Gameday thread vs Collingwood

[Primmy]

Nico, I think this is the first time I've basically agreed with a post-match summary of yours. The only objection I have is that I thought Crouch was solid enough. Gave up a few frees, yes, and didn't hurt much on the rebound, but aside from that played a great defensive role. Cancel each other out, he acquitted himself reasonably.

Also, Hanners looks like he's playing a bit injured to me. Nothing serious, just wear and tear (he's a very young player, remember). If you compare his last couple of games to his first few, his chasing, turn of speed, etc, just aren't as prominent. Looks like he's labouring a bit, rather than being just "slow", and he showed no signs of this earlier, so I'd be inclined to give him a rest next week and make sure we get a full preseason into him.

I hate this, BSA5 say something I don't agree with.....you are driving me nuts.

Crouchy is playing like an older player about to retire. With intelligence but not with 20 yo legs. Same with Mick. Same with Leo - however he provided the MCG with a fairwell mark of old.

I cannot believe the umpires got away with what they did against the Swans in this game. I doubt any of them will get a Finals gig. Embarrassing.

Looks like we may need to retire the interchange steward as well.

Its all changing, like my waistline.

Liked the kids as a whole. A preseason into them will make a difference.

Noticed Oscar didn't get as many boos as one would expect from a crowd toothless wonders that make up the collydogs. Didn't he turn on a bit of a show today.

And so to next week.

[swans song]

it's gunna be lomg long next 5 years whoever we think is gunna save us

[liz]

it's gunna be lomg long next 5 years whoever we think is gunna save us

You're absolutely spot on. The next five years are going to last for..five years. Which is a long, long time. Especially in footy.

[Bloody Hell]

A preseason into them will make a difference.

I agree with this - and am hanging alot on it.

The other thing to consider is Collingwood had zero injuries. Look at who we are missing and who will be there next season.

[Bloody Hell]

it's gunna be lomg long next 5 years whoever we think is gunna save us

Feels like 2002 to me. Look at the average age of the players....when they get to 25, 26. It will be on...like Donkey Kong.

Finals next year - Maybe prelims in the next couple of years. There's alot to look forward to.

[top40]

it's gunna be lomg long next 5 years whoever we think is gunna save us

I disagree. The Swans have just lost to Collingwood, a team that they seemingly never win against, away from home, and who are most definitely the best team right now in the competition.

Let's compare things with the end of 2002, where within a year Sydney were in a Preliminary Final, and within three years they were Premiers.

I have asked this question a number of times on this messageboard on different threads, and still no one can come up with an answer. Name me as of the latter part of 2002 who were the rising kids at the Swans? No answer I safely predict. Yet, here in 2009 the Swans have Hannebery, Jack, White, Pyke, Bird, O?Dwyer, Smith, and Veszpemi. Also there is the potential of Lewis Johnston, Brendan Murphy, and a top ten draft pick.

[stellation]

According to Paul Roos, White had a "shocker"!


Roos happy with Swans' youth focus - Official AFL Website of the Sydney Swans

Well there you go!

Seems pretty odd to me to pick him out as having had a shocker, he had to get on his bike to get touches and that he did.

[liz]

Well there you go!

Seems pretty odd to me to pick him out as having had a shocker, he had to get on his bike to get touches and that he did.

Seems like a bizarre comment to me too, with the proviso that watching on TV, you obviously miss a lot. Maybe Roos wasn't happy with the way Jesse was presenting within the forward 50. But we were so completely constipated with the way the ball was brought forward, it is hard to see how White making more leads close to goal would have made the slightest bit of difference.

[stellation]

Seems like a bizarre comment to me too, with the proviso that watching on TV, you obviously miss a lot. Maybe Roos wasn't happy with the way Jesse was presenting within the forward 50. But we were so completely constipated with the way the ball was brought forward, it is hard to see how White making more leads close to goal would have made the slightest bit of difference.

Reading it I instantly thought "I never can tell the workrate of key forwards when I watch it on TV!" I guess there's the chance that the move up the ground came due to him not getting much done in the F50 (but as you said, I don't remember the ball really going easily into the F50); that said, if he thinks White had a shocker I wonder what he thought about Michael's game!

