#AFL Rd19 Bombers v Swans, Docklands, 27 July 2018

[Legs Akimbo]

We have been found wanting as a team too often now for it to be simply excused as being a result of injuries or umpires.
Not many CEOs last seven years and I seriously believe that both Sydney and John would benefit from a change.

My concern aside from the heatmaps showing we spend 70 percent of of our time in 30 percent of the ground (left side half back flank) is our baffling selection policy. What is the point of selecting Dawson and the playing him out of position as a forward, particularly when we've been smashed.in the clearances? Cameron's selection was also weird. They should have rested Sinclair and bought in a runner. Leaving grundy out for 2 weeks?

When you see this sort of decision making, it is hard not to be critical.

In any case, time to test our list and see what's in the cupboard. But please, play oour reserves in their positions.

[barry]

Thought he was as soft as butter.

We've got to drop this idea that good NEAFL form demands selection in the seniors. The NEAFL hides a lot of shortcomings.

[707]

We've got to drop this idea that good NEAFL form demands selection in the seniors. The NEAFL hides a lot of shortcomings.

How else would you selected promotees? we've seen the Gold Pass in action to detrimental effect. It doesn't help new players when the rest of the team is struggling, coming into a winning side always makes kids look better. Someone like O'Riordan, Dawson must now play out the season.

I agree with many others on here, the mix of sore seniors and tired kids is hurting us. Yes other teams have injury lists but if you don't have sufficient experienced depth you'll get beaten more often than not.

We're cooked for 2018, will now be best to miss the eight, get a long break into the squad, get the injured fixed up, better draw for next year, better draft picks. Just no point limping into 7th/8th and exiting first week.

[snajik]

ABC. Theres your first mistake.

Really really tiresome.

[snajik]

Umpires killing us ? Ha! Our lack of run, our poor disposal , a lacklustre buddy, a lack of game plan , and a lack of heart , these are the things killing us.


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Agreed. Umpiring may be a contributing factor at times but not the sole reason for a performance such as that. A number of the less experienced players are looking very tired.

[AB Swannie]

I agree with others that it simply looks like we are tired and beaten up. Some will say that our fitness and conditioning program is poor. However, I’m more inclined to think that we have been forced to play young players who don’t have that base week in week out. From memory, we had the luxury of resting Heeney for a few weeks when he was in his second year. We haven’t been able to do that for Hayward, Florent, Ronke, McCartin. Players like Joey, Buddy, and Parker are probably so sore and carrying niggles that they can’t do any fitness during the week.

We will probably get ourselves up for one or two games like we did for North but it is looking likely that these fitness issues will continue to be exploited and we will miss the 8 for the first time since 09.

[Swanny40519]

Really really disappointed in the effort last night - both players and coaches.

I think that Horse has to give the 2018 season away, rest Buddy, take the shackles off the team and tell them to relax and try and enjoy what ever is left of this year.

Finals are gone and we should turn our attention to what we are going to do to change in 2019. Whether that is changing the coach and/or changing the game style. We cannot make wholesale changes to the playing group - however there must be questions for the future of Jack, McVeigh, Grundy, Smith (who has had some shockers in the past month). Also Reid cannot get himself fit enough to play anymore.

I think that Horse has stuffed Sinclair not giving him any support for the year - he looks really tired and despite trying his guts out last night, he is struggling.

Play Towers, AJ, Cameron - they cannot be worse than all in the injured and tired players we have running out on the ground at the moment.

[YvonneH]

If we 'give up' (not my choice of words) on the season and play the youngsters not in the team at the moment and rest all sore and injured players watch the 'fake' news stories that surface regarding how we are 'tanking'.

Probably a better solution for 2019 rather than limping into finals and getting belted (not sure if we will even get that far).

