Sydney v Hawthorn

[wolftone57]

Full credit to the Hawks. They are the best team of the modern era, without question. Their accuracy and reward for inside 50 entries is almost superhuman.

I don't think we need to throw the baby out with the bathwater based on one performance, but even at our best over the past few weeks, the chinks in our armour were always obvious:

1. Something is seriously wrong with our clearance setup... Even when we thumped North Melbourne last week, we were equalized or beaten in clearances. Tom Mitchell might be the answer.

2. Our back six needs a serious overhaul... Teddy and Grundy are too slow. Rohan and Rampe are still learning. The Shaw-Malceski model or run and kick long to a contest is outdated and was well and truly shown up by the Hawks accurate passing coming out of their defensive 50. For mine, Biggs and Laidler offer more composure and kicking accuracy than Teddy and Rohan.

3. Goodes needs to retire... We need a small mobile forward in the mould of Rioli, Breust, Ballantyne or Walters. Someone who makes sure we get rewarded for our inside 50s and can apply defensive pressure. We are currentlyup there with the worst teams in the league for scoring off inside 50 entries.

4. Make Buddy captain... This result should draw a line under Buddy's time at the Hawks. He is a Swan now and he should take ownership and responsibility for the team. The dual captain setup is wishy-washy rubbish. Jack flubbed two golden opportunities in the early stages of the game and McVeigh didn't stand up when it mattered.

5. Our players are still learning the new structure and it will take time to adjust. Before 2013, the Swans haven't really had a key forward since Hall retired in 2009 (don't count Bradshaw). Given this fact, it's actually astonishing that we won the premiership in 2012. The way we play is far too one-eyed and predictable. Good teams know exactly what to expect.

I agree with most of that. Reg, Stewie Dew and maybe Mal are off to Adelaide anyway. I reckon a deal has been done about the Adelaide coaching job. Reg would want ot go home and he was crap today. I can't wait until Aliir gets enough experience to take over, he is at least fast and gets hands free. It is obvious by today's performance that Mal is leaving. He did everything to stuff up our chances by kicking to opposition players. Rhyce is just a crap kick, retire Rhyce!. Hawks went after, headhunted several of our younger players, Jetts, Hannas, Parker, Lloydy. They hit them all game with head highs. @@@@ing disgusting. I was hoping toward the end of the game we would do the same thing back. I would love to see some of the Hawk players with stitches and more tonight but it ain't gonna happen. Our coaches need to look long and hard at the mids structures. They have been crap all year and were just terrible today. How can you leave Mitchell, Lewis & Hodge alone at the centre bounces and start all of our players off them? Just unbelievable. Longmire didn't seem perturbed by this? I know I was!!!! The sooner Dew leaves the better!!! Bring Crouchy in to replace him & give Pebbles or Shaw the Development Coach job. crouchy had some really good rotations and structures gong in the Twos. They had to be different to the Seniors because they had different cattle.

[Wazza]

Interesting day Hawks wanted it more and were to physical for us. We just a bad day and Hawthorns pressure was fantastic. Jetta was off from first minute and didnt handle the pressure at all but nether did Lloyd both were terrible but I would have left Lloyd in the game why bring jetta back?? If there was a game we needed Bird it was vs hawthorn what value bird the sub vs Bird the run with stopper? bizzare coaching.

IMHO It will be difficult to maintain top 4 next year, try to work out where the improvement will come from? Mitchell into the midfield offers what? he cant defend is slow isnt a both ways player - who does he replace ? The issues are Reg and Shaw, either Rohan or Biggs are replacement for Shaw plus a couple of others in reserves but who replaces Reg? Please dont say Tommy Walsh the man could be under our noses sam reid.

Its time to go Shaw, plenty of talent waiting for this position no logical reason for Shaw to continue, if we can find a trade/replacement for Reg move him on, Goodes gets to say when he leaves, probably the best swans player ever and wasnt the worst today by a long way. Reid is more the issue than Goodes, where does reid fit in - he needs to replace Reg in defence !Is jetta worth keeping because he has outside speed? I would rather see Towers in Jetta role, worth a trade for the right player?

