Finals Mode

[theGav56]

As the year has panned out, I think we now have a pretty good situation for the club and a coach in his first year with us. A few points;

• We are coming towards the business end of the season and have had the chance to have a look at all the players on our list, give them some challenges and generally see what they have to offer. That is always going to happen when you change coaches, but with 6 games to go Lyon is ahead of the game in terms of knowing about our list.
• When you take a look at the possible "ins" for next week we are looking like we are getting some very handy depth at the right time of year. And when you compare that with the attrition we have experienced in the past that is a good sign. Fyfe, Dawson, Lower, Mayne and Broughton are all strong additions. You begin to have to drop some quality to include all 4, and any team that has to do that is looking good.
• The way the club has handled players including de Boer, Pearce and the young rookies has been impressive. The Walters gambit is paying dividends. Neale is about the best value pick from actual draft picks I can recall, and is sitting inside the best 22 I would suggest. Depth in the second half of the season is important.
• Our structures have improved, most notably with Pavlich forward and de Boer midfield. As expected Lyon has focused on gameplan and defence, while also nurturing our midfield, before turning to attack. And while Barlow and Mundy especially are not in domination mode they have the time to build some solid form.

Where I am going with all of this is that virtually every game from here to the end of the year requires our team to play with a finals mode mentality or we are going to drop right out of the equation. They are all winnable games, which is not to say they will be easy by ny stretch. And if we manage to do that then we are some crazy chance of causing a little bit of carnage in September, even from 8th place.

Character has been this clubs major deficiency in its history. We have quite simply lacked the ability bring anything like its best game on match day for sustained periods of time. That is the current goal for me, and the way the remainder of the year sets up, it gives us a great opportunity to learn how you do that.
I think Finals Mode is the best way to learn that the only way to be a consistently good team is to bring your best game week in, week out.

 

[Lach72]

That was the disaapointing thing for me yesterday.

guys like Duffield, Ibbotson amd Johnson again showed no intensity at all.
Dropped off with the opposition.
Again.

 

[theGav56]

That was the disaapointing thing for me yesterday.

guys like Duffield, Ibbotson amd Johnson again showed no intensity at all.
Dropped off with the opposition.
Again.

My biggest expectation of Lyon is that he will change that mindset. If he fails to do that i will be extremely disappointed.

 

[Lach72]

My biggest expectation of Lyon is that he will change that mindset. If he fails to do that i will be extremely disappointed.

Johnson has re-deeming features.
The other two need the GTFO card handed to them and have them replaced by guys who give a shit. Spurr on one flank Broughton on the other.

 

[theGav56]

Johnson has re-deeming features.
The other two need the GTFO card handed to them and have them replaced by guys who give a shit. Spurr on one flank Broughton on the other.

Well the thing with MJ is that he has clearly lifted his game and consistency. He needs to improve as posters have highlighted from his non-efforts on occasions during this game, but his standard is way up from last season.

 

[pavsbootlace]

Well the thing with MJ is that he has clearly lifted his game and consistency. He needs to improve as posters have highlighted from his non-efforts on occasions during this game, but his standard is way up from last season.

Johnson has been good all year. He has suffered a bit since Dawson went down requiring a minor role change but his form has still been good.

 

[pavsbootlace]

As the year has panned out, I think we now have a pretty good situation for the club and a coach in his first year with us. A few points;

• We are coming towards the business end of the season and have had the chance to have a look at all the players on our list, give them some challenges and generally see what they have to offer. That is always going to happen when you change coaches, but with 6 games to go Lyon is ahead of the game in terms of knowing about our list.
• When you take a look at the possible "ins" for next week we are looking like we are getting some very handy depth at the right time of year. And when you compare that with the attrition we have experienced in the past that is a good sign. Fyfe, Dawson, Lower, Mayne and Broughton are all strong additions. You begin to have to drop some quality to include all 4, and any team that has to do that is looking good.
• The way the club has handled players including de Boer, Pearce and the young rookies has been impressive. The Walters gambit is paying dividends. Neale is about the best value pick from actual draft picks I can recall, and is sitting inside the best 22 I would suggest. Depth in the second half of the season is important.
• Our structures have improved, most notably with Pavlich forward and de Boer midfield. As expected Lyon has focused on gameplan and defence, while also nurturing our midfield, before turning to attack. And while Barlow and Mundy especially are not in domination mode they have the time to build some solid form.

Where I am going with all of this is that virtually every game from here to the end of the year requires our team to play with a finals mode mentality or we are going to drop right out of the equation. They are all winnable games, which is not to say they will be easy by ny stretch. And if we manage to do that then we are some crazy chance of causing a little bit of carnage in September, even from 8th place.

