Michelle, what did you make of that?
I thought the Bulldogs played really well, led really well by Katie Brennan who kicked three goals and had a really strong presence and influence on the game. It was good to see her back in the game, but from our end I guess it was really disappointing with the slow start that we did have. To see the girls, nobody ever dropped their head at any stage which is fantastic and they certainly fought back which was good.
What went wrong and what do you do in that situation?
I think looking at it, it was the uncontested possession and uncontested marks which just came down to being accountable. We had a bit of a discussion about that at half time and to see the girls respond in the way that they did, was really pleasing.
Was it a robust discussion at half time?
It was a really positive one, we know the brand of footy that we want to play and we know that it stands up in this competition. We will make a few changes moving forward and we will continue to train the way we do. I back this group in significantly. I know they are capable of playing at the highest level and performing at the highest level.
What sort of changes do you mean? Personnel or game plan?
We will review the game and have a look but we certainly have a number of girls who are knocking down the door at training. The uncontested marks and inside 50s are the thing that really stands out to me. To only have five in half a game of footy doesn't give you a good chance to hit the scoreboard
Are you confident that they are a lot better than what they showed in that first half?
Absolutely. I think the third quarter is a better indication of the way that this group can play. We just need to be able to string four quarters together and certainly start a lot better.
Is it a bit disappointing that result when you have the big Burswood game coming up, 50,000 expected fans?
We will learn from it. It is a good learning opportunity for the girls and we will continue to grow with their education. They will recover well from this game and prepare for Saturday at Optus Stadium.
What is that going to be like?
It will be an incredible challenge, no doubt the Magpies will be wanting to come across after their start against Blues. I’m looking forward to the girls responding from today’s half of footy and pulling together four quarters.
We’ve seen teams over the first round struggle to score for quarters or even halves. Do you think there is a common theme there or does something need to be tweaked?
The majority of the games have been really good spectacles. We will see the scoring increase as the competition goes on this season. You can see the skill level has improved since last season and athleticism has improved within all of the teams. So we can only see a better spectacle week in week out in this competition.
You only took 3 marks inside 50 today and the Bulldogs took 10. Does Kiara Bowers coming back in address that issue?
It certainly helps when she is fit and available for selection, probably the back end of the season. It will certainly help. She is an exceptional player and a leader of our footy club. You want players like that playing.
How did you go injury wise?
All clear I think
Did (Ebony) Antonio cop a knock?
I haven’t had any reports on that regard.
In the commentary one of the commentators said that there were five players that couldn't complete the 2km time trial, surely that is incorrect?
That's just rumour. We are the fittest we have been.
Did you notice a fair step up in the pre-season this year compared to the last?
The girls turned up to pre-season better prepared in their bodies. We have hit record times and I have been really happy with our preparation and know that the preparation flows onto performance. We just have a few things we need to tweak on game day and certainly a slow start doesn't help your cause. I think in this competition, the shorter quarters, it is really important to get scoreboard pressure early. The Bulldogs did that really well.
Is there a standout team so far that you have spotted?
Bulldogs looked really good today. I thought Melbourne looked really good. GWS has again taken a massive step up in the competition. There are certainly a number of contenders. It’s going to be an exciting competition moving forward.
