Swans vs Eagles - match day thread

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  • CureTheSane
    Carpe Noctem
    • Jan 2003
    • 5032

    Overall I thought it was a good tough game.
    2 sides playing their first for the year and that was evident.

    Free kick count surprised me.
    But I didn't feel at all that we were hardly done by the umpires, which is probably an indication that WC were to some degree.

    All the cheering for WC from the commentary is fair to a degree, it is their home game, at a new ground, they are going to pump it up.
    Let's see if we get the same kudos at our home games.

    Given the early game, I'm cutting a lot of slack, but will point out what I took from the game.

    Cunningham was exciting and powerful when he got the ball. Not sure how much game time he had, but if he can guild on it he'll be valuable.
    McVeigh is an early worry. Slow and tired looking already.
    Jones carries the criticisms I had of him from last year.
    Poor decision making, slow, passes to player under pressure, turnovers. Not in my best 22 due to that he still carries these problems from last year, so they weren't exclusive to this game.

    Aside from that, a win is a win, and if anyone said we'd be marking down that one, at a new ground in WA, with a huge crowd, and all the expectation, I'd have taken it.
    And I am
    The difference between insanity and genius is measured only in success.

    Comment

    • dejavoodoo44
      Veterans List
      • Apr 2015
      • 8652

      Originally posted by Ludwig
      We won the centre clearances 19-13 and 47-38 overall. We should have done better considering we lost the hitouts 66-17.

      It was probably Sinclair's best game. He had 7 clearances on his own. I've been a critic, but he'll win me over if he keeps playing like this.

      Buddy is too good for words, but we're going to have to spread the load in weeks to come. Parker is a man on a mission this year.

      We really need to sharpen up our ball movement for next week and tighten up on our defensive coverage when the ball comes over the back.

      A nice win to start the season, but a reality check as well.
      Parker? I think it's Parkadinho now. And they are interesting stats: get smashed in the hitouts, but convincingly win the clearances. Though it would be nice to win more of the hitouts and then win the clearances by an even greater margin. Maybe Sinclair will rise to the challenge? To me, he seems likely to improve his rucking as the year goes on, now that he has the responsibility of being our number one ruckman.
      Actually, the main area where I'm starting to miss having a high quality tap ruckman, is when we get a stoppage deep in the forward line. In the past, I often felt confident that we could get a shot at goal, via our ruckman tapping it into the path of someone moving into a dangerous position at the stoppage. Now I don't feel that confidence.

      Comment

      • Bloods05
        Senior Player
        • Oct 2008
        • 1641

        Originally posted by 09183305
        Let?s see ???? might have something to do with a 68% winning record as a coach, making finals every year he?s coached, coached us to 3 Grand finals and delivered ua a premiership, took us to a finals campaign despite a 0:6 start. All of this despite a trade ban that severely limited outer recruiting. Some people are hard to please
        Originally posted by Ludwig
        We won the centre clearances 19-13 and 47-38 overall. We should have done better considering we lost the hitouts 66-17.

        It was probably Sinclair's best game. He had 7 clearances on his own. I've been a critic, but he'll win me over if he keeps playing like this.

        Buddy is too good for words, but we're going to have to spread the load in weeks to come. Parker is a man on a mission this year.

        We really need to sharpen up our ball movement for next week and tighten up on our defensive coverage when the ball comes over the back.

        A nice win to start the season, but a reality check as well.
        Facts, schmacts.

        Comment

        • dejavoodoo44
          Veterans List
          • Apr 2015
          • 8652

          Originally posted by AB Swannie
          It?s great to have the footy back! Swans weren?t at their best but I?m not sure many teams will be travelling to Perth. I?ll definitely take a 29 point win with heaps of improvement left.

          Buddy was magnificent. I reckon Heeney gets Brownlow votes too. I?m excited to see him go to a new level this year. Hayward keeps his position. I think Fox does too. Cunningham, Florent, Newman, and McVeigh under the most pressure to be replaced by Hanners and Rohan for next week (and possibly Reid).

          The umps made a few mistakes but overall they were pretty fair. Any early negative talk about Longmire is ludicrous. Buddy kicked 8 firstly because he is a legend but secondly because the other forwards were all told to get up the ground creating space for the big man.

          Well done Swans. I can?t wait to see them live again next Sunday. Should be a cracker against Port.
          Yes, I thought that Heeney was excellent and often went at the contest harder than any West Coast player in the vicinity. Though I was a little surprised that Hayward spent a fair bit of time in the midfield, he did do some classy things while in there. And the bonus couple of goals at the end were handy.
          I'm not entirely convinced by Fox. While he has improved from last year, there were a couple of times were he could have flew in from the side, in order to stop a leading Eagle from marking and scoring. I might be being a bit harsh, as it may not be his job, but I got the feeling that Melican may have appreciated the assistance.

          Comment

          • AB Swannie
            Senior Player
            • Mar 2017
            • 1579

            I also have to say that Jetta has always been a favourite of mine and so it was great seeing him in the best players list for the Swans once again.

            Comment

            • dejavoodoo44
              Veterans List
              • Apr 2015
              • 8652

              Originally posted by mcs
              I have been told the reason that the ground wasnt a sell out is because they are yet to fully migrate all memberships across from subiaco correctly yet. Perhaps they havent migrated the home town umpiring across either.

