Round 16: Sydney v Hawthorn

[MattW]

Any chance of a frank analysis on where we sit from Longmire in the presser?

My expected quote:

"We were disappointing tonight, but the great thing about football is that we get another opportunity to test ourselves against West Coast in 8 days"

That's pretty good.

[WauchopeAnalyst]

Well congratulations its great to see you were right and we are a crap team. That must make your support even more tenuous possibly try switching to the Giants . By the way what team could have beaten the filthy rotten mongrel Hawks tonight?

Been there since 1983, gone to games with just 4000 other spectators, last on the ladder, and losing by 50 points to the 2nd last team so i think i have a little bit of knowledge and experience. I have been trying to explain for weeks that we are in trouble but was mostly shouted down with results, ladder, etc. Tonight exposed. No tenuous support just like having a few comments and a little discussion about structures, game theory, coaching. We are not playing enough games in a style the puts you in a position to make a stake for the flag. Last year or any previous year means not too much or sometimes nothing.

[barry]

First time i have left a game before it ended. Pathetic.hard to see where the improvement will come from.

[Swans500]

Been there since 1983, gone to games with just 4000 other spectators, last on the ladder, and losing by 50 points to the 2nd last team so i think i have a little bit of knowledge and experience. I have been trying to explain for weeks that we are in trouble but was mostly shouted down with results, ladder, etc. Tonight exposed. No tenuous support just like having a few comments and a little discussion about structures, game theory, coaching. We are not playing enough games in a style the puts you in a position to make a stake for the flag. Last year or any previous year means not too much or sometimes nothing.

Yes...me too...since 1984 never missed attending a home game between 1984 and when I left Sydney in 2002...Saw the worst of it...a year and a half without a win...went to every after game event at the old Bowling Club...I agree with your comments and warning wholeheartedly...It is an empty feeling right now and I have felt it coming for weeks....

[Melbournehammer]

Been there since 1983, gone to games with just 4000 other spectators, last on the ladder, and losing by 50 points to the 2nd last team so i think i have a little bit of knowledge and experience. I have been trying to explain for weeks that we are in trouble but was mostly shouted down with results, ladder, etc. Tonight exposed. No tenuous support just like having a few comments and a little discussion about structures, game theory, coaching. We are not playing enough games in a style the puts you in a position to make a stake for the flag. Last year or any previous year means not too much or sometimes nothing.

It's been blindingly obvious for weeks that we have been playing poorly. It was equally obvious that we are on the slide. The Richmond north Gold Coast blues lions games all showed us to be a side that was in the middle of the table. But we kept winning. But we were so far off hawthorn it wasn't funny.

I remain of the view that Richmond is the only side that I can see beating the Hawks in a grand final. They have the leagues best defender and a midfield that when it is confident is the equal of any.

On.the other hand we are used up. It has been obvious for weeks that the nucleus of this side was gone. We have no reliable users in the back half we have a ridiculously overrated midfield, we have no rucks and a forward line designed by horse to be him and Carey like it was 1998.

I watched gws today. I think they will pants us when next we play and I expect them to be ahead of us on the ladder for the next five seasons.

[Swans500]

How do they work out the draw these days??? We played the evil Hawks twice already while the lairy Eagles have not faced them AT ALL!!! We have not played Saint Kilda yet...eagles will play them twice....Not an excuse but a question I have asked myself for years...Liked te old way of each team playing each other then starting again until end of season. Totally fair...

[Ludwig]

So how are we supposed to rebuild when the AFL put trade restrictions on us...What a disgrace!

Although the trade restrictions are blatantly unfair, I have never thought it made much practical difference.

That we might have been able to get Patfull is a minor point, as he only would have managed to keep Laidler out of the lineup, and in that regard, it might have even been a detriment. In regards to the coming trade period, there really aren't any KPPs that we can afford given the reduction in our salary cap, even if there were any available.

