IMO it is these points that have hurt us the most in the first three games of the year. I think, off the back of a strring Wizard Cup, we simply expected to win against the unfancied Kangaroos. Similarly against an injury depleted Essendon* I think we figured that game was handed to us on a platter. Then, today, I think we worked hard and fended off some challenges from the Pies, got ourselves into a position of strength and for whatever reason we let that slip.

The signs were there early because I think our mental game dropped off a bit in the second quarter too, but we were able to get back into the game. However, once Collingwood took the lead we were never likely to be a show because they had more belief. Whether that came from a hammering in the press, or superior coaching I'm not sure, but they played bloody well in the latter stages of the third quarter and in the last. I think our mental strength is one area were Denis really needs to work on.

Mental strength can be a variety of things:

1. Kicking on goal -- I don't think Fev is confident with set shots at the moment, and players like Davies have obvious room for improvement. The last two weeks have shown us how keeping up scoreboard pressure is effective football. The good thing is we've not lost games for lack of chances, but we need to get better at taking our chances and rewarding good team play with goals.

2. Maintaining team discipline -- Not just in things like not giving away silly frees, there's never excuses for that, but just in doing the fundamentals, chasing hard, tackling fiercly, providing contests, providing space for our forwards, options for our ball carriers and getting numbers to the ball.

3. Not underestimating an opponent -- I guess only those in the inner sanctum can say for sure if we have done this, I know I certainly have, most notably against the Roos. These last two weeks were games we should have won comfortably if we were able to respect our opponents abilities and keep on playing a solid team game.

4. Concentration! -- The biggest killer in today's game I think. We are yet to put in a solid four quarter performance this year, and we must do this! We got ourselves into strong positions today where we were controlling the game and let our opponents back into it, probabaly for failing on the first three points I have just listed.

The infrastructure is there for us to play better footy, we just need to get switched on, and stay switched on, to ensure we deliver.

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There's two versions of expecting to win.

There's the Brisbane version where they run out on the ground and mentally and physically tell their opponent that they are better than them and that they expect to win and will win...and usually they do.

And then there's todays Carlton version where they run out on the ground thinking that they are better than the opposition and expect to win, which in todays game I thought they were and should've. But instead of mentally and physically telling them that, they waited for their teamates to do it.

A big lesson learned for our young team...I hope.

A very good assessment Camel

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L.M 35-06

Yep, we need to work on our mental toughness that's for sure. And maybe even develop a few enforcer types as well.

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The way footy is heading the enforcer types are out of the game anyway. No use.. theyre defunct.
We will have our good games and our bad games.. the thing that kills us is we do not always / or can not always do what Denis expects.. ie.. kick long down the middle.. run in numbers like wolves,harrass, tackle, and make room for the forwards.


Its all the little things were not doing.
Those were the things we were doing very well in the wizzer.

Look around and seethe enforcers like J Brown and B Pickett and theyre gone... they will be stamped out of the game.

True, but I still reckon that a guy with a bit of mongrel about him that would instil fear into our opponents just by looking at them would be great.

Rather than Brown and Pickett, use Voss and Ricciuto as examples. Tough, hard and fair (generally speaking).

Anyway, players like this are of little use if our frame of mind is not right. We need to develop our mental side so that we can play out 4 quarters of football, as I don't think we ran out of legs yesterday due to poor fitness.

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We still cant do what Denis wants us to do.
We just need players that will run harder, keep their head over the ball every game not for some games and just do what Denis expects them to do each game.
Thats the kind of toughness he expects.

I think we have a couple of players including a senior player that is setting the wrong tone for the rest of them.
I think Denis will be having mountain oysters for brekky this morning.

Brisbane do that consistantly every week. They are relentless and ferocious. And most of the time they win.

I dunno about "enforcers" as such but our players in general have to learn to be consistantly "physical" and approach every game with a mongrel dog type attitude to winning the contests.

