Can we respond?

Teflon · Post: # 638446Post **Teflon** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:30am

Its hollow isnt it?

Most expected to lose today, some dreamed of the unlikely win yet still the manner in which we lost is what annoys the most....is that because we saw how far off the mark THIS LIST is today and perhaps thought......maybe whatever happens this week ALL teams are going through the motions???

Can we bounce back?

Sides that Geelong have belted a week later have lost.
Malthouse is already starting his "we cant accept one win and slaps on the back..." mind games....we have fallen to Collingwood twice this year already....

MASSIVE test for this group Saturday.

Its stand up time - if they do they win respect.

If they fall over - they wear the "just lucky to get 4th" tag....(which begs the question on hard decisions cause if you aint seriously challenging while your there....what are you doing there???)

iwantmeseats · Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:32am

no. Skills are deplorable. We are really a 8th positioned side, Its time for 09, and some HARD trading. We are no where near where we would all like to think we are this year. And a lucky fourth has just fuelled that illusion.

see you in 09.

One Eyed Saint · Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:37am

We can beat the pies if we take risks, run hard and put scoreboard pressure on early.

We don't need too many changes, more so taking the game on rather than this tempo rubbish.

I'd rather watch a soppy chick flick with the misses than watch us lose to the pies 3 times in the same year!!

Moccha · Post: # 638454Post **Moccha** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:38am

iwantmeseats wrote:no. Skills are deplorable. We are really a 8th positioned side, Its time for 09, and some HARD trading. We are no where near where we would all like to think we are this year. And a lucky fourth has just fuelled that illusion.

see you in 09.

How did we finish 4th?

Did Sydney, Adelaide, Nth and Collingwood give it to us on a platter? They couldn't have been any better otherwise they would have finished above us. Didn't Freo beat Collingwood in the last match! Give the side a bit of credit

coolingbaba · Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:39am

shut up iwantmeseats. you clearly have no clue about football. this season's well and truly alive, and yes we will bounce back. The players now know if they lose Robert Harvey will never play again for us. The good thing about the double chance is if and when we win this week..we're back in the same position Geelong is..a Prelim Final

SENsei · Post: # 638456Post **SENsei** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:40am

We'd better respond.

It wasn't the result that was so disheartening today, it was the seeming lack of passion and commitment to the cause today.

Gwilt just loped around. Milne went missing in a big game again. Roo has a shocker. Kosi was unsighted. King was smashed all over the ground by Ottens. Dal Santo was beaten by Ling, but at least he tried. Montagna tried. Clarke brothers. Even Sam Fisher was towelled up.

Sure beaten by a better side. But we also didn't give a yelp.

That must change because to go out in straight sets with a similar performance next week could set us back quite a way.

iwantmeseats · Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:40am

my lord! Come on, take a good hard look at it and take the rose coloured glasses off! We are way WAY behind it this year. Straight sets exit, just watch it. Unfortunately. Too many passengers. If you think we are even half a chance against the cats and the hawks and bullgods, your deluded.

Moccha · Post: # 638461Post **Moccha** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:42am

iwantmeseats wrote:my lord! Come on, take a good hard look at it and take the rose coloured glasses off! We are way WAY behind it this year. Straight sets exit, just watch it. Unfortunately. Too many passengers. If you think we are even half a chance against the cats and the hawks and bullgods, your deluded.

Well they finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd!

One Eyed Saint · Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:44am

Is there any chance that one day NDS might have a good game against the cats????

I am getting sick of watching Ling keep him quiet and NDS not having an impact.[/u]

degruch · Post: # 638466Post **degruch** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:45am

iwantmeseats wrote:my lord! Come on, take a good hard look at it and take the rose coloured glasses off! We are way WAY behind it this year. Straight sets exit, just watch it. Unfortunately. Too many passengers. If you think we are even half a chance against the cats and the hawks and bullgods, your deluded.

Weird thing is, we did better back in round 8 (?) when we played the Cats at the Dome, and we were probably at our worst then (ignoring today)!?! Of course we can beat 'em, but there a hell of a lot more application to the task required, that goes without saying. I don't think you have to be wearing rose coloured glasses to think we have a chance...it was a dirty day today, we were pretty poor, but Geelong won't get any better and we have 3 weeks to improve.

Teflon · Post: # 638467Post **Teflon** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:47am

One Eyed Saint wrote:Is there any chance that one day NDS might have a good game against the cats????

I am getting sick of watching Ling keep him quiet and NDS not having an impact.[/u]

Im also tired of this BUT Im getting sick and tired of the coaches not pre empting this and allowing Dal Santo a stint up fwd - AT LEAST take Ling out of the game FFS.

Furphy · Post: # 638472Post **Furphy** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:53am

Geelong really showed up our flaws today. I don't think any team is within 6 goals of Geelong at the moment.

One Eyed Saint · Mon 08 Sep 2008 12:56am

Geelong might be in form but so were the Lions until there era came to an end.

The cats are only ever 1 week away from slipping up.

SainterK · Post: # 638475Post **SainterK** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 1:00am

I agree, every contender that has been put forward as a challenger, has been easily disposed of. Is Hawthorn capable of an upset, or will the average margin of about 50 be the end result again...

In saying that, I did not despair of losing until after half time. The momentum could of still easily swung, but we fell into a bit of a the "geelong is so awesome" trap and became increasingly nervous as the game went on.

Geelong needs to be rattled, and it can be done....surely

Solar · Post: # 638528Post **Solar** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 9:43am

this is where coaches earn their money

will take a bit to move the players on from yesterdays result and work hard towards creating a win this saturday night.

rodgerfox · Post: # 638549Post **rodgerfox** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 10:05am

We struggle tactically offensively.

We've looked reasonably efficient with our scoring over the past month or so - but guess why? Roo has had a brilliant 2 months. Simple as that.
For our forwards to dominate Geelong's defence was always a longshot. Infact pretty much an impossibility.

When Roo doesn't play well, we just look woeful.

We're relying too heavily on our good players playing well. We need to be able to play well as a group without brilliant individual performances.

Our coaching panel has been terrible in this area. Apart from the defensive coaches who have that unit playing well as a group - not as individuals.

It's lazy coaching I think. If Roo plays well, we can win. So the coaches seem to roll the dice on that and go through him deep in the 50 every time. Which means, quite simply, if he gets beaten, so do we.

We looked our best, when he was playing up the ground. We were too late with that yesterday. Our forward line was never going to 'outclass' Geelong's defence. We played directly into their hands by giving them matchups.

Our much hyped forward line is still our most vunerable area. And very poorly managed.

spert · Post: # 638558Post **spert** » Mon 08 Sep 2008 10:11am

I doubt if a team which displayed so little character and fight, can respond against a team who is playing with a lot of belief and fight. I hope I'm wrong, but we badly lacked leadership on Sunday.