Last night's loss in perspective

[top40]

I think it was the quality of football we played rather than the loss itself.

How it is acceptable just because we usually lose rd 1?

So playing in the NAB cup is now an advantage?

I'm afraid that doing well in the Pre Season competition is historically a very good form indicator to winning Round 1 games.

Here's some recent stats:

Of the last 11 winners of the Pre Season competition, 9 have won their Round 1 game. Only Port Adelaide in 2002, (beaten by an emotional hyped up Kangaroos fresh from the Wayne Carey sex scandal); and Carlton in 2005, have lost their first games in the proper season.

And between 2002 to 2007, 5 of the 6 Pre Season competition Runners Up have won their Round 1 game.

As I stated in my original thread, winning the NAB gives a team a great deal of tough match fitness for Round 1.

[top40]

Interesting stats - thanks.

And without trying to labour the point, the Swans' lack of intense match practice may have been a factor in their "rabbits in the headlights" starts in recent Round one games.

Witness:

Round One 2006: Essendon get off to a flyer in the first quarter, kicking 9 goals and leading the Swans at Quarter Time, 55 to 14. In fact, 9 of the Bomber's overall match total of 17 goals (or 53%) are kicked in that disastrous first quarter.

Round One 2007: West Coast lead at half time 62 to 26. 10 of the Eagles' overall total of 11 goals (or 91%) are kicked in that terrible first half.

Round One 2008: St Kilda flies off the block, to lead at quarter time 27 to 7. 4of the Saints' overall 6 goals (or 67%) are kicked in the first quarter.

Do you see the pattern? My theory is that Sydney's lack of intense match fitness contributed to those horrible Round one starts.

[swansrule100]

as for the stats what do they show, and the lack of intense practice is not an excuse why didnt we take the nab more seriously then and try to win. Does this club just go its round one we are slow starters bugger the 4 points?

In 1993 we lost round one and im sure we have many years. Slow starts are not an excuse for the weekends loss. The roster was drawn up in october we knew the game was comming for some time.

As a side note...

id like to see roosy get his arse back in the coaches box and coach the team and shut the hell up about how long a coach should coach for and who should coach next, sick of hearing about it all.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

id like to see roosy get his arse back in the coaches box and coach the team and shut the hell up about how long a coach should coach for and who should coach next, sick of hearing about it all.

Amen! I love how Roos is very forward with the media and isn't just another puppet, but sometimes his left of centre style just gets on my last nerve! Shut up and coach, Roosy, and watch some more footage because most of your ideas don't work.

His buddy system pisses me off, also. Keeping positions available for particular people, and letting the leadership group have FAR too much say. It scares me to think that he doesn't really care about where we're at when he packs his bags and heads to the States.

[goswannie14]

His buddy system pisses me off, also. Keeping positions available for particular people, and letting the leadership group have FAR too much say. It scares me to think that he doesn't really care about where we're at when he packs his bags and heads to the States.

This has been a beef of mine for a while, he's the coach. He gets paid the big money to make the hard decisions. So make the hard decisions without needing to call on the players to make them for you.

[Wardy]

I know that Aussie Ange copped my whine about Roosy sitting on the sideline - but that was really driving me nuts - is he just trying to stir the establishment up? Whats the point in having the rest of the coaching staff up in the box and the head bloke on the sideline? What if the audio was having problems and he ended up getting the dinner order from the corporate box's on level 4 instead of messages from the coaches box? and we all know what the next step will be - his kids will be sitting on the sideline with him!!!

[Industrial Fan]

Not sure what the beef is about Roos on the sideline?

Everyone* thought it was great when Sheedy did it against Wet toast...


*Maybe just Walls, but there was no negative feedback I can recall

[Lucky Knickers]

As Roos is a big proponent of learning from other sports I'm hard put to remember another sport that isn't coached from the sidelines (Soccer, Gridiron, Basketball, Hockey, Rugby, League, etc) and this seems reasonable.

As a coach I think it would be good to be closer to the action and be speaking to the players as they go on and off and not have to relay through a third party. Having assistants with the bird's eye view gives the matchups directly to the coach.

My only problem is when he says something in jest...

[ScottH]

According to an article I read yesterday.

He and Horse will alternate on the bench (Didn't think you could bench a coach), as it makes it easier and faster to communicate directly with the players and make changes faster.

[Triple B]

I think it's a great idea.

