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Geelong are through to the 2020 grand final after steamrolling the Brisbane Lions in the second preliminary final at the Gabba tonight.
Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan spoke to the media after his side's comprehensive loss to Geelong...
Q: What was your response to that result?
A: The players and the staff are obviously incredibly disappointed. We have had a fantastic year and it hasn't finished in the way we wanted it to. But that's what happens when you get down to the last four. You are faced with disappointments sometimes. And it is that disappointment that hardens you in the long run. I look at - I was fortunate to spend time at Hawthorn. They won a flag in 2008. The next year they didn't make the
finals. The next year they got knocked out in the first week of the finals. The next year they got beaten in the prelim. The next year they got beaten in a grand final and then they won three in a row. So it is a process you have to go through unfortunately. I was hoping that we wouldn't have to but we met a team tonight who has lost a lot of preliminary finals and they desperately wanted to get into a grand final and they showed that in the way that they played tonight. And all credit to them. I thought that was a brilliant performance by Geelong.
Q: What went wrong for you guys, Chris? What would you have done better?
A: I just thought they were just stronger in the contest than us, particularly early in the game. It could have been a little bit of a blow-out in the first quarter to be honest. That was a quarter where they were really on top in contested ball and clearance. We actually corrected it a fair bit after that. So I think their bodies were just stronger to break through in the clinches and clear the ball from the congestion. Now, our guys are a fair bit generally speaking fair younger than the Geelong side. That's a really experienced football side. Geelong have big bodies. So that just gives the feedback that our guys need to get into the gym a little more, get more stronger and bigger, get some more experience and, you know, we will get better from it.
Q: It didn't blow out in the first quarter as it could have. Did it give Geelong that element of control where you were able to claw back in the end?
A: I thought there were moments in the second and third where we looked like we were going to. But they seemed to find another way to get another goal and answer us. There were some little moments that maybe we could have made them a little bit more nervous than we did but overall they deserved their victory. They were strong and tough. Played a good brand. They will be hard to beat next week.
Q: Chris, you picked Cameron Ellis-Yolmen presumably to beef up - with a bigger body I guess. Did you think of maybe swinging him on board a little earlier when they were getting beaten?
A: Yes, we sort of had a role in mind for him on Stewart. They have big bodies in their back end. So part of the reason why we picked Cam was to give us a little more weight and bulk in our forward line. We thought he could do a bit of stopping job on Stewart who is like a quarterback for Geelong. Great ball user, terrific player but that would help us. But in the end we had to let go of that and threw Cam in there.. Yes, we trial these things.
Q: You are always about learning and growth and this is maybe one time where you didn't show an improvement from a previous beating, if that is the right word. Were you beaten in the same area in Round 6?
A: Yes, and we learnt from it. We knew what we had to do, we couldn't quite get it done. That is something you can't fix tonight. That is something you fix over the summer in the gym and in your technique around contested ball. I look at us and go, "Right, last year we won 16 games and lost eight. This year we lost 15 and won four." We had a terrific win over Richmond who had been the best team for the last three or four years. We have made progress. I mean, we are sad tonight and we are hurting tonight but I have got to be realistic about these things. Success doesn't happen overnight, not usually. It is rare. So we just have to take our medicine and learn. You know, the pleasing part this year is I think some football experts would have thought that Brisbane would be the team that wouldn't make the eight this year. We have put two good seasons together now. So we are starting to become a really reliable team. That's progress. That's important. We just have to keep knocking on the door
to give yourself a chance.
A: Did you get the Ablett match-up right?
Q: Well, Gary really cut loose in the third quarter. He wasn't so much on top prior to that. Wrong for a little time. Not for the whole game though. You know, there are other players in the Geelong side that we were concentrating on. They just had too much ball going forward, too much supply and that was overwhelming in the ends.
Q: Darcy Gardiner a late out. Obviously he had a role, a key role.
A: Yes, he was going play on Dangerfield. Ryan Lester played on Dangerfield. I thought Ryan Lester played a really good game tonight. And I thought Jack Payne, who replaced Darce did a good job as well in only his fifth game of AFL football. He had an experience tonight that money can't buy. He will be all that much better for it. He turned 21 during the week so he is just a young man. No, I don't think Darcy being out tonight threw us out.
Q: What was wrong with him Chris?
