All is not lost

[HR Roughnstuf]

The most frustrating thing is that it was always going to be Chapman, Johnson, Daffy and Bartel that were going to win this game for Geelong. Apart from Bartel the rest absolutely tore us a new one. Would have thought that Clarko would have just told Whitecross/Shiels/Guerra etc. to just sit on there man and never give them an inch for 2 hours.

 

[Dr.J]

I reckon I've moved on but here are a couple of casual observations
Umpires don't win or lose games players do.
Skill errors / wasted scoring opportunities, lack of 100% intencity, lack of dicipline.
The better the opponent the better you have to be.
Say what you like but they had us pegged in many of our key areas
They spread our back line far and wide in the first term, then filled the holes with monotonous regularity.
In spreading their forwards they still honoured their leads.
This meant neither Gibson nor Sratton could help Shoey as a third man up.
They forced Young, Suckling and Birchell to go right side on numerous occasions.
Their forward opponents dragged them to sides of the ground where they were turning into trouble.
They left a player on the defensive side of every centre bounce that Cyril took part in.
That role was to try and trap Cyril on the way through.
I was impressed the way Clarko thought through the issues and, whilst not combating all of them, found ways to counter some.
In short they played a lot of their cards on Friday night.
They used things we hadn’t seen before
They applied pressure we weren’t used to which resulted in more fumbles and second grabs than I’d seen for months.
Despite the disappointment I genuinely feel we’ll be better for it.
It’s provided an opportunity to regroup and lift the bar even higher
It’s released a pressure valve of being flag favourites on an amazing winning streak.
Our players haven’t lost any talent or skill over night.
We’ve just been taken to a place we hadn’t been before.
Better to do that now than in a final.
Say what you like about Clarko but he will go to school on this.
He’ll have the ammunition he needs to drive the players and coaches harder
He’ll have the answers and they (the opposition) will need to find some new questions.
The Port GC double are the perfect games following such a build up
After each loss this season we’ve bounced back bigger and better.
This will serve as the ideal launching ramp for our surge to the finals

 

[go hawks!!!]

I reckon I've moved on but here are a couple of casual observations
Umpires don't win or lose games players do.
Skill errors / wasted scoring opportunities, lack of 100% intencity, lack of dicipline.
The better the opponent the better you have to be.
Say what you like but they had us pegged in many of our key areas
They spread our back line far and wide in the first term, then filled the holes with monotonous regularity.
In spreading their forwards they still honoured their leads.
This meant neither Gibson nor Sratton could help Shoey as a third man up.
They forced Young, Suckling and Birchell to go right side on numerous occasions.
Their forward opponents dragged them to sides of the ground where they were turning into trouble.
They left a player on the defensive side of every centre bounce that Cyril took part in.
That role was to try and trap Cyril on the way through.
I was impressed the way Clarko thought through the issues and, whilst not combating all of them, found ways to counter some.
In short they played a lot of their cards on Friday night.
They used things we hadn’t seen before
They applied pressure we weren’t used to which resulted in more fumbles and second grabs than I’d seen for months.
Despite the disappointment I genuinely feel we’ll be better for it.
It’s provided an opportunity to regroup and lift the bar even higher
It’s released a pressure valve of being flag favourites on an amazing winning streak.
Our players haven’t lost any talent or skill over night.
We’ve just been taken to a place we hadn’t been before.
Better to do that now than in a final.
Say what you like about Clarko but he will go to school on this.
He’ll have the ammunition he needs to drive the players and coaches harder
He’ll have the answers and they (the opposition) will need to find some new questions.
The Port GC double are the perfect games following such a build up
After each loss this season we’ve bounced back bigger and better.
This will serve as the ideal launching ramp for our surge to the finals

For some unknown reason I don't have a like button.

I agree with most if not all of your thoughts above. The first quarter was so hard to take, so many holes for a player to run into inside Geelongs attacking 50.

Yes Clarko will scratch his head for next time, however, Geelong will come up with something new also, we just cannot afford to be bullied again. It was inexcusable.

 

[Teamwork Talks]

Agree with you totally Dr J.
Very good post.

 

[Neville Bartos]

It "would have been" our greatest H&A victory ever... bar none. Instead it was one of the most heartbreaking H&A losses when all things were considered (streak, goal after siren, the failed comeback, sh1t umpiring etc.)

