Before the season started, if I remember correctly, many people on this site said that this year most of all they wanted the team to be competitive - no more losses by 70, 80 or more points. Rather, if we were to lose to teams higher up the ladder, lets be competitive and give 'em a run for their money.

Well what do you think? So far only 5 wins and one draw. But good showings against Coll*#@^ood (almost won 'em both), Doggies and (to my mind at least) the Saints, and finally the Dockers: all top sides. To say we gave each of these sides a scare (even the Saints) would be an understatement.

But on the other side of the ledger IMHO we should have run North Melbourne far closer and we were dozing when playing West Coast.

However I reckon that those who were calling for the team to be more competitive this year have got their wish - but I do think that competitiveness could have translated into a couple of more wins.

  On 20/07/2010 at 01:44, Dee Dee said:

Before the season started, if I remember correctly, many people on this site said that this year most of all they wanted the team to be competitive - no more losses by 70, 80 or more points. Rather, if we were to lose to teams higher up the ladder, lets be competitive and give 'em a run for their money.

Well what do you think? So far only 5 wins and one draw. But good showings against Coll*#@^ood (almost won 'em both), Doggies and (to my mind at least) the Saints, and finally the Dockers: all top sides. To say we gave each of these sides a scare (even the Saints) would be an understatement.

But on the other side of the ledger IMHO we should have run North Melbourne far closer and we were dozing when playing West Coast.

However I reckon that those who were calling for the team to be more competitive this year have got their wish - but I do think that competitiveness could have translated into a couple of more wins.

I think with the exception of the the West Coast, Adelaide and North Melbourne games (not forgetting Rd 1 Debacle) we have been more than competitive against good sides. The dissapointing thing is that we have been 'less than competitive' against the weaker sides ion the competition. Although, reflecting on recent form, perhaps Adelaide are not as bad as I had thought and North may push for finals spot. West Coast game still sticks in my mind as a shocker and so does the Carlton game. We were competative against Carlton for a quarter and a half.

I think we need to work on being competitive for 4 quarters. Especially first quarters. We are out of games too often after the first 30 minutes. I think we have been better than what most expected, particularly against sides pushing for finals.

I think we need to work on being competitive for 4 quarters.

There has been many positives this year, if you look at the games played there is only two games Hawthorn and Geelong where at some stage we have been in the game during the 3rd quarter. The problem is for most games we have lost we have been smashed in the first quarter and had to work hard to get back in the game, then we fall over in the last quarter.

The next stage is going from putting yourself in a postion to win games to actually winning games. The next 6 weeks are important for the club to continue to build on what has been achieved over the past 16 weeks, we need to improve and go from being competitive to winning. The next 6 weeks are important for us to continue to build the hype around our potential, this will not only assist with momentum going into 2011 season but will assist in the efforts of our Admin team to grow Sponsership/Members and the AFL to give us the draw that will see us play in more prime time slots against good drawing clubs.

We are competitive but we have no room to be complacent in the upcoming weeks.

I'd like to think the 4 games we came agonisingly close to winning (Bulldogs, Collingwood x2 and Fremantle) but missed the chocolates will be won next year. We'll be better for the experince of losing from the teeth of victory particularly against good sides.

I also consider it a positive that we have narrowed our serious deficiencies considerably and all are redeemable in the short term without wholesale changes to the ist or gameplan:

1. 4 quarter competitiveness, particularly our starts
   
2. Itensity against mid to low level clubs
   
3. Capability to win interstate
   
4. Kick in strategies, offensively & defensively.
   

I can see only 2 serious deficiencies that may not be resolved with the personal currently on the list.

1. A back up ruckman
   
2. A key marking target inside 50
   

We may have the pieces to cover those last 2 but it won't be known any time soon. The good news is they could both be covered with a single recruitment, if we get it right.

  On 20/07/2010 at 03:17, Dee*ceiving said:

1. A back up ruckman
   
2. A key marking target inside 50
   

We may have the pieces to cover those last 2 but it won't be known any time soon. The good news is they could both be covered with a single recruitment, if we get it right.

Jack Fitzpatrick.