Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

[jeemak]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

When I saw the in's I was a little surprised. They don't make a lot of sense. Then I saw the final team and aside from finding a place for Schache I think its about the best we could field with the injuries we have.

My biggest concern is not the ruck or the backline, but the forward line. Since Bruce went down we have been impotent up front. We get a lot of ball in there but it amounts to nothing and worse it rebounds back out quickly putting the mids and backs under pressure. Its like we had no plan B or C or D for a Bruce injury!

I would have preferred for the last 3 weeks we either played Wallis or Schache at FF. Both to a degree like for like replacements for Bruce (ok they aren't but sort of are). That would have meant that rather than trying to shuffle around multiple parts of the team we would have just been able to keep playing the same gamestyle.

I think we will win v the Bombers, but unless we can work out a way to score 12 to 15 goals a game we wont go further than winning this final this year.

How much planning can you do if you have personnel constraints? I don't disagree that there should be contingency planning on all lines, and I don't doubt there is, but your cattle is your cattle and you're only as good as what you have at your disposal.

I agree with you that Wallis would have been a decent addition based on the way he plays, though don't agree Schache is part of the equation which is a bit sad because he should be given his talent.

The biggest roll of the dice is JJ, man I hope he proves how good he can be with some goals and plenty of pressure.

[soupman]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

How much planning can you do if you have personnel constraints? I don't disagree that there should be contingency planning on all lines, and I don't doubt there is, but your cattle is your cattle and you're only as good as what you have at your disposal.

Yeah there is a thing particularly in the AFL where injuries aren't an excuse, and a good side is a good side regardless of who they have out. I even agree with it to an extent.

But it also misrepresents a situation, and if a side loses a key player or even someone who plays a specific role that is difficult to replace that should be an excuse for poor performance.

So yes we have been worse since Bruce has been injured, and yes we don't appear to have a good plan B or C (which is not the same as not having one), but we should be able to point to that and go "that has had an severe impact on our chances this year".

*This is somewhat in isolation, I think it's much more than just the Bruce injury that has gone wrong with us but the point stands.

[mjp]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

*This is somewhat in isolation, I think it's much more than just the Bruce injury that has gone wrong with us but the point stands.

Somehow WC won the GF without Natanui and Gaff. But they KNEW those guys wouldn't be available and had 'gotten used to it' from both a playing and mindset perspective...

It's only been a few weeks for us since Bruce - our #1 kick too target who has been a fixture for 2 years - went down. It takes a bit of time to adjust...it's gonna be OK!

[The Adelaide Connection]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

Somehow WC won the GF without Natanui and Gaff. But they KNEW those guys wouldn't be available and had 'gotten used to it' from both a playing and mindset perspective...

It's only been a few weeks for us since Bruce - our #1 kick too target who has been a fixture for 2 years - went down. It takes a bit of time to adjust...it's gonna be OK!

I get that the last three weeks and the lack of insurance (no double chance) has everybody beyond worried, but we are one player off our best side that was arguably the best side for most of the year.

Even if we don’t quite get back to our best this weekend, if we just have a nominal finals intensity lift I think we will belt suitcases out of them. Hitting the Semi off a strong win would be a much better position than the mess Geelong have got themselves in.

[GVGjr]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

Does anyone feel better now for our chances tomorrow that while we lost to the inform Port they crushed Geelong last night?

[EasternWest]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

Somehow WC won the GF without Natanui and Gaff. But they KNEW those guys wouldn't be available and had 'gotten used to it' from both a playing and mindset perspective...

It's only been a few weeks for us since Bruce - our #1 kick too target who has been a fixture for 2 years - went down. It takes a bit of time to adjust...it's gonna be OK!

He gets lampooned a bit for some of the Bruceisms he does but he's actually a bloody good player and structurally so important for us.

[EasternWest]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

Does anyone feel better now for our chances tomorrow that while we lost to the inform Port they crushed Geelong last night?

No, because I've been saying all along we're going to win tomorrow.

[GVGjr]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

No, because I've been saying all along we're going to win tomorrow.

