Weitering, I agree with but SPS was shocking.

I thought the game was won and lost off the back of the clearance battle, which leads to the territory battle. We had more of the footy in our forward half in the third quarter and were able to build pressure and set up a defensive structure that made it difficult for Port to move the ball.
Through large parts of the game we were unable to gain any territory. Our defence held up well, but we were left with a difficult situation of kicking long down the line because of Port’s zone or needing to play quick and find holes in the zone. A lot of times when we went quick we got the ball forward, but then lost it and Port were able to spread and come back the other way. That happens when you play quickly and don’t have time to set up a defensive structure behind the ball.
We either need to get better at our fast paced transition and capitalise from it more often, or we need to adjust that tempo a bit and get a better structure behind the ball to avoid being hurt on turnover.

I’ve read a lot about lack of effort, defensive mindset, being out coached etc, but I didn’t see it that way. We simply failed to gain control of the contest for long enough. For me that lands with a young midfield and clear loss in the ruck battle.

I'm reading this thread from page 5 to 1.

I mentioned a while ago you have changed and definitely not a glass half full supporter.

To use a line you used in reply to Okhams reasonable post...." what game were you watching?"

Tell us all what SPS did wrong, and where you think he was playing and what role.

He showed class and poise. He didn't get 30 possessions but he was playing as a defensive mid as opposed to an accumulator. Doesn't waste much.

Maybe you should compare players for number of successful connect with their disposals.

Last year and the year before are the past. Gonski. Just as 1995 and 1968 have.

In case you didn't notice umpires did not pay the same to Carlton for incorrect disposal or head high slaps as they did for Port and Richmond for that matter. Makes a difference. Refer to Dogs game in the last quarter when they had the rub of the ump.

Umpires aside. I see a better game plan and improvement in 2019 compared to 2018 and 17.

We came out of the blocks and held the lead till we lost our best running forward with a knee. We didn't adjust and took a while to do so. When we settled we fought back and took the lead. We missed some obvious options to score goals in the last which we expected, but it wasn't the kids that turned over the ball.

Last week at 3/4 time most people thought Carlton were going to run over Tigers, same against Port. We didn't, but we put ourselves in a position to do so. We can fix that and I bet we do and get a few wins from that fix.

Obvious some players need to show more than they did, or be replace by Silvagni Kennedy OBrien.
Those individuals are the reason we failed in the end. Lucky for Fasolo that ball fell in his arms in the last otherwise he would have nothing to show other than an assist in a lucky goal in the 1st. Murphy had a dog of a game, and I haven't been a fan of his for a couple years now, Polson should do more but showed something albeit not enough... and so on.

It's not a coaching thing that failed us imo.

I'm not accepting failure but I can see signs we will hit a winning streak at some stage this season, maybe when Kreuzer Marchbank Silvagni and Curnow are all playing with the best we had on Saturday.

All I can say is that it is a new year and the signs are good...there's something there.
We know we need to lift for 4 quarters, and I know the players know that too.

I don't think they only played 4/8 quarters his year. I think we didn't put pressure on for 2 x 10 minute periods per game. We can bridge that or do you think that's impossible too?

I thought the game was won and lost off the back of the clearance battle, which leads to the territory battle. We had more of the footy in our forward half in the third quarter and were able to build pressure and set up a defensive structure that made it difficult for Port to move the ball.
Through large parts of the game we were unable to gain any territory. Our defence held up well, but we were left with a difficult situation of kicking long down the line because of Port’s zone or needing to play quick and find holes in the zone. A lot of times when we went quick we got the ball forward, but then lost it and Port were able to spread and come back the other way. That happens when you play quickly and don’t have time to set up a defensive structure behind the ball.
We either need to get better at our fast paced transition and capitalise from it more often, or we need to adjust that tempo a bit and get a better structure behind the ball to avoid being hurt on turnover.

I’ve read a lot about lack of effort, defensive mindset, being out coached etc, but I didn’t see it that way. We simply failed to gain control of the contest for long enough. For me that lands with a young midfield and clear loss in the ruck battle.

