Melbourne V Western Bulldogs - 2021 Grand Final Thread

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Not sure if it is a slight. That song is quite popular for celebrations….could be a slight. Could not be. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was.

Anyway we deserve everything. We were crap and completely crumbled. Waking up this morning I’m even more disappointed. That was a complete and utter embarrassment. To dish that shit up in a GF is very concerning. A lot of work needs to be done this off-season.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Wow what is the last comment about?

[angelopetraglia]

I really think the game had four phases.

Phase one: We didn't handle the pressure. We made mistakes. We were panicked. We gifted them goals. We looked gone. We did not look like we were ready to play. This also has to be examined. If they kicked straight it could have been worse at quarter time.

Phase two: How quickly can a game change? We kicked goals in quick succession. We started to get first use of the ball. We took our chances. Bont kicking set shots. Treloar with some beautiful snaps. They looked flat. They were devoid of energy. They started to panic.

Phase three: Game slowed. We started to play more tempo footy. We had control without hurting them. We got to 19 points up and looked like we just needed another goal to blow the game apart. We had a few half chances we didn't take. I actually thought we were home which is very unlike me. They looked broken.

Phase four: We got absolutely obliterated. They got a spark with a goal from no where. After that it was a centre clearance masterclass which in the 6-6-6 era is difficult to stop when a team is so dominant. Everything went right for them too. They kicked their goals. They got the 50/50 decisions (Shaq getting killed for no free and a goal at the other end in a heartbeat). They had all the momentum and we looked lost. Game over.

[Ghost Dog]

Thanks for the summary.

We are part of this. ( WA boosted by 50m ) (https://thewest.com.au/business/afl-grand-final-tipped-to-deliver-50m-economic-boost-to-wa-ng-b882016938z)We helped lift the economy and people's spirits in a year that was dire.

What is the financial benefit of just being in a final? It means a huge amount of exposure for our sponsors and their support is vital.

[The Pie Man]

When I post this, know I believe we should’ve been better from this point on, but….

Brayshaw’s goal in the 3rd : Weightman was both held and ridden into the ground without the ball by Pickett, massive miss from the ump

Still can’t believe Brayshaw wasn’t pinged for either high or ITB on Schache.

Crucial in the 3rd quarter momentum.

Last few minutes of the 3rd, Jackson was impressive in the ruck - but the ball was still in dispute there, and our mids just couldn’t win out.

[soupman]

I was pretty matter of fact about it all last night, today I am super flat. Just feels like a missed opportunity and while I give Melbourne huge credit for lifting and outplaying us from the mid 3rd quarter onwards I can't help but question that we could and should have done something about it.

So shitty that again, like the Essendon game, we let the opposition just waltz out of centre clearances in the most damaging fashion. They weren't just clearances they were highways to the goal. We desperately needed to just sit on it and force the secondary stoppage so that we could roll numbers up and make it a scrap. Those three goals broke us and if we stop one of them and at the very least make the second one harder then we are still right in the game and we showed that when the game was in the balance we were arguably the better side, their goals in those moments came from half chances like the Bailey Smith fumble or the Petracca dribble.

Stuff like when Treloar jumped on the ball and instead of holding it in and allowing us to surround the next ballup with numbers he did this shitty handball out that got intercepted killed us. Shit like allowing them to just have this wave of explosive mids get goalside with the ball killed us. I'm not sure they would've made it in there in time but after the first one we should've been setting up our quickest forward (J or Weightman) to sprint in there as soon as the ball was bounced and try to take out their furthest back option asap.

We showed that when we could control the ball we were better, both with pressure and with ball movement. Conceding the ball from centre clearances in the most damaging fashion killed us, and because it meant they didn't even miss it meant we didn't even get to touch it and re settle the game.

[azabob]

Wow what is the last comment about?

No idea but would love to know. Anyone?

[GVGjr]

Wow what is the last comment about?


No idea but would love to know. Anyone?

I'd love Bevo to clarify the comments better

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I was pretty matter of fact about it all last night, today I am super flat. Just feels like a missed opportunity and while I give Melbourne huge credit for lifting and outplaying us from the mid 3rd quarter onwards I can't help but question that we could and should have done something about it.

