Fairytales...

[anne]

Th e youngsters were good - it was the more experienced that let us down. O'Loughlin and Ball dedinitely look underdone. Hall and both Boltons didn't have good games and I thought Maxfield was pretty bad - he made a couple of awful clangers but more worryingly he looked slow and old.Also the old saying is still true - bad kicking is bad football!

[liz]

Originally posted by anne
Hall and both Boltons didn't have good games

I thought B2 had a pretty good game. I'd have put him in our top half dozen or so.

[swans_premiers]

didnt seem like Sydney without Kennelly and Schneider

[monopoly19]

Originally posted by swans_premiers
didnt seem like Sydney without Kennelly and Schneider

That's exactly what I thought all night long. It seemed like such a different team to the one we finished with last year. Without Schauble the backline seemed inexperienced and disorganised, without Kennelly it seemed less damaging on the rebound, without Davis and Schneider we lost a lot of our flair in the forward line and without Cressa we lost some of our heart I miss Cressa.

But then there was Goodes, the superstar!!!

[Cheer Cheer]

Originally posted by lizz
I thought B2 had a pretty good game. I'd have put him in our top half dozen or so.

I though Hall was serviceable - but B2 in my eyes was fairly ineffectual - didnt really do much - didnt make any mistakes that i can recall but then he only got a handful of possesions - just one of those things - rarely sighted - have no bearing on the game either way - I would have rated his performance in the lower 11 players.

[Cheer Cheer]

Originally posted by dendol
Yeah, Christi Malthouse reported it as a corky, though I would take that with a grain of salt. If its serious enough to keep him out for the rest of the game, Im expecting that he wont be fit to play Freo next week.

If have a bad feeling and it makes me sick saying it - but I think we see Nick out for a few weeks. Looks like he tore is groin in my opinion.
Defiantely wasnt a corky - when davis kicked that goal no one crashed into his leg - he had a free swing and hit the ground.
My feeling is he tore his groin when kicking the ball.
If that is the case it will be devasting.

[Go Swannies]

I just got back to Sydney from Brisbane. Nick was wandering around in bare feet during the second half so doubt he's torn a groin.

From the ground I can only report that our cheer squd did us proud but the Swans supporters were too scattered to have much effect.

But can't believe that on TV that RO'K didn't shine. During the last two quarters he took a series of exceptional marks and I would have thought he was one of our best.

Jason Ball's miss was heartbreaking. But if he'd missed it in the first quarter (like most of the team did) then we wouldn't be talking about it now. Others on the team missed easier ones so not fair to say he cost us the game.

Overall, it was a great start to the season. It was the same Swans as we finished last year. Both teams looked out of practice (they all have this weekend) but the intensity to the final siren was certainly there. And that's without some key players. I'm hoping that they build with new confidence. But Freo next weekend will be daunting and I'd hate us to finish next weekend with no points on our tally.

See you all at the game (with friends??) to cheer the Red and White? The season could be ours - we saw that we're still up near the top. The rumours of the "fall from unexpected heights" that the media predicted isn't true.

[Reggi]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
. Nick was wandering around in bare feet during the second half so doubt he's torn a groin.

From the ground I can only report that our cheer squd did us proud but the Swans supporters were too scattered to have much effect.

But can't believe that on TV that RO'K didn't shine. During the last two quarters he took a series of exceptional marks and I would have thought he was one of our best.

.

Davis has a bruised hip - should be fine for next week.

R'OK played one of his better games except in front of goal (actually worth trying him on Pike - looks like our best match up on paper

[Go Swannies]

In front of goal was everyone's problem last night. The midfield would deliver it to the 50 and the only player in the right place was a Lions defender.

Sorry - need to qualify that - that was the case after Nick Davis went off.

Also I thought LRT seemed to have matured greatly - more sure with his decisions and getting the ball. He still gets that "bunny in the headlights look" of uncertainty in a set play but as I can live with it from Ben Mathews, why not LRT, too, as long as the disposal works?

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Cheer Cheer
but B2 in my eyes was fairly ineffectual - didnt really do much - didnt make any mistakes that i can recall but then he only got a handful of possesions - just one of those things - rarely sighted - have no bearing on the game either way - I would have rated his performance in the lower 11 players.

He's not there to gather possessions - he's a backman. I think he was on Bradshaw who did absolutely nothing.

