Analysis Is September calling?

[Soaring Magpie]

I have to wonder, is the side looking too far ahead and thinking about finals football?
I’ve been wondering this for a few weeks and it feels like after the Port win and going 2 games clear the players focus has shifted to what awaits next month!
Thoughts on this….

 

[Didak Wine]

Rightly so. We are top. 2 games to go. No need to kill yourself right now. Surely we should be prepping for finals instead of pulling out every stop to beat poorthorn

 

[Go Woods]

I have to wonder, is the side looking too far ahead and thinking about finals football?
I’ve been wondering this for a few weeks and it feels like after the Port win and going 2 games clear the players focus has shifted to what awaits next month!
Thoughts on this….

There is definitely an element of this from the outside looking in.
Hard situation to navigate considering we don't have much to play for other than the 4 points.

 

[danielnajdek]

Hope so. Last 2 weeks has dinted my confidence.

 

[Soaring Magpie]

Hope so. Last 2 weeks has dinted my confidence.

My concern is the momentum we have lost, it can be difficult to just switch it back on!

 

[Black_White]

Well trip a deal certainly think September is the perfect time to get away.
As there isn’t anything important to do…

 

[Aussie pie]

We need to make this September count because a chance like this with our ladder position won’t come along again very soon. We will be having retirements and form dropping off of older players which we are already seeing. Mitchell, Adams, Howe and yes even Pendles. To be honest we don’t have a lot breaking the door down to replace them. Or at least we are not blooding them to have a look. Ryan and Allen in particular as well as Finn. I think it’s vital we hang on to him.
I’m not confident re our September chances, I hope for the best and seeing how the ladder is going anyone could get on a roll and do a dogs 2016, it’s just crazy atm. Our top spot Is helped by port losing, getting those early season wins has helped.

 

[domus]

Fly said as much at the presser tonight. The fact that Port lost again will place us in the same situation. Even if we lose again we sit a game clear. There is zero doubt that our mental attitude is the biggest reason for our recent losses and poor form. The energy on show in that first term was appalling. It was genuinely preseason intra club standard. The Hawks were just hitting up targets inside 50 and spreading like there was no opposition ( there wasn't!) Our energy sparked early in the second and we kicked 4 goals in succession.

After halftime we were back to the lethargy and laziness of the first term. What really embarrasses us is the fact that after Nick copped his corkie and we got the extra goal the crowd finally got involved and the scuffles broke out and the energy levels seemed to be rising but it was the young Hawks who ran harder and straighter and killed us in the next ten minutes with their physicality and run.

 

[BigVic]

We are treating the last two games as dead-rubbers after the Port game. I am concerned over the last two weeks

 

[Rustin Cohle]

This thread is peak cope.

 

[Monco Matt]

If this is true it is not the right attitude to be taking over the last month of football. You don't flirt with your form. Look at Port, they rested 7 players for that Carlton game, got pumped by 50 points and have now lost 4 in a row after winning 13 straight. We need to awake from this so called slumber and start treating these final 3 games of the season like finals. Only a couple of teams have lost more than 1 game in the last 4 weeks in the past 20 years or so (not sure exactly but it is a while) and won the flag, something like that!! It is one of those stats you don't want to be on the wrong side of coming into finals. Similar is that 'Scores from forward turnover' stat which we are s**t at. Not creating enough turnovers close to goal.

 

[domus]

This thread is peak cope.

That's a truly stupid comment. When a team loses the teams supporters discuss the reasons why because it's a footy forum for opinions. I think most comments have been remarkably calm, honest and logical.

Our coach mentioned our mental state due to the fact we are sitting on top two games clear. I don't think he was "coping", I think he was stating facts. You don't sit atop the ladder and two games clear if you don't have talent.

The mental side of the game is very real. I'm not sure what you are suggesting.

