I always think that after a bad loss, it’s probably better to wait until the next day before making a comment.
The emotion and disappointment of the result tends to emphasise and heighten our perceptions. Reasons for the loss are usually attributed to pre-conceived ideas such as poor selections.
Sometimes in the morning things don’t seem so bad…sometimes they do!
That was bad.
The first half particularly.
It was probably as bad as anything we dished up during the Pagan years.
The result flatters us.
Brisbane didn’t switch off at 60 in front, but they definitely ‘dropped off’ a fair bit, no doubt with next week in mind
Our last few goals were kicked in junk time.
Their inaccuracy saved us from an even more embarrassing result…and that’s an issue for them going forward.
Why did it turn out so bad?
There’s a lot of talk around the selections especially the injured. Yes, they were underdone, but they all got through the game OK. That’s a match fitness issue, rather than ‘carrying injured players’…and all would probably have been better for the run had we made it through.
Would the addition of Lord, Binns and Moir have made a difference to the 60-nil beginning? We can guess, but we can never know for sure. I personally don’t think it would have made much difference at all. These guys performed OK against a West Coast side and a “last game of the year” St Kilda.
Brisbane in Brisbane in a finals game is a dramatically different opponent. But really, folks will have their own ideas on that situation and I can understand how some will feel we lost it at selection.
One player we did miss is Cincotta. At his best he would have been very useful…but his form slipped in recent weeks.
The TDK/Kennedy one was a bit strange. The thinking was obviously that we would be close at three quarter time and a fresh DeKoning may have been the difference. The situation we found ourselves in meant he had to be activated much earlier than planned. I suspect Kennedy was always in the mix to be the one subbed, given his role was the one most similar to DeKoning’s, and the fact that he’s had a pretty exhausting couple of days. Those of us guys who’ve been in the delivery room know, that while our physical contribution is limited, it does take a toll and when it’s over you’re just looking for a place to lie down. Normally you take the next day or two off work, not jump on a plane to Brisbane to play an elimination final…and even if you do front up, half your mind is back at the hospital.
One much maligned player who did OK under a bit of an avalanche was Lewis Young. There was still a bit of uncertainty at times but not our worst by a long way.
No doubt there will be a thorough review of what went wrong, but the most obvious aspect was the lack of pressure in the first half. The manic tackling and double team tackles just weren’t there. I hate the term “didn’t come ready to play” but that’s basically what it looked like.
The other one was some of the interactions and glances between team-mates when something didn’t go as planned, which leads me to my final point. Some of the body language in recent weeks as things turned a bit pear shaped suggest a less than happy camp. That’s often a consequence of a struggling team. The next week or two will be interesting. It wouldn’t surprise to see a few requesting a move. Not just the ones like Martin who are already well on the way out, but a few we didn’t expect.
The emotion and disappointment of the result tends to emphasise and heighten our perceptions. Reasons for the loss are usually attributed to pre-conceived ideas such as poor selections.
Sometimes in the morning things don’t seem so bad…sometimes they do!
That was bad.
The first half particularly.
It was probably as bad as anything we dished up during the Pagan years.
The result flatters us.
Brisbane didn’t switch off at 60 in front, but they definitely ‘dropped off’ a fair bit, no doubt with next week in mind
Our last few goals were kicked in junk time.
Their inaccuracy saved us from an even more embarrassing result…and that’s an issue for them going forward.
Why did it turn out so bad?
There’s a lot of talk around the selections especially the injured. Yes, they were underdone, but they all got through the game OK. That’s a match fitness issue, rather than ‘carrying injured players’…and all would probably have been better for the run had we made it through.
Would the addition of Lord, Binns and Moir have made a difference to the 60-nil beginning? We can guess, but we can never know for sure. I personally don’t think it would have made much difference at all. These guys performed OK against a West Coast side and a “last game of the year” St Kilda.
Brisbane in Brisbane in a finals game is a dramatically different opponent. But really, folks will have their own ideas on that situation and I can understand how some will feel we lost it at selection.
One player we did miss is Cincotta. At his best he would have been very useful…but his form slipped in recent weeks.
The TDK/Kennedy one was a bit strange. The thinking was obviously that we would be close at three quarter time and a fresh DeKoning may have been the difference. The situation we found ourselves in meant he had to be activated much earlier than planned. I suspect Kennedy was always in the mix to be the one subbed, given his role was the one most similar to DeKoning’s, and the fact that he’s had a pretty exhausting couple of days. Those of us guys who’ve been in the delivery room know, that while our physical contribution is limited, it does take a toll and when it’s over you’re just looking for a place to lie down. Normally you take the next day or two off work, not jump on a plane to Brisbane to play an elimination final…and even if you do front up, half your mind is back at the hospital.
One much maligned player who did OK under a bit of an avalanche was Lewis Young. There was still a bit of uncertainty at times but not our worst by a long way.
No doubt there will be a thorough review of what went wrong, but the most obvious aspect was the lack of pressure in the first half. The manic tackling and double team tackles just weren’t there. I hate the term “didn’t come ready to play” but that’s basically what it looked like.
The other one was some of the interactions and glances between team-mates when something didn’t go as planned, which leads me to my final point. Some of the body language in recent weeks as things turned a bit pear shaped suggest a less than happy camp. That’s often a consequence of a struggling team. The next week or two will be interesting. It wouldn’t surprise to see a few requesting a move. Not just the ones like Martin who are already well on the way out, but a few we didn’t expect.