The LOSS Response Thread

[Jabba73]

There are three basic ways to approach a game with selection.
1. You pick the best players you can to play the way you want the game to be played to give you every advantage and hope the opposition has to react.
2. Pick a team to counter the oppositions strengths.
3. Pick a team you hope can execute your game plan but has enough flexibility to counter the opposition if they get hold of you.

Unfortunately we had too many players unavailable for either (our first choice) option 1 and for similar reasons option 3. We obviously did not go for option 2 as we left Bower and Watson out of the side as our best other tall defending choices, so we were always going to struggle to win this game when Jammo got injured with Duigan, Laidler and White also not available.

We also lose a lot of flexibility with Hammer, O'hAilpin and Waite not playing. I think everyone (including the commentators) are now fully aware of how much Robbo brings to the side and also losing Curnow upset the midfield balance.

Having said that, we had many players that struggled so hopefully they have all got it out of their system, and we go back to the usually much better effort across the board next week. Intensity is something that every player who steps onto the field can bring for themselves.

 

[hawkman]

over the next 2 weeks wce have the bye then geelong assuming they loose to the cats we can beat richmond and bulldogs that puts us 2 games further ahead. yes we still need to have our bye in round 23 but that i cant see eagles not dropping a game they should win before the end of the year.

was a horrible game to watch but every team drops games they should win like hawks v adelaide in round 1

I agree every team drops games, but you don't want to lose 8 point games like that one. West Coast also have a better run home than both Carlton and Hawthorn. Round 22 may decide who will finish 4th.

 

[TOPBLUE_25]

We lost this game at the Match Committee on Thursday night.

We went in undersized - and I'm baffled as to why we didn't have a Bower/Watson as a sub in this game - given that we knew they would be stretching us for height down back.

Yeah was a poor choice of players to be honest.

 

[Blue and Silver]

Personally I don't see any side in the top 4 as completely dominant. Geelong's run of luck has been recorded, Collingwood has been pushed by Adelaide, the Dogs and Sydney and lost to the Cats, Hawthorn started the season with a loss but has been pretty damn good since.

We lost to West Coast, they were the better team on the day. It frustrated me watching the game knowing that we weren't playing like we can. We will be better for the loss, I don't envy Richmond

 

[happydude]

I agree every team drops games, but you don't want to lose 8 point games like that one. West Coast also have a better run home than both Carlton and Hawthorn. Round 22 may decide who will finish 4th.

stranger things have happened and it may end up that way.
for is a funny thing eagles have it right now but i dont think it will last forever, with the bye happening now they dont have another rest for the year and i cant see them not dropping a game between now and then. if hawks can win the next few (3/4) and we can win our next few that will sew up the top 4 as eagles will have to be very very good for rest of the year to knock one of us out.

 

[Krooooze]

I agree every team drops games, but you don't want to lose 8 point games like that one. West Coast also have a better run home than both Carlton and Hawthorn. Round 22 may decide who will finish 4th.

Yeah I must admit the loss yesterday really hurts cos the WCE have an absolute dream draw in the second half of the year. They play only only 2 of the current top 8 sides (not sure Melbourne is a credible top 8 side yet). I honestly can't see how they are going to not make top 4.

I can't see us beating the Pies and I don't think we would beat the Hawks, and I wouldn't be surprised if we drop a game to one of Ess, NM or Freo in Perth. We def have a much tougher run home so we need to win the games we are expected to win

 

[Kades_Dad]

 

[happydude]

i think some people are really under-estimating the impact 5 or 6 changes in one week can make to a side especially when some of those players coming in have little to no game time in the seniors this year.

its around 1/3 of our on field team with 2 players not playing a single seniors game, on top of our already depleted back line jamo went down early.

there was a lack of intensity but i think alot of it had to do with players looking lost and even players that have been in the team all year wherent sure of what the new inclusions where doing. we looked more like a team that didnt know where each other was and that slowed us down alot.

if we can bring back even 3 players it will make a world of difference, nothing to worry about we had bad luck with injuries this week and the eagles took advantage of our predicament bring on richmond lets get destroy this mob.

 

[AlecDuncan]

As someone said, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you want. We had the players that were available. The Bullants performance on Saturday says there's not a lot left in that well. Our mission is to get our best players fit and firing before finals.

On the bright side, we were as comprehensively beaten as we've been all year, and we still weren't thrashed on the scoreboard like we would have been until recently. There's still some backbone there.

Can we be a six-goal better side on yesterday? I think so.

