• Banfield to learn from tough match-up
• Bombers finish strong
• Match highlights

Ross they hung in there for a while, did you think you could pinch it in the last quarter?
I think you summed it up pretty well. Our endeavour was strong for a young team. It was just some simple strategies that helped keep us in the game. If they had taken their opportunities, it would have been over a lot earlier. In saying that, I thought we still had some opportunities. Lived down the line a bit in the last quarter and we turned it over. Around the clearances they just seemed to stick their tackles more, got out on us and got entry and ground position. I was pleased in a sense of what you said, our endeavour was there and we always get trying. We know we are a young group, nine players under 30 games, and they had one. They are quality, they have been building for a while. As long as the individuals come away and work at it. Bailey Banfield was fantastic for three quarters and then you have to learn to finish the job on (Zach) Merrett. He got away from us, so it’s those sort of things. 

How different are you analysing games now with such a young team, than a couple of years back?
Keeping it really simple, having some simple aims. Work hard in the contest. We feel we have gotten harder around the ball. We weren’t perfect, we want to run through the line of the ball, go hard at the 50/50 ball. I think there has been improvement in that. We want to work hard together, so just educate them. They will try isolate different defenders, the ability to lead out on the ground. Keep it simple, we lived down the line and just missed some basics down the end. Keep it as simple as we can. 

Is there still a real balance about not making age too much of an excuse?
It’s not an excuse, it’s a reality. We feel we can go forward every training session and every meeting. Even within today, I thought (Stefan) Giro still showed bits and pieces, (Brennan) Cox gets to play on (Michael) Hurley with limited opportunities.  (Adam) Cerra’s second half was strong. Taylin Duman was steady down back under siege, Darcy Tucker played down back today. Within it all, we are continuing to develop and that's all you can do. At some point, that work and the weight of numbers, it will turn. 

What was the deal with Sean Darcy, did it just not come up in the warm up?
We picked him. During the week he had good strength and he was cleared to play. We thought it would jut be continuous improvement. He was in the warm up today and just jagged it a little, or felt it (groin). The process is they go to the doctors, they talk about it, they bring me in and a final decision is made. He is a young player, very difficult position the ruck, it’s physically draining. That's why Michael Johnson travelled, thought he would be ok but it didn't work. Hopefully Sean Darcy can get up next week.

There was nothing new in the warm up, it just didn't quite get there?
I haven’t got all the information, he felt it on that same side, whether it was the exact same spot, I haven’t got that level of detail.

How did you see Johnson up forward, he started well?
You saw his quality that he’s had for 239 games. He came in and went into the ruck. He wasn’t our worst, but it’s not about Michael.

What sort of future does Cam Sutcliffe have in that role?
He is working really hard. He’s a 100-game player, played in finals for us. Had a lot of injuries this year. I think he’ll get picked next week.

Is Sutcliffe required for next year, he’s out of contract?
I’m not here to talk about people’s futures. It’s not really how it should operate. Clearly there was a discussion on our veterans last week and that was fine. There are some sensational headlines that have come out of that, but that's ok. That’s a shot over the bow, what was written and said. I’m not prepared to discuss anyone’s future in media conferences or with the media because it’s not my role. I’m just going to coach. The list manager, football manager and CEO can handle all of those things. We won’t conduct that business here, because there are no wins for anyone in that one I would have thought.

Does Michael stay in the side now if there are younger options available to pick this week or does he come out of the side?
That’s a good question. I’ll get to it and I’ll let you know after match committee next week. I wouldn’t have thought I’m here to conduct match committee and I think it’s the same question said differently without being too difficult. Do you really want me to discuss someone’s future? I’m here to discuss the game and individual performances. I think it’s unrealistic that you think I have the selections for next week. It would be disrespectful to everybody.

What about the team what can you get out of this last five games?
We’re really trying to improve. We’re looking for some availability next week but again we won’t know. We’d love to think Sean Darcy would come up. Stephen Hill, we really missed today. He was a really important part of our back six, so we’re hopeful that will only be a week. So he could come back but on the broader front we think (Aaron) Sandilands can be available hopefully, Matthew Taberner should be able to get back and play at Peel Thunder (in the WAFL). We’ll look at the guys that played today a Peel and look at the their performance. There’s a lot of threads in that mix but again we’ll get to that at the right time. It’s very difficult, we just played an AFL game and sometimes the questions can’t be answered. I know you can ask them but I’m not really in a position to answer them because it’s ill-informed. It can get run away with very quickly, any close-ended statements become a noose around your neck.

Any injuries today?
Nothing dramatic.

Talking about your forward structure, Cam McCarthy where is he at?
He’s looking to improve. He’s obviously not at the top of his game. I thought in the second half his work-rate really lifted. You wouldn’t want to be a forward, it was a very difficult day. At times we had some clean ball coming but they pressured us pretty well. (Brendon) Goddard has been a star of the game and (Adam) Saad is a proven running back, (Andrew) McGrath is a third or fourth year pick one streaming off. I mean we have Giro in his first year, Cox in his second year, Scott Jones when he’s there. You have to deal with very smart players, like (Michael) Hurley, as a young group. Cam’s a 50-game player trying to build his career. We would like better supply for Cam but I thought his work rate was strong in the second half and he moved around. He looked a bit more dangerous, it’s difficult to judge but I thought he tried hard to turn it around for himself.

Good to see Scott Jones leading the ruck?
Again he’s a 22-year-old out of the WAFL. I thought he’d be the second string today because of Sean Darcy but he’s a big man. (Tom) Bellchambers is an A-grade ruck man. I think it was 50 hit-outs to 20, but I thought he competed and we couldn’t expect much more than he delivered today. Hopefully he goes away and continues to learn that I have to get fitter and stronger. I spoke about it last week in my press conference, we saw that in Callum Sinclair and a few of those guys becoming mature age at 22. That’s not that old for a ruckman, he needs to get fitter, stronger and learn his craft. You can’t buy what he went through today so he’ll be sore and sorry for himself tomorrow but he’s the future and Sean Darcy’s the future that’s what we’re looking to do.