Do we choke?

[carn tigez]

We don't have the depth to get the job done . Our best are as good as any sides best players our bottom 5 ain't any if much worst , however our 10-17 ain't as good as others sides IMO .

Dunno how much I agree with this. Take our top 10 players (on ability not performance) from our side v Ess firstly:

Deledio
Cotchin
Martin
Foley
Maric
Riewoldt
Rance
Grimes
Grigg
Newman

Now our 11-18
Edwards
Batchelor
Conca
Houli
Morris
Tuck
Dea
Ellis

Now our 19-22
Nahas
King
Jackson
Miller


Our top 10 look pretty solid, but definitely lack experience on the big stage and overall experience to boot. That's definitely a factor in our inability to run games out.

Our 11-18 on ability/potential again would match it with most top 8 sides. A key point though is the inexperience of Conca, Batchelor, Morris and Dea. Once again a fairly large factor, with any key contests involving these players likely to go against us against top 6 sides when the heat is on.

Morris over committed a few times on Saturday and burnt us on the rebound in doing so. Conca's attempt to take on Jetta and resulting turnover. Dea has some clear rawness about him, and Ellis is still very much learning the ropes. Then the more experienced Tuck, Houli and Edwards have been exposed almost solely to experienced players who exclusively choked in big games over their careers, so they have little experience value when it gets close late against good sides. This is a learning curve for them as much as it is for the others.

And our bottom 4 players do lack polish, but that's no different to most side's bottom 4s. Each of them provide benefits to the side and they aren't what's costing us at the moment. The only reason it appears that way is because our 1-18 players aren't doing their jobs and the blame is landing on these guys.

So basically my point is that it's an overall lack of big game experience that's costing us these wins, but it's not the quality of players. The quality of our players is what allows us to be so close so late against top 6 sides on a now regular basis.

We just need to be patient and the results, and depth (beyond the 22), will come.

 

[Paul Kersey]

You do know that leading into this round Richmond had the highest disposal efficiency in the AFL? Not sure if it is still the case after this round, but we're still up pretty high.

No I didn't (though that makes those handballs in the Geelong game even more frustrating!). Hopefully the efficiency has a big drop off this Saturday.

 

[spark12]

I tend to think they do not have the belief they are better than these sides.

 

[Blood Meridian]

I tend to think they do not have the belief they are better than these sides.

Yes and it's only reiterated by supporters who keep banging on about how we've played all the finals contenders. I'm certain many of our young brigade believe this in kind.

 

[spark12]

Agree Cogga. We've actually taken the next step. Last year we werent good enough to win, this year we are, just need to know how to. Its a habit we will learn in time. Can't belive the consistent negative comments on the Board when this year has shown huge improvement, how quickly our expectations change. The 2nd half of the fixture should help that winning feeling no end and look out 2013

It is a huge improvement i agree 100% , but i tend to agree with some other posters need to win when we get into those positions full stop, otherwise it will become a habbit and we will never get to where we need to get to.