Frees Against: What can we do?

[Sanecow]

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]

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.

[SthMelbDieHard]

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....

[Mike]

We can stop breaking the rules.

[AussieAnge]

Shake the umps' hands prior to the game like the WCE players did on Saturday?

[Mike]

We shook hands too.

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by Mike
We can stop breaking the rules.

Troll elsewhere.

[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.

[AussieAnge]

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.

[giant]

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.

[Sanecow]

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.

[Mike]

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?!

[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.

[wheels27]

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?

[NMWBloods]

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.