(04-03-2022, 12:40 PM)DJC date Wrote:Our first quarter was probably the best football we have played for a decade or more. What happened next may have been a product of over-confidence or simply that Hawthorn's pressure disrupted our forward 50 entries and gave them the opportunity to score from rebounds.I was at the ground and I have to say a lot of us saw the momentum swing coming. Despite our start we looked flat, even in the 1st term, like the first two rounds had taken a lot of run out of our legs. We were terrific at the contest, but once the Dawks got into the open we were struggling to react and then slow to chase.
As much as fans bag LoB and Setters without those two today deep running from BP to FP we would have lost. Along with BigH, SoJ, Hewett and Owies they were the only others who ran hard all day. Even Cerra looked flat.
Dawks inexperience played into Weiters hand, and our ball use did much the same at the other end, we fatigued very early and the decision making and ball skills went out the window.
Dawks were undersized today, and after 1/4-time we could leverage that, it wasn't a great game.
Part of the problem will be new coach versus new coach, neither appeared clued up on what the other was doing and it showed.
Dawks dragged the likes of Durdin and Owies we'll up the ground after 1/4-time, and this meant despite being given lots of opportunities we had nobody at the feet of BigH, SoJ and Charlie running interference. It's a weakness in our game plan and when we lose the centre clearance it sticks out because we need Durdin and Owies chasing up beyond the wing.
"Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck ....... Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck"