Swans v Dockers Game Day Thread

[bloodbrother]

really great effort for the team to get this far crippled by injuries..next season with a fair shake on that front we will be in the big dance again..freo' s pressure was good yes ,but they did hold all the aces ,having a full list and the rest time to prepare..i will say this though the pressure the swans displayed mid season when we played adelaide was just as impressive , it augurs well for the future..the thing that impresses me most about this team is that we don't have any grubs' ,yes im talking about crowley and ballantyne ..they are sportsmen in the right way the swans and gracious in defeat ... thanks Jude for the memories of footy played the right way

[Meg]

+1 Bloodbrother.

[Margo]

Agree with all the posts supporting the team in their effort, not just this game, but all season. I am sad today, but so proud of the team and can't wait for season 2014.

I do disagree with the poster who enjoyed watching the Crowley/Jack contest. I found his, (Crowley's), attitude disgusting. I remember Jarrod Crouch as being a fantastic tagger but professional and classy. Surely Kirky would be trying to coach that into RC ? If so, he hasn't had much success as yet.

I loved how Jesse came to Kieran's aid. He'd had enough as well. Call me feral, but I was wishing BBB was there to deck the big mouth.

At the other end of the spectrum is Jude Bolton. A true star of the game. Courageous, tough, brilliant on the field, someone who will be remembered and respected forever. Wish him well in his "new life" and hope this isn't the last we see of him.

[Beerman]

I just hate that Ballantyne and Crowley get to play on the grand final.

Drives me nuts too! I'm trying to get over by thinking of it as Pavlich and Fyfe getting to play in a grand final.

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I got so sick of listening to that twat [BT] and his pathetic comments I turned off the sound at half time - was more bearable to watch not having to listen to the bollocks coming out of his mouth.

The thing that got me is that the commentary was so lacking in content. Once they had commented on Freo's defensive pressure, they didn't seem to have anything else to say. I felt like I was listening to the same quarter of football over and over again.

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Having 'depth' is different to having 'young talent'. Depth means you keep winning as though the injuries have no effect. We witnessed some genuine depth players with White, Rampe and Mitchell. The rest were just really good young talent that will develop, not best 22 (yet).

I thought a couple of our kids (Rampe, Biggs) were shown up a bit last night. They weren't disgraceful, but they certainly got a lesson in the speed and intensity of finals football. (Same as BJ did at points during the regular season). It's very understandable - Biggs is playing only is fourth game, I think!

They'll be better next year.

[Go Swannies]

Has there been a better quarter of footy played this year than Freo's 2nd quarter? If so, I didn't see it. The best tackling intensity ever.

[mcs]

The thing that got me is that the commentary was so lacking in content. Once they had commented on Freo's defensive pressure, they didn't seem to have anything else to say. I felt like I was listening to the same quarter of football over and over again.

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I thought a couple of our kids (Rampe, Biggs) were shown up a bit last night. They weren't disgraceful, but they certainly got a lesson in the speed and intensity of finals football. (Same as BJ did at points during the regular season). It's very understandable - Biggs is playing only is fourth game, I think!

They'll be better next year.

The commentary bugged me because they don't call the game.... they spend a majority of the time wetting their pants over some aspect of whichever team is in their sights for that week. After watching the NEAFL grand final yesterday, where two amateurs did a great job just calling the game as they saw it (no bull@@@@, no rhetoric, no wetting their pants over this player or that) it was just unbearable. I was already not enjoying the game very much, but having to listen to the tossers in the commentary box was one step too far.

You are right about Rampe and Biggs - but it is to be expected. I actually thought they did decent - there were plenty of much more experienced players that really didn't turn up at all.

[wolftone57]

This is the result I thought we'd get before the game. We had far too many injuries and the team looked tired just getting here. Having to put huge pressure on young players week in week out takes it's toll. Our more experienced players panicked when the pressure was on last night. Instead of matching their intensity some of them went missing or made very reckless decisions. There was little or no protection of the player going for the ball. In saying that froe were magnificent, they brought the sort of pressure needed to win a GF to the party.

