Match Thread. Grand Final!!! Swans v Lions.

[KSAS]

Accurate observations of our season with the benefit of hindsight which led to another GF calamity (but didn't agree with his Aaron Francis point of difference observation).

Rodney Eade made similar observations, which i posted earlier in this thread.

I'm glad at least Cox addressed the GF with the players for an entire day, which needed to be done in order to move forward and not gloss over it as an aberration. It's interesting to see what changes Cox brings.

As shocked & sad as i was with the timing of Horse's resignation, upon reflection, it is probably for the best to help refresh the team. Time will tell. Tip my lid to Horse for being honest & club first mantra.

Like many supporters, this successive heavy GF defeat by this team hurts to the core. Even if we have another stellar H&A season, the hurt & doubt will still remain as only a flag or two will cure the pain. But my faith in the team to do so somehow still remains.

Great article & must read. Thanks RNR.
Go Bloods!!!!

[Ruck'n'Roll]

[Roadrunner]

To defend the top 4 lads, we were spoilt all year with 30 possessions and 2 goal games.

That's exactly what masked the cracks.

We have a great age profile, so it's in us to improve.

Mills out not to be understated, was probably best performer over the 3 yrs prior to this season

We were badly beaten in midfield. Sure, the boys played some incredible games during the year but lost it badly in the GF, which was heartbreaking for all of us and still baffling! Let’s hope we make up for it in 2025!

[UUaswan]

Fair points for sure. Our top 4 lads were underwhelming for various reasons and they are the engine room of the team. Rowy played his heat out but no one stepped up. Where we’re our leaders? Sure, Mills was out but with Ramps stuck down the back, we needed more leadership at the coalface.

To defend the top 4 lads, we were spoilt all year with 30 possessions and 2 goal games.

That's exactly what masked the cracks.

We have a great age profile, so it's in us to improve.

Mills out not to be understated, was probably best performer over the 3 yrs prior to this season

[Roadrunner]

Said it all year, our Top end being exceptional masked over alot of cracks.

Premierships are about 28 players, not 5 or 6

We played like a Lyon built Saints side if yesteryear, high end great, bottom few ordinary.

We also consistently played guys that didn't perform enough to justify cementing their position in the 22.

I look at our side and think we are vulnerable down back and light up front but then I look at Carlton, Freo, Bullies and other teams that seemingly were stacked across the park and they couldnt get it done either.

So we got alot right, just need that pressure to perform and get rid of this dont change a winning side BS, cos that caught up with us.

Fair points for sure. Our top 4 lads were underwhelming for various reasons and they are the engine room of the team. Rowy played his heat out but no one stepped up. Where we’re our leaders? Sure, Mills was out but with Ramps stuck down the back, we needed more leadership at the coalface.

[UUaswan]

Said it all year, our Top end being exceptional masked over alot of cracks.

Premierships are about 28 players, not 5 or 6

We played like a Lyon built Saints side if yesteryear, high end great, bottom few ordinary.

We also consistently played guys that didn't perform enough to justify cementing their position in the 22.

I look at our side and think we are vulnerable down back and light up front but then I look at Carlton, Freo, Bullies and other teams that seemingly were stacked across the park and they couldnt get it done either.

So we got alot right, just need that pressure to perform and get rid of this dont change a winning side BS, cos that caught up with us.

[MattW]

Gerard Healy (SEN) also interviewed Rodney Eade last night on the back of Horse's announcement yesterday & sung his praises on his coaching career which he was initially part of.

Rocket had an observation of our season & GF in particular, that our performance is too reliant on Heeney, Chad & Gulden. When this trio are playing well the rest of the team come on board with them, but don't go to that level if they're a bit off. He cited our 2 finals wins as examples where they played the biggest part with Papley being the 4th Beatle at times.

He said Cox's biggest challenge is to get the next tier to produce more consistently, where he specifically named J Mac, Ollie, Wibur, Campbell & lesser extent the Lizard. He made an exception of Rowbottom who he thought plays his role so consistently well.

Rocket also noted we made experimental positional changes late in the GF, understandably when it was nothing to lose by then, but nevertheless we should have done so during the season rather than the GF when it's too late. Provides more team flexibility & unpredictability.

All fair points.

[KSAS]

Gerard Healy (SEN) also interviewed Rodney Eade last night on the back of Horse's announcement yesterday & sung his praises on his coaching career which he was initially part of.

Rocket had an observation of our season & GF in particular, that our performance is too reliant on Heeney, Chad & Gulden. When this trio are playing well the rest of the team come on board with them, but don't go to that level if they're a bit off. He cited our 2 finals wins as examples where they played the biggest part with Papley being the 4th Beatle at times.

