A big win for the season?
We needed to get the four points, everything is getting to the pointy end and teams are closing in on each other so when an opportunity is put in front of you, at the end of the day, no one can gift you the right that you’re chasing, you’ve got to earn it, and tonight we earned it.
What was most pleasing?
The even contribution, as always a four quarter performance is really quite strong, there’s bit and pieces that we can tidy up, but overall, I thought it was an well rounded performance in the contest, without the ball and with the ball, was really strong, things we’ve been working on came to fruition.
Contribution of your small forwards was outstanding.
They were, we’ll all focus on the goals, but I thought their pressure was strong. They got the fruits of a lot of other people’s hard labour. Sandilands bringing it to ground, Mayne and de Boer. I thought our midfield was really strong at giving them opportunities, and they did what good small forwards do, they capitalised.
Sandilands plucked a couple up forward, can he be a weapon in that sort of role?
That’s the aim, because Zac Clarke’s grown we’re confident in Zac, so Aaron can spend more time forward. At times, we’ve got to find Aaron, not Aaron find us with the ball, so I thought we looked for him more and kicked for him more at the appropriate times and he was quite dangerous.
Ryan Crowley claimed another victim. How important is he to your side?
He did a really good job, but he gets a lot of team support, so quite often taggers get lots of blocks, and they get released and interchanged and flips. What you’ll find when you review the tape, there’ll probably be 10 or 15 times when the team handles Murphy when he gets out and they help Ryan. It’s a symbiotic relationship, isn’t it, it feeds of each other, his team members and Ryan.
Would you like to see the All Australian selectors make room for a tagger?
It’s not something I give thought to. It’s a prestigious end of season award that gets its due respect at the right time, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for me post-game to be talking about All Australian selection, I think we’ve got more important topics to discuss.
Were you aware of the abuse on the interchange bench?
We’re all big boys. I think there’s been some noise there was an official complaint, that certainly didn’t happen, there might have been a ‘can you watch this space’. I still remember Stephen Silvagni when I was at Carlton as assistant, when they went mad and wanted to climb over that bus shelter there, so we know the Blues fans are capable, we just wanted to shoot the flare up and give a bit of a warning. We won’t be going to Lygon Street for a late feed tonight.
Secruity moves in after Balla boos.
Was it at Ballantyne in particular?
I’m unaware, I was coming down from the box. Post game we’ve covered it off. We made some queries and had accurate information.
He seems to rise to the occasions (Ballantyne).
He plays with passion, but he gets hunted every week with the best small defender, but the best small defenders tend to play a very physical brand, so Hayden gives as good as he gets.
Pressure's back says proud Ballantyne.
Carlton is a good clearance, contested ball side, so to come out and win those two areas you would have been pleased?
It’s a key to Carlton, contested ball, ground ball and their small forwards. It was really pleasing, it was an objective coming in, and that stood us in good stead. It was area we haven’t been strong at for a little while, which was concerning, so some tweaks here and there and a strong attitude goes a long way.
Lachie Neale was good at both ends, resolute in defence in the first half and pops up with two goals in the third quarter.
He’s a young layer that’s emerging, there was some frustration with some things he did, but overall there was some things to like again, and with another summer, we think him and Nick Suban, we’re building a deeper midfield. Tom Sheridan came on and Cam Sutcliffe, The best teams have a deep midfield and we’re aiming to build one. It’s a work in progress.
Tell us little bit about Nick Suban, he had a fantastic first season and went off the boil after that?
It’s really simple, it’s called hard work and application. He’s really applied himself, very similar to Michael Walters and Michael Johnson, and Clancee Pearce if you’re talking about turnaround stories. Nick went away in the break and he worked really hard and came back in great condition, and was able to really surge forward throughout the summer. What you’re seeing now is 12 months of hard work.
We talk about your defence and how good that is, but have we underestimated how well you can strike really quickly with a burst of goals?
Not based on what we’ve been dishing up for a little while, I think it’s been a fair assessment. We’ve always been confident the offence was in us, we knew specifically what we needed to do, but it’s been a while coming to hand, getting some of the concepts and doing it under pressure. I thought it worked really well tonight.
How do you read the premiership race at the moment?
I just go based on what’s in front of you. The ladder is self-evident. The best teams sit above us and we’ve got a bit of work to do to catch them.
Consistency the difference between Freo and the top three: Lyon
Is it open with the top two losing?
It’s not something I consider. Unless someone can tell me they know who wins it, I think it’s still open.
Injuries – Mzungu?
No concern.
Mundy an ankle?
He’s a bit sore, but he’s ok. I haven’t met with the doctor yet? He was sore but he kept playing.
Clancee Pearce?
He looks as though he may have a calf, potentially. We’ll get a scan and let you know.
Ibbotson and Taberner late withdrawals?
Ibbotson didn’t quite come up and we had to restructure. In the end we went with the extra runner.
How bad is Ibbotson’s injury (Achilles)?
It’s bad enough that he missed. We’ll assess him during the week and try and get him up? He missed with an Achilles that we thought he would play with, he travelled, and in the end, once he missed, late, we gave him every opportunity, we thought, how do we go? We then looked at Carlton and restructured and brought in the runner.
Ballantyne and Sandilands cramped late but came back on. Really pleased for the club, proud of the players efforts, but we breathe out tonight, ask them to enjoy, but we have to get back, have a strong review and prepare really well because there’s some very good AFL teams out there, and we’ve got a lot of improvement that we need to do to get a few more wins on the board. Luke McPharlin hopefully to come back, and Matthew Pavlich will come straight back in. It’s going to be a difficult match committee.
When are you expecting Luke McPharlin back?
Unsure, later rather than earlier, either the second last or the last round.
Would he have to play WAFL?
Haven’t you seen him play for the past year and a half? He’s a star, and he’s one of our team drivers and leaders. He’s a 32-year-old who hasn’t missed a session or a game since I’ve been there. We’ll build his strength and his fitness, Jason Weber, our sports science manager, is a good leader of all that and we’ll have faith. I don’t think Luke would be happy going to the WAFL.
Playing three of the bottom teams in the last month, would you consider resting some of your more sore players?
We’ll have a discussion. GWS have had a really good win today, we understand they are young. Port Adelaide, Melbourne have had their challenges. St Kilda have challenged the Eagles in Melbourne and beaten Carlton. I’m just staying in the moment, review the game. You’re right, teams do rest players now, are we in that position? I’m not sure yet, but I wish I had rested Luke McPharlin last year.