Agree, and this is where I believe the players are not as strong of mind as they could be. Because, physically, they can do what Denis wants, just not all the time as you say, only in patches, which is clearly not good enough.

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I reckon they can do it. I really believe we have one or two that fall away from the plan and that sets the tone for the others.
We rely on Kouta and Stevens because some of the others wont step up every time they come to play.
In my opinion Houla is nowhere near as soft as Campo. When i see Campo take his eyes off the ball week in week out and get into a slanging match with the umpire and opposition players my blood boils. It has a domino effect on the kids and others.

What happens is they start to think they have to run into Campos zone because he isnt doing it and the whole set up is out of whack, lose our structure and we become a rabble.

even watching a prince and princess walking down the isle aged in their 60s isnt as bad to watch as this bloke on $650k (about to get rubbed out for 2 more weeks- which means 60k) chasing umpires and opposition players for a stoush and our juniors for cheap kicks.
The Eddie Betts hand ball in the first min of the last quarter last week was Campo calling for it. Eddie probably would have kicked that himself.
The suicidal Carrazzo kamikaze kick across the goals last week near the end of the game when Campo didnt even lift his arms was also Campo calling the junior for a cheap kick.)
Of course he is on the last season of his contract and needs to show Denis stats when negotiating a new contract. I think Denis has seen it all..and wont be sucked in.

Weak player.. and needs to get the big heave ho

So do I.

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Synbad...

what's a mountain oyster? Is it anything like a prarie oyster?

As has been said in other threads - we are lazy , we also need to get a killer instinct and a sense of urgency, we never seem to look switched on or hungry.

We should have buried the pies when we were 4 goals up but we went to sleep thinking we had done the job , piss poor effort.

John im guessing theyre the same thing.

Simple fact is that they didn't come to play - and some of the senior players were part of this. I like Synbad point the finger at Camporeale, clearly not concentrating on the ball, trying to get cheap kicks by getting handball receives.

Body language was awful - they didn't want to play for the team - I expect Denis to address this week. I also expect him to make examples of players not willing to bust a gut.

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Our general preparedness for each game seems to be way down on how well switched we were during the last couple of Wizard Cup games. Obviously the intensity lifts once the real stuff starts, but while pretty much every other team seem to have managed this, we seem to be still trying to lift a notch or two, and its costing us.

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i agree with what has been said also and that some players are not setting a good example and perhaps now that the tribunal may remove some of the culprits this could be a hidden blessing in dsiguise making us look within to get someone else to step up

IE Campo will be rubbed out and maybe this is not such a bad thing as we normally wont drop him as we not ganna play him in the VFL. Now we will get someone else to fill his shoes and maybe he will grab the chance and show up some of Campos undiscipined acts and weakness maybe it will be good for Campo too if someone shows him up doing the same job

Same goes for Scotland he had a crap game wasnt accountable on the day did very little in a game he should have been charged up for and instead is sited for eye Gouging didnt man up at all and got caught twice in situations he shouldnt have.

So this may give someone an oppertunity to show there worth IE Simpson / Russell / Chambers / Walker but we need to really back em and say grab the oppertunity and see if we have someone willing and hungry to step up to the plate

Bentick's gotta get a run !!!!

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Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

Do you reckon Russell will really get a run so early?

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i reckon we should give him a chance he was our first choice draft pick this year has started to show something in the VFL and i always think that some injection of somone new injects something into the team

Betts has been a great inclusion and we need some sparks to shake of some of this team lethergy we seem to have.

And perfect oppertunity with both Campo and Scotland out with suspension lets see some of the players we have picked up lets see them put pressure on the list and i also want to see what they will add to the team and i was actually impressed with how some of the inclusions into the Hawks semed to give them a spark in the second half.

Anyway after seeing what we have dished up in the first 3 rounds i am willing to see what a bit of a team shake up may do wont do any harm in the next 2 matchs we are expecting to loose maybe some changes will give us a better chance.... hoping lol