#AFL Round 4 Swans vs Bulldogs Thur 25-Jun at SCG #AFLSwansDogs

[Markwebbos]

Shattered for Sam. But it may well be the point we have to draw the line in the sand with him.

We need to find another genuine ruckman but I don’t know that we need to get rid of him.

[waswan]

Alir and Sinkers Ruck
Play Brand and Melican down back

[goswannies]

If it is true it wouldn’t surprise me if he gave it away

He might not want to give it away but if lists might be reduced, how long can they keep a 29-30yo repeat ACL injured player with 30 games in 7 years on the list? They persisted a long time with AJ, but he was a lot younger, with bigger player lists and a seconds team to play in

[waswan]

We need to find another genuine ruckman but I don’t know that we need to get rid of him.

I dont think anyone is trying to get rid of him but a 205cm, 105kg, 30yr old who has played 4 games in 4 yrs and done 2 knees is a grim outlook

[longmile]

Any rucks out of contract this year?

We're in desperate need

[goswannies]

12 months is also July, so 8 weeks to go normally..... best case he is good for preseason next year

It might also depend how quickly they do the recon if he needs one

[Mel_C]

I hate these short games . Is this the go all season ?

Yes the shorter quarters are for the whole season in case teams have to play multiple games in a short period of time like what Essendon and Melbourne will have to do.

Thought that did slip over the shoulder

When I saw it live I yelled at the tv when the umpire didn't pay it but when I saw the replay you can see Papley throw his head back as soon as he felt contact which wasn't high. I had to apologise to the umpire.

[waswan]

It might also depend how quickly they do the recon if he needs one

By next year I meant preseason November 2021

[jono2707]

Unfortunately that'd have to be it for Sam if he has done his ACL. Bloody terrible news.

[goswannies]

Unfortunately that'd have to be it for Sam if he has done his ACL. Bloody terrible news.

Unless he considers a LARS graft. Not the best option for a young footballer, but if we can’t sign a ready made ruckman, it could get Sam back for the start of next season if everything goes well (think Nick Malceski)

[waswan]

When a team is settled that is when you keep them together, we are at least 12 months away from a settled 22 so I say throw the magnets.

Aside from that Ronke, Taylor, Blakey, Fox and Mclean had 37 touches between them.
You cant tell me subbing any of them for Stephens, Gould, Elijah, Warner, Ling that we would be worse off.

We have had 5 or 6 perform poorly like that every week. Regardless of a win or loss, no one is holding out these young blokes.

For gods sake play Melican and Brand so Rampe doesnt have to be a key defender and can run off.
Mills has been wasted for 2 years, poor Rampes about 7 years, 189cm Key Defender

[dejavoodoo44]

Big shame for Sam. Also a shame that Knoll is listed as being out for another 4 to 6 weeks. I was bullish about him at the start of the season. He improved a lot during the last NEAFL season, and apparently was training really well this year. It's a bit like Cameron last year, who was injured when Sinkers went down.

[chalbilto]

What is it about the SCG. The record for the last few seasons have been terrible considering that it used to be a fortress. I also believe that the team should play on like they did in the third quarter and like they did in round 1 against Adelaide. The short "precision" kick passes do not seem to work and it makes them slow giving the opposition time to set up their defenses. I'd rather see them take risks. It's a real tragedy about Naismith and I think there is merit in playing Allir as a ruckman as he has agility on his side. There were a few players that should be dropped and also at training the tackling bags should come out. It grates me to see players opting for a ineffective bump when a crunching tackle should be undertaken.

[Nico]

Maybe we should ask to go into a hub and play our home games in Tasmania, where I believe we have a 100% record.

Why can’t we win at the SCG anymore? It’s a serious question. Have we become a more outside running team and therefore less suited to the contested footy that the SCG prefers?

2 very good reasons.

1. We are very indirect in Sydney.
2. We can't win the centre clearances. Tonight the difference in the scores equalled the clean, quick clearances the Bulldogs got, that hit forwards on the chest. When Mills went into the centre we finally had someone who went for the footy. At one point he and Naismith went for a second effort and the other 2 in the centre weren't to be seen as they dropped of the contest and we were out numbered. I don't think this current coaching group will ever get that right.

Boundary throw ins. The Bulldogs had someone boundary side, one goal side, one defensive side and one at the back, yet our blokes were all over the shop.
The ball goes forward, gets spoiled, the Dogs have one over the back and one in front while all our no thinkers fly for the mark. Last quarter, ball goes to the top of the dogs goal square but Allir is right at the back of the pack instead of 2 metres off for the spilled ball, which enables Macrae to get around the back for a soccer goal.

Yes we have a lot of young footballers, but so do the Dogs. I can't cop this as an excuse anymore.

Tonight we had so many passengers it isn't funny.

Any chance Cunningham hitting a player on the chest. Absolute bucket of tripe tonight.
Heeney - looks like a millionaire footballers but plays like a lower middle manager. Just holds on to the footy way too long and always looks inboard instead of moving it on. A very poor finisher both by foot and hand and can't wait for him to kick a goal from a set shot.
Hayward is an imposter. He ran past a couple of contests tonight instead of getting involved in a tackle or hard stuff.
Dawson- he plays to his weaknesses instead of his strengths. Why on earth he persists with going inboard instead of roosting it deep into the forward is beyond me. Also when he is in front in a marking contest he puts his hands up and drops his head. Read into that how you want. Simply not hard enough. Like Heeney he takes a month to move it on.
Florent had a howler.
Can anyone tell me where Blakey is at because I have no idea. Just doesn't go where the ball is. Way too skinny to be involved in marking contests. He should be constantly running to space.
McLean - Ball hits the ground and he is cooked. Has a bigger turning circle than the Queen Mary.
Taylor, Ronke and Fox aren't taking us to finals.
McInerney gets into the action, just needs to learn where to run at times.
Papley is an out and out star. How could you blame him for wanting to go to another club if we keep dishing up that garbage.
Hooray, Mills finally goes into the guts and shows what he can do.

Maybe tonight we simply had a collection of dumb footballers, but they keep making the same skill errors and poor decisions. Time to play to Ludwig's tune and start giving games to young players who have been left in the wings for a long time and are hungry to succeed.

[The Big Cat]

According to AFL stats, Mills had 12 to 7 disposals after going onto the koala, sorry, the other protected species the Bont.