#AFL Round 16 Bombers v Swans Sat 6-Jul at MCG #AFLDonsSwans @sydneyswans

[Matty10]

We also seemed to let them get away in the last quarter - missed a lot of tackles & they killed us.

I think many had run out of petrol by the end. It was a really good effort from such a young side. It was a pity we lost, but we were just not as clean when it mattered (not that they were particularly clean either).

The umpiring sucked, but that is par for the course really.

[Matty10]

Was allegedly because of the infamous post climbing

And because Essendon fans are a bunch of self-entitled wankers (except my wife of course - she is lovely).

[0918330512]

I think we view umpiring typically through red and white coloured glasses, but does anyone else get sick of the complaining about umpiring on here?

Sure, there were decisions that didn’t go our way, but I’d think that our skill execution (understanding given the experience demographics of our side) likely cost us more.

Everyone has a right to voice an opinion (be it against umpires, players, sweet Caroline). My opinion is that complaining against umpiring is tiresome. It doesn’t change a thing. If we played better, we might have won in spite of the perceived umpiring discrepancies. As the cygnets develop, they will play better.

[liz]

Agree there were a couple of very poor umpiring decisions that proved expensive, but so did Hayward missing from point blank range, and Papley and Blakey deciding to take the advantage from free kicks that would have been simple shots at goal.

I thought there was a lot to like about the performance, other than the result. We just didn't have enough skill and/or experience to fully capitalise on the opportunities created forward. But while there were some turnovers around the ground, at other times we moved the ball quite well.

I thought it was a disappointing game from Rose - his tackling and chasing were non-existent. He has some skill but not enough to excuse him from doing the basic things required at AFL level. And Ronke was MIA for most of the game.

On the other hand, McCartin had maybe his best game yet for the club. His third quarter was very good indeed. And while he still needs to improve his kicking of tricky shots for goal, he at least now looks like he knows what he's doing when he doesn't have an angle to deal with. Last year he looked as if he had no idea with even the easy ones.

[Ludwig]

agree with all about umpiring. The only things current umps know is the over the lines deliberately and 50 metre rule don't have to think about the decision, no ideas about any other rule, bring back goldy and his fellow umps at least the knew the rules. Its not so the frees against us it the ones missed for us. Current umps in the AFL the worst ever maybe they get thjem direct from kindergarten.

The game is just too difficult to umpire. I think there should be a few changes to take umpiring out many of these decisions:

1. Do away with the handball. A player can throw the ball, so long as it's underhand. This does away with improper disposal decisions. If you drop the ball, it's just play on.
2. Do away with the whole concept of prior opportunity. Just keep playing until the ball stops moving, then toss it up.
3. Implement the last touch out of bounds rule to take intent out of the equation.
4. Drop the minimum distance requirement for a mark. If there's a kick and a mark, then it's a mark, regardless of how far the ball goes. But the player only has 5 seconds to dispose of the ball.
5. Do away with the bounce after 15 metres. A player with the ball can run as far as he likes with ball in hand.

These rule changes will speed up the game and reduce the number of free kicks, which will be mostly limited to head high and other dangerous contact, and interference calls, like holding.

[Blood Fever]

I think many had run out of petrol by the end. It was a really good effort from such a young side. It was a pity we lost, but we were just not as clean when it mattered (not that they were particularly clean either).

The umpiring sucked, but that is par for the course really.

Good summation of the game. On the way home from game on number one tram a lot of Swans fans were brooding about the umps. It is par for the course.

[stevoswan]

I think we view umpiring typically through red and white coloured glasses, but does anyone else get sick of the complaining about umpiring on here?

Sure, there were decisions that didn’t go our way, but I’d think that our skill execution (understanding given the experience demographics of our side) likely cost us more.

Everyone has a right to voice an opinion (be it against umpires, players, sweet Caroline). My opinion is that complaining against umpiring is tiresome. It doesn’t change a thing. If we played better, we might have won in spite of the perceived umpiring discrepancies. As the cygnets develop, they will play better.

A certain 26 to 16 stat for a starters.....and what is tiresome is that it happens almost week in, week out. The fact that 'it doesn't change a thing' is irrelevant. If we didn't get shafted so much, what may change is that we'd win more games and may also have an extra premiership beside our name.

It's deserves complaining about.

[stevoswan]

The game is just too difficult to umpire. I think there should be a few changes to take umpiring out many of these decisions:

1. Do away with the handball. A player can throw the ball, so long as it's underhand. This does away with improper disposal decisions. If you drop the ball, it's just play on.
2. Do away with the whole concept of prior opportunity. Just keep playing until the ball stops moving, then toss it up.
3. Implement the last touch out of bounds rule to take intent out of the equation.
4. Drop the minimum distance requirement for a mark. If there's a kick and a mark, then it's a mark, regardless of how far the ball goes. But the player only has 5 seconds to dispose of the ball.
5. Do away with the bounce after 15 metres. A player with the ball can run as far as he likes with ball in hand.

These rule changes will speed up the game and reduce the number of free kicks, which will be mostly limited to head high and other dangerous contact, and interference calls, like holding.

I agree that the game is hard to umpire but I'm actually shocked that your name is beside that post Ludwig. I disagree with every one of those changes.....we may as well just go and watch rugby.

[Legs Akimbo]

The game is just too difficult to umpire. I think there should be a few changes to take umpiring out many of these decisions:

1. Do away with the handball. A player can throw the ball, so long as it's underhand. This does away with improper disposal decisions. If you drop the ball, it's just play on.
2. Do away with the whole concept of prior opportunity. Just keep playing until the ball stops moving, then toss it up.
3. Implement the last touch out of bounds rule to take intent out of the equation.
4. Drop the minimum distance requirement for a mark. If there's a kick and a mark, then it's a mark, regardless of how far the ball goes. But the player only has 5 seconds to dispose of the ball.
5. Do away with the bounce after 15 metres. A player with the ball can run as far as he likes with ball in hand.

These rule changes will speed up the game and reduce the number of free kicks, which will be mostly limited to head high and other dangerous contact, and interference calls, like holding.

Based on today, some of these changes have already been implemented, but not for both teams.

[Blood Fever]

Agree there were a couple of very poor umpiring decisions that proved expensive, but so did Hayward missing from point blank range, and Papley and Blakey deciding to take the advantage from free kicks that would have been simple shots at goal.

I thought there was a lot to like about the performance, other than the result. We just didn't have enough skill and/or experience to fully capitalise on the opportunities created forward. But while there were some turnovers around the ground, at other times we moved the ball quite well.

I thought it was a disappointing game from Rose - his tackling and chasing were non-existent. He has some skill but not enough to excuse him from doing the basic things required at AFL level. And Ronke was MIA for most of the game.

On the other hand, McCartin had maybe his best game yet for the club. His third quarter was very good indeed. And while he still needs to improve his kicking of tricky shots for goal, he at least now looks like he knows what he's doing when he doesn't have an angle to deal with. Last year he looked as if he had no idea with even the easy ones.

Apart from gifting Bombers with a turnover goal in first quarter, McCartin is very composed for a 19yo. His kicking has improved and he has sticky fingers. Gun of the future.

[Ludwig]

I thought there was a lot to like about the performance, other than the result. We just didn't have enough skill and/or experience to fully capitalise on the opportunities created forward. But while there were some turnovers around the ground, at other times we moved the ball quite well.

There's almost always something to like about our performances, but I wouldn't say there was a lot to like. We could hardly move the ball in the first half. Our play was slow and stilted. It might have slowed down a quick Essendon side, but it's not pretty football and not the kind of football we should be striving for. When players tire, especially in the 2nd half, there's going to be better ball movement with space opening up. But this also played to the advantage of Essendon, who used the open space to greater advantage.

Teams are doing a better job of shutting down the switch in play and we find ourselves with ball in hand and forced to kick to a contest. We need to do something else. I think we should go back to playing on quickly and moving the ball through the corridor. We've got a young team. We will turn over the ball a lot, but next year and beyond, we will be a better side for it.

[bodgie]

I felt the first few frees and unpaid frees at the start of the last quarter really sucked out our momentum. It also seemed to knock Allirs confidence leading to a more influential Clark in the ruck. We made some dumb decisions that didn't help and pretty poor execution at times but I thought we looked the better team. I'm disappointed we lost that one.

[Ludwig]

I agree that the game is hard to umpire but I'm actually shocked that your name is beside that post Ludwig. I disagree with every one of those changes.....we may as well just go and watch rugby.

Just think of it, Stevo. The Bulldogs are just throwing the ball anyway. If we designed the game the today, there wouldn't be hand balling. And we would have won the 2016 premiership.

I know that none of these rules will be changed, but it does take much of the game out of the hands of the umpires. There are too many inconsistencies with the umpiring, within games, and from game to game. If a game is too hard to umpire, it's not a good game. We want to see the better team win. Now there's too much luck involved. I'm not saying the umps are biased, but too much depends on getting their calls going in your favour.

[Markwebbos]

I didn’t see the game as one of my friends selfishly turned 50 today. However I want to cast my mind back to the start of the season when we were a rabble.

We are give or take the youngest side in the AFL. By comparison, Gold Coast just got annihilated by Richmond and we were playing for a chance to make finals.

I think we’ve overachieved this year and the signs for the future are extraordinary.

As I said last week. I think missing the finals may not be the worst thing that could happen as it allows us to focus 100% on 2020.

A lot to look forward to

[Matty10]

Good summation of the game. On the way home from game on number one tram a lot of Swans fans were brooding about the umps. It is par for the course.

I took the No 1 home too, but we stayed for a kick at the ground so there was only one other South fan onboard. It is a great thrill catching that tram when it is full of red and white (grumbling or not).