3 things that you've learned, finals week one V GWS.

[AshMac]

1. There is a different set off rules for the Orange filth. They played nasty, dirty, filthy vicious footy.
The umpires allowed them to get away with murder. The constant extra slams into the turf. The constant extra chokes to the necks of players lying down at stoppages. The extra forearm hits into the body and face of players being held down by two or 3 people over and over again at every stoppage.

Kicks, knees, punches etc. All went unpunished.

I predicted the Scum would overdo the fireworks. AND THEY DID!
But the umpires let them. No other final I saw over the weekend had that amount of utter nastiness.
The umpires could have sorted things out right from the start with some reversed decisions and 50's.
But they allowed it to fester.

Yes. 100% agree. The umpiring set the tone. There was a moment I knew we’d lost - was second qtr I think, Bailey Smith pulled out of diving for the ball and I thought “that’s it, they’re in our head”

[Bulldog4life]

Just re coaching I guess "out" coached is hard to gauge, I definitely hate mids rucking and think this to be poor coaching, in which I include selection. Yesterday I thought we struggled with the De Boer tag and Whitfield seemed to do as he pleased without much done. Having said that who knows what's happening in the box so we all speculate, let off steam at times and use the forum to express this.
Legitimate question, do the coaches have a review? Would they make any different decisions on the day or prior in relation to this game? I'm genuinely interested if someone knows cheers!

To be fair I even saw Green and a couple of their smaller players do some rucking Gg.

[Mantis]

This comment has been made every single game we lose. Fine that is TBB opinion and has every right to think that, and I have every right to express my opinion. But it is just one of many in other threads by some others, but I won't go fishing.

How about you do?

You're the master at throwing barbs and the allowing others to fight your battles.

The GWS completely shut down our game plan and we seemed powerless to counter it... the decisions made at the selection table (some forced) didn't help our cause.

[GVGjr]

This comment has been made every single game we lose. Fine that is TBB opinion and has every right to think that, and I have every right to express my opinion. But it is just one of many in other threads by some others, but I won't go fishing.

Like players I'm sure coaches have both good days and bad ones. Surely saying that GWS was better prepared at the start of the game or saying that because they jumped us early we weren't prepared as we should have been is a reasonable view?
Now if someone called for Bevo to be sacked that would be in line with 'bashing the coach' but I really don't think what TBB said fits the bashing the coach label.

You're also more than entitled your view but you must know that at times it will be questioned.

[Bulldog4life]

The directive for GWS players to bash our players at all opportunity came from their coach no doubt.

[bornadog]

You're the master at throwing barbs and the allowing others to fight your battles.

Really, I am the master, glad you think so.

Any examples?

[Danjul]

Wouldn't Wood have been directed to kick that way to start off with?

I think the rucking using midfielders was originally started to break the tag on Bont. It worked well at first so I think that is why it was persisted with.

In hindsight we should have found a spot for Trengove.

No it didn’t.

It is pure coincidence that the team kicked 3 goals towards that end. That was the scoring end (20 goals)

Bontempelli had the same number of possessions in both of the first two quarters. 4 in each.

It it took so much out of him that the next two quarters we’re the worst I have seen from him. 5 possessions in the second half.

Dunkley also had less in the second half.

Both would have been better served by using Trengove in the ruck as you say and giving them space to work in.

Hindsight has nothing to do with this one. Trengove was a key element in the win previously.

[bornadog]

No it didn’t.

It is pure coincidence that the team kicked 3 goals towards that end. That was the scoring end (20 goals)

Bontempelli had the same number of possessions in both of the first two quarters. 4 in each.

It it took so much out of him that the next two quarters we’re the worst I have seen from him. 5 possessions in the second half.

Dunkley also had less in the second half.

Both would have been better served by using Trengove in the ruck as you say and giving them space to work in.

Hindsight has nothing to do with this one. Trengove was a key element in the win previously.

