GAME DAY thread Swans v Cats Round 23

[The Big Cat]

Assuming Smith's ailment is minor (anyone know why he pulled out) he'll be an automatic inclusion.

Tightness in the hamstring, no damage to it. Just taking no chances. JL said he and Reid will be right for next week.

[liz]

I always thought next year would be a better bet than this year anyway. I would think that was the plan anyway, that is why we recruited, Mitchell, Brown, Lamb, Biggs, Cunningham & Lockyer

Why would the plan be to be better next year? Surely it was to be as good as we possibly can be this year.

We recruited the players you list because every club recruits some new players every year, not because those players (all untried) are going to come in and replace five or six seasoned, quality players. We all hope we can improve next year - through Rohan, Parker, Jetta, Reid, Johnson as much as untried players - but this season is still very much alive. Do you not think the focus should be on going as far as we can this year? You never know what might happen...

[hot potato]

Had to work, so could only follow scores on IPAD. Its no big surprise to be bashed up by The Cats in the Cattery.
They do it to every team who enters this really spooky place on the earth (except Swans last year).
Forget we ever went there this year.
Move on and have a red hot crack at The Crows (after prayers).

cheers

[Dosser]

I was there today and found it difficult to comprehend a number of things.
a) Why we have nobody who is prepared to remain in the forward line to give us a release when coming out of half back? This became even more apparent in the last quarter when we started to break quickly and then had to kick sideways as either nobody was home up front, or our 'forward' was marked by no less than two opponents.
b) What has happened to our centre clearances over the last few weeks? Earlier in the season we were the kings of clearances, but now the other teams seem to be able to take the ball away at will.
c) Why did we peak 6 weeks ago? I remember the Essendon teams of the 80's used to start well, fall away mid year, and then start to regain form and momentum leading into finals. Sheedy was the master of timing all this and it happened year after year. About 6 weeks ago I loved the way we were playing, but in the back of my mind I was concerned that we may have peaked too early. Handballs that were once slick and went to hand are now anything but, etc.
d) Is it true that Weagles crowds are more feral than Geelong? I find that incomprehensible. What an amazing experience at that ground today!

[Cheer Squad]

JL said he and Reid will be right for next week.

They'll need to be.

[Cardinal]

[QUOTE=Dosser;587043]
d) Is it true that Weagles crowds are more feral than Geelong? I find that incomprehensible. What an amazing experience at that ground today![/QUOTE

I never heard anyone in the media comment on the irony of the Geelong coach complaining about the Weagles home crowds.

Whatever our current concerns, I am more optimistic about our flag chances this year than next. There will be a whole heap of teams with up sides next year making a top 4 finish, letalone a gf even harder for the Swans.

[Margie]

I thought we played pretty poorly today. Not being able to mark the ball is a big downfall of the team at the moment. If we can't take those big grabs in the forward line, we won't go much further.

The players seemed tired/lacklustre for most of the game and have to travel again next week. AAMI is another hostile venue, although I doubt Adelaide would have been too worried about playing us at ANZ had results gone our way today.

It will take a committed effort - we can do it, but everyone must be really switched on.

[Jewels]

Why would the plan be to be better next year? Surely it was to be as good as we possibly can be this year.

We recruited the players you list because every club recruits some new players every year, not because those players (all untried) are going to come in and replace five or six seasoned, quality players. We all hope we can improve next year - through Rohan, Parker, Jetta, Reid, Johnson as much as untried players - but this season is still very much alive. Do you not think the focus should be on going as far as we can this year? You never know what might happen...

Now, now, now Liz enough of this commonsense stuff.
I think we should just throw our hands in the air and concede defeat now cause it's blatantly obvious from so many of the experts on here that we haven't got a prayer of winning another game this year.

[Margie]

Now, now, now Liz enough of this commonsense stuff.
I think we should just throw our hands in the air and concede defeat now cause it's blatantly obvious from so many of the experts on here that we haven't got a prayer of winning another game this year.

We can win another game, but our skills need to improve quite dramatically to achieve that aim.

[Jewels]

We can win another game, but our skills need to improve quite dramatically to achieve that aim.

We had one bad game for Gods sake - ONE!

[Ratna]

Once before this season we lost three out of four. Everyone wrote us off as being lucky to make the eight and after that went on to win our next nine games.
Not saying we can do this again, (Three in a row from here would do) but I think there is still reason to believe in this team. In the last four weeks we may have lost to the three best sides in the comp on form. Except for today we have lost by very little over this period.
Credit where credit is due I think Geelong were very good today and to win down there is no easy task. Playing the type of football they played today they will be very hard to beat in the finals, they are strong, skilled and have a strong track record in finals. I don't think anyone would have beaten them today.
Heads up. We can beat Adelaide (although it wont be easy) and anything can happen from there.

[gossipcom]

Speaking of AJ, he copped the Longmire spray at 3/4 time.

[swansprincess]

Disappointed but really you aren't gonna win down at that @@@@hole of a place....IMO I think Alex Johnson is a becoming a liability in defence, we can't afford turnovers and players not being manned up, frustrating. Other than that I'm still baffled as to why Morton was dropped, he would of been handy in an otherwise dysfunctional forward line today. Onto next week and IF we play at our best and have Reid back I think we'll beat Adelaide. All is not lost, we can still win this thing, must win next week though.

If anyone is a liability it is Goodes lack of consistent form and Nick Malceski's brain fades down back. Twice in the third quarter he made hideous errors right near where I was sitting, I saw both unfold and directly result in goals. It was also around the time Geelong got on top of us..

But yes, why Morton was dropped and Walsh subbed out very early, leaving us with no genuine forward, topped the liabilties of selection / coach

[swansprincess]

I was there today and found it difficult to comprehend a number of things.
a) Why we have nobody who is prepared to remain in the forward line to give us a release when coming out of half back? This became even more apparent in the last quarter when we started to break quickly and then had to kick sideways as either nobody was home up front, or our 'forward' was marked by no less than two opponents.
b) What has happened to our centre clearances over the last few weeks? Earlier in the season we were the kings of clearances, but now the other teams seem to be able to take the ball away at will.
c) Why did we peak 6 weeks ago? I remember the Essendon teams of the 80's used to start well, fall away mid year, and then start to regain form and momentum leading into finals. Sheedy was the master of timing all this and it happened year after year. About 6 weeks ago I loved the way we were playing, but in the back of my mind I was concerned that we may have peaked too early. Handballs that were once slick and went to hand are now anything but, etc.
d) Is it true that Weagles crowds are more feral than Geelong? I find that incomprehensible. What an amazing experience at that ground today!

all of this is spot on!
I got screamed at in my face by a fully grown man before the game had even started!!! There were certainly some characters there today though..

[ScottH]

We can win another game, but our skills need to improve quite dramatically to achieve that aim.

The thing Geelong have that we don't is some big experienced bodies.
Many of our mob are still pretty raw.
I thought our skills were pretty good, but theirs (and hawks) were far superior.

Just need to get the form back that sunk the eagles. Last good game we played and won.