Sydney v Port match day

[ShockOfHair]

That was the first game I watched entirely on a mobile phone (insert McGlynn joke here).

Now I'm back in a land with actual internet, apart from the obvious, I just want to say I'm loving the way Lloyd plays.

Plus, what is it about our first quarters? Against Hawthorn, Essendon, Geelong, Port we just totally smashed it. Port didn't even look like going inside 50. The opposite of the 2005-era Swans when we'd wake up in the second quarter and wind them in 29 minutes into the last.

[undy]

Now I'm back in a land with actual internet, apart from the obvious, I just want to say I'm loving the way Lloyd plays.

+1 - its taken (me) a while, but I now see why everyone is so keen on him.

Other takeaways from watching the replay after being at the game:
BJ was involved a lot more than I thought
Rohan was stiff with the position he was sent to and how the game played out. For a guy with no stats, he was putting pressure in quite a few contests.
I wish Jetta would smile once in a while.
I still don't know what Goodes did to reverse KJ's 50.

I wonder if Port will run out of legs:
In 2012 the Bombers started out on fire running-wise and went legless towards the end of the year.
In 2013 we started out on fire with our "two-way running" and went legless towards the end of the year.

I notice that Horse has jacked us up from playing "two-way" footy to "three-way" - Offense, defence and contested.

[goods78]

.....I still don't know what Goodes did to reverse KJ's 50.....

I was listening to the umpires via the sports ears at the game, I thought I heard Hannebery's name as the transgressor.

[Dosser]

Yep, exactly. That's why we bunched them up so often. They spread and got away a few times, but our strategy cut off that option.

The other reason is that we are supposedly a stoppage team, so we like to hug the boundary to force it out if we come unstuck. Port love to run it through the middle, so rather than us kicking into the centre of our 50 and watching it rebound 2x faster than it went in, we try to go around the pockets so that we can lock it in there and kick a goal from the stoppage: this is where Goodes and Parker usually step up with our set plays.

[shaun..]

A great game to watch live and was so good to see a big crowd. Taking the 339 before the game, there was a big line up for Swans buses that trailed through the bend along Eddy Ave.

A few notable points, having also just watched the replay:

Hannebery can not handle a tag. It's more confounding when he's such a gut runner, you'd think he'd be able to exploit his opponent in some ways. Having said that, he stepped up in a few passages in the second half. Hopefully his injury isn't too bad as he seemed to come back on the field late.

Franklin. GUN. That 70m goal was HUGE! Better conversion and he can score 9 goals a game! Also first half, what does he have to do to get a free? Watching the replay this is called out by a commentator in the second qtr (not sure who?) but quickly muzzled by Dunstan who couldn't shut up about the Power. Furthermore, felt Schultz first free was 50/50 sitting on that end and Franklin being held all day gets one free for his troubles.

Ebert and Gray were dominant through the middle. Their clearance work was more obvious on replay. And their players can run and overlap.. simply amazing. I was waiting for more run from our players but just felt like PA had us covered. Thought the game was relatively 50/50 throughout and was surprised to see the big disadvantage in clearance and disposals.
McGlynn's run and desperation was sorely lacking and will add another dimension to the return game (surprisingly I thought he'd be one of the players that would make way for the younger brigade at the start of the season).

Big fan of Harry and Lloyd. Lloyd shows evident class on field and Harry really is good in a one on one marking contest. Always plays out the winner with great positioning.

At the ground felt Rohan had a couple of touches or influenced a few plays. Really shocked to see he had no stat involvement. He did drop a sitter though on a wonderful lead.

Reid's final gasp spoil towards goal was just as good live as on TV. He is a clutch defensive player!

Finally, better goal-scoring early will lead to easier wins. We were hot early and they could barely keep up. As with the Hawks game, we invited them to stay and our misses gave them confidence. Thankfully our second half goal kicking is wonderful, 8-2 return against PTA and one of those was rushed.

[Ludwig]

Good points Shaun.

In fairness to Hanners though, he was being tagged by Kane Cornes, one of the best gut runners and taggers in the game.

[ernie koala]

Hannebery can not handle a tag. It's more confounding when he's such a gut runner, you'd think he'd be able to exploit his opponent in some ways.

Tell that to Ryan Crowley...He kicked 4 goals on him last year, in half a game. He is regarded as one of the best taggers in the business, along with Cornes.

Other than Ablett, all tagged star players get beaten now and then. Hanners was beaten yesterday.

He's beaten tags in the past. It's still early in his career, and IMO, he'll get better dealing with it with more experience.

[longmile]

That footage of Monfries staging makes my blood boil

[dimelb]

... At the ground felt Rohan had a couple of touches or influenced a few plays. Really shocked to see he had no stat involvement. He did drop a sitter though on a wonderful lead. ...

shaun.., do you mean the mark he would have taken if he hadn't been pulled out of the contest? It's the only time I recall when the ball came to him fairly directly. I've said elsewhere that the non-call was outrageous, and he was in a good position for the kick at goal. Would have helped significantly at that stage.

[Nico]

shaun.., do you mean the mark he would have taken if he hadn't been pulled out of the contest? It's the only time I recall when the ball came to him fairly directly. I've said elsewhere that the non-call was outrageous, and he was in a good position for the kick at goal. Would have helped significantly at that stage.

I thought he dropped the mark and was then pulled by the shoulder, off the contest. Clear free.

[Flying South]

Tell that to Ryan Crowley...He kicked 4 goals on him last year, in half a game. He is regarded as one of the best taggers in the business, along with Cornes.

Other than Ablett, all tagged star players get beaten now and then. Hanners was beaten yesterday.

He's beaten tags in the past. It's still early in his career, and IMO, he'll get better dealing with it with more experience.

Hear hear! He may not have had large number's, but he was working hard and contributing with his 1%'ers. A lot of tagged players just give up.

[dimelb]

I thought he dropped the mark and was then pulled by the shoulder, off the contest. Clear free.

You could be right Nico; I was so annoyed at the unnoticed pull I forgot everything else!

[neilfws]

shaun.., do you mean the mark he would have taken if he hadn't been pulled out of the contest? It's the only time I recall when the ball came to him fairly directly.

No, there was another exactly as shaun described; good lead, onto his chest, dropped it.

[shaun..]

shaun.., do you mean the mark he would have taken if he hadn't been pulled out of the contest? It's the only time I recall when the ball came to him fairly directly. I've said elsewhere that the non-call was outrageous, and he was in a good position for the kick at goal. Would have helped significantly at that stage.

Must have been that play. Didn't realise the pulling or holding going on, was in awe of the kick and then the shock of a dropped mark. I guess it makes sense that he was being held as PTA got away with a few of them.

EDIT:
Or maybe not ^

[dimelb]

No, there was another exactly as shaun described; good lead, onto his chest, dropped it.

I missed that one and probably fixated on the other one. I admit to going on about it for some time!