our best wasn't good enough

bigcarl · Post: # 442459Post **bigcarl** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:37am

i thought the game plan was first class tonight.

at least we took some chances and went out to try to win it.

effort wasn't a problem, though execution often let us down.

perhaps i over-rate us, but i would say the eagles are one of the very few teams who match us for talent.

they ran us into the ground in the end. we need to find or manufacture a couple of gun midfielders to be a genuine premiership threat next season.

any chance that gilbert, gram or raph could step into a midfield role?

we also need to be better drilled and better under pressure. there were way too many instances when lousy disposal let us down.

i was delighted with kosi's last quarter effort. two goals when we really needed them. roo also stood up with a real captain's game.

kosi is a ready-made replacement at full-forward for when g-train retires and perhaps we could see him there more often even before then. fraser could play at half-forward alongside roo if necessary.

there's nothing like a bloke who can take a big, strong contested mark at full-forward

pardon the rambling nature of this post. it's just random thoughts really. i was disappointed, but the eagles are a bit of a benchmark, in my mind anyway

Young Georgie · Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:53am

If GT off his game as he clearly was tonight then perhaps Kosi going forward earlier during the 3rd when things were looking a bit dodgy could have been a smart move considering G didn't play in the great win over WCE in Perth while Kosi kicked 4 goals or there abouts - he's obviously a handful for the likes of Glass who dominated G tonite.

While Lenny was outstanding, we were killed in the centre and at clearences tonight and Kosi in the ruck didn't help. But what do you do with the G when it's off the rails? Guess you leave him leading with Kosi hanging in the square.

Just thought moves weren't made tonight when perhaps they should have at critical times. Been a bit of a theme all season really. We only lost by a kick or so tonite but they shouldn't have got that close in the first place.

Eagles skilled, drilled and sharp when not under pressure, Saints not. And that was the basic difference.

hamill01 · Post: # 442501Post **hamill01** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:56am

Anything, his effort and courage is first class, but as I've said, he is a player much like Dal who is capable of cracking a game open, but seems to fall just short of the threshold.

His marking is awesome to watch as well

Replacing him with g on hiss off days and when he is getting toweled up could be a viable option.

As for West Coast, they really are a Bench Mark. They were without a fully fit Judd, apparently Cousins (His last quarter performance makes that questionable though) and Kerr. Finals contenders for sure.

bigcarl · Post: # 442502Post **bigcarl** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:58am

would gilbert, gram or raph make it as a midfielder, anyone?

Post: # 442504Post **n1ck** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:59am

Gilbo could, when he bulks up.

Reminds me of a young Kouta / Riccuito.

hamill01 · Post: # 442512Post **hamill01** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 2:01am

Gilbert will for sure as he grows more experience. Gram already is in my mind, just needs to improve some of his disposals. Raph is a possibility. Some will say right now to delist him, but really I think we should give him one more decent year before we decide if he will or won't flourish.

bigcarl · Post: # 442515Post **bigcarl** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 2:02am

n1ck wrote:Gilbo could, when he bulks up.

Reminds me of a young Kouta / Riccuito.

seemed to match up all right on judd, i thought. one of the tougher opponents he'll face in his career. this seems to suggest that pace isn't a problem. whether he has a big enough tank is the question

bigcarl · Post: # 442519Post **bigcarl** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 2:05am

hamill01 wrote:Gilbert will for sure as he grows more experience. Gram already is in my mind, just needs to improve some of his disposals. Raph is a possibility. Some will say right now to delist him, but really I think we should give him one more decent year before we decide if he will or won't flourish.

thing about raph is when he is bad he's really bad, but when he is good he is almost uncanny. i say hang on to him for sure. i truly believe he will develop into something special ... even extra special.

i've been wrong before, but i just think that when the confidence kicks in he can be an awesome player

Teflon · Post: # 442529Post **Teflon** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 2:10am

ah..Carl......good thread I agree with much of what you wrote but that was NOT our best Im afraid.

bigcarl · Post: # 442556Post **bigcarl** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 2:22am

Teflon wrote:I agree with much of what you wrote

that's most unlike you.

Teflon · Post: # 442560Post **Teflon** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 2:24am

bigcarl wrote:
Teflon wrote:I agree with much of what you wrote
that's most unlike you.

sense has a way of bringing that out in me...and I note a hint of you finally coming to some realisation in your opening post that we have some LIST work to do finally...rather than it all being "we are now sydney game plan...the skys falling...."

btw - our BEST in the first 2 qtrs with un relenting pressure was clealry enough to rattle the weagirls tonight.....

kalsaint · Post: # 442566Post **kalsaint** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 2:28am

[Eagles skilled, drilled and sharp when not under pressure, Saints not. And that was the basic difference.[/quote]

This what I have bleated about since about round 5. Cant hit the spot with the slightest of pressure and our midfielders do kick enough goals weekly.

Eagles make it look easy when no pressure is applied. So the third quarter today was all the more disappointing.

Gee we also missed MAX against the big lug today.