 

[Didak Wine]

Flirting with form as a concept needs unpacking. In our case, where we run over teams in a quarter, form or if you like our game plan kicks in at a specific point in a match. We go to another gear. Reserving that gear for September, does that mean we could lose it altogether.and what is this form ultimately, playing with greater intensity and speed? Should we just keep showcasing our strengths? It's a marathon but everyone wants it run like it's a 400 metre race.

 

[Anzacday]

Rightly so. We are top. 2 games to go

3 games - Cats, Lions and Bombers.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

This all sounds like more excuses and hand waving an extended period of poor form

Top spot is far from locked up

We drop the next 3 and can still finish 4th and book ourselves an interstate trip in the first final

If we’ve been looking ahead to September before securing a Top 2 spot then our problems are worse than some of us thought.

 

[Piesinmyeyes]

I don’t know about September, but I think in August KFC is calling.
The players have thought, stuff this football caper, shut up and take my money.
Need to replace the chicken nuggets and start refocussing on the golden nugget in a months time…

 

[Soaring Magpie]

This all sounds like more excuses and hand waving an extended period of poor form

Top spot is far from locked up

We drop the next 3 and can still finish 4th and book ourselves an interstate trip in the first final

If we’ve been looking ahead to September before securing a Top 2 spot then our problems are worse than some of us thought.

It’s not excuses and hand waving at all, it’s put up as a genuine question and concern as you can’t just flirt with form.
Fly and the coaching staff have some work to do to get the team rolling again now!

 

[cfc19902010]

straight sets out unless they fire up soon

 

[domus]

This all sounds like more excuses and hand waving an extended period of poor form

Top spot is far from locked up

We drop the next 3 and can still finish 4th and book ourselves an interstate trip in the first final

If we’ve been looking ahead to September before securing a Top 2 spot then our problems are worse than some of us thought.

It is ridiculous to call it excuse making. It is perfectly reasonable to look at the mental side of things when a top side who has been on top and two or three games clear for a long time to lose the mental edge which got them there.

We are not flirting with form. It's not a choice. It's what happens in elite sport when one team has been up for a long time with what feels like an unassailable position.

Yes, we might now be in a trough and it's hard to turn things around but the coach believes it is a mental problem and he is an honest, straight shooter.

 

[YouBeauty]

Current trajectory is interstate first final and straight sets.

 

[jmac70]

Current trajectory is interstate first final and straight sets.

Well let’s change that trajectory!

 

[YouBeauty]

Well let’s change that trajectory!

Agree

 

[jmac70]

One thing I know about our club.
We never give in.
We are The Mighty Fighting Pies.
And we will beat Geelong.

 

[domus]

Current trajectory is interstate first final and straight sets.

It's been happening to sides all year. Look at Carlton. Their fans wanted Voss sacked 6 weeks ago. They were a shambles and could not score despite having the two best key forwards in the game. Now they are the flavour of the month and kicking big scores. We are being denigrated by some because we have been so consistent for nigh on two seasons with a less than star studded team. David King was hyping up Adelaide as the real deal a few weeks back and they promptly loss three in a row. Port has now lost 4 on the trot. Melbourne trailed North by five goals earlier today. The star stacked Dogs are finally winning games but they have been floundering and unpredictable all year despite having one of the best lists in the comp. The Lions have dropped a number of games recently.

It's a bloody tough competition and a bloody long season. There have to be ebbs and flows. I hope we can turn it around but I am not going tp sink the boots in when this team has given us so much joy and such passionate effort for so long.

We are a victim of our doggedness, determination and ability to squeeze the very best out of what we have.

 

[Carringbush2010]

I have to wonder, is the side looking too far ahead and thinking about finals football?
I’ve been wondering this for a few weeks and it feels like after the Port win and going 2 games clear the players focus has shifted to what awaits next month!
Thoughts on this….

Not according to Fly.

He mentioned in the presser that we prepped as good as ever for yesterdays game.

I seriously doubt the players are dropping off mentally and thinking finals, that would've been drummed into them by the coaches.