Been a blast of a season enjoyed the ride shattered today but thats football!! get ready for the trade rumours for some good laughs, thanks to everyone for your posts been a good year on RWO

cheers

wazza

[bloodsbigot]

I'm ashamed to be a swans supporter.

[barry]

A lot of good analysis here, but at the end of the day there is only one stat that matters in finals... tackles.

Tackles =pressure = turnover = out scoring.

We stood off, instead of tackling. Simple really dont know why we did this.

[Ludwig]

I agree with most of that. Reg, Stewie Dew and maybe Mal are off to Adelaide anyway. I reckon a deal has been done about the Adelaide coaching job. Reg would want ot go home and he was crap today. I can't wait until Aliir gets enough experience to take over, he is at least fast and gets hands free. It is obvious by today's performance that Mal is leaving. He did everything to stuff up our chances by kicking to opposition players. Rhyce is just a crap kick, retire Rhyce!. Hawks went after, headhunted several of our younger players, Jetts, Hannas, Parker, Lloydy. They hit them all game with head highs. @@@@ing disgusting. I was hoping toward the end of the game we would do the same thing back. I would love to see some of the Hawk players with stitches and more tonight but it ain't gonna happen. Our coaches need to look long and hard at the mids structures. They have been crap all year and were just terrible today. How can you leave Mitchell, Lewis & Hodge alone at the centre bounces and start all of our players off them? Just unbelievable. Longmire didn't seem perturbed by this? I know I was!!!! The sooner Dew leaves the better!!! Bring Crouchy in to replace him & give Pebbles or Shaw the Development Coach job. crouchy had some really good rotations and structures gong in the Twos. They had to be different to the Seniors because they had different cattle.

I don't know what you're on about. Of course you're disappointed. We all are. I thought Malceski was our best player today. Shaw made plenty or errors, but he tried hard. Reg made a big mistake not marking the ball that eventually went for a goal, but was far from the worst. The game was lost well before the ball ever got into their forward 50. We shouldn't forget that our defence conceded the fewest points this season. That said, I agree that some changes are in order for our defence next season.

Hawthorn players running rings around us in general play doesn't have anything to do with our stoppage setup. We were beaten at the stoppages and everywhere else as well.

[churry]

A lot of good analysis here, but at the end of the day there is only one stat that matters in finals... tackles.

Tackles =pressure = turnover = out scoring.

We stood off, instead of tackling. Simple really dont know why we did this.

Agreed, hawthorn's pressure was amazing and every time they had the ball there was a severe lack of pressure from the swans. The amount of space the hawks continually had on the wing was stunning.

[paper_rival]

I will accept performance like this in any H&A game, but not in a GF and not by a minor premiers.

Unfortunately I don't think bad days pick and choose.
We have a good list, we won't take a Port-like dive

[Melbournehammer]

Just a bad day all round. Coaches will have a field day with the review, but mostly their ability to hurt us with tackles that stuck and our inability to do the same made sure we panicked and they didn't.

Slowly getting past the disappointment.

[DamY]

That was probably a rude awakening for some fans who expected us to romp in with it, but the Hawks really showed how to play a GF today. A bit like we did 2 years ago really. I have full confidence that we'll be sufficiently stung to hit 2015 with a vengeance.

The Hawks were deserved winners today and deserved premiers this year. But I'm equally as proud of our boys' season and we'll be back up there next year.

Totally agree with you. We got pantsed. In 2012, we pantsed Hawthorn. They're probably still burning from 2012 and they'd be gutted 2013 was without swans.

Next year will be amazing. I think a lot of control freaks are losing their @@@@ right now

[Faunac8]

Disappointed yes
Surprised yes
Mystified yes
Embarrassed no
Ashamed no
Always proud to support this team and anyone who isn't jump on to the Hawks bandwagon or maybe even start following the Giants
We will be back bigger and better

[aardvark]

Really disappointed. I'd like to see Reid and Jetta traded. I'm sick of us carrying them all the time. Trade them for someone who has a go.

