Yartapuulti assistant coach Tyson Goldsack said the coaching group has plenty of detailed takeaways to work through with the players, following the game review on Monday. 

With Yartapuulti sitting on four wins and seven losses before heading to Perth to play Walyalup, Goldsack says the coaches are looking deeply at the lack of consistency in performance, both in-game and from week-to-week. 

Speaking to the Adelaide media on Monday, the backline coach spoke about what went wrong on Saturday, how the group can turn things around, and provided an injury list update. 

Goldsack on reviewing Saturday’s game 
“The coaches have met…it’s a long list of takeaways. It’s around what do we think will work for us going forward? How far away are we from our best? How can we play more consistently throughout games and over weeks as well?  

“There's nothing around (resigning to) what can we get out of the rest of the year? (We know) what we can get out of the rest of the year is winning games and still pushing for finals. We know that it's more about, we like to play aggressive in offence. Can we defend when we do? Are we playing well enough as a team defensively to slow the game down when we need to stop team’s from scoring? At the moment the answer is no, clearly, or not consistently enough. So when I talk about balance in a game, it's more about that.” 

Goldsack on how far away from their best the group is 
“Which week we're talking about would be the question. I mean, the Showdown game was a really good performance against who we consider a top-quality side. Geelong again, another good side. And the first half was pretty good. If you were watching it back and you didn’t know what happened the second half, you're thinking, well, this is going okay for us. We missed opportunities in offence. We know that we didn't convert in front of goal. We know that we arguably could have been up at half time if we did. 

“Obviously I’m the defensive coach, and we needed to stand up in that area. And I don't think we defended that well in the first half. I think we just held up in some key moments. Lachie Jones was huge for us against some pretty bad looks. So in the second half it’s about why didn't we sustain that brand of football for a whole game?” 

Goldsack on when the opposition is getting on top 
“The balance of offence versus defence…if we connect offensively, and we take our chances, we look very damaging. And it's good for us, but then it's when we don't, how can you still stand up and get the game back on our terms when we're not connecting as well as what we have in the past? So that's the challenge. We want to be exciting, but we want to be able to defend teams as well.” 

Goldsack on the team’s resilience 
“We're not talking, you know, putting white flags up, turning our toes up. We're talking more about not being deflated when it doesn't go your way. You know, when we think there's a brand of offence we want to play and we don't get the outcome, can we still go back to the well with it, knowing that it's going to work more times than not if we play it the right way? They're probably the questions in the consistency we're trying to achieve in that phase of the game. Asking players, you know, do you believe in this brand of football? Do you enjoy playing this brand of football? And the answer is yes. Then it's like, well, let's keep going after it, and then we'll make adjustments to make sure that we can either set up behind the ball well, or our contest stands up when it needs to. So that's trying to get that balance throughout a game.”  

Goldsack on encouraging bravery on the field 
“You're not going to throw players under the bus and say they give up, but it is deflating when you don't execute when maybe you should have. So can you still go for the same kick you took last time, even though you turned the one over before? We're really encouraging them to do that. Let's not go into our shell. Let's play the brand of football that you enjoy playing, and that way, at least they've got something to strive for. It's just when it goes against us, can we stand up and shut the game down when we need to? All the little things in football games when you lose momentum, it’s being able to quell that and get the game back on your terms.” 

Goldsack on fourth quarters 
“I don't think it's fitness. I think it's, talking about the mental state that you're in of, can I be a good teammate for four quarters? Have we invested too much into offence in the first three quarters and not being able to see the game out that way? Or we lose our focus on what's really important? I think that's more around that. I keep saying balance in the game, but it really is, because you look at the Hawks game, we worked really hard for three quarters, and maybe that has an effect on your running numbers in the last quarter, but I think we're fit enough. I just think we have to be brave enough and big enough to see out games better. 

“It's concerning, but it'd be more damning going after the wrong thing. So we want to be pretty sure that is it, is it fitness? Is it running numbers via GPS in the last quarter? Or is it a game style of going away from what we do really well, or not being able to get the game in the temper that we require for periods throughout maybe the first three quarters. So then you do have the capacity to work in the last. It's probably more around there. So we're definitely looking into it.  I won't be giving you guys (the media) the answer, but we are. Yeah, we're looking into it.” 

Goldsack on the rest of the season ahead 
“it's going to be harder work than if we were sitting on top of ladder, that's for sure. Had we won a couple of close games earlier, it would look better again. But there's still a lot to work for. We're not midway through the year yet. So like we said, we think we have the players to play a really good brand of footy. We can turn up on our day. The consistency throughout a game and from week to week is what we're striving for at the moment.” 

Goldsack on the game plan 
“That was our question within the coaches meeting. Do we need to make changes? So you go step through the game and no, that's actually a pretty good look, or that's a really good defensive look for us. Do we require change is the main question, or are we just not executing what we plan to do consistently enough throughout the game?” 

Goldsack on the coaching group being on the same page 
“That was the frank conversation we had today, and it got thrown around the room. Do we believe in the offence, the contest aspects, the defensive method.? And then we had to come to an agreement that we are all on the same page. We do believe in it. So what we did roll out through pre-season in the early part of this year, we still believe that will work, it’s just finding a way to make sure that we can educate well enough from week to week, and then the players can ultimately execute on game day.” 

Goldsack on giving feedback as a coach to his players 
“I wasn't bouncing into the club this morning after conceding 115 points against but that's where, when you do have the backing of your head coach and the other assistant coaches, it's a nice feeling. And when the players believe in it, and you can really be honest about how they're performing, knowing that they're always trying their best. We believe that. We believe they know what to do. They're going out there to try and perform the best they can. So the worst thing that’s going to happen would be to splinter, and some people not believe in it, and if they don't believe in it, and they don't speak up, then that's worse again. So ‘s what today was all about. Put it on the table. If you don't believe in something, then say it, but we are on the same page, and we think it can work.” 

Goldsack on the players’ support of Ken 
“He's here this year. So then when the season is over, which is in late September hopefully, then the season's over, you know, and it's up until that date. So at the moment, Ken's got the energy, and we support him, you know. We love the way he goes about it, and like I said, we had a conversation today to make sure we're all on the same page and we're all together moving forward. So at the moment, there might be external noise, but internally, Ken is our head coach, and we like that.” 

Goldsack on the injured players from the weekend 
“So Hornet’s (Jason Horne-Francis) not terrible, but it's a hamstring. It's looking like a month, maybe less, if the next few days go well for him. So yeah, post-bye, more than likely. Lachie Jones is a bit more sinister. He'll be more eight than four. So six to eight is the around the mark. But again, it's early stages, and we know that it's not a great result for us. And he was playing some really good footy. And then Sinner (Josh Sinn) is sore, but there's no cracked bones or anything. He had scans. He went in the hospital after game…so he'll be stiff and sore for next couple of days, and then we'll just see how he progresses. But he's a test for this week, depending on his pain and his performance. He’s a brave man. He's pretty tough, but, yeah, that's going to slow anyone down. So it's more about, he'll be able to handle some pain, but can you still perform at the level we need you to?” 

Goldsack on where Connor Rozee should play this weekend 
“It's not a debate from my point of view. I really like him at half back. Nah it is something you talk about, so we'll discuss that when we've got absolute confirmation of who's available this weekend and who's not, and then work out a plan to suit who we’re playing against and our best looks.”