The effect of "Sledgegate"

[BigMart]

It had zero to do with our performance

Selection did
Lachie Hunter did
Stringer did
Lack of forward structure did
No conduit back to forward did

But not something that happened two weeks ago...

I sledge in a game, to get an immediate unwanted reaction from opposition... make them change a decision or action
I don't think me sledding someone on field, is going to effect them after the fact, or in the coming games... not a factor.

[White Winmar]

I think you've missed my point completely. I've explained it in as much detail as I can, let's just leave it there.

[BigMart]

And I rebutted that it was a non-factor

Not one iota imo

[To the top]

I thought we were timid in the face of Sydney's obvious aggression which was both physical and verbal

So there is a combination of selection, a lack of on field leadership and confidence

We simply have to put our best available side on the park and have them repeat what they show at practice

There were a number of "top up" players in the Sandringham side last night identifying that we have a number of players unavailable

Freeman had 18 touches with a few tackles

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Sandy has also fallen in a heap. Players looked flat. It's not foolish to look for reasons.

[White Winmar]

And I rebutted that it was a non-factor

Not one iota imo

I respect your opinion. An opinion is not a fact, though. Some supporting evidence for your opinion, or for your rebuttal would make them valid. Just stating your opinion is a meaningless statement.

[WellardSaint]

WW,
There's quite a few of us who agree with your insightful summation.
Keep fighting the good fight.

[White Winmar]

Cheers WS. Go easy on the praise though, mate. Some on here allege we are having something of a bromance. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

[White Winmar]

For those of you who don't think Sledgegate has had no influence on us. We have not won a single quarter, let alone game since the incident. Shades of 1978 and my experiences of the 1999 debacle. I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.

[bigcarl]

If Sledgegate is a factor our players are much more mentally fragile than I thought and we are a long, long way off it.

[ace]

The dropping of Josh Bruce had a greater effect.
The loss of Riewoldt has meant McCartin came in and copped the opposition's best defender plus others zoning off to assist.
So has the quality of opposition.

[Con Gorozidis]

We did lose our moral squeaky clean halo but it was all a media invention designed by our enemies (Caro, Damo, Ralphy etc).
I mean when the duck - a convicted wife basher, is giving lectures about treatment of women we know the world is seriously deranged.
We should have told them all to GAGF.
Would have been nice if we had a stronger President who could have called the media crap out for their floggery and hypocrisy.

But what do we expect? We are a pissant club.

[Con Gorozidis]

For those of you who don't think Sledgegate has had no influence on us. We have not won a single quarter, let alone game since the incident. Shades of 1978 and my experiences of the 1999 debacle. I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.

I tend to agree with you on this.
We curled up and copped it. I believe it really shook our confidence and belief in the club. We needed someone to come out real strong and defend us. But crickets.

[WellardSaint]

For those of you who don't think Sledgegate has had no influence on us. We have not won a single quarter, let alone game since the incident. Shades of 1978 and my experiences of the 1999 debacle. I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.

I think your theory would sit well with tony74, who once said on here that you only have to be off by 5% for it to make a massive difference.
And I agree with ya as well;
If we'd played 3 less-skilled teams rather than Swans/Dogs/Crows, we would have won. Not by much, and they would have been ugly wins, but wins all the same.

Getting the headspace right is crucial, and they would be less able to absorb info, digest it, and act on it.
Poor decision-making in the heat of the battle.
Soldiers go through intense basic training and yelled at to shine boots, be very tidy in an OCD manner,
for one reason- so they can carry out essential tasks
under incredible duress with a clear head, and function effectively under real threat of death or injury.

Sledgegate, combined with hitting 3 teams in fine form, resulted in losses, causing loss of confidence, thereby having a snowball effect.
I saw Seb fall over against the Crows several times, fumbled when he had clear air, he was not the normal Seb.

The whole team was guility of handballing 5 times and getting caught- a result of panic and not wanting to turn it over,
thus creating a perfect storm- conditions for a turnover.
A case of "self-fulfilling prophecy" what you are most afraid of, will happen

Hope the sports psych at the club- Mark Spargo- can have a chat to the squad

[Sainternist]

Did that idiot from the Age who looks like a pirate crossed with a pro wrestler put the kibosh on us?

[bigcarl]

The dropping of Josh Bruce had a greater effect.
The loss of Riewoldt has meant McCartin came in and copped the opposition's best defender plus others zoning off to assist.
So has the quality of opposition.

This.

Riewoldt's injury in Rd 1 had a knock on effect. Him not being able to move freely meant we had to park him up forward and not on the wing where he'd been playing really well.

So we had to drop Paddy to fit Rooey in, then Bruce to get Paddy in.

Then we had to (manage) Rooey to get Paddy and Bruce in.

Not ideal when you are trying to develop a new structure and I think this situation has set us back considerably.

[spert]

Too many excuses for sub-standard performances by team and coach

[mullet]

We are just not ready.

Recent history shows clubs choke when they are expected to take the next step. I give you Richmond, Port, Melbourne. They were all going to be powerhouses last year.

This year it was us, we were just going to walk into the 8.

Any development means 2 steps forward and one back. Think we are having the one back.

[realdeal]

We are just not ready.

Recent history shows clubs choke when they are expected to take the next step. I give you Richmond, Port, Melbourne. They were all going to be powerhouses last year.

This year it was us, we were just going to walk into the 8.

Any development means 2 steps forward and one back. Think we are having the one back.

I tend to agree. And if 'sledgegate' did affect us this much then it's indictment on the mental toughness of our playing group.

In saying that, I didn't like the way the club handled the press and how our players weren't supported..... actually, maybe the players weren't impressed either, hence what has happened since....

[Wrote for Luck]

We are just not ready.

Recent history shows clubs choke when they are expected to take the next step. I give you Richmond, Port, Melbourne. They were all going to be powerhouses last year.

This year it was us, we were just going to walk into the 8.

Any development means 2 steps forward and one back. Think we are having the one back.

I tend to agree. And if 'sledgegate' did affect us this much then it's indictment on the mental toughness of our playing group.

In saying that, I didn't like the way the club handled the press and how our players weren't supported..... actually, maybe the players weren't impressed either, hence what has happened since....

Think the latter has played a big part.

[degruch]

We were frighteningly tepid against Carlton regardless, and almost comically worse against Sydney. We went on to roll over against an easily gettable Doggies (first time I remember Stringer doing much against us, ever) and coughed up the usual against the Crows...could it be the aftermath of 'Sledgegate' is nothing more than a linear downward trajectory mid-year slump? Having said that, we've proven fragile over the last 50 years, so possibly we've choked on expectation once again.