[Nico]

Originally posted by Jeffers1984
McVeigh and Bevan looked pretty good, especially McVeigh (how classy is he?)

But the player who impressed me most was Fosdike. His awareness was superb tonight and he seemed alot more composed running out of a pack than usual.

LRT has also turned on some good form and he also seems alot more composed.

Pity when Fosdike runs out of packs he doesn't deliver it to a chest. 2 appaling toe pokes cost us last night.

[Nico]

I thought Barry Hall was so undisciplined in the last quarter. He might have been looking out for a younger player but could easily have been reported.Then he gives away one of the dumbest and most stupid frees in a ruck contest when we were in front and in attack, and at the time appeared to have the ascendency with a real chance of scoring again.

A quick break and the space they needed and Caracella runs into an open goal.

Straight out crap football and from a bloke who said he was pumped and a reformed footballer. Do leopards ever change their spots?

And poor old Jason Ball cops the flack!!!!

[dendol]

Originally posted by Nico
I thought Barry Hall was so undisciplined in the last quarter. He might have been looking out for a younger player but could easily have been reported.Then he gives away one of the dumbest and most stupid frees in a ruck contest when we were in front and in attack, and at the time appeared to have the ascendency with a real chance of scoring again.

A quick break and the space they needed and Caracella runs into an open goal.

Straight out crap football and from a bloke who said he was pumped and a reformed footballer. Do leopards ever change their spots?

And poor old Jason Ball cops the flack!!!!

Fair call Nico. Despite what we are all led to believe, I think Bazza is still prone to the odd explosion once things dont go his way. Michael didnt give him an inch all night and his frustration grew as the game wore on.

It seemed that Brisbane were also trying to provoke him every chance the had. Mickey had a shot at goal in the 4th quarter(which he duely slotted through) and Voss was giving Bazza an absolute verbal barrage. I still have my heart in my mouth whenever he's is involved in a kefuffle (did i just make this word up?? LOL). DONT PUNCH HIM BAZZA!! DONT PUNCH HIM!!! ITS NOT WORTH IT!! JUST WALK AWAY!!!

[Rob-bloods]

Originally posted by Nico
I thought Barry Hall was so undisciplined in the last quarter.

Agree totally, Bazz was sucked in, when you are not really in the game you just have to work doubly hard, not try to strangle your opponent.

I seem to recall in both our wins over Lions last year Bazz was very good, last night he did not carry his form in from pre-season. Plus with Michael hardly consistent or O'Keefe and Davis off and no Schneider we probably did well to come back.

However, thinking of finals, Jonathan Brown looms as our problem against this mob, we have no-one to stand him!

[sharpie]

Ok, this is the 1st time i've logged on since the game, and there are well over 200 new posts, and I'm too lazy to read all of them, so here's my opinion on the game, which has most probably been said already...

If we play well, we will beat any side in the competition. We played like crap for far too much of the game, including the last 10 mins of the 1st quarter, most of the 2nd and all of the 3rd quarter. Yes this may be due to the fact that Brisbane got their act together and restricted us, but in my opinion, the disposal skills went to buggery at these times.

James did a great 1st up job as a key defender, and this is just what we need. Similarly, Bevan showed he should be able to play on a HBF, which may allow Kennelly some freedom further up the ground when he comes back. This is very exciting. McVeigh looks all class, I cant wait to see more of him.

That is about where the praise stops at the moment. We got so close in the Prelim last year at 3 quarter time on the back of one good 10 minute period and mostly crap for the rest. Once again, on Saturday night we were so close but until we can regularly play consistent football, we are shooting ourselves in the foot. Both teams looked rusty, but even dispite Ball missing that goal, the game was there for the taking. We were unable to kick multiple goals in a row after the 1st quarter, without which it is very hard to build a lead.

We can go and blame Ball all we want because he had the chance to seal a victory, but it should never have come to that point. Last year our 3rd quarters were not that bad, but if our dreaded 3rd quarter fade-outs re-emerge, then count me out. With a young team, you have to expect some poor performances, but in my opinion it is unforgiveable not to be giving 100% at all times. It is frustrating to watch. They may not win all the time, but you can only be happy if the guys give their best. I believe there were far too many times during the night when this was not the case. I will not tolerate such poor efforts. And it is no good just sitting back and saying that it was a good effort to get so close to 'the best team ever'. Big deal. If the effort had been there at all times we would have beaten them.