Not turning against Roos.

[swantastic]

The team has played 10 daytime games (+ one that was daytime locally but mid-time EST) for 9 wins. The daytime loss was against Geelong at KP in the pouring rain (and the mid-time game was against the Eagles at Subi). So neither of those was disgraceful losses taking into account who we were playing and obvious home team advantage. The wins included ones against Port, the Hawks (twice), Brisbane (who were in very good form at the time) and the Dogs (also in pretty good form at the time).

On the other hand, the team played 12 night time games for 3 wins, 1 draw and 8 losses. Two of the wins were against Melbourne (when they were at their most injury plagued) and Richmond. The only creditable win amongst those was the Saints game given they were in good form at the time.

This could be partly due to dewy conditions and the failure to adapt. But I think there is far more than that. The team's intensity in all those night games bar the Saints and Brisbane games was a shadow of the intensity during almost every single day game they played. Even in the losses to Geelong and West Coast they played at least some decent footy.

It suggests that maybe they haven't found a way to prepare the players to be mentally switched on at the right time. Whether it's changing training times, diet (ie when they eat) or other factors that determine their preparation I have no idea. But you'd have to hope they've been trying something different as this obvious trend has emerged during the season. And even if they were trying different things, there's no evidence that it worked.

So Liz what you are saying is the Swans should lobby the AFL for all day games.When i used to play state league soccer i always found it hard to gee my self up for the night games,but for the day games it was easy.IMO on game day,you get up eat then head off to the ground and boom your into the game ritual.In the night games tho you get up eat stuff around eat again watch a movie or do other things and i think your mind wanders off the task at hand.So therefore its obvious you have more energy in the arvo than at night,because your body clock is winding down.

Do i have a solution for the problem,yes no bloody night games or gather all the players together in the morning and keep it that way for the entire day. Realy its up to each individual not the coach to keep them geed up for the entire game day.

[AnnieH]

So Liz what you are saying is the Swans should lobby the AFL for all day games.

Who do you think we are? Colllingwood??? Only the pies get 17 games in Melbourne during the day!!
We're lucky to have the day games we have now. If anything, IMO the AFL would prefer us to play all our games on a Saturday night. Just like we'll never get a Friday night match. It's all about ratings. I'm sure we get more ratings in Sydney on a Saturday night than we do for an early Sunday match.

[Wazza]

And the difference between Eade and Roos is 1 second!

Fosdike and Goodes improved greatly under Roos.

Did Goodes get better under Roos? or due to injury i.e. not playing in ruck forced him to play a position he eventually excelled in?

But I agree Goodes is now playing at another level. I wonder if he didnt have the injuries if we would have persisted with him in the ruck? I do prefer him as a midfielder.

I thought Fosdike started ok but levelled of quickly but has stood up in big games for us.

Cheers

waz

[lwjoyner]

loyalty or plain stupidity

While I think Roos has been great I am beginning to think that blind loyalty is disturbing. To say that he will give the players that have been involved for the last 5 yrs a go before making changes is in my opinion stupidity. One of the problems back in 1996 is that we didnt renew our list after the 1995 year, a year most people would sya that we overperformed. If we had have made a number of changes who knows Eade may have still been coaching.
We MUST make a number of changes and our Red and White online members have enunceated those over many weeks. Surely the Swans heirachy can see the same people who have to go.

[hammo]

Did Goodes get better under Roos? or due to injury i.e. not playing in ruck forced him to play a position he eventually excelled in?

But I agree Goodes is now playing at another level. I wonder if he didnt have the injuries if we would have persisted with him in the ruck? I do prefer him as a midfielder.

Roos was the one who played Goodes in the ruck in the first place - that was 2003 when he won his first Brownlow.

[AnnieH]

We MUST make a number of changes and our Red and White online members have enunceated those over many weeks. Surely the Swans heirachy can see the same people who have to go.

No-one listens to us ... least of all the club.

You'd think with all the free advice that's thrown around in this place, we would have won the flag every year for the last 10.

[Wazza]

Roos was the one who played Goodes in the ruck in the first place - that was 2003 when he won his first Brownlow.

Goodes played in the ruck earlier than that, In 1999 he had 186 hit outs and I thought a few of his 20 games that year were in the ruck, he definately played in the ruck in 2002.

Cheers

waz

[swantastic]

I just had an idea,since all the Football leagues in europe play day and night maybe the Swans should send some one over there to study how they get players motivated for the night games.

[hammo]

I just had an idea,since all the Football leagues in europe play day and night maybe the Swans should send some one over there to study how they get players motivated for the night games.

Doesn't really explain why it's only emerged as a problem for us this year. We won plenty of big matches at night in 05 & 06.

[Sanecow]

On the other hand, the team played 12 night time games for 3 wins, 1 draw and 8 losses. ... this obvious trend has emerged during the season.

You hope they're going to come ready to play but you're never absolutely sure.

I'm not sure they've spotted it.

[ScottH]

I'm not sure they've spotted it.

Their minds were probably at the casino.

[Sanecow]

Their minds were probably at the casino.

There are some smoking hotties there.

[swantastic]

There are some smoking hotties there.

Sorry Cow no smoking at the casino.

[liz]

Doesn't really explain why it's only emerged as a problem for us this year. We won plenty of big matches at night in 05 & 06.

I agree. That observation is the one thing that has me questioning whether the differential this year is just coincidence. But the difference in performance level this year alone looks just too marked to be ignored.

[swantastic]

I agree. That observation is the one thing that has me questioning whether the differential this year is just coincidence. But the difference in performance level this year alone looks just too marked to be ignored.

Maybe this year they(swans) are giving to much freedom to there players on match days before the night games.