So shitty that again, like the Essendon game, we let the opposition just waltz out of centre clearances in the most damaging fashion. They weren't just clearances they were highways to the goal. We desperately needed to just sit on it and force the secondary stoppage so that we could roll numbers up and make it a scrap. Those three goals broke us and if we stop one of them and at the very least make the second one harder then we are still right in the game and we showed that when the game was in the balance we were arguably the better side, their goals in those moments came from half chances like the Bailey Smith fumble or the Petracca dribble.

Stuff like when Treloar jumped on the ball and instead of holding it in and allowing us to surround the next ballup with numbers he did this shitty handball out that got intercepted killed us. Shit like allowing them to just have this wave of explosive mids get goalside with the ball killed us. I'm not sure they would've made it in there in time but after the first one we should've been setting up our quickest forward (J or Weightman) to sprint in there as soon as the ball was bounced and try to take out their furthest back option asap.

We showed that when we could control the ball we were better, both with pressure and with ball movement. Conceding the ball from centre clearances in the most damaging fashion killed us, and because it meant they didn't even miss it meant we didn't even get to touch it and re settle the game.

The fact it has happened SO many times, and now on the biggest stage of them all when we were 19 up .... I mean, where to from here?

The lessons have not been learned.

I think this is why I feel a sense of helplessness for this list moving forward, even though it's still a good list.

The ruck situation is bad, we know. But it's more than that. Is it coaching? Is it personnel? Is it both?

[The Pie Man]

I'd love Bevo to clarify the comments better

Guessing it could be one or all of….

The prelim celebration video leaking on social media (hasn’t that ended well….)

Dropping Gardner and it leaking the day before teams announced

[azabob]

Guessing it could be one or all of….

The prelim celebration video leaking on social media (hasn’t that ended well….)

Dropping Gardner and it leaking the day before teams announced

Bevo referenced home and away according to an earlier post

[angelopetraglia]

Bevo referenced home and away according to an earlier post

He spoke about losing Bruce. Having to shuffle the team.

[G-Mo77]

Wow what is the last comment about?

Injuries and players coming back from long term injuries. He said it was difficult adjusting and it clicked in Week 1 of the finals.

[SonofScray]

Feeling far less generous as the day is going on.

The margin is embarrassing. But probably not the story. Still, it’s a damning score line that shouldn’t be ignored.

The catastrophic final few minutes of the third quarter is the big story to dissect. A familiar one at that. There’s work to do for the players in the guts there, they simply need to do something. There’s a massive criticism of the coaching group there, it’s been an ongoing issue.

Bevo said we’d managed that area of our game well. I don’t want it managed, I want it fixed.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Injuries and players coming back from long term injuries. He said it was difficult adjusting and it clicked in Week 1 of the finals.

Oh is that all…..ok doesn’t explain the poor showing then.

[GVGjr]

The fact it has happened SO many times, and now on the biggest stage of them all when we were 19 up .... I mean, where to from here?

The lessons have not been learned.

I think this is why I feel a sense of helplessness for this list moving forward, even though it's still a good list.

The ruck situation is bad, we know. But it's more than that. Is it coaching? Is it personnel? Is it both?

For those of us who have consistently questioned of the clubs decisions in a very detailed manner on things like the playing personnel, the balance of the list and of course team selections or coaching philosophies etc we are often get criticised by some of the WOOF members who strongly believe there isn't too much wrong and the club knows best.
I'm starting to think more with swing around now and start questioning some of the same issues many of us have been raising for a few years.

As an example the ruck set-up needs complete review.
Can we continue to build around English or not?
Would the likes of Ceglar or Ladhams make us more competitive and how much faith do we have in Sweet?

I get that many see this sort of questioning as having a go at the club but as I said in the Lets make the hard calls thread (https://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?21266-Lets-make-the-hard-calls) we need to examine where are we actually as a club.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Ive been one questioning the club this year and the last 5 seasons. But I thought I had it wrong after the last 4 weeks. But everything has been resurrected on the back of last night. Not because we lost. But how we lost. All those issues were on full display on the biggest game. That soft underbelly was there again. For a GF. There is no excuse for it. None. Unforgivable.

[Sedat]

For those of us who have consistently questioned of the clubs decisions in a very detailed manner on things like the playing personnel, the balance of the list and of course team selections or coaching philosophies etc we are often get criticised by some of the WOOF members who strongly believe there isn't too much wrong and the club knows best.
I'm starting to think more with swing around now and start questioning some of the same issues many of us have been raising for a few years.

As an example the ruck set-up needs complete review.
Can we continue to build around English or not?
Would the likes of Ceglar or Ladhams make us more competitive and how much faith do we have in Sweet?

