Obviously we lost by 9 goals, but we won the hardball gets, we won the tackles, the inside-50s were the same and I thought we dominated stoppage, we won goals from stoppage. I think, unfortunately, we kicked 4.9 from there, but there were a lot of positives out of the game. I was pretty impressed by some of the new players who came in. I thought they played good bits of roles but didn't really dominate. Our forwards probably weren't involved in the game enough, so they let us down a little bit.
I thought the dropped marks hurt us – I think there were four or five inside-50 when they were by themselves. So the conditions, the slipperiness, sweat rolling down their hands, I don’t think we handled that as well as we might. Our turnover kicks, particularly in the first half, were pretty poor.
At half-time it was a real challenge for the players. I thought the second half of the game we really fought it out well. I think we had more shots (on goal) than they did. I think the last 20 seconds of the third quarter they kicked two goals and they kicked one in the first second of the third quarter. Those three things really damaged us, so the concentration right to the end (was not there). It was disappointing to lose, but the method of how we played and the competitiveness we showed was good for our club.
You didn’t use the cool rooms at all tonight. Was there any reason for that?
We didn’t think it was that hot.
So when you are winning that much of the footy, and you’re only kicking 11 goals, is it a forward line issue?
Certainly, early in the game we kicked the ball too short, we turned over the ball just short of 50. So then we quickly tried to revert to kicking long and we kicked it to the extra players all the time and our forward line pressure was not as good as it should have been. But I think our efficiency inside 50, prior to this game, we were second to Hawthorn, so we’ve been pretty good on that, but we have struggled to get the ball inside 50. But the last couple of weeks we seem to have picked up in that area. With the players we had out, to challenge those we had in the side it was a pretty nice result.
What do you make of those players you brought into the side?
White: I thought he played pretty well. That was the first time he's played a senior game in the back lines, so that was good for him and it was good for us.
Lonie: He had five shots on goal and probably kicked 1.3. His kicks were too many turnovers but apart from that it was nice to see him getting hold of the ball and having opportunities to shoot on goal. He's been waiting for a game for a fair time. he did everything he could have done except finish off his kicking at the end.
Deluca: I like Fabian (his game). I thought he did pretty well. He only played 54 per cent of the time. He went forward and caught the ball and missed the goal. He hasn't played for a while. He has been sitting there waiting being second fiddle to the other guys. To actually get an opportunity to play knowing he is going to play next time we play it was nice for him. I thought he jumped really well in the centre square, he was very competitive and he'll only improve from where he is today.
Bentley: He was bits and pieces. He is a very competitive person, so he was okay without being outstanding.
Thomson: He's always been a very good clearance player. I probably have to watch to see exactly how he matched up and his delivery inside 50, but it seemed to be okay.
What happened in that 15 minute period in the second quarter. Seems to be a phase you’ve gone through all year where teams get a run on and you can’t stop them.
We are actually playing the top side, almost, and they are brilliant user of the ball side and there is going to be windows of opportunity where they just off they go. If you go back to the Sydney in Sydney game, I think they (Bulldogs) kicked seven goals against Sydney who are a great shutdown side in one quarter.
You like to think you're in it and competitive but you know if you are not switched on the whole time (you will get punished). There’s probably other times, early in the game we were having a lot of the ball and lot of opportunity, but as I said, poor decisions with our kicks and dropped marks inside 50 probably cost us a bit. So, we might have had that 15 minutes as well without getting a result.
What do you think you’ve learned from the game?
Again, some of the players who got a chance, get another chance, so that's an important point. I am not exactly sure who will be back in a couple of week’s time and who won't, so it’s a little harder to guarantee spots. For instance if Peter Burgoyne is ready I am sure he is going to get a game, that will be a fact. We have to wait and see on that.
We also learn we can be competitive. We basically changed at half-time…we played more defensively in the second half, we tried to play pretty man on man. Different teams have done different things against them (Bulldogs), but Collingwood probably played that way against them last week and a few teams going forward will look at Bulldogs and play that way all the time.
So time down the track if you reflect on this game, what do you think it’s done for your decision making at the end of the year?
It has progressed it to some degree. It has not wiped anyone out. It has given some more opportunity, but it hasn’t gone from no to yes or from yes to no. It is another step in that direction and certainly one that we are very dedicated to progressing on.
What did you make of Westhoff?
