Game Thread Swans Vs Hawks

[ep2006]

Here he is. Excited about the bottom 4 clash?

Not really. The game is going to be pretty boring.

[annew]

We need BBBH and we need North Melbourne to beat Collingwood next week.

[WASwansFanatic]

Not really. The game is going to be pretty boring.

Typical bloody eagles supporter....don't you have anything better to do ? Like sip Chardonnay and leave at half time?

[Legs Akimbo]

Unfortunately, my daughter cracked the @@@@s at 3/4 time and we had to go home early. However, watching my first game live for quite some time, I noticed a few things...

1. Hawthorn are so much cleaner at the ball
2. Kennelly looked terrible. He appears to be way off the boil / out of condition. Not helping matters that his shoulder is popping in and out.
3. Playfair is a fair mark, but such an unreliable kick and general disposer of the ball, that he is next to useless.
4. Playing LRT and Playfair in the same team is one more gumby than we should have an expect to win. LRT was simply awful today. There was no facet of his game that was AFL standard.
5. Luke Ablett goes to ground way to easily and way to often. His standard strategy when caught with the ball, which is sadly often, is to fall over and play for a free.
6. Moore and Jack were both pathetic. Sorry to all the admirers, but quite frankly, Moore looks unfit. He is a very solid unit, which is understandable, but does not run enough and does not make position. Jack had a 'learning' game. I note his output has been steadily decreasing over the last few months and I think it is time for him to head back to the ressies.
7.As others have noted, Spida is past it. He still is a great tap ruckman, but his ground work and kicking are shot. So slow.
8. Buchanon's early misses were inexcusable. I don't care how many possessions and goals he ended up with. When we were in it with a chance, his costly misses took it away.
9. This should be Leo's last year.
10. Hawthorn watched the Collingwood tape. They bottled it up around centre half back to the middle stiffiling our run out of defence. Once that happens, we go wide and chip it around, allowing Hawthorn's rolling zone to slowing move back, concentrating the players into our forward half. Then once the inevitable turnover happened, they murdered us.

Overall, I am surprised we got as close as we did. Some positives.

1. Bird continues to impress, but needs to be more accountable.
2. Kirk is having perhaps his best season
3. Goodes reminded us what a great player he is (in case anyone had forgotten)
4. We are still top 4, though I suspect not for long

The fact is that we beat @@@@ teams and get beaten by good teams. Our ladder position flatters us.

[Donners]

How are we top 4 when we have really not beaten any quality sides this year? It's only through a quirk in the draw that we've been able to get so high.

[573v30]

Game Over

Hawthorn 15.16 106
Sydney 10.15 75

That's what you get when you play one quarter of footy. Too many turnovers gave the Hawks plenty of opportunities to kick goals which they did. Swans dominated in possession (327 vs. 283) but lacked direction resulting in clangers, stupid free kicks and goals that shouldn't have been.

The backline was ordinary with mismatches that resulted in Buddy (also their leading possession winner) and Shotgun kicking 4 goals each and Rough Head kicking 3 goals. Buddy owned LRT, Mattner and Richards were quiet for most of the game and Kennelly is a big out if he can't get up for next week.

The midfield got a lot of the ball but at times couldn't do much with the ball and turned it over. Kirk and Goodes were outstanding as usual, B1 and McVeigh got a fair bit of the ball, Monty stood up in the 2nd half and Bird looked good for a 1st year player.

The forward line fired too late with ROK, MOL and Playfair making an impact in the 2nd half. Jack, Moore and Smith were quiet but are likely to retain their spot in the side. Monty is in a bit of trouble and could miss a couple of weeks due to his bump on Hodge.

Next week against Carlton should be an easy win but considering they're not tanking anymore, it's become a must win. Complacency has been demonstrated for 2 weeks in a row, let's not make it a 3rd.

[Donners]

I don't think Monty is in trouble from a selection perspective. I'd rather somebody who can win contested footy in the forward line and be wayward with kicking than players who don't get the ball at all. Which is why Davis never should have been dropped...

[swan_song]

There was a point in the game where (I think it was) Bucky took a mark maybe 35-40m out on the left side....between him and the goal line there wasnt a player, no swan, no dawk, yet no Swans player ran on to receive either a chip kick or an over the top handball. It staggered all of us watching that nobody took on the responsibility for creating an option. Luckily Bucky got the goal, but the way he was kicking it was no certainty.

[Donners]

There was a point in the game where (I think it was) Bucky took a mark maybe 35-40m out on the left side....between him and the goal line there wasnt a player, no swan, no dawk, yet no Swans player ran on to receive either a chip kick or an over the top handball. It staggered all of us watching that nobody took on the responsibility for creating an option. Luckily Bucky got the goal, but the way he was kicking it was no certainty.

