Swans vs Essendon Match Thread

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by barry
Giants point was that although it was technically there, for most of the season if the ball gets jared loose in the tackle, its play on.

A 50/50 that went against us. Story of our year w.r.t umpies.

I agree to a certain extent. Interpretations have been appalling all year and we often cop the worst of it.

However, at the same time, some of the complaints here do miss the case where the frees are legitimately there and where we get frees we shouldn't.

With the Kirk one, it wasn't a case of the ball jarring free - he quite clearly threw it when one hand was retarded.

[Glenn]

Originally posted by cruiser
From todays Herald Sun online:



Most of the crowd? I suppose it depends on ones definition of most. I reckon about 45% of the crowd were Swans supporters.

Well thats 55% for the Bombers, therefore most

Pity they were mute outside of any goal scores by them and when they felt hard done by from the umps (poor diddums)

[Sean]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
However, at the same time, some of the complaints here do miss the case where the frees are legitimately there and where we get frees we shouldn't.

The AFL themselves and stats from other sources have said that we are harshly treated by the umpires. Obviously some people here will think every call against us is wrong but that doesn't mean that many aren't.

The most damning stat of all is the number of goals that we have had from free kicks this season. Apparently, despite having one of the best forward lines in the AFL, it's really easy to stop us without breaking the rules!

It's becoming farcical and, come finals time, if opposition forwards are going to get free kicks that aren't paid to ours then we basically can't win the flag. On Saturday, Lloyd was held more than Hall because Fletcher did a good job. However, Hall was held occasionally without reward and if you go back to the Crows game you'll see that he was held in pretty much every contest for the whole match. If we had Lloyd, we would have won that game pretty easily.

Essendon were pretty much handed a four goal head start on Saturday - we can't afford to offer that to good teams.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Sean
The AFL themselves and stats from other sources have said that we are harshly treated by the umpires. Obviously some people here will think every call against us is wrong but that doesn't mean that many aren't.

No - I don't disagree with that. However, complaining the legitimate mistakes rather than every contentious free would be better...

The most damning stat of all is the number of goals that we have had from free kicks this season. Apparently, despite having one of the best forward lines in the AFL, it's really easy to stop us without breaking the rules!

Well, one of the key reasons for that is obviously that Hall is screwed over every week. Interesting to think about other reasons. Is it because we don't get a lot of those high tackles and in the backs when the ball hits the ground because we don't scout well. Is it because we don't get a lot of over the shoulders and holding because we don't lead well and don't pass the ball to out forwards well? Is it because we don't often kick the ball to a position where we can get a good contest but instead rely on safe passes?

Essendon were pretty much handed a four goal head start on Saturday - we can't afford to offer that to good teams.

What 4 goal head start?

As I recall, they received two dodgy free kicks for goals - Lucas and Monfries. Lloyd received one, but that was clearly a free (he was about to mark it and Barry hacked his arm).

We received one dodgy umpiring decision for a goal too (O'Loughlin to Hall).

What were the others?

[liz]

Originally posted by NMWBloods

We received one dodgy umpiring decision for a goal too (O'Loughlin to Hall).

That was a dodgy 'non-decision' though.

[NMWBloods]

Same effect.

It is a decision though - the umpire awarded a mark.

[giant]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
[B]No - I don't disagree with that. However, complaining the legitimate mistakes rather than every contentious free would be better...

[B]
Well, one of the key reasons for that is obviously that Hall is screwed over every week. Interesting to think about other reasons. Is it because we don't get a lot of those high tackles and in the backs when the ball hits the ground because we don't scout well. Is it because we don't get a lot of over the shoulders and holding because we don't lead well and don't pass the ball to out forwards well? Is it because we don't often kick the ball to a position where we can get a good contest but instead rely on safe passes?


What 4 goal head start?

As I recall, they received two dodgy free kicks for goals - Lucas and Monfries. Lloyd received one, but that was clearly a free (he was about to mark it and Barry hacked his arm).

We received one dodgy umpiring decision for a goal too (O'Loughlin to Hall).

What were the others?

Dodgy 50m on Crouch. MOL hacked as he marked - much worse than Lloyd's (which I agree was fair). Innumerable occasions where BBBH was scragged unfairly.

4 goals is about what I factor in when we play a Melbourne-based team in Melb. Happens every time so I think Swans just have to play as if the scoreboard reads 4 zip when they walk out.

[giant]

Originally posted by barry
Giants point was that although it was technically there, for most of the season if the ball gets jared loose in the tackle, its play on.

A 50/50 that went against us. Story of our year w.r.t umpies.

Correct Barry - & also the alacrity with which it was paid. The whistle is blown before the ball hits the ground.

[Sean]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
No - I don't disagree with that. However, complaining the legitimate mistakes rather than every contentious free would be better...

Fair enough but it's worth discussing that free kick, which I think was correct, compared to an Essendon player running through the middle of the ground and dropping the ball as he is tackled without a free being awarded. If we get the Kirk one given against us every time I'd be happy as long as we get the ones that we deserve as well - cast your mind back to the Collingwood game where we should have had about five of them.

What 4 goal head start?

Head start is probably not the correct terminology but it will have to do for now - and the effect is the same. Essendon were given free kicks in their forward 50, mostly correct - we weren't.

The fact is that they kicked 5 goals from frees and possibly had three others that they missed - two behinds and one that missed altogether I think. We had 0. So, the Essendon backline played a perfect game according to the rules? We infringed 8 times in our defensive 50 and they infringed 0 times. Hall got 1 free for the match which, from memory, was outside the 50, O'Keefe got 0, Davis got 0, O'Loughlin got 0, Buchanan got 0, Goodes got 0, Vogels got 1 which was outside the 50.

Considering that I saw Hall & O'Loughlin in particular being held numerous times (especially after Fletcher went off), Essendon probably had more than a four goal head start.