Redleg

And that is it. However, dissecting the last 2 minutes also ignores the errors earlier, that lead you to that point. For example, if Tom Mac, our best set shot, iced his 20 metre shot straight in front, we are 5 points more ahead when the siren goes.

After watching the game again, I noticed another thing that helped cause our loss, weak leadership. Look who stood up for the Cats, Danger, Ablett, Hawkins and Selwood. When the game needed to be won they stood up and led. With us, who of our leaders stood up? Who led the way? Who directed the others? Who took the mark or laid the tackle or made the hard gut run to set the example and/ or create the game winning/ saving piece of the play? I think our leaders were merely observers. We lack quality leadership.

Keep posting Kevin, people are just extra upset, in fact gutted, as many have said, over what we see as inevitable failure after supreme efforts by the team in adverse circumstances. Murphy’s Law flourishes at the MFC, where something often happens and seemingly only to us, to cause major disappointment.

We clearly have the bad kind.

I would have thought all forwards bar perhaps Spargo, would have gone back in the last minute or two, with the mids being told to keep the ball locked in the pack. Surely after so many close losses in the last two years, this should have been ingrained. Obviously not.

Another little stat. In this game a 50 against us which commentators agreed was wrong cost a goal and we lose by 2 points. Against Saints 3x 50’s and 3 goals and 2 point loss and Port a few more cost goals and 10 point loss and none to us in all 3 games. How does that happen?

Agree not to rush him in, but he has had 48 disposals and 31 tackles, some bone hurting, in 2 VFL games . That will appeal to the selectors eventually. Also he is 188cms and can play mid or forward and can take a mark and kick a long goal. A few attributes we could use.

That’s fine but he staged. He put his arms out before the contact that he initiated. He staged. End of story. It will be the end because nothing will happen.

Probably the same way the mark/ free wasn’t paid to Hogan in the goal square when his arm was grabbed and pulled down, the same way Jeffy didn’t get a free in the goal square for being thrown to the ground without the ball or the same way holding the ball was paid instantly against us and not against them even after trying to break 2-3 tackles.

Saw that. Pretty poor from a player who is the head of the Players Association.

My last two words in OP state what will happen.

Agree Sue. One glaring consistency in all of our 4 close losses is gifted goals to the opposition and several taken off us or not paid. 6 goals each to Port and Saints and one to us. Yesterday at least 4 off free kicks or the next kick after the free. Marks not paid, frees missed to us. Yes we also share blame, but am looking forward to a game where it goes the other way and the opposition blame the umpires for losing to us.

Should Dangerfield be reported for staging. Having now viewed the incident again several times, it is clear he staged for a free. That is against the rules and a punishable offence. He throws his arms out before any contact with Brayshaw and when he is nowhere near the throw in or ruck contest. He runs into the back of Brayshaw who is stationary, just in front of him, wildly waving his arms as if he is being held back by two sumo wrestlers. He has clearly staged to get a free kick. The AFL MRP looks at consequences of an act. This resulted in a goal that changed the result of the game. What will Michael Christian or his boss the former Cats player and footy manager and now AFL footy manager Steve Hocking do, absolutely nothing.

They were committed last night, it was execution and decision that cost us.

Finally a likely option.

I will go with Richos comment last night, that it is a disgraceful rule and what happened was shameful and it could affect the result. It did. The other commentators agreed. Listen also to Kane Cornes on AFL site who claimed that free and Harmes 50 cost us the game. BTW how can Danger go up for the ruck when he is standing 20 metres away. It was blatant cheating. He was never going up merely conning a free goal. Umpire is an absolute idiot. Where was his feel for the game?

As far as O. Mac is concerned, a woeful post. He was giving probably 15 kgs and 200 games to Hawkins who was also given several unstoppable passes. Open your eyes. Yes he had a poorer game than his best and Hawkins probably had the best of his career , so why not move Frost on to him earlier? Why not have Lewis or someone else in front of him cutting off the lead? It is not all Oscars fault. There were 21 others and a box full of coaches who could have done a bit more.

Agree. While it is not life or death it is full on passion. If it isn’t, it is just a distraction or light entertainment. Hurt comes from the passion. Joy/bliss does also. Every passionate demon will be hurting and will be gutted again. Hopefully success is coming soon for all of us with the passion for this club.

Well we are probably the AFL premiers at one thing - snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. In each of of our close losses this season, 3 by a couple points and one by 10, we have seen similar things: Poor disposal skill from several players. Lack of pace in the side. Poor kicking for goal. Wasted possession. Poor leadership at crucial times. Poor coaching. Poor selection. Dumb or stupid decision making. Poor umpiring. We can probably change all of the above over time, with maybe the exception of umpiring. Despite all of the above, we are now a far better team than the last few years and that is probably driving our hurt more, as we now expect to win, even at places like the cattery. TBH when I saw the team I thought at best it was a 5 goal loss at least. A few changes will help us enormously. Look at the last contest, Tuohy went up against Jetta with Spargo nearby. The next nearest was Salem. Not a big bloke in sight. Killing the clock just has to be learned. Our leaders need to lead out on the field or change them. Viney was a huge out as he would have buried the ball in our forward pocket in the last minute and probably game over. Frost to Hawkins early and one good contest and we win. Flood the backline in last minutes and we win. So all is not doom and gloom if we really learn and change not just talk about it. A couple of changes and we have a really good team that can match any other in the AFL. But yes, now it really hurts to throw away winnable games.

Just gutted like all of you. I have one wish to make me feel a little better. Making the finals and then knocking the Cats out of them.

Great and Kent 14 which is amazing for him. VDB could be a big in for us soon.

Our only chance IMO, after the injuries, is to apply manic pressure and not let them get any flow in their game. This requires mental toughness. A failure to do this could see us get smashed, given they have the familiar ground, the crowd and inevitably will have the umpires.

Was feeling quite confident about the Cats game until we lost Viney and Hibberd.

Especially on the bigger MCG type grounds where he can run to space and break the lines.

Well just for them I heard Dusty, Lynch, McGovern, Cripps and Curnow have signed with us for next year.