A: He banged his knee in our practice game that we played last weekend. Sort of one of those accidental things. He has got some bone bruising. He was able to run at about 85 per cent speed but he couldn't get that extra 15 per cent that you need. So we couldn't pick him on that basis.
Q: Apart from obviously experience and time in the gym, what are the holes you need to fill to go that one step further?
A: I haven't had much time to think about that. We have just lost a final. I haven't done the analysis. Probably in the next few days we will start to think about that. We will watch the tape, assess the game. You know, we are obviously pretty keen to get Joe Daniher to our club. We think he can help. We are already in the business of improving for next year. So we won't let the grass grow under our feet.
Geelong coach Chris Scott spoke to the media after the game...
Q: Chris, massive congratulations. I guess the debate about the so-called prelim final monkey is well and truly off your back. Can you address that and the even performance. Was that the good aspect?
A: It was an even performance. To the first part of your question, every year is a new year. Finals full stop are hard to earn your way into in this competition. It is getting harder and harder, and equalised competition, and we are really respectful of the quality of the other teams. So to work so hard this year and in trying circumstances to give ourselves a chance to taste the ultimate success I think is a credit to way our club - not just our players and administrators - but our whole club and supporters have approached the challenge of this year. I'm really proud of them.
Q: Has it ever come up in preparing for this finals series?
A: Not really. I think it helps a little bit to have been there before even when you have been there and faced the bitter disappointment of losing them. But the most important thing is the head space of the players. So we have got some experienced players who have played in premierships before that are pretty comfortable in this environment but I don't think they feel the losses any less than some of the guys that haven't been there before. But no, I think our job is to assess sort of whether the players feel like that is a burden for them and try to alleviate that in some way, shape or form. But still, the best way to do that is to try to find a way to play your best football. Even tonight, I thought we were playing pretty well early on. Had control of the game, just didn't really get the scoreboard reward that maybe we could have with a bit better execution in our forward half. It was nice to see that later in the game we got a bit more reward and comfort.
Q: What was your message at half-time. Were you frustrated or did you think, 'let's make the most of opportunities'?
A: No, I think the frustration is clear for everyone and it doesn't need to be articulated. The message was all the things we are trying to do on balance are in our favour so we don't need to change the way we are playing. We certainly don't need to let the frustration of some of those missed opportunities get to us. Just double down on the way we want to play. If we keep creating those chances over the course of the game we would end up on top.
Q: In the first quarter the numbers were off the charts. Joel Selwood didn't touch it. Who did you expect stood up better?
A: I thought all the guys in the midfield were really strong. I thought our backs were strong too. Obviously when Brisbane gets some space in their forward half with fast movement they are a threat. I thought Kolodjashnij and O'Connor and Bews and the whole lot - I shouldn't individualise - I thought they were really strong. Really the numbers that were strongly in our favour were around the midfields. Our two guys in the ruck were really, really strong. Then Guthrie and Parfitt, Menegola and Tuohy, yes, I thought - I'm struggling a little bit to sort of identify who was the main driver right at the moment but I thought collectively we were just beating them around the ball. We generally need everyone doing that. Without Selwood and Dangerfield dominating that it is pretty good sign.
Q: Chris, there was a bit of a debate about the Daniel Rich versus Gary Ablett match-up. Were you happy with the way the match-up played?
A: I thought Rich was penetrating with the kick-ins. It was hard to stop him taking those. And we have great respect for him as a player. Always loved him as a player in the way he uses the ball. He is clearly down there to help with some drives. So when they are under pressure and they needed to take the game on a little bit more you don't want the ball in his hands. But I thought Gary was outstanding. It is possible for two guys to play on each other and both be effective.
Q: Chris, what were you thinking when he ran through the middle after Mitch Duncan's handball. Did you think - did you know what was going to happen? I think a lot of people did.
A: That Gary was going to kick a goal? Yes, that's what we said in the box, "Just knock it over Gary." There is a sense of de ja vu there, we have seen it before.
Q: We don't see this every day. We saw you gather your players together 90 minutes maybe before the crowd come in. We don't see that all that often. Was there anything unusual in what you said there?
A It is not unusual for us. We do it virtually every week. And hopefully it is a bit of a two-way discussion with the players around. Just final reminders, what do we prioritise, what is important. We often do it when we are at a slightly different venue or it takes on a more important answer. This is our fifth game here this year, next week will be our sixth. There was nothing to talk about from that perspective. Conditions were good. It always gives me confidence when the players nail the things the coaches think should be front of mind for them.
