The LOSS Response Thread

[mediumsizered]

I haven't come here to gloat, (you're more than welcome to tell me where to go) I quite enjoyed the game as a spectacle for the first three quarters (the last kinda fizzled out a bit), was played at a very high intensity, and I think had you guys played Waite & Robinson, this game may have been an epic. Just a couple of quick questions though, I do have a liking to watching the blues this year, you're exciting, you've got a good mix. Was looking today, and thought on the whole, you guys looked a bit tired. Have you had a few big weeks on the track? It just seems you guys were flat, and no doubt next week you get the chance to arrest that. Best of luck for the rest of the year. Here's hoping we both knock the hawks out of the top 4.

We came off a physical game against the Swans last week, hence the 4 injury enforced changes to our team this week. Most teams struggle the week after playing the Swans because of the physicality of the Swans game plan.

 

[Blues_FC]

My thoughts:

- We barely took a contested mark all day. Sure, we were outsized all over the ground, but we dropped a lot of marks we got first hands to as well.

- We sucked around stoppages. We pretty much never extracted the ball from a stoppage with any poise. West Coast would run the ball away from a stoppage as a team. There would always be a free WCE player to receive a handball. In contrast, when we won the ball at a stoppage, we usually just hurriedly kicked it forward to a marking contest where West Coast would either take a contested mark, or crumb it and take it away again.

- Too many changes to the team lineup. We have had a successful group and whether a result of injury or not, we've mucked around with the team too much. Duigan and Laidler (and Jamo) missing from our back line seriously ****ed up our structure. We were left with a bunch of guys who were outsized and there was a lack of cohesion. Robinson's hardness was obviously missing today. He's probably the one player who could have swung the balance in our favour. We also need Waite back in our forward line, as we currently do not have a single tall who looks like taking a mark in our forward 50.

- Betts and Garlett tried really hard, but without the big bodies in the forward line to help them out, can we really expect them to shoulder the entire forward line load themselves?

- Midfield was pathetic. Obviously, it was a hard game for Judd and Murph today with the umpires ignoring blatant holding throughout the entire match. I think I only recall one free kick being given to Judd for being held at a stoppage. Ellard tried really hard, but just didn't have the skills to back it up today. He's been a great contributor this year, but he's definitely not an elite midfielder.

- ROK and Austin looked out of their depth today. Can't blame the guys, since it's ROK's first game and Austin's first for a long time, but they just didn't compete well enough. I'd suggest that they're both out of the team next week, once we get our regulars back.

Overall, I'd consider this week an aberration. We were missing so many important cogs in our team structure, which was compounded by the fact that we played a good team with one of the tallest back and forward lines in the league. We were always going to struggle with such a short team playing against a side with Lynch, Kennedy, Cox, Naitanui, Glass, Mackenzie, Darling. What I don't excuse is the fact that our midfield got smashed by an inferior outfit.

 

[Just Kreuzing]

I haven't come here to gloat, (you're more than welcome to tell me where to go) I quite enjoyed the game as a spectacle for the first three quarters (the last kinda fizzled out a bit), was played at a very high intensity, and I think had you guys played Waite & Robinson, this game may have been an epic. Just a couple of quick questions though, I do have a liking to watching the blues this year, you're exciting, you've got a good mix. Was looking today, and thought on the whole, you guys looked a bit tired. Have you had a few big weeks on the track? It just seems you guys were flat, and no doubt next week you get the chance to arrest that. Best of luck for the rest of the year. Here's hoping we both knock the hawks out of the top 4.

Not sure we have had the opportunity to have being doing too much on the track of late to be honest with a few key players missing with injury. We were definately flat regardless of whether some of the Eagle supporters want to acknowledge that or not.

I think when you have a few from the reserves come up into the side who haven't played alot at this level or are forced up because of injuries even though they are in ordinary form makes it hard to adjust to the increase in tempo,, structure and disciplines etc.

Thought you guys had obviously set yourselves for this as a mini final as lets face it if you had of lost and fallen 10 pts of 4th spot then the top 4 might of been basically finalised this far out, all you have done is ensured we remain honest and perhaps have woken a few up!!!

All the best for you guys as well but think it will be hard pressed for either of us to keep the Hawks from a top 4 spot, lets hope we win our battle with you guys for the other spot!

 

[Krooooze]

I haven't come here to gloat, (you're more than welcome to tell me where to go) I quite enjoyed the game as a spectacle for the first three quarters (the last kinda fizzled out a bit), was played at a very high intensity, and I think had you guys played Waite & Robinson, this game may have been an epic. Just a couple of quick questions though, I do have a liking to watching the blues this year, you're exciting, you've got a good mix. Was looking today, and thought on the whole, you guys looked a bit tired. Have you had a few big weeks on the track? It just seems you guys were flat, and no doubt next week you get the chance to arrest that. Best of luck for the rest of the year. Here's hoping we both knock the hawks out of the top 4.