[Primmy]

Reading it I instantly thought "I never can tell the workrate of key forwards when I watch it on TV!" I guess there's the chance that the move up the ground came due to him not getting much done in the F50 (but as you said, I don't remember the ball really going easily into the F50); that said, if he thinks White had a shocker I wonder what he thought about Michael's game!

And that is an instant "Gotcha" !!!! The truth is out. And it isn't pretty. Michael, Michael, Michael..... And we have a six day turnaround. The retirees games were not up to scratch and that is going to make next week's round intriguing.

We are up against a flying Brisbane mob who are hell bent on winning.

We are farewelling some of the best players to have been involved in this club, and we love them. If we want to win that would mean that on paper we would have to drop them (and play....?????). Soo, whats it to be people? Do we drop them for the final game and stuff up a potential great night out, or do we play them and stuff up a potential great night out?

And before I let this slip into the ethers, Onya Goodsey. You are a good Captain and have the potential to be a Great Leader. Its just taken a bit of getting used to and I apologise for not believing you could be a good Captain.

[Hartijon]

Its All about winning skills

If you can't kick goals you won't win matches.The Swans have a great negative game plan that can choke the opposition,take key players out of the equation(Didak) and force stoppages. Every time we use this plan against Collingwood and Adelaide we lose. Why? Is it personel? effort? No! The reason is FOCUS. Our players have a negative focus,the opposition has a + focus.If our players stop a player like Smith stopped Didak and Jack held Davis it wins high praise.Clearly doing this however is not enough.You must attack and score goals. This requires players drilled in creative goal scoring ,attacking skills.You must hae theseskills to positively win games.It is not enough to stop the opposition,you have to WIN the game and players must not sacrifice their attacking games for defensive games otherwise the game will lack a point and we will lose again and again against these attack based skillful sides.The last time I remember beating Collingwood was when Nick Davis kicked the winning goal,a positive creative skillful act. We need a change of emphasis ,change of training drills and change of game plan towards skills that win,not just skills that stop the opposition winning. The opposition has worked our plans out ! Get the message coaching staff--- its not rocket science!

[Bear]

People really do go easy on the slow old MOL because he's been a club champion etc, but if it were anyone else he would not be playing senior football right now.

Along with Pyke, probably our biggest non-contributor on the day - and throughout the season - on every measurement.

[Lohengrin]

I agree with this - and am hanging alot on it.

The other thing to consider is Collingwood had zero injuries. Look at who we are missing and who will be there next season.

Who are we missing?

Certainly McVeigh and Richards would have helped, but doubt if they would have bridged the gap.

[Young Blood]

I enjoyed yesterday's game. First the positives. Goodes BOG - could be 8 Brownlow votes in last 3 weeks. Smith and MOD played well again. Backline generally held up well under pressure. White led and marked well up the ground, but was caught behind too often in F50 (perhaps the reason for Roos comments?)

It might hurt now but it is good for our frailties to be exposed. Our disposal was dreadful (on a very blustery day) and our midfield lacks the runners to get clear and deliver into the forward line - we are always under pressure. Jack does it, though his kicking in not the most reliable. Hopefully a couple of Meredith, Hannebery, Vesz develop into this role, perhaps Mattner can fill a gap next year. McVeigh back will help, he'll also take some pressure off ROK.

You can argue about whether the Headless Chook is soft, but its indisputable that he gets knocked off the ball far too easily. Another terrible game by him in Melbourne.

I'm happy enough for Pyke to be learning on the job, but he is a liability around the ground at the moment. Interesting that in a prematch interview Longmire mentioned Currie (and Johnstone) as injured young players they are looking forward to playing next year. I agree with Nico that Jolly looks tired - he had minimal impact yesterday.

[Doctor]

No disrespect intended to the long term servants of the club, but I do think right now that we'll look a better side Rd 1 next year if only for the removal of a few automatic inclusions.

Agreed. No disrespect intended here either as they've been great servants for the club but they've picked the right time to give it away.