Round 1 Match Day Thread. Sydney V Collingwood SCG.

[Meg]

Get the Footy Live app.

Brilliant! Thanks Ugg, I'm grumpy no more (or at least for now)!

[Meg]

Sidebottom offered two matches by MRP for the head-high bump on Hanners that left Dan very groggy.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Up at the Byron bay blues fest

Didn't think life could get better then watching the replay

!!!!!!!

Incredible intensity

Great game plan in defence attack and transition

Fantastic display by our youth and leaders

Onwards and upwards

[Mug Punter]

Welcome back Kirky.....

Our best recruit of the off season for sure.

[dejavoodoo44]

Up at the Byron bay blues fest

Didn't think life could get better then watching the replay

!!!!!!!

Incredible intensity

Great game plan in defence attack and transition

Fantastic display by our youth and leaders

Onwards and upwards

Yes, and I suspect that Hawthorn losing is a further mood enhancer.

[wolftone57]

And speaking of player numbers - I am grumpy about the update to the AFL club apps which means it is no longer possible to view players by number order. The update has made a whole range of statistics by player available which I think is great. But in doing that it's lost the player number order. I've always used my phone to quickly check on a player I don't recognise (usually from the opposing team) but now I have to read down the whole list to try to find the player number. And with my head down looking at my phone, miss some key action!

Hmmm, perhaps a ploy to try to get me to buy the printed AFL Record?

I was gonna say buy the Footy record. I get the Record because I like to read the names immediately if I don't know someone, from the opposition of course. I know all our numbers.

[Beerman]

I get the feeling that someone called Nick Dsavis has been teaching Psapley and Mitchell tricks. Have a look at both their drop and snap goals. Wonderful, right out of the Davis handbook. same kick he did in the final against Geelong to seal the deal in both cases. Very clever little buggers.

Funny you should mention that - I was just re-watching and thought exactly the same thing. I've no doubt it's a standard play that most teams would train for and use, but it feels very special for the swans.

[RogueSwan]

George is just a vert good all-round footballer isn't he? Just looks the full package, he has a good mark, can tackle and has good skills. He has a good engine and a big body that he is growing into....

A sounds like a description of Parker.

[Hotpotato]

Bucks on AFL 360: couldn't find any compliment for The Swans .... Just moaned about the poor performance of the Pies. Pretty ordinary .

[Ludwig]

Dane Swan has a Lisfranc injury and 3 broken bones in his foot. Sadly seems like the end of a great career for a unique and entertaining character both on and off the field. Not surprised that Zak Jones was involved in the incident, not that he was at fault. But he plays like a human wrecking ball. Lucky Mummy's gone. It would too scary with the 2 of them out there at the same time.

[Bloody Hell]

....

We also have a serious issue with kicking (and I'm not just talking about shots on goal).

....

I actually thought that our kicking was impressive compared with the efforts of the past 3 years.

The trajectory or Mill's kicks is very similar to Malcheski in his prime.

The ball going I50 was particularly impressive. Heeney, Papley, Towers, Mills, etc and just the general effort to not mess around and get it in long without letting it hang in the air.

I noted McVeigh On the Couch discussed it as an area they had identified as a weakness and have drafted recently, particulaly this year, with it in mind.

If someone can get Mitchell to stop bombing the ball out of packs ALA ROK, and start looking for a better option in close - or alternatively follow Parkers lead and move to space, things will be looking much better.

[wolftone57]

Didn't play one VFL game! So ineligible to be considered among the greats. Never tested in the long Melbourne seasons. Looked good in few exhibition state games but so did Diamond Jim Tilbrook.

