Reserves Grand Final Post Mortem

[Ecky]

Here are some stats from the game. See "Ecky's Stat of the Week" for further analysis on the kickins, which was the most glaring stat that we noticed.

North 9.10 64 defeated Glenelg 8.15 63

Glenelg goals: Krueger, Milne 2, Block, Kaesler, Panozzo, Ruwoldt
(Button kicked 0.4 including the post twice)

Player stats (kicks, marks, handballs)

Horan 13 2 15
Ruwoldt 14 3 11
Greenwood 15 2 6
Panozzo 14 12 5 (yes, 12 marks!)
Block 14 2 5
Gamble 7 3 11
Yeomans 12 4 5
Bradley 12 2 4
Lally 10 3 3
Krueger 9 6 3
Willits 7 3 5
Milne 3 0 8
Smith 5 3 5
Doswell 8 3 2
Allison 4 2 4
Button 5 3 3
Wade 4 0 3
Griffiths 5 3 1
Bennett 4 2 0
Redden 3 3 1
Kaesler 1 1 1

[Speedy Tigers!]

A great, close match, the skills werent terrific but the excitement and the endeavour was clear. Some very morose Bays players after the game, but plenty of reasons to be cheerfull, if looking @ the big picture.

The average age of the Bays players was about 20, One player aged 26, none others older then 22, even had 16 yo's out there. If the average age had been 28 then no great future to talk about.

The Bays unfortunately had a few injuries to key players at the end of the year, including our skipper, who had to miss, he declared himself unfit 2 days before the game, because it wasnt best for the team. Gutsy stuff, and earns him yards of respect.

The North players combined magoos matches was 40% more then the GFC, so perhaps the extra experience counted. These kids are an extremely close knit bunch of guys, mainly locals and from the South East, and apart from 1 or 2 who will get drafted, They are hopefully be the nucleus of a terrific team for many years.

PS Now for a spit....we want our extra 2 minutes!

And if that wasnt a throw on the members wing with 1 minute to go, before the North goal, I have never been to an SANFL game in my life..

But there was about 40 "if onlys" today, and unfortunately we were behind when the siren blew.

All up, a mighty and great year from a terrific bunch of kids.

[Ranga]

Here, here Gordon.

It would be very tempting to focus on what went wrong - going from 5-2 to end up at 8-15 would give a pretty big hint. Being so rattled that we look to pass from 20 meters out rather than take a shot probably summed it up in that last few minutes (and I hope Button is not scarred by the day - he can take a very good grab and can kick goals, just not yesterday).

But we shouldn't overlook that we have some very talented young players coming through.
Coulda/ Woulda /Shoulda ... I think they are strong enough to learn from the experience and go on. It certainly gives us something to build on for next season.

p.s. Yes, that was a huge throw, as noted by all in the stands where we were sitting. But overall the umpiring didn't affect the outcome (even Pubes was relatively quiet). And Toia's cheapshot was probably the only blemish on a match played with great endeavour by both sides.

[Pseudo]

Panozzo 14 12 5 (yes, 12 marks!)

Including a couple of hangers, IIRC.

How this guy did not get the medal for BOG is beyond me. Being in a losing team did not mean that his performance was overshadowed in any way by any of the North players.

[Ecky]

Also, the Advertiser had Ruwoldt as best player for Glenelg ahead of Panozzo!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[Speedy Tigers!]

The player who got the BOG was the Norf full back who gave Allo a bath. Played a good game, but only had 8 possessions himself!

Boo that decision!

[Not Bungey]

Oh well. Another season. Great game Nozza. Hard to know what I cheered most for. The three hangers or the goal - nah, the goal. How that did'nt get them over the line is a mystery. I thought the skill level was pretty good, especially after watching the league team over the last half of the season. The usuals wracked up the stats and some other usuals didn't play to their best or their potential (why they are not in the league team for more than a week at a time). Smith did some great things though not sure what his opponent did.

I was remarkably calm/subdued after the game considering the margin and the most costly non-decision I've witnessed at a footy game. The kids and Mrs Me (is that what Snouts call their wives/partners on this forum?) but I think it was more that it is the end of another long season, that went a bit longer than usual, and the fact that this mob will/should improve the league team.

