Syd v Rich Game thread.

[goswannie14]

Jesus - I thought we won.

What's with the bitching and moaning?

My thoughts exactly!

[Ardent Swan]

Funny I listened to the SEN radio broadcast and watched. They had LRT as just about BOG, Wayne Brittain, rightly pointed out Wretchmond had more inside 50s and LRT repulsed everything, that said I thought after the dropped mark that would be the entire focus

On Jesse, unsighted on TV, unseen, I figured he must be playing decoy or something. It's not a worry, but I hope he has a day out. Umpires were loath to pay frees to us, there was an obvious one in the second quarter

I thought LRT had a great game . He and C Dolton are the backbone of the backline . Looks good to see the runners but takes hard men to get the ball to them

[Xie Shan]

I'd vote for Leo Barry as premier of NSW.

"One last roll of the dice for NSW -- can they salvage the state's rail network and appease the mob of angry commuters, fix the health system and our underfunded public schools? Sounds like a job for... LEO BARRY YOU STAR!!"

I thought we were pretty good. Hard to measure given the opposition, the second half was disappointing and lacklustre but we were never threatened. I hate to see teams go into cruise mode during games, but the Tigers did lift their work rate and the second half showed that we still have a few things to work out with our forward line structure.

McGlynn was terrific, he is like a Mighty Mouse! He knows how to find the footy.

Bradshaw looks a part of the team now. White needs to find a way to play himself into form, but Roos seems happy with him - maybe he just needs to get his hands on the ball more.

[ShockOfHair]

I listened to the game on MMM. Luffy gave LRT a big wrap, though in true Luffy style that was just before LRT's clanger in the final quarter. He gave Reg best on ground.

I don't have a problem with our guys taking their foot off the pedal in the second half. We doubled their score, so it wasn't like we didn't pick up percentage. The game was over after 15 minutes. Just what you'd expect from a team with finals ambitions.

Everyone's in good form and playing their role except maybe White. If his problem is form, then maybe he could do with a spell in the 2s and we bring up Currie or Rohan. If it's our forward structure, then we should persevere with him.

Of course, it could be BOTH - but I don't see any difficulty in the Swans kicking a score. Yes, I do thank Hall for that. I also agree with Goodes' comments last week along the lines of, "sure, we've been crap, but we've been crap in an unpredictable way'.

Goodes happy to be sharing the load - Official AFL Website of the Sydney Swans Football Club


Wasn't the most gripping match ever, but we did what we had to do. Bring on the Kangas.

[Xie Shan]

I listened to the game on MMM. Luffy gave LRT a big wrap, though in true Luffy style that was just before LRT's clanger in the final quarter. He gave Reg best on ground.

I watched LRT closely yesterday and he is far more assured as a defender these days - sure he looks awkward and will make the odd clanger, but I think almost all of the time he made the right decision - sometimes when you sit behind the goals you get a better idea of what confronts a player rebounding from defence. It was a pretty easy night for our defenders, Riewoldt showed a bit and Nason was lively (though not as lively as that hair! )

[J_Moore]

LRT had at least 3 clangers that I recall that led to goals.
And he was too easily outmarked by Simmonds in the 3rd term(I think)

Other than the mark, what were they?

The guy barely disposed of the ball under pressure all night.

Craig Bolton and Grundy had an almighty @@@@-up between them that led to a goal (managed to mangle an easy mark/spoil by not talking to one another), but it rates nary a mention among supporters. Pretty tiresome.

Probably not worth harping on about, but every week I get stuck sitting next to/in front of some middle aged bloke that starts bitching any time the ball goes within 5 metres of the guy, and offers useless advice that displays a limited understanding of the game (last night it was "play in front, two dads!" for four quarters of football, usually when the ball was 70 metres away on the wrong side of the ground)

[31 hard at it]

Three talls mean that the opposition are fully loaded... can't leave anyone to fall back and double team.
This leaves everyone man on man. McGlynn seams to love this and gives us a great spread of goalkickers.
Different game next week against the Shinboners. They are a hard team no matter their ladder position.

Time to line up and get that cap .... ok I now have a collection of about 7 of them ... all prized.

[Red]

Jesse had the F50 almost to himself in the second half of last season, so his opportunities to shine are greatly limited this year. Our forward setup is very different now and he will have to adjust probably more than anyone else. I think he will be ok, but he needs a good strong game to get his mojo back.

Am I dreaming or is this the 3rd week in a row where we've come out ahead on the free-kick count? After watching Fri night's game I remembered how often Jolly gets pinged. With him & Hall gone, the umps seem to be showing us a lot more love these days.

[ScottH]

Other than the mark, what were they?

