Coach Fages and the coaching group

[McIvor]

We were 1 straight kick away from a premiership

Sure there are things to improve but the current group have shown they are capable of making big improvements

And all one year older next year and the competition will improve.

I take no comfort in being one kick away from the premiership; does us no good next year and recent history shows one grand finalist will be off the pace and generally it’s the loser.

I’m not sure how we bridge the gap when we continually get exposed in big games in Melbourne but unless there is a massive change mentally, I don’t see much changing.

 

[Nathan Barley]

And all one year older next year and the competition will improve.

I take no comfort in being one kick away from the premiership; does us no good next year and recent history shows one grand finalist will be off the pace and generally it’s the loser.

I’m not sure how we bridge the gap when we continually get exposed in big games in Melbourne but unless there is a massive change mentally, I don’t see much changing.

Get exposed?

Did we get exposed today?

 

[McIvor]

Get exposed?

Did we get exposed today?

We lost, so yeah we did.

 

[Nathan Barley]

We lost, so yeah we did.

By 1 kick. 1 ****ing kick.

 

[Toffee Lion]

My only gripe is we tend to want to shut down quarters, rather than look to finish strong.

2-3 minutes is a lot of time in footy and teams can score quickly in this era. To put men behind the ball invites pressure, because even if the numbers at the stoppage are even, if we surge the ball forward, we are out numbered and they can get on a run out of halfback.

I'd rather put Rayner in the middle, instead of halfback and get more players to the stoppage if you want to grind the quarter down. Not behind the ball like we have done a lot this year.

Other than that, I didn't see many other issues today. We clearly wanted to limit JDG, we did. We clearly wanted to back in our kick game, we did. We didn't abuse the middle of the corridor but showed willingness at times to go if it was available. We didn't default to just kicks down the long and if we were forced to, we switched it up quickly afterwards to not do it ad nauseam.

Truthfully ever since Ashcroft went down this year, our midfield performances plummeted. Felt like we were 1 midfielder short again today and while I love McCluggage and thought he got himself into the game, I'd prefer him on the wing and Ashcroft in the middle. It's so big for our structure.

I love Fages, while I had some doubts in the middle portion of the year, I think he overall had a great season. My main issue is his age, he isn't going to be here for the next 6 years of this decade. I hope a succession plan is being or will be dicussed. He should never be moved on though, only when he is ready to retire.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Bad luck guys .

I think given the way GFs are played Lyons might of been handy today...

So close ..

 

[brutus76]

Someone give Fages a hug.

Maybe see if Bezza wants to go home to VIC - had not great year.

Marking smalls needs to be addressed.

Does Dev stay or go home to the Eagles for a long term fat contract? Does Zorks go one more year?

Stil love ya Lions - been awesome to see the undefeated streak at the GABBA too - NEXT YEAR!

 

[irel]

The coaching group have done a marvelous job. We made the GF and despite overall playing a sub-par game, we lost by an "advantage" decision that should have been recalled.

Every game has players that fail to perform. Unfortunately few of ours had their worst games of their career in a grand final. It's on the players not the coaches. It's the coaching group's task to assess why and deal with it. Those players will be given a chance for redemption. However our handling of "red time" is on the coaches. Half of Collingwood's goals come in red time.

 

[martinson]

The coaching group have done a marvelous job. We made the GF and despite overall playing a sub-par game, we lost by an "advantage" decision that should have been recalled.

Every game has players that fail to perform. Unfortunately few of ours had their worst games of their career in a grand final. It's on the players not the coaches. It's the coaching group's task to assess why and deal with it. Those players will be given a chance for redemption. However our handling of "red time" is on the coaches. Half of Collingwood's goals come in red time.

Correct.

The feedback I have from the function tonight is that a few people are scratching their heads over our tactics at the end of the first and second quarters and how we positioned our personnel.

Learnings for everybody.

I take a lot of heart from the fact that many players had poor games and they're young enough to make up for it.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Get exposed?

Did we get exposed today?

Fagan said as much in his presser. We were exposed on the wings.

If we are going to aggressively recruit to continue to improve our list, rather than looking at additional backline or forward players, we need some outside and two way runners. We have a solid pool of backline players with Andrews, Lester, Payne, McKenna, Wilmot, Coleman, Gardiner, Prior and Joyce available at the selection table. Similarly, in attack we have Daniher, Hipwood, Rayner, Cameron, McCarthy, Bailey, Ah Chee to call upon, with Fullerton and Gunston providing extra depth.

