We’ve condensed the key points from Senior Coach Sam Mitchell’s press conference following his side’s narrow loss to Collingwood at Adelaide Oval.
On the close result:
“I’m disappointed for the players. If you look at the course of that game and the course of the year, they deserve that winning feeling and they didn’t get it. I’m torn between being proud of the result and the resilience and the fight and staying all the way through to the end, but I’m also disappointed that we allowed five goals in a row and we lost control of the game. They kicked one right on the siren of the first quarter which was really disappointing because I really thought we were right with them at that point. We kicked a couple in the second and then they kicked the five in a row. We know that it would be a side where you have to win it over four quarters and I thought that the work ethic and the desire and we changed a few things and I thought the players responded fantastically well and I was just so disappointed looking at their faces after the game. They were so disappointed after leaving so much out there. I think all the people at the ground would’ve been proud watching that but you just want them to be able to celebrate success and they weren’t able to do it.”
On Blake Hardwick's move to the forward line:
“He’s a frustratingly good player. I’m really nervous to move him out of the back half at any time because he’s so important for us back there but we knew the contest in front of the game was an area where we struggled. We lost a lot of team shape in the second quarter in particular so we made a few changes at half-time. I think everyone who’s watched him train and play at different times forward has thought that was happening and thought that he’s going to be able to kick a score at some point. We’ve used him at different times there but this was the first time he really got the opportunities and took them and I was pleased for him. But moving him out of the backline, you’re always a bit nervous but I was proud of him. I thought he had a fantastic performance. Even in the first half, I thought he was excellent down back, and then to go forward and nearly drag us over the line... nearly."
On Jack Ginnivan’s performance against his former side:
“I think with Jack, he’s had a fantastic start to his time in brown and gold. I’m loving the way he’s playing. He’s scoring goals, he’s creating pressure, he’s helping us lock it in the front half and he’s working really hard in the game. The outside narrative is fascinating for the world but he’s a really important player for us and I think he had a good game today. I thought his level of maturity today was going to be challenged and people asked me how I thought he was going to handle it and with a 21-year-old under that much scrutiny, how do you know? But I thought he played another really good game for us.
All I know about Jack is that he is loving life in the brown and gold and he is as passionate as any of our players about making sure that we are going to have success. And he has obviously had success, he is a premiership player, and he plays today with an enormous amount of frustration that we couldn't quite get there because he knows what success feels like. And I think the influence that he has had on our group has been excellent, and there's been a lot of talk this week about his footy IQ, and he is a guy we regularly go to and say what are you seeing in the game and what are you thinking. I think his knowledge around the game is as good as any of our players and we need to keep leaning on him in that way. And how he handles the external... I think the proof is in the pudding - he's playing good footy. So keep doing what you are doing, Jack."
On an improved outing from the midfield:
“We’ve had Will Day on the bench while he’s been injured and I think that influence on our midfield group with having Daysy on the bench has really helped solidify them and so for the last couple of weeks, I think they’ve worked really well. Last week, it was Worps (James Worpel) who had the really strong game but today it was a bit more of Nuke (Jai Newcombe). The influence that the collective of the midfield group has been able to put together over the last few weeks has been much improved. It’s not really about which individual dominates the game, I know that’s what the media loves, but I was really pleased with the response from the midfield group last week and then into this week. I think we gave away four free kicks in centre bounce which hurt us but for the most part, I think Nuke’s been going okay and today was a big step in the right direction. He’s got that great ability to lead the group and when he’s good in key moments, he drags the team with him. Having players who are capable of doing that is really important for us going forward. The challenge for us is in that second quarter when they kicked five goals, we just didn’t have that key moment where we could’ve got back control of the game.”
Watch the full post-match press conference below:
