#AFL Round 6 Swans v Giants Sat 27-Apr at SCG #AFLSwansGiants @sydneyswans

[Kafka's Ghost]

Hang on. Which "more experienced players" were available for selection on Saturday? Grundy, McVeigh, Smith, Franklin, Jack - who combined have over 1000 games of experience - were all unavailable. The most experienced players who played for the NEAFL side included COR (4 senior games), Fox (13), Cameron (1), Stoddart (2) and McInerney (1), while 9 game Rose was the non-playing emergency. Unless you count not playing Fox as choosing to pick inexperienced players over available experience, there was literally no-one available at the weekend who could have provided more experience to the side.

When Jack and McVeigh were available, the coaches picked them (to the howls of disappointment, maybe even derision, from some posters on here who think they are has-beens that we need to move past). I am pretty sure a fit Smith would find a spot, and probably a fit Grundy too - if the coaches are allowed to have their way, that is. (I'm not going to include Franklin in this conversation, because I don't think even the most pessimistic Swans fan would advocate not picking him if he were available).

Here, here, Liz. You’re always the voice of wisdom.

[Hotpotato]

If there is anything that is going to keep me away from the SCG it is the non-stop noise from the PA system and the distracting (and glitching) advertising running around the fence. The latter does interfere with viewing the game. The incessant noise during breaks means that I can't talk with my friends. WE just have to sit there (or risk screaming at each other). It really takes away from the game day experience.

But I also have to say that switching to a mode of spectatorship which is all about 'how will this rebuild go' is not without its considerable rewards. It's not a terrible way to watch this great sport.

By the way, my daughter's u12 team had a come from behind 32-28 victory in one of the most engaging, heart in mouth games I've seen since the Gary Rohan Essendon game. What a sport. These girls are just so into it. Their coaching this season so far has been just first rate: repetitive handballing and off-the-ground drills which pay immediate match-day dividends. With the no-soccering rule in place, they were scooping up loose balls and hand-passing in single fluid actions under pressure. Bring on the Swans AFLW. Sorry to go off-topic. Thought we could use a good news story. Plus I'm an indulgent, proud dad.

That’s epic Ghosty, is there a podcast of that to cheer us up?

[Merdo5555]

I think the sudden burst in consistent high level performance from Rohan isn't a coincidence. Didn't he actually say that he was walking on eggshells for fear of making a mistake. Now maybe he needed a change of scenery or was it a change in coaching style?

[Blood Fever]

If premierships were decided by draft picks, Gold coast, Carlton and GWS would be spliting flags between them for the last 5 years and the next 5 coming.

There is no reason why the swans would slide relative to other teams like WC, Geelong, Collingwood. We came off being the best list circa 2012/2014 injected with ongoing draft bargains (Henney, Mills and Blakey) which means on paper we got just as good, if not better, value picks than those teams.
So the only reason for our slip is poor trading, poor list management, and poor player development.
On current form Rohan is recruit of the year. 2 years ago, Mitchel was recruit of the year. Both came from the same place. Ouch!

We have never had the best list. Beat a star studded Hawks in 2012 on heart and got pantsed by them in 2014. West Coast , Geelong and Collingwood all slid before improving. Let's see who we pick up in trade period later this year.

[Merdo5555]

Completely agree we have dropped the ball across the club which is why we need a club wide review not just the playing list or the coaching staff. I fear that complacency has set in and unless there is a real shake up nothing will change.

We are 1-5 and battling North Melbourne for the tag of worst team in the competition yet there is very little noise in the Sydney cocoon. Relative success over the years and the lack of tough questions has lead to complacent and appalling decision making: Mitchell and Rohan are the most obvious but i think the malaise runs much deeper. Other than a couple of assistant coaches have we gotten new blood in through the administration and other areas of the club or is everyone too cozy and uncritical.