Q: Given everything has has happened, what do you make of two Victorian teams playing in the grand final?
A: I think I will have a clearer picture of it when it is all said and done. It was said during the week, we had our 100th day out of Geelong during the week. If someone had said to us that we were going to Sydney and you would be gone for 100-plus days we might have struggled more than we have. We just tried to put one foot in front of the other. There is no doubt it has been a quirk of the season that West Coast and Port and Brisbane have had a different set-up to a lot of Melbourne clubs. So in some ways we were relatively comfortable that our ladder position was at least a fair reflection of how we played during the year. But I guess in a funny way it would be nice - there is no advantage to Richmond compared to Geelong or vice versa. Both teams have had to endure a bit of adversity. It pales into insignificance compared to the adversity to what people in the rest of the world have been dealing with. But in a footy context, yes, I'm hoping we can rise to their level and make it somewhere near an even battle.
Q: Chris, do you think The Gabba holds a potential advantage for you guys. You spoke about how much it suits you.
A: I hope so but I don't really know. We will try to talk ourselves into it. Five games here. Richmond beaten by Brisbane here off the top of my head. Did they play Sydney in a wet one? Can't remember another game that Richmond played here. They certainly favoured Metricon and played their semi-final there. Yes, I hope so. But if we are relying on the ground to get over the Tigers we will be in trouble.
Q: What did you learn from last night's game?
A: Yes. I mean, it confirmed how good they were. I have got to be honest, there was a little bit of a sense during the year that maybe Richmond weren't quite where they had been in previous years. That game sort of snuffed that out a little bit and the games subsequent to that. So they have clearly been the best team in the comp for a period of time. Round 17 taught us they will be hard to beat, they are going to be hard to beat, they are going to be hard to score against. Their system is second nature to them. I think we saw that last night under pressure. It is easy to say it is much harder to do. But they have developed a system and a group of players that know what to do in every minute of the game and it won't always work but at least they are on the same page. They are hard to play against.
Geelong defender Zach Tuohy spoke to Channel Seven after the game as well...
Q: You must be feeling great. This is a dream come true for you?
A: Yes, it is. It has been the focus of my career, not for the whole career, but the older you get the more intense you kind of want these moments so it is exciting.
Q: Tell us what the scenes will be like in your home town in Ireland. Do mum and dad live stream the games? Can they get it in real-time?
A: Yes, they have got internet. They will get it in real-time. The carrier pigeons don't have to get there with the score. Yes. They are all watching it. All my friends and family obviously are wathcing it. Under normal circumstances I would probably have some of my family here but, yes, they are obviously all great support for me.
Q: Zach, you have had a few different roles this year. Been on the wing at times. Gone forward. Obviously spent most of your career down the back. Have you enjoyed that this year?
A: Yes, I really have. Obviously I was a career backman for 10 years. Was given a different role this year. I just found it really refreshing. Obviously it can kind of become a bit mundane to do the same thing week in and out every week. Although, I must admit I loved playing down back. It has given me a different perspective. It seems to be working.
Q: You seem to have a clear head. The first one sprayed right. But the second one you flushed. You have done it all final series. Is it the clarity or authority of your routine? Why do you do it so easily?
A: Yes, first one wasn't great. I'm not sure. I haven't had that many set shots throughout my career. I don't have a routine. I think about never kick it hard but just try and strike it. Fortunately for the most part they go through. First one was a shocker but got to make up for it.
Q: Life in the hub has been a challenge. 104 days you have been living amongst your teammates. We know you are a great character and had a lot of fun. How have you coped personally.
A: It has been a challenge but I must admit, it has had an awful lot of positives as well. We are so grateful. One for the club for the way we have been looked after, but I think we should step back and give the AFL credit because it was a monumental task to get the season away. Despite a few challenges, it has been mostly positive our end. It has been a challenge but I have enjoyed it.
Q: For the third time in history neither of the top two teams have got through to a grand final. You are in the hub, Richmond and Geelong, but you both have lost your first final. It must have almost been a blessing in disguise to keep rolling on and playing than winning the first week and then sitting around for a couple of weeks. What are your thoughts on that?
A: I'm not sure. Obviously if you win your first final you potentially get another week off. There is a good argument to say that is no benefit at all. But, yes, potentially it has helped us. We just get to roll on with some momentum. But I like to think if we had not made our first final we wouldn't have made it like we have. Who knows.
