Frees Against: What can we do?

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  • Sanecow
    Suspended by the MRP
    • Mar 2003
    • 6917

    Frees Against: What can we do?

    These are probably skewed by the finals but frees against are really killing us. In the top 36 infringing players in the AFL, we have eight players:

    1. Darren Jolly Sydney Swans 41
    3. Barry Hall Sydney Swans 35
    9. Adam Goodes Sydney Swans 34
    12. Leo Barry Sydney Swans 30
    18. Brett Kirk Sydney Swans 27
    21. Luke Ablett Sydney Swans 26
    32. Lewis Roberts-Thomson Sydney Swans 25
    33. Jude Bolton Sydney Swans 25

    Compared with the Eagles:

    19. Adam Hunter West Coast Eagles 27
    31. Brent Staker West Coast Eagles 25
    36. Adam Selwood West Coast Eagles 24

    And the Crows:

    17. Scott Thompson Adelaide 27
    24. Matthew Clarke Adelaide 26
    38. Rhett Biglands Adelaide 24

    And as a result we are #1 in Frees Against as a team (source).

    Since the better teams tend to be in the top 8 of frees against (in 2006), it's probably not all bad news, but we gave away about 100 free kicks more than Adelaide and West Coast for the season.

    What to do? I think we should target these:

    1. Darren Jolly Sydney Swans 41
    3. Barry Hall Sydney Swans 35
    12. Leo Barry Sydney Swans 30

    1. Replace Jolly with someone who knows what they are doing (tick)
    2. Get Hall to stop giving away soft frees when the ball isn't in his area. That is probably worth ten kicks a season. Get him to play in front or not push out in the wrestling match. Another ten a year easily.
    3. Move Leo somewhere, at least further from goal so the kicks won't hurt us as often. He volunteered to go forward in the pre-GF news conference but that's probably a bit far. HBF?

    It's costing us around 5 kicks a game more than it should which nullifies Jolly or Dempster's game so it's worth thinking about.
  • hammo
    Veterans List
    • Jul 2003
    • 5554

    #2
    Good questions Sanecow. This is definitely the most frustrating aspect of supporting the Swans at the moment.

    Leo is always going to give away free kicks while he is playing on much bigger opponents. Fullback is the main position we need to fill. Leo is quickly reaching his used by date but could have much to offer playing off a flank.

    I don't think Baz can do much unfortunately. The umpiring fraternity simply don't like him.
    "As everyone knows our style of football is defensive and unattractive, and as such I have completely forgotten how to mark or kick over the years" - Brett Kirk

    Comment

    • SthMelbDieHard
      On the Rookie List
      • Sep 2006
      • 72

      #3
      Or the AFL could actually employ umpires who are competent and not persuaded by home team crowds.

      Agree with your views on Hall. Far too many unnecessary free kicks and spends too much time trying to claims frees when ball is still in the vicinity....

      Comment

      • Mike
        On the Rookie List
        • Sep 2006
        • 120

        #4
        We can stop breaking the rules.

        Comment

        • AussieAnge
          On the Rookie List
          • Sep 2003
          • 1057

          #5
          Shake the umps' hands prior to the game like the WCE players did on Saturday?
          Bring it on!

          Comment

          • Mike
            On the Rookie List
            • Sep 2006
            • 120

            #6
            We shook hands too.

            Comment

            • Sanecow
              Suspended by the MRP
              • Mar 2003
              • 6917

              #7
              Originally posted by Mike
              We can stop breaking the rules.
              Troll elsewhere.

              Comment

              • Mike
                On the Rookie List
                • Sep 2006
                • 120

                #8
                Your stats are interesting. And it shows us one thing: we need to follow the rules! That's not trolling, that's the blatant and obvious answer to your question.

                Comment

                • AussieAnge
                  On the Rookie List
                  • Sep 2003
                  • 1057

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Mike
                  We shook hands too.
                  I don't think they did. When I watched the replay Blighty commented on the Swans breaking early and not shaking the umps's hands.
                  Last edited by AussieAnge; 5 October 2006, 03:27 PM.
                  Bring it on!

                  Comment

                  • giant
                    Veterans List
                    • Mar 2005
                    • 4731

                    #10
                    1. and 3. are partly the price you play for having "smaller" blokes take on the monsters - tho both Jolly & Leo give away a number of silly frees.

                    Bazza's misdemeanours would be easier to deal with if he got his fair share of frees in return (not that it helped him in the grannie...).

                    Luke Ablett could also learn not to dive on the ball - that would save us a bunch.

                    However, I thought we adapted to the rule changes much better this year than last year especially as some seemed devised as "anti-Swans" measures. On the whole, I thought we got a much better ride from the umps in 2006 compared to previous years.

                    Comment

                    • Sanecow
                      Suspended by the MRP
                      • Mar 2003
                      • 6917

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Mike
                      Your stats are interesting. And it shows us one thing: we need to follow the rules! That's not trolling, that's the blatant and obvious answer to your question.
                      It's as pointless as saying we will win every game next year if we outscore our opponents. Think before you type.

                      Comment

                      • Mike
                        On the Rookie List
                        • Sep 2006
                        • 120

                        #12
                        Originally posted by AussieAnge
                        I don't think they did. When I watched the replay Blighty commented on the Swans breaking early and not sahking the umps's hands.
                        Spot on Ange, I just checked, we "broke" ealry!



                        And Sanecow, ask a silly question, get a silly answer.

                        And think before I type? Do you read the posts on this board?!

                        Comment

                        • dimelb
                          pr. dim-melb; m not f
                          • Jun 2003
                          • 6889

                          #13
                          1. Make a good show of getting up and attempting to pass after jumping on the ball. (Crazy that first one to the ball is pinged).
                          2. Stack on the mill more quickly - then the bloke with the ball can't be pinged.
                          3. Work out what we were doing right in the GF - frees were fairly even.
                          He reminds him of the guys, close-set, slow, and never rattled, who were play-makers on the team. (John Updike, seeing Josh Kennedy in a crystal ball)

                          Comment

                          • wheels27
                            On the Rookie List
                            • Mar 2005
                            • 397

                            #14
                            Originally posted by dimelb
                            1. Make a good show of getting up and attempting to pass after jumping on the ball. (Crazy that first one to the ball is pinged).
                            2. Stack on the mill more quickly - then the bloke with the ball can't be pinged.
                            3. Work out what we were doing right in the GF - frees were fairly even.
                            On point 3. did we change our game or did the umps change their interpretations?
                            I hear not what you say, for the thunder of who you are.

                            Comment

                            • NMWBloods
                              Taking Refuge!!
                              • Jan 2003
                              • 15819

                              #15
                              We give away a lot of free kicks through untidy tackles - diving into opponents' backs or grabbing them high - plus unnecessary jumper grabbing, plus diving onto the ball and not getting it out or being tackled and instead of giving it off, holding onto it.
                              Captain Logic is not steering this tugboat.

                              "[T]here are things that matter more and he's reading and thinking about them: heaven, reincarnation. Life and death are the only things that are truly a matter of life and death. Not football."

                              Comment

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