Post Match. Cats outclass Pies - all comments

[Bob Sugar]

Not a disaster tonight by any means. If we'd kicked three goals in the last I'd have been happy with the game. Going goalless again was a disappointment, especially as we dominated early. Still early in the season, and we've still got a few choices to make on our best 22.

Those saying Leon is finished? Sorry, way off. He's a little out of touch at the moment, but still definitely dangerous. Not as if we have a surfeit of skilled, quick, players. Wasn't much space up forward tonight with the way we moved it in.

Absolutely right - Leon is down on confidence as his attempt to pass the ball from inside 50 in the 2nd QTR showed. But I have to admitt there is no zip, zest or spark in him at present - just hope the flame is still flickering, and not burnt out.

Good to see the usual Eddieland suspects out to defend one of their little favourites.

Some of us have faith JACK - even in your boy Dawes despite him having a poor one tonight.
I'm not prepared to single out LEON when there were shockers all round, you just like the easy targets.
You still have on egg on your face from earlier in the year, and Leon WILL prove you wrong again.
Stay under your rock - Nicks has been great without your incessant negativity.

i hope leon proves us all wrong

what i dont understand is why is no one coming out against maccaffer?? if he had not missed those to shots (which quite frankly, he should not have) it would have been a different ball game

i still think it was the last 40 odd min that cost the game, before that, we held out own,

go pies, bring on next week!

macaffas been missing easy set shots all year, IMO we should pull the trigger and turn him into a HB/wing type, he can kick goals on the run, but nerves get the better of him when taking set shots, give me jack any day at this stage.

[thompsoc]

We have enough players who can't kick under pressure, no need for Barham. But Dick for Davis would be a start. Medhurst would be a handy addition also.

we don't expect Barham to kick goals only to move and carry the ball forward whilst breaking the lines!

[AN_Inkling]

Yes, Caff's misses were the worst. But, these players all had a hand in our poor conversion late: Beams (missed his last 3 or 4), Didak (missed the first of the last, and stuffed up setting up a couple of others), Ball (his passing from inside the 50 was poor all game, prob cost us 3 goals), Swan (missed an easy one), Johnson (50m out on the run - usually money), Wellingham (made some very poor errors going forward - handpassing the ball to Wood. Why? Handpassing at his feet - even worse), Leon (not clean with his ball handling tonight - don't think there's many that have missed that though), Sidebottom (a couple of rushed kicks that could have been goals), Thomas (see Sidey)...

I'm sure there's more I've missed.

So yeah, Caff - disappointing, and the most egregious culprit. But was most definitely not Robinson Crusoe.

[woftam]

It's not the end of the world. They are a great side the Pussies.
If we learn from the loss then it's worthwhile.

I don't know why Macaffer has copped it. Yes those set shots hurt but I thought he kept a very dangerous opponent in Chapman score less tonight.

Leon - If we haven't worked out by now that he isn't the answer against classy sides then we never will.

Reid & Brown - One or the other but not both just yet.
Presti for Browny for me. We need his experience.
We could also do with Goldy's run when he is fit again.

One more thing. I don't believe a zone will stop the cats. Man on man with fierce tackling will beat them. If we allow them to play kick to kick like tonight it basically negates our chance to tackle & force a turnover. I don't think we got things right tonight but it's still early days.

[ktszyu1]

We have enough players who can't kick under pressure, no need for Barham. But Dick for Davis would be a start. Medhurst would be a handy addition also.

we don't expect Barham to kick goals only to move and carry the ball forward whilst breaking the lines!

Oh I know. I'm talking about the worst delivery into forward 50 in AFL history that we witnessed tonight. 39% efficiency in the second half, forward of centre.

[HAL]

Let's get back to that later.

[ThePieMind]

Can some one please explain why LEON needs to be singled out - Did he cost us the game - am I missing something

Equally bad performances were evident for more than half the team.

I know he is an easy target but he was one of many tonight.

Have you been living under a rock for his entire career?

Explain to me why he was worse than the others.

Give me some objective facts - not HISTORY.

Your are just using him as the "whipping boy" otherwise.

