In Need of New Game Plan

[AlexC]

I think most people would agree that the stop start game plan of the swans has run its course. How much more dangerous do we look when running throught the corridor. Paul Roos needs to seriously think about a new game plan because other teams are just catching us out and being a Swans supporter it frustrates me so much to see silly errors and kicking backwards

[Nico]

I think most people would agree that the stop start game plan of the swans has run its course. How much more dangerous do we look when running throught the corridor. Paul Roos needs to seriously think about a new game plan because other teams are just catching us out and being a Swans supporter it frustrates me so much to see silly errors and kicking backwards

And handballing backwards. How dumb was that Ablett back handpass to LRT when he had the field ahead of him. Kick the bloody thing to the top of the square dummy.

On running through the corridor, well we get there but then decide to stop, prop and handball to another player under pressure. They refuse to kick one out to our forwards. When we do it all seems to happen. The coaches fault or the players? You can't always blame the game plan if the players make poor decisions.

[lwjoyner]

Dont think roosey sees any problem with the way we play we won a premiership with it and he obviously doent want or cant change it. I agree unless we do we will be the same.

[Xie Shan]

I'm not sure if the way we played today is our game plan but whatever it was, it's not going to win us many games. I remember a comment Malcolm Blight made during one of our 'ugly' games a few years ago. Could've been the Brisbane '05 one at the Gabba, I'm not sure, but both teams were flooding heavily, and when the game started to open up Blight remarked that both teams had some wonderfully gifted players out in the open, but he just wasn't sure about Sydney's because of the way we were playing.

We are probably not as good as we were in 2005, but I can't help thinking the same applies here. McVeigh is let off the leash and he kicks 6 goals FFS! Kicking goals is infectious, the guys just need to get back their attacking mindset again. The effort today (apart from a rubbish second quarter) was ok, just lacked polish. I think they'd be best served by forgetting about ladder position and just going out there to try and rediscover that attacking mindset. And they did alright today kicking 14 goals. It's a funny game, if the team is up and kicking goals, the confidence flows through to other aspects of the game such as the defensive skills.

[NMWBloods]

I agree. It also puts far more pressure on the opposition than stopping the ball.

[liz]

The main change required to the game plan for the last fortnight - indeed most of the season, nay most of the last few seasons - is to kick it through the big sticks, rather than the little'uns. OK, so last week a lot of the woeful conversion could be put down to excellent Adelaide defence pushing our scoring chances long and wide. But not today. Had we converted the straightforward set shots it would have been a line-ball game, even after giving up 3 or 4 goals through very bad defence.

Trouble is, 4 of those horrid misses came from Brennan and Rchards. Great marks they both are, decent field kicks they both are, but they are horrid in front of goal and can't see much changing with them. Hall's kicking today was a mixed bag. His first shot should be his bread and butter but it was a very unconvincing kick. He worked his way back into some good marking form as the game wore on. Hopefully his kicking can follow.

Vez was one of the main culprits in front of goal, though a couple of those misses were from snaps. But he'll get better in this department as he gets a feel for the game. From what I've seen of him he has great instincts for where the goals are and is a very sound kick.

Other than the second quarter, when the Dogs were superb in not allowing the Swans any time and space (and the Swans didn't help their cause by being so stagnant), the rest of the game plan looked sound enough today. The defensive pressure in the midfield was down on the Swans at their best, but with such an inexperienced team - not just by the Swans' standards, but by any standard - that is not overly surprising.

[AlexC]

i just feel that as we have seen over the past 4 weeks we are to slow getting it into our forward line and leaving not other option but to lead wide. if we started getting the ball in their quicker we would be a dangerous side when our forwards r in form.

[Nico]

The kicking for goal in most games this week from set shots has been rubbish except for LLoyd.

What watching on TV does give you is the line the player runs in on, and I can't believe the number of plers who run sideways or run towards the points when running in. Brennan's shot he missed for instance went exactly where he aimed it as did Halls misses. It was no diffrence in other games. Some Of StKilda's stuff was pathetic. I don't get why players don't aim for the centre of the goals.

