The Beginning of Phase 2 ...Bring on the Pies.

[Vortex]

Phase 2 starts with our first final for this list.

My view is the first final for a developing list is the most important step in any rebuild. All recruiting does is find you players to get to phase 2. Now we need to find finals players.

In finals our mentality should be we want to play the best on the biggest stage and this week that is Collingwood. The Dogs are good and their midfield is great but the Pies overall are a bigger challenge and will create great tension because they are the Pies so I'm desperately hoping we get a crack at them this week.


Back on finding finals players, who will rise this week.

I'm going to start the conversation with my Josh. I'll get it on the record early, I want to have his babies. This guy is built for finals. Make no mistake about it he is built for big games. He didn't have many stats and the greasy conditions shouldn't suit a big man but this guy was on rails. Did you see that goal, super switched on, clean grab, agile, says I know where the goals are, goes on the short arc towards goal under immense pressure and from around 50 out and off a step goes BANG!. That's how you do it he says to his team mates. Set the tone early. AND selfless too, sacrificed his game to obliterate one of the best in the business.

Who else is capable of announcing themselves as a finals player.

Lones anyone?

[perfectionist]

Maybe someone can clarify, but it seems to me that if the Bulldogs win, we will play them unless the Pies beat Port. The Dogs would have to win by more than 20 goals, and the Pies beat Port, to displace us to 8th and hence play the 5th team - likely to be WCE.

[Toy Saint]

It's a good subject Vortex.

Agree with Josh Battle, it still surprises me that he wasn't even in the team early in the year.

Rowan Marshall looks like another who will enjoy the big stage and thrive under the extra pressure.

Hunter Clark & Nick Coffield also give me the impression they'll play well in finals.

Jack Billings is the barometer here. There have been times he's gone missing, and others where he's kicked the clutch goal in a tight game.

Jack Steele reminds me on Lenny Hayes, he will give 100% all the time.

It will be interesting to see which of our players has the temperament to show their best in a final. Human psychology is fascinating, often it's the least expected who surprise us.

[shadrock]

Personally, im not sure id be wishing to face the best of the best in a final immediately. Give me the team we match up best against. If its the psychological part of it you are talking about (no fear, we can beat anyone), i think we can still have that attitude playing a matchup that suits us better. Ive been very impressed with the amount of attendion Ratten has been giving to the mental aspects of the game through this week. He spoke about his own experiences, blown oppourtunities, and the fear of big games with the team. I actually think the biggest change between our play vs West Coast/Melbourne and vs GWS was we were in a different place mentally. I saw no fear of the moment at all. Massively positive signs for a young team.

I expect in a final, guys like Hannerbury will shine. I thought Hanners played a great game on Friday. When you watch the game back, you notice so many small things he does. A few bullet passes into the forward 50 were superb, one Max marked, one Kent dropped a sitter. Makes something out of nothing. Hes the kind of player who can touch it a few times and lead to a few goals.

[St Loxton]

Just love Battle, he won't loose many one on ons.
Agree on Hanners, a clutch player that brings others in the game, and to advantage.
Hill's game is getting more damaging by the week, he will be hard to stop.
My smokey for a big influence in the first final will be Ben Long. With quality in-form defenders around him he could really cut the opposition up. He's tough, wirey and generally composed. Feel he could be a real difference.

[Vortex]

It's a good subject Vortex.

Agree with Josh Battle, it still surprises me that he wasn't even in the team early in the year.

Rowan Marshall looks like another who will enjoy the big stage and thrive under the extra pressure.

Hunter Clark & Nick Coffield also give me the impression they'll play well in finals.

Jack Billings is the barometer here. There have been times he's gone missing, and others where he's kicked the clutch goal in a tight game.

Jack Steele reminds me on Lenny Hayes, he will give 100% all the time.

It will be interesting to see which of our players has the temperament to show their best in a final. Human psychology is fascinating, often it's the least expected who surprise us.

What I'm about to say probably best sums up how frustrating it has been with some players during our rebuild, but I just keep expecting RoMa to plateau and then subsequently say he has reached his peak. But he is a freak of nature and we have totally arsed-it with his recruitment. He is almost a genuine inside mid that kicks goals, I want to have his babies too.

Speaking of arsing-it in the recruitment department, sometimes recruitment just comes down to hit and hope and needing some luck and we seem to have finally received our share. Ala Hawks around 2005, and we know how that ended for them.

I've said it before and I'll keep saying it, aren't we all, we need one maybe two more quality mids, and I've also banged on about this for a while, it would be a massive, MASSIVE, like flag bonus, if we get a home grown player, or two, already on the list to go to the next level. Syncs is that player I've had the greatest hope for in my recurring dream. Is he turning a corner? What did everyone think of his last month? And what about his game against the Giants. I'm putting the tracker on him for the the first final.

[The Fireman]

The biggest factor now will be the coaching More so than fine tuning the team

[asiu]

fair dink

you’ll be clapped out
if you keep having so many bloody babies