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We have never had the best list. Beat a star studded Hawks in 2012 on heart and got pantsed by them in 2014. West Coast , Geelong and Collingwood all slid before improving. Let's see who we pick up in trade period later this year.

We won on heart then decided to go on a recruiting spree when the whole nature of our success was team ethos, in search of the gold we sold the heart of what made the team so successful. The bloods culture is dead and buried.

[Merdo5555]

Just read the previous five pages of hysteria blaming all sorts of things for our fall from grace but my view is the following are reasons for our current form :
1. We dont have any of Grundy, Smith , McVeigh in the backline to organise the defence when it gets tough. From my cheap seats near the randwick end , GWS were a noticeably better organised defensive unit - along the lines of the swans a few years back.
2. Our forward line relies on Franklin - Reid is still a second or third tall for me. We have very few reliable goalkickers and on saturday we had two first year players in that forward line against a very well seasoned GWS backline. It needs time for these guys to get used to the organised defences that block. The forward line would look much better if Buddy , Menzel and Reid were all there and we were able to leave Papley as a permanent forward (where I think he is far more effective).
3. There are a number of players not going to the next level that we might have expected . Not sure whether its injury, coming back from injury or whatever but the coaching staff in planning this season Im sure would have anticipated Hewitt, Heeney and Mills becoming our next level of midfielder to support Kennedy and Parker. While they have provided glimpses of it , the midfield still hasnt consistently gelled for 4 quarters in my opinion. While Jones has probably stepped up in his attack on the ball , his disposal leaves a lot to be desired and his vision is not great.
4. We couldn't have anticipated that Naismith would have reinjured himself.
5. Clarke and Thurlow have added little and have not balanced those we have lost
6. The things that are hurting us such as our turnovers through the middle are indicative of a team down on confidence and lacking cohesiveness much of which could be attributed to the points above. Its a pretty new team for all intensive purposes , propped up by a few veterans who at the moment are down on form themselves. This is probably because as an opposition you can focus on shutting them down and you pretty much win. If I was looking at the swans at the moment, provided I kept on top of Kennedy and Parker , I would be pretty confident that the lack of consistent effectiveness of others will therefore not hurt me.

Yeah but the whole point is we shouldn't be in a position where a few injuries and players being locked down turns the team into a rabble, maybe we still wouldn't win but we shouldn't be the shambles we currently are. Good teams plan for injuries and bad form and still resemble a coherent unit.

[barry]

They need to notch a win here and there because attendance and support is already declining ...
But are there seriously 30,000 Giants members?

Membership figures are rubbery everywhere. Don't we have 50,000 members, yet get 30,000 crowds.

Giants have 30,000 members and get 15,000 crowds plus maybe a few thousand from Canberra.

Ratios seem similar.

[Blood Fever]

Completely agree we have dropped the ball across the club which is why we need a club wide review not just the playing list or the coaching staff. I fear that complacency has set in and unless there is a real shake up nothing will change.

We are 1-5 and battling North Melbourne for the tag of worst team in the competition yet there is very little noise in the Sydney cocoon. Relative success over the years and the lack of tough questions has lead to complacent and appalling decision making: Mitchell and Rohan are the most obvious but i think the malaise runs much deeper. Other than a couple of assistant coaches have we gotten new blood in through the administration and other areas of the club or is everyone too cozy and uncritical.

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We won on heart then decided to go on a recruiting spree when the whole nature of our success was team ethos, in search of the gold we sold the heart of what made the team so successful. The bloods culture is dead and buried.

You sound happy to offer your critique. Any solution other than panic stations?

[S.S. Bleeder]

I think the sudden burst in consistent high level performance from Rohan isn't a coincidence. Didn't he actually say that he was walking on eggshells for fear of making a mistake. Now maybe he needed a change of scenery or was it a change in coaching style?

