What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

[Rocco Jones]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

I thought Murphy, Gia, Morris and Cross made a stand.

I agree, it was kinda my point (sorry if it came across as what leaders= do we have any?).

Boyd is the one that disappointed me most (not including Johnno as I don't expect much from him anymore).

[Mantis]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

Which 'leaders'?

The captain, but I guess he can't anymore.

Boyd and Cross don't tighten up defensively when we are under the pump.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

The captain, but I guess he can't anymore.

Boyd and Cross don't tighten up defensively when we are under the pump.

Probably shows more about my memory but sad that it took me awhile to think of Johnno as one of our leaders. In reality, he is nowhere near it at the moment.

[AndrewP6]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

If, over the last 6 weeks we've taken 2 steps forward, last night we took 5 steps back. To start so positively and just lay down as we did was indeed embarrassing, humiliating, and points to some deep-seated issues within the list. Not skill-wise, I don't believe - we'd never be able to produce good form if skills were the issue. I think it's above the shoulders. And last night did nothing to help that - or to provide any evidence that we're not just going to make up numbers. We struggle big time against the best sides, I'd be VERY surprised if September saw any difference in that regard.

Of course, along with "surprised" I'd also be elated

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

Are we prepared to make the hard call on some players with, lets say, questionable big game temperaments?

I agree that this has always been a dilemma, compounded somewhat by the fact that the players with questionable big game temperaments, are perhaps seem as otherwise very good footballers.

I guess that actually answers the question, we are perhaps not strong enough to make the hard calls. Not prepared to take an initial step backward in order to go forward.

[BulldogBelle]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

I hope I am wrong here, but I don't believe we can win the flag this year because we have developed a huge mental barrier for ourselves in not being able to win against the top 3 in both H&A and finals matches.
David King on 3AW's post game wrap up put it pretty well (and I have to agree with him)... he said that we are good at beating up on the teams below us and because of that, we will get through to another prelim, but he also said that there is a belief amongst the top 3, that if you put the dogs under enough pressure (particularly the midfield) their skills fall away.
I think we have all witnessed the dogs struggle under the most extreme pressure that the pies/cats/saints provide, and there has not been a game this season (against said 3 teams) where he have produced a performance to indicate otherwise. We won't just magically turn up and do it in the finals.....

[DOG GOD]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

It will depend on the how the players go "mentally" come finals time.

C'wood we SHOULDVE beaten twice this year except for inept first qtrs.
Saints we SHOULDVE beaten as well.

Now IF we lose to the pies first week of finals, we will most likely have to play Cats in prelim, and after losing to them previously by 100 pts, i'm not sure the playing group have the resolve to "believe".

I can remember in my indoor cricket days we were the 2nd best team in the comp for numourous years, but we could never match the BEST team. We would always meet them in the grand final and lose, until one year we met them in the grand final and WON a close game.

Anything is possible as long as you are there i guess is what i'm saying, but even after beating them, the next roster we were never confident when coming up against them and i think over the years we played them we only won 3 times in 5 or so years against that team.

[Scorlibo]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

We are still 4th - we would have been 4th had we won.

We would have been 2nd had we won, and probably 3rd at round's end.

[Missing Dog]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

Well, if Boyd was nominally the one who was meant to be on Ablett last night, then he should've stood up and taken it upon himself to try and organise the midifeld group who were geting smashed. Better yet he could've made a leaders call to try and quell Ablett's free reign.

He was very vocal at half time heading off the field, and was shooting filthy looks around, but he certainly did not lead by example last night.

Was that his instruction?

My perception of the game plan was to play our game, and let them play theirs. Well, a free Ablett is more damaging then a free Boyd. Who do you blame: Boyd or the coaching staff?

[Bornadog]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

We would have been 2nd had we won, and probably 3rd at round's end.

One to four, makes no difference week one of finals.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

Was that his instruction?

My perception of the game plan was to play our game, and let them play theirs. Well, a free Ablett is more damaging then a free Boyd. Who do you blame: Boyd or the coaching staff?

I too was thinking from observing the game last night that we had decided to roll the dice against Ablett, however Mantis has stated in the Gameday thread that both Cross and Boyd were given negating instructions, which they seemingly did not execute.
So given that's the case I definitely blame the players.

[Flamethrower]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

Last night will mean nothing in September. It is what happens during the finals that counts.

We were always going to struggle last night coming off a 6 day break after a high intensity game on a big ground in adverse conditions. On top of that a significant number of players were still in recovery mode after contracting the respiratory virus, which is draining energy wise for "Joe Public", let alone high energy professional athletes.

Last year we beat Geelong at this time of year leading into the finals - fat lot of good it did us. Hopefully losing to them this year will result in a better outcome.

[Missing Dog]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

I think we have to face facts. Shouldves and couldves are just mental barriers - facts are we've played Pies, Saints and Cats in 4 games for 4 losses including last nights belting. I would've thought all 3 of those sides would go into finals matches against us with no fears, in fact the opposite, thinking they had our measure easy. Coz they have. It will take the team/club to win anyway and I'm pessimistic about the chances of changes.

[ratsmac]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

The cats put us back in our place, and I think forth is our place. It hurts to say but unfortunately there are clearly 3 teams that are better than us, especially when it is high stakes. Imagine that was the grand final last night. Port must of felt ten times worse than I feel right now back in 07, completely gutted. I really hope the boys prove me wrong but a prelim this year is about where I believe is about our best. I know I'm being very negetive but there are too many players that can go missing when we really need them, which keeps bringing me back to this answer.

[LostDoggy]

Re: What does last night do to our finals aspirations?

No team has won the premiership losing by 100 points in H&A.
Lets stop making pathetic excuses on why we got beat. Its simple we are not in the same league as the top 3 teams.

You still hang on for that little bit of hope it can happen but i hate to say it but for me last night was like we just lost another prelimanary final, season over!!!