Post Match. Pies pipped in Prelim. All comments please.

[Magpietothemax]

...
Oh boy! I have supported the New England Patriots in the NFL for 30 years now. Since 2001 we have played in a Super Bowl on average every second year (under Tom Brady). We have in that time won 6 and lost 3 more that we should have won. The Patriots have won 3 of the last 4 Super Bowls in a strict salary cap league with a similar draft to the AFL. Such excellence should not happen. But it does, as the Patriots are at very short odds to win the whole shibbang again this year and Tom Brady is 42!

The difference is they have the best coach alive (Bill Bellichick) who takes no nonsense. They have the best system that doesn't rely on stars. Most of all their fans expect them to succeed every year. Being mediocre isn't an option. The Patriot way is to win whatever the cost. That's why they are hated by all other supporters. ...

We should probably continue this discussion in the NFL thread, but some of the Patriots' past actions have pushed the line or descended into outright cheating (e.g. spying, ball tampering). There are also endless arguments about whether Belichick made Brady or Brady made Belichick.

Thanks K. I know nothing about NFL, but your comment sheds alot of light on the duplicity of Shawhting's comparison.

[bokka]

OMFG just looking at the replay, GWS kicked out on the full inside forware 50 a fraction of a second before siren sounded!!
Why no free kick after the siren??? A long shot I know but so was the goal that sunk us in last year's GF.

[think positive]

We know it’s been discussed already, I can 5 more sliding doors if you like. We let the umpires in, that’s what lost the game

[1eyedpie]

Don't forget we still have Coxy. Played with a detached retina (aside from the more recent one) for most of the year.

I didn't know this. Please give further info, PP.

He was interviewed on SEN today and explained that when his retinas were examined, the eye specialist found an old retinal tear as well as the one he sustained most recently. He nutted it out with the physios and they identified a game really early in the season where this could have happened. Sorry MTTM, but can't remember exactly which game it was - it was really early on though.

The good news is that although he is still restricted at the moment in regards to physical exertion, he shouldn't miss much of the pre-season, if at all.

Who would've thought eh? There were plenty of detractors slamming his poor form, but the poor bugar probably couldn't even see the ball properly!!!.

It happened in last year's grand final.

[Peponi]

We weren’t good enough. Great fightback but had we won we would have gone into the GF spent having already played our GF.

Compare 2010 with this team. There’s your answer.

Going into a GF having not scored a goal in 63 minutes of a game says everything. Richmond would have mauled us. Many will say GWS doesn’t stand a chance. I think they’ll beat Richmond. They have some serious talent. And when that talent gels it is extremely damaging.

Don’t fool yourself about the comeback yesterday. GWS thought it had it won when Cameron put them up by 32 in the last. They took the foot off the pedal.

You want to go into a GF having won one quarter convincingly in a Prelim?

The only teams in the 8 that would be able to beat the in form Tigers in a GF is Wet Toast or Great Waste of Space.

[BazBoy]

[What'sinaname]

We know it’s been discussed already, I can 5 more sliding doors if you like. We let the umpires in, that’s what lost the game

Nah, when the game was on the line, in the premiership quarter, we had about 15 players go missing. That's what lost the game.

If we didn't shit the bed in that quarter, we never fall behind by 32 points.

If you've kicked 3 goals for the game, you can't be down by 32 points and expect to win.

GWS were also desperate to win. They touched, what, three shots at goal off the boot. That shows they wanted it more....like we did the game before against Geelong with the two smothers by Jamie and Howe.

Full respect to GWS....they didn't play dirty, but played tough.

[BazBoy]

[The-Den]

Simply not good enough unfortunately. I don’t think it was necessarily a lack of hunger and not wanting it more than them. They were just so much cleaner around the contest when the rain was coming down. Something really needs to be done at stoppages though. When we have an AA ruckman who wins 73 hit outs and we get flogged in the clearances like we did it’s going to make any game damn hard to win. What needs to be done in that area to get better?

[WarrenerraW]

Yet another heartbreaking and shattering loss that so easy could've been a win which we would've stolen, in the end.

You can blame the umpires all you like because they did make some questionable decisions, but look no further than the team itself. You're never going to win games of football when you're:

- outplayed

- outbodied

- outmuscled

- outnumbered around the ball

- have a poorly functioning forward line that can't maintain possession

- rubbish delivery going forward

- second to the contest

- not working hard enough for long enough

- too many of our leaders went missing and we didn't decide to play football until a quarter of the way into the fourth when the franchise took the foot off the pedal

- we were pressured at every contest.

What this loss demonstrates is that we lack a tough hard running mid capable of busting packs and sending the ball forward and another strong forward target like lynch or cameron who 9 times out of 10 will mark and goal.

Back to the drawing board and time to be aggressive during trade week. We're still in the window and capable of winning a premiership but we need to make the right changes and improve our personnel.

This was a victory for the afl. They need their expansion teams performing well and playing off in finals or a regular basis. They have so much talent on their list it's disgusting. Look at who they have still to return: greene fingers, whitfield, coniglio, delidio. I'm sure there's more.

[BEAMER09]

Yet another heartbreaking and shattering loss that so easy could've been a win which we would've stolen, in the end.

You can blame the umpires all you like because they did make some questionable decisions, but look no further than the team itself. You're never going to win games of football when you're:

- outplayed

- outbodied

- outmuscled

- outnumbered around the ball

- have a poorly functioning forward line that can't maintain possession

- rubbish delivery going forward

- second to the contest

- not working hard enough for long enough

- too many of our leaders went missing and we didn't decide to play football until a quarter of the way into the fourth when the franchise took the foot off the pedal

- we were pressured at every contest.

What this loss demonstrates is that we lack a tough hard running mid capable of busting packs and sending the ball forward and another strong forward target like lynch or cameron who 9 times out of 10 will mark and goal.

Back to the drawing board and time to be aggressive during trade week. We're still in the window and capable of winning a premiership but we need to make the right changes and improve our personnel.

This was a victory for the afl. They need their expansion teams performing well and playing off in finals or a regular basis. They have so much talent on their list it's disgusting. Look at who they have still to return: greene fingers, whitfield, coniglio, delidio. I'm sure there's more.

Don't forget Plan B...they have to shoulder some of the blame, including selection

[daics aka the ruckman]

We just aren't quite good enough and are lacking up forward.

I Agree. Our midfield have lots of talent but didn't play their best. The defence are very good.
Injuries meant we couldn't bring a better forward line. Although Reid did kick one of our seven goals he was an injury replacement.
Mihochek does well as the second mobile forward when Cox is there.

And we came up against a talented team with mature bodies playing their third preliminary final in four years. We lost to a good team who played the conditions better.

Overall a happy season. We finished top four and I am proud of that.

I do think GWS are a good chance against the tigers.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Sack Buckley

[3rd degree]

Our 3rd Quarter was terrible and we were poor in the wet. Our handling skills really poor. A good fight back. Jamie Elliot, Moore , Grundy and Maynard cracked in . Our forward set up off pushing up the ground is just stupid and ruins our entries.

[Haff]

So many supporters accepting mediocrity! “I’m so proud”. Of what? Two golden opportunities to win flags gone?
Pretty sure the aim is to win flags not lose prelims (or grand finals) especially when it’s there for the taking.
Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water but phark me dead we need to make some bold moves to improve our forward line!