As I sat there watching the Saints go up 44 to 1, I thought "this is how I imagined this entire season". We were getting smashed from the centre, turning over the ball and looking generally like a massive homunculus comprised from the cross-pollination of Ebert, Mackenzie, Masten and strangely...Neville Longbottom (in the first few books/films). Gryffindor legends aside, it was bloody awful.
Then...we decided to try. Amazingly, we started winning the ball, kicking more efficiently and yes, even scoring.
But even when we hit the front in the 3rd, I didn't think we would finish strongly. I got the sense that we had consumed all our psychological and physical energy pulling ourselves out of a 7 goal to none mire. So it came as no surprise when the Saints finished better in the last.
I was disappointed, but also quite content. I was disappointed in a loss which means we stay in 5th. I was content in our response to the atrocious start. Credit must go to Worsfold, primarily. He gave an interview at quarter time and he was extremely calm and composed. It's good to see he can transpose that on his players under difficult circumstances.
I was also impressed with a few individual performances. Gaff may have looked underdone early, but from the 2nd term onward he got a heap of the ball and showed great poise. Naitanui also showed flashes of brilliance. But there were more flashes than there usually is. For only the second time in his career he had 5 marks in a game.
Other players weren't so good. The usual suspects in Mackenzie and Ebert proved they still can't kick a football. Lecras was also poor.
Overall, we got what we deserved. You can't go behind 44 to 1 and expect to win. I hope the players feel spurned by that defeat. We've got the derby this week. If we are to make the top 4 we must beat the Dockers.
I get the feeling their fans think they're a chance. Alas, delusional as usual.
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