Correct. Looking past some of the hysterical rubbish being written, Port scored 6.4 from stoppages and we kicked 2.2.That's the ball game.
23 of Ports stoppage wins came from a 29yo Rockliff, a 30yo Boak, a 31yo Robbie Gray and Scott Lycett.
Compare that to us. Patrick Cripps, Walsh and Dow are the only players to win more than 2 stoppages. We're playing a midfield that is outsized and mostly in their second or 3rd year yet they're learning and improving constantly. It will pay us back in spades yet some posters cant comprehend the details outside of the win/loss column.

I'll start from the end and answer backwards.
If you can find the word 'impossible' with regard to improvement in any post I have made on this thread, I will have a case of Corona delivered to your door. Unlike you to make shit up.
We have played 4/8 quarters so far whether or not you agree. A quarter goes for 30 mins. if you play for twenty of them or ten or five, it makes no difference. Hawks only lapsed for 15 mins in their last quarter so I am sure Clarko is as happy with them as you are with us.
I posted SPS's errors in detail in another thread. if you look for them, you can find them. I don't deny he has poise and skill and if you look on his page you will find I acknowledge that. I added that the difference between his best and worst is too big. I also mentioned Cripps's errors in the same thread. If you search for little league, it should take you to them. Of course any criticism of Cripps will be seen as 100% negative. He is perfect in every way in the eyes of many.
As I wrote yesterday, all I want is for them to play four quarters of footy. How can that be asking too much? Too many people on here are hanging off every word BB says as though he is the messiah and not the coach of a footy team. I am not saying he is wrong, nor am I saying he should go but I am saying there are more and more posters on here who leap to the defence of the coach and players in the face of any strident criticism. He, himself says he wants more accountability from the players who have been there for a few years. Do you think he won't go through the game and ask SPS why he gave away a free in our FP when the ball was dead and ten seconds later PA had a coast to coast goal from that free? Of course he will. I do it here and all of a sudden it's unacceptable to criticise him.
We were two points down at 3/4 time and I posted on the game thread that we should go with them but a blowout would be unacceptable. They kicked the first goal and straight away, their heads dropped and they reverted to their panic game, which is to stop running and just kick the ball to a contest and hope it comes off.
I don't care if we lose games of football. It's going to happen. I do care that the players can't show us they will play the game out. That used to be important. Now those of us who ask for it get tag teamed here on PC by the 'true believers' for being too negative and subjective (which is a laugh because subjectivity is associated with opinion and no facts and applies equally to both discussions here). If Essendon*** wasn't so shit, the 'experts' would be all over us.
During the off season I mentioned a list of the teams I thought we could/should beat if we are to finish 12-14th, which was/is my expectation. It's over on talking AFL I think, Dogs, GCS, StK, NM. I added that I thought Hawks and Geelong would slide. Dogs have improved, GCS have improved, StK have improved, NM don't seem to have improved against the others and I think our improvement based on two weeks JLT and two rounds has not outstripped Dogs, StK and GCS. I hope I am wrong. Hawks look in trouble as I thought but Geelong isn't. Sydney isn't tracking so well but I don't think they were in my post.
Here's a question.
Who are we going to beat playing two (or even three) quarters a week if we are going to win 6-8 games, which seems to be a pretty common number doing the pages of TC?

I thought the game was won and lost off the back of the clearance battle, which leads to the territory battle. We had more of the footy in our forward half in the third quarter and were able to build pressure and set up a defensive structure that made it difficult for Port to move the ball.
Through large parts of the game we were unable to gain any territory. Our defence held up well, but we were left with a difficult situation of kicking long down the line because of Port’s zone or needing to play quick and find holes in the zone. A lot of times when we went quick we got the ball forward, but then lost it and Port were able to spread and come back the other way. That happens when you play quickly and don’t have time to set up a defensive structure behind the ball.
We either need to get better at our fast paced transition and capitalise from it more often, or we need to adjust that tempo a bit and get a better structure behind the ball to avoid being hurt on turnover.

I’ve read a lot about lack of effort, defensive mindset, being out coached etc, but I didn’t see it that way. We simply failed to gain control of the contest for long enough. For me that lands with a young midfield and clear loss in the ruck battle.

So all looking good for season 2025.

So all looking good for season 2025.