Round 19: Geelong v Sydney Swans

[mcsquirta]

Dunstall commented sometime just before half time i think (I haven't watched the 2nd half) that you've put Tippet & Nank (slow as...) in the forward line and Sammy (1 of our few quick talls) tied up in the ruck - "What's the point of having 2 Ruckmen???". The logic behind field placements is gobsmackingly mindboggling. If ever there was a bleedin obvious, it's that Goodesy should be captain!

[annew]

Well I have been a swans fan for a long time and it is not because the team is losing that I am disgruntled but because the AFL and Eddie and co have got what they want the swans are in decline because the AFL have punished a team for doing nothing wrong. The AFL have won they are cheats and the swans are a bunch of wooses for accepting the bans and not fighting them in court. They will lose fans I just hope that the AFL loses money on the TV rights too. The umpiring is a disgrace

[annew]

I am so angry this morning because I am sick and tired of the swans only turning up for a half a game of football, I am sick of the disgusting umpiring and I am sick of the soft view the swans board are taking with the AFL and the trade bans. If the swans have done nothing wrong then they are not challenging the trading bans the way they should be. As for the academy apart from Heeney it is a waste of money and space and I will never donate to its running ever again. The swans need to show some guts and tell the AFL that they will not be supporting the acadmey in the future and let the AFL finance it and then the swans can draft from the Victorian pool. I fail to see the benefits of pouring money into an academy when they have changed the draft rules. I can cop losing but not when you are up against a cheating organisation that stops you from improving when you have done nothing wrong.

[WauchopeAnalyst]

Days are done!!!!!

Talking points:

1. We are fit enough - I think we are very fit but the game style demands nearly every player has race up and down the whole field and are pretty much buggered in the last quarter. If you have been doing this in the Swans system for a long time you look like you have hit the tank empty.

2. Game Style - Who do you win games with 1 or 2 forwards against 3 or 4 defenders, every forward flanker and pockets in the back 50 or very close to that and we are under pressure and Adelaide is the only top 8 team we have beaten.

3. Bloods - Gone! Either the players haven't bought in or they have decided it too hard. No leadership. Macca spends most of his time pointing at other players, and gets hit by the ball whilst pointing, Kizza has become a rotation midfielder, with a little spark occasionally. Have the players had enough of useless football we play.

4. Coaching - I don't know where to start. Every club has about 6-7 coaches. Senior Coach, Senior Assistant Coach, Forward, Mid, Defence, Ruck, Development, Strategies. Please show me who has improved markedly this year or even a bit. For me not much at all. Show me a better or different game style for this or next year, nothing for me. Adelaide barely tried last week and that doesn't count. Longmire rants nearly every game and players hate that happening. Maybe even the other coaches has had enough of it.

5. Trading - Too many whinges. We have only missed 1 trading period so far. Who were we going to get last year. Was Patfull going to save our team, no, just a solid player and there wasn't much else. This year is a bit different. Jake CARLISLE is a gun defender and we could build around that but now we can't. We traded for Buddy and Kurt, leave the VFL decision out, and that is were we are. How can we trade and get an early pick. Most other clubs developing there young list won't trade above 25YO unless a total gun. Old trade bait. McVeigh, Jack, Kennedy, Grundy, Smith. Real trade bait. Parker, Hannebery, Mitchell, Jetta. Little guppies bait, Bird, Reid, Rohan. Trade picks above 50, the rest of the list. Never know unless, Goodes, Shaw, Richards, Jack (uncontracted) retired and likely Marsh and some others let go. This years list and next years is building from the Rookies, Mills and someone else. Lovell would be great but I don't think we will get a gun defender in the draft and that will be next years trade period.

6. The Triads - Clearly Sydney has been punished at every time from the VFL, but they don't dictate have we play. If you can't kick, catch and get in position then that's not the VFL fault and I just cant work it out how so many players can't catch or mark and then kick to the advantage of your team mate.

I can now watch knowing that unless everything aligns with Franklin, Rohan, McGlynn and every good player available we are a 5-8 team with an ageing list, with no leadership and coaching. I am still happy from 1996, 2005, 2006 but 2014 has created a scar for me and I think for some of the players also. Trade for picks this year and so what is available next year. I would be happy to watch young players making mistakes in a more open game style but another year of grunt footy is hard to swallow and give positive feedback.

[The Big Cat]

Talking points:

1. We are fit enough - I think we are very fit but the game style demands nearly every player has race up and down the whole field and are pretty much buggered in the last quarter. If you have been doing this in the Swans system for a long time you look like you have hit the tank empty.

2. Game Style - Who do you win games with 1 or 2 forwards against 3 or 4 defenders, every forward flanker and pockets in the back 50 or very close to that and we are under pressure and Adelaide is the only top 8 team we have beaten.

3. Bloods - Gone! Either the players haven't bought in or they have decided it too hard. No leadership. Macca spends most of his time pointing at other players, and gets hit by the ball whilst pointing, Kizza has become a rotation midfielder, with a little spark occasionally. Have the players had enough of useless football we play.

