This forum, not just this thread, is filled with speculations
before the event which can be interesting for sure, fun even:
--- who might get picked/dropped
--- who might play where
--- who might win/lose
--- winning margin etc.
However, your examples are "if-only" flights of fancy:
"“
If only we didn’t get injuries to half of our team, we could have won it instead of a draw”.
“If only the frees weren’t 50-10 against us, we could have won it instead of a 2-goal loss”. "
which are utterly pointless. For example: "
IF ONLY Paine had won the toss ..." --- there is no information to say that the Australians would/would not have been bowled out for 80, or 200, or 700. Don't you
get it??
JW,
Vader ,
Kristof ... do you ever buy a Lotto/Powerball ticket? It's human nature to wonder before the event what one might do, if the right numbers are picked,
BUT,
do you ever say to yourself after the event:
"IF ONLY my numbers had come up, because then I would have won it"? It makes as much sense as saying: "If I had won it, I'd have won it"

.
IF Douglas had not taken out McGovern, or IF Gallucci had not run forward, or IF a legal tackle was made on Motlop, the Crows would have won that Showdown.
How about: IF Port had kicked (any number of goals) instead of points, they would have won, anyway? OR
IF the Crows were 7 points up at that time, they'd have won by a point, or a mil
lion other hypotheticals?