I reckon you're underestimating how well you played, you dominated pretty much every area of the ground. We were average and our intensity was poor aside from the first 10mins of the 3rd. I think today showed if we have key players out against a decent side we are going to struggle, esp when missing players in an area of the ground where we are deficient (i.e. backline). We have been playing at a pretty high intensity for the last month or so, so I guess we were eventually going to be found out and it happened to be today where you played really well. That's prob some of the best, most intense football I've seen from WCE in quite a while and we just couldn't match it. In saying that I didn't like our attitude today. As I've said there's no substitute for hard work. We just didn't work hard enough

 

[incaciawin]

Remember thinking to myself last week when Hampson limped off that we are really going to miss him....He was really starting to show something....Warnock has a long way to go. He needs to fill out a bit more for starters so he can build body strength, and of course he needs to be fiercer in the contest.
We really have been hit with a spate of injuries in a short space of time...Could it be the Etihad Stadium factor ?

 

[jesterwester]

We came off a physical game against the Swans last week, hence the 4 injury enforced changes to our team this week. Most teams struggle the week after playing the Swans because of the physicality of the Swans game plan.

Ah. That makes sense. Playing the swans is often so tough- you may not run so far because of the amount of stoppages they force, but the constant tackling, and getting up after being tackled must be an immense strain on the boys both mentally & physically. I wouldn't be too worried. A loss, although frustrating, can often be a good thing, just keeps the players down to earth. Not that i think they were getting ahead of themselves, but they just seemed flat at times. I also think that the eagles came out keen to make amends for the collingwood defeat a month ago. So it maybe was a case of the two.

Hold your heads high. At least you get some important players back this week, and you can restructure yourselves again. I for one certainly underestimated robinsons influence on your side. He is such a hard nut. Have you heard how injured jamieson is? Is he likely to miss this week, or was it mostly precautionary he was subbed off (after his brief stint in the forward line)
And besides, you got another match into kruezer without injury. He will be a lot better for the run.

 

[thylacine60]

Gracious in victory. Hats off.

 

[blue gunslinger]

our med staff have proven time and time AGAIN they are either
incompetent (sue me)
or have NO BALLS

 

[Dramoth]

If the MRP is fair, will get a reprimand or a week.

Nothing he did was enough to earn him "weeks" nor did he target Murphy or any other player.

I know you had a loss but turn it up.

Mate... the first incident lifted Murphy off his feet with force of the impact at neck level... I dont care if it was purely accidental because thats how you break someones neck.

It will be cited and adjudged, as previously noted, reckless high contact and the second was careless high contact. I would have to say that he is going to get 3 weeks possibly reduced to 2 but considering that he got pinged for a second high contact infringement in the same match, he could be looking at 3 for the first no early plea and 1 week for the second one.

So Lynch is out for at least 3 weeks and possibly 4 max for both incidents.

 

[happydude]

I was actually expecting a loss today before the game very annoyed i did not put money on it.

I was expecting us to drop atleast 1-2 games we should have won.
to the eagle credit they played very well and 6 changes to a side in a week is a huge ask, i dont know how collingwood, hawthorn or geelong would handle it in one week.

in a way this wasnt a test of our depth because say we made these 6 changes over a number of weeks players would of had time to settle and get to know their places better in the team, alot of them looked lost. When we make 1 change that new player often looks lost first game out and we forgive them but have around 6 was just too many.

To thornton's credit he played very well made 2 mistake i noticed but was solid in a day nearly our whole backline was out.

To those saying we will get found out by talls in september i dont believe this to be true if we can feild closer to our best 22. laidler can play above his height, jamo to take the number 1 tall, if bower can get form (im not convinced) he or aussie (aussie is on the park now just need confidence give him a few weeks) can take the 2nd or 3rd tall and thornton can take the other, that will free up russel to play on who we want.

henderson didnt have a great game up forward but for a role change didnt do too badly but still wasnt great, he will be much better with waite and jamo in.

what disapointed me the most was we stepped up the game a gear for 10 - 15 mins and kicked 4 unanswered goals.

eagles did very well but its not the end of the world. they have a bye and geelong next so we have more opportunities to get a gap between us. the post i read about us finishing 5th is a bit extreme we are still in prim postition for top 4 and if we can get over the hawks 3rd spot.

 

[HBF]

Completely outplayed yesterday.
Our entries into the F50 were shamefull, and the way West Coast waltzed the ball out was embarassing. Maybe it had something to do with the Sydney game last week, having to make 4 changes, or losing Jamo early.