I'm confident we will win as well but it's kinda good to see that the team that just rolled us last week is in very good form
A slight improvement in our form will make us that much harder to beat.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

Does anyone feel better now for our chances tomorrow that while we lost to the inform Port they crushed Geelong last night?

I think it just highlights how you need to turn up on the day. Geelong are not a 6 goal worse side than Port, but got out worked, out pressured and out thought. Port got the match ups they wanted, played to their strengths and executed well. Geelong won the right share of ball, but like us last week couldn’t move it when they had it with any real system / efficiency and that meant their forward line (highly regarded as it is) wasn’t given a chance to shine. Clearly didn’t learn the lesson from us about Aliir.

Look, I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but not sure it means much. Everyone at their best can beat everyone else at their 99%.

[1eyedog]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

I get that the last three weeks and the lack of insurance (no double chance) has everybody beyond worried, but we are one player off our best side that was arguably the best side for most of the year.

Even if we don’t quite get back to our best this weekend, if we just have a nominal finals intensity lift I think we will belt suitcases out of them. Hitting the Semi off a strong win would be a much better position than the mess Geelong have got themselves in.

Agreed. Geelong missed Stewart badly last night and Essendon will be without Walla and Hind. Shit happens. Seeing how good Port were last night makes me feel a bit better, especially considering I think us, Melbourne and Richmond beat them at home this year so it's not the fortress it was. They are flying atm. Boak gets better with age.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

I'm confident we will win as well but it's kinda good to see that the team that just rolled us last week is in very good form
A slight improvement in our form will make us that much harder to beat.

Or Geelong aren't very good. They didn't offer much. Port have certainly recruited well, although we won trade week (tm) they mightve just finished off their side with the echo. (Aliir...... Aliir...)

Not many give up 50 point leads on their home deck. As soon as Melbourne played fast the Cats had 0 answer.

Basically I agree with you but comparing different results never works; certainly our performance was better.

[mjp]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

Does anyone feel better now for our chances tomorrow that while we lost to the inform Port they crushed Geelong last night?

I have said for the past week I thought we were pretty good...losing by 2 points in a coin flip game vs Port - I thought it was a good effort (they're a good team). Disappointing we couldn't hold and get the 4-points but...hell - that's footy.

I have a churning in my stomach about tomorrow but it's a final and I would really like us to win won. I think the pressure on the players and coach is a bit over the top right now...I understand 'people' are frustrated with the ruck situation but as I have said, when we recruited Martin as the nominal #1 in the off-season this was a pretty likely outcome. Young has been going pretty well and a Young-English 1-2 would seem to make sense to me...

I see Essendon have brought in Caldwell who I rate as well...I know he is coming off a zero base but little things like that are adding to my overall anxiety.

[SonofScray]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

Does anyone feel better now for our chances tomorrow that while we lost to the inform Port they crushed Geelong last night?

Somewhat. It’s a little bit of shine on what has otherwise been a torrid month.

I’m not 100% that it franks our form, but it is something.

[G-Mo77]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

Does anyone feel better now for our chances tomorrow that while we lost to the inform Port they crushed Geelong last night?

Not really, I'm not confident by any means but still think we can win. Things are different from week to week. Port dominated from the 2nd quarter onwards last week and we got lucky they missed so many. The honourable loss we're hanging their hat on makes me want to spew up.

I'm very worried the same team that has been beaten the last 2 weeks is virtually unchanged. The same team that kicked 5 goals against Box Hill just doesn't fill me with any confidence what so ever.

[Bornadog]

Re: Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 1

Not really, I'm not confident by any means but still think we can win. Things are different from week to week. Port dominated from the 2nd quarter onwards last week and we got lucky they missed so many. The honourable loss we're hanging their hat on makes me want to spew up.

I'm very worried the same team that has been beaten the last 2 weeks is virtually unchanged. The same team that kicked 5 goals against Box Hill just doesn't fill me with any confidence what so ever.

Finals footy is different with more pressure and more intensity.

I think we need to forget the performances over the past few weeks, and look at the season as a whole and think of what we are capable of producing, then go out there and do it. We have better players than Essendon and I think we can win this one.