Take a step back and look at the facts for a second.

[Sam23]

Before you all get your knickers in a knot and start playing the "teams are working us out card"

Take a stepback and look at the reality of things.

19 wins and 1 loss by 2 points.

We have the best CHF in the league who is also perhaps the best player in the league. He missed a shot from 50 out on a 45 degree angle today, probably a 40-60 shot.

We have one of the best midfield brigades in the league.

THE BEST defensive unit in the leauge.

THE BEST team defence stemming from our amazing forward line pressure (was still good today, wasn't our best day but was still decent) all the way through our backs.

On top of the ladder by 2 games and about 40%.

Essendon 2000 Round 21 -WB defeat them.
Geelong 2007 Round 21 - PA defeat them at home.

Lets be honest.



Looking forward, we are in pretty good shape going into the finals.

[Moods]

I reckon most ppl on here have been pretty measured. There will always be a couple getting hysterical.

[joffaboy]

sack Lyon

[stinger]

no...i prefer to think that was the loss we had to have ...won't matter a tinkers cuss when we hold the cup aloft......

[Thinline]

Although annoyed at losing I feel relieved we won't be carrying the mantle.

We came hard after a rusty start against a desperate, brave side.

Several players flat. Roo especially.

It won't happen again, you'd reckon.

Look out NM. I sniff vengeance.

[StSteven]

I have to admit that I am extremely disappointed that we did not make "the perfect season". Iwas really looking forward to boasting about that.
However a cup at the end would make up for it!

[Moods]

I have to admit that I am extremely disappointed that we did not make "the perfect season". Iwas really looking forward to boasting about that.
However a cup at the end would make up for it!

Let's just win the flag this year. Next year we're undefeated

[Devilhead]

I have to admit that I am extremely disappointed that we did not make "the perfect season". Iwas really looking forward to boasting about that.
However a cup at the end would make up for it!

A perfect H&A season without a premiership cup means nothing

An imperfect H&A season with a premiership cup means everything

[Saint Pete]

At the end of the day I was happy with our comeback. Essendon were playing for everything today. We had nothing to play for. Sides are setting themselves for us every week. Paul Roos said Sydneys game 2 weeks ago was thier best for the season. Carlton have not played a better game all year than against us. Hird said after the game that was Essendons best game for 5 years! And they beat us by 2 points. We applied zero pressure to them for about 75% of the game. when we decided to apply a bit of pressure to them in the last 1/4 they fell to pieces. I am looking forward to see how they respond next week.

[saint75]

I have to admit that I am extremely disappointed that we did not make "the perfect season". Iwas really looking forward to boasting about that.
However a cup at the end would make up for it!

A perfect H&A season without a premiership cup means nothing

An imperfect H&A season with a premiership cup means everything

I know you are right, but crap, I HATE losing! I wanted my cake and to eat it too! Might continue to sulk for the rest of tonight and all day Monday. I should be over it by Tuesday.

[bobmurray]

Before you all get your knickers in a knot and start playing the "teams are working us out card"

Take a stepback and look at the reality of things.

19 wins and 1 loss by 2 points.

We have the best CHF in the league who is also perhaps the best player in the league. He missed a shot from 50 out on a 45 degree angle today, probably a 40-60 shot.

We have one of the best midfield brigades in the league.

THE BEST defensive unit in the leauge.

THE BEST team defence stemming from our amazing forward line pressure (was still good today, wasn't our best day but was still decent) all the way through our backs.

On top of the ladder by 2 games and about 40%.

Essendon 2000 Round 21 -WB defeat them.
Geelong 2007 Round 21 - PA defeat them at home.

Lets be honest.



Looking forward, we are in pretty good shape going into the finals.

I think other teams are working us out...hopefully we can hold on and win the game that really counts.......

[saint75]

Before you all get your knickers in a knot and start playing the "teams are working us out card"

Take a stepback and look at the reality of things.

19 wins and 1 loss by 2 points.

We have the best CHF in the league who is also perhaps the best player in the league. He missed a shot from 50 out on a 45 degree angle today, probably a 40-60 shot.

We have one of the best midfield brigades in the league.

THE BEST defensive unit in the leauge.

THE BEST team defence stemming from our amazing forward line pressure (was still good today, wasn't our best day but was still decent) all the way through our backs.

On top of the ladder by 2 games and about 40%.

Essendon 2000 Round 21 -WB defeat them.
Geelong 2007 Round 21 - PA defeat them at home.

Lets be honest.



Looking forward, we are in pretty good shape going into the finals.

I think other teams are working us out...hopefully we can hold on and win the game that really counts.......

Footy is not brain surgery. It is not hard to figure out how we play. Our players are not invisible. A coach only has to watch a replay of any of our games to see how we play. Our players were the issue tonight. They looked uncharacteristically out of sync and flat tonight. Will be interesting to see how they respond next week.

[aussierules0k]

[bozza1980]

Before you all get your knickers in a knot and start playing the "teams are working us out card"

Take a stepback and look at the reality of things.

