Too negative??

[DragicevicFan]

I think we went over to this game with an overly negative attitude.

Some of Danny's comments during the week about having to make the game a grind seemed almost as though we were just trying to limit the damage and gave little thought to trying to kick a winning score

Any thoughts?

 

[julzqld]

Having Stafford and Hall not playing really hurt us although Vardy did a pretty good job. The crumbing forwards weren't there tonite. Some of those umpires decisions left a lot to be desired although I love the goal umpire who insisted that Tivendale touched the ball going thru West Coast's goal and he clearly didn't.

 

[Rosy]

Congrats to the goal umpire for sticking to his guns. If he wasn't sure he had to pay the lesser score anyway.
The game can't be ruled by umpires listening to the crowds and looking at the replays then trying to over rule.
Might as well bring in a third umpire if that's the case.

 

[Mikee]

I agree totally DF. I wrote a post suggesting the same thing. We played very negative, re-active football all night. Never first to the ball, like Frawley instucted our players to just play behing and tag, but you can't do that. Why not try and win the ball and create instead of trying to stop the opposition. That was the most dissappointing thing for me.

 

[Dean3]

That's just rubbish DF and Mikee. There's a difference between negative and reactive. With the personnel that we had out, what did you expect — a shoot out? Come on, get real - a grind is THE ONLY way we were ever going to win that game and the coaching staff were fully justified going in with that game plan. You can't go into a game with a half-half strategy of maybe we'll be a little bit attacking and a teensy bit this and another bit that. Go the whole hog in one direction, and looking at our side, the lock it down and grind it out option was the best option.

Sure we may have been reactive and generally played poorly (plus some puzzling selection decisions), that's a different issue. But don't criticise them for going in with a negating game plan. In a shoot out we could've easily been blown away by 70+points and really hurt whatever confidence has been built so far this season.

The important thing now is to bounce back against Sydney — let's hope we get a couple of key blokes back because we'll struggle if we field Coburg again.

This season has a distinct 2000 look about it. We need to get on top of the injury situation, and soon.