The guy barely disposed of the ball under pressure all night.

Craig Bolton and Grundy had an almighty @@@@-up between them that led to a goal (managed to mangle an easy mark/spoil by not talking to one another), but it rates nary a mention among supporters. Pretty tiresome.

Probably not worth harping on about, but every week I get stuck sitting next to/in front of some middle aged bloke that starts bitching any time the ball goes within 5 metres of the guy, and offers useless advice that displays a limited understanding of the game (last night it was "play in front, two dads!" for four quarters of football, usually when the ball was 70 metres away on the wrong side of the ground)

There was the one where he couldn't get an effective handball away under pressure, and it dropped into the tigers paws. There was another one where he and grundy I think were scrambling around on their hand and knees.

Mind you, I'm not being harsh on him, just observing what I saw on the TV.

[DST]

Some of you guys need to understand what LRT's role in the side is and stop watching the game through tainted glasses.

At this stage he is marking and spoiling well in the one on one's and when he has clear space and an option in front of him he is very effective user of the ball. However he still has issues with decision making when he is given the ball when not expecting it and I would be sure that the coaching staff have a directive to the rest of the team not to look for him when there is no logical next option.

If we want to play finals this year (and even go top 4 and play a preliminary final) LRT is crucial to our structure, As you saw on Saturday night and round 1, opposing coaches are going to play a ruckman or third tall forward against us due to our lack of height down back, LRT needs to stand up and is doing so, so far.

Frankly we have much more to worry about with C Bolton's form who is being out marked far easier than LRT and Grundy at present, although this may have something to do with a dodgy groin he has at present.

Boring and non-eventful second half, but even players get bored when playing against witches hats.

DST

[aardvark]

LRT was better this week than the first two rounds and C Bolton does seem to be struggling a bit BUT the team are professional footballers and being bored is not an excuse for playing crap. If they don't want to play theres 5 or 6 waiting in the wings that do.

[Triple B]

If we scratched around in the first half and led by 3 points, then blew them away in the second half to win by 55 we would all be happy as larry.

Because we did it in reverse, there is so much unnecessary negativity.

It's like a day at the races or a night at the casino. If you are winning early and give most of it back and walk out with a modest win, you kick yourself all the way to the car. If you are losing early but back the last winner or hit that final blackjack, you walk away with a big smile, even though you only broke square.

One big positive for me was the fact that we got the job done as quickly as possible. There was no way this young keen group, with plenty of guys on the outer with legitimate claims to a seniors spot knocking on the door was going to fall into the complacency trap. Granted, the foot may have come off the pedal, but when the game was there to be played, they played outstanding football and wrapped up the win before halftime.

[goswannie14]

LRT was better this week than the first two rounds and C Bolton does seem to be struggling a bit BUT the team are professional footballers and being bored is not an excuse for playing crap. If they don't want to play theres 5 or 6 waiting in the wings that do.

He didn't say they didn't want to play. Haven't you ever played in a sporting team when you expected to thrash the opposition? It is pretty hard to keep going once you know you have it well and truly won. In the end a 9 goal win is pretty good.

[ScottH]

One big positive for me was the fact that we got the job done as quickly as possible. There was no way this young keen group, with plenty of guys on the outer with legitimate claims to a seniors spot knocking on the door was going to fall into the complacency trap. Granted, the foot may have come off the pedal, but when the game was there to be played, they played outstanding football and wrapped up the win before halftime.

It's always nice to jumped the gun, and get a good start, then we can sit back and relax a bit (us, not the players).
All those come from behind wins are nice, but jeepers it does nothing for the blood pressure!!
Wish we could do this most weeks.

[Jewels]

Some of you guys need to understand what LRT's role in the side is and stop watching the game through tainted glasses.

At this stage he is marking and spoiling well in the one on one's and when he has clear space and an option in front of him he is very effective user of the ball. However he still has issues with decision making when he is given the ball when not expecting it and I would be sure that the coaching staff have a directive to the rest of the team not to look for him when there is no logical next option.

If we want to play finals this year (and even go top 4 and play a preliminary final) LRT is crucial to our structure, As you saw on Saturday night and round 1, opposing coaches are going to play a ruckman or third tall forward against us due to our lack of height down back, LRT needs to stand up and is doing so, so far.

Frankly we have much more to worry about with C Bolton's form who is being out marked far easier than LRT and Grundy at present, although this may have something to do with a dodgy groin he has at present.

Boring and non-eventful second half, but even players get bored when playing against witches hats.

DST

I agree DST, he is ordinary at the moment and a shadow of himself circa this time last year.
If he has a dodgy groin then something needs to be done ASAP, he appears to be going backward on form to me.