the season, with other teams coming at us in the latter stages. No choking there. There's a body of work both ways, and it's inconclusive at this point, whether these last 2 games were chokes or just lack of nous / experience in the back line, or fatigue or many other reasons. Don't forget the Pies have overrun half the competition this season.

Early in the season isn't round 22/23 when a win is an utter necessity to play finals. The game against the Pies there was no tomorrow. It was win to make finals or bust. Round 4 you have another 18 games.

[Thryleon]

The only pattern I saw that held up all year with few outliers was we played 1 quarter of scintillating football most weeks, one quarter which was good and then 2 almost complete no shows.

The only games that bucked this trend were the victory vs freo, the defeat vs Melbourne and the defeat against Adelaide.  Melbourne and Freo were 2 four quarter performances, whilst against Adelaide we just never got going really. 

Thats from memory, so excuse any Alzheimers there.

That was our 2022, and the game against Collingwood dot points it.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Yes, Issac Smith spent several years playing for North Ballarat when they were winning flags. Was a star with them.

North were going to take Smith as Nth Ballarat were affiliated with them but the Hawks went early at pick 7, taking State League players that early was taboo back then but the Hawks gambled and won, Smith could be looking at flag No 4 this year and has been a lucky charm through his football career.
Believe he played with fellow Hawks Bruest and Suckling as a kid too, Michael Jamison of course was a player we did pluck from Nth Ballarat as a rookie from the same era...

[Lods]

i think the coincidence of two consecutive last minute losses may be leading to false conclusions. We held on for a few close victories in the early part of the season, with other teams coming at us in the latter stages. No choking there. There's a body of work both ways, and it's inconclusive at this point, whether these last 2 games were chokes or just lack of nous / experience in the back line, or fatigue or many other reasons. Don't forget the Pies have overrun half the competition this season.

I think the Melbourne game is the one that gives us most hope.
Melbourne are the real deal.
They were fighting for a top 4 spot so had a lot to play for...
They came to play and we matched it with them in a four quarter effort in an intense finals type game.

We backed it up for a long time against another top 4 side with just as much to play for...and in fact dominated them entirely for a quarter.

Maybe we should be cautious, but at the same time don't dismiss totally the quality of the effort if not the execution of those last two games.

[PaulP]

I think the Melbourne game is the one that gives us most hope.
Melbourne are the real deal.
They were fightying for a top 4 spot so had a lot to play for...
They came to play and we matched it with them in a four quarter effort in an intense finals type game.

We backed it up for a long time against another top 4 side with just as much to play for...and in fact dominated them entirely for a quarter.

Maybe we should be cautious, but at the same time don't dismiss totally the quality of the effort if not the execution of those last two games.

I agree. Those two games showed the progress as well as the work yet to be done. Basically 2 finals in a row with plenty of effort and good fight and extremely close to winning both.

[madbluboy]

I agree. Those two games showed the progress as well as the work yet to be done. Basically 2 finals in a row with plenty of effort and good fight and extremely close to winning both.

We have to be proud of the effort.

I read an article today highlighting how unfair the draw is  in such a close season. We played three finalists twice, tigers played zero. Brisbane, Fremantle, Collingwood  Geelong and Sydney only played one. The Cats also played North and West Coast twice.

[Pratty]

We called the Tiges 'Ninthmond' for quite a while on this site.  Three flags later.....

Lessons are only good if they are learned.  Richmond got snarly because of it.  One can only hope.

Yep, to my point earlier. No way you can just assume we 'make it' next year. No more excuses. That's loser mentality. When Richmond changed their mentality, things changed quickly.

[PaulP]

We have to be proud of the effort.

I read an article today highlighting how unfair the draw is  in such a close season. We played three finalists twice, tigers played zero. Brisbane, Fremantle, Collingwood  Geelong and Sydney only played one. The Cats also played North and West Coast twice.

Yep, I'm very proud of the boys. The closest we will get to a fair draw is a 17 round season - each team plays each other once, and home grounds are swapped year to year. I understand the public wants more games, and the AFL wants more money, but the current system just seems designed to fill a 6 month time period.

[ElwoodBlues1]

No more excuses or living in denial, we had the Pies on toast at 3/4 time and choked like a baby bird with a tennis ball stuck in its throat because we knew they had that reputation for never say die and once they got that sniff of Navy Blue Blood they just wouldnt let up and kept coming. Good players goofed off, lost contests they shouldnt, leaders didnt lead and we let a less talented team torture us with the result.
Its either builds resolve or we become the new Nthmond and we have to look at the list and work out who isnt taking us to the next level and act. We had a chance to give players finals experience this season and maybe even win one but we ballsed up that opportunity which is a decent setback imho when you are trying to build a foundation for sustained success.
Pratty is right to say we cant assume anything and we cant trust this football club and its players because they dont have any runs on the board in that regard.
I would be all over the list and making changes where appropriate and not adopting a set and forget attitude like some seem to want, imo there are plenty of players under the microscope and we dont want them feeling safe and comfortable to the point where they dont want to improve. 2022 Better,  but still disappointing and as Voss said we need standards driven higher.....