A new board, who've made one big call already, a successful, young reserves team, a new coach on the way (with a relatively clean slate to work with)...

Roll on 2006. I'll be there again. Only other fans who've been where we are can understand why.

[Bays_r_Great]

I just want it recorded that I rate Jeff Smitth's full diveblanket smother off a North dud's boot in the second quarter as clear evidence they they were ALL out there to play; things just didn't go our way ion the end. Oh well, bring on 2006.

Hooray for soccer in the off-season. Even if Adelaide United do wear red..

[TigerBoss]

I've enjoyed reading everyone else's assessments of the day.

It was truly heartbreaking at that final siren...two minutes before that, there was sheer jubilation and I really felt we had the cup all wrapped up. What a shite lapse in concentration for us to let them kick/handpass around and find a man inside 50 on his own so late in the game...that cost us dearly.

I thought we were committed to the cause all day...our blokes busted their guts and even the maligned few turned their form around and did some almost match-winning moves...that Jeff Smith smother was one of the best things I've seen ALL year...at Norwood two weeks ago it was another Bays player that effected a top smother right on the goal line against North...can't remember who, but that stuff is just as inspirational as seeing a massive pack mark or a running goal (how good was Panozzo's late goal).

Umpires had little contribution to the loss, which is something that sh1ts me no end as after that final siren, I wanted to let all my frustrations out on someone or something...but to be fair, it couldn't be directed at them. There was THAT throw late in the contest that they missed...but these are often the hardest to ping...and the goal-line shove in the back on my man Ben Wade that allowed a North bomb to clear the line...it was the most blatant push-out I've seen EVER...not paid...

As I looked around the ground at the final siren, it was sheer agony...the players were flopped on the ground, shaking their heads...something I'll never forget. I really felt for them, and while we were the better side on the day, we couldn't capitalise on our forward thrusts AND we were shite going man on man when North had the ball...this cost us.

At pressos Sunday Night I'm not sure what I expected to hear or see...but I wanted to see players still feeling the loss, not laughing and sinking p1ss as if there is always next week. I left rather sh1tty at a range of things...

1) It seemed as if 3/4 the playing group had already totally forgotten the loss...though harsh of me to assess this from looking at them. It is hard to gauge how a player deals with such agonising losses, but perhaps I wanted to see more pain in their eyes...
2) Burge's speech was a little too "oh well, always next year".
3) Burge stuck his nose out to back-up the former Board Members and DC which I don't think is his business to do so...and was a little too kissy kissy for mine (potentially trying to get himself the top job?).

What I did enjoy was hearing the coaches assessment of EVERY Reserves player...it gave me an indication of which players I want around in the future and which ones perhaps won't have a future. While the speeches went long and perhaps bordered on arduous, it is the last opportunity we all get to see what the coach has to say about the playing group...

I think the club has a great chance to go one better next year. It will depend on who stays and who goes, but also on what the club is able to do with league recruits and who is forced out of our best 22 and into the B's...

Big ups to ALL the lads who turned up on the day...it WAS a brilliant day ruined only by a gut-wrenching one point loss...

[MatteeG]

If only I'd stayed in the bar for 5 more minutes...

Was shattering, but we shoulda wrapped it up long before the last couple of minutes.

We had it in the forward line far more often, yet I always thought Norf looked more dangerous in attack (Was Groecke no. 18 for them? I didnt Buy a budget).

Was gut wrenching at the final siren as a) We lost and b) I had downed a pint immediately before jogging down to the seats.

I was impressed and proud of the boys teamwork and commitment. I hope we can keep most of these guys together- they will form the core of a successful playing group with that sort of team/mateship.

And Panozzo was a monty for BOG if we'd got over the line- his goal in the last 1/4 was the best of the day IMO.

How did WazzaTroy pull up? He was "cruising" when I was talking to him at half time!

[TigerBoss]

I think it was just another day at the office for the Wazz...

[Guest]

SHITE!!!!
A good effort to the whole team, thanks to Chandler for members tickets.

[TigerBoss]

Yes it was good of DC to give us tickets...

Hard pressed to work out how we can get a handful of tickets, when 2 club volunteers were not able to get their hands on tickets themselves...