OK..slept on it and Sheeds thoughts.

[andrewb]

Three critical moments:

1. Winderlich had just gotten us back into the game in the last quarter with some great run out of half back when we looked shot. Then he was inexplicably benched before being put back into the game on the half forward line where he could exert no influence.

2. The two great tackles on our half forward line (one by Ryder, not sure who did the other) that went unrewarded by the umpires and resulted in Carlton goals. You have to reward that kind of play.

3. The run that Carlton had just before half time when Fev got into the game and kicked two or three on the trot. When he gets going, the rest of their team gets up.

[BenDoolan]

WEATHER:

Heard Campo on the radio yesterday talking. Do you realise that is our 13th game this year (he has missed most of them from a "2 week" injury at Xmas)? We have played all of them in hot dry or humid conditions. Interstaters....it was 28* and humid like Qld. yesterday here. Have we ran out the 4 quarters in the first 2 rounds? Yes. Did we have a 6 day break played in the heat against them being smashed on a 7 day break played in the cool of the night? Yep. Did it appear that we ran out of legs despite winning 3 out of the 4 quarters? Could that explain the centre clearance smashing? Who knows but it could be a factor.

True enough, but I would understand fatigue being a factor if we were overrun in the last quarter, not the third only. Our effort in the last quarter suggests there was plenty in the tank and had several chances of winning the match right up until the final siren. I have commended the way our players have played in hot conditions in the past 2 weeks against quality opposition...but they just plain stuffed things up yesterday.

TOP SIDES:

Top sides do not lose games from being 48 pts up at the 30 minute mark of the 2ndq. Ergo, are we a top side? No...not yet but we will be. The mark of a top side will be seen next week and our reaction to losing this week in that manner. IF we come out and play like we have for 2.75 games this year and we win, then yesterday is a lesson well learned and could set up the rest of the year. If we lose and lose badly then its time for the shrinks to come in.

Agree with this also, but Carlton are far from a top side also. Turmoil has rained over their club for 5 years yet they have laughed at us in that period. We are better than them yet it doesn't show on the scoreboard.

RUCKS/MIDFIELD

Backline...tick.....Forward line...tick except for accuracy. Rucks. Hille looks slow and 5kg too heavy. Chook too tentative. Ryder however in the last 15 minutes yum but where were the guys at the fall of the ball? Where the midfield after halftime? Pagan drags Stevens out and stupid Sheedy takes out a winning Peverill with him. Outcoached by Pagan...... again. Remember Kevin your contract timebomb is ticking.

True too. Our players have pace but there is slow thinking coming from the coaches box. We were tactically beaten yesterday. There should have been moves to block Fev's space and a re-shuffle of some match ups.

WELSH/NATRAT

These guys were part of the new game plan to hold the ball in the fwd line by applying defensive pressure in the fwd line. We lose both of them at the same time for weeks.....typical.

Still should have won this game without them...

UMPIRES

It was uniformly bad but how can they pay holding the ball for everything in R1 and after that zip?

While there were some obvious decisions that should have gone our way inthe last quarter, we did benefit from them most of the day. I think we had 10 more frees overall, and scored a number of goals from them. In fact, the only goal we kicked in the 3rd Q was from a free kick. It aint their fault we blew our lead.

Thats all you can really say at this stage. The manner in which the Club handles this disgraceful loss will be seen by its actions next week. I am holding fire until then but my M16 is locked and loaded.

Sheedy angered by snoozing BombersSheedy also said young Bombers like Leroy Jetta and Alwyn Davey did not play to the umpire's whistle and needed to learn to do so quickly.

"We don't actually umpire the game and we have to be on the ball and make sure that until the game is stopped then that is when you stopped - that cost us two or three times, that little bit of inexperience," he said.

Actually heard this on the radio on the way home. I found it a little odd. Is he saying that Davey and Jetta stopped when they tackled an opponent thinking that the free would be paid and allowed the ball to be driven down the ground when the free wasn't paid? Surely it aint up to the tackler to then retrieve the loose ball after the tackle....what about the players in the vicinity? They must have stopped as well.....

"And that really put a lot of pressure on, with Fevola (getting) the ball in an open forward line . . . ."

Well, he said it....Fev had an open forward line. There was an opportunity to block that space but he didn't employ that. I admire his ambition to have this team playing a fast, exciting brand of football (and it should be applauded), but there may be a time when you HAVE to revert to a bit of negative tactics to stop a run on, regain the ascendancy and go on the attack again. I'm sure if he had his time again, he'd employ different tactics....

Anyway, I've had my sleep.....I've got a sore throat....I've got a sore head......and it still hurts.

[tonysoprano]

I'm not sure I agree that we played the better football most of the day. I reckon after 1qtr time we were outplayed - despite 5 goals in the 2nd and winning the last qtr - I thought Carlton looked much the better side.

Sheeds says we had more scoring shots - but most of that was due to our 1st qtr (16 shots to 3). After that Carlton had 32 shots to our 21.

There will always be ebbs and flows in all sports - so no surprise that Carlton appeared to lift - but when you have an 8 goal lead nearing half time - there is no excuse for losing from that position.

