Originally Posted by
liz
I think the starkest contrast between those two games was that Freo applied intense pressure, while the Giants couldn't be bothered, possibly thinking their skills alone would easily get them across the line. I think the team has shown it can move the ball well through the middle of the ground when the pressure isn't too hot, but isn't yet able to cope with the fierce pressure applied by the top teams. We saw it in the Port game too. We struggled to hold our own in the first half, but moved the ball far better in the second after the Power somewhat took their foot off the pressure valve.
The team also needs to learn to apply that level of pressure over an entire game. I think we got better in 2020 compared to the previous two seasons but still struggled to maintain it across four quarters, or apply it at quite the intensity of the best teams.
There are other things to improve too - like forward line conversion efficiency, way the final ball is delivered into the forward line, and competitiveness at centre bounces - but the ability to apply and cope with intense pressure is the thing that, IMO, most clearly separates the best teams from the rest.
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