Longmire.

[liz]

Other than sometimes struggling to keep his love of Hawthorn in check, I find that Ashley Browne is generally an astute observer of footy. With that in mind, I thought I would leave his comments regarding the Swans coaching here. Posted last night on the AFL website, After the Siren article.

"But while the spotlight will be about the Bombers and the number of errors they made in the final few minutes, the takeaway should also be about how well the Swans played the last few minutes. Heath Grundy and Callum Mills made some enormous defensive plays and player after player made the correct decision during those same frantic contests."

It's what you get with a mature group that is never out if the game and is a product of one of the best coaching set-ups in the AFL. John Longmire looked as though he couldn't believe what he saw, but in fact, he shouldn't have been too surprised. He has engineered the Swans to finish the game as they did.

And yet, for all the narrative about Richmond and their struggles to win close games, I think last week and this week were the first close games the Swans have won for a couple of seasons. We lost by a point to Collingwood earlier this year, and then by a goal to Hawthorn. Last year we lost close games to Hawthorn, the Dogs and Richmond and in each case we were ahead with sufficiently little time left that the team should have been able to protect the lead.

So the Swans have more reason than most teams to practice the end stages of a close game.

Mind you, coming from behind and protecting a lead are very different things, psychologically. It's amazing how often the team behind is able to gain the lead at the end. One team takes risks, knowing it has nothing to lose, while the other paralyses itself out of all the things it has been doing for most of the game. The number of errors the Bombers made in that final minute is staggering (even forgetting the couple of minutes that went before).

[bloodspirit]

So the Swans have more reason than most teams to practice the end stages of a close game.

And it seems they have been: Practice makes perfect for Swans in close ones - AFL.com.au.

[0918330512]

If Rohan had missed the mark (or god forbid, the goal) this thread would have Longmire being sacked & Rohan dropped or delisted. Form is a fickle thing. And both these guys' careers (at least on RWO) are precarious at best for the rest of the season. Not a lot of wriggle room in our current position ... but if we make the finals from a 0-6 start, anything can happen ... & if it goes our way by the business end of the season, Horse will have earned a reprieve from the wrath of RWO (until next session, of course). Fickle thing, football

[Meg]

I was interested to hear Longmire say that it was one of the assistant coaches, he thought Dew, who had moved Rohan to FF where Rohan took THAT mark. As Longmire said (with a smile) it was a good move!

And as an aside, I always find it frustrating that on the videos of media conferences after matches at the SCG you can't hear the questions being asked, so sometimes it's hard to understand the context of the responses. At other grounds it appears they must hand around a mike to those who want to ask questions - surely they could do the same at the SCG?

[Markwebbos]

And as an aside, I always find it frustrating that on the videos of media conferences after matches at the SCG you can't hear the questions being asked, so sometimes it's hard to understand the context of the responses. At other grounds it appears they must hand around a mike to those who want to ask questions - surely they could do the same at the SCG?

The same problem happens everywhere. Coaches are miked up and questioners aren't, Or at best there's a handheld mic that not everyone gets to use.

[Meg]

The same problem happens everywhere. Coaches are miked up and questioners aren't, Or at best there's a handheld mic that not everyone gets to use.

I can't specify at which grounds it is better - but it is better at some. And handing around a handheld mic would be better than nothing (and I think it must be nothing at SCG).

[Vonsteinman]

And yet, for all the narrative about Richmond and their struggles to win close games, I think last week and this week were the first close games the Swans have won for a couple of seasons. We lost by a point to Collingwood earlier this year, and then by a goal to Hawthorn. Last year we lost close games to Hawthorn, the Dogs and Richmond and in each case we were ahead with sufficiently little time left that the team should have been able to protect the lead.

Good point. The optimistic supporter in me sees this as a reflection of how the side is developing. With so many first-year players as we had in 2016, the frustrating moments, such as those close losses, go hand-in-hand with the enjoyment of watching young players develop.

In 2017, the Collingwood game was an example of a side horribly off the pace who were unable to get past a middle-of-the-road outfit; while the Hawthorn game and shortage of personnel when the game was on the line has been discussed at length.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Only 20% of teams behind end of the 3tr win

- - - Updated - - -

Milla reminded me of Luke hodge in that last qtr

In fact I can't remember if Luke played that well at 20yrs of age ?

Maybe he did

[Boddo]

Only 20% of teams behind end of the 3tr win

- - - Updated - - -

Milla reminded me of Luke hodge in that last qtr

In fact I can't remember if Luke played that well at 20yrs of age ?

Maybe he did

Reminds me of Buckley in his first year at Brisbane. Except Buckley spent that year in more a midfield role. Fearless, skilful and composed.

[Blood Fever]

With the talent he's got on the list over the last 5 years, someone like Clarkson would have easily won 3 and possibly 4 premierships. Longmire has a lucky 1. Just ponder that thought. What we have let slip through our fingers because we got lucky in 2012.

He gets out coached very easily. The way to beat Sydney is to deny them possessions. Don't let them have a contested game. Works every time. GWS do it all the time Richmond do it to us consistently and this year Collingwood, Carlton, and now Hawthorn have done it and we can't stop it. Have a look at the uncontested possessions stats and the marks stats. We let them just own the football. You could see it happening tonight right from the start and the frustrating thing is there is never anything done by the players to address it. Why? Because like good foot soldiers they are playing to the team game plan as devised by Longmire. When there is no change to the game plan in these circumstances we lose.

With games to come against sides like rubbish sides like Richmond and Essendon the same thing that happened tonight will happen in those games. It's amazingly simple to beat us and what's astounding is Longmire has never had a plan to counter it.


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Longmire now surely the leading contender for coach of the year. Obviously he is enormously respected by the players and the other coaches. Often a team will reflect its coach and in this case, it is showing great strength of character.

[barry]

He is still a fair way behind Clarkson.

[aardvark]

Longmire now surely the leading contender for coach of the year. Obviously he is enormously respected by the players and the other coaches. Often a team will reflect its coach and in this case, it is showing great strength of character.

You might have gone a bit early on this. Lets see how he goes Friday night.

[Blood Fever]

You might have gone a bit early on this. Lets see how he goes Friday night.

Mistake to base judgment on one game or even six games.

[CureTheSane]

One of those threads where going back and quoting comments would be quite embarrassing.

[aardvark]

One of those threads where going back and quoting comments would be quite embarrassing.

If we beat Hawthorn Friday night I promise i'll love him forever.