Sydney Swans vs Essendon Bombers - Gameday Thread

[erica]

That was a sensational game to watch. Frustrating and disappointing, yes, but it had all the highs and lows that makes AFL a great spectator sport.

If only we could kick straight. Sigh.

[Margie]

We should beat Richmond and the Lions, but Saints are in red hot form and a notch above us in skills across the board.

[Matty10]

What on earth happened??? I don't want to blame Goodes but his 3rd man up hit out was just @@@@. He is the captain of the footy club and should know the rules, plus be able to kick straight.

I suppose when it has been one rule most of your life (that is then changed) you can stuff up on instinct. I knew that it was a free kick for out-of-bounds but did not realise that it was the same through the goals - when the ball-up occurred I was yelling out just knock it through.

[Margie]

I thought he was great tonight and kept us in the game and worked hard. I'm not sure how your could judge his performance as "pathetic" at all he was clearly our best.

Goodes was awesome. Pretty tough when it comes down to the last kick - after the siren.

Couple of times players, including him, did have more time running into goal and had they nailed a few of those behinds, it would have been a fairly comfortable win.

Definitely one of the ones that got away.

[Swans500]

Dunno where I have been....havent missed a game in years but was unaware of this rule????!!!!....

I knew that it was a free kick for out-of-bounds but did not realise that it was the same through the goals - when the ball-up occurred I was yelling out just knock it through.

[CJK]

I thought he was great tonight and kept us in the game and worked hard. I'm not sure how your could judge his performance as "pathetic" at all he was clearly our best.

Not knowing the rules.... That's pathetic.

I know them, and this is my hobby. Not my job.

[robamiee]

our run is actually better than the Saints...
They have Collingwood
Then Kangas (no gimmee for the saints)
Swans in Sydney (We should win)
Blues in the last round...(Blues for me)
So really the saints might only win 1 from the last 4 and we should win 3 from 4

our hope is Eagles stay out of the top 4 so we dont have to travel further than melbourne in the finals...
But reality is we are building for more like 2-3 years at our run at the premiership again....maybe aim top 4 near year...

[Dan]

I suppose when it has been one rule most of your life (that is then changed) you can stuff up on instinct. I knew that it was a free kick for out-of-bounds but did not realise that it was the same through the goals - when the ball-up occurred I was yelling out just knock it through.

But he is the captain of the footy club so there are no excuses!!! He should know every rule that exists (even though half the time it seems like the is no rule book).

[Lucky Knickers]

We should beat Richmond and the Lions, but Saints are in red hot form and a notch above us in skills across the board.

I wouldn't characterise the Saints as "red hot". I watched Friday's game and it was ordinary.
We can take them.

[wolftone57]

I wouldn't start blaming Goodes I blame the bloody goal kicking coach, to play so well and get beaten because our goal kicking was crap

[Foreign Legion]

Fantastic game by Hannebery - showed a lot of guts and possibly leadership skills in that game.

TDL showed up the difference between the NEAFL and the real stuff. IMHO we need to play anyone out of that league for at least 3 weeks before they can be judged properly.

[Lucky Knickers]

But he is the captain of the footy club so there are no excuses!!! He should know every rule that exists (even though half the time it seems like the is no rule book).

It didn't cost us the win. It happened in Q2. He did everything you could ask to get us over the line. Clearly BOG by a mile. The bloke is a legend.

[liz]

My feelings also.

And mine. It would have been a good game watching as a neutral. Both teams had moments of brilliance and both moments of brain fart. Thought Hanners was wonderful. We suffered from getting very little out of several of our more seasoned mids.

[Big Al]

But reality is we are building for more like 2-3 years at our run at the premiership again....maybe aim top 4 near year...

Completely agree. While I'm disappointed with the result the big picture is still there for us.

(I must be mellowing... after a loss like that I'm usually super cranky)

[alison.z]

Yes, it was a devastating loss but it was also one of the games of the season. Incredible game and the pressure from both teams was sensational. Goodes was easily BOG and missed a goal which would have been difficult at the best of times, let alone with the pressure of winning the game on his shoulder. Dan Hannebery was unbelievable tonight, Reid just keeps getting better and Jetta showed what we have wanted him to show all year - and they are 20, 20 and 22.

We are a developing team and getting games into Hannebery, Reid, Johnson, Parker and Jetta this year will be invaluable for the future when we are pushing the top teams. I'm looking forward to finals (which we are by no means out of, by the way) and actually take pleasure in watching this team play and get excited every time these younger players get the ball. It's unrealistic to expect us not to drop away after 8 years of being very near the top even though we are likely to make finals again this year. Each to their own but it would be great if people could just enjoy watching their team play rather than criticising them constantly ...