Opinion We weren't tough enough, hard enough for long enough (2014) - Now its we weren't smart enough, skilled enough and tough enough

[RussellEbertHandball]

These were the word's Alastair Clarkson used when the Hawks lost the Prelim Final in 2011 by 3 pts after having more scoring shots than Collingwood. They have learn to be tougher, and harder for longer winning the next 3 prelims by 5,5, and 3 points.

Port has to do what the the Hawks have done the last 3 years. Prelim finals burn for all teams who get there and lose them. The good ones learn from it and take the next step. The average ones dont and either get there again and then drop off or dont visit the prelim again for many years.

What Clarko said at his 2011 post game presser.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-24/hawks-just-werent-hard-enough-says-clarkson/2940728

Clarkson also used a famous Hawthorn line from 1989 premiership coach Allan Jeans who had told his men to "pay the price" by not taking any short cuts in their on-field efforts.

"I don't want to hear about any pride or bad luck and all that sort of rubbish that's going to come our way," Clarkson said.

"We should have won a game of footy and we miss out on a grand final because we just weren't hard enough and tough enough for long enough.

"Bottom line, you need to do it for four quarters in finals footy and we didn't.

"We paid the price and it's a bloody hard price to pay when you've got a side on the ropes and you just don't deliver the final fatal blow.

"We've got to learn the hard way and that's watch two good sides having a crack at each other for the title, knowing full well that we could quite easily have been participating ourselves.

"We just wasted opportunities. We only had 11 marks for the whole last quarter. Ultimately it cost us the game.

"Whether it's set shots, a couple of umpiring decisions, you put them all in the mix, who knows?

"The bottom line is we weren't tough enough, hard enough for long enough. We learnt a pretty fatal lesson as a result of it."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-24/hawks-just-werent-hard-enough-says-clarkson/2940728

 

[Black 18]

Yep

 

[MrMeaner]

Indeed. We need to work on that. I trust Ken will, just as he worked on the reason for us losing to Geelong last year.

 

[Pt Augusta Power]

Last thing we need is a summer of backslapping cause we were 'one kick away from a grand final'. We were not good enough.

Now the dust has settled I have got over some of the umpiring calls, we had our chances, didn't take them. We let hawthorn get out to a five goal lead in the last quarter.

I am pissed off with that last HTB - not because it cost us the game, it didn't - but it screwed up a potentially epic finish.

 

[RedCentrePower]

Yes REH, I to recall those words of Clarko and have heard similar narratives over some 60 years of following football and in supporting PAFC; I like many of us have experienced many narrow finals defeats,they are always hard to swallow. Yesterday we got what we deserved, a hard lessons in finals football. I am very proud of their effort yesterday. Ken, no doubt will have them ready for next season with the resolve to get better and make the most of the next opportunity.

 

[VineValerian]

Last thing we need is a summer of backslapping cause we were 'one kick away from a grand final'. We were not good enough.

.

 

[VineValerian]

Last thing we need is a summer of .... we were 'one kick away from a grand final'.

.

Agree. Worst possible line imaginable

We are not the Tingles. We will improve.

 

[RedCentrePower]

Last thing we need is a summer of backslapping cause we were 'one kick away from a grand final'. We were not good enough.

Now the dust has settled I have got over some of the umpiring calls, we had our chances, didn't take them. We let hawthorn get out to a five goal lead in the last quarter.

I am pissed off with that last HTB - not because it cost us the game, it didn't - but it screwed up a potentially epic finish.

I would add a the ignored HTB of Lake as he took a swan like dive onto the ball and Gus had him dead set HTB.WTF no whistle? If a players can have a shocker a couple of the umps did yesterday who guessed to many frees from my educated observations.

 

[Shaucob_Burjan]

We were pretty hard and tough.

Just couldn't kick for s**t.

 

[PJ Power]

Agree strongly with the sentiments in this thread. We faded away during long periods of the second and third quarter. Merit in fighting back in such a barnstorming fashion late, but I don't think we could be commended for playing four quarters of brutal footy in any of our three finals.

 

[Chewy316]

Agree strongly with the sentiments in this thread. We faded away during long periods of the second and third quarter. Merit in fighting back in such a barnstorming fashion late, but I don't think we could be commended for playing four quarters of brutal footy in any of our three finals.

I agree. Our best footy is the best in the comp, bar none. But we haven't been able to access it for long enough periods when it matters most. In a way, I'm not surprised about this, especially considering that we have such a young list. As the list gets older and matures, those troughs we'll see will be far less frequent and less damaging that what they were this season. And once we get it sorted, we are going to be terrifying..

 

[Power Raid]

These were the word's Alastair Clarkson used when the Hawks lost the Prelim Final in 2011 by 3 pts after having more scoring shots than Collingwood. They have learn to be tougher, and harder for longer winning the next 3 prelims by 5,5, and 3 points.

Port has to do what the the Hawks have done the last 3 years. Prelim finals burn for all teams who get there and lose them. The good ones learn from it and take the next step. The average ones dont and either get there again and then drop off or dont visit the prelim again for many years.

