Drysdale coach Ben Carmichael will place the microscope on Saturday’s 77-point loss to Geelong Amateur before focusing on this week’s crucial clash with Newcomb.
The Hawks were held goalless until half-time and to one goal at three-quarter time before four final term majors added a hint of respectability to the scoreboard.
The second most significant loss in Carmichael’s tenure, Drysdale was outclassed by the unbeaten Pegs.
“You certainly do review it hard, and there’s plenty of key learnings to come out of a game like that,” Carmichael said.
“We were pretty realistic after the game; we were just totally outplayed in every area of the game.
“Some areas where we thought we could get them, they probably got on top of that. We thought we could get them with their contested possession and our territory.
“But they just shut all that down, and they were fantastic.”
Geelong Amateur had 137 more disposals (451-314), took 44 more marks (132-88), of which 27 were inside forward 50, compared to Drysdale’s six, with inside 50s going the Pegs’ way, 67-45.
“They use the footy really well,” Carmichael said.
“They’ve got some really experienced players.
“The list that they’ve put together, with some of the experience, they’re really good around the footy, and they’ve got some really good targets up forward as well.”
Drysdale’s fortunes were not helped by a match-ending finger injury suffered by key forward Joel Watson in the opening minutes of the contest at Queens Park.
“We had to move a few things around, and we sort of lost that key focal point,” Carmichael said.
“Not having your full forward does hurt you, and you have to shift a few around, but we probably weren’t even getting enough territory and enough ball in there anyway, even if we did have Joel.
“He went to hospital and they put his finger straight back in, so at this stage he’ll probably only miss a week and he gets the bye coming up as well.
“So he’s probably dodged a little bit of a bullet there; it’s a good result for Joel.”
Carmichael hopes to have talented big man Ben Henderson back for the clash with Newcomb.
A win over the fourth-placed Power would see Drysdale maintain touch with the top three.
However, a loss and wins for Torquay and Anglesea would have the Hawks eight points adrift of the double chance heading into the first bye.
“They’re all massive games if you look at the context of the year and how sides are going,” Carmichael said.
“This week is a big game. We’re fighting for a similar position to Newcombe,
“But as we’ve been saying, every week’s nearly an eight-point game.”
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