I thought it was a really pleasing result, to put it in context to last week, it’s never as bad as everyone wants to make out, it’s obviously the opposite, it’s never as good as it seems. We’re not getting carried away, both teams had some personnel changes coming in. There was always going to be extreme conditions and obviously for Essendon coming from the eastern states it’s going to be difficult to play in these conditions and then, when you look at their outs, Fletcher, Chapman and Myers, who has been super for them. We’re under no illusions that we didn’t quite play the Essendon that we expected to be playing, but in saying that, our intensity and effort was really good and we have been working hard on our ball movement, it doesn’t always work but today I thought we improved some of the things that we worked on during the week and have been for a long time. We lost Mundy at half time with concussion, he went south as the game went on. We’ve got bits and pieces to work through.
Did you see the heat working in your favour today?
I think that takes a fair bit away from our players. We go to a six day break this week, there’s no excuse. We’ve got two six day breaks in a row, so we understand it’s there. We’ve got Darwin, it’s going to be hot, it is what it is. You’d be naive to suggest that we don’t live in a hotter climate than Essendon but I’m not the scientist, I can’t measure, but clearly we should be conditioned a little bit better. How much? I don’t know.
How pleased were you to keep them to 30 inside 50s?
It’s not something we focused on, but everyone looks at indicators when you tend to play well, and you pressure well and you win the ball well. We won the contested ball, last week we didn’t. The defence looks good and your attack looks good. It starts in the inside, it starts with winning the ball, working together and pressuring, and then everything elselooks alright. Your defence looks strong, and your ball movement looks goodbecause you’re turning it over. They all go hand in hand, they’re all integrated outcomes of contest and pressure.
Do you think the guys were hungrier today as a result of what happened last week?
I can’t answer for them, I can only observe what you observe and I think we played good intense football, last week we didn’t. The relief is we did it against the reigning premiers, so if you’re going to lose, they are going to beat most. They were fantastic and we weren’t at our best, so it’s not a bad week for that to have occurred.
How pleased were you with your inside work given you had no Fyfe or Barlow and Mundy was out early?
Today we came out in front, Aaron (Sandilands) just did his usual things, but I thought the ground level was a lot more committed at the contest, a bit smarter how they went about it and they got the result they deserved. Last week they got the result they deserved, they weren’t as committed as they should have been, they weren’t as smart as they should have been, I didn’t prepare them as well as we should have as a coaching panel. What’s the opposite of that? What we were today.
What about Josh Simpson, he seems like a different player to what he was last year?
We talk about growth, to come in from the outside, everyone dreams about playing AFL footy, but then the harsh realities kick in of the day to day commitment and Josh has come to grips with that. He’s still not perfect, but not many of us are. He got picked on merit. He’d been in our top two the last few. His training has been really strong, it was important he wasn’t given the opportunity, he earned the opportunity and he will have to continue to earn it. It brings a smile to your face when the crowd is roaring and you see him doing okay. Hopefully it fuels his belief that it’s worth it and that he can really play at this level.
WATCH: Josh Simpson post-match interview
How pleasing was the conversion and spread of goal kickers?
That’s an outcome. We’ve had a fair spread for a while now. I think we’re averaging nine towards the back end. A good team spreads. It’s an outcome of pressure and turnover and an option opening up really quickly and sharing the ball. I think Hawthorn were a bit Matthew Pavlich conscious, wespoke about that we bombed in on Matthew and they just had a plus one in all day rolling off. That’s a coaching job, while not great effort, that’s mechanics because we have been trying with more penetration but we have been bombing in and straight line and we got exposed quickly, so I thought we came to hand pretty quickly with changing that up.
Who do you think stood up today?
I thought they were all good, it would be remise of me to individualise now. I think Ryan Crowley was solid on Watson. Plenty went through (the midfield) particularly with Mundy going down. Lots went through and they were all very good to be frank.
After Aaron’s performance what do you think about Leigh Matthew’s comments on him being overrated?
I wouldn’t have thought Leigh said he was overrated, he spoke about our hitouts being overrated and he’s right because Aaron hit them to the same spots he hit them to last week, but this week we had people there. Therefore it comes to ground level, everyone wants to make kingmakers out of players. At the end of the day Aaron has a role to play, he does it pretty well. When it’s disconnecting we always keep him accountable, he’s an important part of our cog. I thought Zac Clarke was terrific. Leigh is pragmatic, to think ruckman can just put it down people’s throats without them hitting in and working for each other, he’s right.
WATCH: Sandi and Hilly's chemistry
What does the athleticism of Zac Clarke bring to the team?
I thought Jack Hannath was pretty good, but Zac’s done a bigger apprenticeship and been to higher levels of performance so he earned his spot. Jack had an opportunity and we didn’t think he impacted enough. Zac is a strong aerial target forward and he marked the ball quite well. We know he is a really competent AFL ruckman, when Aaron wasn’t there he was super. We’re just as happy with either in the ruck to be frank.
With the exception of Mundy do you have a clean bill of health?
Yes, but I thought that the other week after Gold Coast and then you come in Monday and it’s a warzone. They don’t tend to feel what could be wrong with them. On the surface we are okay, but until I get the all clear after medical on Monday, I try not to think about it too much because it changes pretty quickly.
What are the chances of Mayne and Mundy for next week?
I haven’t thought about it to be honest. Mundy’s got to pass a test. I’ve got to see Mayne train, if you don’t train there’s no chance. We don’t pick people unless they train, unless it’s Michael Johnson.
