What a win! The first win against Judd. The first win in Melbourne this season. Most importantly, we beat a legitimate top 4 team for the first time this season.
What impressed me most was that we were strongly challenged and yet held our nerve. Rewind back to the Essendon game. Inaccuracy early stopped us from achieving a strong lead. Come the second half, the Bombers surged and we layed down. We were poor in front of goal again yesterday, but when the Blues stormed back in the 3rd (to get within 4 points) we slowed the game down, kept possession and responded with consecutive goals.
Another sign of maturity.
I could go on and on about the importance of beating Judd. Sure, it feels good. We got over a psychological barrier, but I think the club is now at a point where the we have moved on. Still, this was our greatest win in the post-Juddas era.
In terms of individual performances, there were superb efforts all over the ground. Down back, Glass and E-Mac were beacons of strength and solidity. I still have doubts over MacKenzie's kicking, but his overhead, contested marks were a feature of a dominant backline yesterday.
The midfield was amazing against an elite unit. Priddis had a million possessions. Scott Selwood did a great job containing the Juddas. Kerr also was good. It seemed he was going head-to-head with Judd for a fair chunk of yesterday. Shuey was also damaging. I like the fact that every time he gets the ball he always assesses what's on offer. He rarely makes mistakes and always seems to find targets. I thought Cox was good and Naitanui also had an excellent game. I was ecstatic over his 'Mark of the Year Elect', but just as happy that he converted the opportunity.
Our forward line was good but not great. Lecras was the only one that seemed confident in front of goal. Kennedy and Lynch both missed a few chances they should have taken avantage of. Still, they presented well.
So, 5th on the ladder. For the first time this season I think we can (and will) finish top 4. However unlikely, we could win all our remaining games. Even the Geelong game seems eminently winnable as I sit here typing, high on the fumes of victory. Complacency, injuries and fatigue all stand in the way of this outcome.
Yet, as the boring bye week approaches, we should all just appreciate how far we have come.
From wooden-spooners to top 4 candidate. Not too shabby.
No comments:
Post a Comment