Match thread: Swans v Bulldogs.

[dejavoodoo44]

Pretty much guarantees Buller gets another game next week, which he deserved. He didn’t have a massive impact, but he made a batch of contests, brought the ball to ground, and did some nice things. I’d be inclined to choose him over McLean if Amartey comes back, which seems likely with the nine day break.

McCartin should be back as well.

Or if we play all three, we could give Buller a bit more time as a backup ruck. I actually think he's looked better in that role, this season in the VFL, than he has as a key forward. He gets a few taps, takes some strong marks, and the extra involvement, means he seems less frustrated, than he is hanging around as a key forward, hoping to get some decent service.

[Thunder Shaker]

It's not to do with water. It is the surface itself. The turf they have laid is not stable and therefore moves easily.

if that turf has just been laid, then it might be the reason it is slippery. But the reality is, that is not good enough. It is dangerous. a player could break a leg on a slippery surface.

It was reported on ABC News that there was a concert in April that caused some damage to the playing surface. Two months should be more than enough time to fix it.

We're still doing remediation to fix patches of grass, when technology is available that could prevent damage to the turf. For some cricket matches, cricket pitches are curated off site, and then dropped into place for cricket matches. Similar technology could be used to remove patches of established grass from the playing surface for events and relocate them elsewhere, replace these patches with temporary artificial footings, then restore the turf when the event has concluded. These turf patches could be cut as deep as needed to ensure the grass has minimal damage after being relocated twice. Because these patches are bare, it is possible to use artificial materials such as thick rubber (perhaps made from recycled car tyres) to fill in the holes for the event.

Why don't stadium curators do this instead?

[UUaswan]

Pretty much guarantees Buller gets another game next week, which he deserved. He didn’t have a massive impact, but he made a batch of contests, brought the ball to ground, and did some nice things. I’d be inclined to choose him over McLean if Amartey comes back, which seems likely with the nine day break.

McCartin should be back as well.

Amartey, Mclean Full-time Fwd
Grundy Ladhams Ruck

Freo need to work against tall fwd or they will out mark us, plus their big ruck division

We played those 4 last time we played them, we even stupidly had McCartin as a Fwd

[imuninformedtwo]

Media variously reporting the Swans have lodged complaints with both the AFL and SCG and that the Dogs were privately peeved too. The ground curator is bizarrely trying to say it was all fine Thursday, which either suggests he’s dumb as a rock, or the AFL signed off on a dangerous ground during the inspection. Either way, not good.

The curator also suggested the ground now needs a full break for a week, which means Sydneysiders will be able to watch us train at Tramway Oval I guess.

The AFL is also sending its chief agronomist up to Sydney, because that will apparently fix everything. Also, when I saw David Gallop was chair of Venues NSW, which replaced the SCG Trust, a lot made sense. I dealt with him 20 years ago in a past life, when he was running rugby league. Let me tell ya: one of the most venal and least impressive people I’ve come across in my life. A dodo for the ages and door handles have more charm and IQ.

I’ve got more chance of not having a drink for a week than they have of getting the surface right for the Freo game.

[BRS328]

i don't think Paton is a wasted draft pick. He has played really well in the reserves and probably would have played another couple of games if not for a virus and concussion. His form in the reserves has been very good. If he can convert that to AFL then we have a real player. Mind you he plays back in the AFL but Mids in the VFL.

Paton has had numerous chances in the senior team this year and been totally lost at AFL level. I would be more than surprised if he is still there next year. Just does not seem to be able to handle the pace and pressure. I do acknowledge that he is a good VFL player

[neilfws]

Anyone who wants an accurate free kick could could spend some time watching the match replay and counting them.

I hesitate to wade into any debate around free kicks, and the free kick count in particular. However, I'm a little mystified as to why anyone would think the data is unavailable or inaccurate.

Some of the clever stats people online have figured out how to extract the underlying data from the Footy Live app. If you do that for last night's game, you get the numbers in the table below.

You'll note that the total is 23-18 (Swans-Dogs). That's because a "Free Advantage" is counted separately to a "Free For". Subtract the former and you get 22-16, the same total that you'd see in the app.

Quarter	Team	Description	Count
1	Sydney Swans	Free Advantage	1
1	Sydney Swans	Free For	8
1	Western Bulldogs	Free For	7
1	Western Bulldogs	Free For: In Possession	2
2	Sydney Swans	Free For	5
2	Western Bulldogs	Free For	3
3	Sydney Swans	Free For	3
3	Sydney Swans	Free For: Off The Ball	1
3	Western Bulldogs	Free Advantage	2
3	Western Bulldogs	Free For	3
4	Sydney Swans	Free For	4
4	Sydney Swans	Free For: In Possession	1
4	Western Bulldogs	Free For	1

It's a furphy to blame free kicks for a narrow loss when Sydney's set shots in front of goal produced a score of 4 goals 10 and a few more that didn't register a score.

