1 minute ago, Forest Demon said:

It's true though. We miss finals by less than 1% last year, and 2 weeks in a row we have had teams beat and couldn't punish them. Hawthorn were absolutrly ruthless with us a few weeks back.

That being said, the first 3 quarters were very good. We had control of the game, applied good consistent pressure, and had an even spread of contributors.

 

If this was a normal game, with a normal break etc. then I would 100& agree, Forest.  We do need to have that killer instinct and put sides away.

However, after 3 games in 12 days, I think we can focus on the positive and how well we played as a unit and put a side we should be beating away.  When we needed to we put 2 goals on the board in the last to kill the contest and it allowed us to rest a few of our better players and do what we had to do.

1 minute ago, Wiseblood said:

You got an opinion of your own, or just want to play the man?  

I made my point.  Great win, move on

Just 4 points off 3rd spot on the ladder.

Edited May 6, 20186 yr by Petraccattack

Good win, but played like millionaires in the last.  We aren’t millionaires.

Bank it and saddle up for next week.

1 minute ago, wizardinoz said:

Wake up to yourself this will come back and haunt us at the business end of the season.

No, it won't.  We'll make the finals based on how many games we win.

If we're relying on percentage to make it then we don't deserve to be there.  I want us playing finals before the final round comes around.

Beat Saints on their home deck by 40 points. I'll take that every time. Two big positives, the Weed getting game time and looking better and Gus playing his best game for the club - by a long way. Let's be realistic and grateful.

Meh, just as predicted "WE FRASHED EM"

Seriously though, finally seeing some value in Lever. Thought he was really good in patches today. Brayshaw was great. One of his best games for the club. If he can keep improving his game he should become a first choice mid. Really adds to our rotations.

Hogan is a star. What a huge tank he has. TMac makes us much better too. Harmes was also pretty good today i thought. 

ANB however, sorry mate but you need a run in the 2's to find your mojo. I love the kid but he just doesnt have the touch atm.

I predicted a 6 or 7 goal win so im feeling on fairly good terms with myself atm.

Take the win, especially as we were playing 3 games so close together, and the oppo has been smashed in the press all week.

That was a good result.

Hoping Brissie win, that would help us get in the 8. Still remember it was only St Kilda. It’s a practice game to us.

6 minutes ago, wizardinoz said:

Feels like a loss. Wasted opportunity to improve our percentage.

Saints didn’t drop their heads at all. We all thought that would happen in the last qtr but to their credit they didn’t which made it difficult to get a 10 goal win.

WB, we missed finals last year by 2 goals, copped all the rhetoric from players about how 'every moment counts', and we know you're going to be able to throw a blanket over ladder positions 5-10 at the end of this season as well. Percentage is bound to decide spots again.

People have every right to be upset with a drop-off late in games.  I'd be disappointed in our supporters if they were happy with a team that clearly lacks the ability to keep the foot on the throat.

Just now, Wiseblood said:

No, it won't.  We'll make the finals based on how many games we win.

If we're relying on percentage to make it then we don't deserve to be there.  I want us playing finals before the final round comes around.

And you reckon the coach would be happy with that? You're kidding yourself.

Fritsch failed to trouble the scorers...drop 'im.

Barely got out of third gear and still smashed them. Petracca was underdone, still waiting on Viney to come back and Salem was out injured. Don’t think anyone played poorly and Lever is building in confidence. No OTT celebrations at the end either, they got the job done and are now looking forward to the next game. We’re building into the season.

4 minutes ago, wizardinoz said:

Wake up to yourself this will come back and haunt us at the business end of the season.

Wrong. Blowout losses like the Hawthorn game will come back to haunt us.

6 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Can't agree with the negatives above.

First time in a long time we looked like a fair dinkum footy team!

You know what they say BBO don't argue with an idiot.

Never really in doubt 3 games in 11/12 days player management comes into it , But just like Bomber blitz and AFL nuffies page, we have our share of window lickers here

Great win today

Now, let's hear all the 'if we were playing a top team.....' posts

@stevethemanjordan - you open the batting

Edited May 6, 20186 yr by jumbo returns

3 minutes ago, Watts Jurrah Dunn? said:

WB, we missed finals last year by 2 goals, copped all the rhetoric from players about how 'every moment counts', and we know you're going to be able to throw a blanket over ladder positions 5-10 at the end of this season as well. Percentage is bound to decide spots again.

