Autopsy Sunburnt

[Superkoops]

It's a ****ing tough loss and it bloody hurts but it was really not that bad.

We lost by 1 point to a team who's stacked with talent, a 3 time premiership coach, and have been top 4 all year.

We've won more close games than anyone else and played it exactly how we've played it time and time again this year. People can question the coaching at the end all they want but it's proven to be successful for us all year so why would we change it?

Win or half that one contest down the wing and it's a whole other story. One ****ing moment.

Just watched it again and there was no real body on Uwland. Voss and Darcy had to do better. Also Ryan’s kick would have been better going closer to the boundary.

Then Treacy looked a bit lost at the back of that pack just allowed Mac a free run at it. We didn’t defend that lead well at all.

 

[StingBitten]

How often would people experience such collective grieving as we are right now? Outside of global catastrophe's, we don't really experience this level of communal mourning as most grief is localized to extended family and local networks. We should at least take comfort in the fact we can deal with this together. Everyone can deal with it differently too - go back play-by-play to see all the mistakes we made, take it out on JL, point fingers at the club for being mentally weak, or you can reflect on the game, make your peace and move on.

Two little silver linings - firstly it's not exactly a given that winning and playing a semi-final next week (and winning or losing that) is likely to take us any closer to a Premiership than losing this elimination final. Granted, finals experience is finals experience but look at 2022 - humbled by Collingwood and we faced regression across 2023 and 2024. Maybe we win last night, and lose next week or the week after and everyone pats each other on the back and says 'wow, what a great season, we surpassed expectations'. And maybe, the boys take the foot off the pedal a little more than they should in the off-season and we front up to 2026 not nearly ready enough. It's not that far of a reach to suggest that type of mentality exists at our club - more than one player and coaching staff have said on occasion they get complacent as a group far too easily. This loss should really, really sting. They should be angry, upset, livid - and it should burn all off-season and galvanise them to reach greater heights than ever before. The same goes for the off-field staff.

The same can be said for our coach - the Suns might've had their first final but they had a coach with 3 Flags under his belt and he knew what go get out of them on the day. JL did his job to a level of 95 percent - whereas his 5 percent off was the difference (conservative selection and gameday tactics). Dimma was 100 percent on.

The second silver lining is Fyfe finishing up here at home (I know most won't agree with me here) - sure it would've been great to win, but there's a consolatory feeling of him finishing in Perth as a champ rather than playing his last game in some hellhole like Brisbane with only a few thousand supporters to clap him off. He speaks well, and I think he's a student of the game - I would actually like to see him step immediately into a coaching role. F the Media. F the toys. Continue the journey with this club and at least be around the cup when we win.

I'd like to invite everyone to live by the Bob Dylan line in Like a Rolling Stone 'Oh, You never understood, that it ain't no good, to let other people get your kicks for you'. Don't get too upset about things you can't control the outcome for - I've invested way too much in Freo because I haven't cultivated enough personal hobbies outside of footy, and I try and work on that every day.

The good thing is with this particular grief, rather than dealing with the passing of a close relative or friend, we get to enjoy the summer and do all of this again next year. We aren't past our window - many of our players will be better for the experience. Even the older players like Pearce and Ryan have 2-3 years left in them, and the core nucleus can develop much farther than what they currently are.

I think this loss will be the turning point for the club, and we're going to see an epic off-season. We'll go well next year.

 

[s_wd6]

I've invested way too much in Freo because I haven't cultivated enough personal hobbies outside of footy, and I try and work on that every day.

Isn't that true

 

[Kram]

End of the day it's just a game you are watching played by strangers.

