How do we defeat Collingwood & Adelaide?

[Cheer Squad]

It's been obvious for some time that our problems with Collingwood and Adelaide are strategic, and tactical, rather than it being all based on personnel. There have been plenty of changes to all three teams in the past several years, yet the results are the same - we keep losing.

Perhaps we can put our minds to Round 21 against Collingwood - what changes to our game plan do we need to break the cycle and win?

[Rob-bloods]

It's been obvious for some time that our problems with Collingwood and Adelaide are strategic, and tactical, rather than it being all based on personnel. There have been plenty of changes to all three teams in the past several years, yet the results are the same - we keep losing.

Perhaps we can put our minds to Round 21 against Collingwood - what changes to our game plan do we need to break the cycle and win?

We will not, why change a losing plan?

We are doing a 'finals tank' if we come fourth we play Geelong in Melbourne then probably Collingwood at Olympic Stadium....not exactly a perfect scenario for us.

[NMWBloods]

It would help if we addressed some basic skills - kicking, handballing, scoring goals. And if we finally work out that the slow, work the ball forward with precise chip passes is the game plan of a couple of years ago and no longer is the best method.

There seems to be so much focus for this club on tackling and chasing and defence, which is necessary but it seems to be to the detriment of scoring enough to win the game. Last night we outtackled Adelaide (58-43) and they scored just 11 goals. Against Hawthorn we outtackled them 56-53. Against Collingwood we lost the tackle count by just 1: 50-51, and they scored just 11 goals. In rd 1 we outtackled StKilda 48-43 and they scored just 6 goals. We outtackled Geelong 61-57.

However, in those five losses we have scored just 38 goals!

[Chookbilly]

I'm not sure how many times we have to lose to the same teams in the same fashion before anything changes, because I think it's pretty simple....

I know Roosy doesn't want to have to change the team's formula, but it's just blatently obvious that we fall down against these sides because we don't move the ball forward quickly enough.

Time and time again, we chipped sideways, backwards, then eventually slowly chipped forward..... By this time the opposition have flooded our forward line, meaning the only place to lead to is the boundry line, hence 17 behinds.

Answer - It's not that we have to play on at all costs, we just need to move the ball a little quicker and more directly.
The one time I saw ths happen last night, was towards to end of the match when Rok was able to lead directly up the ground (because, surprise surprise, there was space), and mark directly in front 40m out.

The fact that we have replayed the same scenario time and time again against the crows over the last few years without trying anything different, annoys me to no end!

[dimelb]

it's just blatently obvious that we fall down against these sides because we don't move the ball forward quickly enough.

An unnamed AFL coach said the same thing in an article in yesterday's Age. I've always assumed that tempo football included run and go mixed in with "know when to hold 'em". Either I'm wrong or we simply don't do enough of it.
Even on today's Footy Show they were saying that Neil Craig flooded all the time; our approach gives him time to do that. And his mob have trouble kicking goals too.

[Hartijon]

I think Malthouse and Neil Craig consistently outfox and out think us with their moves and strategies.Their match ups are creative and throw us off our game plan. We then rely on the same plan and hope some miracle will win it for us while they expose our plan all match.It will happen again as we have nothing else to offer.

[hot potato]

I'm not sure how many times we have to lose to the same teams in the same fashion before anything changes, because I think it's pretty simple....

I know Roosy doesn't want to have to change the team's formula, but it's just blatently obvious that we fall down against these sides because we don't move the ball forward quickly enough.

Time and time again, we chipped sideways, backwards, then eventually slowly chipped forward..... By this time the opposition have flooded our forward line, meaning the only place to lead to is the boundry line, hence 17 behinds.

Answer - It's not that we have to play on at all costs, we just need to move the ball a little quicker and more directly.
The one time I saw ths happen last night, was towards to end of the match when Rok was able to lead directly up the ground (because, surprise surprise, there was space), and mark directly in front 40m out.

The fact that we have replayed the same scenario time and time again against the crows over the last few years without trying anything different, annoys me to no end!

Thanks billy The Chook for saving me from writing all that.
And Kirky said he has no idea how it keeps happening.

[dendol]

Roos has instilled so much faith and belief into the players that "the gameplan will work" because it worked in 2005 (and almost 2006). He hasn't come up with a plan B because he believes if his team executes the plan properly, he doesn't need an alternative.

Comeback wins like the one over the eagles earlier this season only serve to incorrectly reinforce to the players that they need not change too much even if things go wrong during a game.

What they fail to realise is that westcoast might rollover for you, but teams above 15th on the ladder wont do so so readily.

Or maybe our players are just @@@@ and out of form.

[robamiee]

we seem to have lost our attacking flair since the break, i dont know if they decided to go defensive for the pies and hawks, but we certainly are not attacking like we did in the first half...
i thought after the blues fight back we would be back on track, but last night , i dunno it just seemed to be not our night, the bounce of the ball, goals being awarded points, even having a point deducted from our score..
Just one of them nights hopefully.
Should have rested goodes for the game, and for f-sake surely a barlow or white would be better then Matthews. the game has gone past him...

[goswannie14]

And Kirky said he has no idea how it keeps happening.

So did Neil Craig.

[originalswan]

It's related to two key issues the first can hopefullky be turned around the second it seems will be very hard to adjust.

1. The Swans have been playing average to poor football since the break and regardless, have not beaten any team that is in the top 8 other than Brisbane! I'm sorry but we are kidding ourselves if we think the current Swans team is a threat to this year's Premiership (not on the form shown to date anyway). Form can be turned around but unfortunately there are not too many games left and we seem to continually get injury problems to key personnel at the wrong time.

2. Game Plan - The Adelaides and Collingwoods have worked us out!!! It is frustrating watching these two teams constantly TOYING with the Swans. Perhaps Plan B (if there was one) doesn't work and we need some serious thought to go into countering their negative and hard games that the team simply cannot cope with.

Adelaide have proved to be an average team at best this year - yet we still lost to them - SORRY but not good enough.

[AnnieH]

Game Plan B.
Whatever that is.

Plan A obviously doesn't work.

[Chookbilly]

It's related to two key issues the first can hopefullky be turned around the second it seems will be very hard to adjust.

1. The Swans have been playing average to poor football since the break and regardless, have not beaten any team that is in the top 8 other than Brisbane! I'm sorry but we are kidding ourselves if we think the current Swans team is a threat to this year's Premiership (not on the form shown to date anyway). Form can be turned around but unfortunately there are not too many games left and we seem to continually get injury problems to key personnel at the wrong time.

2. Game Plan - The Adelaides and Collingwoods have worked us out!!! It is frustrating watching these two teams constantly TOYING with the Swans. Perhaps Plan B (if there was one) doesn't work and we need some serious thought to go into countering their negative and hard games that the team simply cannot cope with.

Adelaide have proved to be an average team at best this year - yet we still lost to them - SORRY but not good enough.

We also beat St.Kilda..... but I get your point.... ordinary for a team shooting for a top 4 position.