Character has been this clubs major deficiency in its history. We have quite simply lacked the ability bring anything like its best game on match day for sustained periods of time. That is the current goal for me, and the way the remainder of the year sets up, it gives us a great opportunity to learn how you do that.
I think Finals Mode is the best way to learn that the only way to be a consistently good team is to bring your best game week in, week out.

Good post Gav.

Lyon after last weeks game was asked about percentage. He said something like, "there's 7 games left and if we win all 7 we won't be talking about percentage". He repeated the same thing after yesterdays game (with the numbers changed). He seems to believe that we are a good chance in all of those games. The ones people seem to have marked as losses are the Derby - and West coast aren't exactly on a roll; Adelaide in Adelaide - which will be the hardest one; and North at Etihad - where our form is pretty good.

If we can "bring our best game week in week out" as you say, I think there's every chance we could win two of those three as well as our other three games and sneak into the eight with 14 wins and some serious momentum. If we can't bring our best consistently, then we don't deserve to be there. But any side who makes the 8 this year will be in with a chance and even the top sides have vulnerabilities. We are still in the hunt.

 

[Frigate]

It is in our hands. If we don't make it then we are simply not good enough anyway. It really is one week at a time. No excuses either, we have one of the best draws from here in, and we are close to full strength now.

 

[theGav56]

I really liked the "bake" Lyon gave the players in the last game. If he can get the balance between discipline and creativity that this particular group of players offers then it will be exciting. The more pressure games we play, the better for the group.

 

[BeinPurplenGreen]

Let's just worry about the game against Port at Port for now, eh? Finals don't come around in week 18, or in late July...

 

[Frigate]

Let's just worry about the game against Port at Port for now, eh? Finals don't come around in week 18, or in late July...

This is true, but we are talking about the same thing. This is a must win game with the objective of playing finals footy. Port have shown they can play some good footy and it is never easy going over there.

40 point margin, no less (to start the cycle again).

 

[Arcassius]

A 40 point margin is setting the bar too low .. with Fyfe and Dawson back in the team we should be aiming for at least 120 points for a pass mark

 

[Outshined]

A 40 point margin is setting the bar too low .. with Fyfe and Dawson back in the team we should be aiming for at least 120 points for a pass mark

I still think that may be a bit too low. 200 points was the pass mark for GWS, so I'd say around 150-160 points for Port. Maybe with a deduction of one or two goals given we're away.

If Pav doesn't kick 12 he should hand in the captaincy and stay in Adelaide, only returning to Freo to be placed in stocks so Memories can throw rotten fruit at him.

 

[free at last]

Beat port and get our percentage nudging 110%.
Hawthorn to give essendon an absolute hiding and dropping their percentage to around 110-112%..

 

[Tazmania]

I really liked the "bake" Lyon gave the players in the last game. If he can get the balance between discipline and creativity that this particular group of players offers then it will be exciting. The more pressure games we play, the better for the group.

I liked that the bake was about losing structures which let gas back in the game and effectively took the foot off the throat. Eg it doesn't matter who the opposition is, go hard or go home. Such a change to the past where we would get a 25 point lead and the boys would put on their smoking jackets and start looking for the whisky bottle.

 

[theGav56]

I liked that the bake was about losing structures which let gas back in the game and effectively took the foot off the throat. Eg it doesn't matter who the opposition is, go hard or go home. Such a change to the past where we would get a 25 point lead and the boys would put on their smoking jackets and start looking for the whisky bottle.

Yes. That is exactly what i mean. I think it is about benchmarking every aspect of the game and what a players role is within it.

 

[Tazmania]

The best part is were flying under the radar quite well. Not much expectation on the team due to the slump mid season. Personally I think we are building towards finals very well and getting players back on the park at just the right time.

 

[Arcassius]

The beauty of that is we're so far under the radar the supporters are dubious about our chances of making the 8.

 

[BananaOnTheRun]

we're flying under the radar because we're only beating bottom half teams at the moment. if we win the weagles and sadelaide games they'll be getting the bull roarers out.

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

Our forward line is getting better - just need our midfield to continue improvement

Fyfe returning and Hill shaking his ankle injury will help this immensely

 

[Tazmania]

we're flying under the radar because we're only beating bottom half teams at the moment. if we win the weagles and sadelaide games they'll be getting the bull roarers out.

Which this year has sounded the death knell for every team so let's hope they don't notice our winning ways.

 

[theGav56]

If we do squeak in it will be interesting as it most likely means we will have won the derby and may be facing WC in the first final.

 

[Arcassius]

Or we beat North and lost to WC

 

[Purple Jesus]

Can you imagine the meltdowns if we knocked WC out of the finals...

 

[Scootyb]

Can you imagine the meltdowns if we knocked WC out of the finals...

this thought makes me immensely happy