I agree . I was disappointed that we lost ,obviously , but we were robbed against GWS who went on to make the GF . Against Richmond we were competitive ,a couple of little things went against us and partly due to inexperience dropped off our workrate . In the end they outclassed us with more precise foot and hand skills and excellent execution . We just weren't good enough.
It's all very well to say we need to do this or that but you need the cattle to execute systematically and the experience and physicality to do it consistently. We're doing fairly well with what we've got and seem to be working towards improving our list and their abilities.
Just MHO. We weren't robbed v GWS. We lost because we repeatedly bombed to their large backs.
V Richmond, we were largely competitive, but lost it, as you write, to better foot skills and delivery. And, lacking any realistic alternative, an over reliance on Charlie who was comprehensively towelled up by an experienced back who applied hard, often illegal pressure. A lesson that any competent finals opposition will have absorbed.
Maybe I am alone in this, but I am disappointed in Hipwood's lack of development. Accepting that due to his body shape he is never going to be a power hard marking KPF, then what is he going to become? The running role he has doesn't regularly enough result in goals. He is often too far out. We don't need a Tex [heaven forbid] but we DO need another reliable avenue. Charlie [who to my eye may have begun to believe his PR- what the hell was that ridiculous around the corner kick 25m out all about?] won't always do the trick.
We have the best player in the AFL in Neale, and a group of other A Graders not far behind [Berry, McCluggage, Lyons etc]. We need to build on this. Just MHO.