But really, right from the get go you could see we were in for a tough afternoon. West Coasts forward press was sensational yesterday, and we played straight into their hands. Didn't move the ball quickly enough, and how many times did we clear the 50, only to have it come back in just as quickly.

Our worst performance of the year. Need to bounce back hard next week against Richmond.

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

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.

 

[happydude]

just the fact we have a thread called "the loss response" tells me we dont have anything to worry about. we dropped a game to 5th placed team who played very well. 36 points being our biggest loosing margn of the year is a good sign as well.

take the loss, learn from it, hopefully we arent ruined by injuries and austin can show us something over the next weeks (if he keeps his spot)

 

[Blue Bawls]

I still think this was a loss we deliberately engineered.

Maybe there were players ready to come back sooner, but with our run of injuries it serves us well to know how our deeper depth players can stand up under that kind of pressure.

The experience Austin and O'Keefe got would be invaluable to their development, and the match committee can now make more informed calls on not only them, but Hendo, Zac, Army and Hoops.

Liked T-bird's game - thought he was our most solid defender. Can't see him out of the side now.

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

Yesterday's loss also got me thinking on the way home:

At the end of 2009, what if we had of traded #11 for Daniel Kerr instead of McLean.

Kerr is a little older, both had considerable injuries they've had to endure.

McLean is a little 'cleaner' off the field - in terms of the media.

I'm adament that West Coast would have accepted #11 for Kerr.

 

[Krooooze]

Completely outplayed yesterday.
Our entries into the F50 were shamefull, and the way West Coast waltzed the ball out was embarassing. Maybe it had something to do with the Sydney game last week, having to make 4 changes, or losing Jamo early.

But really, right from the get go you could see we were in for a tough afternoon. West Coasts forward press was sensational yesterday, and we played straight into their hands. Didn't move the ball quickly enough, and how many times did we clear the 50, only to have it come back in just as quickly.

Our worst performance of the year. Need to bounce back hard next week against Richmond.

That was the most disappointing aspect of our game yesterday, you can go on about their pressure all you like but we showed no composure under pressure. We just bombed the ball in hope out of defensive 50 and I cannot remember one single instance where it came off and went to one of our players. It just went straight back to them. We were way too slow with our ball movement. We played a lot better against the Pies' who apply the forward press, but yest with key members out we looked lost. Def our worst performance of the year and I just can't wait to see what we are made of when we face the Tigers

 

[Sublime]

Well, that's our off week out of the way. The big question for mine is our response to this.

Hit the training track hard, reload with hopefully available first 22 players (Robbo, Waite, Duigan, Laidler etc), and then see how we go. I fully expect us to come out firing against the Tiges and tear them a new one. Expect us to be physical.

 

[the distributer]

Shit happens, young teams will have the odd ordinary game, you had lots of outs as well, at full strengh Blues>>Eagles.

 

[Loramarthalas]

Doc Sherrin on Twitter says that Waite, Robbo, and Curnow all would have played if it had been a final.

Sounds like we seriously overestimated our depth to cover those positions. Or we just didn't care to much about losing. Maybe a bit of both.

 

[Krooooze]

Doc Sherrin on Twitter says that Waite, Robbo, and Curnow all would have played if it had been a final.

Sounds like we seriously overestimated our depth to cover those positions. Or we just didn't care to much about losing. Maybe a bit of both.

I hope that's not the case. If so, it sounds like a bit of complacency has crept into our MC. Maybe they also underestimated WCE. In saying that, if the players aren't fully right, there's no point risking them.

 

[hawkman]

I'm surprised you have all taken the loss so well. Yes you had injuries, but if you had won yesterday, it would have pretty much sown up a top 4 spot. Now it will be a tight struggle again.

 

[blues4flag]

Doc Sherrin on Twitter says that Waite, Robbo, and Curnow all would have played if it had been a final.

Sounds like we seriously overestimated our depth to cover those positions. Or we just didn't care to much about losing. Maybe a bit of both.

As others have said, it isn't a final. There's still 2 months till September and we're better off getting our boys right instead of having them play with niggles.

 

[Big Red is back]

An isolated loss after 6 great weeks is not an issue.

The reality is we are a 15 to 17 win side so we will drop a few games.

In fact I would prefer weaknesses get exposed now than in 10 weeks, however what is of a concern :

- Hendo as a fwd
- Warnock going backwards.

 

[happydude]

I'm surprised you have all taken the loss so well. Yes you had injuries, but if you had won yesterday, it would have pretty much sown up a top 4 spot. Now it will be a tight struggle again.

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

 

[berisha]

Loss was unexpected. Really thought we would beat the Eagles. Our lack of intensity was worrying. A few times when we pushed forward and turned it over and the Eagles were streaming forward instead of chasing some players had hands on their heads like they'd just given up. The game where I couldn't pencil a win was the Bulldogs match. Huge game that is.