Autopsy Wheels falling off? 2 point loss to the Saints

[Olian]

We deserved to lose and were beaten by the better team. As much as I’d like to, no ump complaints from me on this game

That moment was poorly umpired no matter the end result in the game. The player has been fined for tripping. There are 4 umpires on the field and none of them saw it.

Not sure you would be so gracious if it were a final or we weren’t 2 games clear on the ladder.

 

[Bloods86]

30+ possessions is not exactly setting the VFL alight. What, he needed 50 or so to satisfy you?

This isn't fantasy footy, the number of possessions someone gets against a lower standard of opposition doesn't mean they were great or banging down the selection door.

 

[Bloods86]

He can be subbed out at that time

So we should take a player into a game where we're uncertain they are fit enough, and we can just plan to sub them out.

What happens if one of the other 21 players gets injured? Or even two?

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

VOTES
PLAYER (CLUB)
10 Mattaes Phillipou (STK)
4 Chad Warner (SYD)
4 Liam Henry (STK)
3 Isaac Heeney (SYD)
3 Bradley Hill (STK)
2 Callum Wilkie (STK)
2 Oliver Florent (SYD)
1 Rowan Marshall (STK)
1 Jack Steele (STK)

Haven’t seen so much misalignment between the coaches.

I’m curious who voted for Warner, Heeney and Florent. My guess: first two Lyon and Florent Horse.

 

[Donza]

30 pages in 27 hours.
Nothing like a loss to bring the doom and the hot takes.

It's a hard concept to swallow... But. Even the best sides have off days.

Passionate All Blacks supporter.

 

[lazy77]

30 pages in 27 hours.
Nothing like a loss to bring the doom and the hot takes.

It's a hard concept to swallow... But. Even the best sides have off days.

Passionate All Blacks supporter.

Ehh. Best sides don't lose to St Kilda in that manner. All Blacks in their pomp never lost to Fiji. Fremantle was annoying, but understandable. Yesterday was just dumb. Such an unbelievably insipid performance. Best sides find a way to win even when not in form. We seem to be finding ways to lose.

 

[Donza]

Ehh. Best sides don't lose to St Kilda in that manner. All Blacks in their pomp never lost to Fiji. Fremantle was annoying, but understandable. Yesterday was just dumb. Such an unbelievably insipid performance. Best sides find a way to win even when not in form. We seem to be finding ways to lose.

JFC.
They lost to Argentina 2 years ago.
Still hurting.

St Kilda played good football on the weekend.
This season. On any day. If one side is on and a another down a cog. Anything is possible.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

The 3rd most galling thing (after the loss & the jumpers)?

That some of our senior players got towelled up by a couple of 19 year olds (Phillipou & Shoenmakers).

4th?

That nobody seemed interested in going anywhere near Liam Henry. For the whole damn game.

I need a Bex and a good lie down.

And the 5th most galling thing:

Why do our players slip over so damn much?

Watching the Swans is like watching Bambi on Ice.

Once again, it was costly.

 

[Swannie0307]

Older than Heeney..who was the subject of the comparison.

He's not! Heeney is a year older than Mills ... I'm sorry but you've had a mare

 

[Swannie0307]

That moment was poorly umpired no matter the end result in the game. The player has been fined for tripping. There are 4 umpires on the field and none of them saw it.

Not sure you would be so gracious if it were a final or we weren’t 2 games clear on the ladder.

While I thought the umps were ok (or should I say, not as bad as usual), I agree that was a crucial miss as it led to a Saints goal.

 

[Swannie0307]

Yer I reckon we could still drop to 3rd

Our draw is the toughest in the 8 on the way home

Be spewing but still the double

As long as we win 3 of the 6, I think we'll be fine to hold on to top 2 ... because in that scenario, for us to drop to 3rd, two teams out of Carlton, Freo & Essendon would have to win all 6 games (and Freo Bombers still play each other so one of them can't win all 6) ... in a topsy turvy season I just can't see 2 of these teams winning all 6 games.

Now if we only win 2 of 6 games, it could of course be more interesting? If I was a betting man (and I sometimes am), I'd say we should hold onto a top 2 spot.

PS. I have a long range multi with one leg being the Bombers to miss the 4 ... still think that's a decent possibility as they have a pretty tough run home as well.

EDIT: So there’s actually 7 games left (not 6)… so all my hours of analysis go out the window!!

 

[kickthething]

That moment was poorly umpired no matter the end result in the game. The player has been fined for tripping. There are 4 umpires on the field and none of them saw it.

Not sure you would be so gracious if it were a final or we weren’t 2 games clear on the ladder.

It was poor as it looked blatant at the time w an ump right there...he must have been spotting someone in the crowd to miss it.

 

[The King!]

