Facing some home truths

[liz]

I know I was cranky because of all the games we've lost this year, it was the first we actually could have won. It's easier to be philosophical when the team gets thumped, but after a winnable loss it's impossible not to start the "what ifs".

[Melbournehammer]

i think people need to realise we are really just not that good. But the key issue is that of all the players we have turned over they have been the outside players - kennelly, williams, fosdike, dempster,schneider.

although their skills are probably only a little higher than the group we replaced them with we have lost some serious pace...and our ability to deliver the ball has reduced seriously.

[GongSwan]

Hall - one stupid act (plus some bad umpiring, that second 50 should never have been paid), and a quiet-ish but still effective game, slotting 2 goals. People are turning far too quickly (not that that's unusual here! )

Bevan - I thought he was quite serviceable, and far from our worst. Not sure why you're picking on him.

Forward line - They had pretty poor delivery all day. The Port game showed how effective Hall, Magic and co can be with half-decent delivery (let's be honest, we'll never see much better than "decent" delivery from the current Swans midfield). Grundy can be an effective 3rd tall. He has been poor for the last two games (though he wasn't our worst today), but hasn't done enough to be dropped. If he has another poor game against the Pies, maybe drop him and let him fight his way back into the side, but he's shown enough to convince me that he'll be a decent player. Certainly no star, and not the sort of player you could build a forwardline around, but a good solid contributor.

Yep, game was lost in the midfield as they usually are, more speed is required and an improvement in skills

[tasswan]

In all honesty I wasnt too unhappy about today. I thought they wouldnt win and they came closer than I expected.

Considering I didnt (and still dont think) we will make the 8, im happy to see some improvements from some players. I thought Bird was good and improving better than i expected.

Not sure what some of you are expecting from this year but considering who we have played so far i think 5W 6L is acceptable

[RogueSwan]

... more speed is required and an improvement in skills

Yep, we need to move the ball quicker, not necessarily have faster foot speed.
Combine this with good disposal skills and we wouldn't have to worry about playing and winning "contested footy" every week.

[Cant turn right]

Not sure what some of you are expecting from this year but considering who we have played so far i think 5W 6L is acceptable

On form so far I think we will win just 10 games this year, finishing 10th on the ladder.

[Bas]

On form so far I think we will win just 10 games this year, finishing 10th on the ladder.

So with the amended draft at the end of this year, what will be our first pick if we were to finish 10th? Will we even get a first round?

[liz]

So with the amended draft at the end of this year, what will be our first pick if we were to finish 10th? Will we even get a first round?

If we finish 10th we'll almost certainly get pick 11, with the Dees looking likely to qualify for pick 1 as a priority pick. Unless the Eagles prove crap enough to get a first round priority pick as well, though they'd have to lose pretty much every game from hereon to qualify.

[goswannie14]

If we finish 10th we'll almost certainly get pick 11, with the Dees looking likely to qualify for pick 1 as a priority pick. Unless the Eagles prove crap enough to get a first round priority pick as well, though they'd have to lose pretty much every game from hereon to qualify.

I think the reference was to the GC 17 having their extra picks early in the draft.

[liz]

I think the reference was to the GC 17 having their extra picks early in the draft.

But they don't have any.

[goswannie14]

But they don't have any.

Don't tell me, tell Bas, I think that is what he was inferring.

[Nico]

The biggest home truth is our lack of skill.

We get beaten in nearly every one on one contest. We don't get the ball out quickly like the Hawks. Their hands are terrific even witha wet ball.

McVeigh is still good .I forget about him.


Grundy= ponderous

Moore not quick enough.

It is driving me mad with how we are second to the ball at stoppages. It must be a game tactic.

Jack and Buchanan both had 7 tackles. That tells me they are second to the ball. I would say Buchanan's were mostly in close because he is too slow in one on one contests to get near his man.

[skaterboi1973]

Yep, game was lost in the midfield as they usually are, more speed is required and an improvement in skills

Think your being a bit harsh there, if you watch any swans game from the stands, you will notice that the midfield have no targets to kick to up in the forward line. Barry stands there waving his hand up in the air when he should be leading to the 50 line, that brings in the half forward line who can crumb off any mark spilled, or who can run in behind for a kick that goes longer.

With a stagnant forward line, the midfield have to hold it up and move it sideways etc to get the ball in, just adding more chances of it being spilled.

[Nico]

Think your being a bit harsh there, if you watch any swans game from the stands, you will notice that the midfield have no targets to kick to up in the forward line. Barry stands there waving his hand up in the air when he should be leading to the 50 line, that brings in the half forward line who can crumb off any mark spilled, or who can run in behind for a kick that goes longer.

With a stagnant forward line, the midfield have to hold it up and move it sideways etc to get the ball in, just adding more chances of it being spilled.

Beg to disagree. Our midfield gets a lot possession in the back half between centre and 50 metre line and delivers from there. ROK in his last few games has been a glaring example. McVeigh was the same yesterday.

J Bolton, Kirk, Buchanan and Ablett are poor kicks. We need to be kicking around centre of forward of there with momentum to change around how our forwards fare. We rarely get a clean centre break so opposition defenders are rarely on the back foot from a quick ball coming at them.

[Kanga]

Think your being a bit harsh there, if you watch any swans game from the stands, you will notice that the midfield have no targets to kick to up in the forward line. Barry stands there waving his hand up in the air when he should be leading to the 50 line, that brings in the half forward line who can crumb off any mark spilled, or who can run in behind for a kick that goes longer.

With a stagnant forward line, the midfield have to hold it up and move it sideways etc to get the ball in, just adding more chances of it being spilled.

Didn't see Magic being overly effective either yesterday (at least on the TV) This must be his last season....