Match thread: Swans v Lions.

[imuninformedtwo]

A weird game, and sloppy from both sides. We played with intent and effort but the decision making forward of the ball, not so much. It’s costing us, but can be remedied with a bit of time given half the forward line weren’t there last year and will take some time to synch. We should have won and didn’t.

We also got bashed up around the ball a bit again, and I guess that’s our fate till Mills and Gulden get back. But it’s a particular problem given how poorly Grundy is right now. He just gets too easily pushed off the ball and his contested work is ordinary. I’d be tempted to drop him but with our tall stocks, McCartin will need to go back now Melican is injured and it may mean Ladhams plays second ruck and forward. We seem stuck with Grundy for now, even though he’s clearly injured. If he’s not that’s a bigger problem.

A shame too as McCartin’s work leading up to the wings where marks are so crucial was a bit reminiscent of Sam Reid. We will miss that if he goes back.

Some good stuff from the inclusions Bice and Hamling. Bice looked a little nervous at first but provided some great run and Hamling took some nice marks, particularly in the last quarter. Hamily is still getting the feel of things but I like him. And special kudos to Jordon for the job he did on Neale.

Paton, yuk. That mindless fist just before he was subbed off was horrendous. I didn’t understand his recruitment, and still don’t.

With our mounting injuries, it feels a lot like 2023.

[stevoswan]

I look at it differently, not thinking about the GF just watching the live game.

We had that game and wasted it with poor skills.

To dig deeper, I'd say we are a tall short up front, Amartey rucking clearly affects his time fwd. I believe that is exposing the Tom Mc move as we arent getting reward for Toms work across the middle of the ground. I'd say he goes back with Melican out.

Liked Bice and Hamling and Hannily has a crack.

Surely the McCartin forward experiment was bought about by Logan's injury and was going to end anyway when he returned.....and as you say maybe ends now with Melican out?

How far off is McDonald?

Post edit: I was just checking the injuries....no mention of Melican. Why is he out?

[UUaswan]

Surely the McCartin forward experiment was bought about by Logan's injury and was going to end anyway when he returned.....and as you say maybe ends now with Melican out?

How far off is McDonald?

Post edit: I was just checking the injuries....no mention of Melican. Why is he out?

Not 100 but he left with around 10mins to go and had ice on his quad..... it sh8t me that not one commentator mentioned it, they all kept saying how Cox has finally put Tom back as a defender, when he was covering for Melican who was done.

I think Tom has done the preseason as a fwd and Cox is adamant he is staying fwd.
Love Rowy but someone spending 100% game time in the middle needs to get more of the ball, 11 touches won't crack it.

I would like to see Cambpell and especially Papley give a midfield chop out when Warner and Heeney go fwd.
?????Paps turned games last year when he went in the middle, don't think he went in once today

[UUaswan]

Rowy 61% Game time ???

Time on bench before final siren

Rowy 8min
Roberts 6min
Melican 21min
Hayward 8min

We kicked a goal with a minute to go so we had a chance to interchange, very weird, 5 changes left to go

[Dow]

Rowy 61% Game time ???

Time on bench before final siren

Rowy 8min
Roberts 6min
Melican 21min
Hayward 8min

We kicked a goal with a minute to go so we had a chance to interchange, very weird, 5 changes left to go

Interesting observation

[neilfws]

Felt like a day at the cricket yesterday, with the temperature and the time slot.

I liked the intent and the physicality of the first half. Cox was hard and uncompromising as a player, perhaps he is bringing that as a coach too. I'd like to see more of it from this team.

I didn't like the skill errors and poor decision making of the second half. So many kicks resulting in turnovers - high kicks to tall defenders, kicks to players with two or three opponents on them, kicks in hope that skidded or bounced to nowhere.

Stats-wise it was even or in the Swans favour for many, a notable exception inside 50 efficiency (37% vs 50% for Lions).

Player-wise I liked the younger Warner's game, Rowbottom and Campbell were hard at the ball, Heeney was good and Hanily went OK. Not at all convinced by McCartin forward.

Still early days and an unsettled team, let's see how they go on the first away match next week.

[KSAS]

How far off is McDonald?

AccordiIng to latest AFL injury report during the week, Logan has another 3 weeks (after ncluding this round). I magine he'll need to come through the VFL first. Same with Harry.

Mills coiple weeks away. Most likely after the R3 bye.

[KSAS]

My gripe with Fox Footy was that post game David King & co entirely focused on Brisbane's performance before moving to telecasting Pies v PA game.

They did the same again later that evening when reviewing all the Saturday games!!! Wouldn't know we played!

So disappointing when considering our game was the closest in the round thus far & being the GF rematch.

