Bizarre should we be concerned...

[WinnersOnly]

We have a number of players out of touch - Gilbert, Dawson, Hughton, Ball, Dal Santo and are plaing well below what we were earlier in the year. Two weeks away from finals you would think the team would want to be peaking and playing at the top their game eg Collingwood.

Having watched Ross LYON's interview he was that layed back you would think we had won by 80 points. He has been stating all year that you shouldn't flaunt with form, but todays effort was exactly that. I cant believe he wasn't blasting the team for their half hearted efforts, poor diposal and terrible form leading into the finals.

It's difficult to understand how he was so relaxed with that effort leading into the finals...there must be reason? LYON and his support crew must have something up their sleeve with regards to the teams preparation and the timing of the effrort and run to the finals - otherwise I would have been absolutley livid!!!

[SaintDebi]

Maybe Ross didn't appear to be concerned because he knows something we don't.
I choose to remain calm in the belief that Ross knows what he's doing. I may be naive, I may be blind in my faith, but maybe this is all ok as part of the plan.
Burn out and injury will be more damaging right now than a loss or two. Maybe the boys are being instructed to do just enough. Maybe we want to lull the other finals contenders into a false sense of knowing how to get on top of us. Maybe we are holding something back for September.
Maybe I'm wrong. But I'm not hitting the panic button just yet.

[joffaboy]

Yeah I agree - RL should have panicked and said we were gone and would go out in straight sets

[saintly_safes]

Pretty much summed up my take on the situation.On paper we are not the best team in the comp but when we play as a desperate committed focussed unit we are unbeatable but that hasnt been the the case in the last 2 games.Yes we have done the hard yards & can take the foot of the pedal to a certain extent but hey this is not acceptable imo going into the finals.

[WinnersOnly]

Yeah I agree - RL should have panicked and said we were gone and would go out in straight sets

I wasn't suggesting that at all - in fact I was suggestring the opposite . LYON has been brilliant all year and the fact that he didn't panic is the exact response you would expect from a bloke who has all in hand... and will have the team purring come finals.

We are not privy to the inner workings and can only make assumptions, hopefully this one is correct...

[maz1685]

Maybe Ross didn't appear to be concerned because he knows something we don't.
I choose to remain calm in the belief that Ross knows what he's doing. I may be naive, I may be blind in my faith, but maybe this is all ok as part of the plan.
Burn out and injury will be more damaging right now than a loss or two. Maybe the boys are being instructed to do just enough. Maybe we want to lull the other finals contenders into a false sense of knowing how to get on top of us. Maybe we are holding something back for September.
Maybe I'm wrong. But I'm not hitting the panic button just yet.

Pretty similar to what I was going to say. Yes I screamed and swore at the TV, was quite angry at the time (esp at the umpires..aaarrrgghh) But now that I've had time to calm down I am just hoping that it's all part of Ross's masterplan and that he's got something up his sleeve come finals time. Maybe his plan is to come out firing in first week of finals and scare the crap out of all other teams....I would like that very much. I don't know, I'm just trying to come up with optimistic scenarios as I'm not ready to give up on this season, like some others.

[Moods]

[quote="WinnersOnly"]We have a number of players out of touch - Gilbert, Dawson, Hughton, Ball, Dal Santo and are plaing well below what we were earlier in the year. Two weeks away from finals you would think the team would want to be peaking and playing at the top their game eg Collingwood.

[quote]

Gilbert? I thought he was terrific today. In fact apart from the 1st quarter. I thought our backline held up reasonably well. Zac obviously got beaten, and I don't think Bakes had a pearler, but the rest did well. OUr fwds were shocking. Couldn't find any space. God knows how we would kick goals if Roo and Kosi weren't there. Is it too much to ask that a midfielder chip in and kick a goal? Milney was down and Scneider wasn't great either. Poor disposal into the fwd line killed us.

[widereceiver]

We have a number of players out of touch - Gilbert, Dawson, Hughton, Ball, Dal Santo and are plaing well below what we were earlier in the year. Two weeks away from finals you would think the team would want to be peaking and playing at the top their game eg Collingwood.

Agree with your post, there's more to this than meets the eye - has to be. I think Ross and Co. have a plan.

I disagree with your summation of players.

Gilbert was good today in his second week back from injury.
Our backline except for Zac was good, Blake very honest. I wish Max was in prime nick.

Agree with Dal Santo, another poor performance, tagged right out of it. Joey pretty ordinary too. Our midfield has been beaten the last two weeks.

It has to be something to do with the fitness program, because I seriously don't think we'd lose to either Essedon (sic) or North if we were going hell for leather.

[Teflon]

Im a huge Ross fan but dont buy the "Ross has a smoking gun" theory.

Its not a switch you just turn on/off.

Hes right there is no need to panic - this is clearly mental. I am sure after a loss last week Lyon wouldve been looking to bounce back...the real worry is that didnt happen.

Ive no doubt the players would be itching to get to finals - sitting on top knowing who you have to play weeks out cant be hugely motivating.....but winning form is good form...

[degruch]

Im a huge Ross fan but dont buy the "Ross has a smoking gun" theory.

Its not a switch you just turn on/off.

Hes right there is no need to panic - this is clearly mental. I am sure after a loss last week Lyon wouldve been looking to bounce back...the real worry is that didnt happen.

Ive no doubt the players would be itching to get to finals - sitting on top knowing who you have to play weeks out cant be hugely motivating.....but winning form is good form...

I don't buy it either Tef, it's a bit simplistic to suggest that all's cool because RL goes to a press conference and doesn't simply freak out. I said it last week, last week's loss was only the 'loss we had to have' if the team learnt something from it...which they clearly haven't.

I'd say your observation that the finals are a few weeks away, making motivation tough, is right on the money. I also agree that winning is good form...I'm worried this 'resting' crud we've pulled recently hasn't flirted with this good form, particularly in relation to disturbance in the backline. Although, I believe Gilbert was a genuine injury. We might be paying the price - hopefully next week will see some galvinisation, ready for the 1st week of the finals.