Ross how do you sum up today’s game?
It was really pleasing. We disappointed against a quality team in difficult conditions last week. I think we competed really strongly. We wanted to be a harder team to play against. We had 58 entries to 39 against a quality top four team, which speaks volumes for how intense we were and how we competed fiercely. Our accuracy will get better. Port Adelaide never gave up. We had nine players under 25 games. I thought it was pleasing and a real step forward.
Sean Darcy went off late, is he okay?
He fell over in a ruck contest, they will assess him. I don’t think it’s anything significant but we will assess him and update everyone as need be.
How did you rate Sean’s game?
Paddy Ryder is quality and I thought he got his hand to the ball reasonably well. I think at ground level they were big strong bodies. I thought (David) Mundy and (Lachie) Neale really worked into it. Once we got our hands on the ball and kept it simple it went our way pretty well.
Your back six looked pretty strong today?
I thought Joel Hamling and Alex Pearce stood up and Ryan Nyhuis stepped up against Robbie Gray who is a star. Ryan has played in those roles against Liam Ryan in the WAFL and he bought that to life at senior level, so that was really pleasing.
How important is to get these victories on the run home?
It’s not the be all and end all. Wins helps for moral and vibrancy and it fuels belief. I had breakfast with a couple of our first year players during the week and they said they couldn’t be more excited, they weren’t thinking it’s going to be a tough eight weeks. So when you have first and second year players, they aren’t seeing the wins and losses like others. They look at it as they are playing senior football and they have a chance to improve and train. It’s really refreshing. I think from the outside lots is made of winning and losing but internally within the four walls for what we’re doing, our win-loss is pretty good, because it’s all about context. If you get your context right and you know where your list is at and what you’re doing, then you can have rational thoughts about wins and loses.
What did you make of the Ryan Nyhuis tackle on Robbie Gray?
I saw it. I’d quote Michael Christian, who everyone is quoting. No one intentionally goes out to hurt anyone and these are split-second decisions. This is a tackle, not even a bump to the head. Clearly it’s a split decision and no one’s intentional. They’ll get to it, they’ll grade it and it will be what it will be. It’s a hard, tough game and our players have been driven into the turf unintentionally by the opposition. Sometimes it just happens.
How was Ryan after the incident? Sometimes it’s hard to play on after an incident like that, was he ok?
I wouldn’t have thought he gave it a second thought. Good sports people focus on the next moment so we just sent a message to focus on the next moment. It’s important when you have been involved in the physical side of the game that when your opportunity comes to put your head over the ball, you do that. I thought he did that.
You mentioned the kids before and how they are just excited to be playing, to knock off a top four team for them, what does that do for them specifically?
I don’t have an exact answer. It’s a step in the right direction and it’s about growth. They understand that what we are teaching them is the right way to play. I thought we were strong contested. They are very experienced, a very good team. I thought they never gave up and they challenged us right to the end. We dominated the second quarter, we had 19 entries to four. I think we kicked 0.7, I think five of them were gettable, within 30 metres. We have plenty of work in front of us. We have Essendon next week, who are pushing hard for the finals, in Melbourne off a six-day break. So the challenges just keep coming but there is no exact measurement, but confidence comes from action. That action, they did a little bit today, they will have more belief in themselves that they can do it. I thought (Stefan) Giro was outstanding today. (Adam) Cerra just continues to improve and (Bailey) Banfield did some good work in the midfield. (Scott) Jones coming in gave us a big presence, brought the ball forward. (Brennan) Cox continues to grow. We still have a few out. It was a step forward obviously. The challenges just keep coming at you. You breathe out and blink, and the next minute you are getting slaughtered up in Darwin.
On Brennan Cox, he seems to be enjoying the big moments, kicked the crunch goal today.
It’s pleasing. He has got a good temperament. He uses the ball really well and he is understanding the preparation Monday to Friday. He’s moving forward, which is really pleasing.
If Sean Darcy is not ok for next week, would Aaron Sandilands be any chance?
In fairness I think you need to let me get to that. I am here to talk about the game. I don’t know where he is at, he needs an assessment. Often they cool down and it can be nothing. But the way it works, we do a medical report and we get it out. Aaron is progressing pretty well but we would like Sean to continue on. Unfortunately Michael Apeness did a severe hamstring so he will be out for the year. He did it yesterday in the first minute. It’s a very fragile existence sometimes being a ruckman. It’s a very tough business.
Does he need surgery on the hamstring?
It’s significant. He may, it involves the tendon. I couldn’t give you an exact answer.
It must be a huge blow for him as he just signed a contract extension?
It’s a huge blow. It’s a really tough business. It’s obviously nice he has gotten the contract. He will get supported, he just needs to do the work again. It’s a tough time though, you are right. You look in their eyes sometimes and you see the devastation. It’s really difficult to be a coach in those times, all we can do is support them and get them to work hard. It’s all you can do.