Our game plan sucks when the pressure is on. Flooding, bomb the ball to a contest when coming out of defence, bombing into the forward line. There needs to be a better way, oh there is Freo, Hawks & Cats play it. Hit players up on the kick. Our field kicking stinks and last night was no exception, this should be a priority going into next year.

I would like to take the time to praise Rampe & White for their efforts and say that I thought Shane Biggs was ok for a young bloke and other than one or two times his delivery was pretty good. Dre was pretty good too. It is interesting who actually stood up and who didn't.

I think the footy club is going through an exciting time, a transition period if you like. The experienced senior players are getting older and heading to retirement and the depth players are stepping up. The 'rookie' players are getting experience and will be better for it next year. I wonder how many older players other than Jude will call it quits? Jude has been a magnificent player for this footy club and will always be a legend of the club, in saying that I think the two players who play much like him, Lukie Parker and Tommy Mitchell are going to be great players.

Things to work on next year;

1. Getting players fit

2. Field kicking.

3. A game plan that utilises Kurt Tippett's assets, like his leading, marking in the two player contest and not exposing him to multiple player contests.

4. Develop a bater defensive game plan than flooding

5. Develop a better way out of defence than bombing the ball to the wing

5. develop a better attacking plan than bombing to the goal square

6. Go back to running the ball and hitting up targets

[aardvark]

You are right about Rampe and Biggs - but it is to be expected. I actually thought they did decent - there were plenty of much more experienced players that really didn't turn up at all.

Rampe had a crack for 4 quarters. He was in my votes.

[mcs]

Rampe had a real crack last night. The guy will only get better from here. I am very comfortable with where our back 6 will develop from here - there are plenty of good players coming through to fill the holes that will come. I watched the ressies yesterday and I thought Alex Brown was really good again. I do hope he gets another year at least.

I agree with Margo re Crowley/Jack. Sure Crowley is great at his role, but he is a dog dirty player to go with it. With him and Ballatyne in the Freo team, it is enough to sway me to want the Hawks to win next week. I just hate niggle for the sake of niggle, and some of it was completely unneeded and detracts from his ability to play his role. Sure, get at your opponent, put him off, but you don't have to be a pr**k in the process like Crowley is.

The comparison to Crouch is a good one. One did it with class, one does it in a niggly, dirty way, and makes him very dislikable.

[Bloodthirsty]

This is the result I thought we'd get before the game. We had far too many injuries and the team looked tired just getting here. Having to put huge pressure on young players week in week out takes it's toll. Our more experienced players panicked when the pressure was on last night. Instead of matching their intensity some of them went missing or made very reckless decisions. There was little or no protection of the player going for the ball. In saying that froe were magnificent, they brought the sort of pressure needed to win a GF to the party.

Our game plan sucks when the pressure is on. Flooding, bomb the ball to a contest when coming out of defence, bombing into the forward line. There needs to be a better way, oh there is Freo, Hawks & Cats play it. Hit players up on the kick. Our field kicking stinks and last night was no exception, this should be a priority going into next year.

I would like to take the time to praise Rampe & White for their efforts and say that I thought Shane Biggs was ok for a young bloke and other than one or two times his delivery was pretty good. Dre was pretty good too. It is interesting who actually stood up and who didn't.

I think the footy club is going through an exciting time, a transition period if you like. The experienced senior players are getting older and heading to retirement and the depth players are stepping up. The 'rookie' players are getting experience and will be better for it next year. I wonder how many older players other than Jude will call it quits? Jude has been a magnificent player for this footy club and will always be a legend of the club, in saying that I think the two players who play much like him, Lukie Parker and Tommy Mitchell are going to be great players.

Things to work on next year;

1. Getting players fit

2. Field kicking.

3. A game plan that utilises Kurt Tippett's assets, like his leading, marking in the two player contest and not exposing him to multiple player contests.