I also reckon the footballs of today drift the longer most kicks go if they dont hit it right. Telstra Dome gets me as there is no wind but the ball bends quite markedly with the majority of kicks.

The secret though is to run straight and kick it straight. I also reckon Hall goes too close to the man on the mark so he is always moving at an angle to miss the player.

[Seagoon]

I agree, we are really dangerous up the middle, and especially with a quick clearance from the centre bounce. Today I thought Hall showed some promise, and Everitt looked better than usual, though perhaps not brilliant. Jack was better than he has been for some time. McVeigh was just awesome, he is turning into a new Micky, so fliud. ROK has to figure well in the brownlow count you would think?

[Nico]

i just feel that as we have seen over the past 4 weeks we are to slow getting it into our forward line and leaving not other option but to lead wide. if we started getting the ball in their quicker we would be a dangerous side when our forwards r in form.

Correct. So often our players will lead up, take the mark and walk back with their back to the play. Geelong rarely does that. Elementary stuff you learn at Auskick.

[AlexC]

So often our players will lead up, take the mark and walk back with their back to the play.

see thats what frustrates me, you see players streaming pass the man with the ball and more often then not he doesnt hand ball. Also when kicking for goal our players turn their back on the goals not seeing a man in open space in a better position and better angle

[ScottH]

Haven't seen the game yet, but I'm just ecited to see so many new faces in the team. It can only be a good thing for our future.

[31 hard at it]

Apart from the woefull second quarter the boys were ok and won the other 3 with a very inexperienced side.
Turnovers and fumbles a plenty but a good foundation to build on.

[Boodnutz]

The main change required to the game plan for the last fortnight - indeed most of the season, nay most of the last few seasons - is to kick it through the big sticks, rather than the little'uns. OK, so last week a lot of the woeful conversion could be put down to excellent Adelaide defence pushing our scoring chances long and wide. But not today. Had we converted the straightforward set shots it would have been a line-ball game, even after giving up 3 or 4 goals through very bad defence.

Trouble is, 4 of those horrid misses came from Brennan and Rchards. Great marks they both are, decent field kicks they both are, but they are horrid in front of goal and can't see much changing with them. Hall's kicking today was a mixed bag. His first shot should be his bread and butter but it was a very unconvincing kick. He worked his way back into some good marking form as the game wore on. Hopefully his kicking can follow.

Vez was one of the main culprits in front of goal, though a couple of those misses were from snaps. But he'll get better in this department as he gets a feel for the game. From what I've seen of him he has great instincts for where the goals are and is a very sound kick.

Other than the second quarter, when the Dogs were superb in not allowing the Swans any time and space (and the Swans didn't help their cause by being so stagnant), the rest of the game plan looked sound enough today. The defensive pressure in the midfield was down on the Swans at their best, but with such an inexperienced team - not just by the Swans' standards, but by any standard - that is not overly surprising.

That hits the nail on the head. There is NO excuse for pressional football players not being able to kick accurately. It should be an ABSOLUTE given. It's like professional golfers pulling shots into the rough every second shot. If it happened they wouldn't have a career as professional golfers for long. Those shots at goal that missed from in front were a disgrace. If you don't have the technique to kick properly, get out of the team. Football is a kicking game - what do these guys do at training ??? FFS get some technique or get out. Luke Brennan - why put all that effort into fitness, strategy etc and then fail to do the most important job of all - regularly. It's not on, and as a coach of junior elite footy, I'm disgusted.

[NMWBloods]

Trouble is, 4 of those horrid misses came from Brennan and Rchards. Great marks they both are, decent field kicks they both are, but they are horrid in front of goal and can't see much changing with them.

I think there is more chance of fixing Brennan's than Playfair's. Brennan has a decent technique and can kick a proper drop punt. He struggles with set shots - can't aim and stabs at the ball. Needs to learn to aim at a target behind the goals and kick through the ball. Playfair has no technique and usually kicks helicopters. Richards is harder to work out but he never appears particularly steady during his set shot routine.