Fremantle coach Ross Lyon’s post-match assessment of Saturday’s stoush at Adelaide Oval …
On not capitalising on opportunities on the scoreboard, particularly in the first half (2.11) …
“I thought we worked really hard. We were well and truly in the game, particularly, in the first half. You’ve got to convert when you’re playing a quality team. The scoreboard didn’t really reflect how well we were going in the game, to be truthful. At the end of the day, we had equal (forward 50m) entries … but they were slicker with the ball. Some of that could’ve been ifs, buts and maybes, but I thought our conversion didn’t happen until the last quarter.”
On Adelaide breaking the game open in the second half …
“We lost some composure in the third quarter and didn’t use the ball as well. They (the Crows) counter-punched us really well, which we know is their strength – the slingshot football. I thought we contained that pretty well in the first half, but we made a few really bad turnovers coming through the midfield and they did what quality sides to, they counter-punch you pretty quickly.”
On the ruck battle …
“In the centre square bounce work, our ruckmen couldn’t get their hand to the ball. Finally, when we had them under real pressure and contained, they had an easy bail-out kick. I think they’d be really pleased with what their ruckmen and talls did where they marked it down the line to release the pressure valve when we defended them how we wanted to defend. They (those kicks) needed to be spoiled back or taken out of bounds, but they got through, so that was disappointing.”
On creating opportunities for young players to develop after a 0-6 start to the season …
“We chose to play (David) Mundy at half-back and I thought he gave us some great distribution, especially early. I thought (Michael) Walters had a pretty special performance. What’s he kicked? 3.2, had 30-odd and played through the midfield. It’s not a bad hit-out.
“We had (Lachie) Weller on a wing and playing at half-back, and (Darcy) Tucker in his second game on a wing. It’s clearly a phase we’re working through. You look at (Rory) Atkins and go, ‘Jeez, he’s a pretty good player. Where’s he come from? We haven’t seen a lot of him’. He was drafted four years ago, so he’s a four-year player. They’re the things we’re working our way through.”
On defender Alex Pearce’s battle with Crows skipper Taylor Walker …
“Alex Pearce is a really good, young player. We were really thrilled. I think he’s playing a little bit sore, Taylor Walker, but he was out there and once you’re out there you’re fit. He’s kept him (Walker) to 10 (possessions) and goalless, so it was a terrific performance.”
Read Crows coach Don Pyke’s post-match review of his team’s 33-point win
