Yeah i think the game was lost even before this only because games like this have a loss written all over it for our side.
But a mid outmarking your 2 tallest markers just typifies why we lose games like these.
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I watched the 4th qtr replay again (I know, sucker for punishment). We were just really poor in the moments that mattered. Doc took an eternity to get the ball into F50 when we were 4 points down and really challenging - result was a smother and the ball being deep in Freo territory. VDM missed the simple West spot-up and went top of the square to our tall targets - free kick against. And of course the Aish mark.
When was the last time we nailed the critical moments in a game to get over the line? We are something like 0-8 in the last 12 months for close games (0-9 if you count last night, which was in the balance with 3 mins to go). We are the anti-Collingwood in our ability to capitulate when the moments really matter (in front or behind, doesn't really matter).
Just on the VDM kick to the top of the square - we were doing this all night, so it must be a non-negotiable in our game plan to go long and quick deep to our tall targets. It makes us really predictable and easy to defend against. It was really jarring early last week against the Saints to see Garcia do the clever angled short kick to spot up the free target inside 50 - normally we just do the long bomb to snake, which is what we did all night last night. That's not an out for VDM - he really should have seen West free and taken the better option. But if we are being taught to automatically go in long and direct to the tall timber, we are about 20 years too late with our game plan (even if Darcy made it look good a few times last night).
Bont's miss was bad. It was telling. First time in ages that I've seen him show fatigue and he looked defeated. Sick and tired of always mopping up for many others. The team covered the loss of Libba last week well. Last night it was all over the shop. If we didn't have Bont we'd be bottom four. I had quite a few drinks watching the game and my memory is that we only had about 10 players on the ground.
Exactly, our gameplan is stale, inefficient and static. There's no flexibility for situations when the usual structure isn't working. Its robbing players of their game smarts and sense. Was anyone free to play on instinct? Having watched Geelong put on a show directly before our match I was thinking "why do we not execute like that?" the contrast is staggering.
Bont’s miss. Imagine the meltdown if this was VDM.
It really was just inexcusable, and yet when he lined up, I knew it was only too possible that it could happen.
Bont's miss for sure - our best player, captain, $1m marquee man missing from 5m out.
Bont's miss. And to be honest I'm sick of the sympathy card that gets wheeled out for him time and again when this type of thing happens.
Yep, we depend on him and we need him to stand up ALL the time, just like every team needs of their best player and captain. Can't keep making excuses for him.
The Duryea smother a close second.
We had other misses that should have been converted - English twice, Darcy, Treloar twice. But none of these were from 8 metres out on a slight angle. It is ridiculous that Bont is getting an out because "he carries the team on his back and does so much". It was an inexcusably poor miss at a critical time in the game.
Who is giving Bontempelli an out for missing the goal?
It was Bont’s miss. I’m in a group chat with a couple of mates who are usually pretty merciless about the Dogs because I’m the easiest person to bait in the entire world, but the only message I got when Bont missed was “I’m so sorry man”.