Stefchook wrote:
I hope that if we start next year well that the coach keeps reminding the players about how this year ended and to just keep banking the wins. I know you can't always be at maximum intensity, but hard not to believe that the players got a little ahead of themselves when things were going well. Just imagine if we'd played like we did against Melbourne and Collingwood against other teams like Adelaide and St Kilda and Gold Coast.
Having most of the players fit and firing, would have, and will, put pressure on spots in the team.
I think complacency started midway in the season, not Gold Coast in round 4. IIRC, there was a flu like virus that went through the club against GCS, we lost Cripps in the 1st Qtr, whilst we also had an inexperienced ruck TDK take Pitto's role for first time as No 1 Kahuna vs Witts, who was out, along with Oscar, Gov, Marchy, Hewett was under a cloud, and Vossy was still working out the wings...with LOB dropped after the GCS game, along with Plow, Fogarty and Boyd.
It was the Adelaide game we failed to fire a shot, and the first quarter of the Saints and Tigers games for mine which were the disappointments, when the wheels started to loosen before falling off. Other games we coulda, shoulda...Pies twice,
If we can get stronger and fitter, and handle niggles better, and find the addition of an Acres or Sholl improve the wing-field group, from pressure on spots or class, we might see the performance of Fisher, Cottrell, LOB, Setterfield, maybe Carroll, or Philp on the wing develop with it...to the point we have a plethora of wing men. The latter group are still young.
FWIW, my best 23 next year has Cerra and Docherty on the wings, but that's if every player is fit and available for selection.
I don't think we are as far off from Top 4, let alone Finals, as some some shell shocked Carlton fans are.
Hey, I'm still flat following those 2 losses, especially the last one, but believe TDK will have his breakthrough year next year.