Magellan wrote:therisingblues wrote:Never seen so many ravens fans before. There were so many that you could hear people cheering when they got a goal. I reckon they had between 300 to 500 of them there.
Then there were about 3,000 Sturt fans. Great atmosphere put on by the bluebaggers.
Well done Sturt, really glad they knocked them off, and will push deep into September if they can stay settled. Not wanting to rain on their parade, but I only hope the PoSAs genuinely played to the line yesterday - I haven't seen any footage so I'll leave that judgment up to those who were there.
Disappointed with the crowd, though. 3,500 endorsements for the reserves concept.
Fair comment.
I do believe that we were hungrier when it counted. I haven't seen the replay yet, but after Evans kicked that incredible goal, it almost seemed that winning the ruck tap and getting the next center break was pre-meditated. What I mean by that is the Sturt lads just had this massive, quite palpable appetite for winning, and the only thing that would stop them from that point on would be an even greater will, backed up with ability. Adelaide definitely had the ability if the will existed. I think it simply did not have that will.
Could it have been the noise pouring out of the stands and terraces?
Maybe the momentum of having got that incredible goal?
Maybe the belief that we have managed to run over opponents after trailing at crucial stages a few times this year?
All of the above could have contributed to the control I reckon we exerted over the game for the following five minutes, where we got point after point, and then finally another goal and another point, which put us 13 points and at least three kicks in front. Then our hunger was satiated, and Adelaide found breath to hit back with a couple of forward forays.
Then on the other hand it could have been like the hunter who will kill the boar because he is motivated by hunger, as opposed to the fat baron who fails time and again, because he simply doesn't need it.
I am honestly not sure. But there was a bit of back and forth, and the lead exchanged hands about three or four times before the Evans goal.
After that goal, there did seem to be an inevitable feel to the match, that there was no way we were going to lose, even though we were only three points up. I think I am leaning to the explanation that they played to the line. But we will most likely never know for sure.
I'm gonna sit back, crack the top off a Pale Ale, and watch the Double Blues prevail
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