The importance of focus?

As we observed in our previous post, we watched the television transfixed as the Magpies appeared to target the Saints’ tagger Clint Jones before the opening bounce. It’s now a matter of record that the Saints not only withstood those unsavoury tactics, but went on to a famous victory after losing their captain to a severe hamstring injury and a key defender to a sickening collision. But what is the take out message?

 

The Saints are good enough to win without Riewoldt? For one game, yes. We’ll see how long the hamstring keeps him out and see how the team performs over a number of weeks before we pronounce them not a one-man team.

 

Bad kicking is bad football? Clearly the Magpies had many opportunities in front of goal that they squandered, but we felt, watching the television broadcast, that the Saints held an ascendency all game in general play. We think there’s something more than just ‘bad kicking’.

 

Going out with the right attitude translates to how the team plays? Collingwood began the game with an essentially negative mindset — they were going to nullify Jones’ tag right from the first moment on the ground. In the ensuing scuffles, Collingwood emerged with key free kick opportunities, but never appeared to have the composure to look like winners.

 

Even when the hapless Zac Dawson had done his best rabbit in the headlights stare for the third time early in the second quarter, the Saints looked more composed.

 

We are convinced that elite-level AFL is so even in standard that it is only miniscule differences that generate even 100-point-plus losses.

 

Whether pre-planned or not, and it certainly looked to be a planned action, Collingwood entered the arena with a negative mindset, focussing on a player rather than winning each and every contest for the ball.

 

The Saints are no angels. Baker, in particular, plays on the knife edge in his own negative, run-with roles. Nevertheless, the Saints seemed to win crucial contests for the ball and to make the most of their opportunities where Collingwood squandered theirs.

 

There’s a football truism — ninety per cent of the game is played above the shoulders. We think it might be even more important than that.