Notes from last night......

[cookie2]

It's amazing - you guys were given six frees in front of goal and there were two occasions where Cookie and McPharlin were crunched in the back - no kick - and you guys scored.

I was listening to 3AW commentary out of Melbourne and all three presenters said that Freo either missed out on kicks, or soft kicks were given to the Swans, at critical times in the game.

You guys deserved to win, but it's bloody hard for a team to keep its chin up when they fight so hard to get close and the next minute the ump's plucking frees out of nowhere.

We got more frees on the night, but I'd hazard a guess that critical frees went your way by a country mile.

A shame about that clash with a Freo supporter... are you sure it was so one-sided?

[Bas]

Originally posted by cookie2
A shame about that clash with a Freo supporter... are you sure it was so one-sided?

Yes it was and he lives in Sydney as I asked him. There was about 5 minutes of sarcastic comments about me that I didn't mention which were delivered when I had my back to him.

One idiot does not reflect on all Freo supporters.

I think in the end the free kicks evened themselves out. I thought the free's against the Swans was harsh but in the end, the umpires as usual were consistently inconsistent.

Can understand your disappointment today but Freo did well last night.Pavlich and Sandilands were on track to win it for Freo but others didn't play well.

[liz]

Originally posted by cookie2

You guys deserved to win, but it's bloody hard for a team to keep its chin up when they fight so hard to get close and the next minute the ump's plucking frees out of nowhere.

We know that feeling - happens to us everytime we play West Coast at Subiaco. And there was nothing in yesterday's game to rival the two free kicks in front of goal that Stenglein has received in recent years.

We can all be one-eyed but I don't think things were as bad as you make out. Comparing raw free kick stats is meaningless - it is the soft ones given and the frees missed that count. Didn't think there was anything in either of the McPharlin crunches - all within the rules and well within contests. Admit I don't recall the Cook one you refer to.

The Hall free was probably there, if a bit soft, though it would have been possible to pluck one the other way too. But then I thought the free that Pavlich got was a bit soft too.

One head-high hit against Hall was clearly missed and that led to a Freo goal, aided by a 50-50 50m penalty.

I certainly don't recall 6 free kicks to the Swans in front of goal. There was the Hall one and the O'Keefe early HTB (correct decision). There was one missed before then to Micky O' when his arms were clearly held back when he was trying to complete a mark. O'Keefe got one for being legged (which he was) but he would almost have certainly scored even if the free hadn't been paid given that he recovered and played on to score.

Freo got the Cook 50m penalty, the Pavlich one, the Farmer HTB (correct decision), the Goodes DOOB (probably reasonable).

Maybe Sydney marginally got the better of things, but I didn't know there was a rule that says that the Swans always have to be on the raw end of things, and the margin was big enough (and the Swans mostly in sufficient control of the game) to comfortably say that the result wasn't affected.

[Grant]

Originally posted by cookie2
It's amazing - you guys were given six frees in front of goal and there were two occasions where Cookie and McPharlin were crunched in the back - no kick - and you guys scored.

Freo either missed out on kicks, or soft kicks were given to the Swans, at critical times in the game.

You guys deserved to win, but it's bloody hard for a team to keep its chin up when they fight so hard to get close and the next minute the ump's plucking frees out of nowhere.

And that never happens to visiting teams in perth every week does it?

[Agent 86]

Originally posted by shayne
I've had a problem with the DOOB rule since they started cracking down on it, most of the time it's fine but when some one is tackled near the boundary line and they are going to get done for holding the ball if they don't hand ball it out over the line(which is the only option) then they shouldn't get a free paid against them.

The thing that annoys me is the inconsistency with which it is applied. The Goodes call was rubbish & some more obvious ones went unpunished. It's such a subjective thing & I think the maggots have enough to do out there - let alone THINK.

[Agent 86]

Originally posted by liz
Only sure of one - the HTB. To be fair to Leo, it was an appalling kick to him from Goodes. He should never have been put in that position because the ball should have been delivered to him on the full. He didn't have an easy option to lay the ball off to. Farmer laid a very good tackle. Leo was outplayed by Farmer in that particular piece of play but I would hardly class it as a brain explosion.

Not a brain explosion - but he did look a bit too casual (admittedly he picked up the intensity as the game went on). The Goodes kick was a shocker - Ablett-esque.

Also the free against Leo on Pavlich was fair. Bit too clumsy - but I loved seeing the all or nothing Leo of old.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by cookie2
It's amazing - you guys were given six frees in front of goal and there were two occasions where Cookie and McPharlin were crunched in the back - no kick - and you guys scored.

I was listening to 3AW commentary out of Melbourne and all three presenters said that Freo either missed out on kicks, or soft kicks were given to the Swans, at critical times in the game.

You guys deserved to win, but it's bloody hard for a team to keep its chin up when they fight so hard to get close and the next minute the ump's plucking frees out of nowhere.

We got more frees on the night, but I'd hazard a guess that critical frees went your way by a country mile.

A shame about that clash with a Freo supporter... are you sure it was so one-sided?

If we were given 6 frees in front of goal, that mean that there were only 6 frees paid to the Swans for the rest of the game son the rest of the ground.

We almost always get frees paid against us at critical points of matches.

Just be thankful that Sandilands didn't get pinged for the numerous times he grabbed the ball from a throw in and was tackled. For the rest of the season that has been a free kick, but not last night.

Just saw the McPharlin contact again, LRT was making a genuine attempt to mark, that is never a free kick (unless you're James Hird and McLaren in umpiring).

BTW the free kick count was.......wait for it Freo 18, Sydney 12. I can see how one sided it was.

EDIT: Just watched the game again, Sydney got 4 frees in the forward 50, of which three resulted in goals, but one (by O'Keefe) wouldn't have mattered as he was on the run, was tripped got up and kicked the goal anyway. Cookie2, whilst I admire your passion, you really need to learn to count. Freo got at 3 goals from frees as well, so it was even.