Ross, what did you make of the game?
It was a bit of a grind. Credit to a really young team. I thought they (Brisbane) really came and brought a lot of pressure to the game. I don't think we adapted to the conditions very well. We were one-to-one on kick to handballs. Around the stoppages we had it, we just got stripped a fair bit, which is a credit to their pressure. But we should have just kicked it out more. We were working on a few different things. Late in the third we changed it up a little bit, and moved the ball a bit quicker to our forwards in the last quarter. Took some one-on-ones more quickly, which we worked on during the week but it didn't happen today for whatever reason. Once we did that, we scored a bit better.
Tempted to make a change considering conditions?
No, at the end of the day, people have to grow up and play in anything.
Frustrating you haven't unlocked football you played at start of the year?
Not particularly. It's a long hard season, and in the end I think we unlocked a fair bit in the last quarter. We looked pretty good. We dominated the game. A bit like the Gold Coast game - 53 entries to 30, dominated the game.
Did Pavlich stand up in last quarter?
Everyone's entitled to their opinion. We're all up for critique aren't we, if we continue to play. You're only as good as your next game. So that's ok. So Pavlich’s next game is pretty good. He's kicked 3.1.
Need to work on anything ahead of Hawthorn?
Yes, playing some good footy. So back to Matthew - water off a duck's back. He was really crook. He had some severe gastro. He was throwing up at half-time and pre-game. So it just speaks volumes to his character. I thought he played well. That was a positive. We were always confident he was going to hit the scoreboard. Hawthorn are a really good team. I thought Collingwood were fantastic. They pressured Hawthorn really well. That's going to be our challenge - not to play circle work and really pressure them and get into a contest. That will be the aim. We know they've been the benchmark team - three grand finals, two premierships. Going quite well. They've had a couple of their own challenges. I'm sure we'll be up to the challenge, and one we're looking forward to.
Was there a chance Pavlich was going to miss?
There was a significant chance.
When was he cleared?
After the warm-up.
How did you assess the forward’s leading patterns?
I thought they were okay. I thought our mids were slow to kick it to them a bit today. Do you know what I mean? I'm not sure why they were holding on to it. We just held on to it too long and Brisbane were able to get numbers back. I thought in the last quarter Clarke just rolled and kicked it to Walters. That's the sort of footy we're after. But it's a work in progress.
Is the opposition's tactics of crowding numbers around your mids contributing to the stifled game?
No, it's not something I've thought about or noticed too much. I know we've played three wet games. I watched Richmond v GWS at the MCG which is a big ground like us and tough. I think that was pretty low scoring, wasn't it? I'm not too sure. I think it was pretty low and lots of tackles. Conditions are conducive to tackling and scramble. There was a period for five or 10 minutes (where) you couldn't see the players there. It was coming down pretty heavy. I think it's been more so conditions. I think everyone plays pressure around the ball. I don't think there's been any more or less in the last couple of weeks.
Do you think you’re a victim of your first two months?
No I haven't got a strong view on it. I wouldn't have thought so. We've played some pretty good teams. It's a marathon. We bank another four points, which is pretty good. We come out healthy. So, no, we've played some pretty good footy and we need to play some better footy and we need to play some better footy than we're playing now but I think all the results tell you that don't they. North go up and get beaten by Gold Coast convincingly don't they. Essendon has been smacked by St Kilda. GWS took it to Richmond. Collingwood took it to Hawthorn. There are no certainties in this business.
Are we going to see the best two sides go at next Sunday?
If that's your opinion, it's not mine. I think we're a good team. After 13 weeks or whatever it is, the win/loss tells you we're a pretty good team and we know they are. So clearly the best two? I think that's subjective. It's an opinion business but I think you're going to see two pretty good teams running around.
What did you make on the Fyfe v Robinson matchup?
I thought Fyfe had 27, that’s pretty good. He’s a pretty good player, Fyfe.
There was a bit of niggling at times?
You expect that, I would be disappointed if the opposition didn’t come to compete. You don’t want people to come and lay down, Mitch is a competitor I think that’s good.
There were a few free kicks given away, were you happy with the way the guys handled that?
We don’t like undisciplined free kicks but it’s going to happen, they are human. We would prefer it not to happen, clearly I would say keep a lid on it. Let your football do the talking. That’s what you got taught as a kid, the retaliator gets caught, don’t get caught up in it, go after the ball.
You described Michael Walters’ game last week, as him just doing his job. Did he do a little bit more that that this week?
He did his job, he kicked four, that’s about his job. He kicked four last week.
Would he be in your best for today’s game?
I would have to go and review it but yes I think instinctively he hit the score board, he kicked a third of our score. He was pretty good, but there were 53 entries and plenty of opportunities. He’s a pretty good little player, but we pay him to kick them.
How are you looking on the injury front?
We’re clear.
Would you expect Pavlich to be okay next week?
Yes, he was pretty crook but those sort of things are going around all the time. I would be surprised if he wasn’t.
What was your contingency plan if he didn’t get up?
We would have played Cam Sutcliffe. He was ready to go, we would have been a bit smaller, which, probably would have been good.
