TonyK
CibbuanoFinals just a dream, says Williams
June 9th 2008 00:35
PORT ADELAIDE coach Mark Williams has said his side has fallen into a bad routine of losing games with three minutes to go and that his players were kidding themselves if they think they can play finals this year.
Williams' comments come following Port's final term capitulation against Carlton at AAMI Stadium on Sunday night. The Power led by 30 points at the final change, but didn't fire a shot in the final stanza as the Blues piled on seven unanswered goals to record a gutsy 12-point win.
Port have now slipped to 11th spot on the AFL ladder with a 4-7 win-loss record.
"We really disappointed everyone today and I thought we probably played all over Carlton for a fair time on the night without getting any return, but to their credit they kept coming," Williams said.
"We're getting into a bit of a routine of three minutes to go we're in front and losing those games.
"We challenged ourselves about mental toughness tonight without any doubt and we certainly can't stand up for being able to say we are (mentally tough), it's a disappointing thing at our club but we'll continue to push and we'll get better.
"We're going to be kidding ourselves if we think we'll be playing finals."
Williams said players were guilty of making poor decisions when the game was on the line.
"Some of our decisions under pressure were just shocking and nothing like we'd like to think our players would do.
"They'll need to look at it and reassess what they do in those situations - when you get into those you pass or fail, that's it.
"If Robbie Gray kicked that goal and not hit the post we'd have probably won, so it's as close as that.
"We certainly don't win last quarters."
When asked if his team were chokers, soft, mentally weak or fragile under pressure, Williams said: "Certainly tonight you could put a tick next to all of them.
"Over the years we've been winning lots of close games, this year we haven't."
But Williams was confident his side would bounce back, with key players set to return next week.
"They're a group that is pretty resilient, things haven't gone particularly to plan, hopefully Brett Ebert and Shaun Burgoyne will be back next week, to be missing our best clearance player and one or two goalkicker is a huge challenge at any time.
"When they come back, you get on the plane again and play someone else, it's really important for us."
Williams also said the club would re-assess what to do with injured star Chad Cornes (broken finger), who had just nine posssessions against the Blues.
"Chad (Cornes) had one of his worst games ever, and, to be fair, Chad's injured so we're playing Chad injured and we'll have to reassess whether we do."
Williams' comments come following Port's final term capitulation against Carlton at AAMI Stadium on Sunday night. The Power led by 30 points at the final change, but didn't fire a shot in the final stanza as the Blues piled on seven unanswered goals to record a gutsy 12-point win.
Port have now slipped to 11th spot on the AFL ladder with a 4-7 win-loss record.
"We're getting into a bit of a routine of three minutes to go we're in front and losing those games.
"We challenged ourselves about mental toughness tonight without any doubt and we certainly can't stand up for being able to say we are (mentally tough), it's a disappointing thing at our club but we'll continue to push and we'll get better.
"We're going to be kidding ourselves if we think we'll be playing finals."
Williams said players were guilty of making poor decisions when the game was on the line.
"Some of our decisions under pressure were just shocking and nothing like we'd like to think our players would do.
"They'll need to look at it and reassess what they do in those situations - when you get into those you pass or fail, that's it.
"If Robbie Gray kicked that goal and not hit the post we'd have probably won, so it's as close as that.
"We certainly don't win last quarters."
When asked if his team were chokers, soft, mentally weak or fragile under pressure, Williams said: "Certainly tonight you could put a tick next to all of them.
"Over the years we've been winning lots of close games, this year we haven't."
But Williams was confident his side would bounce back, with key players set to return next week.
"They're a group that is pretty resilient, things haven't gone particularly to plan, hopefully Brett Ebert and Shaun Burgoyne will be back next week, to be missing our best clearance player and one or two goalkicker is a huge challenge at any time.
"When they come back, you get on the plane again and play someone else, it's really important for us."
Williams also said the club would re-assess what to do with injured star Chad Cornes (broken finger), who had just nine posssessions against the Blues.
"Chad (Cornes) had one of his worst games ever, and, to be fair, Chad's injured so we're playing Chad injured and we'll have to reassess whether we do."
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