Hard game to watch.
We did run out of steam, and yes this may be a fitness issue. But it could also be an issue of doing too much chasing. When you are not getting the ground ball, when they have the overlap runners and we don't, our players end up doing a lot of chasing for not much reward. I reckon there are some structure issues as well as fitness issues.
The centre clearances just dropped off in the latter parts of the third and all of the last quarter. This is a serious issue but the issue is we simply don't have the players to stop this. I looked in the centre in the last quarter and saw Balta in ruck, Aarts was there and can't remember the others. But there are serious questions to be raised there. We have 2 rucks, Balta needs to be forward or back, why did we need him in ruck when we have 2? Something wrong with that. I still think Soldo can come back but it might take time. Aarts in the middle, wow, desperate.
Cotch is looking close to done, last year surely. Shedda I have more faith he can go on, he doesn't look like the Shedda we know and love, but he has to lift to keep going beyond 2022. Jack out today but another who I think can be a lot better even at his current age, but I still think it will be his last year. Unfortunately I find it hard to see Lambert returning, a hip injury for a player who runs all day is likely too much of an issue. Prestia missing is huge. Dusty missing is huge. Aarts and Ross look to be not up to AFL standard, been given plenty of tries, time to try RCD - he performs or doesn't get another contract.
Clearly need to look at the selections. I can't see an overall strategy there, are we playing the older players on merit, why aren't we getting experience into the youngsters? We also need to be looking at the fitness staff, why play Graham in Round 1 and why play Grimes today? They need not have been selected. Again, something wrong, in our best years we did not pick players until they were well and truly over their injuries.
Some coaching issues too. The mids are clearly a problem. Forward line looks fine at times and woeful at other times. After the first quarter both teams had very high scoring percentage per inside 50, ours dived at the end and StKilda ended the game with very impressive inside 50 scoring percentage - more a result of unpressured centre clearances which are close to impossible to defend. The idea of 3 tall forwards has merit, but if they all congregate at the same spot, and the opposition are there at the fall of the ball if no-one marks it, then the forward line fails. Must get better separation, must be better at positioning for the fall of the ball.
All in all a lot to work on.
Umpiring - simply putrid, grossly inconsistent and clearly not good enough for a professional league.
DS