The VFL was not the be all and end all then. The other state comps were very strong. I know I lived through it. don't give a @@@@ if he played no VFL footy he was still the best judged the best by the best players that ever played the game including Jeseluenko, Parkin, Barrassi. You name it everyone who saw him said he was the best they ever saw. I saw him cut the Vics to pieces and this was in the time the Vics had every great player from every state playing for them not their home states. No 'State of Origin' then the mongrels. You Vics always cheated and still do. Robran CHOSE not to go to Victoria. He hated the city and didn't even live in Adelaide. He lived in the Adelaide Hills and was a farmer. He did not have to play in Victoria to be the best to have ever played. Buddy would be the modern equivalent but playing as a midfielder. He was 6'3"and played follower/centre. But could play CHF, CHB or ruck if needed. He played FF in a few matches after he did his cruciate ligament. Mind you he played from 1974 to 1980 after doing that. There were not even operations guaranteed to fix a posterior let alone anterior cruciate ligament in those days. I didn't barrack for North Adelaide and I am not a South Australian (born in Broken Hill), but I have seen the man play as I have seen all the greats since 1965 play and he was by far the best player I have ever seen. He made all the other players look ordinary in the State matches. Killed Jezza, murdered Matthews, you name it. If the state games had been a State of Origin sides Jezza would never have been able to play for Victoria as he was from the ACT. Blight and Bussusto actually played for Victoria for @@@@s sake. That is how seriously the Vics took State matches, they always wanted to kill the opposition so they played the other states players against them, their best players. Bloody cheats.

[Meg]

Round 1 Match Day Thread. Sydney V Collingwood SCG.

I enjoyed that rant Wolfie. As I grew up in Adelaide following the SANFL (as a Norwood supporter) I understand your sentiments completely. Oh how we hated the Vics! And you are right - Barrie Robran was a super super-star. He won three Magarey Medals (the SA equivalent of the Brownlow). And this quote from Wikipedia bears you out:
"He resisted many overtures to play in Victoria, at one stage signing a form four with Carlton so that the Victorian recruiters would stop pestering him. "

[Plugger46]

Didn't play one VFL game! So ineligible to be considered among the greats. Never tested in the long Melbourne seasons. Looked good in few exhibition state games but so did Diamond Jim Tilbrook.

Not sure Jezza's view is any more relevant than anyone else's either. Being a great footballer doesn't automatically make you a great judge. I've heard Parkin say "x is the best player I've seen" about 5 different players.

[graemed]

Have finally managed to land long enough to write something after being on Cloud 9 since Saturday night. Wow!

Did not expect that! I am trying not to get too carried away but from believing we would struggle to hold onto a place in the 8 after watching the NAB Cup games to watching that performance I must admit to being totally gob smacked and actually pinched myself after the game.

Have not seen a quarter of football like the second quarter since the night we handed Geelong a 108 point smashing a few years ago.

All 3 debutantes made excellent contributions throughout the match and whilst K Jack, Parker and Lloyd were outstanding there were no passengers.

Loved Tippett's game, I like many doubted his commitment. I was corrected in no uncertain terms on Saturday night, he was earnest in the contest, brave in marking contests, focused in his defensive tasks and apart from his marking which was poor (perhaps affected by fatigue) played a brilliant match.

Also enjoyed Towers' efforts, he was always available either as a defensive out or to put in a block or as a marking option. His decision making is improving and he is showing more confidence.

My concerns remain unresolved mainly because the midfield were so dominant that our backline were never exposed to the type of pressure that they will experience from the likes of the Bulldogs, Hawthorn, West Coast, Geelong, North, etc. Until we are matched by that type of quality perhaps in 2 weeks we cannot be overconfident.

Rampe, Jones, Mills all played attacking roles and without pressure made good decisions and found targets. Talia, Laidler and Grundy all did well on their respective talls but I for one will be interested to see how Richards fits into that group. His positioning and intercept marking have always been elite but recently he has been exposed for a lack of pace and that is not going to improve with time. McVeigh will also need to be accomodated so the pressure to perform will be interesting on the back 6. Smith was outstanding all night and apart from an errant handball to poor Reg in the goal square did not put a foot wrong.

Sinclair is a genuine target as a forward he makes good position, takes contested marks and moves well. I am less convinced of his abilities around the ground and with his rucking skills specifically. He made some fundamental errors when positioning for boundary throw ins and his centre ruck work was ineffective. I think Taubert needs to work hard with this guy.

Kennedy was below his best but I thought until his injury Hanaberry was working well.

Sidebottom seemed to have better of Cunningham until the 2nd half so he may be under pressure although his 2 goals were excellent. Mitchell started slowly but is a class act and his first goal opened the flood gates until then we couldn't buy a major.

I thought the world had ended when I saw Franklin grab his shoulder after that contest on the wing. Luckily, it seems unobtrusive or at least treatable. It was magnificent watching him attack the ball, run into contests, create space and oppourtunites and to kick so beautifully. What a talent!