Rnd 17 MDT. Sydney V Hawthorn. SCG. 19.20 pm.

[CureTheSane]

I know I won't be well received for this, but my disappointment is already fading.

Absolutely not.
I feel the same way, and you spelled it out very well.
It's just goodbye to Facebook for 3 or 4 days, and when people mention the game to me I once again reply "what game?" "What is this football you talk of?"

[robamiee]

I know I won't be well received for this, but my disappointment is already fading.

We've have 2x6 day breaks. A bunch of 1st & 2nd year players in the side, who only have a hand full of games under their belts. No Tippett. No Heeney. Laidler, Reid & Talia out - any one of them would bolster a backline that isn't the strongest in the league. Playing with a very inexperienced ruck division. Lost to the ladder leader. We've lost 4 games by less than 2 goals (not easy to swallow, but if things had gone our way a little bit more in those games we'd be feeling a lot better). 3 of the close losses were against Adelaide, Dogs & Hawks ... all genuine contenders.

I, for one, am still proud of the endeavour tonight against quality opposition. The loss hurts me as a supporter. But seeing the boys in tears in the rooms after the game ... they are hurting more than I ever will. We are still a contender in an even season. We are still a contender - for a team rebuilding on the run, by blooding new talent & restructuring in the absence of key players.

This pain will fade. The players will learn. A couple of decent wins will ease the disappointment .,, bring on Carlton



.... Oh & I hate the Hawks!

i agree

we do ahve ALOT of yng players and its prob that youth that costs us in close games... but i was more angry with losing tonight than the other close games....a few passengers tonight...love Benny mcGlynn but doesnt have the impact anymore...towers just do something....Poor Teddy just seems not quite there since the head knocks and we seem so reliant on our dominate midfield, but we get sucked in and the hawks have the best clearing hand passes i ahve ever seen in a team..quick passes lightning quick...
We were good enough to win to fight back and lead, but just not quite good enough on the night

[Bexl]

I know I won't be well received for this, but my disappointment is already fading.

We've have 2x6 day breaks. A bunch of 1st & 2nd year players in the side, who only have a hand full of games under their belts. No Tippett. No Heeney. Laidler, Reid & Talia out - any one of them would bolster a backline that isn't the strongest in the league. Playing with a very inexperienced ruck division. Lost to the ladder leader. We've lost 4 games by less than 2 goals (not easy to swallow, but if things had gone our way a little bit more in those games we'd be feeling a lot better). 3 of the close losses were against Adelaide, Dogs & Hawks ... all genuine contenders.

I, for one, am still proud of the endeavour tonight against quality opposition. The loss hurts me as a supporter. But seeing the boys in tears in the rooms after the game ... they are hurting more than I ever will. We are still a contender in an even season. We are still a contender - for a team rebuilding on the run, by blooding new talent & restructuring in the absence of key players.

This pain will fade. The players will learn. A couple of decent wins will ease the disappointment .,, bring on Carlton



.... Oh & I hate the Hawks!

Hard to argue with any of that except this part (a backline that isn't the strongest in the league ). we have an excellent back line even if it lacks experience.
.

[CureTheSane]

With all the youth we have developed, I sense a bit of a clear out at end of season.
Wouldn't be surprised if one way or the other we lose
McGlynn, McVeigh, Richards, Reid, Micthell

Not sure about Jones's injury - he didn't look too happy. He looked like his season was over...

[Industrial Fan]

Thought we played the better game apart from the @@@@ers in green.

The upbeat note to leave on is the synergy wth 2012 with the loss to Richmond and The close loss to the Hawks at the scg. 2005 had the 1pt loss to the Tigers for the double up too.

[aardvark]

Did we stop tagging Sam Mitchell after quarter time and if so can someone tell me why?

[dejavoodoo44]

Yes, gs, that was one thing that I was thinking while watching the post match: Carlton are probably going to have a whole lot of problems next week.
Though I did think that our defence was generally on top tonight. I was once again very impressed by Aliir. He seems to see the game very well and makes good decisions quickly. Combined with his athletic ability, I believe we have a future star. A few of our younger players seem to have that ability to see the game well. Certainly Mills, Heeney and Hewett do.
Unfortunately Towers doesn't.

[bloodspirit]

Disappointing but I'll live. The season is not over and hopefully we'll learn from this result.

What I liked: apart from Gazza and Papps who are always a joy to watch I am really liking what I see with Aliir. He's a keeper, I reckon.

What I didn't like: losing to the Hawks and Towers. I'm not even focusing on that one kick and I know he did some good stuff but I reckon we should trade him while he has currency, if we can. I'm sure we can do better, even though his assets are significant and not easy to find in one player. I'd rather have Aliir or Hewett or Naismith or even Rose any day.