That is interesting question. I sat next to him (after the game in the rooms). He has probably been getting 14 or 15 possessions and kicking 1.3 and this week he has five possessions and kicks two goals. What's more effective? I'd probably take five possessions and two goals and we will see him progress from there. I think his confidence in shooting at goal was what we were most concerned about. I haven't got it off hand, but I would think the Bulldogs goal kickers were Akermanis and Johnson, small guys. I'm not sure if any of their tall guys kicked any goals, but if they did there were not too many, so it might not have been a good day for tall forwards. But, he was okay.
He was really important in our selection because last week we probably left Warren on the ground the whole time and that's the best thing to do to an older player who has spent a whole year or two trying to get back from a knee injury. So it was important for our rotations to have some tall targets, particularly when you are playing the Western Bulldogs where you’re feeling like tall targets is the way to go.
You’ve won contested ball, clearances, hard ball gets etc and you don’t get a result. What does that say?
I'm not sure. I'm sure someone will analyse it better than me. You don't want to win those things every week without getting a result, but you certainly take the contested football as a big tick and one that we put a lot of emphasis on. I think if you look at the contested football prior to this game, Western Bulldogs were number two and we beat them, so that says something about our attitude tonight, which is terrific.
Another thing I want to highlight is Kane Cornes had a baby son yesterday and for him to come up here this morning without much sleep and to get 41 possessions playing on Cooney is a pretty great effort. Congratulations to him and I’m sure Lucy will be in hospital watching, so well done Lucy. Raphael, what a great name!
Brendon Lade and Michael Wilson, what do they have to do in the next couple of weeks to get back into the team?
It’s difficult for Ladey, because South have a bye. It’s a strange set up in Adelaide, but you drop someone and they can’t play, but we’ve got a bye next week, and he will be playing next week. For him it is to freshen up. He has been All-Australian for two years in a row and it has not worked as well for him this year. Dean Brogan certainly has stepped up for us and taken over more of his game time. I think he has had shots on goal and has missed which Brendon is one of our better shots on goal. As the pressure builds on those situations, it doesn't matter who you are, you need a little down time to get back to enjoy the game without the mantle of having to run the show. He is very much a leader in the centre square, so hopefully he can get back to do that.
Michael Wilson, it’s a different opportunity for him. He probably missed nine months with his Achilles, pick a number, probably six months anyway. He was a vital player for us all this time last year right up to the preliminary final. We rushed him back trying to get a result for us and it probably wasn't the best thing for him. He was willing to do it as he always is – he is so selfless for our side. We want to make sure the next time he comes back he is in terrific form, he's had a few games and he is up and going. I have never seen Michael Wilson miss spoils and last week he missed three over the back and they soccer goals and we lose by three points and Michael was very down about those things, as he would. That is not him so we probably erred in putting him back so quickly. So just let him have some time to get back to what he can do.
What about Darwin as a venue, as it’s getting towards the end of the Bulldogs tenure up here unless they renegotiate another deal? Do you think the League should make it a priority to keep footy in Darwin?
I think we have four Territorians in our side and just the numbers that have come from the Territory into AFL is fantastic, both white boys and indigenous guys. We love coming up here. It’s fantastic. Obviously we didn’t get the result today. I think for the first time the timing is right with the week off after the game, it’s just brilliant. We look forward to playing up here anytime they put us up here.
What did you think of our streakers?
I honestly didn’t spend too much time on the streakers, but I’m sure in our review we will see if we can slow it down and see what’s going on. (laughing)
You don’t get them everywhere though, do you? It’s unique.
It’s fantastic, the things that are unique – warm weather and streakers.(again laughing)
Robbie Gray and David Rodan, how did you rate them?
I thought Robbie did some wonderful things. He dropped three marks when I have not seen him drop a mark before and then he stuck a couple of tough grab ones. He was full of promise and I think our supporters see something that is really there for the future. We look forward to him getting a little bit more game time and a little bit more training. We really look after him to make sure he gets through a week and then build up to a season.
David Rodan, well I’m not sure if anyone from Channel 10 is here, but I’m thinking (Before the Game’s) ‘Tool of the Week’ is a terrific title, and I’m sure he will get it for his snap shot on goal. A little funny for him and a little embarrassing, but I’m sure he will get over it. At the time of the game it probably counted for nothing. He did some great stuff tonight, he won some clearances and he brings what people want to see at the football, he carries the ball and he does some great things with it.
In the next eight weeks if you have a proven player that you know very well what he can do, and you’ve got a player who is borderline, which one do you pick so that at the end of the year you can make decisions.
We want to play our proven players to play well but at the same time there will be always be injuries or loss of form that will give opportunities to give the guys who need to display what they can do. It is imperative for us that we get a lot out of the last third of the year. It is really important going into the draft knowing what we need and what we don't need.
