Match Day 2nd ELIMINATION FINAL Sydney v Essendon

[0918330512]

Sounds like you are saying the swans are a dirty side?
I don't buy it.

I would hope that it sounded like a side that has tenacious defenders who are smaller than the larger opposition forwards. They bat above their weight week after week. To physically battle the monolithic opposition, there is a fair chance you will concede frees.

I would hope it sounds like Buddy is considered an imposing physical champion player, that opposition defenders are given a bit too much leeway with at times which will frustrate him. He reacts, not often and it is understandable. It happened with Plugger. It happened with Hall. But Buddy also seems to be given a little extra time to get rid of the ball or an extra stride to get the kick off ... they don't appear on the stat sheet to offset the free kick count.

I would hope that it sounds like we have an incredible group of young kids coming through who, while currently inexperienced and prone to the odd error, are playing in a genuine finals contending side. Once they have time to develop and reduce the errors of inexperience we will be much better for it.

I would hope that it sounds like Deano's decision making is improving as his confidence does. His conceding frees will hopefully reduce accordingly.

But I suppose my post could have been interpreted as suggesting the Swans are a dirty side.

[barry]

I think you are saying that essendon defenders against our very tall forward line (sinkers, buddy, Reid) get favourable treatment compared to our "undersized" defenders against ummm, daniher.?

[Plugger1300]

People on here are getting too paranoid re umpiring and Vic bias
Swans just need to keep playing at this level
The rest will fall into place
Supporters need to remain level headed

[0918330512]

People on here are getting too paranoid re umpiring and Vic bias
Swans just need to keep playing at this level
The rest will fall into place
Supporters need to remain level headed

+1

[liz]

People on here are getting too paranoid re umpiring and Vic bias
Swans just need to keep playing at this level
The rest will fall into place
Supporters need to remain level headed

+2

[AnnieH]

Wow, ruthless AND accurate.
Love this team.
How great was Faulty Towers?

[neilfws]

Sinclair gets a shoutout in this "heroes and villains" article. As does Hurley in the "villains" category, "he's the All Australian centre half-back and he got towelled up by Sydney's third forward"

AFL finals week one: The heroes and villains from the first four decisive games - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[Billericay]

People on here are getting too paranoid re umpiring and Vic bias
Swans just need to keep playing at this level
The rest will fall into place
Supporters need to remain level headed

It does get a bit much constantly looking to blame the umpires. At one stage there was a school of thought that our 0-6 start was a consequence of bad umpiring in the Grand Final.

[dejavoodoo44]

Sinclair gets a shoutout in this "heroes and villains" article. As does Hurley in the "villains" category, "he's the All Australian centre half-back and he got towelled up by Sydney's third forward"

AFL finals week one: The heroes and villains from the first four decisive games - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Yes and Parker gets a deserved nod, as well. It will be interesting to see how him and Kennedy go over the next couple of weeks, assuming that they will often be matched up on Dangerfield and Selwood against Geelong, and Sloane and a Crouch brother against Adelaide. My tip is that they will come out on top both times.
Actually, from reading that, you can probably tell that I'm feeling confident about the Geelong game.

[Go Swannies]

It does get a bit much constantly looking to blame the umpires. At one stage there was a school of thought that our 0-6 start was a consequence of bad umpiring in the Grand Final.

I think it played its part. The team lost a lot of morale during that two hours (you could see their heads drop though they battled till near the end). Many of the supporters were gutted by the bias, too (I won't go to another GF and cancelled my Premiership Club membership). It must have been hard for the players to start the next year after that.

And, would you like to guess the frees by half time if the Swans (or Crows) play the "fairytale" Tigers in this year's Grand Final?

[penga]

People on here are getting too paranoid re umpiring and Vic bias
Swans just need to keep playing at this level
The rest will fall into place
Supporters need to remain level headed

+3

[Boddo]

I think it played its part. The team lost a lot of morale during that two hours (you could see their heads drop though they battled till near the end). Many of the supporters were gutted by the bias, too (I won't go to another GF and cancelled my Premiership Club membership). It must have been hard for the players to start the next year after that.

And, would you like to guess the frees by half time if the Swans (or Crows) play the "fairytale" Tigers in this year's Grand Final?

+1
It's the hometown umpiring that's the biggest issue & the reporting/non reporting by the media. St Kilda get reamed in a H & A game in Perth n it's time to call for a royal commission into the umpiring department but a non Vic club gets shafted badly in the most important game of the whole year n it's "nothing to see here". It was like the Iraqi general saying everything is fine while bombs were going off behind him. And after it all we were all expected to bask in bob n the bravedogs glory. I'll never forget it as long as I walk this earth.

[Bill Posters]

Some of you seem to miss the fact that there is a statistically significant disparity in free kicks for and against us compared to other teams that goes back years. Someone put a link to the analysis here once. Nothing to do with the fact that we currently have a couple of enthusiastic small defenders.

I'm not sure if it is Victorian bias but it seems to happen when we are playing at the scg too so probably not due to crowd noise?

[ScottH]

I think it played its part. The team lost a lot of morale during that two hours (you could see their heads drop though they battled till near the end). Many of the supporters were gutted by the bias, too (I won't go to another GF and cancelled my Premiership Club membership). It must have been hard for the players to start the next year after that.

And, would you like to guess the frees by half time if the Swans (or Crows) play the "fairytale" Tigers in this year's Grand Final?

I'm still gutted by that GF free kick sabotage.
At least 2014 we lost beacuse we got out played.

[barry]

I think a loss with a free kick count of 20 to 10 against will remove a few rose colored glasses.