Would a last gasp win papered over the problems?

[InTheBack!]

Perhaps if Craig McRae had taken the time to stand up & kick the ball over the defender & therby winning the game in the dying minutes then all the bad things that happened during that game would have been forgotten.

Despite the great efforts by Voss, McRae, Lappin, Power (how was that intercept in the last 1/4!) & Headland, silly defensive errors, stupid free kicks, thoughtless forays into the forward line got us into that desperate position in the first place.

The pressure exposed lack of form & fitness & availability.

I think Johnson should be feeling pretty low now, as if there is one game he was needed it was against a forward line stacked with all the skills.

People have asked why White was not on Tarrant all game - perhaps because he wouldnt have lasted the whole game in either mind or body! Thats one player that need to lift.

Shaun Hart has forgotten how to play. Punching that ball away was absolutely unfathomable?

Mr Lynch & Bradshaw did nothing all night.

Brown if finding 2001 glory has attracted 2002 opposition players determined to take him down a peg & at present they are succeeding. (fitness aside).

Mal Michael was unsure of himself all night.

2001 was won on concentrating for 4 1/4 & not having a bad one. It was also won by all key positions playing well. At present you could only say that the midfield is playing OK, the forward line is not & the backline is exposed againt aggressive determined play.

 

[pride01]

Seems like you're saying Brisbane played poorly = loss. No mention that Collingwood played good footy and caused a lot of the errors up both ends with the pressure they put on. Thay did to us what we've been doing for the past year. Well played!

I think it's a bit early for the panic button yet. Must say though, one of the first times I've been really riled with Leigh's decision making. Bolton on Tarrant for far too long and the old let's move Leppa to full-forward.

We fought it out though and that was good to see. I'll join you in the reconstruction debate if we go next week.

 

[skilts]

I think we should have another sack Matthews thread, as we did last year, on these boards. That seemed to work.

Seriously though, its difficult remain 'up' all the time. They are only human. We made half a dozen, costly, avoidable errors in the game. We tended to try to blow Collingwood away, rather than grind it out. I dunno, maybe we underestimated them, which was foolish. Matthews learnt his footy under Jeans at Hawthorn. Not sure, was Malthouse also coached by Jeans a St Kilda?

What happened on Saturday night reeked of a very well planned assault on our weaknesses. I don't think Matthews responded helpfully. I also felt the same thing in the West Coast game. If our game plan isn't the dominant one in the contest, our attempts to overturn the opposition's plan is too one-dimensional. Move Leppa to CHF, switch Lynchy to defence. We seem to be incapable of stopping a run against us by manning up and turning defensive in the middle of a game. I think this may provide us with long-term problems.

 

[InTheBack!]

No panic button pushing intended.

Yes the Collies played well, however there were several unforced defensive errors that resulted in goals.

There is also a fitness/confidence problem with White & Brown 2 of our players that need to be 100% if we are to take it up to the top sides & come out on top.

There is no blame allocating intended, more of a comment that we need to get a more even performance from all players - something that characterised 2001.