[111431]

Hard to be disappointed!!!! Cost us top place and likely to go out of top 4 when the round is finished.


I thought Hanners was incredibly wasteful all game. His finishing is D grade, whether it is his field kicking or around goal. Gets a heap of the footy but oh so wasteful.

Fully agree - pathetic disposal when a leader needs to stand up

[CureTheSane]

Only issue I have with Allir is that he SEEMS half arsed some of the time.
But his skills are excellent. Decision making, marking, general disposal.

Just realised I'll be in Singapore for the Carlton game.
Any suggestions where to catch it over there?

[aardvark]

Sammy Naismith 30 hitouts and 12 possies. Kids going to be a gun.

[CureTheSane]

I still see the future in Towers.
Not only would I not trade him, I'd keep on playing him.
Now or never to a point, but I think he is doing well overall ATM

[liz]

I know I won't be well received for this, but my disappointment is already fading.

We've have 2x6 day breaks. A bunch of 1st & 2nd year players in the side, who only have a hand full of games under their belts. No Tippett. No Heeney. Laidler, Reid & Talia out - any one of them would bolster a backline that isn't the strongest in the league. Playing with a very inexperienced ruck division. Lost to the ladder leader. We've lost 4 games by less than 2 goals (not easy to swallow, but if things had gone our way a little bit more in those games we'd be feeling a lot better). 3 of the close losses were against Adelaide, Dogs & Hawks ... all genuine contenders.

I, for one, am still proud of the endeavour tonight against quality opposition. The loss hurts me as a supporter. But seeing the boys in tears in the rooms after the game ... they are hurting more than I ever will. We are still a contender in an even season. We are still a contender - for a team rebuilding on the run, by blooding new talent & restructuring in the absence of key players.

This pain will fade. The players will learn. A couple of decent wins will ease the disappointment .,, bring on Carlton



.... Oh & I hate the Hawks!

This is pretty close to my thoughts. I've not read the whole thread (only this page, indeed) but if it weren't for how close the ladder was (and hence how valuable the four points would have been) my pride in their endeavour might almost overcome the disappointment. Oh, and if were any other than bloody Hawthorn who, despite not really playing well for much of the season, are now pretty much guaranteed top four and probably top two.

After the Dogs game I was gutted and angry because that was a game we were on top of for long enough that we really should have won. This game we were clearly the better team in the first quarter (but didn't get sufficient score on the board), the Hawks were clearly on top in the second quarter (but didn't score as heavily as they usually do when they dominate periods of games), and the second half was just a see-sawing spectacle of two completely opposite styles vying with each other.

I don't get the comment that the Swans were outcoached. I thought more of the game was played on the Swans terms (ie with the ball in dispute) than the Hawks' terms. Their foot skills are so good that when they are able to control the ball and move it with short passes, it's really hard to stop. But we did turn the game around after half-time and gave ourselves more than enough opportunities to win. We just blew it (again) at the end.

I am starting to get really excited about what Aliir might become when he gets more confident and feels ready to take the game on. In his senior games thus far he's shown a bit of a tendency to go for short kicks. In his favour is that he generally nails them, but there have been a few times (especially tonight) where playing on and/or a longer, more adventurous kick might have been better. But his marking, his reading the ball, his positioning around contests, his clean hands off the ground -they all indicate he has the makings of a very solid defender.

Loved watching Gaz tonight. Even in that second quarter, when we couldn't turn any of those half-chances into a score, most of them came about because of a piece of brilliance from Rohan. He really understands how to use his speed in ground ball contests and knows that practically no-one can catch him when he sets off. His timing in marking contests has improved markedly, and his kicking for goal was a joy to watch.

Papley is another who continues to surprise me with how comfortable he looks at this level for such a young fellow. His ability to kick 50m goals is a really asset, as well as his in close work and the pressure he applies.

Some of the other younger guys had less of an impact than in past weeks but none of them looked overawed, and I still think we're capable of giving things a shake at the business end of the season.

[liz]

I still see the future in Towers.
Not only would I not trade him, I'd keep on playing him.
Now or never to a point, but I think he is doing well overall ATM

I'm with you. I thought he did far more good than not tonight.

[CureTheSane]

I'm with you. I thought he did far more good than not tonight.

I don't sit and analyse every good and bad thing he does, nor do I look into his stats and use that info.
I just like what I see. I currently feel more comfortable when the ball is in his hands than McVeigh's, and I'm not really rippin McVeigh here, I'm happy with him in the side ATM, but I still feel uneasy when he has it.