Rnd.12 Match Day Thread. GWS V Sydney. 4.40pm at Spotless.

[rb4x]

Did not expect much today and not disappointed. Tippet and Rohan injured. Nankervis and X Richards did not start in two's. Derickx, Towers and Reid did not finish game in two's. Naismith not in ruck for last quarter. Think there was another injury as well but not sure who. Injury report will be interesting. Will probably be only AJ, Robinson and Talia as if?!*>?

[stevoswan]

Peeps, I don't often get involved and I am not making excuses but seriously, the criticism is over the top. We lost, probably along with Bud and Hanners, our most influential player in Tippo + we lost Gaz at half time. We were coming off an absolute slog against the GC and the umpiring was "disappointing" to say the least but not unexpected in the GWS 100th game. Plus they were amped for the big occasion of having a 21k crowd mostly of our supporters! The commentary, albeit GWS bias was better than Derm and the Pig. We are a lot better than what we showed today but clearly leg weary and down on personnel. On the upside I thought Jones was great and I really like Marsh's composure under pressure, I am not sure getting Ted back is the best idea as I like the balance I our backline at the moment. It pains me to say it as I have been reading others commentary about both McGlynn and McVeigh, but I am being consistently disappointed with both. Rampes is channeling Leo at the moment, absolute gun! Paps and Mills both provide more upside alongside Bud and on the half back line than our two warriors, and should get game time priority moving forward. By the way, did anyone notice how we missed George's cool head going inside 50 rather than blazing away, he is going to be a player and hope he is back this week. Don't lose the faith all as we are on the right track, if only we had beaten Wretchmond!!

I've been rationalising the game and how I would sum up it, and Snorks summation just about nails it. People seem to be forgetting last weeks slog in the wet and the toll it may/did take, and, barring injuries, there is still a lot to like about the rest of the season. The boys will bounce back, Kirky will see to that!

[longmile]

I've been rationalising the game and how I would sum up it, and Snorks summation just about nails it. People seem to be forgetting last weeks slog in the wet and the toll it may/did take, and, barring injuries, there is still a lot to like about the rest of the season. The boys will bounce back, Kirky will see to that!

Agreed, I still think we are genuine flag contenders. This was just a dud week and probably needed to happen. The only thing I'm really sweating on is Tippett's injury. He's absolutely crucial to our chances

[aardvark]

Those posters who reckon Rose was rubbish might like to know he was our equal highest ranked player according to the stats. If he'd kicked a little straighter he would have been highest.

If we're looking for people to drop McGlynn, Cunningham and McVeigh spring to mind and you can add Heeney to the list too.

[MattW]

Disappointing night. They ran and hit harder. Injuries to key players means a bleak night reverberates.

Upsides: Mills, Jones, Grundy.

Hopefully Papley back soon; I'd prefer him to McGlynn - gets more of it. Reid injury in ressies a massive bummer.

Who does Teddy come in for? With Nankervis/Naismith for Kurt and Rohan loses a lot of speed. Would be harsh on Marsh but will probably happen.

Time to stand up Sinclair. He played alright tonight.

Heeney needs more of it on nights like that. Not a massive knock on him, he still played OK and tried. But last of those 13 disposal games.

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Agreed, I still think we are genuine flag contenders. This was just a dud week and probably needed to happen. The only thing I'm really sweating on is Tippett's injury. He's absolutely crucial to our chances

Yeah, Tippett gone for the year and so are we.

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Those posters who reckon Rose was rubbish might like to know he was our equal highest ranked player according to the stats. If he'd kicked a little straighter he would have been highest.

If we're looking for people to drop McGlynn, Cunningham and McVeigh spring to mind and you can add Heeney to the list too.

Took a deep breath after his second mark inside 50, which set up an easy shot - knew he'd then miss. Happy for him (and us) that he kicked that last one. Three (edit) marks inside 50 a team high. Seven tackles. Good player. Keep him for sure. Allows Heeney to play midfield. Thought your comments harsh on Heeney. Needs more of it, but tried.

[longmile]

Heeney looks alot more comfortable and damaging forward than he does in the midfield where at the moment he seems out of his depth/unsure what to do. I know Rose is playing his role atm but maybe with Rohan potentially out he could move back down there

[MattW]

Heeney looks alot more comfortable and damaging forward than he does in the midfield where at the moment he seems out of his depth/unsure what to do. I know Rose is playing his role atm but maybe with Rohan potentially out he could move back down there

Good point. Rose and Heeney in forward 50 looks pretty dangerous. However, it means you need a mid for Rohan and who would that be? It will probably be Towers, so Heeney may as well stay in the middle.

[goswannies]

Agreed, I still think we are genuine flag contenders. This was just a dud week and probably needed to happen. The only thing I'm really sweating on is Tippett's injury. He's absolutely crucial to our chances

I don't subscribe to the theory that when a team loses, the loss was ever one they "need to have". No team ever needs to lose.

I do subscribe to the theory that every win is just one win closer to the next loss (& vice versa). Also, while I don't believe a team needs to lose, I do known teams do lose ... sometimes predictably ... sometimes unpredictably. Some losses are "acceptable" or perhaps, galant. Some are heavy or maybe devastating. Tonight's, for whatever reason (GC slog last week, GW$ too strong ... to some, the umpires) was closer to the latter. But I also believe that the Swans are proud and strong of character. They will bounce back. We've been beaten twice by good sides (once in an almost honourable fashion - Adelaide, and we were humbled tonight) and the Richmond loss coild have gone either way.

