So, how do you write a blog about what we saw Saturday afternoon? I actually chose not to write about last week, feeling lost for words about the Essendon game. I assumed this week would be a win, and after my last blog being so negative I looked forward to being able to write something positive again. My assumptions however, did not come to fruition, we lost to Gold Coast and now I, like many other Tigers supporters are left wondering how to feel.

Losing unexpectedly never feels good but to lose to the Gold Coast, a team many said at the beginning of the season would not win a game, a team who have been beaten by extreme margins several times, was heartbreaking. Many teams even view their Gold Coast game as a ‘percentage booster’. We however, did not succeed in boosting our percentage. We lost, and except in the first quarter, didn’t even look like winning.

There has been some talk about how selling our home games to both Darwin and now Cairns has cost us both matches, and I myself don’t buy into it. Gold Coast hadn’t played at the venue before and was just as inexperienced in those conditions as us. When it comes down to it, we were playing the two bottom teams and we did not play well. It’s all very well to say we sold our four points each time, but instead of blaming the board and the coaching staff, let us look to how the team performed on the day.

Hopefully, the money made from these games will ensure us a stronger football club in the future, and to be honest even if we had played both these teams at home, with the performances the boys put in, we probably would have lost anyway, especially this last weeks game.

I know everyone is getting sick of hearing this, but I believe Dimma has a plan. It can be hard trusting someone when you don’t see results immediately, especially when we started quite strongly and have now lost six of the last seven games, a couple of those against bottom of the ladder teams. Every week I see people abusing Dimma and his staff, the boys and the board on Facebook and other social media sites, and I get it. I feel your frustration. I too feel embarrassed at times, such as this weekend after our loss. I know what it feels like to barrack for a team who has let you down. What I want to ask is for you to keep trusting. Trust in Dimma’s plan. Whilst we might not win games this year, he is testing all the boys and their skills in order to weed out the ones who need to go and strengthen the ones who are staying. The team is still growing. Anyone who saw Dimma’s press conference after the game will know that this is a man who hates to lose. But in order to make a cake, you have to crack a few eggs and we are still in the egg-cracking phase.

The players themselves are reportedly down in spirits, and that’s understandable. No-one likes to lose, least of all men who are employed to win. Confidence is so hard to build yet so easy to lose. Everyone just needs to keep the faith, keep believing that our time is coming and keep working towards our goal. All supporters need to get behind the boys as we all want the same thing, success. Until that is gained we will need to keep trusting.

This week we face Geelong, a very tough test at the best of times. It will be interesting to see if we can put in a four quarter effort. Whilst the odds are against us, I encourage all of you to get down to the game and get behind our boys.

Until next time, Go Tigers.

Meg.