all white and fuzzy ~

[Triple B]

Comedy gold right there...

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Longmire will never win another premiership unless he gets rid of the long bomb

Here we go. 8 rounds into our premiership defence and the first major melt-down call is made.

[Bloodthirsty]

Mitch must have been tearing his hair out last week as he led on numerous occasions, got back for a one on one and was ignored for the bomb to a pack.

This is my frustration with how the selectors treat Mitch. He does everything right, but then they say "oh, he was quiet on the weekend". He's quiet cos you bomb it over his head! The reality is he would probably kick several goals a match if some of his leads were honoured.

If bombing is an official strategy, then why does Longmire come out after these games and say things like: "We need to lower our eyes / We need to be better with our inside 50 entries?" It happens so much that you would think it was a strategy, but I don't know what to think anymore. And how does some mediocre Crows novice kick 10 goals against GWS, and we can't assert anywhere near such dominance with our forward line? There are serious problems with that discrepancy, and it is being exploited by the elite teams against us.

I don't think Jesse is all that bad, and I get the feeling Mumford is not really into it anymore, so as someone has already said, he could be around for a while. Better entries would give him (and all our forwards) more of chance.

[Ludwig]

Could Jesse's exclusion from the Reserves side mean a late call up to seniors?

[boroboy]

Could Jesse's exclusion from the Reserves side mean a late call up to seniors?

I hope not - I'm having a really good day...

Something not right with Mummy - I guess this is the best insurance we can come up with.

[wolftone57]

Here we go. 8 rounds into our premiership defence and the first major melt-down call is made.

If you don't play hit up footy today the opposition will flog you. to just bomb the ball long from defence, into attack is asking for the opposition to go end to end. Asking for the ball to come straight back in. I don't know if it is part of the game plan or if players are just executing the bomb but the SWans won't win another premiership continually giving the ball up to the opposition. Just stating fact.

Our delivery this year has been terrible and just kicking it long will not make up for shoddy short skills. When we are using our full skills we are the most exciting side in the comp but we are not doing that at the moment. If we don't start soon like tonight we will get flogged and again next week. Time to look at the kicking skills and decision making as they are the problem. fix them and get the swift handball right (almost there) and we are back in it. Oh I nearly forgot about the work rate. Some of the players are not working hard enough to create options. We need to increase the workrate.

By the way Jesse is in the mix for tonight's game. I wonder if Mummy is still a bit sore. He didn't look quite right last week either.

[chalbilto]

How can Jesse be in the mix for tonight's game seeing he was listed as an emergency? In the team list the emergencies listed are Walsh, Armstrong & Mitchell.

[Primmy]

Walsh?????

[DK_]

Interesting article on Jesse on SydneySwans.com today - Jesse's future not black and white - SYDNEYSWANS.com.au

He admits to the common criticism that he wasn't working hard enough in seasons past, that the rejection of last year's draft was hard to take and that he didn't rate his chances of getting senior time in this year's team. Very honest and open. Also talks about ramping his training up this year, which I think has been evident in his performance. He's improved this year on almost every stat except handballs (which has fallen) and marks (which is equal) -

Career 2013
Kicks 4.8 -> 5.8
Handballs 3.5 -> 3
Disposals 8.1 -> 8.8
Marks 3.2 -> 3.2
Hit Outs 4.8 -> 5.6
Tackles 1.6 -> 1.8
Goals 1 -> 1.4

When you take into account that 2 out of his 5 games were played in a deluge and he was sub for a third and only played half the game, this is an impressive, across the board improvement. Further, I think his biggest improvement is not on the stats board, but on his support work - shepherding and making a contest to create opportunities for the midfielders and small forwards. Great to see his extra effort getting rewarded. Forward is undoubtedly his best position, and I get the feeling he is on the cusp of achieving the consistency that we all want him to. With Sam Reid in doubt for the finals, he couldn't have picked a better time to hit his straps. I'm very positive about the contribution he can make to our team over the next few weeks and hope he sticks with us in 2014.

[stellation]

I knew that Jesse and Kurt were old friends, but I had no idea that they'd known each other since they were 10! Kurt and Jesse have seemed genuinely thrilled to be playing with each other.

[DK_]

I knew that Jesse and Kurt were old friends, but I had no idea that they'd known each other since they were 10! Kurt and Jesse have seemed genuinely thrilled to be playing with each other.

I know! My boy's 9 atm. Could you imagine being that old - with all the grandstanding, the world of endless opportunities and possibilities (as you see it), telling each other how you're one day going to play in the AFL and win the brownlow, playing out fantasies together where you take a mark on the siren and kick the winning goal etc etc - all that wonderful stuff that goes with that age, and then, 15 years later, finding yourself actually playing together in the defending premiership team in the AFL! The probabilities are almost impossible!

[Auntie.Gerald]

keep rolling Jesse because we need you too.......

and how good would it be if you continue to level jump and be the player that a few of us think you can be !!!!

its in your hands my friend........the opportunity is NOW !

[Ludwig]

If Jesse could legitimately take on the role of CHF, for the next 5 years we would have a team with no real weaknesses. We'd go into next season with Reid and Everitt as quality KPP swingmen. Plenty of depth all across the ground, and some good players in development stage. We can enter the draft looking for the best player, regardless of position.

It is definitely worth persisting with Jesse, because if the outcome is positive, the benefits for the team are really high.

[hot potato]

If you give someone respect and responsibility , they will often respond and deliver. Jesse is going alright, a bit like the development of LRT.

[Bloodthirsty]

Jesse is a keeper, we actually really need him. Maybe it was meant to end up this way. It doesn't matter how you get there, as long as you get there.

The next few weeks will be telling.