Sydney Swans Vs Essendon Bombers Game Thread

[stellation]

Originally posted by TheMase

Davis - Did not appear to present enough, or at least didn't have the ball kicked to him. Needs to work harder if he wants to become the star he believes he has the potential to be.

He didn't seem to actually spend much time as a forward to be able to present. He looked to be working hard tonight to me; he ended up with 19 disposals and 8 marks (and even a tackle!).

[Jeffers1984]

We just weren't there at all. Essendon just wanted it more and you could tell by their pressure.

[ugg]

Originally posted by Jeffers1984
We just weren't there at all. Essendon just wanted it more and you could tell by their pressure.

I think we better get used to it. We're the hunted now.

[TheMase]

Originally posted by stellation
He didn't seem to actually spend much time as a forward to be able to present. He looked to be working hard tonight to me; he ended up with 19 disposals and 8 marks (and even a tackle!).

I didn't realise his stats were that good.

I honestly think we need a more structured forward line. I know we won the premiership last year with this stategy, but this year and even last year our forwards seem disorientated when we move the ball fast across the pitch, having run half the ground back and then failing to lead.

Hall is the hardest worker in the AFL bar none IMO.

[Jeffers1984]

Yep. Maybe the early loss that we had to have?

Dissapointed we didn't make the most of the kick in rule but i guess it doesn't suit our current style. Essendon used it to great effect.

PS. I'm glad we have Barry Hall instead of Lloyd, at least he earns his goals unlike that squib Lloyd who would be better suited to diving at Kings Cross than on a footy pitch.

[desredandwhite]

Definitely agree that we are well underdone at the moment. Essendon were much slicker, and their execution was much better than ours, and it showed.

We showed glimpses of quality, but there's still a few things, like blokes dropping sitters, fumbling the balls, handballing to their teammates' ankles etc etc. I am reasonably pleased with the fightback after 1/4 time (so easy to let the head drop and get smashed).

We basically got murdered out of the middle - most of the first quarter was Essendon possessions. I thought Ablett, Hall, Goodes, Monty had good games, but most blokes need to lift their intensity 10%ish next week, then 10 more the week after.

I don't think we'll have hit our straps until round 4-5, judging on the amount of game time practice some of the players have had.

[Captain]

Originally posted by TheMase
I will post on what I have seen thus far, even though I know the result (against the delayed coverage).

My ratings of the players today ...

Luke Ablett - Had patches of very good football. I think as the season goes on we will see exactly what Ablett is capable of.

Leo Barry - Got absolutely towelled up by Lloyd early on before being moved. Was great to see some of his traditional running on half back and down the wings after that. Pretty average performance overall.

Craig Bolton - I though he played quite well, moved up the ground and didn't seem to have too much of a lack of fitness. Mr consistant is in good knick. Not sure who he was on though.

Jude Bolton - Just did not do enough at the centre clearances. We seemed to be winning the taps when Jolly was in the centre, but just not reading it well at all. His disposal wasn't anything to write home about either. Very average.

Amon Buchanan - Did well around the ground and presented. Probably slightly underdone but I think we will see more of the same from Buchanan this year.

Paul Chambers - Hopeless. Average ruckman, no good skills regardless of whether he is marking, handballing, kicking or even trying to collect the ball off the deck. Jolly did a lot more whilst on ground (although was quiter than I would have hoped). Surely Doyle is a better option.

Crouch - was quiet overall but his running was first class. That tackle near the boundary line was magic. Has been injured and thus would have been slightly underdone.

Davis - Did not appear to present enough, or at least didn't have the ball kicked to him. Needs to work harder if he wants to become the star he believes he has the potential to be.

Dempster - Quiet but didn't seem to spend much time on the ground. Has been injured and thus underdone. Didn't do anything wrong per se.

Fosdike - Had patches of good work, and when he had the ball did quite well, but just did not present well enough.

Goodes - Brilliant. Other than Hall probably our best. Was all over the place and his direct oponent had little effect on the match. Looks fit and strong.

Hall - What can you say? Should have kicked the first one? Can't complain too much from a guy that kicked 7 goals. Class

Jolly - Chambers seemed to get a better run than Jolly. Was great around the ground early on and effective in the ruckwork, but players don't seem to be reading the taps.

Kirk - Did not get anywhere near as much as usual but didn't see anything to be concerned after he gets fitness under his belt.