Just look at how much some players improve when they leave us. Membrey, Mitchell, Nankervis and Rohan have all flourished away from us. It looks pretty damning from my perspective. Chris Scott said they were very keen on getting Rohan because they they were confident of what he could do if he had a run without injury and more pointedly he pointed out that his ability had be inhibited by playing at the Swans. I don't know whether he was referring to Buddy being too dominant, our game style or our coaching.

[Blood Fever]

Just look at how much some players improve when they leave us. Membrey, Mitchell, Nankervis and Rohan have all flourished away from us. It looks pretty damning from my perspective. Chris Scott said they were very keen on getting Rohan because they they were confident of what he could do if he had a run without injury and more pointedly he pointed out that his ability had be inhibited by playing at the Swans. I don't know whether he was referring to Buddy being too dominant, our game style or our coaching.

Scott full of himself and loves the sound of his own voice with Whateley etc on media street. Should shut up about other clubs. Piss poor finals record compared to Longmire. I repeat- let's see how Cats go in finals. I reckon Scott is batting at 30 per cent or less since 2012 in September.

[dimelb]

[QUOTE=O'Reilly Boy;772993]If there is anything that is going to keep me away from the SCG it is the non-stop noise from the PA system and the distracting (and glitching) advertising running around the fence. The latter does interfere with viewing the game. The incessant noise during breaks means that I can't talk with my friends. WE just have to sit there (or risk screaming at each other). It really takes away from the game day experience.

Absobloodylutely!

And more power to your daughter's arm. And feet!

[neilfws]

and the distracting (and glitching) advertising running around the fence. The latter does interfere with viewing the game.

It was dreadful Saturday wasn't it? There was a section near the benches that kept flashing brilliant white at high frequency. I wonder how distracting it is for the players too.

(enjoyed your good news story!)

[Scottee]

[QUOTE=dimelb;773024]

If there is anything that is going to keep me away from the SCG it is the non-stop noise from the PA system and the distracting (and glitching) advertising running around the fence. The latter does interfere with viewing the game. The incessant noise during breaks means that I can't talk with my friends. WE just have to sit there (or risk screaming at each other). It really takes away from the game day experience.

Absobloodylutely!

And more power to your daughter's arm. And feet!

Same at Comic Book Stadium. Will NOT go again!

Sent from my SM-T805Y using Tapatalk

[liz]

Yeah but the whole point is we shouldn't be in a position where a few injuries and players being locked down turns the team into a rabble, maybe we still wouldn't win but we shouldn't be the shambles we currently are. Good teams plan for injuries and bad form and still resemble a coherent unit.

The whole team isn't a rabble. We're not getting blown off the park, smashed by triple figure margins. In pretty much all our games we've matched it with the opposition for around half the game. We've just not been able to sustain it for long enough.

And the age profile of the list has been evident for a while. It's why many on here were suggesting this might be a down season for us months ago, and why the media was lukewarm about our prospects. We're not a Melbourne, who were widely tipped as top 4 (and premiership) contenders based of their list profile (built extremely slowly, after years residing towards the foot of the ladder), are who are also currently sitting 1-5.

[caj23]

The whole team isn't a rabble. We're not getting blown off the park, smashed by triple figure margins. In pretty much all our games we've matched it with the opposition for around half the game. We've just not been able to sustain it for long enough.

And the age profile of the list has been evident for a while. It's why many on here were suggesting this might be a down season for us months ago, and why the media was lukewarm about our prospects. We're not a Melbourne, who were widely tipped as top 4 (and premiership) contenders based of their list profile (built extremely slowly, after years residing towards the foot of the ladder), are who are also currently sitting 1-5.

That's a fair point Liz, many predicted a down year, although probably not bottom 3! At the same time you can't deny that the list is significantly under performing based on the talent available.

Ultimately there's probably not that big of a talent gap between the teams ranked from 5 through to 14, its other factors that make a difference such as player & list management, game plan, injuries, discipline, fitness, motivation etc. It just feels to me that there are factors that are/were within our control that we haven't managed as well as we could have