 

[Coledinho]

Its not like your midfield wasnt killed either btw. Just saying. Warnock gets such a free ride from you guys. Why?

 

[thylacine60]

Its not like your midfield wasnt killed either btw. Just saying. Warnock gets such a free ride from you guys. Why?

Read the page, ********.

 

[the distributer]

Personally I don't see any side in the top 4 as completely dominant. Geelong's run of luck has been recorded, Collingwood has been pushed by Adelaide, the Dogs and Sydney and lost to the Cats, Hawthorn started the season with a loss but has been pretty damn good since.

We lost to West Coast, they were the better team on the day. It frustrated me watching the game knowing that we weren't playing like we can. We will be better for the loss, I don't envy Richmond

Our only ordinary games (where we've lost or been pushed) were after the bye, we smashed Adelaide (kicked 11 last qtr goals and won easilly), ditto the dogs, clear top 2 IMO with you guys and the hawks the next best with WC/Syd after that, should be a Collingwood/Geelong GF on current form, things can change though.

 

[Krooooze]

This is a good thing, I seriously think it is, gives us a good reality check where we are at when we have some important players missing.

At least it takes the spot light off us and now it goes onto the Eagles, everyone now is talking about them as Flag contenders. A lot experts will be tipping them to beat the Cats at home with some of the injuries the Cats have and the Eagles have a full compliment of players to choose from practically.

 

[Silvagnis]

Its not like your midfield wasnt killed either btw. Just saying. Warnock gets such a free ride from you guys. Why?

Why were some of your supporters after Worsfold's head last year?

Warnock was beaten by two very good opponents on the day, but is a better player than that.

 

[40yearBLUE]

As someone said, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you want. We had the players that were available. The Bullants performance on Saturday says there's not a lot left in that well. Our mission is to get our best players fit and firing before finals.

On the bright side, we were as comprehensively beaten as we've been all year, and we still weren't thrashed on the scoreboard like we would have been until recently. There's still some backbone there.

Can we be a six-goal better side on yesterday? I think so.

Sayings like that read great on paper, but they ignore the truth. The soldiers you go to war with have a direct bearing on the outcome.

Just for a moment imagine that last week WC suffered some injuries and we didnt.

So we had:

Curnow they lost Priddus
Robbo they lost Shoey
Hammer they lost NicNat
Duigan they lost Shannon Hurn

And then during the first quarter Jamo is not injured, Darren Glass is.......

Now think about what might have been the outcome.

 

[Coledinho]

Read the page, ********.

I read the entire thing. Your all blaming the defense, failing to realise that Lynch is in career best form, Kennedy is a top 5 forward in the game and LeCras is a All Australian calibre player. A dangerous forward line doing damage shouldnt be a shock

Your ruck duo is one of the best in the league and it wasnt even competitive verse Cox/Naitanui yesterday. Adelaide game aside its one of the more dominant displays we have had from the ruck situation and ATM your more concerned about defenders playing a bad quarter then the ruckmen playing a bad entire game

This is one of the most expensive and most talented ruck duos in the league. You should expect more from it, especially Warnock

 

[thylacine60]

I read the entire thing. Your all blaming the defense, failing to realise that Lynch is in career best form, Kennedy is a top 5 forward in the game and LeCras is a All Australian calibre player. A dangerous forward line doing damage shouldnt be a shock

Your ruck duo is one of the best in the league and it wasnt even competitive verse Cox/Naitanui yesterday. Adelaide game aside its one of the more dominant displays we have had from the ruck situation and ATM your more concerned about defenders playing a bad quarter then the ruckmen playing a bad entire game

Then learn to read. There are Warnock questions all over the place. Why do you care who we flame anyway. Talk about pathetic.

 

[Coledinho]

Then learn to read. There are Warnock questions all over the place. Why do you care who we flame anyway. Talk about pathetic.

Because your flaming the wrong people. Henderson gets flamed despite having a gun 2nd half while a player on mega bucks like Warnock waltz around without a care in the world it seems. Seems a tad unfair in the big picture

 

[40yearBLUE]

Why were some of your supporters after Worsfold's head last year?

Warnock was beaten by two very good opponents on the day, but is a better player than that.

I am sure he must be, our recruiters went after him because he has something. But he hasnt shown much of it in his time at the Blues so far. He copped a bad injury before he even stepped on the park, but hasnt shown all that much in the time since. Did that injury change him? I dont know. A gun ruck doesnt spend half his playing life in the magoos trying to win a spot back on the list and then when he does get back in play so well as to cement that spot. Has some serious work to do I think. At the start of this season I had Warnock as our first ruck, right now I think he is our depth ruckman and we missed Hammer on the weekend.