4. Coaching - I don't know where to start. Every club has about 6-7 coaches. Senior Coach, Senior Assistant Coach, Forward, Mid, Defence, Ruck, Development, Strategies. Please show me who has improved markedly this year or even a bit. For me not much at all. Show me a better or different game style for this or next year, nothing for me. Adelaide barely tried last week and that doesn't count. Longmire rants nearly every game and players hate that happening. Maybe even the other coaches has had enough of it.

5. Trading - Too many whinges. We have only missed 1 trading period so far. Who were we going to get last year. Was Patfull going to save our team, no, just a solid player and there wasn't much else. This year is a bit different. Jake CARLISLE is a gun defender and we could build around that but now we can't. We traded for Buddy and Kurt, leave the VFL decision out, and that is were we are. How can we trade and get an early pick. Most other clubs developing there young list won't trade above 25YO unless a total gun. Old trade bait. McVeigh, Jack, Kennedy, Grundy, Smith. Real trade bait. Parker, Hannebery, Mitchell, Jetta. Little guppies bait, Bird, Reid, Rohan. Trade picks above 50, the rest of the list. Never know unless, Goodes, Shaw, Richards, Jack (uncontracted) retired an likely Marsh and some others let go. This years list and next years is building from the Rookies, Mills and someone else. Lovell would be great but I don't think we will get a gun defender in the draft and that will be next years trade period.

6. The Triads - Clearly Sydney has been punished at every time from the VFL, but they don't dictate have we play. If you can't kick, catch and get in position then that's not the VFL fault and I just cant work it out how so many players can't catch or mark and then kick to the advantage of your team mate.

I can now watch knowing that unless everything aligns with Franklin, Rohan, McGlynn and every good player available we are a 5-8 team with an ageing list, with no leadership and coaching. I am still happy from 1996, 2005, 2006 but 2014 has created a scar for me and I think for some of the players also. Trade for picks this year and so what is available next year. I would be happy to watch young players making mistakes in a more open game style but another year of grunt footy is hard to swallow and give positive feedback.

An illogical rant equalled only by Mile Fitzpatrick to Richard Colless

[rb4x]

Ted Richards (Sydney Swans) reported for engaging in rough conduct on Tom Hawkins (Geelong) in the third quarter Did anybody see what happened. Normally would expect a fine but he is now starting to develop a bit of a bad record. Maybe age is just catching up with him and he is having trouble with the pace of the game.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Ted Richards (Sydney Swans) for engaging in rough conduct on Tom Hawkins (Geelong) in the third quarter Did anybody see what happened. Normally would expect a fine but he is now starting to develop a bit of a bad record. Maybe age is just catching up with him and he is having trouble with the pace of the game.

Sort of flushed him in the head with his bum/hip when Hawkins was bent over to pick up the footy. Not a huge amount of contact, you would think a fine at best but with bad record maybe not.

[Doctor]

Yes the Richards one looked to be minimal contact and I suspect he'll be ok. I don't blame the umpire for reporting him under the new laws but it seemed to be insufficient contact to me.

I'm not one for "we wuz robbed" normally either, but that umpiring was a disgrace last night. Dunstall pointed out how many were going against us numerous times. Ultimately though, our bottom six just aren't strong enough, or improving and our senior players don't seem to all fire on the same week. Kennedy was excellent last night but others went missing instead. Jetta was super until half time but I suspect Geelong put a plan into place to stop him in the 2nd half. Some of our kicking errors were just awful though.

[111431]

This time last year we were saying that Lloyd's kicking was immaculate. Funny how these things change, Sydney seem to breed skills out of our midfielders

I agree re Lloyd's disposal - I reckon he hurt his ankle against hawthorn or Melbourne earlier this yr and it is still affecting his kicking

[baskin]

At the game last night I only realised Nankervis was subbed out when Reid contested a ruck contest. Can someone tell me how soon into the 3rd quarter the sub was made? As soon as I saw that I felt we would lose the game. It wasn't a good move.


ABC radio discussion were just suggesting Longmire would like his time again on that decision.

I think Teddy will probably be missing the game next week. Why does it have to be against Collingwood?!

[longmile]

Tippett should only ruck when Franklin is forward. Suprised Longmire persisted with Tippett in the ruck when it was so obvious we had no functional forward line to speak of.

Besides our lack of Bloods commitment and attitude, I think tactically Longmire is not up to the position of senior coach, we seem to only have a Plan A and when that doesnt work and Longmire has to react in-game this becomes really evident.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Our 22 is strong

Just not strong enough compared to west coast freeo Hawks

[annew]

If swans lose to Collingwood next week I just might go into hibernation for the rest of the year.

[longmile]

Our 22 is strong

Just not strong enough compared to west coast freeo Hawks

I personally think ours is stronger but we're just shot on confidence and gameplan and rely on key personnel who have been injured in critical stages in the 2nd half of this year

[WauchopeAnalyst]

Which part is illogical? Or are you one if the dreamers of yesterday..