[rojo]

It seems to me that we have reached a tipping point and the reasons why have been highlighted already in this thread. I hate the thought of bringing recycled players in, much preferring that we develop our own talent but maybe we need to.
Back 8 years or so we brought in what I thought of as the 'fab four', Rohan, Reid, Hanners and AJ. They are the ones that should be the link between our 'oldies' and our young ones right now. Who could have foreseen the situation where none of them are in the team and there is a question mark over what the future holds for them all.
It is proving impossible to this point to keep Reid or Rohan on the park, Rohan hasn't really moved on much from his leg break, AJ may or may not recapture his form of old and we don't know how badly Hanners' body is banged up.
Other teams have players out with injury but these players would be our core if they were available. Adding to that Macca and Jack out, Buddy and Reg struggling, JPK wilting under the pressure .....,.
I feel so sorry for Smith, Ramps, Sinclair and especially Parks who is in danger of ending up like Hanners. Even Melican and Mills in would make a difference. The young kids are running out of puff.
I know the game plan and the umpires and poor skills under pressure all contribute but It is a terrible dilemma to be in. It might be for the best not to make the finals although one game would be a sort of reward for those who have to hang in there.

[dimelb]

Round 4 1996, Waverley

Do say more.

[Ratna]

Given that there is an admission that Buddy has been unable to train appropriately, surely there is a need to restructure the forward line to some degree.

Through the year the ball has been bombed to Buddy so often. It was a bit sad seeing him regularly beaten by Hurley last night. It must be frustrating for him knowing what he is capable of. I understand that we are not blessed with other forward marking options at the moment but if Buddy can't play to his normal level, perhaps he should be used as a very expensive decoy. Even at his current fitness level/playing capacity he still can't be ignored by the opposition. At a minimum he may be able to remove the best opposition defender or even take multiple defenders as a decoy. I understand that we don't have a second marking player who is beating second opposition defenders regularly, but I think there must be some way to utilize what we have better. At the least if teams don't know we are going to Buddy so often it makes us less predictable and may take a bit of heat off him and allow us to target him when he is a better chance to win the contest with his current constraints.

Then there is the secondary problem of the bombing long option to a player who is getting beaten and losing the contest against a team that plays a quick rebound style. The continued quick transition the other way is putting sustained pressure on the defence. As much as it is counter intuitive, kicking to Buddy in a one on one may be the worst option currently if the ball just bounces back quickly and opens the field up perfectly for the style the opposition want to play.

I agree with the general thoughts that any changes this year will be of no benefit come finals but we should be using the opportunity to try some new things rather than putting the same team out with the same plan that doesn't, won't and can't work with the current personnel.

I am finding it hard to reconcile my head and heart on the thought of I hope we miss the finals.

[Auntie.Gerald]

We follow a team so we have bias because that is the team we watch the most and we do t tend to watch opposition teams week in week out

I’m interested in which playersfrom the bombers team would u like to have at the Swans

There are some seriously exciting players in the bombers team

[Danzar]

Saying all that, I will seethe till the day I die about the '16 stitch up for the fairypuppies. What frustrates me is you cant ever fathom to dare speak a word about it outside of Swans groups or with swans fans, for fear of the 'bad loser' tag... but most know deep down we were utterly bent over that day - I still feel with a consistent, fair handed umpiring display that day, there would of been a kick at most in it....

Completely 1000% agree.

[Danzar]

Part for the course then Matty in my experiences in Melbourne..... the arrogance is beginning to return sadly after it being cut down by their latest attempt at blatant systematic cheating backfired.....

That ban did them a favour. While it wiped out most their 1's for an entire season, they had their 2's on field for an entire season. Imagine the depth of experience they have now?

[Velour&Ruffles]

Quote Originally Posted by Velour&Ruffles View Post

Round 4 1996, Waverley

Was that the Dunkley free? Great win that day.

Yes, that was the one. Richo, recently back from doing his knee against us in 1995, single-handedly lost the game for the Tiges when he gave away a ludicrously undisciplined and totally unnecessary free kick on the goal line as what would have been the Tiger's winning goal in the dying moments was sailing metres over Dunkley's head. We win by a point, Tigers finish 9th (of course), half a game outside the finals. His desire to give Dunks a clip on the way through cost them not only a certain win but a finals berth. Love ya work, halfwit.