DocT
Club Legend
- Sep 4, 2022
- 1,033
- 2,216
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
I'm not worried about our '4th quarter fade-outs' in 2024 as an indicator of anything in 2025 because I think there is an obvious reason for them that is already passing.Hmm that's fair, the trend was annoying.
There is a general view that older teams are fitter and therefore better able to run games out. I don't think that is the best explanation.
I think young, inexperienced teams go harder early. They are more excited and don't yet know instinctively how to best spread the laod over 4 quarters. Early on they run harder to chase, make position, create space, pressure etc. They are going at 95% whereas an older, more experienced opponent is only going at 85% to hang in there.
Come the 4th quarter the experienced lads can lift to 90% whereas the young team have spent their chips and fall back to 80-85%, that's all they can do. Hence the fade-out.
In 2025 will we be fitter? Marginally. Will we be more experienced? Significantly more so. We will still have a tendency to fade but I think far less so than 2024. Come 2026 and we will have the talent and team work to be rock solid go to whoa.