Swans V Bombers. Match Day Thread.

[Matt80]

The last quarter was outstanding. Tight boundary line Football. When the play opens up and goes end to end (3rd quarter), we often get hit on the counter attack, just like a team does in Soccer.

If we can keep the ball tight on the boundary line for extended periods against the Hawks and Port then we will win.

Along with tackling and pressure, boundary line play is another important component of "John Longmire Football". When the ball does get squeezed forward we have Tippett, Franklin and Goodes one on one as the opposition commits extra numbers to the contest.

[Nico]

Jetta VERY proppy.

We did enough.

But how good was he.

[Primmy]

Cold. Icy. Wet damp cold, with serious cross wind and wind chill factor to season the Cold. I lay no blame under the circumstances.

[Swansinger]

But how good was he.

Yep , LJ played a pretty decent game.
I am impressed by the fact that he has matured : he has more depth to his game than just being a 'flashy' excitement machine.

[Go Swannies]

Just came on here for a look - by the time I got home from the game and defrosted there was just time to view the first Q then bed. I doubt if many who were at the game will be full of criticism - we played the best pressure team in the competition and never looked like losing. It was a very cold, slippery night and even the Hawks, those apparent gods of possession, would have not looked slick.

A few random thoughts - Membrey - I've not seem a first game player look so much like he belonged since Hanners first took a day of school to give us a hand. And he arrives pre-set with art and No1.

Teddy remains a god. And Reg did a brilliant job on 8-goals-in-his-last-game Carlisle. And nearly had three effective disposals in a row.

Ben wants this Premiership SO BAD he can almost taste it.

Jetts was limping at the end and I asked if he was oky - of course he said he was. He's providing some excellent entry to the F50 when Mal is locked down.

I hope Goodes plays till he can go straight to the pension. He can't run or tackle but he can do things no one else can - and has a football brain like no other. In fact he's transmogrified into Magic!

Parker is a brilliant player and hardest worker.

Gaz is back playing with confidence - took possession of a bouncing ball while being monstered in front of me and just took off, such was his faith that he wouldn't be caught, and wasn't.

Macca is a rock but Kizza is a bit off his game.

Harry is a lock in our best 22.

We played a good team that had to win - and haven't lost for a while - and did it without Buddy and controlled the game.

The screen showed Horse getting excited a few times last night. Good.

I repeat what I said last week, we keep doing just enough to win (though it didn't work out last week) and it constantly looks like we are holding something back in terms of several players effort and the game plan we're using. I can't wait for the first home final that we probably locked in with the win last night.

During the week I said that I'd almost take the loss if it kept Hird out of coaching. I lied - I love us winning and it gave me a chance to clap and cheer to start the circulation in my hands and other extremities again.

[monopoly19]

I was at the game and found it very hard to watch. Although we never looked like losing, it was extremely scrappy, full of ball overuse, unclean possessions, and a real lack of structure heading forward. Happy to forget this one ever happened.

It was certainly the most subdued +35k crowd at the SCG that I can recall.

[wolftone57]

Well, one of the games we needed to win done and dusted. I know that Macca and Kizza along with Kennedy get a lot of close attention each week but Macca and especially Kieran don't seem to be making anywhere near the same impact this year that they did last year. Benny and Parks however seem to be making up for it which is great to see. It will be good for them all to get Hanners back in the mix.

If you had to choose between KT and Goodesy at the moment you would definitely have to go with Goodesy. Hopefully with each game played though KT will build up some sort of fitness but he didn't seem to be moving any better tonight than he was last week. He was certainly not ready to be the 'main man' but on reflection he did as well as Carlisle did, maybe better!

Please don't underestimate Hooker ad double teaming, which they did all night. Hooker is a very good FB and may be All Australian this year. They had a plethora of players jumping with or impeding Tip last night. I thought under the circumstances, by that I mean; hard attention, dreadful delivery (it was either too high, too low, to the side or way in front, he did quite well. Goodsie turned back the clock with that sidestep. But just a point for the person who made a point of knocking the people who said Goodsie had slowed down. He has and due to his injury he can't turn and twist one way. But he is making u for the lack by being clever in his positioning, body use, side stepping and other skills.

[annew]

I was a subdued crowd person 'cos it was soooooooo cold, could not even bear to move. Was a hard grinding game but who cares we got 4points.

[liz]

Ben wants this Premiership SO BAD he can almost taste it.

Doesn't he just.

but Kizza is a bit off his game.

I doubt we'll see Jack back to his best again this year. He's still making some handy contributions but nowhere like the level we know he's capable off. I suspect the only thing that is going to give him the chance to recover is a long break, hopefully spent celebrating a second premiership. I am not sure whether one week's rest is going to make much difference. So long as he continues to make a better contribution than any of our reserves players would make, he just needs to stay in the team and contribute what he can. And while he's far from his best, he was still handy last night. Many players can only dream about reaching even that level.

[wolftone57]

I agree that the game was a terrible spectacle. Bombers seem to like to close it up and then after every opposition player gets tired due to the scragging, mauling and scratching they spin the ball out. Not pretty to watch. The disposal was under 12's level, sorry if I am being hard on the under 12's. I know the conditions were difficult. It was terribly cold with the wind off the mountains as it had just snowed. But many of the players didn't remember to keep their hands warm, therefore handling errors. The wind made kicking for goal at the Noble end very difficult. I thought young Timbo had a very good start and didn't look out of place at all. He will need to kick some goals if he plays regularly though. Our youg blokes have all done pretty well I think. Towers leads up really well but he needs to stop & prop and get contact then push forward again therefore his opponent's momentum will stop giving him an easy mark. He almost took some great marks last night, almost.

All in all I think this is one I will watch and cringe every time there is a clangger. I could be doing a lot of cringing I think.

[Skeparovic]

I just loved seeing Jack try to take a hanger... Never seen him up so high before. Ended up in a free against but oh well...

[Gary]

Only saw second half ... was greeted by 3 successive bomber goals and could not believe the lack of intensity and poor disposal ... I think we make too many half baked excuses for ordinary performances at times. At this stage of the year we should be much sharper / reliable in decision making and disposal going forward whether Buddy is playing or not. Clearances are a concern ... very little clean stuff ... too much Kennedy over the head hand passes after what seems like minutes of wrestling. Pyke seemed to get a lot of hit outs but to little effect ... and seems to have lost something.
Next week is a real danger game again and we would have to play much better to win.

[Meg]

Can someone who has watched the TV footage give feedback on the 'throw' for which Goodes was penalised? Free kick led to a Bombers' goal. Adam was livid, still showed in his body language when at subsequent centre bounce. it wasn't just confected indignation.

[Cant turn right]

I am not surprised that it was such a scrappy game last night. The wind was not only ferocious, it was very swirly. Hard to maintain possession.

[Cant turn right]

I sat next to a bombers fan visiting from Tassie. He reckoned it was colder on the top deck of the Bradman than home.