[Cheer_Cheer]

After a couple of cordials I have settled and my big positive from this whole clusterbuck of a performance is Buddy. What an amazing player and lovely person he is. It is so refreshing after having a full forward like BBBH to have someone who is able to take a peck on the cheek from an old team mate and not thump him.

[wolftone57]

Interesting day Hawks wanted it more and were to physical for us. We just a bad day and Hawthorns pressure was fantastic. Jetta was off from first minute and didnt handle the pressure at all but nether did Lloyd both were terrible but I would have left Lloyd in the game why bring jetta back?? If there was a game we needed Bird it was vs hawthorn what value bird the sub vs Bird the run with stopper? bizzare coaching.

IMHO It will be difficult to maintain top 4 next year, try to work out where the improvement will come from? Mitchell into the midfield offers what? he cant defend is slow isnt a both ways player - who does he replace ? The issues are Reg and Shaw, either Rohan or Biggs are replacement for Shaw plus a couple of others in reserves but who replaces Reg? Please dont say Tommy Walsh the man could be under our noses sam reid.

Its time to go Shaw, plenty of talent waiting for this position no logical reason for Shaw to continue, if we can find a trade/replacement for Reg move him on, Goodes gets to say when he leaves, probably the best swans player ever and wasnt the worst today by a long way. Reid is more the issue than Goodes, where does reid fit in - he needs to replace Reg in defence !Is jetta worth keeping because he has outside speed? I would rather see Towers in Jetta role, worth a trade for the right player?

Been a blast of a season enjoyed the ride shattered today but thats football!! get ready for the trade rumours for some good laughs, thanks to everyone for your posts been a good year on RWO

cheers

wazza

Why not Tommy Walsh Wazza? Why not Aliir? They are both very good defenders. I agree time for a clean out. Reg & Mal have already gone. Reg two years ago may have wanted to move back home and maybe got talked out of it. Mal will either be at Melb or Adelaide. Dew is going to Adelaide. Shaw should retire, so should Goodsie (not for any reason other than transition).

So list turn overs next year;

Dew - Will coach Adelaide

Mal - Will play for either demons or Adelaide

Reg - Might just play for Adelaide

Shaw - Retired

Goodes - Retired

Lockyer - Delisted

Marsh - Delisted

Dick - delisted

Jetts to wear a helmet so he can't be hit around the head.

Luke Parker is appointed Captain. This is a long term move to give security and strength to the captaincy. Buddy is appointed his mentor. Any player that doesn't want to play for the guernsey gets a free card.

- - - Updated - - -

Disappointed yes
Surprised yes
Mystified yes
Embarrassed no
Ashamed no
Always proud to support this team and anyone who isn't jump on to the Hawks bandwagon or maybe even start following the Giants
We will be back bigger and better

Sorry but I am both ashamed & embarrassed. I had to put up with my @@@@ing Hawk nephew crowing about how good they are! @@@@ Them!! I am embarrassed. Next year we had better be good.

[ernie koala]

Not sure it's worth singling out players, when the collective was so off the pace.

I'm still just shaking my head at the Swans apparent lack of intensity, lack of composure...

This translated into poor pressure, low tackle count, second to the ball all day.

The Hawks always appeared to have time, the Swans always appeared panicked and rushed.

Well played by the Hawks, they applied great pressure, put their foot on our throat and never let up.

From the Swans point of view, given this was the Grand Final...It was a demoralising, insipid performance, and at no stage did we even challenge them.

One can only hope this drives the club, in a positive way, over the coming seasons

[Swansinger]

After a couple of cordials I have settled and my big positive from this whole clusterbuck of a performance is Buddy. What an amazing player and lovely person he is. It is so refreshing after having a full forward like BBBH to have someone who is able to take a peck on the cheek from an old team mate and not thump him.

But it's even more refreshing to have a star forward......who plays in a Swans Premiership win

Are we still allowed to talk about Lance's un-lovely bump on Mal at ANZ a year ago ?!
I better stop there - else somebody will bring up Lockett on Caven !