Yer I reckon we could still drop to 3rd

Our draw is the toughest in the 8 on the way home

Be spewing but still the double

We play 4 teams outside the 8 in our last 7

we will finish top

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

That moment was poorly umpired no matter the end result in the game. The player has been fined for tripping. There are 4 umpires on the field and none of them saw it.

Not sure you would be so gracious if it were a final or we weren’t 2 games clear on the ladder.

Don’t disagree with your analysis on that singular call of tripping. Overall though think we may have won the frees and had a couple of Heeney goals that went our way. On the balance we deserved to lose, final or not cos we showed up with 150 pressure intensity or similar.

 

[RubbaDuck]

Warner, Gulden, Blakey etc. aren't injured and I have that on good authority. I think we're looking for logical answers to a problem that is illogical, which is that a bunch of very good players can play such very ordinary footy.

I don't see our drop off as anything more than a bit of fatigue. We'd have won both games but for some poor conversion (McDonald's late shots were both diificult, whereas others missed easier goals). Conversion comes and goes, like a lurgy, but Players get physically worn down, particularly younger players, who may be less susceptible to soft tissue injuries but may struggle to play physically demanding roles week in week out without break.

This last block of games is where our fitness and conditioning staff need to earn their keep. The H&A season is a marathon of marathons. Teams haven't just learned that pressure can defeat our game plan. Teams have tried to outpressure us for the whole season. It works. We do the same to them. It's bloody demanding and takes an incredible level of fitness to maintain.

IMO we should be selectively resting players where we can do so without upsetting the team balance. That means giving no more than a couple of our best players a week or two off and rotating our role players where needed. We have the depth. Now is the time to use it. Send a firm message to those wishing to play seniors that places are there to be earned.

This is also where Horse's insistence on player flexibility pays off. Many of our role players like Fox, Campbell, McInerney and Cunningham (when he returns), are able to play well in a variety of positions. That creates flexibility to swap our players who are not necessarily like for like. Such as (example only) Mills coming in for Wicks. Mills taking Fox's role, while Fox takes Wicks' role.

If we can finish top 2 (likely) we can freshen up the entire team in the pre-finals bye, blitz the PF on the back of a home ground advantage then rest the team again before the PF and GF.

 

[RubbaDuck]

As long as we win 3 of the 6, I think we'll be fine to hold on to top 2 ... because in that scenario, for us to drop to 3rd, two teams out of Carlton, Freo & Essendon would have to win all 6 games (and Freo Bombers still play each other so one of them can't win all 6) ... in a topsy turvy season I just can't see 2 of these teams winning all 6 games.

Now if we only win 2 of 6 games, it could of course be more interesting? If I was a betting man (and I sometimes am), I'd say we should hold onto a top 2 spot.

PS. I have a long range multi with one leg being the Bombers to miss the 4 ... still think that's a decent possibility as they have a pretty tough run home as well.

This here is key.

In such a close field with many top 8-10 teams still to play each other, our two game gap with seven games to play is a virtual moat. Four of those games are at home.

We tend to go alright against top 8 teams but we need to keep doing so. Those games are the ones we can least afford to lose. The loss to the Saints merely dropped us four points closer to the pack, the loss to Freo dropped us four points closer to the pack but effectively brought Freo eight points closer to us.

 

[rustycrate]

We play 4 teams outside the 8 in our last 7

we will finish top

The majority of sides we have lost to this year were and are outside the 8.
Your point?

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

The majority of sides we have lost to this year were and are outside the 8.
Your point?

Whopper of a sample

 

[The King!]

The majority of sides we have lost to this year were and are outside the 8.
Your point?

7-2

Some of the doom and gloom has gotten epic here .

Players can't play, the players not playing are gods

 

[The Mares Leg]

He's not! Heeney is a year older than Mills ... I'm sorry but you've had a mare

Well cover me in honey and sneeze all over me - never would have guessed.

Regardless - add Parker & Heeney’s age / 2, the mean is still older than Heeney.

I’ll let you know when I’m done in this pasture…..

 

[KingV23]

30 pages in 27 hours.
Nothing like a loss to bring the doom and the hot takes.

It's a hard concept to swallow... But. Even the best sides have off days.

Passionate All Blacks supporter.

Me waiting for the Bledisloe Cup

 

[bedford]

Me waiting for the Bledisloe Cup

What is it ?

 

[KingV23]

What is it ?

A trophy the Wallabies haven't lifted since I was in grade 6 lol.

 

[bedford]

A trophy the Wallabies haven't lifted since I was in grade 6 lol.

Did they still exist , thank god we got rid of the Rebels down here , no one gave a stuff

 

[KingV23]

Did they still exist , thank god we got rid of the Rebels down here , no one gave a stuff

Cant argue with that unfortunatelt. If Storm weren't as successful, no body would give a stuff about them either.