Carrying on from last week's discussion, we don't have the mindset to go up the ladder. It will come but we need wins and 4 quarter performances to change it.
It's an old chestnut but teams also have to learn to win. We have been on the end of so many close or 'honourable' losses in the last decade or so that the players are attuned to it. It's part of the mindset that would otherwise stop them going into their shells and panicking in the last like they did last night. They stopped playing the brand of footy that got them in front and had kept them there when the Cats cam at them twice. It was Us v Melbourne all over again with the boot on the other foot.

That first three quarters was scintillating at times, punctuated by a few silly mistakes that we can forgive the boys for and a few silly mistakes the umps should be ashamed of.

Just before the ball was bounced, Sellwood had someone rub baby oil or something on his upper arms and shoulders just to make sure any attempt to tackle him would slip up to the neck area. Of course he didn't need that to get the first goal, it was just in case. The Simmo one was very technical and could have gone either way. Never mind, it's all over now baby blues.

People before me have gone over the pros and cons. I just want to add to the McKay critique. Those who read my posts will know I have been critical of his approach to goal kicking for a long time and there is no end to it. He was his usual lackadaisical self last night, trotting in and throwing his foot at the ball, which almost always goes out to the left and doesn't always swing back. Despite surely knowing that, there has been no apparent attempt by the club to fix it. If they have, he isn't listening. If he is the great hope of the future, we are in trouble unless he takes his footy seriously. His marking has gone off and his kicking is atrocious. At least he went in for a few inside contests last night instead of hanging around while the little blokes do the hard yakka. I know he has the ability because I have seen it like everybody else but at the moment his mindset is way off the mark and he is bereft of confidence it seems to me.
SPS is charmed. He is so highly skilled on both sides of his body he should be a weapon of choice for the coaches. It means he can play both sides of the ground and both sides of the contest but he just doesn't get enough of the ball.
Welcome back to Willo. His kicking is great, even though he missed a few targets last night. That was a pretty reasonable night first up after a spell. I'd keep him in the side now. He gains yards with almost every possession.
It's interesting that we have only won a few first quarters in the last year. I will ask the question.
Is the fact Matthew Kreuzer is a crap tap ruckman part of the issue? Have we played him and allowed opposition midfields to get first look at the ball too often? I might look at some games and see how it pans out. I thought Pittonet had another good game and there is no way I would select Matt ahead of him based on just two weeks work.

I'll take the win. It's worth 4 points on the ladder but it's worth more towards the winning culture of the club. Now they know how to come out firing, there is no reason for them not to do it more often than not. And it was so good to see Scott choking on his words at the presser having to admit we flogged them for three quarters. Get used to it.

Great win no matter how you look at it.

We were the fourth oldest team this round and need to inject some youth as I fear it might get stale.

We havent taken the next step yet until we put together four quarters.

Without Eddie we would have lost by 4-5 goals.
I hope Cunningham is watching and learning.

I liked some of the changes. Simpson as the defensive winger in the first quarter and a half. Rotating wing/half back with Newnes.
Martin into the middle for most centre bounces. He doesn't get a shitload of it but his pressure at the body/ball is elite. 57 pressure points is far away the best rating on the ground. Clean with the ball and surprisingly strong for someone so slightly built.
Murphy to high half forward/wing rotation instead of playing him as a starting centre square player.
The understanding between Pittonet and Cripps is exceptional. You could see them make eye contact or a verbal cue from Cripps and Pittonet would put it in his lap. Pittonet wont have the luxury of doing that every week but he game Stanley a bath in the physical stakes. Cripps with 12 clearances to a total of 12 between Dangerfield, Selwood, Ablett and Narkle.
Eddies brilliance and Levi's marking.

Once again I thought Harry was poor. His set shot kicking at goal is still terrible. His head is still falling away to the right so when he's making contact with the ball, his eyes aren't anywhere near over the ball. The same problems as last year that haven't been fixed.
When he can lead at the ball, he's strong in the air but his body work is abysmal when under the ball. The sooner TDK comes along, the better IMO. Plus it will allow us to keep Levi fresher as a forward.

I thought Setterfield was better. Cleaner with the ball, strong at the player and I love his workmate to assist his team mates. I recall there was a passage of play where Setterfield gave the ball to Cripps in the centre square and Cripps gave it to Walsh from memory. Setterfield sprinted 20 metres to block a Geelong player so Walsh wasn't pressured. That's the unrewarded running the best teams do when they have success.
Gibbos workrate. JSOS and others running Harry Taylor and Stewart up the ground to isolate our key talls.
And the well deserved 4 points.

my concern is that it took the skill of a 33 yr old to win us the game.

my concern is that it took the skill of a 33 yr old to win us the game.

Without Eddie we would have lost by 4-5 goals.
I hope Cunningham is watching and learning.

Loved Pittonet’s game.
Eddie had great impact and was switched on. Great for him to play well against Geelong who he’s struggled against...
Martin is all class..
Docherty I thought was terrific.
Casboult also I thought was great.
Cripps very good as we’ve come to expect.
Gov great cameo and polish. A bit like Gary Rohan, doesn’t get a heap of the footy but usually has an impact...

The last quarter was almost a disaster. Hopefully we learn from that because we were sensational the other three quarters..

Can we thank Malthouse” the know it all moron “for All the lost Eddie Betts years !!