 

[macdaddio]

It "would have been" our greatest H&A victory ever... bar none. Instead it was one of the most heartbreaking H&A losses when all things were considered (streak, goal after siren, the failed comeback, sh1t umpiring etc.)

Didn't we come back from close to 10 goals againts the Saints and ended up winning that game?

But because it was the Cats i think it would rate as our best win ever if we did win i mean.....

 

[Boyler_Room]

If nothing its a good wake up call. You cannot turn around a smashing during the year, if you get beat by 40 you are not going to win in September but you can turn around from a small loss.

One other thing we found out is, we need Bailey. That is all I will say, in what configuration of the big three, we need a dedicated ruck not pinch hitters.

 

[Neville Bartos]

Didn't we come back from close to 10 goals againts the Saints and ended up winning that game?

But because it was the Cats i think it would rate as our best win ever if we did win i mean.....

Yeah I was at that game and this would have easily eclipsed it. It's depressing talking about what might have been

 

[Samurai Hawk]

As shocking as the way the final minute unfolded was, I walked away thinking its a long time since I had been to game (didnt get to 2008 GF) where there was such a swell of voice, support and involvement from our supporters. It was like a couldren, the roar with every kick, goal, tackle effort & like to think it played a role in getting our boys back in the game...goose bump stuff ..
What`s done last week is done & we move on. I hope we see the brown & gold faithful in the same voice for the last part of the year giving the boys every ounce of support we have, for them to ride home to the flag!

 

[Taskmaster]

If nothing its a good wake up call. You cannot turn around a smashing during the year, if you get beat by 40 you are not going to win in September but you can turn around from a small loss.

One other thing we found out is, we need Bailey. That is all I will say, in what configuration of the big three, we need a dedicated ruck not pinch hitters.

Disagree. As much as I like Max, there is no way he would be thw difference. Its like these people that tried to argue the case about Renouf, ye look where he ended up. Biggest nuff nuff of the game. To much emphasis on ruck. If we were totally out played in the ruck, then we would have been smashed by 60+. And if we are outplayed in ruck then why didnt Coll beat us, apparently they have one of the best ruckman in the land....???

The difference was giving them a 7 goal qtr time lead. We were bloody pathetic in the 1st qtr. These people calling for Hales head have rocks in their head. I believe Hale is better than Max at this stage. He is more potent up forward, I dont see Max going down and taking a big mark and kicking a goal. Thats the difference.

 

[7_Thunders]

If we meet them in the finals watch out geelong. They barely beat us with our best player out remember...

 

[go hawks!!!]

If we meet them in the finals watch out geelong. They barely beat us with our best player out remember...

We all said the same thing last year and they pumped us in the finals

 

[In2theWild]

Yeah I was at that game and this would have easily eclipsed it. It's depressing talking about what might have been

Same Nev! Only game I saw live at Waverley. Memories Twas quite the three-game stretch from memory, smacked the Tigers at the 'G, draw against the Doggies at Optus Oval and then the 63pt comeback against the Sainters. Nice!

 

[7_Thunders]

We all said the same thing last year and they pumped us in the finals

We are far superior than the 2011 version and will only get better while the cats decline. Patience, the tide is tu.rning

 

[go hawks!!!]

We are far superior than the 2011 version and will only get better while the cats decline. Patience, the tide is tu.rning

Cats decline? sorry that theory does not work with me.

 

[hfc70]

If Hawkins missed that last goal, we would be only talking about how good we are.

I feel gutted we lost but can see the positives more than the negatives.

Pussies will be thinking 'How did we give up a 51 point lead ?'

(Actually probably they won't .....the arrogant turds)

 

[macdaddio]

Cats decline? sorry that theory does not work with me.

They will decline and i just can't wait, seriously i cant wait i want it to happen now...

