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...too often just cost us a flag (perhaps). How many bloody dinky little passes and handballs cost us shots on goal yesterday? ROK's snap was a classic example of what they needed to do more of in yesterday's game. Admittedly it was a fluke, he was trying to do the team thing but it went towards goal, no one got a (clean) hand on it, and it went through. What it showed though was that you are more likely to score goals when you kick the ball in the direction of the sticks than when you unselfishly look for a team mate in a better position. At the same time, Hall's handball of to Goodes was close to the play of the day - and was the perfect thing to do. However, I think that many of the players - especially Hall - over do the handpass or the short kick when the better option might just be to have a ping.
While the WC were, in my opinion, fantastic yesterday, and much more "Bloods-like" than the Swans, I think that the "team thing" cost us. Being "unselfish" also allows players to avoid responsibility. I used to love the way Wayne Carey could turn a game with 15 minutes of "selfish" play for the Kangas. I thought Goodes and Kirk both had fantastic second halves yesterday and tried to really impose themselves on the game. The same can be said for Fosdike and Davis, both who looked like they were prepared to take some responsibility for the direction of the game. The absolute stand out IMO was super Ted, who seemed to grow another arm, another leg and another heart yesterday afternoon - I thought he played a lot like a bloke who did not already have a premiership medallion. It's a pity he is not a bit better footballer because with a little bit more ability he could have won the game yesterday (though why he did not have a shot there near the end is beyond me - has it become so drilled into them that they must not take a "selfish" shot but must look for a team mate that players are no longer able to take that extra responsibility). The rest of the team however looked like rabbits in the headlights for much of the time. To be honest, they seemed to rely too much on the game plan, or on doing the team things and not enough on their instincts - and I don't mean flashy play, but also those scrapping, get it forward at all costs, push and push and push instincts that have got them over the line on other occasions.
When it is all said and done, they were beaten by a better side. In perspective, a PF, a semi and consecutive Grand Final's (including a premiership and a 1 point loss) is an enviable 4 years and a fantastic result, for the players, for Roos and for the club. And to a very large extent, the well disciplined, self less approach the team takes has contributed in very large part to their success. Where I would like to see the team move is to a point where players are more inclined to step up, to do the occassional 'selfish' thing, to take a game by the scruff of the neck for 5 or 10 minutes and make a difference, or back themselves to do the unlikely or the impossible. As I said, I thought Kirk and Goodes had a good crack at it yesterday. Hall probably needed to do the same - sadly it wasn't to be (he had an absolute dog of a game).
Turning up at half time cost the team in the end, much more than anything else. Fantastic spirit and endeavour made a real game of it. I don't want to point the finger, or lay blame, but sometimes, when passes aren't hitting their targets, when the opposition is premiership desperate to win, when players aren't quite on their game, when there are 100,000 people screaming their lungs out and everything seems to happen too quickly (I am sure that this year's final quarter was 15 minutes shorter than last year's), someone needs to step up and say "I'll take the responsibility - point me in the direction of the sticks".
Sorry for the poorly thought out rant. I thought it was a great Grand Final. I think that WC were the better side and could easilly have buried us. I want McVeigh, Malceski and Ted to all get premiership medallions next year.
While the WC were, in my opinion, fantastic yesterday, and much more "Bloods-like" than the Swans, I think that the "team thing" cost us. Being "unselfish" also allows players to avoid responsibility. I used to love the way Wayne Carey could turn a game with 15 minutes of "selfish" play for the Kangas. I thought Goodes and Kirk both had fantastic second halves yesterday and tried to really impose themselves on the game. The same can be said for Fosdike and Davis, both who looked like they were prepared to take some responsibility for the direction of the game. The absolute stand out IMO was super Ted, who seemed to grow another arm, another leg and another heart yesterday afternoon - I thought he played a lot like a bloke who did not already have a premiership medallion. It's a pity he is not a bit better footballer because with a little bit more ability he could have won the game yesterday (though why he did not have a shot there near the end is beyond me - has it become so drilled into them that they must not take a "selfish" shot but must look for a team mate that players are no longer able to take that extra responsibility). The rest of the team however looked like rabbits in the headlights for much of the time. To be honest, they seemed to rely too much on the game plan, or on doing the team things and not enough on their instincts - and I don't mean flashy play, but also those scrapping, get it forward at all costs, push and push and push instincts that have got them over the line on other occasions.
When it is all said and done, they were beaten by a better side. In perspective, a PF, a semi and consecutive Grand Final's (including a premiership and a 1 point loss) is an enviable 4 years and a fantastic result, for the players, for Roos and for the club. And to a very large extent, the well disciplined, self less approach the team takes has contributed in very large part to their success. Where I would like to see the team move is to a point where players are more inclined to step up, to do the occassional 'selfish' thing, to take a game by the scruff of the neck for 5 or 10 minutes and make a difference, or back themselves to do the unlikely or the impossible. As I said, I thought Kirk and Goodes had a good crack at it yesterday. Hall probably needed to do the same - sadly it wasn't to be (he had an absolute dog of a game).
Turning up at half time cost the team in the end, much more than anything else. Fantastic spirit and endeavour made a real game of it. I don't want to point the finger, or lay blame, but sometimes, when passes aren't hitting their targets, when the opposition is premiership desperate to win, when players aren't quite on their game, when there are 100,000 people screaming their lungs out and everything seems to happen too quickly (I am sure that this year's final quarter was 15 minutes shorter than last year's), someone needs to step up and say "I'll take the responsibility - point me in the direction of the sticks".
Sorry for the poorly thought out rant. I thought it was a great Grand Final. I think that WC were the better side and could easilly have buried us. I want McVeigh, Malceski and Ted to all get premiership medallions next year.
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