So What has changed?

[Eat_em_Alive]

So what has changed since the freo game??
Out of general interest, not panic stations here.
The last couple of weeks has been good to get the points but jeez we look crap at times.
Sure it's winter now, tougher conditions, injuries, suspensions etc
Or is it a case of our good wins have papered over the cracks?


Richmond Team vs Freo

B:  Grimes, Batchelor, Rance
HB:  Houli, Vlastuin, Chaplin
C:  B. Ellis, Cotchin, McIntosh
HF:  Martin, Edwards, Miles
F:  Riewoldt, Deledio, Morris
R:  Maric, Grigg, Hunt
IC:  Vickery, C. Ellis, Menadue, Griffiths

Emerg:  Gordon, McBean, Arnot

In:  Vickery
Out:  McBean (omitted) 

The Richmond team vs Carlton

B:  Grimes, Batchelor, Rance
HB:  Houli, Vlastuin, Chaplin
C:  Ellis, Cotchin, McIntosh
HF:  Martin, Edwards, Miles
F:  Riewoldt, Deledio, Gordon
R:  Hampson, Grigg, Hunt
IC:  Vickery, Newman, Lambert, Morris
Em:  Thomas, McBean, McDonough

In: Hampson, Morris
Out: Maric (suspended), Griffiths (inj – shoulder) 

[mat073]

Season is a marathon not a sprint .

Same things are being said about Fremantle - that they are in a slump because they are not destroying teams anymore .

Last night was ugly , but I was really worried pre game that we would drop this one. Didn't look like losing - that has to be a good sign.

[Lozza]

Every team at some point has a low point during their season, we are in ours at the moment. If you consider the bye to be the new start to the season then we started similar to how we started the season proper. Our efficiency with the ball has dropped off and i don't believe we are gut running like we were vs Freo and Swans. The difference this time around is that we now have more belief and experience to win games like the last couple of weeks even when not playing well. The test will come in the next 3 weeks where injuries are starting to affect us and whether we have the depth of players to cover the losses and in addition whether we can up our intensity as we did prior to the bye. A couple of losses in the next 3 weeks together with another couple of injuries and suddenly we are looking at 8th-9th spot and its groundhog day.

One player who needs to up the ante is B.Ellis, was damaging with his possessions against Swans and Freo but was i think flying under the radar of opposition teams, i think he is being more heavily tagged now and his influence has dropped off meaning the pressure is back on Cotch, Dusty and Miles.

Not sure whether someone has the word "unselfish" scrawled on the coaching whiteboard but it needs to be taken with some old fashioned common sense. Dusty especially needs to take more responsibility to take on the opposition defence and score his own goals rather than trying to be too cute and increase his goal assist stats, seems to have got worse in this department since the bye.

Would also like to see Corey Ellis back in the side, wasn't a huge possession winner but he is pure class and in those clutch moments he just made the right decisions and his kicking efficiency would be higher than most in the current side.

Generally i think its our decision making and disposal efficiency since the bye has also dropped off, not exactly sure why, maybe we simply aren't working hard enough to provide the options as we were. What is noticeable is that often our efficiency is better under pressure against the better teams than when we have ample time with no or little pressure against the poorer teams. Maybe its all between the ears and things will suddenly turn around. All i know for sure is that Hardwick needs to review the situation and come up with some sort of strategy to get back to how we were playing before the bye compared to now, otherwise going from hero to zero will happen very quickly.

[dwaino]

Good teams play badly and find ways to win. Even the Hawks are down by their own standards. We definitely need to pull our finger out but for now I'm happy to keep banking 4 points.

[peggles]

Good teams play badly and find ways to win. Even the Hawks are down by their own standards. We definitely need to pull our finger out but for now I'm happy to keep banking 4 points.

true...sure it's nice to have big convincing wins like we played against Freo but it doesn't happen all the time.

look at freo...their last 3-4 week has been pretty rubbish also, barely winning against doggies, brisbane etc.

[cub]

Personally think we are a bit to anal with the tempo footy, no need to do it against bottom 8 teams unless they are having one out of the blue. Just keeps them in it in my book.
As evidenced by the second half yesterday, when our hand is forced and we restart more to attack game over.
Should be attack from the outset against poo teams, starting with saints this coming week.

[Gigantor]

As for Ellis..a learned friend of mine mentioned that he played for at least the first 5 rounds with broken rib(s)..can anyone confirm or is it well known?

[Penelope]

Somewhere in the season teams need to ease off. When blight won his premierships at Adelaide they would start well, drop off in the middle stages of the season and then come home strong building up the finals.

IMO this is the best course.

I'd like to think this is actually the case..........

[Fluffy Tiger]

Somewhere in the season teams need to ease off. When blight won his premierships at Adelaide they would start well, drop off in the middle stages of the season and then come home strong building up the finals.

IMO this is the best course.

I'd like to think this is actually the case..........

And after watching all the skill errors last night do you think it is the case?

I think the bottom couple of players make the difference more than the top few. Currently Newman and Gordon are our bottom 2, enough said.

I also would like to point out that we are currently playing without 3 of our last 5 years first round draft picks. No matter what you think of those players they are surely better than our bottom three players, at least you would hope so.

[Penelope]

as i said, i'd like to think that was the case..........

[Yeahright]

Every team at some point has a low point during their season, we are in ours at the moment.

I would've thought Rounds 2-6 were our low point

As for Ellis..a learned friend of mine mentioned that he played for at least the first 5 rounds with broken rib(s)..can anyone confirm or is it well known?

I heard that but can't remember who from or where so it doesn't add much credibility if any but it's something