 

[PrancingPony]

Despite the disappointing result, there was a lot to like about this season, plenty of players stepped up big time (All of Worner, Voss and Wagner especially stood out as improvements), we have a functioning forward line that works well, Shai Bolton

15

Shai Bolton

Age

27

Ht

176cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.3

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

12.7

3star

K

9.2

4star

HB

3.5

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.8

4star

D

9.2

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.0

1star

and Murphy Reid were both amazing pickups (despite Bolton's lacklustre performance last night, he's been very good for us in my opinion), Darcy managed to stay fit for most of the season and quietly built himself a solid year, Jackson took another leap into becoming an elite level player, we need big pre-seasons from Darcy and Young coming up, having them fit and firing going into next year will be a big help for us.

Last night hurts, I hated that we had to send Fyfe off in such an underwhelming way, but we can't dwell on it for too long, club needs to just move forward, make the necessary list changes, bring in the guys they need to bring in, let go of the guys they don't feel are up to standard anymore, draft well and hit the ground running with pre-season.

It hurts now, but I'm confident about next year, we're good enough to make a bigger jump next year.

 

[Randomizor]

Yeah would that make you feel better? Do you want them send someone out to give each member a kiss and a hug and get on their knees and beg for your forgiveness?

They used to send them out. Even after bad performances in home games. Nobody else remembers the letters from Pav/Fyfe?

They could at least pretend to care. But the eternal excuse makers will buy a membership anyways I guess.

 

[s_wd6]

They used to send them out. Even after bad performances in home games. Nobody else remembers the letters from Pav/Fyfe?

They could at least pretend to care. But the eternal excuse makers will buy a membership anyways I guess.

Sounds performative af and honestly pretty cringe tbh.

And look at you. Still watching them despite years without apology letters.

 

[Randomizor]

Sounds performative af and honestly pretty cringe tbh.

And look at you. Still watching them despite years without apology letters.

I’ll call a few PR firms and tell them that apologies are no longer necessary. Just say “we failed, get over it”

 

[Dirty_banchez]

If it's any consolation to those still peeved at the loss: we were not going to win the flag this year. The team is just not at the same level as Geelong or Brisbane.

 

[Dirty_banchez]

Collins killed him early both strength wise and beating him to the drop. if he can fix either of those things he will improve.
You play him higher and he gets more ball but can't kick a long ball so he isn't a goal threat.

It's a tuff one. Just have to persist with him.
Voss has gone way past him too.

Defenders have worked him out according to Schofield. I agree he needs to be persisted with, but he also needs to improve his game.

 

[s_wd6]

Just doesn't have the strength that Voss and Treacy do. I swear Collins looked twice his size yesterday.

Also been wearing the pink cap at training all year so wouldn't be surprised if he was carrying something.

 

[rgauci]

Just doesn't have the strength that Voss and Treacy do. I swear Collins looked twice his size yesterday.

Also been wearing the pink cap at training all year so wouldn't be surprised if he was carrying something.

Amiss needs a sprints coach, runs with his bum close to the ground, no knee lift, no efficiency or fluency in his running style.

Treacy has an amazing gait, gets his knees very high and has a big spring as a result.

I can’t believe Amiss has been a the club what 3 years now and still runs the same way.

 

[Mr Cheese]

Despite all this talk of Amiss having a bad season, he still kicked 31 (Tabs only beat this once). He's a big unit but I don't think has been playing to his strengths. He's an elite lead up guy, Murph showed us that yesterday. Still has to improve his goal kicking; misses too many momentum sapping shots at the moment.

 

[stax on the mull]

Maybe that ankle injury to Amiss early, where he had his boot off and then went down to the med room didn't help him get into the game. Perhaps they waited too long to make the sub change.

 

[Cesoir]

Would have liked to have seen at least Walker getting back for the likes of Banfield. Not that I think Banfield is terrible, just that he makes the odd bad mistake that a seasoned defender wouldn’t.

I understand the gist of what you're saying, but Walker is not a seasoned defender and he combines the worst aspect of Freddy's softness and Banfield's stupid mistakes.

Brandon needs to stay at Peel until he proves he has the form and confidence to return to AFL. This season he didn't do that.