I think we rebuild like other teams do, by playing the younger players we already have on the list and through the draft. And the occasional FA and trade, like we got Laidler.

Next year's trade period will be the key to how we develop. We will likely trade Tippett or he will have a serious pay reduction. We will have another year to work out our ruck situations; it's hard to say if Nankervis and Naismith will be good enough, but that's what we are looking at now. I would start playing Abe Davis now, even though he's not ready, but we need another forward to complement Buddy. These are just a few ideas, but the reality is that there will be a lot of experimentation before the solution is found. It's going to take time.

[The Big Cat]

Time to drop Tippett to the second!

Worst trade ever!

It wasn't a trade.

[Nico]

Not putting the slows on Zac Jones, but he was on nearly the whole game and had 3 kicks and 6 handpasses. He did at times add a bit of pace. I don't see him as a close checking half back. I would stick him in guts.
Shaw cannot bend over to pick up the ball.
Sam Reid is grossly over rated. He was pathetic.
Cunningham was ok early but his stats were flattered by a few junk time possessions. Not up to it.
Brandon Jack was ok but he has to stop giving off to a senior play in a worse position than himself, just because it is a senior player. Needs to take the game on. Can't see him ever being a regular.
Jack Lloyd. What has happened to him. His disposal now stinks, he holds onto the footy for too long, runs back into the play and has stopped getting in and under and in the action. 1 tackle tonight. Seems to just drift around waiting for the easy possession.
Our tail is long indeed.
Parker really struggles against Hawthorn.
Tippett.....an enigma.

[annew]

Bloody hell the Hawks supporters were so obnoxious on the train. I hope so much that west coast or Freo can compete with them. I mean how good would Freo and west coast be if they had the home games that Hawks get. Hawks very rarely travel and even then it's only to Tas.

[goods78]

What will it take for any of the reporters to ask a probing question of Longmire in the presser??

[Industrial Fan]

I remember the crowbots and the saints being unbackable favourites at this time of year and not going on to win. Even the cats in 08.

Don't think the score was an accurate reflection of the game. There were a few frees late in the second that stopped our run and even late in the third we kicked a goal that had us in it. The Hawks kicked a run of about 4 after that which broke our backs.

Opportunities we missed early hurt. We beat the Hawks at their ground only 8 weeks ago.

Some big ins for us next time we meet. Season isn't done yet.

But, please stop Jetta from kicking in again.

[Velour&Ruffles]

I remember the crowbots and the saints being unbackable favourites at this time of year and not going on to win. Even the cats in 08.

Don't think the score was an accurate reflection of the game. There were a few frees late in the second that stopped our run and even late in the third we kicked a goal that had us in it. The Hawks kicked a run of about 4 after that which broke our backs.

Opportunities we missed early hurt. We beat the Hawks at their ground only 8 weeks ago.

Some big ins for us next time we meet. Season isn't done yet.

I wish I lived in Fantasy Land too. It's much nicer than the real world.

[annew]

Yes and not only this but we are being PUNISHED and SANCTIONED via trade bans for even having them. So we are being PUNISHED because on PAPER we are supposed to be good. But we are terrible and must be PREVENTED ILLEGALLY from recovering because the VFL have decided to call time on our competent management of recent times, and LAUD and REWARD fat morons who have run Vic teams into the ground for years. "You can't have everything." What a transparently heinous comment.

Yes I agree how can you improve when you lose players and can't trade them for anyone else. The AFL are cheats

[Go Swannies]

Maybe there's a grand master plan where we trick the Hawks into thinking that's as good as we can play so when we meet them in finals we catch them by surprise.

I hope that's the case as the only other option is that we support the same soft group of players who capitulated in the 2014 GF. The ones I said would have to re-earn my respect. Tonight was like catching your partner in bed with someone else, again and knowing you can't trust them no matter what reassurances they give and apparent reform they undertake. We managed some cheap hits tonight that will take a few players away for next week's vital game. And right now I can't think why I paid for my Premiership Club membership for 2015.