Lost at selection?

[David]

Goldsack was brilliant. Aish was brilliant. Howe was very good. Would have been much worse if any of those hadn’t played.

[pietillidie]

Time, and perhaps the reserves being bundled out, were the real enemies. The sensible decision was made; Moore and Reid needed game time, but it wasn't to be. The decisions on Goldy and Treloar show the club was hardly being conservative.

The refusal to make panicked decisions is something we have always envied in other clubs, and it bodes well for the future.

[cressyg]

Bucks said earlier this week that despite Darcy training well over the past 1-2 weeks he had not declared himself fit. Darcy ruled himself out on Thursday, hence why he wasn't listed as an emergency.

The game was not lost because of our backline. Our midfield collectively was poor once again against WCE.

[stoliboy]

The boys that got us to the GF deserved to play.

[Albert Parker]

I don't believe Darcy ruled himself out. Bucks said the medics wouldn't clear him. I believe that Darcy finally said he was good to go before the Prelim.

Our mids didn't even as many contests as we'd have hoped, but, when it comes down to less than a goal and we get out marked 104-79, there is no doubt this was a selection error.

On what basis can Aish's 7 possession game be classed as brilliant? He tried hard, his opponent probably didn't have much influence, but a weaker defender probably wouldn't have conceded much either (say Greenwood). Aish provided little run by contrast and their talls got us all around the ground.

Still, we all have to move on.

[HAL]

Still how long? Why?

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

I agree with AP and I said this a couple of weeks ago, we had to play either Moore or Reid, to get them up for this game, but I guess we ran out of time by maybe a week. Goldsack was always going to battle bravely against Kennedy but I never thought Goldsack would have his measure. WCE had too much aerial supremacy and it told the story in the end. We were lucky that Darling was carrying baggage from 2015 or there would have been more damage. The other weakness we had was Greenwood who unfortunately is running out of leg speed to keep up. Goldsack and Greenwood are the two we think about next year. Murphy will come into the half back line next year and Callum Brown will add to our midfield. It is essential we re-sign Moore and recruit Will Kelly and put McLarty through a rugged preseason. That will improve our stock of talls. Our forward line looks pretty good. Mihocek and Cox are set. Elliot returns and play Josh Daicos as a permanent forward. Bring Stephenson up to the wing. Play Mayne in the back half next year.

[rambler]

All week the talk was about McGoverns ribs. Very dissapointed that not one of our guys tested him out with a strong tackle or bump. Its the last game of the year, its do or die. For f sake make him earn it. Why do we have to be so nice and fair.

[Pies4shaw]

The defence was fine. It held up quite brilliantly under relentless pressure. The problem was our overpriced, over-rated midfield, key members of which apparently decided that today’s game was optional. I’m shattered. My favourite player spudded up the place on the day he should have been a Norm Smith Medallist.

I want Heater back. Now.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

[Mr Miyagi]

[Magpietothemax]

Did not lose this at selection. Who could have truly predicted that changes were necessary after last week's magnificent performance? However, It seemed to me that the preparation and strategic thinking for this game were not of the same quality as against Richmond. We seemed to persist too long with positioning that wasn't working for us, and it looked like we did not use the flexibility and variablity at hand to change things up. Also, and most importantly, our delivery was not A class tonight, which meant that WC was able to get the ball without pressure on too many occasions and then go into their preferred mark to mark kicking game style.
I think this was actually the most important factor: not who we selected (whether Moore, Reid etc) but rather that our delivery was not at the razor sharp level it needed to be to minimize WC intercept marking.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

They out marked us. Simple as that. That’s how they got the ball off us. I looked up at the board during 3/4 time and our %D/E was running about 74%. That’s good in anyone’s language. Our delivery was ok. WCE were outrunning us. That was bad. Greenwood was failing to keep up and Pendles struggled a bit. Adams, Treloar and Sier were fine. Thomas maybe struggled as well because he’s not quick. More pace through the midfield would have helped us but it was their height that killed us.

[The Boy Who Cried Wolf]

Yeah nah, it was a no brainier to take in another tall - I would have played Moore - leaving our line up 'unchanged' was romantic folly 100%

[barrackers]

It's a pity our VFL side got knocked out in week 1 of the finals otherwise Moore/Reid could have mounted a better case. That said initially I was in the no change camp, but as the week went progressed the more I thought we should have rolled the dice on Moore or Reid in defence. Plenty of other things that could have also changed the outcome though.