Our campaign is still well and truly alive & whatever injuries were sustained tonight will hopefully show the strength of character of the playing group & coaching staff. Rise to the challenge.

[stevoswan]

I don't subscribe to the theory that when a team loses, the loss was ever one they "need to have". No team ever needs to lose.

I do subscribe to the theory that every win is just one win closer to the next loss (& vice versa). Also, while I don't believe a team needs to lose, I do known teams do lose ... sometimes predictably ... sometimes unpredictably. Some losses are "acceptable" or perhaps, galant. Some are heavy or maybe devastating. Tonight's, for whatever reason (GC slog last week, GW$ too strong ... to some, the umpires) was closer to the latter. But I also believe that the Swans are proud and strong of character. They will bounce back. We've been beaten twice by good sides (once in an almost honourable fashion - Adelaide, and we were humbled tonight) and the Richmond loss coild have gone either way.

Our campaign is still well and truly alive & whatever injuries were sustained tonight will hopefully show the strength of character of the playing group & coaching staff. Rise to the challenge.

Kirky....

[Doctor]

LOL...I reckon! My Mrs and I just looked at each other prior to him having the kick and said, "As if he will get that!"....amazing kick!

It was in as soon as it left his boot. You could just see that he'd nailed it. Pity he was a Giants fan who had (by his own words) "switched from the Swans two years ago".

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The Giants were the better team and deserved to win. For the benefit of those of you not at the game though, ALL of the rotten calls or non-calls against us were by Schmitt. Chamberlain and the other guy were fair - not perfect but fair - but Schmitt caned us again like he has before. Some of the calls, and non-calls, were farcical.

[dimelb]

It's not often that umpiring costs us a match and last night was no exception; it was the salt in the wound. We lost the game when we lost Tippett, and to have Rohan and Mills added to that utterly finished our chances. No team in the AFL could lose that many key players plus wreck our rotations and beat a side as fresh and as good as the Giants.

Watching the Fox coverage I didn't see much of Cunningham (although I liked his desperate attempt to tackle Mummy) but I now wonder whether McVeigh's time has come. And I am increasingly thinking that Parker is carrying an injury of some kind. I hope he can get it sorted before the finals.

[Kumarangk]

Seriously! Yes the umpiring was shocking but no worse than most home sides usually get! To start claiming conspiracies and blaming that for our loss is a little bit silly i would think...

We were totally out played for most of the game by an extremely skilled young side who, as i said earlier, will likely continue to dish up performances like this against us for the next 10 years or so.

We'd want to hope we take our chance this year and snatch the premiership that appears gettable (injuries pending) because it's only going to get harder and harder to beat this mob!

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

That about sums it up for me. I like the story Melbournites like to tell when Giants make the GF in front of 100,000 fans.50,000 for their opposition , 40,000 AFL followers and 10,000 Giants fans !

[graemed]

Without watching a replay and having endured the agonising misery of sitting with too many oranges. I feel miserable but more than that I feel flat.
The umpiring contributed to a terrible day/night and genuinely set an early tone that this was not our twilight. However it was not the difference between winning and losing.
The difference for me was the clearances. Even when Tippett was fit we were on the back foot. Their ability to come off the back of the square at pace and find targets was significant.
In fact, I thought Sinclair was magnificent. I have been reserving judgement on him after seeing him curl up and die in last year's GF but yesterday he could have been excused for cutting corners and dodging and weaving but he stood up big time.
In the 3rd quarter, our best, he rucked tirelessly and even into the last he was still getting to contests and his effort was to be admired.
Amongst a number of forgettable performances, K Jack was another hero for me, he was at the bottom of a number of packs, laid tackles, chased and made opportunities for players down field.
Grundy, Laidler and Rampe did well on their tall forwards but their ability to run off half back and feed the smaller targets killed us. Greene got lucky with a couple of decisions but his aggression and smarts were too much for McVeigh early on and then Mills later.
The real concern was the way they ran away from us when they had the ball. We had no answer to that and it wasn't just Kelly, Williams and Wilson but their whole team seemed quicker than anyone we had opposed to them.
With the Bulldogs and Cats to follow the bye we need to find something soon and I must admit that sort of pace was not evident in the reserves either.

[Cosmic Wizard]

Good point. Rose and Heeney in forward 50 looks pretty dangerous. However, it means you need a mid for Rohan and who would that be? It will probably be Towers, so Heeney may as well stay in the middle.

Benny looked very tired and old, and has not really being making much of impact.

Why don't we tried something new, Davis or Hewett?

[Cosmic Wizard]

It's not often that umpiring costs us a match and last night was no exception; it was the salt in the wound. We lost the game when we lost Tippett, and to have Rohan and Mills added to that utterly finished our chances. No team in the AFL could lose that many key players plus wreck our rotations and beat a side as fresh and as good as the Giants.

Watching the Fox coverage I didn't see much of Cunningham (although I liked his desperate attempt to tackle Mummy) but I now wonder whether McVeigh's time has come. And I am increasingly thinking that Parker is carrying an injury of some kind. I hope he can get it sorted before the finals.

Parker could not run, even keep up with the GWS.

He should be rested and some leg speed brought in.

One of the best passage of plays was Jones receiving a handpass whilst running out of defence, pity about the kick.

Time and time again we tried up and under kicks or to a pack or to where the GWS defender could close on our player.

This tactic is from about twenty years ago.

Run and carry and keep possession of the ball is the game these days, which we didn't do.