According to GM – Football, Daniel McPherson, an intensive week of education laid the groundwork for the Bombers to deliver what could arguably be their best performance of the year so far against the Bulldogs on Friday night.
With a crowd of over 50,000 witnessing the Dons’ impressive 29-point victory, McPherson expressed his delight at seeing the team apply the lessons learned from the previous week’s defeat on such a grand stage.
“It’s fantastic. Particularly following last week, it was crucial for us to come out strong and showcase our best,” McPherson remarked.
“Our approach to each week remains consistent, regardless of the outcome of the previous match. The post-match review was thorough, especially considering our loss to Port Adelaide.
“We didn’t have an extensive training schedule during the week, given the Friday night fixture, so the focus was on the educational aspect, particularly stemming from the Port Adelaide game.
“Playing under the Friday night lights at Marvel Stadium, in front of a packed crowd, provided the perfect opportunity to implement those lessons. We’re extremely proud of how the players responded.”
A pivotal aspect of the Bombers’ triumph was their dominance in the midfield, with Sam Durham and Jye Caldwell rising to the challenge of facing the Dogs’ formidable midfield unit in the absence of Archie Perkins.
Recognizing early in the week the need to bolster the team’s clearance game, McPherson highlighted the diligent work of midfield coaches Brent Stanton and Daniel Giansiracusa.
“I believe one of the strengths of our coaching group is their consistent and methodical approach to each week. It’s very process-driven,” McPherson emphasized.
“We identified areas where we needed improvement, particularly in center bounces and stoppages following the Port Adelaide game. Brent and Daniel did an exceptional job working with the players, and the results were evident on the field.”
“It was crucial for us to perform well on such a big stage, against a quality opponent who had been in good form,” McPherson continued. “Going head-to-head with players like Marcus Bontempelli, Adam Treloar, and Tom Liberatore was always going to be a tough task. Our players rose to the occasion admirably, which was a testament to their character and determination.”
Looking ahead, McPherson hopes the team can build upon this performance and maintain a high standard throughout the season.
“The outcome suggests that we’re capable of producing such performances consistently, but it all starts with our efforts around the contest,” McPherson emphasized.
“Our players executed well in key areas, particularly in the forward line. We saw strong performances from Sam Draper, Todd Goldstein, Harry Jones, and Kyle Langford, who were outstanding in aerial contests.
“We have a relatively young squad, and many of them haven’t experienced pressure situations like this before. Our smaller players applied significant forward pressure, creating more scoring opportunities for us.”
As the Bombers prepare for their third consecutive Friday night fixture against the Crows this week, McPherson emphasized the importance of maintaining consistency and familiarity in their approach.
“As mundane as it may seem, our preparation will closely resemble that of last week,” McPherson revealed.
“Playing on a Friday night allows the players some time off over the weekend to recharge. We’ll resume training on Monday morning, followed by another session on Tuesday before traveling to Adelaide on Thursday ahead of our clash with the Crows on Friday night.”