People have every right to be upset with a drop-off late in games.  I'd be disappointed in our supporters if they were happy with a team that clearly lacks the ability to keep the foot on the throat.

We missed finals last year not because of percentage. We should never have been in that position we lost to Freo at home the Hawks when they were a rabble and North twice.

That's why we missed finals. Should have been secured with 2 games to go

Four points is four points I guess.  We did what we had to do for a solid win, but we must learn to 'put the foot on the throat and keep it there' when we control large parts of games like we did today.

I was happy. Sadly, I missed out on my first intended post: 'First post to say we should have won by 80 plus in 5,4,3,2 and 1' because I got 4 or more did so before I could post that.

One thing I liked was that we didn't try to go at breakneck speed every time we got the ball. Not every goal needs to be a showtime coast to coast deal and I think we slowed down when we needed to.

Very happy with Gus' game. The season seems to be a case of teams trying to gell and click. If we can get him in as a top midfielder back then look out.

I also liked Spargo's game too. While not the most prolific forward/midfielder, he keeps his head and cracks in. 

It will be interesting to see the reaction of Gold Coast next week.  Will they take their loss to the Dogs as deflating or as a motivator? 

Btw, did anyone see Saty up on the boundary line at the end of the game on Steven's broadcast? 

Edited May 6, 20186 yr by Colin B. Flaubert

Two things.

1. I'll take a 39 point win against any opposition any day of the week.

2. I can't recall Brayshaw having anywhere near 33 disposals in prior games, 360 degree player, fantastic game and a real bonus if he continues on with it.

 

Was a good win, they came to play early, which sucks for them because trying their hardest is still rubbish. 

Should’ve buried them, nothing to do with being tired, we had players out everywhere on 3 occasions and [censored] it up with basic errors. Saints chucked it in, too. 

But overall very happy, another easy win against a team on their home deck expected to somewhat show something. 

Amazing what Brayshaw can do with a set position, his real position. 2 brilliant games in a row. Saints would’ve loved seeing him and Trac running around today, while the Incredible Bulk is dropping sitters. 

Oliver and Hibberd are beasts. 

Tom and Oscar loving life. 

 

Surely ANB gets dropped, I doubt I’ve seen more worse games in a row than this run. 

15 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Superb win today.  We were tough, we ran them ragged and didn't give up, even in the last term when we were out on our legs.

If anyone complains about us stopping in the last term then don't listen to them.  Seriously, we've just played our third game in twelve days and we were always going to get tired.  We did the right thing by kicking 2 quick goals to start off the term and we killed off the contest.

The big positive for me was the game of Gus Brayshaw.   32 touches and plenty of clearances was bloody brilliant.  The confidence is back and, outside of a few poor kicks, he is showing the footy world why he was the third pick in his draft year.  What an addition he is to the side.

Hogan has continued his great season, Jones was terrific and our backline is working an absolute treat now.  Our forward line worked well again, too.

With Viney and Salem to potentially come back into the side we are really getting things going, now.  I'll take the 39 point win and if anyone is annoyed about giving up a few late ones then just laugh at them.  This is a fantastic performance from the side after some serious game time in the last week and a half.

Gus and jesse great. You forgot Hibberd  most improved Lever.

The 3Rd game in 12 days accounts for no k.out.

I just don’t get excited beating garbage sides anymore. They are putrid. 

I am excited by the individual games of Gus, Oliver, Hogan and Lever. 

On to next week. 

(I hate how easily we give up goals. It cost us finals last year and it might cost us again)

1 minute ago, Watts Jurrah Dunn? said:

People have every right to be upset with a drop-off late in games.  I'd be disappointed in our supporters if they were happy with a team that clearly lacks the ability to keep the foot on the throat.

If it was a 50% hit rate where we destroy one and slack off for another I’d be less worried, but the only team we have truly murdered by an ugly margin is the bulldogs last year. We’ve been on the end of ugly margins for so many years, hell the Hawks/Tigers losses got ugly, but two weeks in a row when the opportunity was there for us to pound a team into the ground we let late goals slip. 

When we got 51 points in front I looked at the time and I was screaming at my iPad, 3 and a half minutes to get MORE goals. Instead they stopped, and we lost a percentage that we desperately need to make up. 

I’m happy we won, there are a lot of positives to come out of this game but the next time we’re in this position I hope Goodwin is sending out the runners to tell the players to play to the final second. 

Going into this game at 3 and 3 you take the win. The saints have really dropped off. The next 2 count enormously and a big win in one of them is important.