What a great time for my computer to have a malfunction and have no internet access, finally got back online this morning.
I'm still at a loss to understand how we pinched it but I'm bloody ecstatic we did, my heart specialist was on speed dial for those last 5-7mins.
Acres grubber goal from the square nearly hit the post, he should have run in closer so he didn't give me such a big scare.
Anyways, Pickett should be reported twice and given suspensions for both, dirty little screwing sniper !!
Melbourne tried to bash us into submission early, they were as physical as they could be plus where possible, attacked our players who were carrying niggles. Twice they grabbed or pushed on Acre's dodgy shoulder and Cripps got a few whacks across the kidneys & ribs too.
Weitering was in the horrors early but lifted his game immensely after 1/4 time.
Curnow was double-teamed, scragged & unfairly held or blocked for the vast majority of the game yet received no free kicks from the umpires, it was extremely frustrating to watch. I felt he had given up in the last quarter, his head had dropped, there were no second efforts and his facial expressions were that of a beaten man. He needs a big lift next week and hopefully kick a bag.
Probably TDK's best game for the club, kicked accurately too which totally surprised me.
Just hope our players aren't too physically wrecked after that game and the Lions, with the benefit of the week's rest, are able to run all over us.
I need to see a heart specialist after that, thought we were going to choke.
And of all the people to take two match-saving marks deep in defence ........ one of my whipping boys Jack Martin. He''ll get 2-weeks for belting Blakey though.
So many uncharacteristic actions tonight, a lot of the things we have done over the past couple of months seem to go out the door tonight.
McKay was really horrible, just so out of sorts, that concussion may be a blessing in disguise anyway.
Can't serve up that sort of crap next week against the Dees, they will walk all over us if we do. They are ripe for the picking if we want it bad enough.
Really hope that tonight's game style (or lack of it) was just a one-off blip due to finals nerves after not being there for 10-years and we return to that confident style that got us there.
Everything says we should win and win well but the massive media microscope on the players coupled with the onslaught of platitudes make me wonder if their heads may be way too inflated to do the job.
IMO, our biggest opponent is actually ourselves, if our players think this game is in the bag before it has even been played, then the Swans are the sort of team that will make us pay for that.
Hope I'm wrong & Voss has been drilling them all week about how much work is needed to win a final.
Did we put the cue in the rack or did they just have way more to play for ??
Some of the lesser lights were quite poor tonight, in particular Durdin who fumbled badly under pressure.
Was truly hoping to go into the finals on a high, we showed in the first quarter that we were there for the contest but as soon as Curnow got in front on the Coleman we packed up shop.
As a Blues fan, we should be use to listening to and watching broadcasts where the bulk of the commentary is against us, anyone who watched the launch of the new book documenting the 70s would confirm that when the media took Balme's perspective over Southby, ask @ElwoodBlues1 and @Lods what they think of Balme! ;o
Don't start me on Balme !!!
He is obviously a very good adminstrator in his later years but he was one of the dirtiest pricks to ever play the game in the 70's. When he took out Big Nick every Carlton fan went nuts, they nearly jumped the fence when he cleaned up Southby. I was a young lad back then but it was incidents like those that truly galvanised the Cartlon throng and turned them into a major force who insisted we win mega premierships as a payback.
TDK drops way too many marks at crucial points in a match, some of them uncontested too. If he can't fix that problem in his game and quickly, then he is a huge liability and waste of time.
Never been a fan of Martin and it's been a long time between drinks ie his first game but he actually gave us a complete game and converted well which was a key factor in the win so credit to him.
Same !!
He has the ability but not the grey matter.
Normally does nothing for half of the match then has a blistering 6-7 minutes of complete dominance and then disappears again.
Whilst last nite was the best I've seen him play, his inconsistency & brainfarts cannot be overlooked and my preference is to see him shown the door.
By the way, Cerra was playing a blinder until he tweaked his hammy again, looks way fitter than in the past and his delivery on the left foot is first rate.
I quite liked Cottrell's game last (and again, I'm not a huge fan but he is slowly winning me over), wasn't a "highlights reel", just a lot of "meat & potatoes" stuff which I see as far more more important.
Hollands looked a tad unsure every time he had to battle with Maynard, there is a fair bit of difference in age, body-size & experience so the young chap has to just bore in harder next time.