4. Develop a bater defensive game plan than flooding

5. Develop a better way out of defence than bombing the ball to the wing

5. develop a better attacking plan than bombing to the goal square

6. Go back to running the ball and hitting up targets

Good stuff Wolftone. That about covers it. Perhaps drop your resume off at Moore Park?

[Ludwig]

I don't like some of the tactics that Freo use, but cannot deny that Lyon's game plan is hard to beat. I noted this earlier in the year; while other teams corral the man with the ball, Freo will just go at him, in waves if required. Everyone else blocks the outlets. It must be very difficult to execute, because if you can get an outlet and string together a few good passes, you're off. But very few teams can do that. The Swans certainly couldn't yesterday.

It takes more than just good players to beat Ross Lyon. You have to come up with a strategy to beat the full court press, and you have to have the players fit enough and skillful enough to execute it. As of now, Hawthorn are the only team that may be able to do so. We will know next week. I'd put my money on Freo.

In 2014 there will be even more emphasis on building the year to peak in the finals. Resting players in round 23 paid off big time for Freo. They were fresh enough to beat the Cats at Simonds, get the week off, then come out firing yesterday. They could have had a 10 goal lead by halftime if they kicked straight.

For me, if anything was learnt from this year, is that there is a lot more that goes into winning a GF than putting your best 22 out on the field every week. There's a lot more brain power that goes into a successful season than muscle power.

Congrats to Freo for the respect and humility they showed in victory and towards Jude. Kudos to Pav and Ross Lyon for their leadership.

[Mountain Man]

and perhaps have no injuries so you can get them to play as you propose

[Allymay]

As disappointing as last night was, I for one, am extremely proud of the way the boys fought it out. Some silly fumbly errors were made that were "unSwans-like". Much respect to the Freo players for the send off they gave Jude. Gracious winners. I didn't think we would win, but I also didn't think we should have been smashed the way we were. But in the end, we made the prelim final and there were 14 other teams who would have loved to be in the position that we were. (Maybe not the same result!)

Having taking my Docker supporting son to the game, there were so many drunk, completely-off-their-face Freo supporters. We had two sitting behind us and the lady next to me could barely keep her eyes open. This was all before bounce down at around 5:30pm!! I politely had to ask the drunk chick sitting behind my son to please refrain from using the @@@@@@ word, after listening to her shout the f bomb every sentence. Then when the Swans were getting smashed in the 2nd quarter, I was sitting there quietly, not having much to cheer about, was informed by drunk chick's even drunker husband (who was wearing his Eagles jumper) behind me that I ruined her night by asking her not to swear!! Wtf????? I said to them that if my polite request has ruined their night even though their team is up by 7 goals at half time, then they should go sook with the Wet Toast supporters. I think security may have seen enough as they were gone by 3/4 time.
Apart from those idiots, I didn't experience any bagging after the game. Having experienced verbal abuse and one finger salutes from Eagles supporters after the 05 and 06 finals at Subi, I thought they were pretty good at leaving us alone! Quite a few of them did to say to me that the Swans will be back.

I'm also proud of the way our supporters stayed behind after the game. Most of us could have called it quits and left early. But we all stayed til the very bitter end (so to speak). I looked around and saw heaps of red and white still there after the siren.

I don't think our premiership window is closing at all. When we are at full strength once again, we are going to give the premiership another crack for sure. Have faith fellow Bloods fans, all is not lost. Now, I'm off to purple haze the house at the request of my 8 year old son (whilst gritting my teeth!!)

[Bloodthirsty]

and perhaps have no injuries so you can get them to play as you propose

I hear there are some peptides that will help prevent injuries. Apparently it works really well, and is good for all involved.

[andy0414]

Crowley and Ballantyne play a real low life brand of football. It's not in the spirit of the game but given it's effectiveness in taking one of the oppositions best players out of the game, then I'm sure other teams will start doing the same. If the game is dragged down to this level, then it will be a game not worth watching.