Game day thread - Rnd 21 v tiges

[longmile]

You can't make finals if you dont have a proper forward line.
Ours is an absolute (un)lucky dip.

[Go Swannies]

I'll support the team if they go through the doldrums, I can deal with skill errors as kids learn their craft. But I can't get enthusiastic about the team playing with no passion as they did yesterday. They didn't appear to care if they won or lost and few were prepared to make an effort to win. This year I've seen less spirit in the team than I've ever seen since Eade left. There have been a few games in the past that the team gave up but it's never been an ongoing trend. As the SMH said today "why bother?". That's why I posted my conspiracy theory because something has changed - and it's not just developing the kids. We gave the Tigers their first win in 7 games (?) and gave Craig his only win in his last 12 (?) games. Right now I can't think of a team that Voss would prefer to play in the final round of 2011. A win for the Lions could be a springboard for 2012 (and a chance to keep his job).

We used to be giant killers, now we are step ladders.

[Nich]

[rb4x]

Sorry but I disagree with those who say the coach is not responsible for the players not turning up. One of the coaches prime responsibilities is motivating the players. Horse comes across as being one of the blokes. As an assistant coach he has worked with them for years. He is somewhat inarticulate and not very inspirational as a speaker. Our guys were not switched on by the coach yesterday or by our captains either. I don't see Macca as captaincy material and Goodes seems to want to win games by himself, not with the team.

In my humble opinion a team that on paper should have been good enough for a top four position this year has been outcoached, outselected, outpositioned, slow to react and tactically poor all year. We have also slid backwards in some basic skills like kicking straight. Our injury situation has not been good losing Bradshaw, B2 early and Rohan, Pyke, Johnstone, TDl etc. at critical times but it has been no worse than say Fremantle. Our forward structure is abysmal and looks like it relied on Bradshaw as plan A and Jesse as plan B which now seems to be a pipe dream. We know Jesse has the body and the skills to be a 100 goal a year full forward. Getting him to utilise those skills is the coaches task. Getting the structures right so that the ball gets in with good delivery to our forwards is the coaches responsibility. Sorting out basic skill errors such as kicking for goal is the job of the coaches. Getting players fit and keeping them fit is the role of the coaching staff. Gee Dave Missen was good at that. In all of those areas we seem to have gone backwards this year. In some areas just a little but in others a lot.

We now have either some serious rebuilding to do or we have to find a way of getting more out of the cattle that we have. Rebuilding in the next twelve months is nigh impossible as GWS will get all the lollies. The cattle we have are a capable lot. we have seen that at times usually in honourable losses. I believe they are still capable of a top four finish next year if they are appropriately coached.

Unfortunately I have no faith that our current coaching team have the skill set to get the best out our boys. Horse one of the boys. Blakey a back coaching forwards. A barely adequate fitness staff.

Still seething after the pathetic performance yesterday so I just had to get it off my chest. It has been a season of simmering discontent for me as we watch our team slide further backwards as the season goes on. We can not even blame our injury list for yesterday as it is as short as it has been all year.

[Hartijon]

The funny side

My mates had a real good laugh when Tadgh went for a run and bounced the ball trying to out run another player.Of course he was sooo slow he got caught almost instantly for a HTB decision.

Actually in hindsight it was funny, and why not go for a run, who cares if it gives away a goal? Talk about the luck of the Irish! I doubt if there is any professional player in any sport who so consistently underperforms,who is so blissfully unaware of it and playing with a group of loyal selectors who think he is great. Lucky Guy! Enjoy your football Tadgh ,,too bad about the team.

[aardvark]

Big Al nailed it, we have consistently underperformed this year

Anyone who suggests that the coaching department has got the best out of the playing squad this year is absolutely kidding themselves.

I just don't fathom how any supporter could be happy with the fact that we are unlikely to make the finals this year.

I think its quite possible we over achieved last year due to the Roos/ Kirk factor and that 2009 and 2011 are a true reflection of where we really are at.

[Big Al]

Big Al nailed it, we have consistently underperformed this year

Anyone who suggests that the coaching department has got the best out of the playing squad this year is absolutely kidding themselves.

I just don't fathom how any supporter could be happy with the fact that we are unlikely to make the finals this year.

It's a pretty ordinary effort to misquote what I said for your own agenda.

You also miss the point of what a lot of people are saying. No one is happy when the Swans lose games or put in poor efforts but they UNDERSTAND that it's sometime going to happen with a team in redevelopement. The way you are carrying on it's as though we have this super side with lots of experience that should be in the top 4. That's unrealistic and it's a shame you don't see it.

[caj23]

I think its quite possible we over achieved last year due to the Roos/ Kirk factor and that 2009 and 2011 are a true reflection of where we really are at.

Your missing the point completely

We should be aiming to overacheive by getting the absolute maximum out of our list. Have a look at Collingwood in back to back GFs in 2002/2003, those teams on paper were terrible but good coaching pushed an ordinary team to its limits.

Not only have we not got the most out of our list, but they have probably underachieved, and the fault must lie predominately with the coaching staff

[caj23]

It's a pretty ordinary effort to misquote what I said for your own agenda.

