2023: A review

[LP]

How are the players feeling?
Naturally there will be a level of hurt and disappointment, but given the run, the injuries and exhuastion at the end, has the loss bit hard, or do they perhaps (even subconsciously) share the supporter feelings that we've done very well from the position we were at mid year?
They're entitled to believe that but, it's left us in a somewhat different position to a side that has been badly burnt and shamed in a finals campaign.
That's a side that looks for redemption.
We have nothing to redeem.
We've lost, but we've been solid.
We can't know the level of hurt internally, but there is one thing that we need to see, a much better and full on effort from the start of season 2024.

[member=906]Lods[/member] there won't be any warm and fuzzy feelings amongst the playing group, that's a fan perspective.

I've been involved with state level sport and even won some state titles over the years, I know you've had a long involvement with athletics, have you every known top level sportspeople or teams to be satisfied with going close?

In my experience falling at the last hurdle just makes people who are already driven and capable to get to the highest levels, even more driven! The most important thing is to learn from the failure and sharpen your focus on the things that are needed.

I noted a couple of things;

- Despite playing in big games, we still panicked in the finals, we need to address that ability to remain calm, cold and focussed on the biggest stages.

- At the pointy end of the season revenge is a dish best served cold, when you get there act like you've been there before and you belong there! That mindset is every bit as important as any other visualisation routine.

- We must never drop our heads, and it is everybody's responsibility to lift those around them, even the fans. Never point the finger. Those moments last Saturday when we(fans) went quiet as a crowd impacts the team, that silence is a virtual finger point. When the going gets tough we need to get louder not shrink into silent dread. The Filth do that better than any other supporter base, aren't we up to it? Remember the theme "Stronger Tougher", it means something, stick fat with your team, lift them with your voice!

- I suspect it was no accident McKay and Cripps stood up, I believe they both study some psychology on the side, they know how to set themselves into the right mindset. Think of the improvement in McKay after the events of the 1st final, that 1st final game could well break uniformed players, remember Nick Riewoldt was never the same after cooking it on the biggest stage, but instead McKay rose to the occasion.

- Be prepared to play your part, to let others succeed and to let them help you to succeed, you can't do it all yourself.