Hm I don't know, perhaps there is a little added anxiety over this week's match after we didn't win our 5th in a row to 2nd on the ladder last week? Feels like the groundwork is being laid out so if we lose we can blame the coach's selections.
Maybe this is a bit simplistic, but sometimes I think in a game with about 750 possessions between 2 teams, a 5 possession difference between a Newman and a Lloyd, or an additional stuff up by 'replacement maniac' Gordon compared to a Morris' stuff up, is hardly going to significantly influence the result of the match. The same as how 2-3 bad umpiring calls doesn't significantly influence a result determined by 750 possessions.
I mean, we could pick anyone from 20-30 on our list and they'll provide the same basic performance. None of them are currently influential enough to absolutely demand their spot, for whatever reason. Yet whenever we come off a loss, people sound like they're sharpening the knives in advance over seemingly minor selection decisions. Are these decisions much greater than I realise? Because the difference between player 25 and 26 seems negligible to me, so I thought they decided based upon more intangible team factors.