Hitouts were only 9 different

[Mantis]

Hitouts were only 9 different

Trengove's work in close would've been very handy.. In our win agaisnt GWS only 3 weeks ago he was crucial in the 2nd half in getting the ball going our way.

We seriously lacked muscle around the ball and whilst Tim was very good at winning first touch he wasn't much value when the ball hit the ground.

[SonofScray]

Jacko is meat. In the scenario we were in I’d want that meat in the grinder, rather than expecting a guy getting tagged and scragged and belted to have to do it all. He could have helped protect the others and do some dirty work right at the coal face. Honestly, he should have been in the squad. Bad call from our selectors.

[Ozza]

1. Although I haven't been that rapt overall with how Libba has been going since 2016 (when playing) - we could have done with him on Saturday. Our inside mids lost their way and were worried about counteracting the tagging & blocking tactics - which I think Libba would have handled better - and well as helping us defend better in the midfield.

2. When St.Kilda went after us physcially a few weeks ago, we didn't handle it well. We didn't handle it again on Saturday.

3. Our half backs have been good this year and a launching pad for our game style at times, but Crozier, Suckling and Duryea were shaky on Saturday. Dropped marks, slipping over, lack of dare by foot. They were under the pump - but I expected they would be better.

[Vred]

Dare I say it, I think Gowers should of been picked over West, we needed tough mungral football to fight GWS and we just didn’t have it on the day

[Remi Moses]

1. We bought a water pistol to a gun fight
2. Trengove and Dickson wouldn’t have made a skerrick of difference
3. There’s toughness and crossing the line and they crossed the line a few times

[S Coast Simon]

unbelievable they were allowed to get away with that shit. The umpires were weak as piss. That was dirty tactics going the man and piling on like that. It’s a penalty in rugby league a F$@@s sake. Totally agree with the different set of rules for the AFL’s own team. Thing I can’t believe is how it has become so obvious they are Struggling to hide it nowadays.

We we got a little ahead of ourselves not playing Trengove and putting a kid with three games in. Mind you his attack on the ball in the air in the flank was a very tough action even though he didn’t quite mark it.

The only blessing out of this is the boys will be hitting the gym just that little bit harder this off season as they won’t want to be pantsed like that ever again. GWS hurt us. Would love to if had M Boyd, Morris and Libby out there. Would have been a little different.

Make Bont the Captain now he will become a colossus as the sole leader of this team. Then Wood can concentrate on returning to his best

1. There is a different set off rules for the Orange filth. They played nasty, dirty, filthy vicious footy.
The umpires allowed them to get away with murder. The constant extra slams into the turf. The constant extra chokes to the necks of players lying down at stoppages. The extra forearm hits into the body and face of players being held down by two or 3 people over and over again at every stoppage.

Kicks, knees, punches etc. All went unpunished.

I predicted the Scum would overdo the fireworks. AND THEY DID!
But the umpires let them. No other final I saw over the weekend had that amount of utter nastiness.
The umpires could have sorted things out right from the start with some reversed decisions and 50's.
But they allowed it to fester.

If that was a suburban, country, or junior game it would NEVER be allowed. People would be jumping the fences.

I hate to think that kids watching that game go home thinking that's how you play footy.

SHAME SHAME SHAME.

2. We went in too young. I was worried when I saw the team sheet.

3. I no longer have a shred of nostalgic warmth left for Leon Cameron. He can ^^%%$#^ off.

[Danjul]

Hitouts were only 9 different

As has been discussed many times, there are hitouts and there are HITOUTS.

I thought English played very well and it was probably his best game.

Trengove would have put more pressure on the opposition rucks when he gave English a break. He would have provided flexibility when Naughton went down. The last quarter was our worst and a rampaging big man on the forward line might have distracted the GWS backline enough to give the small guys some relief.

overall though, I think the game should prove valuable in showing how to make next season better than this one. There’s a lot of talent and now the appropriate people have something to think about.