 

[Loramarthalas]

One question I have been considering since the loss: will we be happy with 5th place?

At the start of the year, I had us pegged about 5th/6th, so I think it would be a decent outcome. But I imagine those inside the club would have been thinking 3rd/4th given our run home and our two wins against Sydney and a win against the Saints already in the bank.

Seems very likely the Eagles will slip past us. We need to pull back a win somewhere now, perhaps against the Pies or Hawks. Not out of the question, but less than ideal. A win yesterday was hugely important to our chances at 4th.

 

[Coledinho]

I am sure he must be, our recruiters went after him because he has something. But he hasnt shown much of it in his time at the Blues so far. He copped a bad injury before he even stepped on the park, but hasnt shown all that much in the time since. Did that injury change him? I dont know. A gun ruck doesnt spend half his playing life in the magoos trying to win a spot back on the list and then when he does get back in play so well as to cement that spot. Has some serious work to do I think. At the start of this season I had Warnock as our first ruck, right now I think he is our depth ruckman and we missed Hammer on the weekend.

He gunned it in the WAFL prior to you recruiting him however the standout feature that has been lost in translation from WAFL to AFL is around the ground marking. He was a Sandilands type figure where he could just stand there and pluck the ball or atleast create a very dangerous contest which you could crumb the ball off. Ever since he went to Carlton and into AFL ranks this has changed.

In all honesty the defensive zone has hurt his game alot because he cant really go one on one in marking contests like he could in the WAFL plus the step up from AFL tall defenders to WAFL ones are huge.

 

[bali-dog]

you lost 1 game guys..dont beat yourselves up to much..we lost games all last season,and got splinters!!
it was just a perfect storm-you had injuries,your 'victorian national treasure' had bad flu,etc..and we were always going to come out blazing i suspect,with wanting to get a top 4 scalp,the bye and cats next week-you were the mark,i'm sure thats been set in stone for awhile..not saying we were going to win,but as it unfolded pre-game..if you had the full crew in, i'm sure it wouldve been a seesawing slugfest..and to watch your zippy smalls run around and carve up the game,is breathtaking..sizzling stuff..and you learn more about yourselves as a team from losses like this-to fix the weak links.
how do you think we learnt and got so good in such a short time? - lots of losses!!? ((;
just kidding..the blues are a slick team and a great team to watch..stay tuned.
our wheels may yet fall off..i'm happy with this season already..its all good.

 

[Stamos]

Re: Warnock.
He was pretty good early in the year, then he tired. Copped a bad concussion, missed a few weeks, then played 2 sub-standard games in the VFL. He only got a game due to Hampson's injury, but yes, he was shocking yesterday. Hopefully he will be better next week, against much easier opponents.

 

[HBF]

Just on Warnock - I can appreciate that going up against Cox and Naitanui is a difficult job, but to put in such an insipid performance like he did yesterday is just not good enough. In a marking contest on the outer wing, Cox easily moved him under the ball like he was in the contest with with Garlett.

I really think as supporters we are entitled to expect more from him, given the money and the draft selections we had to give up for him. Based on his performance yesterday, and what I have seen him produce in the 2's, I would actually rather have Setanta in. At least you know with Setanta he gives you 110% all day, every day. Something that Warnock just doesn't.

 

[The Toad]

you lost 1 game guys..dont beat yourselves up to much..we lost games all last season,and got splinters!!
it was just a perfect storm-you had injuries,your 'victorian national treasure' had bad flu,etc..and we were always going to come out blazing i suspect,with wanting to get a top 4 scalp,the bye and cats next week-you were the mark,i'm sure thats been set in stone for awhile..not saying we were going to win,but as it unfolded pre-game..if you had the full crew in, i'm sure it wouldve been a seesawing slugfest..and to watch your zippy smalls run around and carve up the game,is breathtaking..sizzling stuff..and you learn more about yourselves as a team from losses like this-to fix the weak links.
how do you think we learnt and got so good in such a short time? - lots of losses!!? ((;
just kidding..the blues are a slick team and a great team to watch..stay tuned.
our wheels may yet fall off..i'm happy with this season already..its all good.

Nice post BD, thanks. You guys played very good yesterday and deserved the win. The weagles will play a big part in the finals, I have no doubt.