Round 6: North Melbourne v Sydney game thread:

[NMWBloods]

There were plenty that were below average. Always hard to pick up on TV but the number of times we were 2 on 2 or 3 on 3 coming inside F50 only for the midfielder to simply not be able to spot up a decent forward lead. Then it rebounds to a leading Thompson or Jones well inside 50. O'Louglin and Davis atrocious, O'Keefe gets a pass mark. Why do they play so far up the bloody ground. You're a forward, play from the bloody goal square and lead up the ground.

I thought I midfield wasn't that bad today.

I'm not sure how the midfield wasn't that bad when it is unable to deliver the ball inside 50 enough or effectively. Davis and MOL did okay with the rubbish they were delivered.

Our game plan seems to be for the forwards to play well up the ground. There is no real forward structure. This has been commented on my a number of commentators for a few years.

Rebounding from D50 is strange. We have half our team standing around in D50. When someone gets the ball we seem to be able to progress the back edge of the square but then have nowhere to go, so it goes sideways or we just handball into space.

Our forward line is always massively crowded. It's not just the defensive players, often our own players wander in there to fill up space, so there is nowhere to lead to. That's one reason why we always lead to the boundary line.

[Donners]

Moore has been quite impressive this season, and this was a good game from him. Aside from that, it was a horrible match to watch. I actually enjoyed going to games in the early 90s more than seeing these.

[mcs]

Jut watching the replay now...last quarter. McClaren gave a rubbish free kick to Nth out forward pocket then 50m, then another rubbish free kick after a great tackle from Jack. Ended up resulting in a Nth goal.

I was ropable over those absolutely dreadful calls from him- no suprise though. Really thought that changed the momentum (Though there was little momentum for either team in the first couple of minutes of the last quarter), as North went on to kick another very shortly other that shoudl of seen us totally out of the game.

[Lucky Knickers]

Jack should have got a free for HTB.

[AnnieH]

What a shocking performance.

Far too many behinds for my liking - cost us the game.

If B1 had kicked a behind instead of TWO out of bounds on the full - cost us the game.

[swansrule100]

I'm not sure how the midfield wasn't that bad when it is unable to deliver the ball inside 50 enough or effectively. Davis and MOL did okay with the rubbish they were delivered.

Our game plan seems to be for the forwards to play well up the ground. There is no real forward structure. This has been commented on my a number of commentators for a few years.

Rebounding from D50 is strange. We have half our team standing around in D50. When someone gets the ball we seem to be able to progress the back edge of the square but then have nowhere to go, so it goes sideways or we just handball into space.

Our forward line is always massively crowded. It's not just the defensive players, often our own players wander in there to fill up space, so there is nowhere to lead to. That's one reason why we always lead to the boundary line.

it seems goal kicking is a secondary aim of the roos game plan

[NMWBloods]

it seems goal kicking is a secondary aim of the roos game plan

Undoubtedly. We're ranked 13th in scoring this year (only ahead of Melb, WC and Freo). 10th in 2007. 6th in 2006. 14th in 2005. 11th in 2004. 9th in 2003.

[Donners]

Anyone else watch the Footy Flashbacks screening of the 96 GF?

Give me Maxfield streaming down the wing, Chapman busting backs, Heuskes leaping at the back and Plugger stomping around over this sort of game any day...

[NMWBloods]

I actually can't remember a time when I've been so bored at a game (except for the last 5-10 min).

[NMWBloods]

Just on White - didn't get heavily involved but I liked some of his ruckwork and he looks like a very good mark. I'll be very interested in watching his progress as I think he could be an excellent player for us.

[ScottH]

Just on White - didn't get heavily involved but I liked some of his ruckwork and he looks like a very good mark. I'll be very interested in watching his progress as I think he could be an excellent player for us.

He is certainly a BIG lad.
Noticed he was outbodied a few times in ruck contests, but that will come with a bit of experience.
Took at least 2 strong grabs that I noticed.

Hope he gets a few more runs.

[Nico]

I was saying at 3Q time that Ed Barlow had been shocking with abhorrent disposal and disposal slelection, and low and behold he comes out and plays a top last Q.

He was on his own in the centre for the last 20 minutes and even though he gave a lot of run through the middle players continued to ignore him many times. If only he had nailed that running goal. He and Moore should be practicing those running shots at training this week. Under those pressure situations the ball seems to fade off Moore's boot as happened in round 1.

By the wat Taigh is back after his blistering last Q.

[ScottH]

Agree Nico, Thought Barlow had a shocker up till the last Q, and Tadhg, was very quiet until then as well.
Seemed eveyone lifted their game then, except the goal kickers.

[gossipcom]

Just want to say well done to Goodes. Yes he had a few clangers but it was good to see him finally in the BOGs after all the flack he's copped.

First time to Telstra Dome today for me (right now sitting at an airport waiting for my flight to board), but it was interesting being on the other side aka not among my fellow Swannies.

[Nico]

There were plenty that were below average. Always hard to pick up on TV but the number of times we were 2 on 2 or 3 on 3 coming inside F50 only for the midfielder to simply not be able to spot up a decent forward lead. Then it rebounds to a leading Thompson or Jones well inside 50. O'Louglin and Davis atrocious, O'Keefe gets a pass mark. Why do they play so far up the bloody ground. You're a forward, play from the bloody goal square and lead up the ground.

I thought I midfield wasn't that bad today.

I thought O'Keefe was ordinary again today. Only seemed to get into it late and made some very poor decisions. Why he doesn't run back deep into the forward line on leads staggers me. He seesm to be centre side of 50 metres on leads and it does nothing for us.

The midfield for most was at best ordinary. Non existent for middle 2 quarters but I thought Bird got better as the game progressed. Kirk was good most of the day be we need a lot more speed and brillance in there. We miss one very quick player in the guts.