07-05-2021, 07:34 AM
(07-05-2021, 02:07 AM)Lods link Wrote:I'll ask the question, and I'm not sure I really know the answer...but are we playing a lot differently to the way we were playing before the bye?
Some of the same lapses and mistakes are still there. Is it the fact that we're winning means that we're witnessing what looks like a rise in confidence and passion. If Freo had run over the top of us I suspect we'd be seeing things in a vastly different light. As Kruddler's been pointing out for some time, when we start playing teams around us rather than teams above us the wins are coming with pretty much the same play (and issues) that were part of our pre-bye games.
Obviously you know my point of view on the matter.
Play worse teams, get better results. Not just because they are a worse team, but because it gives us a boost in confidence as well.
Having said that, i made a comment in the in-game thread during the last game that we seemed to be playing a chip and mark game a bit towards the end of quarters. Basically trying to limit being scored against in red time.
I don't know if it was simply because we were winning, but its not something i've noticed before.
We seemed a little more deliberate when trying to go forward too. Chip+mark, wait for an opportunity rather than bomb long.
Perhaps that was a team specific thing. Perhaps it was simply a different type of game management that we havn't been in a position to use much. Perhaps it was different personnel playing differently. Its too small of a sample size to make any definitive calls.
Ultimately, i think the biggest variable though is the opposition. Other things help/hinder, but are dwarfed by the quality of the opposition. Sometimes we are simply not good enough. Sometimes we are.