I get that many see this sort of questioning as having a go at the club but as I said the Lets make the hard calls thread (https://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?21266-Lets-make-the-hard-calls) we need to examine where are we actually as a club.
To be fair, when you're 19 points up halfway through the 3rd in a GF and have kicked 8 of the last 9 after a slow start, you'd think we do have most areas covered. In that 10 minute patch to finish the 3rd, their 2nd stringer ruckman completely demolished ours and their mids went to work in the most ruthless way imaginable. Perhaps Melbourne understood that the 2nd ruck role could be an area that gives them a clear point of difference from the rest of the competition, and it sure did last night.

Our mid set up does have a sameness about it as well, which prevents us from getting the really clean looks inside 50 that Melbourne got in that game-changing run. Cotchin was a ball magnet and changed his game to suit - do we have such a player willing to sacrifice their natural ball-winning for better team balance and the greater good? Similarly, I think Brayshaw moving to a defensive wing role was an absolute master-stroke that paid enormous dividends on the biggest stage last night. Is Macrae that player for us?

[G-Mo77]

Oh is that all…..ok doesn’t explain the poor showing then.

No and he didn't use it as an excuse. They tried to push that but Bevo didn't sell it.

[Go_Dogs]

When I post this, know I believe we should’ve been better from this point on, but….

Brayshaw’s goal in the 3rd : Weightman was both held and ridden into the ground without the ball by Pickett, massive miss from the ump

Still can’t believe Brayshaw wasn’t pinged for either high or ITB on Schache.

Crucial in the 3rd quarter momentum.

Last few minutes of the 3rd, Jackson was impressive in the ruck - but the ball was still in dispute there, and our mids just couldn’t win out.

Yeah. The whistles went away a bit there and it didn’t help us. The Schache one was horrid. No eyes for the ball at all and just cannoned into him well late. It bordered on reportable.

[Sedat]

One area we didn't do enough to exploit was Steven May. We would have known he was borderline cooked and we needed to clear the 50 and isolate him one out with Naughts and instruct him to repeat lead up and back. We pop his string early and they have to reshuffle their area of strength and throw their plans into disarray. Naughts has really struggled previously against the Dees and he was a bit of a non-factor again last night.

We scored 9 times from 11 entries in the 2nd qtr. Melbourne were vulnerable down back really for the first time all season. We didn't capitalise enough on our dominance in the first 15 mins of the 3rd. Getting the margin to 4-5 goals would have been telling and made for a different last 40 mins.

[kruder]

When I post this, know I believe we should’ve been better from this point on, but….

Brayshaw’s goal in the 3rd : Weightman was both held and ridden into the ground without the ball by Pickett, massive miss from the ump

Still can’t believe Brayshaw wasn’t pinged for either high or ITB on Schache.

Crucial in the 3rd quarter momentum.

Last few minutes of the 3rd, Jackson was impressive in the ruck - but the ball was still in dispute there, and our mids just couldn’t win out.

Sliding door moments..... Luke Breust in the 2016 semi, finals are littered with them.

I was thinking a Bont & Bevo dynasty after his third, still cant get a handle of how it changed so quickly.

We have a young group that can benefit from a loss like this, lets see how they respond next year.

[jeemak]

It hasn't gotten any better having drowned my sorrows.

There was a centre clearance they won during their run in the third that summed up our weakness, where Libba was the defencive/ last mid and he went all out attack on a ball he was maybe a 30-40% chance of winning when the right thing to do was hold, wrap up and create a stoppage. We then get to roll numbers up, create congestion and go again.

And for me that's the trend that kills us when teams get a run on over us. The inability of the same midfield group to adjust to the conditions and just let it walk out does my head in.

I struggle to think it's a coaching issue because it's so obvious, but if it's obvious to me and the coaches, then it should also be obvious to the players.......so perhaps it's something closer to arrogance. I really don't know.

[soupman]

It hasn't gotten any better having drowned my sorrows.

There was a centre clearance they won during their run in the third that summed up our weakness, where Libba was the defencive/ last mid and he went all out attack on a ball he was maybe a 30-40% chance of winning when the right thing to do was hold, wrap up and create a stoppage. We then get to roll numbers up, create congestion and go again.

And for me that's the trend that kills us when teams get a run on over us. The inability of the same midfield group to adjust to the conditions and just let it walk out does my head in.

