Game Thread: Sydney Swans VS Gold Coast Suns

[Ludwig]

One of the advantages of having TDL in the team is that it frees Benny up to tag a top mid. He's actually a very good tagger and has done some great tagging jobs even when he was at Hawthorne. He would be a perfect match to stop Murphy next week, who wouldn't even expose him for height. He's fairly good value as a small format, but his speed and pressure are first class for a tagging role.

I thought TDL's game was pretty good. Had a dropped mark and fumble, but otherwise, kicked 2 goals and set up Jude and Goodes on a couple of others. He usually gets good value out of his possies.

[DamY]

Fair enough, what sticks in my mind though was a couple of really poor tackles that were a little more than a cuddle. Having heard he needed to work on his defensive pressure brings that even more into focus.

[Ludwig]

He's just not strong enough to make his tackles stick. I think he tried to tackle Ablett once, which was a bit of a joke. Hopefully he can bulk up a bit in the next couple of years and improve on that aspect of his game. He's clearly not the complete package yet, but has a lot of good attributes and has shown a real willingness to work on the weaker parts of his game.

[Dirtyburt]

I do remember ROK's outburst before the EF against Carlton in 2010. He came across as petulant. And that game turned into a classic.

With Goodes, he actually said some nice things about ANZ last year, about how the dimensions of the ground helped them prepare for the match against Geelong. Remember? We played St. Kilda at ANZ for a win, then beat Geelong at home the following week.

None of that changes the fact a number of players have stated we would prefer to play at the scg.

[jono2707]

He's just not strong enough to make his tackles stick. I think he tried to tackle Ablett once, which was a bit of a joke. Hopefully he can bulk up a bit in the next couple of years and improve on that aspect of his game. He's clearly not the complete package yet, but has a lot of good attributes and has shown a real willingness to work on the weaker parts of his game.

Good points - I think his overall game is coming along pretty well. When he's in the team we expect him to kick or set up a few goals, which he did. He's also expected to run and chase and apply pressure, which he did to varying degrees of success last night. He's also credited with 5 tackles which is a fair effort.

[Melbournehammer]

He's just not strong enough to make his tackles stick. I think he tried to tackle Ablett once, which was a bit of a joke. Hopefully he can bulk up a bit in the next couple of years and improve on that aspect of his game. He's clearly not the complete package yet, but has a lot of good attributes and has shown a real willingness to work on the weaker parts of his game.

Gee whiz that's hard on him. I saw a lot (LOT) of swans fall off tackles on ablett, including some of our best defenders such as smith.

He is not in the team primarily to defend. He is there to stop the ball coming out easily. And his delivery to teammates is a lot better than that of a certain brownlow medallist who is struggling with his hand passes at present.

As for that same medallist - having watched the game again he certainly is crashing packs as often as he can. He just rarely looks like more than a couple of goals a game (acknowledging he may get some soft ones due to the great work of our strength the midfielders)

I just have vision of a fit Gibson or maxwell coming over the top and spoiling over and over - and the ball coming out and being delivered to franklin or cloke on centre wing and then more goals. Perhaps I have been scarred by recent history, but until we have a mechanism for dealing with this we need goodes as well as reid and maybe mummy to actually take some contested marks.

[Ludwig]

Gee whiz that's hard on him. I saw a lot (LOT) of swans fall off tackles on ablett, including some of our best defenders such as smith.

I didn't mean it as a criticism, actually a compliment for his effort, that he tried to tackle Ablett when players with twice TDL's strength would equally get shrugged off. I am very much a TDL fan and think he has a good chance to develop into a very complete small forward.

[Captain]

Wow, I thought TDL actually had a pretty decent game.

[longmile]

Wow, I thought TDL actually had a pretty decent game.

Agreed. Not special but good. In the first quarter I thought he looked really good.

[barry]

Agreed. Not special but good. In the first quarter I thought he looked really good.

I didnt see the 1st quarter, but the subsequent 3 he was ordinary in a game he should have dominated.

Needs to spend a summer in the gym. I'd prefer to give Morton a crack as the fringe forward for the rest of 2012.

[satchmopugdog]

Wow, I thought TDL actually had a pretty decent game.

Agreed...have just watched the replay...and he played well...uses space really well, anticpates well puts in a little touch or two that changes a contest (not in Michael Long's class as regards those amazing little touchs and deflections but along that spectrum). A lot of other teams would love to have him in their team. He's not a gorilla forward so it is no use expecting that of him. He tries really hard just like the rest of the team. I like him.

[satchmopugdog]

After reading this thread last night I thought we must have been dreadful but we played well. We kept our structures and the style of game we play means we don't have the explosiveness of the Hawks for example so we we don't win by a gazillion. It was a good display of our type of footy.

[AnnieH]

Gold Coast (read: Garry Ablett) weren't too bad in the first half. Almost got to sit on half a chair. Then they got tired and just lost the plot.
Metricon is a great stadium. Plenty of bars, food and dunnies!!
Not quite the percentage booster I was after; but top of the ladder and one game ahead is enough to please anyone.

[Doctor]

Gold Coast (read: Garry Ablett) weren't too bad in the first half. Almost got to sit on half a chair. Then they got tired and just lost the plot.
Metricon is a great stadium. Plenty of bars, food and dunnies!!
Not quite the percentage booster I was after; but top of the ladder and one game ahead is enough to please anyone.

I agree Annie. I thought the stadium was great. I can't believe how cold it was though!

[jono2707]

I agree Annie. I thought the stadium was great. I can't believe how cold it was though!

It can get cold on the GC - so cold that the locals sometimes have to put socks on under their thongs.....