What are your first thoughts? Obviously a dominant performance?
Yes, it was a strong performance. We’re hungry, we’re working hard. A few things we had to improve upon, our forward 50 stoppages and bits and pieces, I thought we did that. I thought North never gave up, they fought on. They could have taken a few more opportunities in front of goal and they worked really hard. I thought we overused it at times, but we wanted to make them defend and I thought we did that. But they’re lacking a bit of, class through their midfield that would complement them beautifully. They’re missing their captain, (Nick) Dal Santo and (Daniel) Wells. So (Andrew) Swallow, Dal Santo… it’s significant. I think we’ve got to acknowledge that they’ve been a little bit diluted but in saying that, everyone’s sort of facing some challenges. We sort of temper it with some common sense. It was an opportunity for us to take and I thought we took it. So to our lads, I thought we worked hard off a six-day break. We’ll move on pretty quick, we come out unscathed. We’ll enjoy tonight, pleased we banked four points and prepare really in the same manner for the Adelaide Football Club.
Was that your best four-quarter performance this year?
Oh look, they all blur, the ones that are gone. I could hardly tell you who we played last week. The treadmill, you’re on that wheel that keeps spinning. The last quarter though, they had six shots on goal. We spun them a bit and exposed some blokes, so we could have finished it a little bit better. But it was a good performance off the challenges that were in front of us – a very good football team and a six-day break. It was a strong performance.
You said you’ve come through unscathed, how much do you benefit from having your best 22 available each week?
Well it’s pretty obvious isn’t it? We’d like to be fit and available, so we’re fit and we’re available. We’ve had some slight challenges with our key defenders (Zac) Dawson, Alex Silvagni and (Luke) McPharlin being out, and that’s a significant area of the ground. But guys have come in, Alex Pearce comes in, McPharlin comes back and (Garrick) Ibbotson and (Michael) Johnson have been terrific in re-adjusted roles. It’s obvious that we’re going to get injuries, but when you’re fit and you’re available you want to bank four points and we’ve been good enough to be able to do that. It’s a long hard year, it’s a marathon. We’re a third of the way through, anything can happen from here.
Sharing the load between the 22, is that the biggest growth for the team?
I think every team talks about weight of numbers and sharing the load. We know we've got some blokes that are really rated at the top echelon of the competition and you really need those guys but certainly we've had a lot of growth from underneath and players continuing to improve and really write their own stories. So they're hungry as well. We've got (Tendai) Mzungu, (Hayden) Crozier and (Jack) Hannath warming up there as emergencies and (Matt) de Boer as well. Yeah it's an even spread, I'd agree.
Nat Fyfe was good tonight, but he looked like her played a bit of a different game?
I don't know. You can make your observations on that. What do you mean?
A lot of handball, not flashy, really unselfish?
Well I always think he's always unselfish and I don't think he's ever that flashy. But the beauty is in the eye of the beholder isn't it? I thought he was strong again. He just didn't kick as many goals as he's been kicking. He probably had a couple of opportunities, dropped a mark late. It's hard for me. I'm not great on the individuals.
He seemed to want to give handballs all night?
Yes, which is good. He's such an inside player, a distributor, get it to the runners and I thought he did his job.
Michael Walters and Hayden Ballantyne seemed excellent. Did they execute what you spoke to them about?
Yes as I said I think Michael has been travelling a little bit better than Hayden. All we did with Hayden, as I said, when they're going well I don't talk to them and when they've got some challenges I hook in with them and do a little bit of work. We just clarified his role, areas we want him to be, working off the talls and he was always going to do what he did tonight once he had that clarification and that's what he spoke to after the game. (He said) 'I've been second guessing a little bit and I'm really clear now' and he did his job.
Was Matthew Pavlich just being rested?
Yes, we just made that decision, he had a slight tight abductor, it was a greasy night. We were in the position to choose between Aaron Sandilands, Matthew Pavlich David Mundy or is it Michael Johnson and Luke McPharlin? He was the one tonight.
Will he (Pavlich) be alright for next week?
He had a tight abductor, he was keen to continue, I had a chat to him at three quarter time he was going to continue, we just made the call.
Was Nick Suban okay?
There was a bit of a collision, nothing has been feed to me. The doctors walk in and they go ‘all clear Ross’ so unless something bobs up, which can happen once they cool down, we’re okay.
What are you expecting next week in Adelaide?
I watched them today against Greater Western Sydney, they got down to one rotation they were right in that game although GWS were very impressive. We’ll expect a fierce challenge, that’s the way they are coached, that’s the way they play, we understand what’s coming. Adelaide Oval is a bit of a cauldron but a full house, I imagine their supporters will be roaring, we’ll accept the challenge and go over and give our best effort.
Will you watch the replay of the Adelaide game before you watch the Sydney v Hawthorn game?
You’re making an assumption I am watching the Sydney v Hawthorn game. I probably wont get to that game. I don’t have time, all my energy’s going to Adelaide. I haven’t got time, with respect, for Sydney and Hawthorn. That just sits there until we need it.
