Stu

Exactly. Not all teams will load (heavily or at all) because their position on the ladder doesn’t allow it. If you’re 7-5 after round 12 you can’t afford to risk dropping another 3-4 games post bye. Being 9-0 last year and 10-0 this year has given the FD the luxury of planning for the last third of the season now. I wonder if the team will have a lighter load this week to help get a win and not enter the bye on three straight losses. I doubt it, but it will be interesting to keep an eye as the game unfolds.

It's been interesting to see how we've changed from a forward pressure defensive team, to a more passive defence that relies on structure and absorbing momentum. Do you think it's to do with playing a style that will get wins while (firstly) building fitness in the early part of the year after a shorter and interrupted pre-season (COVID), and then (secondly) while the training loads ramp up in the mid-part of the year (where we are now)? Is this by design (not losing, just the game strategy) and that fatigue is to blame for the lack of polish? Or is it bad habits creeping in that haven't been arrested? In almost every game this year we've played that dynamic and aggressive style for small parts of the game that has gotten us out to a 4-6 goal lead, and then we've tried to control the tempo and absorb pressure. Even against Freo and the Swans we got out to a decent lead off the back of that style in Q2 and Q1 respectively, but we're unable to maintain that lead (without May).

Well that game has me not worried about either of these sides.