What happens next

[mcs]

I think that mcs touched on it before but the thing that disappointed me (apart from the obvious) was that the Hawks physically lined us up and ran through us and not one Swan reacted to it. Nobody stood up and took it back to them. Not one player was even remotely in danger of getting reported for rough play because they were p@#$ ed off with what was happening. There was no passion and less pride. If we have someone who will take it up to them then let's get them in the team ASAP. It is one thing to look really pretty when you play but if you can't intimidate the opposition physically as a team then your time at the top will be severely curtailed.

Its not even a question of intimidating the opposition physically, but at least be willing to get in their faces and make it clear that it is no one way street. There were no acts of aggression, no acts of desperation, no acts of anything. Just 22 guys who for all intensive purposes were going through the motions. If you told someone to pick what part of the season that game was in (i.e. they didn't know it was a gf), then they would say it was a pre-season game, or an end of season game with nothing on the line.

As Melbourne_Blood says, I'm completely puzzled as to why it happened like it did, and why we didn't even give a whimper. So completely unlike the Swans we know and cherish. If that is a sign of things to come, we won't be near the top for very long. Hawthorn showed again how to beat us - and other good teams will soon mimic their effective tactics.

[Meg]

I can't agree. In fact I strongly disagree - sure they did well but that was because they could run into space and no Swan would run with them.

It's easy to get possessions when there's no competition - we showed that the week before.

And we showed it when we thrashed Geelong by 110 points. In fact I thought we looked and played in the GF just as Geelong did against us in that round 11 match.

[goswannie14]

Gladly booed Rocca simply because I didn't like the bloke. Never booed Shannon Grant. I understood why he left so I left him alone. I would never boo a premiership player regardless of the circumstances. Came close with Jolly a few times though.

Having seen what his Mrs is like on The Block, I only have sympathy for Jolly now.

- - - Updated - - -

Totally agree with this.

If Malceski takes advantage of free agency to go elsewhere next hear the Swans players and the Swans fans will be sad and disappointed. But I'm confident he would go with our thanks and good wishes. I can't envisage the players physically targeting him or the fans booing and abusing him when we play against him.

Appalling way to treat a player who contributed so much to Hawthorn for nine years.

Definitely.

[AnnieH]

We lost it when Reg punched the ball into the Hawks goal square.
That should have been a mark. If you can punch it (all on your own in the opposition's 50m), you can mark it.
Kinda all went downhill from there.

I'm still pretty angry.

They've been trying to rip us apart all year... seems to me it worked.

[goswannie14]

We lost it when Reg punched the ball into the Hawks goal square.
That should have been a mark. If you can punch it (all on your own in the opposition's 50m), you can mark it.
Kinda all went downhill from there.

I'm still pretty angry.

They've been trying to rip us apart all year... seems to me it worked.

Yeah, I reckon that was the turning point, if Jack missing a sitter wasn't already.

[annew]

Yes a totally bizarre performance I too am puzzled.

[barry]

When we were 30 or 40 points down at half timw we should have gone the knuckle for 5 minutes. Didnt. Fail.

[Flying South]

The thing with the Hawks is, and they are the only team at the moment (maybe the Pies too) where we really struggle with this - is that we just don't seem to be able to put the clamps on them when they get on top. Look at the 2012 grand final. Both times when they took the game by the scruff of the neck we managed to regain control, slow the scoring and find a way back into it. In the Rd 18 game this year and of course on Saturday, once the Hawks had control, we were completely helpless. We need to flood back, limit the space, and ramp up the pressure on the ball carrier, in hope of breaking their momentum. We just let them take us on a merry dance all day long.

Hawthorn have worked out that most of our clearances come out the back door. Where we like to spread and swarm forward. They have players like Lewis, Mitchell and Sheils waiting to mow us down. They force the turnover and deliver into quickly into their forward 50. Horse doesn't have a plan B against this. This is where I think Tom Mitchell brings something different. He is able to extract the ball and run through the contest or fire out a handball to a running player.

[Flying South]

It's hard to put physical pressure on a team with such beautiful elite kicking skills. The Hawks passed it around, opened up space and never allowed us to apply a pressure game. The uncontested mark count will tell you the story. Apply pressure when that is happening and the umpire blows 50m.