[imuninformedtwo]

Felt like a day at the cricket yesterday, with the temperature and the time slot.

I liked the intent and the physicality of the first half. Cox was hard and uncompromising as a player, perhaps he is bringing that as a coach too. I'd like to see more of it from this team.

I didn't like the skill errors and poor decision making of the second half. So many kicks resulting in turnovers - high kicks to tall defenders, kicks to players with two or three opponents on them, kicks in hope that skidded or bounced to nowhere.

Stats-wise it was even or in the Swans favour for many, a notable exception inside 50 efficiency (37% vs 50% for Lions).

Player-wise I liked the younger Warner's game, Rowbottom and Campbell were hard at the ball, Heeney was good and Hanily went OK. Not at all convinced by McCartin forward.

Still early days and an unsettled team, let's see how they go on the first away match next week.

A good post. You can see Cox is trying to instill some of the fundamentals around the contested ball and defence back into the side. Between a focus on that - and a batch of fresh faces who haven’t played a lot of footy together - some of the ball movement is a bit off. Hopefully we find that balance and synchronicity soon.

[Industrial Fan]

Game was on our terms until Blakey dropped the sitter of a mark. Chads drinking his own bath water full time it seems - burnt Campbell going for an impossible goal and his method kicking inside 50 was to go over the roof of the stadium. The less said about Paton the better.

Corey had a good game and Jordan did an excellent job. Hamling has good instincts even if he’s missing a bit of polish. Melican was the one who looked likely to turn the game before he came off injured.

I’m even more resolute that we’re not competing this year after the opening rounds.

[Roadrunner]

Game was on our terms until Blakey dropped the sitter of a mark. Chads drinking his own bath water full time it seems - burnt Campbell going for an impossible goal and his method kicking inside 50 was to go over the roof of the stadium. The less said about Paton the better.

Corey had a good game and Jordan did an excellent job. Hamling has good instincts even if he’s missing a bit of polish. Melican was the one who looked likely to turn the game before he came off injured.

I’m even more resolute that we’re not competing this year after the opening rounds.

You maybe right but really it’s a bit too early to write us off. It’s the back end of the season that matters as has been shown the last few years. We need a good run with injuries from here on and maintain pressure for most of a game- it is unrealistic to achieve total control as there is another team playing! Our team selection and match-ups need to be spot on but Cox is experimenting a bit which is understandable with the outs we have at present.

I’d like to see Hayden back as he is a good mark but maybe Ladhams should be given a go against Freo- the selectors need to make the call between the two, as it’s patently obvious we shouldn’t use Amartey at FF to help out in the ruck, except at throw- ins or ball ups deep in the forward 50, like the Cats used Hawkins.

[imuninformedtwo]

David Zita saying on Fox that McInerney is at risk of a three match ban for the collision that left Starcevich concussed, saying the MRO guidelines leave little discretion once a bump is made and concussion occurs, even if the head knock is accidental.

I’m all for the crackdown on concussion but if that incident costs three weeks the game is the proverbial creek.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Good response against a serious top2 team for 2025 that smashed us in the GF last year

We are not far off last two games in our ability to stay right in the contest........despite being seriously down on our best 23 players !!!!

Just goes to show as we all know "deep down" that you have to have your best out there most of the time to beat to the best

Mills
Errol
McDonald
McLean
Fox

I mean that is 5 very important players that we need for our best 23

Francis
Andrew
Snell

Well you could argue will need them from time to time as important replacement players to our best 23.........and we didnt have these guys as options due to injury.

[UUaswan]

Good response against a serious top2 team for 2025 that smashed us in the GF last year

We are not far off last two games in our ability to stay right in the contest........despite being seriously down on our best 23 players !!!!

Just goes to show as we all know "deep down" that you have to have your best out there most of the time to beat to the best

Mills
Errol
McDonald
McLean
Fox

I mean that is 5 very important players that we need for our best 23

Francis
Andrew
Snell

Well you could argue will need them from time to time as important replacement players to our best 23.........and we didnt have these guys as options due to injury.

If those 5 are in our 23, and I think they are, it's going to be interesting to see how Cox fits them talls in.

Must really think Ladhams is an after thought if he cant get a game with 2 talls unavailable

[imuninformedtwo]

David Zita saying on Fox that McInerney is at risk of a three match ban for the collision that left Starcevich concussed, saying the MRO guidelines leave little discretion once a bump is made and concussion occurs, even if the head knock is accidental.

I’m all for the crackdown on concussion but if that incident costs three weeks the game is the proverbial creek.

This has now been confirmed.

I’ve been prepared to argue on here when one of our blokes should or could be suspended.

But three weeks for what was essentially an attempt to clear space and push a guy off the line of the ball rather than a bump is absurd.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1280616