Coach Post Match – Todd Curley Round 9

WHAT South Fremantle coach Todd Curley had to say following the 41-point victory over Peel Thunder at Fremantle Community Bank Oval that keeps the Bulldogs on top of the WAFL ladder ahead of a clash with the bottom placed Swan Districts this Saturday.

QUESTION: You knew they would provide tough opposition but the way you were able to answer every time they challenged and then kick away with the last seven goals must have been pleasing?
ANSWER: I thought it was a big challenge for us. Clearly their numbers in contested ball and the hard ball, and clearances are pretty good so it was a big challenge. Obviously they have a few big bodies and AFL-experienced mids in there, and it's never easy to score against them. We hung in there and when the game opened up a bit late we were able to score, which was good.

Q: The most pleasing thing must have been that every time they got back to within a goal, you were able to respond?
A: We are still working pretty hard to improve and get better. We'd like to maybe not let them keep coming back, but they are a good team and they are going to do that. We think we have probably improved as a group with our resilience and belief. It was a pretty hard game and the boys worked pretty hard, so it was nice to get them a bit of reward late.

Q: There was a couple of games late last year where you stayed close with Peel for three quarters but were then blown away, does this show how far you've come?
A: We're a pretty different group from the second half of last year. There's probably nine or 10 or sometimes 11 different players from the team we played at the end of last year. But the young players we were able to expose to some senior footy have really grown over summer. When we've played well and that includes this week it's when we've had a pretty even performance with everyone playing their role. We haven’t really relied on any one or two players at all.

Q: Big day for Ryan Cook and it was good to see him play well, but more importantly enjoy the win in his 100th game?
A: 100 games is a great effort and it's hard to move interstate and go to a new club. He was really good again for us and milestone games are great, but usually you only remember them if you win.  You don’t really remember them too fondly if you get beat.

Q: In your 18 months here, how much has he impressed you with his leadership?
A: We've probably got some behaviours, standards and trademarks like every club and he was the clear pick as captain by the players. But even in those 18 months he has grown so much as a leader and the amount of work he does on that is a credit to him. He is a clear leader but this year for him he is probably helped by us having more boys along for the ride and he has some more support, and we have more of a broader leadership group. We are sharing the load which is what we're trying to do all around the club.

Q: It was good to win last week without your full-back and full-forward but Josh Pullman and Ben Saunders again showed how important they are?
A: They came in and played their role, which is good. We had another first-gamer Jakey Florenca and he didn’t look out of place and Jimmy Laurino has had to kick the door down for an opportunity and played his role as well. The pleasing thing is that the guys who have had to come in have had to stack some really strong form together. Dragovich, Stewart and guys like that have come in and played their role well.

Q: Good start for Jake Florenca with a goal early on in his debut and he had an impressive first up performance?
A: It was good for him to play well. It's a reasonable step up in pressure and speed, and I think he found that but he enjoyed the experience.

Q: What's the feeling like around the club with how well you're performing and how does it compare to some of the successful teams you've been part of?
A: I think they've worked enormously hard. As a playing group they've really worked hard for a long time and they are working hard off the ground with their leadership stuff. They are preparing better and doing all the right things with recovery, and it's good to see all the work and sacrifice that they've done, and added to the program this year, being reinforced by some positive results. When you are doing things that you think are making you better and you get some positive reward it only makes you want to keep doing it and build some momentum. Hopefully that will continue.

Q: Head out to Bassendean on Saturday and do you have to be mindful to not take them lightly despite how they are struggling at the moment?
A: I guess it's another challenge for our leadership and our group as a whole. We think we've made some good strides but you have to keep preparing well and that starts on the training well. We have to prepare for the game well and to play our way. That's what we want to do. Who and where we play doesn’t come into our focus too much. We have focused less on that this year and focused more on us to make sure we get our own end right.