Hopefully he and Cooper Simpson (and others) have big preseasons so they can force guys like Banfield and Wagner to perform.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Is the club going to send out an email apologising for that failure of a season? Or have they given up even pretending to care about supporters?

Man, just get off-line for a bit, seriosuly

 

[Lach72]

Now I’m angry again

 

[Mr Cheese]

Is the club going to send out an email apologising for that failure of a season? Or have they given up even pretending to care about supporters?

Check up the road. We won more games this year than they have in 4 years. Profile is primed for a 6/7 year run, we are starting to develop talent (teams like Geelong aren't just good because they spot talent lower down, they simply develop better than most (and get some awesome recruits admittedly)). Game of inches; long run this will do better than a loss to Brissie or Geelong because it's going to burn. They're young, hungry and will be better next year. Now chill out, and enjoy the off-season at the beach.

 

[Dockeroo]

Yes he had one very good quarter. How were the other three?

Pearce was extraordinary in the last quarter last night. Even kane Cornes was gasping in disbelief at how good he was in commentary. There are many valid reasons why we didn’t win but he’s bloody well not one of them.

I’m only guessing from your posting history here but I suspect you have a dislike of Pearce and his political stances outside of footy that has led to a disproportionate level of criticism from you towards him after defeats. Have noticed you call out AP a lot after defeats and it simply cannot be for football related reasons only as there’s at least 12 guys worse than him in that team. At least.

 

[Dockeroo]

It’s so disappointing. I felt we were beaten by what we know mostly. Rowell destroyed us. That was a good a display as I’ve seen against freo from an opposition player in forever.

Our bottom 6 was incomparable to theirs.
Chapman was absolute poo last night and has been ordinary most of the season. Was it him that was responsible from Humphrey?
Worner looked completely overawed.

You had Frederick in attack exposed as a complete fraud again under finals pressure (something that’s been obvious for some time now)
NOD and JOM running around in the midfield but both compete passengers all game coughing up cheap possessions. NOD can’t handball and can’t kick - exactly what he brings I don’t know?

Ryan and cox doing dumb shit late in the game.

Banfield contributing his usual cat 10 in the first min of the 3rd quarter to get them off to a flyer.

I think we need a defensive personnel shakeup in that group. Out ball use out of the back is just not good enough. The players don’t trust themselves or their skills.

Thought Erasmus was great. A real late season positive. Have to keep him now though.

 

[malpaso]

Freddy's had some great games, but that missed goal from 10m in front ended up being the difference and the ****ing stings.

Yeah well giving up 7 goals to GC out of their 11 in one quarter stings too!!

 

[s_wd6]

Yeah well giving up 7 goals to GC out of their 11 in one quarter stings too!!

All towards the end of the quarter too...

 

[Kram]

Now I’m angry again

 

[Dockeroo]

One of the biggest front runners I’ve ever seen. Watching him live as opposed to on TV was actually quite concerning.

He’s scared, shirks contests, doesn’t go at the ball, basically he’s weak.

Delist.

The likes of Kevin Sheedy, Malthouse, pagan etc would have seen though Frederick a long long time ago. He’d be on the trade table under those coaches faster than you could utter the words “trade radio”

AFL footy is no place for players that are scared. They just stick out like dogs balls in games like last night (and the bulldogs game too actually). Struggling to think of a soft player that ever became a premiership player.

 

[Dockeroo]

On the last minute free - I dont like using the umps as an excuse at all. But that was a horrible free to pay, when you consider the context of the overall game at that point.
The ump that called that knew he was basically handing victory to the suns with that call. It’s a monstrous punishment for a marginal free.

It’s the consistency that is maddening. 2 weeks ago v port, in the last minute Mac Andrew was challenged in an IDENTICAL manner by a port player inside 50 in the last minute of the game but no whistle.

The non recalling of the last centre bounce was also a poor decision inconsistent with the others this season.

Not the only reason we lost but very frustrating.