I struggle to think it's a coaching issue because it's so obvious, but if it's obvious to me and the coaches, then it should also be obvious to the players.......so perhaps it's something closer to arrogance. I really don't know.

Completely agree. We seem to love the high stakes "either we get a great clearance or they do" game. Next year i really want to see us adjust to just lockin that shit down and grinding it out at times. They had all the momentum at the end of the third and we tried to stop it by winning, when a nil all draw would have sufficed. Again the example i keep using is when Treloar gets it on his knees and instead of holding it in and forcing a stoppage he tries this low percentage handball thats instantly turns over.

[jeemak]

Completely agree. We seem to love the high stakes "either we get a great clearance or they do" game. Next year i really want to see us adjust to just lockin that shit down and grinding it out at times. They had all the momentum at the end of the third and we tried to stop it by winning, when a nil all draw would have sufficed. Again the example i keep using is when Treloar gets it on his knees and instead of holding it in and forcing a stoppage he tries this low percentage handball thats instantly turns over.

Good example. A holding the ball free kick is better than a turnover in that instance.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I can’t get my head around this glaring weakness. It seems so obvious. Where does the problem lie? Seriously if this is just on the players not responding, I’ve got to say it’s a very bad sign. Because they’ve had so many chances to rectify it and still haven’t. And if they can’t manage to put their egos aside for a bloody grand final then it’ll never happen and we need to ship some guys out and bring in others who are willing to do it. Has to be more to it but I can’t put my finger on it. It’s a real mystery.

[soupman]

Good example. A holding the ball free kick is better than a turnover in that instance.

Not sure if this is meant to be sarcastic but I've taken it as construnctive criticism in that form.

I watched it back, Treloar definitely tried a low percentage play that i would prefer he didn't. I think the bigger issue though was that only Libba remained defensive side, English and Bont both pushed forward from the bounce which meant that Treloars handball backwards only had Libba as an option and no defensive cover if it didn't work (which his what happened).

Definitely we needed to take a more defensive mindset on that bounce (and we did on the next one and just managed to neutralize it).

[macca]

Completely agree. We seem to love the high stakes "either we get a great clearance or they do" game. Next year i really want to see us adjust to just lockin that shit down and grinding it out at times. They had all the momentum at the end of the third and we tried to stop it by winning, when a nil all draw would have sufficed. Again the example i keep using is when Treloar gets it on his knees and instead of holding it in and forcing a stoppage he tries this low percentage handball thats instantly turns over.
Those 3 clearances what killed us . I got nervous seeing treloar as inside mid and my instinct was right when they got the turn over and burst out of the middle

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Not sure if this is meant to be sarcastic but I've taken it as construnctive criticism in that form.

I watched it back, Treloar definitely tried a low percentage play that i would prefer he didn't. I think the bigger issue though was that only Libba remained defensive side, English and Bont both pushed forward from the bounce which meant that Treloars handball backwards only had Libba as an option and no defensive cover if it didn't work (which his what happened).

Definitely we needed to take a more defensive mindset on that bounce (and we did on the next one and just managed to neutralize it).

Dont think it’s sarcastic. Holding the ball at least halts play for a bit.

[jeemak]

Not sure if this is meant to be sarcastic but I've taken it as construnctive criticism in that form.

I watched it back, Treloar definitely tried a low percentage play that i would prefer he didn't. I think the bigger issue though was that only Libba remained defensive side, English and Bont both pushed forward from the bounce which meant that Treloars handball backwards only had Libba as an option and no defensive cover if it didn't work (which his what happened).

Definitely we needed to take a more defensive mindset on that bounce (and we did on the next one and just managed to neutralize it).

Not sarcasm or putting shit on your point. Instead of giving it to them in a low percentage play you’re better off rolling the dice with an umpire call, and then delay handing the ball over after a wrestle to at least slow it down if you do get pinged.

[soupman]

Not sarcasm or putting shit on your point. Instead of giving it to them in a low percentage play you’re better off rolling the dice with an umpire call, and then delay handing the ball over after a wrestle to at least slow it down if you do get pinged.

I didn't think it was meant to be sarcastic but did think it was still a good point if it happened to be.

Agree that I'd rather at least take the extra few seconds a holding the ball decision (which was probably unlikely anyway) would've given us.

[angelopetraglia]

Jon Ralph in the tackle. 22 seconds.

Yet with 90 seconds left in the third term Melbourne led by only six points.