19 wins and 1 loss by 2 points.

We have the best CHF in the league who is also perhaps the best player in the league. He missed a shot from 50 out on a 45 degree angle today, probably a 40-60 shot.

We have one of the best midfield brigades in the league.

THE BEST defensive unit in the leauge.

THE BEST team defence stemming from our amazing forward line pressure (was still good today, wasn't our best day but was still decent) all the way through our backs.

On top of the ladder by 2 games and about 40%.

Essendon 2000 Round 21 -WB defeat them.
Geelong 2007 Round 21 - PA defeat them at home.

Lets be honest.



Looking forward, we are in pretty good shape going into the finals.

I think other teams are working us out...hopefully we can hold on and win the game that really counts.......

Maybe you are right, but I don't think last night was a result of any earth shattering tactic to break us down. It was as a result of the oldest strategy in the game, get your hands on it first and driving it towards goal more often.

I'll back us more often than not to counter this strategy, because although embarrased last night our midfield is much better than they showed last night and they won't get smacked like that again.

[mullet]

I think we should wait and see what happens this weekend. I would hope that we come out and absolutely smash the kangaroos. The reason we smash them because our intensity will be full on from the first bounce and everyone will do their bit plus some, no one sitting back waiting.

I suspect this will be the case if we do put in another insipid performance then all the henny penny's can start shouting that the sky is falling, until then lets just wait and see

[saint patrick]

Great post Sam..still can't believe that we had to wait until August 16 to see our first loss for the year..won't happen again in our lifetimes most likely.

Tried to get onto SEN today to answer the Collingwood clown who said we were definately beatable..

We have lost one by 2 points after the siren and the Filth have lost 6

Would suggest that by my calculations that would make them 6 times more beatable

Dropkick

[perfectionist]

...Tried to get onto SEN today to answer the Collingwood clown who said we were definately beatable..

We lost yesterday and it took a Collingwood supporter until today to work out that we were beatable. And why does everyone say they are dumb!

[mullet]

Great post Sam..still can't believe that we had to wait until August 16 to see our first loss for the year..won't happen again in our lifetimes most likely.

Tried to get onto SEN today to answer the Collingwood clown who said we were definately beatable..

We have lost one by 2 points after the siren and the Filth have lost 6

Would suggest that by my calculations that would make them 6 times more beatable

Dropkick

Thats ok everyone is beatable. Everyone wanted to be the first team to beat us, now it is done, no one will even remember after next weekend. So many teams lifted to beat us now they wont, good bring em all on, I would hate to be the kangaroos and melbourne and who ever we play first week of finals. Why would you waste your time replying to a collingwood supporter, you have far too much intelligence for them. Let them all go into their false sense of security, they are going to fall very hard

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

I have to admit that I am extremely disappointed that we did not make "the perfect season". Iwas really looking forward to boasting about that.
However a cup at the end would make up for it!

A perfect H&A season without a premiership cup means nothing

An imperfect H&A season with a premiership cup means everything

Who was suggesting that they wanted a "perfect H&A season without a premiership cup"? I doubt anyone who supports the club would have wanted that. Some of us (probably all of us, if we're being honest) wanted a "perfect season" from start to finish (ie 25-0). That's significantly better than 24-1, or 23-2 with a premiership. Those things have been done before. 25-0 hasn't. I don't believe anyone was suggesting for a second that they wanted to go 22-0 but then not win the flag.

[marksnsparks]

I don't subscribe to the "teams working us out" theory. The beauty of our system is that it is team ethic driven and not based on a gameplan that can be worked out. As long as the effort and the team before self attitude is there then the only way we can be matched is if teams playas hard as us. That will take a pre season of hard slog, so we have our opportunity this season, but next year teams may catch up...not work us out.

[mullet]

I don't subscribe to the "teams working us out" theory. The beauty of our system is that it is team ethic driven and not based on a gameplan that can be worked out. As long as the effort and the team before self attitude is there then the only way we can be matched is if teams playas hard as us. That will take a pre season of hard slog, so we have our opportunity this season, but next year teams may catch up...not work us out.

Yeah spot on, you just cant change a game plan over night cos thats what the other teams are doing. Geez how long has it take our guys to get it right.

[StSteven]

You must not have heard Knights today who said he learnt a lot about how to beat Saints in the Swans match. There must be something in it.

[Mr Magic]

You must not have heard Knights today who said he learnt a lot about how to beat Saints in the Swans match. There must be something in it.

Do you think that the Bombers played last night like the Swans did against us 2 weeks ago?

The Swans seemed to play a totally differnet game style than what Essendon produced last night.

[StSteven]

Just repeating his words. Don't know what he saw and how he used it though. No idea or I would be a coach.

[saint patrick]

Just repeating his words. Don't know what he saw and how he used it though. No idea or I would be a coach.

And if Roo had kicked the goal he wouldn't have been even talking about it...just mind games ...Our intensity/mental attitude was the issue...not some sophisicated, countering gameplan IMO.