Have to disagree with you R Fox

[3rd generation saint]

On another post, Mr Fox said that losing last years Grand Final wont be that much of a motivation.
I can understand your logif Rog, but disagree with you as their are plenty of examples in history where it does become a great motivator.
If you listened to John Goold at the Brownlow last night that would be one example, but here are a few others.
In 1974 North lost to Richmond in the Grand Final, now at the post match gathering for North, many old North supporters though disappointed with the loss, we're very happy that their team at least made the Grand Final.
That was until one Ron Barassi got up to speak and told them in no uncertain and not very flattering terms that 2nd best was no where near good enough.
Baras kept that fire in North, the result, they made the Grand Final again and despite all the pundits predicting a close Grand Final, and with Hawthorn being slight favourites, North absolutely destroyed Hawthorn in Grand Final.
Same thing happened in 1983 when Essendon we're embarassed by Hawthorn in GF, Sheedy got up and blasted the players at the after match function, 1984, Essendon turns on one of the greatest last quarters in a GF to completely over run Hawthorn and win it's 1st premiership in 19 years.
Last year, I was always scared that Geelong we're going to be the same when they gifted Hawthorn the 2008 premiership, and I do mean gifted because if you look at Hawthorn since then, they haven't looked close to being a premiership team.
As we all know, they won we lost and Geelong will tell you it was that loss from the previous year that was a big motivation for them.
As for us this year, well let's go back to our previous loss in 97, Alves got the players up their and talked up their effort to getting to the GF and that we we're a half a game away from a premiership, well a year later the club fell into a heap heading into the finals and Alves got sacked.
Last year, RL get's up and in many ways says exactly the same things Sheedy and Baras said in 83 and 74, second best isn't good enough and that we have unfinished business.
I just believe that this side will refuse to lose on Saturday and they will hit Collingwood with pressure of the like Collingwiood has never seen and will find extremely hard to counter.
However Rodger, I always do enjoy reading your insights on the game and I know there is one thing everyone here will agree with and that is we want to win this Saturday.

[rodgerfox]

On another post, Mr Fox said that losing last years Grand Final wont be that much of a motivation.

No, I didn't say that.

What I said was that motivation alone won't be enough.

Just 'hurting after year's loss' won't cut it. Using that as extra motivation won't win the flag.

We didn't lose it last year due to not trying. We lost it last year due to selection errors, tactical errors fom the box, mental fragility (from guys known for it) and basic skills errors (from guys known for it).

If the pain of last year improves the above areas, then it will help. But I don't think it does impact those areas.

[SainterK]

You never did elaborate on who you believed to be the selection errors in 2009, you must give us your best 22 for this year at some point.

[bob__71]

You never did elaborate on who you believed to be the selection errors in 2009, you must give us your best 22 for this year at some point.

I agree. If we know what the selection errors might be then we can not make them. I just hope Rodger posts the selection before its too late.

Oh and personally I think Geelong last year were better than Collingwood this year.

[3rd generation saint]

I do remember all that you said in your post, however there are lots of what if's from last year.
Personally, that game was won and lost when Scarlett was able to toe poke Zac's great spoil straight back to Ablett, which set up the winning goal from Chapman.
If the ball had missed Scarlett, there is was every possibilty we could have rushed the ball down to our forward line and kicked the winning goal.
Yes we missed goals, but then if we kicked the goal you hve to take in the variable that the ball would go back into the middle to be bounced. There was no gurantee that we would race it down and kick another goal straight away, Geelong could have got a quick break and scored a goal.
Things happened in that game and saying if we had done this or that, does not mean we would have won, hell if we had played someone else we may have lost by a bigger margin.
Yes, just losing last years Grand Final wont be enough to win Saturday, but, like history has shown, many teams who have been good enough to make the Grand Final the year after they lose it have very much used that to their advantage because they simply do not want to lose again.

[saintsRrising]

You never did elaborate on who you believed to be the selection errors in 2009, you must give us your best 22 for this year at some point.

Will probably come out post-game....who should not have played...the "obvious" ones and clear mistakes....

Then again could name names now

[mbogo]

If anyone is champing at the bit for certain matchups and selections eg: Baker - let it be known NOW so that we can then have a reasonable debate after the fact as to whether these prescient predictions were actually worth anything.
My suggestions are that we will need to hit targets and go forward whenever possible - but NOT to just bomb it to a contest - this would allow Collingwood to begin to make matchups on Roo, to allow them to control the game.
Retaining possession is critical against them - but where they flood from back and forward we need to penetrate forward to counter this strategy.
In order to do this we will need to plan for numerous but well-thought out "non Roo" targets - who will specifically run into the spaces created by the Coll flood from their back half. These should include McEvoy, Gardner, Dal and the two smalls. Kossie and Roo will also need to get their share - like two or three each.
It will take gutsy and powerful players to initiate this. Essentially this will mean Lennie, BJ and a couple of others - Jones? Baker? Gram, Fisher and Gilbert. Only the most penetrating deliverers will be able to do this.
We also need some strategy to protect Gilbert and Fisher who were picked out last time against the woods as one-sided. This might mean a support runner to shepherd wherever possible. If they get clean possession then these players can deliver the ball with precision to our forward targets reliably and we will score enough goals.
One or two changes will not change the preferred result but a lack of endeavour will. On the other hand an intrepid, clever and gutsy performance will make the rest of this year a DREAM come true!
GO SAINTS!

[SydneySainter]

I agree with Rodger in regards to the 'pain' of last years loss may not be enough. Didn't help Collingwood much in 03.