YARTAPUULTI midfield coach Josh Carr says the outcome of Sunday’s incredible win over Hawthorn has not overshadowed some of the side’s shortcomings identified in the team review.
After being jumped by the Hawks in the first half, the Power worked hard to peg back a 41-point deficit late in the third quarter before Darcy Byrne-Jones’ last second soccer goal heroics saw his side pinch an unlikely victory.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Carr said the coaches had a consistent approach to reviewing games regardless of result, and despite the disappointing first half, there were positive signs around the way the team worked its way back into the contest.
He also discussed what could have been behind the slow start, the performances of two young midfield guns, and whether captain Connor Rozee will make the trip to Hobart this week to face North Melbourne after missing two games with a hamstring injury.
Josh Carr on how the game against Hawthorn was reviewed:
“We review with a consistent approach about getting better, and what areas we can be better. We didn't start the game that well, especially around the contest and the stoppage so (we’ll) definitely have a look at that first quarter and see a bit of what we didn't get right. But, obviously to persist and keep at it through the whole game and second half just to slightly peg them back - and, look, they came out and played a pretty good game, and were obviously unlucky in the end - but, I guess from the other side, I thought we just worked really hard to get ourselves back in the game and give ourselves a chance to be in the game.
“We will touch on the contest and how we can be better in that area. There's wins and losses, there's always areas that you can improve and get better, and I'd like to think we're pretty consistent week to week with what that looks like.”
Josh Carr on the side’s slow start against the Hawks:
“I thought we prepared well off a bit of a longer break. The game that we played against Geelong was pretty taxing and did that have an influence? Maybe. But you're not going to start every game well, there are going to be games where individually players aren’t feeling great when they start the game, but you know, maybe in the end, the nine-day break probably helped us to sort of come home in the end.”
Josh Carr on stand-in captain Zak Butters’ 17-disposal last quarter:
“He's obviously a special player. And he's competitive. Everyone likes to win, but he's got a bit more of that in him. His leadership to stand up when it counted was obviously fantastic. He produced one of his better performance in that last quarter but you know, I think he wasn't on his own when you look through the rest of the group. The energy in amongst the group in that last quarter was, you know 22 players brought the energy for the whole quarter.”
Josh Carr on Jason Horne-Francis’s performance and the way he has matured heading into his 50th game:
“He was just consistent from start to finish in his game and, you know, a great mix of inside and outside footy. And I think just him he's getting a better understanding of what his game looks like.
“I'm pretty happy with the product that we've got to have him playing for our football club. We're lucky as a club. I'm pretty happy with what he gets (disposal-wise). If he gets 30, obviously that's great, but the thing it comes down to is the quality of the ball that he's gotten that he's using. 25 touches in Jason's hands is pretty special.
“He's come a long way in his maturity and how he approaches these games. And he's still learning.”
Josh Carr on Dante Visentini retaining the ruck role at the weekend, and whether Jordon Sweet could come into the side in his place this week:
“Vis’s performance the week before warranted his selection. Again, are there some learnings for Vis to come out of the game versus a bigger opponent last week, definitely, he'll get better. And that will make us better as a footy club.
“Selection is open. And the great thing about the three rucks, they all bring something a little bit different. And I really do feel like it's a team within the team and all three are really important to us right through the year.”
Josh Carr on whether Connor Rozee is available for selection this week:
“All things going well I’d say he’s a lock. He has to get through the week. But he was right from his point of views last week so I would have thought he will line up this week.
“He wanted to play (Hawthorn). He thought he was ready to play but in the end, as I've stated in the media before is that we learned from some mistakes that we made and we gave him an extra week and he's ready.”
