Port Adelaide senior coach Josh Carr said the group enjoyed the Showdown win but their eyes are firmly planted on Sunday’s game against North Melbourne.
The Power succumbed to a tough loss in Round 1 at the hands of the Kangaroos, and will be keen to harness the momentum of last weekend’s win.
Carr spoke with the media at Adelaide Oval on Thursday about the focuses for this week, working on team offence and the rise of Josh Lai.
Carr on enjoying the Showdown win
“It was obviously an enjoyable couple of days after, and we had two days off, so it was nice. I was on barbecue duty the next day at local footy, so it was easy to do that, but obviously coming in Tuesday for the first day allowed us to review it and obviously move on and look forward to this game this weekend.
“I guess (the players) got to do that (revel in the win) with the two days off before they came into work, and they had a day together on Sunday, so they got to enjoy that, and then obviously come in Tuesday. As I said, it allows us to then move on and reset. The way our week is set up, you review the game, and no matter whether it’s a win or a loss, we review it the same way. We've got a big one against North Melbourne, and in Round 1, we had probably one of our most disappointing games, so that allows us to move forward quickly.”
Carr on North Melbourne
“I don't think you never really owe a team one. It's one that you can't get back. What we do know, Round 1 throws up a lot of challenges. Everyone's confident in their game, and you your work over pre-season, and if you don't get that one, you're obviously super disappointed. But that's a long time ago now, and a lot's changed since then, and I'd like to think our game has evolved as well as theirs has. I think the whole competition respects North Melbourne a lot more than probably at the start of the year, and the games that they played this year, they've had some really good games. They’ve won three in a row now, so we've got a challenge ahead of us.”
Carr on the focuses for this weekend
“Obviously around the contest to start off with, and that's where we got beaten up at the start of the year. Broken tackles, we didn't get that part of our game right, so I think any game that you're playing, you just start there and get your contest right, then that gives you a really good chance. They've got some really good players that have been around for a while now. LDU, and obviously Sheezel is going well, and they're pretty rock solid, they've got some good players all over the ground. Obviously Xerri’s most likely to come back, and he's been exceptional against us also. So, there's a number of different players that we've got to keep an eye on.”
Carr on moving on quickly from the Showdown
“The focus is really clear for us, you know what our game looks like, so it's not spending too much time on last week. You’ve still got to acknowledge what we did well and the reasons why, and what the game looked like. It was clear that what we got right in that game was around the contest. Our pressure was really good, so that gives us our first chance. And to move on from the Showdown, if you focus on that to start off with – your training not dropping in any intensity, the extras that the players are doing, and the buy-in that they've had for majority of this year. We obviously had a good couple of weeks leading into the Showdown, not just the Showdown week. Out of the bye, feel like we've come out wanting to get better every week, and with a great intensity in our training. That’s the process, and you’ve got to go back it. It's really simple, it’s the mental side of it. The mental game is a strong part of every team's game, and that comes back to your process.”
Carr on progressing team offence
“Three weeks before the bye, we just felt like we weren't setting ourselves up well enough with ball in hand, so just helping the players understand what their roles look like when we win the footy, so there's been a clear focus around understanding your role within our system, and how that works. I guess against Collingwood, inside 50, we got them, but we were very shallow with our entries. So, it’s just getting that balance with our inside 50s, not having to bomb the ball in deep every time, but understanding what that looks like when you're under pressure, and then what options we have when we're going inside 50. So, I guess the tweak against Adelaide was just having a bit more patience and understanding how many options we do have when we're going inside 50.”
Carr on goalkicking
“We've spoken about it, and what we spoke about is if we feel like we're working really hard at it, and the players have got their process in place. Then whatever we kick, we kick. There is a bit behind it, I think we kicked one goal, 11 outside 40 (metres) on the weekend, so that says a bit about our entries. If we can get it in a bit deeper, not just bombing it in, but with obviously a process and a system, then you can get a better look at the goals, and that's no secret in that. If you get closer to goals, then you're going to make your shots easier, but opposition don't always allow that. So we're working at it, and the individuals are working away at their own process and system, and we feel like there's a good process in place. It just takes time.”
“It's definitely a high priority, and you want to get that right. We’ve been struggling in that area for a fair while, and I've seen a number of different processes from my time here and at other football clubs. We're not doing anything less than any other football club. Speak to a lot of people at other clubs, it's just there's a bit of system and process in place, as well as the mental side of the game in the big moments, and understanding what your process looks like. That can build up on an individual, and that's okay, whether it's George (Georgiades) having a shot at goal or Durdin have a shot at goal, or whoever it is, it’s them feeling confident in their own process and feeling good. And if they stick to it, things will change for the individual.”
Carr on Miles Bergman
“We've got to train today, and we want him to not just get through, but train well. And then we'll make a call at the end of the training session (about his return).
“I think any player that goes through the challenges of injury and continuity in their game is always a bit of a challenge. Miles's attitude has been outstanding. I feel like this week, talking to him about how confident he is about his game, and I feel like he's turned a corner to probably early in the year, where he lacked some consistency week in, week out. There was a midfield challenge, and he went back, I just feel like he's in a much better head space to attack the back half of the year.”
Carr on Sam Powell-Pepper’s return
“Sam had to just get out there and play, that's all he had to do. Play half a footy, we didn't care what happened, as far as whether he got a kick or he didn't get a kick. The first quarter, I don’t reckon he touched the footy, second quarter he had five touches and played a little bit of midfield time. Even talking to him, it felt like he just felt more comfortable as the game went on. So as far as making a call when he plays AFL football, we'll make the call when he's ready, and when we're ready, and making sure that he's fully confident to come in.”
Carr on Ollie Wines’ future
“I love the attitude of Ollie, and I've been having great discussions with him from six to eight weeks ago to right now and he's feeling really good about his body and his game. He enjoyed having that week off to refresh and have himself up and about, so we'll continue those discussions right until obviously through the year and if he's feeling great at the end of the year, then it will be an easy call.”
Carr on the importance of senior players
“Yeah, very important. Darcy is the same, to have those calm heads around the young guys, and when the pressure comes on, just to be able to guide them through the situation is important. We've seen that with a number of teams that are developing and getting better, to have those older heads around. If they're willing to help and make their teammates better, then you want them in your footy club.”
Carr on Josh Lai
“It would have been nice for Josh (to be nominated for Rising Star), but he's just got to play consistent footy. I'm sure he's happy to still be playing AFL and getting better. Those individual accolades will come at the right time.
“We could see the potential in Josh, and the weapons that he does have, but it's a credit to him, it's a credit to his coaches around him, and Webby (Luke Webster) to work with him and improve and get better, and for him to have the confidence to play that way in a Showdown and in big games. He's quite a confident kid, so he's come into our system always, I think, believing in himself. So it's a credit to him.”
