Arnell on momentum and managing key moments
Port Adelaide senior coach Lauren Arnell has reflected on her side’s Round 7 loss to St Kilda, admitting the team’s inability to halt the Saints’ late momentum and manage key moments effectively proved costly.
Speaking to the media post-game, Arnell said while consistency across four quarters remains a challenge, she was pleased with the team’s pressure during the opening three terms, highlighting Shineah Goody’s standout 12-tackle performance, along with the promising contributions of first-year players Lily Paterson and Jasmine Sowden.
Port Adelaide now turns its attention to a Saturday night clash at home against the Western Bulldogs. Tickets are on sale now.
Arnell on the loss to St Kilda
“It felt like for probably most of the first three quarters, we had the game on our terms, and we just didn't show enough of ourselves in that last quarter. The word consistency keeps popping up for us, and at this moment in time, it's incredibly disappointing. We just have to keep finding more ways to improve in those moments, and halt momentum of teams when they get a run on like that. Our group's really disappointed - we just let them get on top of us comfortably in that last quarter.”
“Lily Paterson got her hands dirty nicely, and found plenty of footy, particularly earlier in the game. Jasmine Sowden showed some good steps forward, and Lauren Young (performed well) in her second game of footy. Piper Window had an enormous first half for us. There are some young players there who are improving all the time, and we just have to keep showing this group how to step up and manage those moments, particularly when other teams get momentum. And we've not done that overly well this year, outside of our win against Melbourne.”
“Pressure factor is a crucial statistic for us, and I think we showed a good step forward in that first three quarters of footy. And reality is, you play four quarters of footy, and we didn't do that well enough today.”
Arnell on Shineah Goody’s 12-tackle performance
“She was asked to do a role, especially around stoppage, and I thought she did that really well for most of the game. She’s someone who works her backside off and is incredibly talented. I back our group in to take the lessons that we need to out of this game, but right now it's heavily disappointing that we didn't play four quarters of footy today.”
Arnell on finding consistency
“I think we could come up with any number of reasons around why we haven't managed the game well enough in that last quarter, but the reality is that we just need to be better. We're performing at the highest level of competition. Other teams are going to come at us in big moments, and we have to learn quickly.”
