Swans v Saints Match Thread

[robamiee]

I dont think we should all worry too much about last night.
In conditions like that, there is nothing you can do to coach it.
All you can do is bomb it in and hope for the best.
But it took us 3 quarters to do that.

However dont forget they ahd 3 frees in the goal square awardede to them and we couldn't buy one.
Barry Hall was dragged down and held by 3 saints about 30 mtrs out in front. No free...Richards was held when reiwaldt took that mark, no frees.
The umpiring was a joke last night given the conditions and made no allowances for them, on both sides...but the token frees on deliberate out bounds were only given to even up the ledgar.

I am not concerned we lost last night, if it was dry and a good night for footy and we lost, then i would be concerned.

[Agent 86]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Another point, which I can't recall if I made, I thought our tackling was crap tonight.

Too many times St Kilda players just broke though or ran past tackles, and on a lot of occasions the St Kilda players were able to stand up in our tackles and get the ball out.

Maybe we missed Benny.

[Agent 86]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I thought the umpiring was ordinary to poor. Very inconsistent at times. Bad for us early and bad for StKilda later.

Pretty good assessment. Saints would've rightly been spewing over the umpiring in Q4 had they lost.

[Piobaireachd]

Originally posted by midaro


That "he's our best defender, so he always takes the opposition's best forward" bit has got to stop.
Horses for courses. Leo is too small for Gehrig.

Yeah that is a great comment. So who do we use?

[Piobaireachd]

Originally posted by SimonH
Have no idea why people are so down on Leo. When he was isolated (and that's the problem), he had to wrestle with a gorilla in a test of strength. Unless you just lie on the ground and say 'unless the umpire gives me a free kick, I'll let you have the goal, Mr Gorilla', you have to run the risk of giving away free kicks. He won the majority of those tests of strength, which is saying something. Far from his best game, but he's still clearly one of the elite full backs in the comp. Putting Richards or LRT on Gehrig would quite simply have been insanity; CBolt was the only alternative. While he's a fine player I don't think he has Leo's physical strength, and I don't blame Roos for continuing to give Leo the job.

This is the comment that puts every other anti Leo comment to shame. Spot on Simon.

[stellation]

I thought it was well reported in the media previously that Craig Bolton is actually the strongest person on the team.

[ScottH]

Originally posted by stellation
I thought it was well reported in the media previously that Craig Bolton is actually the strongest person on the team.

I thought he had a reasonably good game compared to his fumbling efforts last week.

[Agent 86]

Originally posted by SimonH
...When he was isolated (and that's the problem), he had to wrestle with a gorilla in a test of strength...

He was often isolated because the Saints used flooding techniches pretty effectively & usually made quick progress on the breaks (& there were plenty of them, given our turnover count as we tried to be a bit too clever).

It is pretty harsh to bag Leo for being monstered by the rock-ape in the one-on-ones near goal (and that free was a joke), but Gehrig did take a number of easy marks on a lead which is harder to forgive under those conditions. Leo was quoted before the game saying the conditions should make his job easier.

Then again, Baz was being embarrassed at the other end. So both Barry's must go! ()

As for MOL, I thought he set up a number of goals for us & his effort was good. Can't believe he's still copping flak here.

[Alison]

I think people are being way too harsh on Leo. He is not really built to be a full back and would probably love to be playing back on the half back flank or back pocket but we have no one else who can play that position so he has too. He does make mistakes at times (as do all players) but he is always trying. I believe that our midfield needed to be putting more pressure on the ball coming down and maybe we should have flooded their forward line. To say Leo lost us the game is absolute crap. We had our opportunites. It is easy to bag a backman as if they make a mistake it can result in a goal. You know, if a forward makes a mistake they are costing us a goal yet forwards don't get bagged as much.

As for the free kicks - I believe both Gehrig and Leo were holding each other in the goal square just that uimpire must of obviously only seen Leo holding Gehrig.

As with Leo seeking an investigation into the picture of his mark. Why not? The AFL have done the wrong thing - as the Rules state permission is to be granted by the player or player's manager which was not done and has been posted in every TAB promoting SportsBet. I think he has every right to ask questions. Tell me you wouldn't. He should receive royalties. It is exactly the same case as Andre Agassi. The AFL paid Jesaulenko money for the use of his "mark" - is he greedy too? Yeah, right. It is a real personal attack to say he is greedy, too big for his boots.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Swans need to work out that it's wet

You said a mouthfull 'Bloods, poor handling doesn't bother me as much as rank stoupidity. The Swans played as if they hadn't noticed it was raining (interestingly I had two peanuts sitting behind us who were going off about poor marking and handling ~ as if that's not what is to be expected on a night like that).

Here are some thoughts that the Swans clearly didn't entertain on Saturday night.

Forwards must play in front of their opponents, the ball drops short.
When leading run directly at your team-mate so your chest is behind the ball.
Do not lead to the boundary because on the 90% of occasions that you drop the mark the ball will skid over the line. far better for the ball to skid towards your own goal.
Defenders you must not play your opponent from behind, the ball drops short.
If you get to the ball in a pack consider kicking the sucker off the ground rather than trying to pick the ball up.

RWOers feel free to add any additional wet weather tips for the boys in red and white . . . bacause it's all clearly new to them.

[ScottH]

Originally posted by Ruck'n'Roll
If you get to the ball in a pack consider kicking the sucker off the ground rather than trying to pick the ball up.

I'd prefer
Dive and try and punch, if you miss it you are more likely to receive a free for high contact, if you collect the ball while diving you will gain 20 metres in the wet

[dazza]

I think that you guys are being too critical of Chambers and Richards

These guys try their best every week and are young and not as experienced as some of the older players

I like Richards game and I think he is going to improve as a player

The Swans went out all guns to get him from the Bombers

He will be a good player in the future

You need to give the kid time.He is only 23