Just watching the replay before....

[Kent_Kingsley]

I dont understand all the Stokes-bashing on here, yes he was shizen but he was injured and out of form. Lets not forget hes been super the last 2 years over 50 goals from him this yr and 40-odd last.

give the guy a break and move on.

 

[Ninty]

Why was he playing if he was injured then?

 

[madcat001]

The players job is to train and play as well as they possibly can. Not judge whether they are fit enough or not. How many players do u think would come up and say "i'm not up for it" unless they were on one leg or without an arm. That's why the clubs have medical staff to assess and manage the players injuries and physical health. Give the kid a break, what are fitness tests and training sessions for if the players basically select themselves?

Don't blame it all on stokes, have a look at Mooney, Lonergan and think about their goal kicking and even more-so Ottens when you're talking about being "selfish".

The way some people around here have turned on the very blokes we idolise and respect is downright shameful.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

The players job is to train and play as well as they possibly can. Not judge whether they are fit enough or not. How many players do u think would come up and say "i'm not up for it" unless they were on one leg or without an arm. That's why the clubs have medical staff to assess and manage the players injuries and physical health. Give the kid a break, what are fitness tests and training sessions for if the players basically select themselves?

Don't blame it all on stokes, have a look at Mooney, Lonergan and think about their goal kicking and even more-so Ottens when you're talking about being "selfish".

The way some people around here have turned on the very blokes we idolise and respect is downright shameful.

Me, personally....I'm only attacking the players I felt we're liabilities throughout the season, but it was never recognised by the coaching staff. Lonergan, Varcoe, Stokes - none of these players should have got a gig ahead of Wojak. Lonergan and Stokes had extremely poor finals series - Varcoe one good game and it cemented his spot.

The play-on at all costs, particularly in the forward 50, cost us. We got away with it all season but it needed to be addressed.

Taylor played badly but I wont hold it against him. Ditto, Kelly had a bad GF but has been good all season. Even Blake was poor but I'm not going to get stuck in there.

I'm just very frustrated at the blokes that did **** all, all year and did the same in the GF. I'm not turning on them only now

 

[Reg Hickey]

That's what makes me wonder if our backline had a worse day than we think? As said above, it leaked 18 goals from 40 odd inside 50's, with several that came through 'half chances'.
The reason we struggled was because there was pressure on our player kicking it into 50, then there was pressure on the player going for goal.
On the other hand, we allowed them space to roam through the middle of the ground, and put on minimal pressure which allowed them to take those 'half chances'.
I thought our midfield was the best performed (on top in clearances and inside 50's, so did their job), then the defense, then the forward line was worst performed.

The Hawks had a day out in front of goal. They couldn't miss, whether it was Young from 65m, Brown from 55m on the boundary or Dew screwing one round the corner on a tough angle. Even Buddy kicked more goals than behinds for once!

Give them all those shots again and they may well kick 11.14 in which case its an entirely different game and you'd be saying our backline has done a great job.

 

[biggalz23]

Why was he playing if he was injured then?

Cos he assumed he would get another premiership..quite simple really.

 

[madcat001]

If Wojac had played, and our forwards still missed the easy shots on goal, people would still be taking pot shots at the players who didn't have great games. Wojac was no doubt under-done as well. The fact is that the 22 who were out there were capable, and didn't deliver. I think far too much has been made of the selection issues, and only the people inside the club will know whether there were players out there who definately should've been in the stands.

 

[Rustybugles]

FGS, Hawthorn were keener and made fewer mistakes - pressure applies to both sides and I don't think we wilted under it - we reverted to a selfish style of a play. So many mistakes - watch the replay once (that is enough) without the commentary - that is when you wonder what is going through Mooney's mind and how a senior player like Ottens can be so dumb! Varcoe should never have been selected amd the truth about Stokes' injury remains conjecture - agree it too was selfish if he knew.

 

[maryjames]

easeup on stokes., he had a bad game, and thats that. move on, he will be a big factor in 09.

 

[CF]

all this talk that Stokesy pretended he was OK so he could play is just the most stupid thing I have seen on this board in quite a while. I know you are all looking for a scapegoat to blame for our loss and it seems some of you have chosen Stokes. Makes me sick really. Stokes would have had a fitness test prior to the game and he would have been passed. So move along because there was more than one man at fault out there on the GF

 

[CatGal]

Have the replay recorded... Watched two minutes of it last night, then turned it off.

I just started to watch the replay on Fox Sports, but realised I wasn't ready. Still gutted and still in disbelief.

 

[biggalz23]

bloody hell we had them on the ropes in that third quarter then flanklin kicks a bullshit goal from outside 50 in the stands and it was lights out WTF i just cant believe it!
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