Since I last wrote an entry for Yellow & Blog (after the 10pt loss to West Coast) our streak has been WWLWWL (4-2). Here's my mini-history of the period, particularly with reference to 4Q consistency & intensity of effort.
Port Adelaide (W) - in terms of consistency, our break out game for the season. We'd thumped Melbourne but were otherwise still missing consistency. In this game, we maintained intensity of effort for the full 4Qs. The victory confirmed that if we do this, our structures, game plan and playing style are on the money.
Sydney (W) - very sound follow up to the Port game set up predominantly by a solid 1st Q and strong finish. Didn't quite hold a 4Q consistency but we'd done enough at other stages. Our forward set up started to click. Belief and commitment started to be matched with confidence.
Essendon (L) - I watched this game from Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam at a bar called The Drunken Monkey (!). As we clawed our way to the front in the final quarter, celebratory beers were being ordered in large number. Prematurely, it sadly turned out. The Bombers are no pretenders this year, and we learned another lesson about the need for total follow-through at all stages of a game when playing in-form sides. (I learned that adopting the local custom of putting ice in your beer is a top way to avoid a hangover.)
Hawthorn (W) - the game that oiled the squeaky wheels on the Tiger bandwagon. Confidence brimming, our forward line opened up, and not only did we maintain 4Q consistency, our performance fed off our confidence more and more as the game rolled on. Finally the non-Tiger world acknowledged the rising Tigers. With that of course comes increasing expectation, scrutiny & pressure.
St Kilda (W) - one of the best matches of the season across the whole league. Head to head throughout the match as both sides applied themselves fully to the contest. We immediately applied the week-before's lesson about total follow-through, maintained our intensity and got the result. Our composure in the last Q is a sign of emerging maturity. Best tenacious Tiger victory I've seen in a long time.
Fremantle (L) - we dropped our intensity and got Pavliched. Pavlich was the main difference between the sides, but he was aided by our lack of adaptation to the conditions and plenty of players going missing across the 4Qs. We lost our intensity for much of this game. We finally found it at times in the last Q but in those conditions it is always tough to come from behind. Especially against Ross Lyon's dour, boa constrictor style, which remains a big problem for us as it was when he coached the Saints.
So, it's a recent history with - promisingly - a few more ups than downs, but... the downs are still there. We're all very excited about the Tigers trajectory, but we must also remember that these days in the AFL nothing can be taken for granted. My reading of our season so far is that our side is now learning the difference between being an also ran and a champion. 100% effort, 100% of the time. Anything less than that leaves all sides - good and bad - exposed. It's a difference we'll have to understand before we can become real contenders. A crucial part of our true development.
And this will hold true against GWS this weekend as much as it does against the top sides.
Eat em alive Tigers, eat em alive!
