Am I the only one not worrying?

[mac25]

That there was the reason we lost instead of winning by 10 goals. It wasnt because of insufficient height in the backline, Jamo is only 193cm and Grigg is 190cm. We lost because after 1/4 time everybody thought we could coast to a win and even when down, we turned it on to get back in front then stopped again, each player deciding that someone else would step up and we would win. It never happens when players decide the game is won and mentally go home. We lost becuase of mid and forward line lack of defensive pressure. Simple as that. And that came about not because the players dont know how to apply it, or were too tired to apply it but because they were fooled into thinking it wasnt necesary or someone else would do it. It is this area of mental toughness that Ratts and the coaches need to work on, not our kicking for goal, not our backline, but our mids and forwards working for each other for the entire game. Every game.

As dissappionting as that loss was, lets not get too concerned. As I have pointed out in another thread, our mighty 95 team lost in successive weeks to the bottom of the ladder team whilst we sat atop the ladder. We had won the first 7 games, and then first StKilda out at Waverley, then Sydney at the SCG. And not just lost we got smashed by serious margins. After that the players apparantly had a team meeting and decided that some of them were getting on and this might be their last shot at a flag so they (lead by Peter Dean if my memory serves me correctly) decided that they would continue to apply the pressure needed to keep winning. But resolve can sometimes waver and against an Adelaide team that had been beaten by 100 points in the 2 previous games and all expected us to dish them a third ton defeat we did exactly what we did last night. By half way through the second quarter Adelaide was 5 goals up. Fortunately one of their players flattened one of ours and it sparked us into action and we kicked 7 goals in 15 minutes and went in at half time 2 goals up and eventually went on to win by half a dozen I think. The only other game in which we were chalanged for the year was the first final against Brisbane, another rank underdog and they pushed us all the way. Fortunately our will to win was enough and we prevailed.

But the lessons are there, underestimate another league team, dont put in 100% effort and you will struggle no matter how good you are.

The point of this little history lesson is that provided the structure is there and last week we had no reason to doubt it, provided the skills and fitness is there, again we didnt doubt that last week, then it is just a matter of getting the attitude sorted. Easier said than done but that is the difference between top and middle. Attitude. Simple as that.

Whatever spin you wish to put on it our defence has not looked at all strong since Jamison went down in the 2nd quarter last week, both Bradshaw and Lloyd have dominated.
Waite & Thornton have been most effective in roles playing as a link up players they have both struggled on many times on gun forwards over a significant period of time.
Whilst we do not have a player on our list to replace Jamison to his level, it would seem O'Alphin may be the best option in the short term.

 

[40yearBLUE]

Whatever spin you wish to put on it our defence has not looked at all strong since Jamison went down in the 2nd quarter last week, both Bradshaw and Lloyd have dominated.
Waite & Thornton have been most effective in roles playing as a link up players they have both struggled on many times on gun forwards over a significant period of time.
Whilst we do not have a player on our list to replace Jamison to his level, it would seem O'Alphin may be the best option in the short term.

It is no coincidence that the moment that Waite and Thornton (and Bower) struggled coincided with our midfield losing control of the corridor and our forwards stopping the opposition from clearing the ball from our forward area and streaming forward with it.

Whilst I acknowledge that Jamison is a gun forward, our lapses against Brisbane last week and Essendon last night were down to opposition forward entries and the quality of those entries. If our mids control the corridor and our forwards hold the ball in, the backs are under much less pressure and have time to defend better.

If you want to call that "spin" fine, I call them the facts of modern football. Own the corridor win the game.

 

[thylacine60]

It is no coincidence that the moment that Waite and Thornton (and Bower) struggled coincided with our midfield losing control of the corridor and our forwards stopping the opposition from clearing the ball from our forward area and streaming forward with it.

Whilst I acknowledge that Jamison is a gun forward, our lapses against Brisbane last week and Essendon last night were down to opposition forward entries and the quality of those entries. If our mids control the corridor and our forwards hold the ball in, the backs are under much less pressure and have time to defend better.

If you want to call that "spin" fine, I call them the facts of modern football. Own the corridor win the game.

^
Parko would be proud re: corridor comment.

 

[mac25]

It is no coincidence that the moment that Waite and Thornton (and Bower) struggled coincided with our midfield losing control of the corridor and our forwards stopping the opposition from clearing the ball from our forward area and streaming forward with it.

Whilst I acknowledge that Jamison is a gun forward, our lapses against Brisbane last week and Essendon last night were down to opposition forward entries and the quality of those entries. If our mids control the corridor and our forwards hold the ball in, the backs are under much less pressure and have time to defend better.

If you want to call that "spin" fine, I call them the facts of modern football. Own the corridor win the game.

If we are coming up against the best four teams, Geelong, Hawthorn, Bulldogs and St Kilda, there will be times when the opposition will take some control in the mid-field and exert some pressure on our defence, based on what we have seen since Jamison departure it has not coped very well, and in contested marking situations we have left quite a bit to be desired, both Bradshaw and Lloyd have dominated contested marking against our defence.
Bower was ordinary last week against Bradshaw and last night Thornton was soundly beaten by Lloyd.

 

[40yearBLUE]

[/b]^
Parko would be proud re: corridor comment.

Yeah there isnt much new in footy we just invent new ways of describing it.

 

[40yearBLUE]

If we are coming up against the best four teams, Geelong, Hawthorn, Bulldogs and St Kilda, there will be times when the opposition will take some control in the mid-field and exert some pressure on our defence, based on what we have seen since Jamison departure it has not coped very well, and in contested marking situations we have left quite a bit to be desired, both Bradshaw and Lloyd have dominated contested marking against our defence.
Bower was ordinary last week against Bradshaw and last night Thornton was soundly beaten by Lloyd.

Yes it is true that at times when better teams get on top of our midfield we might struggle. Our backs are fragile at times. But my point is even the best defenses struggle when their mids dont have control. So mids are the key. It is why our recruiting has focused so heavily on quality mids, including taking risks on players such as Hadley. With Jamo in the team last night I still beleive we would have lost because we did not want the win enough. The entire team did not want it enough. We are a 10 goal better team than they are, when we want it. When they want it, they are a 4 point better team. But I am sure this is one of the lessons we needed to learn, I am just so annoyed it had to be against the bombers. Why couldnt we have learnt that lesson next week. As it stands we will probably regroup and win against the Swans, but I would take a win against the bombers rather than the swans, they are both only worth 4 points but man the bombers losses hurt so much more.

 

[Bee]

The only thing that pisses me off:-

I'd rather lose to Richmond than Essendon!

 

[thylacine60]

The only thing that pisses me off:-

I'd rather lose to Richmond than Essendon!

True that.

 

[blue gunslinger]

Rather belt both

 

[The Real Deal]

I just think we got ahead of ourselves, which is staggering due to our performances in previous seasons. Don't know if just me but it looked like Ratten has been a little too chuffed with himself in a couple of press conferences lately, liked we were destined for top four. We're still A LONG WAY from that. Geelong aren't playing well but they stay disciplined for four quarters and they get over the line. We've got senior guys like Thornton bowling over opposition players and costing goals. Waite should have had a free kick paid against him also. At that stage we were on top. Unacceptable. That was a waste of four points. They need to get their attitude right and who knows how far we can go this year. I hope this is one-off and we don't see crap like this again.