It certainly is.

[BRS328]

Agree but it shouldn't necessarily be either or

Mclean isn't a Ruck, play him fwd or not at all
Wilbur kills it alongside 2 talls

If we want to play 2 Rucks, Ladhams is our only option unless they play Green who i suspect isnt ready, we need to think about where Green is at next year as Grundy will be 32 and Ladhams won't hang around for VFL

The problem is McLean is not a forward either. Ladhams certainly could not be any worse, and is definitely a better ruckman

[UUaswan]

The problem is McLean is not a forward either. Ladhams certainly could not be any worse, and is definitely a better ruckman

Mclean is a decent fwd when he plays alongside Amartey

When we have Grundy/Ladhams ruck
Mclean, Wilbur play better, especially if Amartey is playing

Match Committee continually put us on the backfoot by not playing Ladhams and ruining our fwd line, you can't play 1 tall marking full time fwd, look at every other good team.

We would be the worst team for scores against when Mclean goes into the middle, how Match Committee can't see that is baffling, hope some of them are out the door and we arent just looking at our playing list at the end of the year

[liz]

Media variously reporting the Swans have lodged complaints with both the AFL and SCG and that the Dogs were privately peeved too. The ground curator is bizarrely trying to say it was all fine Thursday, which either suggests he’s dumb as a rock, or the AFL signed off on a dangerous ground during the inspection. Either way, not good.

The curator also suggested the ground now needs a full break for a week, which means Sydneysiders will be able to watch us train at Tramway Oval I guess.

The AFL is also sending its chief agronomist up to Sydney, because that will apparently fix everything. Also, when I saw David Gallop was chair of Venues NSW, which replaced the SCG Trust, a lot made sense. I dealt with him 20 years ago in a past life, when he was running rugby league. Let me tell ya: one of the most venal and least impressive people I’ve come across in my life. A dodo for the ages and door handles have more charm and IQ.

I’ve got more chance of not having a drink for a week than they have of getting the surface right for the Freo game.

It's been awful for most of the season, as others have commented.

It's hard to see how a week's rest will improve things given that, in the three weeks prior to this game we played one at the MCG, had a bye, and then played at Adelaide Oval. So the SCG had close to a month - from 31 May until 27 June - with no AFL games. I don't know if they played any League matches during that time, but I suspect not or there would have been uproar from the NRL over the state of the turf.

What does the curator expect to do in a week that he couldn't do in the prior month?

[Hotpotato]

Im concerned for the players safety, however I also want
the Freo game to remain at the SCG (its a meeting place
for me and my fam) .
You can purchase fabulous turf at Bunnings.
Theres 170mm of rain predicted this week .
Bring out the covers !

[imuninformedtwo]

It's been awful for most of the season, as others have commented.

It's hard to see how a week's rest will improve things given that, in the three weeks prior to this game we played one at the MCG, had a bye, and then played at Adelaide Oval. So the SCG had close to a month - from 31 May until 27 June - with no AFL games. I don't know if they played any League matches during that time, but I suspect not or there would have been uproar from the NRL over the state of the turf.

What does the curator expect to do in a week that he couldn't do in the prior month?

Implicit in the curators comments was that it doesn’t help that we’ve been training on it. I mean, how dare a side train at its dedicated home ground as we’ve always done.

I really hope there’s no injuries for either side this week but with rain forecast, the prospects of a stable surface are poor and if there is one (and Bailey Williams went frightfully close to breaking an ankle) the club of the player involved should sue the living @@@@ out of the AFL - who sign off on the grounds - and Venues NSW.

[Dow]

Buller set shot was a big red flag, looked like a yank that had just been taught the game, terrible

That’s how kicks in the 2s as well misses so many easy shots which is a worry, but glad we may get to have a look at him at this level

[UUaswan]

That’s how kicks in the 2s as well misses so many easy shots which is a worry, but glad we may get to have a look at him at this level

Doesn't kick like someone that is going to be long in the game

Amartey and Mclean take short steps and stay upright

Logan kicks well, strides out and gets over the ball

[Hotpotato]

So if we win 6 out of the 8 remaining games, we would
miss the finals this year? Correct ?
Thx

[BRS328]

Amartey, Mclean Full-time Fwd
Grundy Ladhams Ruck

Freo need to work against tall fwd or they will out mark us, plus their big ruck division

We played those 4 last time we played them, we even stupidly had McCartin as a Fwd

Please NO McLean. Give Buller a try as the backup ruck. He could not be worse than McLean