SlimPickens
07-08-2013, 03:50 PM
6 August 2013
This week, I was pleased with how we weren't in any shape or form, without showing disrespect, afraid of cracking in against Sydney. Our willingness to go back to the ball and compete and take stronger bodies on, head on, was a positive to take from the game. I enjoyed seeing a growing belief in people wanting the ball in their hands forward of centre and wanting to create things and score. I really enjoyed at times seeing us make it hard for Sydney to move the ball. And then I really didn't like how easy we were to play against in the last 35 minutes and we shouldn't accept that, ever.
Our effort and desire to tackle the opposition head on was great but Sydney won the four points and they were prepared to pay the price to win the four points. Sydney were prepared to pay a heavier price in the last 35 minutes than us and we can't lose sight of that. It's one thing for people to comment that Sydney were sore and bruised after they played us, but the reality is they still won the game. It's a bit like the week before, when Adelaide won all these indicators but Fremantle still beat them. It's about applying what we did, all day and everyone being prepared to pay a physical and mental price to get the result for our Club and that is where we are heading and we are not backing away from it. We want to get better, we want to win games and we want to be respected as a Club who plays for four quarters against whoever is on the field and wherever we are playing.
I've mentioned before, we are seeing a real connection between our training, not just in the past month but our training over 18 months, which we are now seeing transferred out on the field and we are being able to do it for longer. This gives confidence to two groups of people, our players and our supporters, that progress is being made but the second we think we are making nice progress and we are on our way and start thinking too much about that, that is the second you are losing focus and your workrate is dropping and your effort is dropping without you even noticing it. We have to keep hammering away, keep looking for ruthless people who just hate being beaten.
Carlton are a very competitive club, their basics of the game are very good, their contest is good, their commitment to defending has markedly improved. On Saturday, we know we have a big challenge on our hands. Our aim this week is to maintain the intensity that we showed for three quarters last week for longer and give ourselves a chance to win another game of footy.
See you at the game,
Brendan
This week, I was pleased with how we weren't in any shape or form, without showing disrespect, afraid of cracking in against Sydney. Our willingness to go back to the ball and compete and take stronger bodies on, head on, was a positive to take from the game. I enjoyed seeing a growing belief in people wanting the ball in their hands forward of centre and wanting to create things and score. I really enjoyed at times seeing us make it hard for Sydney to move the ball. And then I really didn't like how easy we were to play against in the last 35 minutes and we shouldn't accept that, ever.
Our effort and desire to tackle the opposition head on was great but Sydney won the four points and they were prepared to pay the price to win the four points. Sydney were prepared to pay a heavier price in the last 35 minutes than us and we can't lose sight of that. It's one thing for people to comment that Sydney were sore and bruised after they played us, but the reality is they still won the game. It's a bit like the week before, when Adelaide won all these indicators but Fremantle still beat them. It's about applying what we did, all day and everyone being prepared to pay a physical and mental price to get the result for our Club and that is where we are heading and we are not backing away from it. We want to get better, we want to win games and we want to be respected as a Club who plays for four quarters against whoever is on the field and wherever we are playing.
I've mentioned before, we are seeing a real connection between our training, not just in the past month but our training over 18 months, which we are now seeing transferred out on the field and we are being able to do it for longer. This gives confidence to two groups of people, our players and our supporters, that progress is being made but the second we think we are making nice progress and we are on our way and start thinking too much about that, that is the second you are losing focus and your workrate is dropping and your effort is dropping without you even noticing it. We have to keep hammering away, keep looking for ruthless people who just hate being beaten.
Carlton are a very competitive club, their basics of the game are very good, their contest is good, their commitment to defending has markedly improved. On Saturday, we know we have a big challenge on our hands. Our aim this week is to maintain the intensity that we showed for three quarters last week for longer and give ourselves a chance to win another game of footy.
See you at the game,
Brendan