Pick Up The Recognisable Pieces

We pick up the bits and pieces that are recognisable and look to the Dogs. Time to Restump Podcast the life leveller the Lions landed on us, which wasn’t as horrific as the picture suggests.

Probably unpopular opinion but that performance wasn’t as, pun intended, catastrophic as the outrage infers. In context of the play, it's possible to be in the game but not on the scoreboard, and for much of the 80+ minutes we were. 

Quite simply you can't kick 8 points straight, not kick a goal until the 2nd term and, despite our recent efforts, expect to run teams down, especially of the Lion’s ilk.

We can rant and rave and question how did we not perform to a necessary level in what was largely a make-or-break game. But the Lions, the 2 two consecutive grand finalists and reigning premiers, were in the same season on the line boat.

Were we overawed early? Could we not adapt to the Lion’s well researched and executed strategy? Yes, to some degree on both accounts. But we overcame it and produced enough chances to be on par at quarter time. The shots on goal and the forward attacks we butchered were both of our own doing and the Lion’s pressure.

Albeit with some costly blemishes, our defensive unit again stood up under adversity to keep us within reach at quarter time. They dealt with a 47-to-16-mark deficit resulting in a 15 to 7 inside 50 count for the Lions. The game would've been over had it not been for the defensive crew.

We adjusted and equalised the game in the 2nd term. While we still went -20 marks, we’d settled and secured the corridor and cut off their supply to go in 8 points down at the half.

However, the Lions didn’t fluke the 2024 premiership. Their 16 finals, 4 preliminary finals and 2 grand finals weren’t luck. They’re an extremely tough and talented backs to the wall side and they were able to draw on that monstrous body of big game experience to rise to another level we simply don’t have in us as yet. 

It isn’t the standalone game to judge individuals on, but Luke Jackson was off and nowhere near his recent influential best. Alex Pearce had a mare, or rather too many marish moments, Freddy needs his radar realigned this week and Josh Treacy must learn to pull up and not play on after marking in a goal square. Is Andy Brayshaw carrying something significant injury-wise? His recent output hasn’t been at AB level. What about the Disco? Saturday continued a lean trend for him. And where are we all sitting on Jye Amiss? 5 touches last week, 3 on the weekend. He was handy prior to that though.

We’ve won 11 of our last 13, we’ve beaten some serious sides from behind on numerous occasions. It’s an exceptional string of performances, but did those games include the best there is? I’d suggest not and that means we’re a very good side, but we’re not yet in the top echelon. We’re making gigantic inroads, but we’re not invincible.

Our recent wins have predominantly been built on accurate kicking. 15 goals 4 against Carlton, 12 goals 5 against Hawthorn and 12 goals 7 against the Pies. Almost identical scoring shots against Brisbane, 5 goals 14, and we lose by 57 points.

Personally, it’s is somewhat of an understandable performance and one which doesn’t really say a great deal other than that we were put to the sword by a very good flag favoured side.

For that reason, it shouldn't impact our confidence levels going up against the Dogs, a high scoring side with defensive deficiencies.

Anyway, more discussion needed so, let’s pick it up on the pod. However, if you’re a candidate for misery needing company or if its purple pessimism you’re looking for, you couldn’t be further from the right place. We’re going to defend

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