‘Terrible game of footy’: Hardwick fumes as Saints win thriller over Suns

Suns coach Damien Hardwick spoke to the media post game.

It was a pretty dour defensive arm-wrestle?

Terrible game of footy. Horrific game of footy we were part of … But it is not a game I love, to be honest, it was 125 uncontested marks going backwards, sideways, we could not find a way through, and credit where it is due, they defended well and we knew it was coming but did not handle it well. It was a dour struggle.

You say you played a part of it but the game that St Kilda restricted the way you wanted to play?

We knew it would be like this, we have to be better next time but it is frustrating to let a game slip, we should have, could have but did not win. We had our chances late but we have to be better this and more mature than this. I thought it was a poor start again, which is incredibly frustrating. And with a game that is relatively low scoring, it is always a challenge. It is always hard to score against that type of team and we did not do it well enough.

In the big picture, you would have liked the away win but also the logjam of teams?

We were a chance to take a step forward and did not deliver and a couple of sides will be in the same boat. It is part of our journey, we are 12 games in or whatever, it is one I walk away from is an opportunity to let slip and that is frustrating. The fans will be frustrated, I know I am frustrated and our players are incredibly frustrated as well. Credit where credit is due, the Saints strangled us, and they did a good job and got the Jane — got the game on their terms, that is what Ross does really well.

That free kick at the end against Mac Andrew?

Clearly in my view it was a free kick that was unwarranted but those guys are battling all day, I just think the umpire calls it, that is his job.I lack a feel for the game, the scores are at a premium?You are asking the wrong person, I ask my lads to do a number of things right and I will at the umpires take care of that.

What do you say to Mac after that?

He was outstanding tonight, he nearly helped us win the game late, you write the bunsen get he will get better, but when two guys are going toe-to-toe, one describing, the other is grading, which way did you go? Is probably looking at one person.

Do you coach him to do the same thing again in those scenarios?

He defends well, and there will be contact and incidental contact from time to time, but it is a challenge, the game is tough but as long as they are consistent, that is all we ask for.

Two games in a row on the road lost, do you feel like you will tread water until you get the monkey off the back?

I have only been here a short period of time and there are things we are working on on one of those is our away record which is not great. I have been pleased we have not lost a game at home, and we get another opportunity in three weeks to play again, but we have to make a strong understanding that we have to get better in this facet of the game. Part of that is on me as a coach and our coaches to make sure we get the best out of our players to make sure they come prepared to play, which did not start well tonight.