 

[Neville Bartos]

I agree. They used to beat us missing Ablett & Scarlett. It's beyond personnel now

 

[diggydig]

I reckon I've moved on but here are a couple of casual observations
Umpires don't win or lose games players do.
Skill errors / wasted scoring opportunities, lack of 100% intencity, lack of dicipline.
The better the opponent the better you have to be.
Say what you like but they had us pegged in many of our key areas
They spread our back line far and wide in the first term, then filled the holes with monotonous regularity.
In spreading their forwards they still honoured their leads.
This meant neither Gibson nor Sratton could help Shoey as a third man up.
They forced Young, Suckling and Birchell to go right side on numerous occasions.
Their forward opponents dragged them to sides of the ground where they were turning into trouble.
They left a player on the defensive side of every centre bounce that Cyril took part in.
That role was to try and trap Cyril on the way through.
I was impressed the way Clarko thought through the issues and, whilst not combating all of them, found ways to counter some.
In short they played a lot of their cards on Friday night.
They used things we hadn’t seen before
They applied pressure we weren’t used to which resulted in more fumbles and second grabs than I’d seen for months.
Despite the disappointment I genuinely feel we’ll be better for it.
It’s provided an opportunity to regroup and lift the bar even higher
It’s released a pressure valve of being flag favourites on an amazing winning streak.
Our players haven’t lost any talent or skill over night.
We’ve just been taken to a place we hadn’t been before.
Better to do that now than in a final.
Say what you like about Clarko but he will go to school on this.
He’ll have the ammunition he needs to drive the players and coaches harder
He’ll have the answers and they (the opposition) will need to find some new questions.
The Port GC double are the perfect games following such a build up
After each loss this season we’ve bounced back bigger and better.
This will serve as the ideal launching ramp for our surge to the finals

Fully agree - the Cats did us a great favour by showing not only their hand, but our weaknesses and how they could be exploited. Despite this we would still have won if, in the first quarter, we chased and harassed the opposition as we usually do and as we did for the rest of the game; we now know for sure that despite our brilliance we can lose if we dont do the 1%ers that put them off by a foot or two to give our defenders a chance. We will not lose another game this season!! (Including Sydney in Sydney)

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

We need to win our remaining four games and hope the Swans also lose a game to the Pies or the Cats.

The only chance to win the flag this year for mine is to finish top 2, or top 4 and cop the Crows in Adelaide.

 

[BuddyCyrilCyborg]

I reckon I've moved on but here are a couple of casual observations
Umpires don't win or lose games players do.
Skill errors / wasted scoring opportunities, lack of 100% intencity, lack of dicipline.
The better the opponent the better you have to be.
Say what you like but they had us pegged in many of our key areas
They spread our back line far and wide in the first term, then filled the holes with monotonous regularity.
In spreading their forwards they still honoured their leads.
This meant neither Gibson nor Sratton could help Shoey as a third man up.
They forced Young, Suckling and Birchell to go right side on numerous occasions.
Their forward opponents dragged them to sides of the ground where they were turning into trouble.
They left a player on the defensive side of every centre bounce that Cyril took part in.
That role was to try and trap Cyril on the way through.
I was impressed the way Clarko thought through the issues and, whilst not combating all of them, found ways to counter some.
In short they played a lot of their cards on Friday night.
They used things we hadn’t seen before
They applied pressure we weren’t used to which resulted in more fumbles and second grabs than I’d seen for months.
Despite the disappointment I genuinely feel we’ll be better for it.
It’s provided an opportunity to regroup and lift the bar even higher
It’s released a pressure valve of being flag favourites on an amazing winning streak.
Our players haven’t lost any talent or skill over night.
We’ve just been taken to a place we hadn’t been before.
Better to do that now than in a final.
Say what you like about Clarko but he will go to school on this.
He’ll have the ammunition he needs to drive the players and coaches harder
He’ll have the answers and they (the opposition) will need to find some new questions.
The Port GC double are the perfect games following such a build up
After each loss this season we’ve bounced back bigger and better.
This will serve as the ideal launching ramp for our surge to the finals

Good to see some reasonable assessment!!
I see a couple of comments about disposal efficiency being poor at ~40%.....the balls were hitting the targets, but with huge pressure or fists from tight defence. Their gameplan was solid and they executed, for one qtr. We showed we have the inner strength to fight back....I can only see that as a positive.

Shoey might need some help with third man up, but maybe it is also a technique thing that can be worked on. Hawkins is a massive unit who can body just about anyone out of a contest...why try to fight that?? How about trying a different tact....play off a little bit and get a run at it?? Just a thought.

Tough losses can steel a team....that is my hope. All is not lost!!