Wow, just wow. That is massive. Our season just took a right hook to the jaw from no-where and has us flat out on the canvas with the ref counting.
You can look for positives if you want, and I may do some of that but this game was purely a yes/no question: Did you win or did you lose? The result was not good enough, I don’t care they we made a mad flurry. Only a fool would judge a team based on 3 minutes of football. We were not good enough. I question this team’s ability to wrestle back momentum when the game isn’t on our terms, as soon as the other side gets a run on with pace it seems to stay like that all day ala QBH. A lot of people here are saying the Roos effect on this side has passed and there is something to that. We’ve gone from being a difficult side to score against to a side that every time the opposition goes inside 50 scores.
Today reminded me so much of those games a few years ago against the Saints when they would just burn us out the back with pace every time. It became so predictable, St Kilda win ball at half back, quick possessions through midfield and then hit up leading target/or open goal over the top to a runner. We never had an answer for it and looked pathetic in even trying to stop it. You just can’t have that happening repeatedly if you’re a finals side, no way.
For the second week in a row we botched selection IMO. The forward structure from the get-go NEVER WORKED. At one point I saw Weed and Hogan almost standing next to each other on the 50! Never looked right, had little defensive pressure (once again cried out for Garlett or someone) and had 2 go up and spoil each other often. I looked at our forwards inside 50 at the Punt Rd end in the first quarter and honestly thought to myself that this could be a tough day to score. It was a sickening feeling.
Petty had a honker. He is not the first and certainly won’t be the last to have a nightmare first game. ANB lacked urgency early and just didn’t cut it. Hannan was no-where, T-Mac must have been hurt. Hogan I honestly don’t know what the answer is there, I’d say push him up to get some touches but it just seems like his quiet games are real quiet.
We want to play a quick play on handball run through the middle style, which I like. But on days like today we can never execute it or don’t have the pace. We also can’t seem to hit basic skills which turn into turnovers that almost always cost us.
The setup in the middle just looks like a bunch of bulls at the gate. No composure and just blazing away with kicks. Beat us on constested ball and that’s pretty much it. We’ll never win it back with uncontested ball we just don’t have the speed or the spread.
Fristch is one positive. And as good as he’s been around the ground I have wanted to see him up forward a bit more, because this is what he gives us. Hibberd worked hard all day and Viney eventually got busy. Max kept us on the game. The rest just didn’t come to the party.
This one hurts. I’m deeply disappointed with his result, as I’m sure everyone else is. The Port game was a terrible result and it hurt but this one just stings like citric acid in the eye. That good old feeling of losing an unloseable game and the butt ugly feeling of not wanting to show your face in public that follows it. Thanks MFC for bringing us back to where we apparently belong. The new Richmond, here to stay.
