Where are we going wrong??

[Scottee]

Agree there Scottee. I think there also needs to be confidence in the coach from the players. If the players feel they are flogging a dead horse, pardon the pun, they may not play well. In other words if the game plan is not working and the players see the coach doesn't seem to have any bright ideas they might just start to lose confidence in him. I don't see the players nodding their heads and jumping out of their skin at the breaks anymore like they used to. If the players have no confidence in the game plan then they may be careless in its execution. In other words if they don't think it will work they might just blaze away.

I think the coaches have to come up with some new strategies very soon. As someone said earlier, footy is not rocket science, it is a simple game and all you have to do is know your opposition, how to negate their strengths and how to exploit their weaknesses. In the meantime it does help to be able to execute with a high degree of skill. I think this is missing and it is the coaches fault. They are not reading the opposition at all. They seem not to be aware that some of our players would not get a gig with Melbourne the way they are playing. They seem to be unaware that execution with skill has become something this Sydney side will not be accused of. They seem to be unaware when the opposition coach has them on toast or makes a move they need to counter. If they are aware they rarely do anything about it.

I feel we have 'Three Blind Mice' in the coaching box.

I'm afraid I concur.

[Ludwig]

The question has to be asked: Why did this game plan work before, with the same players for the most part? Why do we have players that could hit targets last year, not capable of doing the same this year? Why were we capable of playing smart footy in the recent past, and dumb footy today?

These are questions about the game plan. They are questions about execution.

[mcs]

The question has to be asked: Why did this game plan work before, with the same players for the most part? Why do we have players that could hit targets last year, not capable of doing the same this year? Why were we capable of playing smart footy in the recent past, and dumb footy today?

These are questions about the game plan. They are questions about execution.

I must question what we did exactly over the summer. Our skills are down, our fitness is down, our gut running has disappeared. Seems they did nothing but twiddle their thumbs over Summer!

[Doctor]

I feel like we lack a Plan B when Plan A isn't working. That or we have one but everyone else has figured it out so we now need Plan C. I also feel like we haven't necessarily replaced our experienced assistant coaches with the same level of enterprise or experience. I am happy to stand corrected on that second point however.

Our ability in the wet has now become an albatross around our necks though. We did look very good in our only dry game this year, and Adelaide certainly went OK against St Kilda the following week, but we are just rotten in the wet and noone seems to have been able to fix it. Noone wants to get in there and just smash blokes with that ferocity that we used to show. Win the contested ball, not just the contested mark. We need to be feared for our attack on the footy and our relentless defence and we're not feared for either of those at the moment.

[CureTheSane]

I'm gonna sum up my thoughts in one word - rain
Doesn't look like we have an adequate game plan for the wet.
I expect the team to be as good as ever next dry game

[Rod_]

No plan B I agree 100%

No smart changes to the game plan ... Wet weather plan b... Would have been better in hindsight, that smalls are better in the wet. LRT in the back line vs reg in the wet... He was not alone that can't play wet weather footy.

If it's wet play the right players. Stick with game plan at all costs may not work every time.

Change management skill may be needed.

[Flying South]

I don't think we have ever really been what you would call a skillful team. Not compared to say Hawthorn. Though we could sometimes turn it on when we had our really good days. But what we always did well were the team things or the one percenters. The hard ball gets, the tackles, the defensive pressure, the shepherding for team mates, the chase downs, the pats on the back, the smothers, the gut busting running, etc. The hard work, commitment and standards that all other clubs wanted to model themselves on. The swans footy. I think if we can start doing these things again, then the trust and confidence will return. And the 'Bloods' will be back. Either that or get a new coach. Lol

[mcs]

I don't think we have ever really been what you would call a skillful team. Not compared to say Hawthorn. Though we could sometimes turn it on when we had our really good days. But what we always did well were the team things or the one percenters. The hard ball gets, the tackles, the defensive pressure, the shepherding for team mates, the chase downs, the pats on the back, the smothers, the gut busting running, etc. The hard work, commitment and standards that all other clubs wanted to model themselves on. The swans footy. I think if we can start doing these things again, then the trust and confidence will return. And the 'Bloods' will be back. Either that or get a new coach. Lol

That's a good way to sum it up Flying South - for that really is what is missing.

[Auntie.Gerald]

just wondering if teams like GWS, Pies and North have been working very hard on their plan B loose defending / counter attack to out craft top 4 teams who are more dominant in contested footy and forward entries.........what have the Swans been working on in the off season ?

what have the Swans been working on as their Plan B when opposition teams start to gain the upper hand ?

[Swansongster]

Slightly off-topic (sorry) but has anyone else noticed how their other-team-supporting mates/colleagues/family are really enjoying the Swans' slow start to the season. Up until this year most were pleased at our success. Now they appear to be equally as pleased at the current poor form and some genuinely believe we are shot ducks. I have a mate who follows Port who wants to bet a bottle of Grange (not '59) that they will finish ahead of us after H&A. Think I'll take him on.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Of course. It was bad enough last year after we won a flag and got Tippett, to add buddy to that! We are well hated now. If another team did what we did we would all hate them too!!!

[Triple B]

I have a mate who follows Port who wants to bet a bottle of Grange (not '59) that they will finish ahead of us after H&A. Think I'll take him on.

Gee, I wouldn't. Happy to back us to beat home both Collingwood and Norf, but Port may be a mountain too high. They are a seriously good side....

[crackedactor]

half right

I don't think we have ever really been what you would call a skillful team. Not compared to say Hawthorn. Though we could sometimes turn it on when we had our really good days. But what we always did well were the team things or the one percenters. The hard ball gets, the tackles, the defensive pressure, the shepherding for team mates, the chase downs, the pats on the back, the smothers, the gut busting running, etc. The hard work, commitment and standards that all other clubs wanted to model themselves on. The swans footy. I think if we can start doing these things again, then the trust and confidence will return. And the 'Bloods' will be back. Either that or get a new coach. Lol

That pretty much sums up our game, not the most skilful, but sometimes the most fierce. I cannot agree it has anything to do with the coaching. I think the Buddy recruiting has upset a lot of people. Hawthorn fans laugh at how much we paid, when they all know his shoulders are gone and cannot take an overhead mark. But I do hope Horse plays him on the wing or mid field and puts Tippett in the forward 50.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Buddy's built his career to date without having a strong overhead mark in his arsenal. That's not a recent revelation. It's always been the case. He marks on a fast lead or he kicks crumbing or running goals. Never been a high flyer with good dukes.

[mcs]

That pretty much sums up our game, not the most skilful, but sometimes the most fierce. I cannot agree it has anything to do with the coaching. I think the Buddy recruiting has upset a lot of people. Hawthorn fans laugh at how much we paid, when they all know his shoulders are gone and cannot take an overhead mark. But I do hope Horse plays him on the wing or mid field and puts Tippett in the forward 50.

As Melbourne_blood said, he has never been a good overhead mark. I don't know where the talk of 'shoulders are gone' comes from. The one thing Buddy needs at the swans in time - I have no doubt we will gradually build our game plan (if we remember you actually need to have one of them to win!) around him, and I think it will see us move back towards a more pinpoint, accurate style of football.