Eagles Suffer Costly Third Quarter Against Blues
The Eagles struggled in the third quarter, falling behind as the Blues dominated. After an even first half, Carlton surged with six consecutive goals, securing a 41-point victory in wet conditions at Ikon Park.
Coach Pearce Highlights Carlton's Physicality
"I just thought they lifted their physicality and intensity," said West Coast coach Daisy Pearce. "For a 15-minute period or so, we just get knocked off the ball a bit too easily. That's finals footy and it'll be a great lesson for us moving forward."
Lessons and Future Plans
Pearce emphasized the valuable experience gained from the club's first finals appearance and outlined plans for improvement.
- Focus on strength and conditioning
- Refining fundamentals
- Concentrating on key areas to maximize results next season
"We just go back to the drawing board, try and really narrow in on a couple of things that are going to give us big bang for buck next year. A good starting point will be more strength and conditioning in our fundamentals. Just more work ahead of us," Pearce explained.
"That was the message coming into today. When you eventually get there and have success, it's these moments that make it more satisfying. You've got to endure losses like today and have experiences like today."
The Eagles will take this defeat as a crucial step in their development towards future success.
Summary: The Eagles' first finals experience revealed key areas for growth, with Coach Pearce emphasizing physicality, conditioning, and learning from tough losses to build a stronger team next season.