              We got a bit of the rub of the green, but some appaling calls that were costly too. That florent unrewarded tackle could easily have been the moment to really switch the game - had it been paid we may wall moved it on to kick a goal - instead it went up the other end and momentum swung big time. Thankfully at the end of the day it didnt matter.
              Yes, if we could have scored after the Florent tackle, then that probably would've snapped the leg rope. Then again, I thought we were lucky to get that kicking in danger free, that wiped out the Le Cras goal.
              And I wonder if any Weagles supporters are already saying, "Aww, this stadium sucks! We never used to lose the free kick count at Subi".

              Comment

              • ernie koala
                Senior Player
                • May 2007
                • 3251

                Originally posted by CureTheSane
                Jones carries the criticisms I had of him from last year.
                Poor decision making, slow, passes to player under pressure, turnovers. Not in my best 22 due to that he still carries these problems from last year, so they weren't exclusive to this game.
                Totally disagree. He takes the game on, plays with intensity, I love the way he goes about it...An integral piece of the puzzle... He's in my best 22 every day of the week
                Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect... MT

                Comment

                • Doctor
                  Bay 29
                  • Sep 2003
                  • 2757

                  We just went to Perth and won on their new home deck. A couple of years ago we went to Adelaide and did the same thing. We're the wreckers!
                  Today's a draft of your epitaph

                  Comment

                  • Nolie
                    On the wing
                    • Jul 2004
                    • 522

                    I was impressed by Fox. Heeney played well which is encouraging. He looks fitter this year.

                    Comment

                    • Auntie.Gerald
                      Veterans List
                      • Oct 2009
                      • 6480

                      As I mentioned early in pre season and last season the flexibility of contested and uncontested footy and obviously the change with the rule re encroachment will change out best 22

                      There are a players that are in the 22 that I think will fall backwards due to the above demands and there will be players that will rise above irrespective of their talent

                      Fox is a good example of a player that can run and carry, defend very aggressively, use the Ball well, is faster then the likes of Neman and Macca etc so on the big fields if he continues his pre season form fox will be in the 22

                      Some players that we have grown accustomed to being in the 22 will struggle to stop a player like Fox being picked

                      The transitions are completely different then years gone past and it is demanding quick movements with lots of give and go / run and carry players rotating thru the back line

                      Frankly there is a couple players in that back line rotation who can not do that.......they have other strengths that do not particularly compliment where the game is at right now and the rest of 2018
                      Last edited by Auntie.Gerald; 26 March 2018, 05:45 AM.
                      "be tough, only when it gets tough"

                      Comment

                      • Captain
                        Captain of the Side
                        • Feb 2004
                        • 3602

                        Really exciting game and one that I enjoyed watching. What an awesome stadium as well.

                        Buddy is the king. Great coaching by Longmire to keep him one out and deep.

                        Heeney, Parker and Lloyd were all really solid.

                        Jones and Mills need to lift and become the players we know they can be for us to run deep into September. Jones is dumb at times, taking the game on is fine but not when you constantly get caught holding the ball.

                        Comment

                        • jono2707
                          Goes up to 11
                          • Oct 2007
                          • 3326

                          If that was the 2018 version of Nick Smith out there then he is in for a stellar year. He was superb in a backline that soaked up an immense amount of pressure at times.

                          Comment

                          • liz
                            Veteran
                            Site Admin
                            • Jan 2003
                            • 16778

                            Originally posted by jono2707
                            If that was the 2018 version of Nick Smith out there then he is in for a stellar year. He was superb in a backline that soaked up an immense amount of pressure at times.
                            Agree. I thought our backline, on the whole, looked a little scratchy. That might be being harsh on them, given the team conceded more inside 50s than it created and yet the defence kept West Coast to a losing score. But the nature of some of the goals that West Coast did score suggests that the defence has a way to go to get into its groove - multiple players flying at contests and allowing an Eagle on their own at ground level, players losing their feet etc. Mills, in particularly, had a relative poor game for him (notwithstanding his courage in standing under the ball for that excellent mark. Maybe it's a subtle hint to Longmire and friends that he's itching to get up the ground.)

                            But Smith was the standout for me back there. Cool, reliable, marshalling the troops, generally sound disposal. I also thought Melican continued his solid pre-season form and looks more confident in himself and his game than last year (not that he looked uncomfortable last year - he just looks better now).

                            Comment

                            • graemed
                              Swans2win
                              • Jan 2003
                              • 410

                              I am surprised by the criticism of Mills. He appeared to be paired up on LeCras and while Le Cras got a couple of lucky goals I felt his influence was minimal.
                              Far more dangerous were the in roads made by Shuey, Gaff, Sheed and Yeo. Their ability to feed off Natinui was significant and telling.
                              Our defence managed to overcome a large supply glut and whilst Reg and McVeigh looked short of a run, the rest, especially Smith were outstanding overall.

                              Comment

                              • ScottH
                                It's Goodes to cheer!!
                                • Sep 2003
                                • 23665

                                HO diff = -49
                                Clr diff = +9
                                Not a bad effort

                                Comment

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