games decided by under a goal since our flag years

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Aug 18, 2009
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Confirming what we all know, here are the stats for us in games decided by a goal or less (ergo, a game where a goal in the dying stages could change the result):

2021 Round 4LOST
2​
79 - 77Port AdelaideAdelaide Oval
2021 Round 9WON
4​
87 - 83GW SydneyMarvel Stad
2021 Round 13LOST
4​
85 - 81West CoastOptus Stad
2021 Round 20LOST
4​
55 - 51FremantleOptus Stad
2021 Round 23DREW
0​
83 - 83HawthornMCG
2022 Round 11LOST
6​
106 - 100SydneySCG
2022 Round 15LOST
3​
89 - 86GeelongMCG
2022 Round 17LOST
2​
94 - 92Gold CoastMetricon Stad
2022 Round 18LOST
4​
92 - 88Nth MelbourneMarvel Stad
2022 Round 19DREW
0​
52 - 52FremantleMarvel Stad
2022 QF-EFLOST
2​
106 - 104BrisbaneGabba
2023 Round 1DREW
0​
58 - 58CarltonMCG
2023 Round 4LOST
5​
84 - 89WesternMCG

Played: 13
Wins: 1
Draws: 3 (!)
Loss: 9 * (asterisk for the bullsh*t EF)

Makes for some sober reading, & it is something we desperately need to address. It has been the difference between making finals / top 4, & I think it has a corrosive effect on team confidence

Carlton seem to have emerged from their close-game woes this year - we have no excuse not to do the same

Thoughts on how we can address this
 

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Confirming what we all know, here are the stats for us in games decided by a goal or less (ergo, a game where a goal in the dying stages could change the result):

2021 Round 4LOST
2​
79 - 77Port AdelaideAdelaide Oval
2021 Round 9WON
4​
87 - 83GW SydneyMarvel Stad
2021 Round 13LOST
4​
85 - 81West CoastOptus Stad
2021 Round 20LOST
4​
55 - 51FremantleOptus Stad
2021 Round 23DREW
0​
83 - 83HawthornMCG
2022 Round 11LOST
6​
106 - 100SydneySCG
2022 Round 15LOST
3​
89 - 86GeelongMCG
2022 Round 17LOST
2​
94 - 92Gold CoastMetricon Stad
2022 Round 18LOST
4​
92 - 88Nth MelbourneMarvel Stad
2022 Round 19DREW
0​
52 - 52FremantleMarvel Stad
2022 QF-EFLOST
2​
106 - 104BrisbaneGabba
2023 Round 1DREW
0​
58 - 58CarltonMCG
2023 Round 4LOST
5​
84 - 89WesternMCG

Played: 13
Wins: 1
Draws: 3 (!)
Loss: 9 * (asterisk for the bullsh*t EF)

Makes for some sober reading, & it is something we desperately need to address. It has been the difference between making finals / top 4, & I think it has a corrosive effect on team confidence

Carlton seem to have emerged from their close-game woes this year - we have no excuse not to do the same

Thoughts on how we can address this

Take the Adam Gilchrist approach. He was once asked what he would have in mind, what shot he would look to play if he needed 6 to win off the final ball of a match. He responded by saying he wouldn't get into that position in the first place.

But look at those games.

I think in all 3 draws we came from behind and did well to get the draw at the end of the game. One match we won, so it leaves 9 losses.

5 of the 9 losses we suffered very controversial umpiring decisions late in the games that could well have made a difference. I cannot recall any where we received the benefit of controversial umpiring decisions late. Our players are making errors at times in these clutch situations, but they are probably not making a greater amount of errors than the opposition players. 2017 we lost 3 games by under a goal and did not win a game by under 11 points. So losing all your close games doesn't necessarily preclude winning a flag.
 
It's brutal reading. It's signs of mentally fragile players unable to hold their nerve or execute with pressure on, or it's poor coaching/instilling of confidence/belief by the coaching staff or it's both.

Compare that to Collingwood who are the masters of coming back and finishing the close games, its such a different approach. We cost ourselves seasons by losing those games, we cost ourself a shot at the 2022 Grand Final and it could cost us finals this year. Already down points from games we could have won if we were better in the tight stakes.
 
Compare that to Collingwood who are the masters of coming back and finishing the close games, its such a different approach. We cost ourselves seasons by losing those games, we cost ourself a shot at the 2022 Grand Final and it could cost us finals this year. Ready down points from games we could have won if we were better in the tight stakes.
colonwood also have ump assistance

no comparison
 
It's brutal reading. It's signs of mentally fragile players unable to hold their nerve or execute with pressure on, or it's poor coaching/instilling of confidence/belief by the coaching staff or it's both.

Compare that to Collingwood who are the masters of coming back and finishing the close games, its such a different approach. We cost ourselves seasons by losing those games, we cost ourself a shot at the 2022 Grand Final and it could cost us finals this year. Already down points from games we could have won if we were better in the tight stakes.

Collingwood lost 2 finals by 6 points or less last year. We only lost 1. :)
 
Come on mate, agree we cop the raw end of it more than most, but if Cumberland slots that goal from barely 25 out yesterday or we win some sort of centre clearance we arguably win yesterday.
cant compare, pies always get 50/50 calls. we never do

we would be close to the top of the ladder if we had their umpiring
 

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Our strength during our premiership years was smashing teams & winning close games now we are always competitive but now can't win the close ones.
 
Doesn't really tell the whole story tbh. A 5 point loss when you were 18 up with 5 mins to go is bad means you've played poorly at the end. A 5 points loss when you were down 18 with 5 mins to go means you've actually played pretty well.

You really need to look at the point differential towards the end. Who;e the results don't show it, we have actually shown to perform better late since we were playing from behind rather than getting run down (e.g the gold coast game)

RoundResultMarginPoint differential in last 10ish minsScoreAgainstGround
2021 Round 4LOST2-479 - 77Port AdelaideAdelaide Oval
2021 Round 9WON4+787 - 83GW SydneyMarvel Stad
2021 Round 13LOST4-1385 - 81West CoastOptus Stad
2021 Round 20LOST4-755 - 51FremantleOptus Stad
2021 Round 23DREW0+2583 - 83HawthornMCG
2022 Round 11LOST6+1106 - 100SydneySCG
2022 Round 15LOST3-189 - 86GeelongMCG
2022 Round 17LOST2-1994 - 92Gold CoastMetricon Stad
2022 Round 18LOST4-892 - 88Nth MelbourneMarvel Stad
2022 Round 19DREW0-652 - 52FremantleMarvel Stad
2022 QF-EFLOST2-5106 - 104BrisbaneGabba
2023 Round 1DREW0+658 - 58CarltonMCG
2023 Round 4LOST5+1084 - 89WesternMCG



Also just showing games 'under a goal' (Sydney shouldn't count then as its not under a goal) doesn't show the full story either. Against Brisbane last year it was equal with 6 mins to go and we score 7-0. That is a close win that should be part of this but because we played well and won by 7 it doesn't count?
 
Def read big footy
If only we scored 1 less point against Brisbane last year. Then we would've won by 6 and it would have been included. Too bad we actually performed.

Which shows why looking at the end result is dumb af. If you want to look at performance in close games, maybe look at results for games under a goal with the last 5/10 minutes.
 
Mentally fragile and lost our cutting edge.
Not sure who used the analogy from Adam Gilchrist, but it's a good one.
We can do plenty to avoid having to win late. Saturday was a prime example.
Back in 2019 and 20 I'd back us in to win the close ones, these days I'm waiting for the fail and the pressure to consume us.
 

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