Why can't we play 4 quarters of good footy?

[Dry Rot]

IIRC so far this season we've had at least one dud quarter per game or more. Ditto time within a quarter, especially at the start of quarters. And we have difficulty closing down games or ramming home our advantage.

We just seem to go to sleep.

Is it concentration? Fitness? Or something else?

What can be done to rectify this?

[GVGjr]

Re: Why can't we play 4 quarters of good footy?

IIRC so far this season we've had at least one dud quarter per game or more. Ditto time within a quarter, especially at the start of quarters. And we have difficulty closing down games or ramming home our advantage.

We just seem to go to sleep.

Is it concentration? Fitness? Or something else?

What can be done to rectify this?

At a guess the introduction of so many guys back from serious injuries like knees and even the ankle injury to Hargrave and the hamstring problems with Aker and Murphy have been a major problems for Eade to overcome. If we can be in a decent position at the half way mark we should have enough players back and in form to really become a 4 quarter team for the balance of the season.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Why can't we play 4 quarters of good footy?

Good theory, but it continues on from last year IIRC.

Seems embedded in this side, no matter what the injury comeback situation.

[Bornadog]

Re: Why can't we play 4 quarters of good footy?

We have never really been a team that goes for the kill, not sure why? I agree the start of quarters have been a problem, especially evident yesterday and also against Hawthorn. We were lucky Hawthorn didn't have a lead of 5 goals by quarter time.

But I tend to agree with GVGjr that this year we have been hampered by the return of so many by injury. I also heard Gilbee after the game say that the team does so much running during a quarter that they do slow down a bit during the quarter to catch their breath.

So thinking about it, the style of play doesnot allow us to really hammer a team as we can't keep up the running for so long.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Why can't we play 4 quarters of good footy?

So thinking about it, the style of play doesnot allow us to really hammer a team as we can't keep up the running for so long.

That's a fair bit of it, I think.

We have to work so hard to play our style that at some stage you drop away slightly and can get burnt.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Why can't we play 4 quarters of good footy?

That's a fair bit of it, I think.

We have to work so hard to play our style that at some stage you drop away slightly and can get burnt.

Don't we need a Plan B/play "tempo" football when this happens?

Otherwise we'll always have problems NB during finals.

[Mofra]

Re: Why can't we play 4 quarters of good footy?

Don't we need a Plan B/play "tempo" football when this happens?

Otherwise we'll always have problems NB during finals.

We did this at the end of the game in round 1, so I think it is a skill we will slowly develop.

It is probably the closest to a 4 quarter effort. Melbourne won 3 quarters against us, although poor kicking in the 3rd meant that was due to accuracy not scoring shots.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Why can't we play 4 quarters of good footy?

We did this at the end of the game in round 1, so I think it is a skill we will slowly develop.

Have we got the right mix of players to properly do this?

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re: Why can't we play 4 quarters of good footy?

At a guess the introduction of so many guys back from serious injuries like knees and even the ankle injury to Hargrave and the hamstring problems with Aker and Murphy have been a major problems for Eade to overcome. If we can be in a decent position at the half way mark we should have enough players back and in form to really become a 4 quarter team for the balance of the season.

We are still on the rise:

If you think about the core of the team, its now Cross, Gilbee, Gia, Hargrave, Harris, Murphy, Mitch, DMorris, McMahon, MBoyd etc that make up the bulk of the senior players

And then there is the younger Cooney, Griffen, Cwight, Ray, SPower, Minson, Higgins mix

We have a few veterans Darcy, Johnson, West, Eagle, Robbo and Acker but

I just think there has been a switch this year and its now those guys team and they have a big role in determining how far we go etc. And as a group I think they have improved a lot as far as playing week in, week out consistent footy, but they still have further room for improvement.