Summary
* Yeah it has been a bit of a flat start to the year; not playing the type of footy we want to play; copped a few injuries.
* Type of footy is a mixture of the opposition not allowing you to play your way and you not playing your way consistently. We've changed 6-8 players from same side last year so we've been inconsistent. We haven't been playing on as quick off half-back. Missed Lids and Houli is only just finding his best footy again in the last week or two.
* Dusty - played at half-back to improve his defensive side. Been used down back, midfield and forward in a number of roles.
* They displayed a stat about our Defensive 50 to Inside Forward 50 transition being 17th in the AFL. Port is No.1.
* Dimma said the defensive side of the game is strong early on in the year as everyone has been working on it during the preseason but the game opens up as the year goes along as fatigue sets in.
* Jack is a footy brain. Studies the game like no other and goes thoroughly through vision of his game. He only played one preseason game so he had a slow start. Getting the balance right now between his forward line play and pushing up. We believed he was too heavy last year and had lost his leap; he's lost some weight and got that leap back now.
* Moneyball - we had to find another way to rebuild our list with GWS and GC grabbing the bulk of the top end picks. We believe all those players are playing a role for us.
* We've got some outstanding top end talent. We are waiting for the next tier to come through - Ellis, Conca, Dusty.
* Individually, Jack, Vickery and Griffs were playing okay but together we were too top heavy. Ty has kicked 8 goals but he knows we want more defensively from him. He is halving the contests but the modern game needs forwards to push up and that's an endurance issue which he needs to get better at. He is a competitor despite off-field perceptions.
* Kingy - Got a severe toe injury. Dimma admitted we brought him back early and sore tried to get him through. The toe injury has flared up again and he needs to do a mini preseason now and have a break.
* Tagging - got to give McCaffer credit. The umps aren't paying frees so that's the way it is. We've shown our guys vision of McCaffer and Crowley to show how tagging is done.
* Holding the ball needs a bit of addressing. Question marks over the line between some disposals and what is dropping the ball.
* Are the Hawthorn & Geelong games season defining?
We've beaten Hawthorn the last two times we've played them and haven't beaten Geelong in his time at the Club. You've got to look forward to playing the better teams. We'll get Lids, Rance and Ivan back soon so we've just got to hang tough.
* What if you do lose both games? Criticism comes with the territory. It's about winning games and getting the job done consistently. Hawthorn played well today yet lost but because they usually and regularly win in big games they will get through today's lost unscathed. That's where we need to get to - being able to win the big games consistently.