Roos can talk to the players directly, can get a first hand feel on how they are travelling physically and can convey messages way easier.

I was listening to Luke Darcy on SEN when driving around Vic. on Sunday and he made the point that his extended experience in the coaches box whilst having his long recovery from the knee taught him just how much input the assistant coaches have in decisions. He said in 99.9% of cases when the midfield coach wants a player rotated for whatever reason, it is done. If the forward coach wants to make a move, it is done. There is rarely if ever a discussion about the reasoning, mainly because there is bugger all time to argue the toss. Bear in mind that Darcy was sitting in a coaches box with Rodney Eade as the general and he would appear to be one coach who would let his ego get in the way, so if he is open to putting his faith in assistants, I'd imagine most coaches would.

Coaches pick their assistants because they have faith in their ability to make the correct decision.

I believe it is very trend-setting and believe it will gain us a significant advantage at times, particularly in tight games.

[reigning premier]

Considering what notoriously slow starters we are, the fact that the Aints have come off a cple of reasonable games in the KNOB cup, We were playing away from home, and NOT A SINGLE TIPSTER (Real footy) selected us, a two point loss in a game we could of won is a pretty good result. Of course the win would of been better but to be honest, we probably weren't the better team. Bring on Rd 2!

[Wardy]

Call me cynical (CYNICAL) but we were the first to have the 3 captains thing, (I think leadership groups was a Roos thing too - but cant be sure on that one) so this year its "I know I will sit on the boundary line" - what next year - bring half time drinks and canape's?

Seriously though my concern, as what was said previously, if he has a tendancy to say things "tongue in cheek" as was referred to in the McVeigh beat up, sure as eggs there will be an AFL navvy/court reporter taking down everything he says, report it and it will be investigated,then the saga begins all over again. Why take the risk? the AFL dont like him, he doesnt like the AFL, but the fat controller and his sidekick have alot more power than old Roosy.

[swantastic]

I was listening to Luke Darcy on SEN when driving around Vic. on Sunday and he made the point that his extended experience in the coaches box whilst having his long recovery from the knee taught him just how much input the assistant coaches have in decisions. He said in 99.9% of cases when the midfield coach wants a player rotated for whatever reason, it is done. If the forward coach wants to make a move, it is done. There is rarely if ever a discussion about the reasoning, mainly because there is bugger all time to argue the toss. Bear in mind that Darcy was sitting in a coaches box with Rodney Eade as the general and he would appear to be one coach who would let his ego get in the way, so if he is open to putting his faith in assistants, I'd imagine most coaches would.

Coaches pick their assistants because they have faith in their ability to make the correct decision.

I believe it is very trend-setting and believe it will gain us a significant advantage at times, particularly in tight games.

If thats the case why have a head coach,lets just have a forward,midfield,back and ruck coach who each have equal say.?

We have multiple captains and every body thinks it works so why not have multiple coaches,with a different one as spokes person each week.

BTW BBB was that you on SEN last week?

[Rod_]

What I take from last weeks game.

We will be hard to beat again this year. Saints are considered the 2nd best team for the flag and we got done by 2 points. (On a good day in the office a couple of points would have been goals .... different result) WE held our own after the first quarter.

We blooded a few new players last year and some got a run against the Saints. This is good. We started the change during the off season with our trading.

I believe that some of the new guys will rotate in and out for the first 6 games. (Based on previous years win loss results) The older ones will return if they are good enough. (Matthews, Crouch, Spider and co... - only good for 15 - 20 games a year now days...)

I agree that the top 4 is within reach. And on our day we can win against any team.

Look out I feel a flying Swan closer to the finals coming on

Rod_

[Triple B]

If thats the case why have a head coach,lets just have a forward,midfield,back and ruck coach who each have equal say.?

We have multiple captains and every body thinks it works so why not have multiple coaches,with a different one as spokes person each week.

BTW BBB was that you on SEN last week?

That's the point Mr Tastico.

On game day , in the box, they are a team and do have equal say. The buck stops with the head coach on tactics and direction and philosophies and game plans etc etc, but they are all done and dusted and worked out by the time the ball is bounced each weekend. Whilst the game is actually on, each assistant can concentrate on their areas and try to find an advantage and they are have almost 100% say on what should happen during the game in their particular area.

I don't have a problem with that, I think it's great to have 5 sets of eyes and 5 smart football heads analyzing things as the game unfolds.

BTW No, It wasn't me on SEN.