When Everitt had a shot which fell short, there were three Hawks and one Swan on the line.

[swan_song]

Monty is in a bit of trouble and could miss a couple of weeks due to his bump on Hodge.

I actually thought that Monty did a pretty good effort to actually miss the first dawk player...I would be surprised if he were "done". I hope the MRP also look at the eye gouge on MOL...the replays clearly show a dawk scraping his hand over Magic's face and eyes...though it was probably accidental...

[swan_song]

When Everitt had a shot which fell short, there were three Hawks and one Swan on the line.

yes I remember that too, another bewildering lapse in concentration...

[hudsta]

Poor. Very Poor. Our disposals not up to scratch, skill level down, lacked run and the players looked tired. Hawks looked big, strong and hard.

A couple of points

1. I still don't understand why professional AFL players miss a set shot at goal as much as they do.

2. The young swans have run out of legs and may need to be rested. Some old Swans have also run out if legs will need to be put out to pasture

3. Defence has looked a shadow of the one from the first half of the season!

4. Midfield did not deliver even though Kirk abd Jude played well
Player Comments

Barry: Not sited to much but tried when he had the ball. At least he did not get caught with the footy today!

Mattner: Last two weeks have been poor. Well held by the Hawks

LRT: I didn't mind him on Buddy but had to be moved. Was not sited after the change was made. Is a concern as he is well down on form and is clearly a weakness other teams will exploit

Bolton: All Australian played well even though Buddy had heaps of scoring shot. No assistance from his team mates which was dissappointing

Kennelly: looked slow and this chronic shoulder injury does not look good longterm. After it popped out he was not the same

Jack, Moore, Bird: Not up to the speed of thr game and they need time in the 2's to regain confidence

J.Bolton, Kirk, Goodes, Bevan: Played well, tackled hard and tried all day. Goodes still a bit of a worry

Mcveigh: Missing and very dissapointing. Has not stepped up the last few games. Need to dig deep

O'keefe: Battled hard without much support

Micky O: Was missing for most of the game. lacked delivery from the midfield

Buch, Henry: Can't kick!!! Could have taken some of the pressure off early but didn't step up. Buch out suspended for sure

Spida: For god sakes don't sign him up for next year. he is done

Jolly: Battled all day. did well

Ablett: it's time buddy

That's my 2 cents

[swansrule100]

not as bad as last week

feels like we have too many passengers though. Also the biggest difference in the sides was the delivery into the forward line. We never hit targets, makes it impossible for our forwards.

Moore and jack look a bit tired. Bird the most impressive of the youngsters. Feel sorry for smith does not look ready for afl yet.

[satchmopugdog]

Just got home from a great game of hockey where we won with only 10 players against the top team with a stirring fightback. Read this thread and have decided I will stick to just following the mighty West Devonport Dragons.

I now have to wear a Hawthorn scarf to work as part of a bet...and as our school is now classified as a Hawthorn school I am going to get caned big time.

I now know what the players think of me. This is personal.

[lwjoyner]

legs you are on the mark

Jusat got in "wish I had a daughter who got the @@@ at wanted to go home. My wife and daughter refuse to leave at any time no matter what.
So many passengers today. If LRT continues to get a game look out we will not win another one. The might put him on Fev next week, Buchanan is getting to slow and although Kirky is still the heart of our team he is suffering we no body to take his hard work and do something positive with the ball, his handball is getting bad. Moore and Bird need a rest and Jack is also struggling. Agree that Luke Ablett is also struggling. Everittt I agree should not be signed for 2009 and should not be getting a game in 2008. Time to put the que in the rack and give some of the youngster a taste Currie, Vessie etc. Poor old Nick S looks like a student in the big league and needs to build himself up a fair bit. As for Barry H he needs to play next week regardless and just kick the ball long to him. Playfair is useless and Nick D needs to be given a game stuff it if he doesnt chase give hime the ball and 9 times out of 10 he will kick it thru the big sticks not stuff around thru the little ones. Ryan O also needs to pick himself up fancing letting Guerra beat him a couple of times. Im 63 and could get a kick on him. Very disappointed, I dont mind getting beaten but its the effort that concerns me. I am also concerned about players arguing on the ground Micky O was sure "pi d" off with someone just before half time. I also think that the coaches must take a lot of responsablity for the crap we are playing this "ring a ring a rosy" game. We are almost playing like when Rodney Eade lost it. Maybe its time for some more changes.