The weather factor

[saint patrick]

Remember looking at the weather forecast a full 7 days out from the grandfinal and shivering inside when they were predicting rain and wind.

Comforted myself that its just guesswork that far...it'll probably be fine by Saturday.

This optimism grew when the weather was crap all through the week...this just can't continue!!!

Driving up I had a bad vibe that the weather was not only going to disavantage us but that Geelong would relish the conditions.

As it turned out I really believe that Geelong handled the weather better probably due to playing in those conditions more often than us and that it reduced our key forward advantage making the leading game of Roo and the the power marking of Kosi less effective and more easy to defend against .

In a game of inches this was undoubtably a factor.Think in hindsight that we did extremely well against a very strong and proven wet weather team.

Not an excuse but a logical observation.Lets hope we are exposed to more games [especially at the G]in these trying conditions.

What we must make sure of is that going forward we become an all weather side ...those pushing up this year Steven,Armitage,Eddy and Geary all strike me as players who will handle these conditions well.

We also need to keep this in mind when recruiting young talent.Speed and strength over the ball should be our top priority next year.

Lets hope that 7 days out from our next grandfinal that we don't give a rats clacker about the weather
and that we will just be unstoppable in all conditions

[jk23]

Also they should leave the roof open at the Etihad for all our games...

[3rd generation saint]

Also believe St. Pat, Geelong's experience helped them, they cooly slotted their chances when we probably rushed some of ours and missed.
I mean they had 15 inside 50's in the 1st half and scored 7.1.
We kicked 4.5 in the second quarter, when we really should have nailed at least 6 of those goals.
If we had that little extra poise, we would have been 3-4 goals up at half time.
Hopefully, it will be us with that experience, against a relative newcomer to a Grand Final next year.

[Bernard Shakey]

We train at Moorabbin. No roof.
Geelong train at Kardinia Park. No roof.

The weather had nothing to do with the fact that we missed 9 or 10 easy shots in front of goal. That's what cost us the game.

As they say in the classics, bad kicking is bad football.

[Milton66]

As they say in the classics, bad kicking is bad football.

Oh Milney, Milney... Where for art thou Milney.

What light beyond the goal posts break?

Is it thy goal umpire with 2 flags?


You mean those classics?

[saint patrick]

We train at Moorabbin. No roof.
Geelong train at Kardinia Park. No roof.

The weather had nothing to do with the fact that we missed 9 or 10 easy shots in front of goal. That's what cost us the game.

As they say in the classics, bad kicking is bad football.

Can't argue with your last statement Bernard but It is my opinion that the weather suited Geelongs structure marginally...in comparison to ours.

Stillthink Armitage or Geary should have played for one less tall...but admittedly that is hindsight

Michael Gardiners marking [see round 14] also became less of a factor

As I said no excuse and we must learn to cope in all conditions.

[Bernard Shakey]

As they say in the classics, bad kicking is bad football.

Oh Milney, Milney... Where for art thou Milney.

What light beyond the goal posts break?

Is it thy goal umpire with 2 flags?


You mean those classics? 8-)

Willie Shakespear probably would have had some fair input to the discussion.
Not sure Milney would rate a mention, Schneider missed three sitters.

[Milton66]

As they say in the classics, bad kicking is bad football.

Oh Milney, Milney... Where for art thou Milney.

What light beyond the goal posts break?

Is it thy goal umpire with 2 flags?


You mean those classics?

Willie Shakespear probably would have had some fair input to the discussion.
Not sure Milney would rate a mention, Schneider missed three sitters.

Oh schneider, Scheider. Kick the fcuking goal, Schneider.

Alas poor Kosi... I knew him well.

To goal or not to goal, that is the question.

[lefty]

We train at Moorabbin. No roof.
Geelong train at Kardinia Park. No roof.

The weather had nothing to do with the fact that we missed 9 or 10 easy shots in front of goal. That's what cost us the game.

As they say in the classics, bad kicking is bad football.

"Train" and "Play" are two different things unfortunately.

Anyone who's play's knows that, sure you do it on the track but when it comes game day when the pressure's on, different story.

[Milton66]

Maybe the coaching panel should recruit Edwin Maher, or Paul Higgins and a Specialist weather coach?

I hear that Rob Gell is out of contract.

[Bernard Shakey]

We train at Moorabbin. No roof.
Geelong train at Kardinia Park. No roof.

The weather had nothing to do with the fact that we missed 9 or 10 easy shots in front of goal. That's what cost us the game.

As they say in the classics, bad kicking is bad football.

"Train" and "Play" are two different things unfortunately.

Anyone who's play's knows that, sure you do it on the track but when it comes game day when the pressure's on, different story.

What about those who say you play as you train?

The weather did not cost us a premiership.

[Winmarvellous]

I actually thought the weather would aid our gameplan, as Geelong like to overpossess the ball and wet weather footy doesn't really play into this. Thought Lyon's Cage would suit it to a tee, and it would've if we had've kicked straight.

[Milton66]

We train at Moorabbin. No roof.
Geelong train at Kardinia Park. No roof.

The weather had nothing to do with the fact that we missed 9 or 10 easy shots in front of goal. That's what cost us the game.

As they say in the classics, bad kicking is bad football.

"Train" and "Play" are two different things unfortunately.

Anyone who's play's knows that, sure you do it on the track but when it comes game day when the pressure's on, different story.

What about those who say you play as you train?

The weather did not cost us a premiership.

Where's IAn Stewart when you need him?

Those sprinklers would have come in handy at training.

[Bernard Shakey]

Watch out for RSI, Milton.

Keying just for the sake of it can have unforeseen consequences.

[Milton66]

Watch out for RSI, Milton.

Keying just for the sake of it can have unforeseen consequences.

Speaking from experience?

Repetitive Shytetalk Injury?

[bigred]

We train at Moorabbin. No roof.
Geelong train at Kardinia Park. No roof.

The weather had nothing to do with the fact that we missed 9 or 10 easy shots in front of goal. That's what cost us the game.

As they say in the classics, bad kicking is bad football.

Yup.

The only way, and I mean, the ONLY way that the weather assisted Geelong was that it made it harder on our key forwards to mark overhead or in a pack situation. Made it much easier to spoil.

We fkn handled Geelong in every other category on the day.

Just did not convert.

[Winmar]

That's right. Our big men couldn't take marks, but we killed them everywhere else. It's just such a shame that our little men couldn't put away the simple chances.

[bozza1980]

I actually thought the weather would aid our gameplan, as Geelong like to overpossess the ball and wet weather footy doesn't really play into this. Thought Lyon's Cage would suit it to a tee, and it would've if we had've kicked straight.

I agree.

Anyone who had the misfortune of talking to me in Grand Final week heard my theory that wet weather would help us as taking us on and finding targets is a necessity in beating us. Both are hell of a lot harder in the wet.

We did not lose the Grand Final because it was wet, we lost it because our players missed sitters that they would normally kick with their eyes closed.

[Animal Enclosure]

We played our best footy during the worst conditions. In the second quarter when it was teeming we dominated every where except the scoreboard.

When the rain stopped in the last quarter, Geelong got momentum.

It should have been irrelevant though as we should have been 4-5 goals up going into the last quarter.