You also miss the point of what a lot of people are saying. No one is happy when the Swans lose games or put in poor efforts but they UNDERSTAND that it's sometime going to happen with a team in redevelopement. The way you are carrying on it's as though we have this super side with lots of experience that should be in the top 4. That's unrealistic and it's a shame you don't see it.

We should be comfortably in 5th or 6th place biting at the heels of 4th, not missing the finals.

If we're a team in redvelopment we are in alot of trouble because we've got Goodes OKeefe Kennelly and co on the way out shortly and despite the red and white colored glasses of many here, our youngsters aren't as good as many paint them to be

[Bas]

It's a pretty ordinary effort to misquote what I said for your own agenda.

You also miss the point of what a lot of people are saying. No one is happy when the Swans lose games or put in poor efforts but they UNDERSTAND that it's sometime going to happen with a team in redevelopement. The way you are carrying on it's as though we have this super side with lots of experience that should be in the top 4. That's unrealistic and it's a shame you don't see it.

I agree with you Big Al, we should be in the top 4 with all of our experience. I was trying to weave Fyshwick into the answer but it wasn't working - or could be printed.

People forgot (as someone mentioned earlier) the axe was hovering very close to Bomber's neck at the Cat's around 2005. Malthouse was not much better with the mugpies for many years.

We have a young side mainly, yet some people on RWO are carrying on like hysterical school girls at a Justin Bieber concert.

The Tigers have had some poor performances recently but they are a very good side on their day and yesterday they were on their day.

[Melbournehammer]

I think its quite possible we over achieved last year due to the Roos/ Kirk factor and that 2009 and 2011 are a true reflection of where we really are at.

what if carlton had kicked two more goals last year rather than us kicking two more against the dogs. we would have bundled out first week of finals, having been belted by melbourne at the G, lost badly to richmond in a should have won game, been beaten by freo at home.

the truth was we were on the edge of missing finals for large parts of last year. we had a very good last six weeks but may well have missed. I reckon we are where we should be a 6-10 side turning over one of the best forward lines in the comp. lets just remember when davis, hall, mol, schneider and rok were running around in our forward line. Which current players would make that forward line ? If the answer is none (and I think it is) then you can see the rebuilding that needs to be done.we might have a midfield which is better than kirk, ablett, crouch, etc, but we have a long long way to go in my opinion. much further than 2013...

[Big Al]

We should be comfortably in 5th or 6th place biting at the heels of 4th, not missing the finals.

If we're a team in redvelopment we are in alot of trouble because we've got Goodes OKeefe Kennelly and co on the way out shortly and despite the red and white colored glasses of many here, our youngsters aren't as good as many paint them to be

Oh, so now the youngsters aren't just good enough. The future prospects of Sammy, Hanners, Jack,Parker, AJ, Nipper,Lamb,Rohan,Jetta LJ (if injuries leave him alone). All of them no good???

The only concern for me is finding a big bodied KP to complement these kids. Please step up Jesse otherwise we need to unearth or recruit someone.

Yes that's right we've been without a KP forward all year. How were we going to challenge the top 4 with that constraint. You might accuse people of having red and white glasses (why is that negative btw) but I'd rather that then being overtly negative all the time. Much easier on the blood pressure to be positive.

[dimelb]

We should be comfortably in 5th or 6th place biting at the heels of 4th, not missing the finals.

If we're a team in redvelopment we are in alot of trouble because we've got Goodes OKeefe Kennelly and co on the way out shortly and despite the red and white colored glasses of many here, our youngsters aren't as good as many paint them to be

I agree with you on where we should be, but in that case we are being wise after the event.
People (including me) assumed that we could be 4th or 5th at the beginning of the season with Bradshaw and B2 both fit and playing, plus a good run with injuries. Both of those assumptions were off the mark, yet we are still just in the eight with a good chance of staying there (fingers crossed and hoping we don't put in another performance like yesterday's).
Certainly we have lost matches we should have won, and we are rightly unhappy about it, but on balance I'll see the glass as half full.

[rojames]

Longmire has no plan B. When the game is getting away from you the only way to go is take risks and play on at all costs. After a point it takes 15 minutes for us to get it back into play. (And always to a contest)Good idea with all the forward zoning pressure these days.Bring back Jesse White, Jarrad Moore, Rohan, Malceski and Spangher if fit. Drop Kenelly, Jetta,Bolton, and Johnson needs a rest.

[caj23]

Oh, so now the youngsters aren't just good enough. The future prospects of Sammy, Hanners, Jack,Parker, AJ, Nipper,Lamb,Rohan,Jetta LJ (if injuries leave him alone). All of them no good???

Yes that's right we've been without a KP forward all year. How were we going to challenge the top 4 with that constraint. You might accuse people of having red and white glasses (why is that negative btw) but I'd rather that then being overtly negative all the time. Much easier on the blood pressure to be positive.

Thanks for the misquote, I didn't say they weren't any good, I said some supporters overrate them. There are 16 other clubs out there (well maybe 15) who could reel off a list of youngsters just as (or more) impressive

The abscence of a goal kicker and lack of structure and stability in our forward line is a poor reflection on the match committee. LRT down there is a joke