How did you see that game?
I thought North were definitely on top early and they were on top through the midfield but I thought we really pressured them and got the game on our terms for two quarters and at three quarter time, kicking with the breeze, it looked set up for us but to North Melbourne’s credit they were really good in the last quarter and our pressure dropped right away and if our pressure drops away we’re not the same side. So that’s where it was lost for us in the end.

They almost doubled you for inside 50s – that would also make it hard to win a game?
It definitely doesn’t help but sometimes our ball movement from the back half can be really good, I thought our backs were sensational today to keep them to the score that they did. We always felt we had a chance to get those scores, but in the end I think we only laid six tackles in the last quarter which isn’t enough when the game was on the line.

Another slow start…  is that becoming a bit of a concern?
It has been a concern, but I didn’t think today was a concern. We were down by one goal  and I thought it was a one or two goal breeze that way so we weren’t too concerned. I was actually a lot happier with our effort and intensity. North Melbourne have got some really good midfielders in particular and they were linking up really well. I thought our midfielders worked hard to curtail them after that start and I thought our backs were really good all day.

Can you take us back to the final five minutes, it was a bit frenetic… how did you see it?
North had their chances to get further in front in the last quarter but we always thought we had a chance to attack with some space and Kiara Bowers, that last play to find (Ebony) Antonio, that was just amazing that she could (find her). Ninety-nine players out of 100 kick that ball to where there was 30 players but she was able to extract herself from there and kick to Ebony and Ebony’s pass to Tiah aswell, it was really good composure in that situation which gives us a lot of confidence going forward in the pressure situations of finals that we can deliver things like that. So I was really happy with the last three or four minutes of the game. I thought we attacked really well and our backs got involved and pushed up but we probably lost it in the first half of that quarter.

There’s a strong chance you’ll get the Roos back home next week, it is a good learning experience to get them the week before?
Absolutely, the three sides that have beaten us, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Kangaroos we’re looking forward to playing any of those if we get the chance to. Our game is based on pressure and sometimes we can talk about it and show vision but to see what opposition sides can actually do to you is really important, so we’ll learn a lot form that game for sure.

Did the team come over here on Thursday?
Half and half. We couldn’t get everyone on the same flight, well we could but it was just too late to get in, so we bought half Thursday and half Friday. I thought we had really good preparation, and the girls were ready to go, and up and about, but we were just not quite good enough on the day.

The backline very much kept you in it today didn’t they?
Absolutely, Janelle Cuthbertson was a rock back there and what we’re getting a lot better as is our ball movement out of the backline. So it’s not just stopping, but winning it and getting it out to runners as well. I was really happy with the backline, some of them were giving away a lot of size, I think Cuthbertson was the ideal matchup for about four of their players so the other three were going to have to fight out of their weight division, but they did a really good job.

Any injuries?
I think we’re pretty good. I think we got through well which is good at this time of the year to see who’s going to put their hand up for next week.