After tonight's game, i've come to a few conclusions.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Everitt is a gun, despite his 3rd quater error

Malceski should never ever be dropped

Sydney can't win if they don't turn up until qtr time

Dempster needs to be given a lengthy run in the seniors

McVeigh and Bevan are inept, and Buchanan can't kick

Craig Bolton must ALWAYS take the oppositions number 1 forward

Someone has to convince Tadhg to stay in Sydney, post 2009

Roos needs to get angry, and smart

The game against Hawthorn is a must win, of that there is no doubt

The Bombers are the best in the league at playing for a free kick

[liz]

Sydney can't win if they don't turn up until qtr time

Buchanan can't kick

Craig Bolton must ALWAYS take the oppositions number 1 forward

Agree with most of your comments but not so much those above.

Sydney were certainly insipid for the first 10 minutes but I don't think that cost them the game. They stemmed the tide well before quarter time and were in front by half-time. The skill level of both sides was just so dreadful in the second half that either team could have won comfortably had it managed to link a few passes together.

Buchanan's kicking has been down this year but normally he is an excellent short field kick. In 2005 and 2006 his ability to find a target inside 50 from just outside was superb - definitely best at the club. It is beyond me how he can therefore be such a bad shot at goal, especially when as a junior it was apparently one of his strengths.

Saying Bolton should always play on the best opposition forward is a bit simplistic. He is the most versatile defender we have but is better when not anchored to the goal square. Barry is still the best we have for playing on the Lynchs, Gehrigs and Lloyds of this world, even if we'd rather find someone a bit bigger to do it. And Barry's job on Lloyd today was certainly creditable. LRT has also shown increasing ability to play on the likes of Lucas, Brown etc and I still think we're better off starting with him (when he's fit) and allowing Bolton to plug whatever hole there is at the time.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

You make some good points, but on Buchanan's kicking, the fact that he's supposedly one of our 'crumbers', makes his inability to kick goals, even more unacceptable. Even his kick that gave us the lead in the 2005 GF was terrible, but that's okay cuz i love him for that goal, but the ammount of easy shots he shanks, is getting beyond the joke.

[Legs Akimbo]

Buchanan's kicking has been down this year but normally he is an excellent short field kick. In 2005 and 2006 his ability to find a target inside 50 from just outside was superb - definitely best at the club. It is beyond me how he can therefore be such a bad shot at goal, especially when as a junior it was apparently one of his strengths.
.

It is not just his kicking for goal. His general disposal has been horrible this year. He makes a lot of mistakes, often when not under pressure.

Just like golfers sometimes lose their swing, I think he has lost his kicking action.

[CureTheSane]

Everitt is a gun, despite his 3rd quater error

Malceski should never ever be dropped

Sydney can't win if they don't turn up until qtr time

Dempster needs to be given a lengthy run in the seniors

McVeigh and Bevan are inept, and Buchanan can't kick

Craig Bolton must ALWAYS take the oppositions number 1 forward

Someone has to convince Tadhg to stay in Sydney, post 2009

Roos needs to get angry, and smart

The game against Hawthorn is a must win, of that there is no doubt

The Bombers are the best in the league at playing for a free kick

I'd a agree with all of that except the Bevan part.

I hold hope for him.

[Donners]

I'm not so sure about Bolton taking the number one forward, if that limits him to a purely defensive role. I like his work as a loose or at least playmaking defender. He has the skill to get free and set up moves, and that would be limited if he was on a major threat. Then again, without LRT, we don't have many purely defensive options.

As for Bevan, he reminds me a bit of the wrestler Spike Dudley, whose sole role was to be put through tables by bigger opponents...

[CureTheSane]

Actually the Bolton Vs Leo thing here raises another point.

Whatever happened to Leo playing his natural style?

Obviously Roos has drilled him into the 'best for the team' psyche.

Remember the good old days when he'd REALLY back himself.

And we'd all say "Oh @@@@, here he goes again" and nearly poo our pants only to see him pull of his own brand of magic and do something great.
I say let Leo off the chain.

[gossipcom]

And we'd all say "Oh @@@@, here he goes again" and nearly poo our pants only to see him pull of his own brand of magic and do something great.
I say let Leo off the chain.

From where I sit at the ground and the supporters around me we still say that whenever he's near the ball.

[sfan]

It is not just his kicking for goal. His general disposal has been horrible this year. He makes a lot of mistakes, often when not under pressure.

Just like golfers sometimes lose their swing, I think he has lost his kicking action.

According to MMM Bucky had 9 ineffective disposals to half time. Enough said and not good enough!!! Needs to fix.

[TheHood]

Lets talk about expectations in 2007:

When Barry Hall takes a mark, I expect that the Umps will see an infringement, so now I stay in my chair and wait for Barry to hand the ball back;

When Jude is under a pack, I don't expect a ball up, I wait for the free kick whistle against;

When Leo is in a marking contest on the run, I expect that the forward will go to ground and a shot on goal will ensue after a free kick; and

When Monty takes possession, I expect a clanger.

I don't think I am going to go back to the SCG until there is pretty clear evidence the AFL is going to relax the umpires and stop micromanaging the outcome of football.

I will get my fix watching the amos. There is a purity there that all supporters are after. I don't go to the footy to watch umpires blow 40 to 50 free kicks per game. A free kick every 125 seconds of footy (including stoppages, behinds, goals etc) is disrupting to the stuff I pay big money to see.

[annew]

Tadhg wasn't fully recovered from his virus.

[swan_song]

Quote from Liz
"Sydney were certainly insipid for the first 10 minutes but I don't think that cost them the game. They stemmed the tide well before quarter time and were in front by half-time. The skill level of both sides was just so dreadful in the second half that either team could have won comfortably had it managed to link a few passes together."

Absolutely, I agree with that, they did well to get back from being AWOL for the first 15 minutes...but in the end it cost them dearly. A wag might even suggest that it was almost as though the bummers had got the phone number of the Eagles dealer before the match..l.