A theory on our last quarter fade outs...

[legendtofski]

I find the excuse that 'we're young' a bit of a ****, coz young guys should be more fit...But here's an interesting fact. Because we've been kicking such high scores (quite uncommon in today's degraded contest due to SHITNEY'S CHIP RUBBISH), quarters have regulalry been going to 35 minutes. Tonight we had three 35 minute quarters. I mean the last couple of weeks the boys have been playing almost half a quarter EXTRA of footy, and hence the fact that they're buggered by the final and give teams that window to turn over the game.

[jackn]

I find the excuse that 'we're young' a bit of a ****, coz young guys should be more fit...But here's an interesting fact. Because we've been kicking such high scores (quite uncommon in today's degraded contest due to SHITNEY'S CHIP RUBBISH), quarters have regulalry been going to 35 minutes. Tonight we had three 35 minute quarters. I mean the last couple of weeks the boys have been playing almost half a quarter EXTRA of footy, and hence the fact that they're buggered by the final and give teams that window to turn over the game.

Thats a load of crap mate. The young guys have had 1 or 2 pre-seasons and that's why they can't run out games like players who have had 10 years of footy. Pre-seasons are all about running and building a fitness base for the year. Long quarters has nothing to do with it because port played the same amount of time as us. The difference was that they have more players who have done more pre-seasons.

The other thing, and pagan has always said this, is that young kids are more likely to be inconsistent. They're going to have bad patches in games and the goal is to have them playing well for larger periods of the game each week.

[EddieBettsIsAChamp]

They cant have stamina to burn right away, for god sakes their still young

[Sticks 4]

I find the excuse that 'we're young' a bit of a ****, coz young guys should be more fit...But here's an interesting fact. Because we've been kicking such high scores (quite uncommon in today's degraded contest due to SHITNEY'S CHIP RUBBISH), quarters have regulalry been going to 35 minutes. Tonight we had three 35 minute quarters. I mean the last couple of weeks the boys have been playing almost half a quarter EXTRA of footy, and hence the fact that they're buggered by the final and give teams that window to turn over the game.

the quarters go that long for both teams. Nice try though

[bakerboy]

Young LEGS that's all

[whippersnipper]

The other thing, and pagan has always said this, is that young kids are more likely to be inconsistent. They're going to have bad patches in games and the goal is to have them playing well for larger periods of the game each week.
That one doesn't make any sense, because the problem is the last quarter only. If it was inconsistency, there wouldn't be a pattern, they would be struggling at all different times during games.

As for the "they only have young legs" theory, I reckon thats bullshit as well. Mainly because a lot of the blokes we have in there have around 30-60 games of experience- certainly enough to build up a significant enough fitness base.

I personally think it must be some sort of mental exhaustion- we tend to have intense bursts of play in the third quarter for 10-15 minutes or so and then fade away. Either the boys are thinking incorrectly that they have done enough, or they are exerting so much mental effort in that quarter that the last quarter becomes a bit of a let down.

Any way that it goes, its a concern, because if we cant learn to win fourth quarters, we will never become a top side, or even a finals side. Hopefully they can turn it around by the end of the season though.

[Andyt30]

were only 2 games from sides bottom 5 side in the top 8
so next weeks wins a must and for sides above us to lose
so we can get to 1 game behind theres plenty of rds left
to give it a good old shake

[marcmurphy3]

What has really helped us lately is the fact that we replaced 2 talls who were doing nothing with 2 extra runners who are actually contributing.

[Will.B.Worth.Da.Waite]

What has really helped us lately is the fact that we replaced 2 talls who were doing nothing with 2 extra runners who are actually contributing.

Agree. Pagan actually said this in his media conference to. He's coached well the last few weeks

I don't really care about our fade-out last night. All though it would have been nice to absolutely kill them on the scoreboard, teams who have it wrapped up by 3 quarter time always seem to fade out a bit

[Scruff83]

Doesnt mean we've been playing extra footy, its just more time on, which nothing happens in anyway. Still 20 min quarters like everyone else.

Last night was hardly a fade out anyway, that happens all the time when the game is over by 3 qtr time.