The Jump

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Thread starter #1
You can't quantify it. You only know when you see it. And we're seeing it.

Besides a premiership, it's the single best moment for a supporter to see their side "grow up" in front of you. There are stages obviously, like a baby has to crawl before it can walk, walk before it can run. The last three years, we were barely even crawling (more just shitting ourselves). Presently, we are in a full sprint approaching the Final stage.

Compare games from earlier this season to these this past three weeks:
Round 3 vs. Sydney. We hold a three goal lead with 8 minutes left in very similar circumstance to the Geelong game. But Sydney puts the hammer down and kicks five straight to close it out. We have no answers.
Round 4 vs. Hawthorn. We stun Hawthorn and are looking good going into the last, very much like the Carlton game. But Hawthorn's experienced players step it up; Sewell, Mitchell and Buddy in particular. We try to answer but it's too late.

Whether the reason is physical maturity, technical improvements (hello Michael Broadbridge) or just a growing collective belief, there has been a clear jump this past month.

We don't get despondent when a good team gets a run on in the second half. We're able to close out tough games when a champion team are storming home. This kind of visible improvement in a three month period is simply remarkable. Even more so, considering we were bottom feeders a mere nine months ago.

It's not time to anoint the crown. But as I said, we are fast approaching that Final stage. If the cards fall right, are we a chance to win it all? Probably not. In fact, almost certainly not. But this whole year has been unexpected. I'm not ruling anything out.
 

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cornbread

Senior List
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
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#2
You can't quantify it. You only know when you see it. And we're seeing it.

Besides a premiership, it's the single best moment for a supporter to see their side "grow up" in front of you. There are stages obviously, like a baby has to crawl before it can walk, walk before it can run. The last three years, we were barely even crawling (more just shitting ourselves). Presently, we are in a full sprint approaching the Final stage.

Compare games from earlier this season to these this past three weeks:
Round 3 vs. Sydney. We hold a three goal lead with 8 minutes left in very similar circumstance to the Geelong game. But Sydney puts the hammer down and kicks five straight to close it out. We have no answers.
Round 4 vs. Hawthorn. We stun Hawthorn and are looking good going into the last, very much like the Carlton game. But Hawthorn's experienced players step it up; Sewell, Mitchell and Buddy in particular. We try to answer but it's too late.

Whether the reason is physical maturity, technical improvements (hello Michael Broadbridge) or just a growing collective belief, there has been a clear jump this past month.

We don't get despondent when a good team gets a run on in the second half. We're able to close out tough games when a champion team are storming home. This kind of visible improvement in a three month period is simply remarkable. Even more so, considering we were bottom feeders a mere nine months ago.

It's not time to anoint the crown. But as I said, we are fast approaching that Final stage. If the cards fall right, are we a chance to win it all? Probably not. In fact, almost certainly not. But this whole year has been unexpected. I'm not ruling anything out.
there are kids on these forums :thumbsdown:
 

bodazoka

Brownlow Medallist
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Aug 12, 2008
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Kalgoorlie
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#3
Another pre-season into Shuey, Darling, Smith, Scooter, Ebert, Gaff, McKenzie, Schofield, Naita. Who knows were we can be next year?

Imagine if we pulled off recruiting Matera or Rich in this trade week.

Hopefully the old hands can hold on for at least a couple more years... teams are going to start paying more attention to us next year though and our injury run and draw probably wont be as good.

Collingwood would need to loose Jolly and a Swan/Pendles as well as having Dawes out for us to be a challenge for them.
 

Alexwce

Club Legend
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Apr 18, 2011
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Perth
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#4
Will be nice to send Glass, Embley & Cox off with another premiership medallion around their neck.
 
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