I would really hope that we can recruit at least one outside runner that we can play on the wing, because that is where we have our greatest need. Especially because as his career progresses, we should expect McCluggage to transition into a full time midfielder, supporting Neale and Dunkley. We have Fletcher, who is tailor made for that role and giving Tunstill an opportunity on the wing next year is a priority. Berry can play on a wing, but as we saw today, he really has levelled off and I can’t see him improving. Berry is poor by foot and at times his decision making is questionable. He was towelled up today. We desperately need a player who has been leg speed and finishing skills to hold down a wing. We have tried Harry Sharp, but he is not really at the required standard. We need a genuine outside runner or two to round out and strengthen our list, which will help us to take the next step.

 

[Happy_Neale]

Outcoached today. McRae got it spot on, that donut Frampton shutdown Harris completely for 3.5 quarters and allowed them to get the ball to ground level where their otherwise mediocre forwards were able to make sure of their speed advantage over our slow defence.

When Murphy went off expected us to expose their lack of height in defence and force them into throwing Frampton back, but we couldn't take advantage (not entirely on the coaching group here - Hipwood was very ordinary) even with Daniher's dominance which meant they were able to keep the matchups in their favour.

A few of Fagan's favourites were amongst our worst performers as well, Ah Chee off was a strange choice - probably half a dozen I would've taken ahead of him, and the substitute itself was too late we could all see the momentum had shifted too far by the time Lyons came on.

Definitely need some changes in the coaching staff or at least their way of doing things, too many players continuing to make the same type of errors they have made for the past few years (Berry - undiscplined, McInerny - blind handballing to no one) which they have never been made accountable for. It's been time for a few of the players to grow up for a couple of years now and not seeing any signs of it happening

Ah Chee was limping before that so he may have been injured

 

[3KZ is Football]

Ah Chee was limping before that so he may have been injured

He will bounce back. He is a true talent.

 

[Happy_Neale]

Interesting that many on here are saying the midfield got pantsed but Fagan saw it as about break even.

 

[Happy_Neale]

He will bounce back. He is a true talent.

Took some massive strides forward this year

 

[Nathan Barley]

Ah Chee was limping before that so he may have been injured

Subbed last week too. I think it's part of the gameplan

 

[martinson]

Ah Chee was limping before that so he may have been injured

He wasn't totally right and I think the plan was to sub him off all along.

If you look at who we could've played instead he probably still did better than any of those.

 

[martinson]

Interesting that many on here are saying the midfield got pantsed but Fagan saw it as about break even.

Fages says a lot of thigs in his pressers.

I think that one's out there.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Ashcroft would of been handy .
Gunston too .

 

[Gadzorks]

Umpiring is hard, expect there to be mistakes but the daicos duck was atrocious.

i am struggling (and failing) to be ok with it.

 

[Nunez]

Ashcroft would of been handy .
Gunston too .

Elixuh likes this

 

[briztoon]

I’ve said it before, but I believe we’re still not fit enough, or have enough gut runners, two way runners and speed in the team.

Wouldn’t be putting a lot of emphasis on time trials next year.

McCluggage is a very, very good time trial runner. He’s a pretty poor two way runner and looks gassed early-ish in games.

And the same applies to all our half forwards, except Zorko.

Would rather see some brutal beep test sessions.

 

[Thomasno]

Given how much we improved on our massive glaring issue last year (team defence) this year, I’m hopeful the theme this off season will be fitness.

We’ve got the personnel, we’ve now got the structure; an improvement to our fitness (halfbacks and midfielders specifically) will go a long way to making us a force to be reckoned with.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Agree on McCluggage, I mentioned it to our group watching today he looked like he was gassed inside 15mins. His pressure and tackle efforts looked fatigued, even early in the game.

 

[M Malice]

I’ve said it before, but I believe we’re still not fit enough, or have enough gut runners, two way runners and speed in the team.

Wouldn’t be putting a lot of emphasis on time trials next year.

McCluggage is a very, very good time trial runner. He’s a pretty poor two way runner and looks gassed early-ish in games.

And the same applies to all our half forwards, except Zorko.

Would rather see some brutal beep test sessions.

I mentioned similar in the review thread, it is a strange one though apart from Coleman and Rayner I am struggling to come up with a swag of players who are "unfit", I am sure the coaching staff will know with access to GPS data though. Repeat efforts and sustained pace need to be focused in on, Sidebottom and J.Daicos clearly out ran our wingers, no blame whatsoever on an 18 year old Jaspa though, he may have been overawed and sapped of energy from over thinking the game.

 

[T Rick]

Dodongo mentioned it elsewhere but a move that Fages and the coaching group regret will be not bringing in Lyons earlier. There were a couple of players that were clearly were not up to standard and we needed a beast like Lyons in the middle.

The wisdom of hindsight - Hinkley learnt the hard way about making a tactical sub change too early in the Qualifying Final.