Matthews - Did okay. Don't know who his direct oponent was though. VERY soft though. He had the opportunity to get an intercept in the 3rd term, but was caught flat footed as one of the Essendon players cut between him and another Swans player. Not good enough. He should have been on his feet and attacking the ball instead of waiting for it to come to him.


McVeigh - Didn't seem to get a whole lot of game time, but did okay when he had the ball. I have never been this blokes greatest fan, but just don't think he is built well enough for this level.

O'Keefe - Had a reasonable amount of the ball. Needs to have goal kicking practice though.

O'Loughlin - Kicked a couple of goals, but after quarter time just did not present often enough. Not much leading. However, we should be greatful he is playing in round one@

Richards - Did very well after going onto Lloyd. However, I am not sure whether this is due to his good work, OR the increased pressure in the midfield. I feel it was more the latter. Very strong mark.

LRT - Didn't get a lot of the ball. Needs to work on his kicking. Kept Lucas fairly quiet for the first few quarters so did his job without starring.

Adam Schneider - Did well when had the ball, but needs to get around it more often (not sure how much time he spent on the ground). Roos seems to have installed in him the kicking out duties as did it a few times, and did it very well might I add.

Williams - Looked alright, but like a few of the midfielders just didn't get in there and present often enough.


All in all not a bad performance as we are generally slow starters. We did miss Kennelly tonight.

We need to become more effective in the contests. When kicking inside 50, at times (particuarly in the first half) we seemed to bomb it to a contest. Whether this was because our players weren't leading effectively or not I am not sure, possibly a combination of that a congestion from the Essendon defence.

Chambers is useless.

At the end of the day we are playing a lot better at this stage of the year THIS YEAR than we were last. Hopefully that means we can lift even further come the end of the season.

We are very much underdone.

Agree with all this. Top post and no arguments from here.

Chambers is a total dud.

[ugg]

Writing a player off after 1 game. Nice to see RWO hasn't changed.

[Jeffers1984]

Some Players:

Goodes - Up for another stellar year you would think. Worked his guts out and beat his man at nearly every contest.

Hall - He is a machine and just doesn't give up at all. BOG for us today.

Buchanan - Was good apart from the goal he conceded when he squibed out of a marking contest. Really unlike bucky.

Chambers - Meh.

Jolly - Needs better support out there but was OK without being great.

C Bolts - The man is the ultimate mark of consistency.

J Bolts - Didn't get enough of it which cost us badly in the first quarter.

Ablett - Had a good 2nd quarter with his clearences but still looked a bit slow.

Superted - Did alright on Lloyd but this was mainly due to our midfield pressure. Has a good engine on him.

Kirk - IMO towelled up by Watson. He'll bounce back.

[Foreign Legion]

Originally posted by ugg
Writing a player off after 1 game. Nice to see RWO hasn't changed.

ugg, you can add me to the list along with The Mase if Chambers turns out to be even half decent let alone good.

Doyle should have played (is he injured?) otherwise Chambers should be playing against Tuggeranong.

Not writing him off - just saying he is not our second choice ruckman.

Richards did ok tonight I thought, but Goodesy and BBBBH were our best. Willo was strangely poor.

Chambers out - at least Doyle give us a marking forward option. It's OK Roosy - you dont have to prove the recylced player theory every year. Teddy might do it for you.

[Foreign Legion]

Actually I feel a strange calm after a loss, .....must be the premiership that does it.

It is almost like a disturbance in the force.


Hopefully I'll feel it next year.

We'll beat Port next week - I know - first game in Syd. I will have been to since Plugger kicked his 1300th!

[ugg]

Yes I agree with you that Doyle is a better player than Chambers, but with his history of injuries I think it is the right move for Doyle to play the first couple of games in the reserves.

Speaking of which, anyone know the result of the ACTAFL pre-season GF?

[Bleed Red Blood]

Disgusting.

[Bleed Red Blood]

Originally posted by TheMase
LRT - Didn't get a lot of the ball. Needs to work on his kicking. Kept Lucas fairly quiet for the first few quarters so did his job without starring.

I thought LRT was very good. Very.

Mathews direct opponent was Camporeale (At least in the last quarter)

[swannieserin]

I thought richards was okay but chambers was very disappointing. also thought kirk could have been more effective, and barry had a bad game. hall did some amazing stuff but couldn't be expected to hold the team together.

the umpiring in the first half in particular wasn't that good, but I am sure the boys will be back in form for a home game next weekend.