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1st Third (2009) Season Review
Like all good places, reviews always help out and allow us to benchmark and see where we are at, where we thought we might be and where we want to be and what needs to happen. 8 games in, as close to a 1/3 review as you can do 
. How do you rate ourperformance so far:
[B]Kids stepping up:
Higgins seems to have taken the next step. Looking forward to him being fit for the rest of the year.
Hill has gone past a few in the starting 22.
Tiller seems to have cllimbed another rung
Everitt is still developing
Grant getting agame was great, but looked a little at sea.
DFA is still, doing his thing, maybe a move to the forward line?
Mature players taking the next step:
Not enough from them yet. They talk about the pain of last year as a burning desire, but there's not too many that can say they have had a great start to 2009.
Our older group:
Hate to say it, i think the game has gone past Johno. Or, he needs to be played in different roles. And should stop playing for frees.
Love to say it, Aker could go around another year. Brilliant and has won us two games this year personally.
Eagle, stepped up after having been read the riot act.
Alliance with Willi:
Seems to be going quite well. My feedback was good that they Willi people enjoy us over the Collingwood folk. The only issue at the moment is Boumann in the magoos, but that is hardly Pods v every developing fwd on the list.
Win/Loss ratio - Ladder Position:
5/3 - and 3rd. Happy enough with that. Some say the sign of a good group is that they win when they are not playing at their best. That is us in a nutshell. Would have liked to have had at least one extra win, but that's footy.
Growth/development of the group:
We seem bigger and defencive pressure when we apply it is great. The issue seems to be our inability to constantly apply it. Some good kids at Willi pushng for a spot and the young KPP are showing signs we have some good talls coming through in 2 years or so.
Tactics/Style used to win/lose games:
Lucky to get away with a few. We have had hot as hell, rain (almost hail), very windy and calm. Zone and man on man. We are one of those sides who can change and win a game in 10 minutes. I'd like to see more of that.
Overall Position in the Comp:
3rd is about right. Saints and Geelong have shown more consistency. But other teams, so even is the competition, could be where we are.
Improvements (if any):
Would love to see some kids come through. Grant got one game but looked at see. G'Ok is knocking the door down, Reid is doing well and STack i think needs a run at AFL level.
CONSISTENCY. Running, skills and defence. The way we played in 10 minuites against Adelaide, some more of that. I know you cannot sustain that for 100 minutes, but we are up and down.
Senior players have to find some form and make an impact. Gia and Hahn two I will nominate as having to lift to get some more improvement across the board.
Thoughts overall/Others:
I think the first third of the year has been ok. Two trips to Perth over, bot also we won the games we should have against Richmond and Melbourne. We broke the hoo-doo (just) against North. At 3 or 4 depending on what happens with Port Adelaide today, we are still around where we need to be. If our fitness regime is what we are being told, we going along nicely too. We need to play the zone a lot better and i'd like to see our depth tested by great performances at the VFL.
The next third will show us a little more where we are headed with game against Geelong and Hawthorn. But so far so good i'd say is the message.
. How do you rate ourperformance so far:[B]Kids stepping up:
Higgins seems to have taken the next step. Looking forward to him being fit for the rest of the year.
Hill has gone past a few in the starting 22.
Tiller seems to have cllimbed another rung
Everitt is still developing
Grant getting agame was great, but looked a little at sea.
DFA is still, doing his thing, maybe a move to the forward line?
Mature players taking the next step:
Not enough from them yet. They talk about the pain of last year as a burning desire, but there's not too many that can say they have had a great start to 2009.
Our older group:
Hate to say it, i think the game has gone past Johno. Or, he needs to be played in different roles. And should stop playing for frees.
Love to say it, Aker could go around another year. Brilliant and has won us two games this year personally.
Eagle, stepped up after having been read the riot act.
Alliance with Willi:
Seems to be going quite well. My feedback was good that they Willi people enjoy us over the Collingwood folk. The only issue at the moment is Boumann in the magoos, but that is hardly Pods v every developing fwd on the list.
Win/Loss ratio - Ladder Position:
5/3 - and 3rd. Happy enough with that. Some say the sign of a good group is that they win when they are not playing at their best. That is us in a nutshell. Would have liked to have had at least one extra win, but that's footy.
Growth/development of the group:
We seem bigger and defencive pressure when we apply it is great. The issue seems to be our inability to constantly apply it. Some good kids at Willi pushng for a spot and the young KPP are showing signs we have some good talls coming through in 2 years or so.
Tactics/Style used to win/lose games:
Lucky to get away with a few. We have had hot as hell, rain (almost hail), very windy and calm. Zone and man on man. We are one of those sides who can change and win a game in 10 minutes. I'd like to see more of that.
Overall Position in the Comp:
3rd is about right. Saints and Geelong have shown more consistency. But other teams, so even is the competition, could be where we are.
Improvements (if any):
Would love to see some kids come through. Grant got one game but looked at see. G'Ok is knocking the door down, Reid is doing well and STack i think needs a run at AFL level.
CONSISTENCY. Running, skills and defence. The way we played in 10 minuites against Adelaide, some more of that. I know you cannot sustain that for 100 minutes, but we are up and down.
Senior players have to find some form and make an impact. Gia and Hahn two I will nominate as having to lift to get some more improvement across the board.
Thoughts overall/Others:
I think the first third of the year has been ok. Two trips to Perth over, bot also we won the games we should have against Richmond and Melbourne. We broke the hoo-doo (just) against North. At 3 or 4 depending on what happens with Port Adelaide today, we are still around where we need to be. If our fitness regime is what we are being told, we going along nicely too. We need to play the zone a lot better and i'd like to see our depth tested by great performances at the VFL.
The next third will show us a little more where we are headed with game against Geelong and Hawthorn. But so far so good i'd say is the message.
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