■ 47 seconds on the clock: Ben Brown bombs long to a pack where Christian Petracca suctions up the ball with those clean hands and dribbles through one of the great goals in grand final history.

■ 30 seconds on the clock: Viney grabs the ball from the centre square and handballs to Petracca, who handballs to Oliver, who releases Tom Sparrow to goal from 50m.

■ 17 seconds on the clock: Viney toe-pokes the ball from the centre bounce to the hard-charging Jackson, whose assist to Oliver running through 50 allows him to kick the sealing goals.

Bang, crash, wallop.

Three goals in 22 seconds of game time.

Melbourne 24 points up, game over.

[angelopetraglia]

The start of their run from Ralph. Bont was on the bench for all of this.

What followed were the seven goals in 16 minutes that could define an era, as an entire list build assembled around midfield stars – Oliver, Gawn, Jackson, Petracca, Brayshaw, Viney – was realised.

Bailey Smith’s fumble cleared a path for James Harmes to hit up Bayley Fritsch deep in the pocket, and the momentum was arrested.

Then came from a series of exquisite centre square clearances that won the Demons a flag.

■ 8.42m on the clock: Jackson misses the tap against Stef Martin but Oliver scrounges the ball who handballs to Petracca, with his long clearance allowing Bayley Fritsch to leap high and crumb a goal.

■ 8.21m on the clock: Jackson dodges Martin and gets a hand on the ball, before Petracca blind-turns Tom Liberatore and kicks long where Ben Brown marks from close range and goals.

■ 5.10m on the clock: Jake Bowey’s dinky kick inside 50 is bravely marked back with the flight by Angus Brayshaw who despite 2.7 for the season slots a perfectly executed set shot.

All of it occurred with Marcus Bontempelli on the bench (from the 15.09m mark to the 19.44m mark) and with Jackson on fire

[Go_Dogs]

Hurts reading that.

[macca]

Jon Ralph in the tackle. 22 seconds.

Yet with 90 seconds left in the third term Melbourne led by only six points.

■ 47 seconds on the clock: Ben Brown bombs long to a pack where Christian Petracca suctions up the ball with those clean hands and dribbles through one of the great goals in grand final history.

■ 30 seconds on the clock: Viney grabs the ball from the centre square and handballs to Petracca, who handballs to Oliver, who releases Tom Sparrow to goal from 50m.

■ 17 seconds on the clock: Viney toe-pokes the ball from the centre bounce to the hard-charging Jackson, whose assist to Oliver running through 50 allows him to kick the sealing goals.

Bang, crash, wallop.

Three goals in 22 seconds of game time.

Melbourne 24 points up, game over.

Petracca's goal was greatly assisted by the space he got care of a deliberate block from Pickett to Dunks. Dunks was chasing him, but got pushed out.

I was shocked how much space Petraccca had, but when I saw the bumped it explained it. Pettracca is superquick , and highly skilled and he does not need much space to do this sort of thing. His a freak.

It hurst recalling all of this. It just hurts :( REM.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Whilst I'm flat..I really think we're well positioned going forward, notwithstanding some improvements we need to make or deficiencies we need to address personnel wise.
I know some say big defeats in GFs can scar teams. But I think this is different. Its not like we were smashed from start to finish. We clawed back and were well positioned with 10 minutes remaining in the 3rd. We had them, and let them get off the chain and get back into it in a blink of an eye.

I hope the group rewatch that 10 minute patch in the 3rd and clearly see the opportunity that is there to get better.

That patch really reminded me of the worst aspects that surfaced in the Rnd 21 game against Essendon. Our mids and those coaching the mids, really need to address our centre bounce posture.
We need to realise that our biggest strength can also be our weakness. It's all well and good to go balls to the wall aggressive in the middle at times, but there are other times where we need to swallow our ego, and show enough humility to be able to respect the opposition's strength, and make necessary adjustments.
Had we gone a little more defensive set up wise in the centre square in the last 10 minutes, I am pretty confident we hold them to a draw, and then go into the last quarter without having to play a hail mary stye of play.
Got to hand it to Goodwin... begrudgingly, but he had the humility to assess what was happening with Gawn, and go 'the definition of madness would be just hoping Max would assert his dominance at some point'. He put Jackson in, and he was able to get some looks to his mids that Maxy wasn't able to get... which we could've stopped had our mids had the presence of mind to adapt.