What Clarko said at his 2011 post game presser.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-24/hawks-just-werent-hard-enough-says-clarkson/2940728

Clarkson also used a famous Hawthorn line from 1989 premiership coach Allan Jeans who had told his men to "pay the price" by not taking any short cuts in their on-field efforts.

"I don't want to hear about any pride or bad luck and all that sort of rubbish that's going to come our way," Clarkson said.

"We should have won a game of footy and we miss out on a grand final because we just weren't hard enough and tough enough for long enough.

"Bottom line, you need to do it for four quarters in finals footy and we didn't.

"We paid the price and it's a bloody hard price to pay when you've got a side on the ropes and you just don't deliver the final fatal blow.

"We've got to learn the hard way and that's watch two good sides having a crack at each other for the title, knowing full well that we could quite easily have been participating ourselves.

"We just wasted opportunities. We only had 11 marks for the whole last quarter. Ultimately it cost us the game.

"Whether it's set shots, a couple of umpiring decisions, you put them all in the mix, who knows?

"The bottom line is we weren't tough enough, hard enough for long enough. We learnt a pretty fatal lesson as a result of it."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-24/hawks-just-werent-hard-enough-says-clarkson/2940728

we have to learn from the best as they learned from us in 2004

 

[Jdawgz]

Maggie's lost..lol what a joke

 

[thezone]

C'mon you blokes, I think you're all forgetting we we've come from just 2 years ago. Ken's first year, we're into the finals, win 1 lose the next. Ken's second year into the finals win 2, lose the prelim. All that in two years, every other team in the comp would be beside themselves with pats on the back all round, for those results.
We have the 3rd youngest list, (someone will correct me), had injuries to two key defenders for a few weeks, a mid season slump (training load???), all building again for the end of the season.
The club has by the barest of margins, just missed out against an almost full strength Hawthorn outfit, on our only game at the G this year, in a cutthroat final we're we actually went off the boil again for lengthy periods. Experience will come from this. The guys know what needs to be done.

Do you think Ken and co think well that's it, we're good enough? Of course not, they know and will demand better more consistent performances from the players, the players will demand more and more from each other, because that is the Port Adelaide way. This season is another giant leap forward, and if we can remember one thing, the entire Hawthorn club including the fans at the ground and probably at home, were shitting themselves in the last 10 minutes. Our boys can make one of the most experienced finals club quake in their collective boots. We're essentially only 2 years into a long long journey, this is just a start, watch this space.

I was fortunate enough to get into the rooms last night, and a lot of the boys looked cooked, they had no more to give IMO. I'm almost glad we didn't get through to next week, may well have been a disaster.
IMO every single person involved at the club including us fans and supporters deserves every pat on the back coming.

Carn the Pear

 

[scotty13]

Last thing we need is a summer of backslapping cause we were 'one kick away from a grand final'. We were not good enough.

I disagree with this... The way we were kicking yesterday it was at least 2 kicks but most likely 3 before we got the goal

 

[edgie]

I disagree with this... The way we were kicking yesterday it was at least 2 kicks but most likely 3 before we got the goal

We were kicking ourselves, but we missed that too?

 

[PJ Power]

I disagree with this... The way we were kicking yesterday it was at least 2 kicks but most likely 3 before we got the goal

Nicely put!

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I have the utmost confidence in Ken turning us into the Port Adelaide we all know and love.

 

[tribey]

Yeah, banging on about being a kick away or whatnot is the bastion of 'shoes like Gra'am Cornes.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Liniment sniffers.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

We were pretty hard and tough.

Just couldn't kick for s**t.

If you are tough enough mentally, you kick straight forward set shots, and ones running into goal with little pressure on you. We weren't mentally tough enough to convert enough of our opportunities.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Saw a bit of Kenny's presser on the news tonight. He said "we werent hard enough for long enough."

 

[philreich]

If anybody saw 7 news tonight, you could tell the guys are already hell bent on atonement in 2015. It may have been Jasper who said that this pre season needs to be even tougher than the last one, so don't worry about their work ethic: these boys will be doing whatever it takes to reach the 2015 premiership decider!!!!! It's gonna be one helluva ride.

 

[RossFC]

We were pretty hard and tough.

Just couldn't kick for s**t.

Yep, That first quarter cost us. Polec missed a few sitters. Schulz has not been the same player for almost 2 months.

 

[Power freak 2008]

I think we need to remember the captain gathering the players around in a tight huddle and laying all out. It was said and done in those few minutes by our brilliant captain. We endured two heart breaking losses today but our football program and coaching is only going to get better. We will attract more players that want to get the best out of themselves and those kids (Wines, Wingard, Neade) are going to grow up over this preseason.

I think it will be a battle for the current pace setters to keep up with us because if you all go to page 33 of today's sports page (The Craptizer), you'll see a determined bunch of young men. This weekend was not a bad weekend for this footy club. People should get used to us contesting finals because I think we'll be back better then ever.