Sam Menegola was one of Geelong's best tonight and he spoke to Channel Seven after the game...
Q: Sam, congratulations. You are into your first grand final. It makes all the hub life all the much better, mate.
A: Yes, it does. Great reward for us. For all the people who have spent all that time with us, families, and staff. Families of staff back home that hasn't been able to come as well. Hopefully those people it makes what has been at times a challenging year for them, it makes it worth it.
Q: What a journey and a week you have ahead of you.
A: It is exciting. Obviously the main theme of the week is about making sure that we play well on the weekend. We will firmly be focused on that. But I think we will try and embrace it and enjoy what is a really good week.
Q: Sam, I believe you have a new baby when you are in the hub. How is it when you are in the hub. How is it when you can't getaway from the hub and you can't getaway from the hub and you have got a young bub in there?
A: It is pretty difficult. It has its moments but parenting has that anyway. It has probably been harder on [partner] Em who has done an unbelievable job. She is at home with him tonight. Yes, she has been amazing. That has taken a lot of load off me, to be honest. But it is one of those things - there have been some challenges but the positives of it far outweigh it. We have had some unbelievable quality time as a family together. It has probably helped me getaway from football. There is nothing more meaningful than having your five-month-old son when you come out of training. It made the afternoons that you are stuck in a hotel go quick spending time with them.
Q: Congratulations on your team. You had a fantastic season. You are surrounding by future hall-of-famers and legends of the game when you think of Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood. How much focus tonight on Gary Ablett maybe being his last game. Was that spoken about in the builds-up?
A: It wasn't. We were pretty keen on making sure it wasn't his last game. We felt like we had a job to do tonight and we focussed on that. Yes, so it wasn't something we spoke about it. I guess in the back of your mind you know it and you want to send them out in style but there is a very, very good football team in the way of doing that. We will get to work on them and try and turn up and play really good football this week.
Q: Also Brandan Parfitt tonight really good.
A: Yes, he is improving week on week. He is pretty young. Played quite a bit of senior football already. I think he is a guy who is just going to keep growing. The up side is pretty clear to see. Him and other guys - I thought Sam Simpson over the last two weeks has been really, really strong for us. Some of the young guys we have got Gryan Miers and Jack Henry. Probably missed a few but we have some young exciting guys at the club. There are a lot not playing. I think it is a good position.
Here's some more social media reaction to Geelong's triumph....
The Geelong players get around their whole squad after the final siren
Here's some of the social media reaction to Geelong's thumping win over Brisbane..
Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield is finally through to his first grand final at the age of 30 after four failed preliminary finals, and he spoke to Channel Seven after the game...
Q: Finally you are into a grand final. The boys are saying it is your first grand final ever but you just mentioned maybe some Under 12s footy action.
A: Yes, I'm not sure of how Lightning premiership under 12 works. This is a slightly bigger stage. Into this group is very special.
Q: How much belief do you guys have now. Dominant performance last week. This win tonight in front of a hostile crowd going into next week.
A: Yes, huge amount of belief. Across the board we have a wonderful group, well spread. I hate to individualise but Jack Henry tonight, some of his intercepting was spectacular. Players like that were wonderful tonight and have been wonderful all season for us. Real resolve about what is ahead of us. Another stepping stone. We have one to go.
Q: For all the Cats fans around the country, I'm sure you have a message for them.
A: Absolutely. They have been behind us all year, particularly our staff. Ones that have travelled have been away from their families for a really long period of time. Then for those staff that are no longer with us and those who are working back at the club behind closed doors and from home, you have done so much for us and they have done so much for us. They are with us. They have been along for the journey the whole time. We have got one more to do.
Geelong champion Gary Ablett spoke to Channel Seven after the game...
Q: You said before the game you would move to Geelong to play in a grand final.
A: How good is that. So proud of the boys effort tonight. I thought it was a good team performance. I said to you before the game we believe in our brand of football but it is a matter of putting in four quarters. I felt we did that tonight. Our supporters were fantastic. Listen to them now. We are going into a grand final but the job is not done.
Q: Your coach said you guys dominated the first half, just couldn't convert.
A: You are right. We spoke about that at half-time. We didn't make the most of opportunities. We spoke about
staying composed in the second half and making sure we are taking those options when they are open inside forward 50. We did that.
Gary Ablett and Brandon Parfitt.Credit:Glenn Hunt
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2020-10-17 12:08:00Z
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