He said Cox's biggest challenge is to get the next tier to produce more consistently, where he specifically named J Mac, Ollie, Wibur, Campbell & lesser extent the Lizard. He made an exception of Rowbottom who he thought plays his role so consistently well.

Rocket also noted we made experimental positional changes late in the GF, understandably when it was nothing to lose by then, but nevertheless we should have done so during the season rather than the GF when it's too late. Provides more team flexibility & unpredictability.

[Merdo5555]

To me The squad were relieved to be facing the Lions and not Hawthorn or Geelong. They got within a couple of points in R18 without Rowie, Paps, Haywood …
and believed at last this Granny was in the bag . Mental as Anything, thats their band this yr.

In retrospect we may have had a chance if we were playing GWS (because there is a genuine hatred that motivates) or Geelong because of the revenge factor. Without that motivation that didnt have enough self-drive which is mind-boggling in a GF.

[Merdo5555]

I think Harley tapped the AI button on his laptop before he came up with that spiel. Being all slick just doesn't fly sometimes, Tom.

So we do absolutely nothing, no ramifications and no downside for another embarrassing GF performance.

Why in the world would anyone think anything different will happen if they do reach another GF.

Once again losing is fine and a losing GF record is fine if the requisite effort had been applied, it hasnt thats the problem and again the club doesnt seem to want to do anything about. Just being there is enough. Id rather not if it just going to be an utter embarrassment.

[OReilly Boy]

And one more thing: for KTigers. I pulled out the great red #37 t-shirt from back in 2015 and wore it to the Prelim and the GF. Bittersweet memories of that afternoon when we handed them out , and applauded at the seven minute mark of the third quarter https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10154468122521324

[OReilly Boy]

Well, I haven't been on the forum for a long, long time, and ended up reregistering because I lost track of my password and was unable to work through the system to get access again.

Can't believe that a week ago we were barrelling down the Hume, scarf trailing, feeling the love.

We had the greatest seats: near the front of tier three directly behind the posts at City End. The day was fantastic. We were hyped.

Ghastly stuff, almost from the first bounce. I so wanted to see Parker moved into the mids just to slow the game down a bit and make Neale accountable. Rowbottom is terrific, but not (yet) an enforcer. Chad and Heaney looked disengaged. It felt like they were collectively conceding possession on the assumption that they'd get them on turnover and be able to run the game out harder towards the end: the tactics that seemed to work in the QF against GWS.

Brisbane lapped it up. Strong at the contest, clean off the ground, and able to control tempo. They were so well-drilled and disciplined, chipping it around, and choosing moments for the quick inside handball generating run up the corridor. That seemed to draw our boys in, making the ground wider, and they were clean and decisive when moving it wide and exploiting our apparent reluctance to chase.

I'm not, in a strange way, convinced that Brisbane were all that great. Really well-drilled and disciplined, but up against an opposition that just wasn't an opposition.

I'm disappointed of course, but not necessarily angry or despairing. I enjoyed Roos' analysis, and Jude's. Parker going is fine: Cleary and Sheldrick need to get games. Although Parker kicked useful goals, in particular against Port in the prelim, where having him take Aliir out of the game was genius, I was concerned that playing him forward costs us in terms of forward pressure. I always thought that Wicks has been underrated in his capacity to block space and close down exit options. Shai Bolton showed that dare out of defensive 50 was a way to take on the Swans, and we seemed to allow very easy exits last week.

The Adams experiment is a 50:50 for me. If Parker hadn't been injured in the preseason he may not have got a run.

So, I'm looking forward to the list news that should come out of the end of season/exit interviews. Who goes?

[Industrial Fan]

Wonder what all the Longmire haters would say this time next year if they got the their way and Horse was moved on. With the team probably finishing between sixth and tenth, at least it could be said they didn’t lose the grand final!

My money says we finish between 6-10 keeping Longmire on.

Time will tell

[UUaswan]

Wonder what all the Longmire haters would say this time next year if they got the their way and Horse was moved on. With the team probably finishing between sixth and tenth, at least it could be said they didn’t lose the grand final!

Not a hater at all just saying the story next year is Longmire. Can go 22-0 and probably be an underdog in a GF.

Would have thought having only a year to go might present the perfect opportunity to step aside or take another role

[The Big Cat]

Wonder what all the Longmire haters would say this time next year if they got the their way and Horse was moved on. With the team probably finishing between sixth and tenth, at least it could be said they didn’t lose the grand final!