I heard a stat once (from a couple of seasons ago so may not still be accurate) but the team that leads by 24 pts at ANY point in the match goes on to win %85 of the time. We had a lead double that - so just guessing we would have been at least 20 to 1 on to get home from there - essentially we lost the unlosable. Very very disappointing.

[Windy_Hill]

I'm not sure I agree that we played the better football most of the day. I reckon after 1qtr time we were outplayed - despite 5 goals in the 2nd and winning the last qtr - I thought Carlton looked much the better side.

Sheeds says we had more scoring shots - but most of that was due to our 1st qtr (16 shots to 3). After that Carlton had 32 shots to our 21.

There will always be ebbs and flows in all sports - so no surprise that Carlton appeared to lift - but when you have an 8 goal lead nearing half time - there is no excuse for losing from that position.

I heard a stat once (from a couple of seasons ago so may not still be accurate) but the team that leads by 24 pts at ANY point in the match goes on to win %85 of the time. We had a lead double that - so just guessing we would have been at least 20 to 1 on to get home from there - essentially we lost the unlosable. Very very disappointing.

LIstening to the game, I agree fully that we were on top for 1 quarter and couldnt put them away. Should have lead by 10 goals at Qtr Time!!.

Although we had a burst of goals in the 2nd Qtr, it was quite clear the momentum had swung.

Third Qtr killed us off effectively and winning would have been us stealing the game other than CArlton stealing the game.

[pevfan]

Was unfortunate enough to have been there yesterday. At Quarter time I commented to the bloke sitting next to me "Gee, I hope they haven't spent all their pennies in this heat"

And when the score line at the first break was 7 goals "9" for crying out loud, I was reminded of the Roos v. Crows Grand Final when the Roos ran all over them in the first half but failed to bury them by poor kicking for goal...Same thing yesterday. My deep down fears at quarter time were sadly, proven correct. So, in summary, yes, I think the heat did have a very big bearing on the game.

[Boyler_Room]

A number of factors ....

Poor goal kicking is the main point though. We kicked straight, we would have been up by 8 or 9 or 10 goals come quarter time and Carlton are out of the game.

We took the pressure off and sat idly while we allowed Carlton to clear the ball and maintain possession. We failed to capitalise when we managed to go forward on the rare occasion after half time.

Our midfield got caught with the ball too often and decision making went out the window. Instead of our players running down the opposition, it was the other way around.

Fevola. He kicked 8.2. Lloyd and Lucas combined kicked 8.8. Had that been more like 12.4, even though Fevola kicked 8, it wouldn't have been enough. He kicked much straighter than our forwards (which is the same as point 1).

I'm not sure I'm ready to point the finger squarely at Sheedy for yesterday, but I'm certainly annoyed that our forward line went missing for about 45 minutes or more. I recall a period where I didn't hear the names Lloyd or Lucas mentioned once. Then Lloyd managed to get a free that apparently wasn't and slot a much needed goal. We just couldn't penetrate the half forward line. Carlton don't have a great backline, so what the hell happened?

[2QIK4U]

I just wonder how much complacency played a part in the result. Going into the season, not many would have predicted that we would be 2-0 after beating 2 top 4 teams from 2006.

Mentally I think we went into the game thinking this is Carlton and we should beat them easily. I just hope to hell that they learn from this experience not to underestimate anyone this season.

[bowzer]

i dont think sheedy should be taking it out on his players with the way he caoched. not plugging the hole infront of fevola iwth an extra man after goal 6 at the LEAST was just stupid. allowing our ball winner and link man peverill to be dragged away to the half back flank by stevens was a major loss in my eyes.

now i'm a sheedy fan but today just reminded me how one dimensional he can be sometimes.

[BenDoolan]

I'm not sure I'm ready to point the finger squarely at Sheedy for yesterday, but I'm certainly annoyed that our forward line went missing for about 45 minutes or more. I recall a period where I didn't hear the names Lloyd or Lucas mentioned once. Then Lloyd managed to get a free that apparently wasn't and slot a much needed goal. We just couldn't penetrate the half forward line. Carlton don't have a great backline, so what the hell happened?

Haven't you answered your own question? We couldn't penetrate the half foward line AT ALL. So why would you hear their names? Carlton's backmen didn't have to do a thing but watch all the action up the other end....

[Windy_Hill]

I just wonder how much complacency played a part in the result. Going into the season, not many would have predicted that we would be 2-0 after beating 2 top 4 teams from 2006.

Mentally I think we went into the game thinking this is Carlton and we should beat them easily. I just hope to hell that they learn from this experience not to underestimate anyone this season.

Complacency made even worse by the explosive start we had.

The foot went off the pedal after 1/4 time.

A 5% drop in intensity is all it takes

[DC]

Pev aint a defender.

we have some good small/midsized defenders that could have easily matched up on stevo, rather than Pev who was doing great in the midfield.

McVeigh, Slattery, or even McPhee or MJ. But not Pev.

If Sheeds wanted Pev still to tag he should have put him on Murphy.

Easy missed goals cost us dearly. Winders missed 2 open goals, Pev 3, Lucas 2, Lloyd 1, Lovett 1 etc...the list goes on. These were easy goals to kick as well. Even if just 50% of these goals were converted we would have won, that is how crap Carlton are.

Even though we got MAULED in the middle and played horrible footyin the second half, we still just lost.

Pull this stunt against the Saints we lose by 50+.