thats all i have to say..

It was great pressure on both team's behalf. I don't think that cost us the win. Sydney's pressure did. And vice-versa. Was great game all round imo.

It was 11.18 a piece wasn't it?

Drawn games of footy will always bring up "what ifs", given we were behind for 95% of the game I reckon we did well to snag 2 points.

Cost both teams the game, set shots from both teams were poor.

Cost both teams the game, set shots from both teams were poor.

Exactly what I was going to say.

I'm thrilled we didn't have a loss TBH. They put us under huge pressure at the end and we held them out. Great result.

And yes, I think there will be some goal kicking practice this week at training.

Our kicking for goal was a off, especially from 10 minutes in the last quarter through to the final siren. Even Jamar and Dunny! But Sydney were just as bad. I don't think this one thing cost us the game but it contributed. How can we spend so much time training and then kick the ball this badly? The mistakes under pressure are understandable and I can't criticise it, especially against Sydney.

But the kicking off the half back line was terrible until the last quarter. MacDonald and Grimes looked at times as if they were aiming for opposition players, and as for poor old Jared Rivers, that has to be one of his worst performances ever.

Perhaps it is just the round one cobwebs, but I reckon the clanger count will be between 20 - 30 just from our backmen.

I can't remember any of those 6 behinds that were difficult shots.

On the other hand, it's good that we were able to keep within touch after being outplayed for the first 3 quarters, and that we kept at it and even improved our performance all over the ground when the pressure was really on.

I was expecting us to get smashed in the midfield - well, I guess we did until halfway through the third quarter, but the way the mids fought back after that was far more than I expected.

I thought our set shots were disappointing today. Sydney missed quite a few as well, but I think some of ours (dunn, Jurrah, Jamar) were very ordinary misses late in the day. That being said I think we were lucky to come away with 2 points. Sydney were all over us early. The backline took half a game to settle down. Cannot get Frawley back in there fast enough!

Some good positives today though. Tapscott had a great debut, Bennell and Jetta for mine look like they have taken the next step. Moloney (who I love, but trash alot) played brilliantly. Jamar and Mumford probably broke even for mine.

And the one thing I didn't think that I'd ever hear myself say: Stef Martin had a great game. I think the Jamar/Martin combo is a definite winner.

So all up, Slow start. Good fight back. Poor set shots, Good fitness, some good steps made by the second/third year players.

Bring on the Hawks!

Oh and how good was Ricky 'the super sub' Petterd in the first 10 of the 4th quarter!?! loved it.

Edited March 27, 201114 yr by Mallee Bull

It was 11.18 a piece wasn't it?

Drawn games of footy will always bring up "what ifs", given we were behind for 95% of the game I reckon we did well to snag 2 points.

I was sure we'd lost. When it got to the last 3 minutes, and the ball didn't leave defensive fifty... I said out loud I'd take a draw.

And honestly, the draw last year hurt more cos of the opposition, and the fact we were teetering in our season.

Also, it would really have been an 8 point game as Sydney might well be one of our competitors for finals. So it went from being what would have been a MASSIVE loss for us, to being a draw. It hurts... but it could have hurt a LOT more.

Our goal-kicking wasn't great. 11.18 is evidence of that.

But they'll similarly be ruing Goodes and Bevans' misses in the third, as well as a couple of shots they had in the fourth, including O'Keefe's, which he would kick 6 or 7 times out of 10.

If you really want to look for one area of the game that 'cost' us the other 2 points, try the stoppages. Jamar positively owned Mumford, and Martin was OK, but our mids were ineffective for much of the game.

Really happy with Tapscott he looks like a lock for the next few weeks at least if not the season. The other one I was happy with was Jones. Yes his disposal was abismal but everytime he had a turnover or a bad kick he went hard and tried to recover it, more often then not laid the tackle that did.

Missed Frawley didnt we.....

We must remember it is game one and there will be mistakes, but look at the brighter outcomes of the game, Tapscott, Martin, Petterd, Bennell who were outstanding. With Green, Davey and others to lift their game bring on the Dorks

Turnovers and very poor umpiring as well as both sides

Being wasteful was the story of the day.

It was a game of fair standard for round 1 with both sides missing some good players.

We will need to lift to beat Hawthorn.

It was a game of fair standard for round 1 with both sides missing some good players.

We will need to lift to beat Hawthorn.

Frankly wasn't that impressed with Hawks last night. Thought we handled the pressure far better than they did.

If you really want to look for one area of the game that 'cost' us the other 2 points, try the stoppages. Jamar positively owned Mumford, and Martin was OK, but our mids were ineffective for much of the game.

Agree with you hear. Was frustrating to watch how many times Jamar won the tap but it went to Sydney's advantage.

I agree with much of the posts here. If you asked me if I'd be happy with a draw halfway through the 3rd I would have taken it without thinking, they looked better for more of the game I felt, but they just couldn't put us away in the 3rd term. But was a great fightback by the boys when I thought they might tire.