[macca]

That 3rd quarter was a coaching master stroke by Goodwin

He rolled the dice , saw 2 gaps:
1. Bonts off
2. put Jackson in the middle and go free for all play to his strength in high jump , win ball at all costs

Their players attacked , ball went in Melbs favour
It may have happened the other way , loose ball goes to doggies later outside we could had been 4 goals up

Just so painful dissecting this

[azabob]

That 3rd quarter was a coaching master stroke by Goodwin

He rolled the dice , saw 2 gaps:
1. Bonts off
2. put Jackson in the middle and go free for all play to his strength in high jump , win ball at all costs

Their players attacked , ball went in Melbs favour
It may have happened the other way , loose ball goes to doggies later outside we could had been 4 goals up

Just so painful dissecting this

Yep, can we stop dissecting it please?

[Mantis]

Yep, can we stop dissecting it please?

My therapist tells me it's good to talk through my problems... and that game is going to be a problem for a long time!

I hope Bevo is having the same thoughts as me and is belting out some Cher... ''If I could turn back time!!'' We need to learn from that shit show and make sure it never happens again.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

My therapist tells me it's good to talk through my problems... and that game is going to be a problem for a long time!

I hope Bevo is having the same thoughts as me and is belting out some Cher... ''If I could turn back time!!'' We need to learn from that shit show and make sure it never happens again.

I agree with you except the learning from it part only because we’ve seen these problems a few too many times already and haven’t learnt a thing!

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Looks like the way the dees are partying they could replicate our 2017 and 2018!

[azabob]

Looks like the way the dees are partying they could replicate our 2017 and 2018!

The only thing that would make me happier is dogs holding the cup aloft in 2022!!

Gee I hope they fall out of the top 8, it would be amazing.

The age of their team suggests they may be a chance to. Very young team...

[Dry Rot]

I have had little time for footy and forums since just before the grand final when my elderly mother broke her hip interstate and I have been focussed on this ever since.

Along the way, I received a really good email from one of my mates is is both highly footy knowledgeable and a Sainter. This was his interesting view of the GF which I meant to post earlier.

What do you think?

I have watched Saturday's GF again and have a couple of comments that may be useful for you.

Remember, these are observations of an experienced loser of Grand Finals: 1965, 1971, 2009 and 2010 (Inc. a draw). We have a deserved reputation as perennial underachievers. This reputation is influenced by our GF win/loss losing record but is actually built on having the second lowest all-time win percentage of any team still playing in the league, and 27 wooden spoons, admittedly on two this century.

To my main point ...

In the early 80s a mate and I lined up to tackle a ten race card at Wyong. While I did not back the winner of every race, I did WIN on every race, including a couple of outstanding place dividends, one starting at 150-1, alongside six winners on the day.

My mate had been at the game for forty years, and after the last (won by Beche de Mer), he turned to me and said, "Enjoy every minute of it mate because it will never happen again"

I have never seen a Grand Final like it in my 55 years following the code. Yes,So the game has changed enormously.

Earlier this season, St Kilda got flogged by Essendon when we were heavily favoured. Essendon were literally flawless for four quarters. And I said to myself, and to a few Bombers supporters, "Enjoy the win, you won't experience anything like it again this season, probably for a few years."

So, were the Demons flawless from mid-way in the second half. Flawless Def: without any imperfections or defects; perfect. I think they were.With ruck dominance, and scoring so furiously quickly, they grabbed the chance to play flawless footy for forty minutes.

As an experienced loser, I had no interest in reading media match reports. Instead, I waited for evidence-based analysis to emerge, some from former coaches. I look at match statistics of course, but they don't tell anywhere near the whole story. The psychology of team sport is where the story lies.

Played again, you could have won, and won strongly. You could even have played "flawless footy".

In summary, well done on a great season. The Dogs' reputation is enhanced by the way you go to the Grand Final after being tossed into 5th place, so late in the home and away.

Enjoy the best of the analysis you can find. Everyone is different, but I found it helped.

[whythelongface]

Thanks for sharing DR. Two weeks on and i am at ease with what we achieved and (to some extent) the loss. Never happy or satisfied. But I know full well no one could have stopped the Dees once they got on the roll. No one. However things could have been very different prior to the 8.42 point of the third quarter. Extra goal or two, bounce of the ball to Smith instead of Harmes etc. We will never know. But the one thing I take from the game is that you can’t be anything but a very good team leading by 19 points deep into the third quarter. We will be up to our neck in contention for the next half dozen years. There is no GF hangover this time only the will to take the next step.