[thompsoc]

We have enough players who can't kick under pressure, no need for Barham. But Dick for Davis would be a start. Medhurst would be a handy addition also.

we don't expect Barham to kick goals only to move and carry the ball forward whilst breaking the lines!

Oh I know. I'm talking about the worst delivery into forward 50 in AFL history that we witnessed tonight. 39% efficiency in the second half, forward of centre.

39 % efficency - was it that bad? i haven't seen the stats so that is terrible - even Barham couldn't be that shockinG!

[1eyedpie]

Noticed that Heater was named in our best 5. Anyone else think he had a very ordinary night tonight? Him named in our best tells the story of how woeful as a team we were tonight.

What was it with him when he got a free in the BP and then proceeded to kick it to himself before playing on WTF? I think he thought he was taking a kick out lol.

[rowdypies]

-Tight first half.
-Get on top in the first half of the third quarter.
-Get blown away.

We seem to get ourselves in a winnable postion against these sides and then something snaps above the shoulders and we go into meltdown. We miss every shot, both on the run and set shots, we miss targets by foot and overall seem to go into a panic.

When challenged by Freo and Carlton we were able to steady and pull away but against the Saints and Cats we went to pieces.

Is this completely a mental failure on behalf or are we just not good enough?

[hi-pie]

Leon looked like he ensured he was at least one step away from the contest tonight. I saw this time and time again. It was pathetic, embarrassing and painful to see. Watching him after the game with his head in his lap; I think he knows it. He has never performed in the big games and never will. Even his great H&A season last year ended with an awful final series. He's lost his mojo and needs a run in the two's to see if he can get it back. Having said that, we'd be better off trying to give experience to young players that may be able to cut it on the big stage...sorry Leon I genuinely believe you never will.

[Dave The Man]

Simply got Beaten by a Better Side.

They Pushed us Wide and our Young Spine was Exposed.

Also our Medium Defenders where Crap Espically Captain Turnover Heater

[Dave The Man]

Has done Stuff all, All season long and looks so out of touch it's not funny. People who say he gives great forward Pressure. Well that not good enough just to be good at that.

Needs a Run in the 2nds to get his Form Back or if he is injured/sore he needs a rest

[think positive]

You're dreamin if you think we can lose to St. Kilda by 4 goals and Geelong by 6 goals but them somehow miraculously forget about that and beat them or one of in September and hold up the cup.

Tonight we needed to prove we can not just match it with the Cats but can actually beat them. Two tests so far and we have failed both. Close enough is not good enough and I cannot recall any premierships being awarded to a side that got pretty close.

Time to stop making excuses and forgiving these losses. It's all BS. If we are all ok with close enough is good enough then that is fine, but we then have no business hoping for a flag and certainly have no business expecting one and definately need to stop talking about winning one.

I may be going over the top a bit here but when will this team take the next step and throw those bloody shells away??

st kilda game was a world away now...tonight we lost, they didnt win, we will get them...THINK POSITIVE!

[thebaldfacts]

Always disappointing to lose.

But the big plus is that the bandwagon has broken. The loss we had to have. Geelong rightly are favourites and we are still in the next tier with the saints and the doggies.
Now we can concentrate on doing what we need to do to bridge the gap. It is a long season.
Geelong had their chances in the second term to blow us away and then it was our turn in the 3rd. We should have got out to a 4 goal plus lead. That last 10 minutes of the 3rd was the difference. Then again in the last we dominated for 10 minutes and missed probably 3 or 4 we should have got and then a few junk time goals pushed the margin out to 6 goals.

We have improved significantly since the prelim and will only get better. I had this awful feeling that winning tonight may have been counterproductive, so in a strange sort of way, the loss was a good thing.

I think that leon needs a stint in the 2's. He is just out of form, maybe injured??? Dawes got a reality check tonight but he will be better. Wood is still behind fraser but is important because fraser cannot play 22 games. Gives him valuable resting tiime.

O'Bree is a good depth player, but since ball came over doubt that both can really play in the same side. Dick or barham would offer us something different.

Yes time for some changes, but no panic just fine tuning. It is a marathon and we are on the right track.