The Swans only have four players with truly elite kicking skills (Mcveigh, Buddy, Malceski and Jetta. The Hawks have the following players who are elite by foot:

Lake
Gibson
Birchill
Suckling
Hodge
Mitchell
Lewis
Burgoin
Smith
Hill
Bruest
Rioli
Roughead
Gunston

These guys can keep possession and drain the oppositions will and energy. It's like the All Blacks putting 12 phases of play together or an elite soccer team who can string together 20 plus passes without giving the opposition a chance.

When the Swans get the ball we move it quickly and try to get our key forwards a one on one. The Hawks know that so they put three guys back on our key forwards. The Hawks then won the ball back and weaved their way through us.

We needed to hold the ball when we had it, not apply more physical pressure. If we could hold the ball then the Hawks would tire and lose their rhythm and momentum.

We can't do it because we don't have many players with elite foot skills like the Hawks do.

We were beaten by foot skill and strategy. Not effort or lack of pressure.

This is just my opinion.

As I said in another post, when you get beaten 300-163 in uncontested possessions. That is through lack of effort and an unwillingness to work hard into spaces. And an unwillingness stay with your man. And a lack of appetite for two way gut running. Hawthorn did have that effort and were rewarded with uncontested possessions and numbers at the contests. Lack of effort is just soft.

[Meg]

Yes a totally bizarre performance I too am puzzled.

Me too. Ludwig's girlfriend has the only rational explanation (that the Swans threw the game). I'm not for a moment suggesting it is right, but at least it would make sense. Nothing I can think of makes any sense at all.

[Ludwig]

Me too. Ludwig's girlfriend has the only rational explanation (that the Swans threw the game). I'm not for a moment suggesting it is right, but at least it would make sense. Nothing I can think of makes any sense at all.

It was so funny Meg. She was just looking at me like I was such a gullible fool to believe that the Swans actually played that badly without getting a payoff from some big time punters.

I blame this one on Eddie too. Now that we've lost our COLA, how else can the players afford to pay the rent?

[Melbournehammer]

As I said in another post, when you get beaten 300-163 in uncontested possessions. That is through lack of effort and an unwillingness to work hard into spaces. And an unwillingness stay with your man. And a lack of appetite for two way gut running. Hawthorn did have that effort and were rewarded with uncontested possessions and numbers at the contests. Lack of effort is just soft.

It is also really shocking coaching. We were getting annihilated in the contest. The only time we were winning contests was deep in defence. How about saying we are going man on man everywhere. Parker plays on Mitchell jack on hodge Kennedy on Lewis Jetta on hill McGLynn on suckling and so on.

I've said this elsewhere. Horse has two tactics when getting beat - the first is to throw Reid behind by the ball. The second is to bring a second player behind the ball as well as al of the smalls. But every time we do that against anyone we lose control of the game.

When Gibson can get the ball kicked to him 60 metres from goal without anyone being 40 metres from him the game plan has been ruthlessly exploited.

Given the number of times we have played the Hawks in a row where they have just got the ball and dominated against us and had repeat entries and goals, the lack of planning here was really disappointing. The pres conference after round 18 was to the effect that the boys have been up for a while it was just a down day. But it actually was similar to the qf last year, and even against the Hawks this season where we won there was a period of absolute domination against us.

Too often have we seen games where we are unable to compete if the midfield is down. I could do a list of them, but he needs to develop a strategy for responding to that situation, not just say it was really disappointing and we are at a loss. Do something. At least he put Goodes inton the centre square but the 2014 goodes is not the 2007 version sadly

[Melbournehammer]

Hawthorn have worked out that most of our clearances come out the back door. Where we like to spread and swarm forward. They have players like Lewis, Mitchell and Sheils waiting to mow us down. They force the turnover and deliver into quickly into their forward 50. Horse doesn't have a plan B against this. This is where I think Tom Mitchell brings something different. He is able to extract the ball and run through the contest or fire out a handball to a running player.

Could I just say that this is how the pies have dismantled our game plan as well.

If you sit two very fast hff behind the ball hand balling backwards exposes you to where the biggest pressure is and also means when the ball spills their players are running forwards and ours aren't.

[Cardinal]

Swans 4 to 1 favourites for next year's flag. Should put our list and the shocker of a game in some better perspective for those who are inclined to overreact.

Funny one thing that has come out the weekend for me is just how much I respect the Hawks as a team and as players, but also how much I really dislike a chunk of their fans.

[Meg]

one thing that has come out the weekend for me is just how much I respect the Hawks as a team and as players, but also how much I really dislike a chunk of their fans.

+1