Where do you think it went wrong for you today?

It was a good battle, it felt almost like a final, really, with the ebbs and flows, so we had our opportunities, they had probably more. And obviously that last quarter, goal for goal, and they took their opportunities late, but overall I think the numbers suggest they were a better side. Proud that of the fact we played with plenty of spirit and energy and we hung in there, but I think overall they probably played the better footy.

How much of a shame is it to not give Shannon Hurn the perfect memory on the day?

Of course those milestones are very important, you play well, and hopefully you win but we didn’t today, so I’m sure they’re hurting.

Which numbers in particular? They had 404 disposals and almost double the tackles.

Look, sometimes you’ll concede more tackles, more uncontested possession but the style of play is the way you want it. We don’t want to have 30 less tackles, efficiency of tackles is what we rate and we’ve been poor at that, so that was disappointing but I don’t think we shied away from it. So, I thought, like I said, there was ebbs and flows, but in the end their mids numbers looked healthy, probably a little bit healthier than ours. But I don’t want to blame our mids either, so I think we had opportunities the last quarter and didn’t take it. Got to learn from it and grow and get better but we’re not going to completely dismiss this as a disaster, we think we can still take some positives from it.

Was it just about not taking your opportunities in that final term? It had been such a rollercoaster of a game up until three quarter time.

Probably, we looked very efficient in the first half, we love to have that efficiency and get more supply. And in the end it was about the contest, making the most of not the first one, but the third, the fourth. We felt we were up for it, but when it really mattered we came second.

Questions will be asked about the Eagles on the road, are they fair after this?

People look at it obviously like that, no worries, if you don’t win on the road you can be critical go for your life, doesn’t really change what we do, doesn’t worry me in the fact that you think that. That’s reality, so we need to got to own it. That was the result today and that was the fourth loss we’ve had on the road this year.

Is that something you discuss before the game, put those thoughts aside?

Nah, we just want to win, doesn’t matter where. I’m sure that’s going to be written about, but I think most people’s away record isn’t as good as their home record. But, we’ll accept it, no excuses.

It’s such a hard thing to quantify, but do you think if this game was played at Optus you would’ve won?

If this game was played at Optus, maybe, but we want to play a really consistent, strong brand every week. Today I thought we pretty good, not good enough. You don’t have to win every week, but you need to play in a way you’re proud of, and I thought today we had a good crack. We weren’t good enough, and we understand that, and it was a game we thought we could’ve won, so that’s what we’ll review and move on with.

Elliot Yeo, will you bring him back a week or two earlier or stick to plan?

We’re working through that, there’s opportunities to play this week but got to see how he pulls up. He went through with his minutes, he’s a chance but we’ll have to work through that. Luke Shuey is a bit of time off and so is Gov (Jeremy McGovern), they’re probably our three main ones, and (Liam) Duggan. We are getting some soldiers back slowly, I thought Shannon (Hurn) and Liam (Ryan) were a bit rusty today. First game back, so they’ll be better for the run for sure.

How’s Brad Sheppard’s ankle?

Yeah he got through the game, so I was waiting to hear the call he needed to be subbed, but he played out the game, I don’t think we used the sub today, so that’s a good sign, we’ve had plenty of weeks where we get to Monday, Tuesday, get the scans back and we’re in strife. So touch wood we’re okay.

Alex Witherden a late withdrawal, what happened there, was that unexpected?

It was, he pulled up sore after the Captain’s Run. I got a phone call about 10 o’clock saying he was a bit tight in the groin, so we had to manage him unfortunately.

Just back on Yeo, was that not the original plan to bring him back this week? Has his performance changed things for you?

That was always part of the plan, we’ve been really patient with Yeoy. It’s always been a longer term view and part of this progression is how does he pull up? He pulls up great, fresh, got his minutes in, laid eight or nine tackles and jumping out of his skin Monday, then we can talk. But if he pulled up a little bit sore, and these things you don’t feel pain through straight away, he might need another week. So, we’ll assess him tomorrow.