Match Thread. Richmond, Round 6.

[MattW]

I know. He always tries to give off this laconic Aussie bloke vibe in his press conferences but the whinging boys club sook is never
much more than a tissue paper away.

He was getting his excuses in, anticipating the media criticism. Can't see Longmire ever putting it on another team - disrespectful.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Bit of deflection from Hardwick too. With the amount of inside 50’s they had, even with a bunch of stars missing they should have probably put us away and they couldn’t. Still had plenty of premiership players running around yesterday. If they pressed up more to put the pressure on they would have scored more turnovers and probably goals. They were happy sit back and let us chip it around as well. Takes two to tango.


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[111431]

Bit of deflection from Hardwick too. With the amount of inside 50’s they had, even with a bunch of stars missing they should have probably put us away and they couldn’t. Still had plenty of premiership players running around yesterday. If they pressed up more to put the pressure on they would have scored more turnovers and probably goals. They were happy sit back and let us chip it around as well. Takes two to tango.


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And when we were flying and they were absolute rubbish, they used to drag us down to an awful level but we just sucked up the win and moved on

[KTigers]

Yes, and that feeds into that negative stereotype, that's been perpetuated by the media talking heads, that the Swans play an ugly and defensive brand of football. Which I think started back in the Roos era, when our 'cortina' midfield, wouldn't let all the high draft pick 'sportscars' roam free. Which even then, ignored all the exciting football, played by the likes of, Goodesy, Tadhg, Mickey O, Leaping Leo, BBB, etc.

Yes, and these days they seem to have forgotten we have a number of genuinely attacking players like Buddy, Isaac and Papley. There is
only one direction these guys are going when they get the ball. The so-called footy media and almost all the commentators are just
really lazy and can't be bothered doing any decent analysis of the tactical side of the game. It's likely that many of them aren't even
capable of it anyway. So they just trot out the same old cliches year after year.

[Markwebbos]

I agree. Hardwick must realise it’s his responsibility to counter these tactics.

Clubs have figured out when you play Richmond to chip the ball around and keep possession when you have it, and when they have it to flood defensive 50.

Yet he refused to even up numbers allowing us to chip it around and with Robbie Fox playing on Tom Lynch they kicked 4 goals from 50+ inside 50s.

I’m sure someone in the media will point this out today. My guess is someone at the Age.

[KTigers]

I don't even get how "ugly" and "defensive" need to be in the same sentence. The score line in the greatest and most exhilarating Grand Final
this century was 58-54. The purpose of the game is to win, not to lose some twenty goals a side shootout with no defense or tackling.
It takes an incredible amount of effort and discipline to do what we did yesterday, and we almost pinched it. It's not like Richmond didn't
chip it around a lot when it suited them either. Wet games always even up the teams anyway. Maybe we'll fined or a trade ban instituted for
not trying to play pretty wet weather football.

[dejavoodoo44]

Yes, and these days they seem to have forgotten we have a number of genuinely attacking players like Buddy, Isaac and Papley. There is
only one direction these guys are going when they get the ball. The so-called footy media and almost all the commentators are just
really lazy and can't be bothered doing any decent analysis of the tactical side of the game. It's likely that many of them aren't even
capable of it anyway. So they just trot out the same old cliches year after year.

And the most tediously inane version of that, was last year, when a fair few of the 7 commentators, seemed to think that we were deliberately playing some sort of version of rope a dope. That is, our alleged plan, was to have the ball for extended periods in our defence, and then to hit a tiring and frustrated opposition on the counter attack. Which entirely ignored the more reality based explanation, that we weren't getting the clearances that we used to and that we were often turning the ball over, on the way out of defence. It also ignored the fact our defence was generally high quality and was able to repel plenty of attacks. But no, they had stats that said the ball was often in our defensive half, so therefore it was a cunning plan.

[Ralph Dawg]

Missed the first 2 quarters yesterday so watched it today whilst on my bike trainer. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that we were getting on top just when the rain started and could've won had it not been for the rain.

Re Parks he was heavily marked once JPK went off. If he got us across the line, would've been one for the ages.

Re Blakey, clearly down on confidence and looks to be feeling like he needs to do the spectacular. Also losing his feet too much at the contest. Needs to settle down and get back to basics as fundamentally an excellent player. I think with a few tall targets coming back, he will calm down.

[barry]

If you watch NFL broadcasts, the commentators are right up with the latest tactics and plays, and during breaks they freeze frame and show the running patterns of the previous plsy.

There is no reason why AFL broadcasts couldnt do that (although admittedly, there are less breaks). And if they could possibly do it in a tone that doesnt sound like they have just outsmarted the coach, but more appreciate of the coach and the players are the real brains behind it.

[ugg]

Interesting tweet and evidence regarding Hardwick's comments

https://twitter.com/Sammy__Edmund/status/1282471959683403777

[grarmy]

Understandable perhaps given yesterday’s game, but so many comments on this thread are just nasty. The reality is that the Swans are weak through the spine. Injuries and form have robbed us of talent and there are no ready made replacements. Put it down to another development year.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Interesting tweet and evidence regarding Hardwick's comments

https://twitter.com/Sammy__Edmund/st...71959683403777

As interesting as it is, and I agree we weren’t entirely to blame at all , I don’t think 3 screenshots paints the picture of a game. Weak argument


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[stevoswan]

You want a medal? I'll buy you a chest to pin it on. You would have been used to mediocracy then. Because that is whatf South Melbourne were, mediocre. Bottom 4 most years. When they came up to Sydney the hope was for a more successful club. We have achieved that. But we do not want to go back down the bad old road if South Melbourne from 1950 onward. Bottom eight for all but two until we went to Sydney.

Dur there were up and down times in Sydney too. The 1990's when the club was again financially strapped. But in the main it has been a very positive move. Two premiership, finals most years.

Yes we are developing a side. But baffling selection decisions then playing a game that is not only not sustainable it is not a game that wins games. Too defensive and slow. If we are going to lose I would rather we played a style that will eventually lead to our next premiership not some negative, low scoring brand of bull@@@@.

I would rather we played our talls of we have them. Not ask smaller players to take on roles they are not suited to.

In the end we battled hard in a game that was forgettable

What a truly strange post. For one, I was replying to someone else, secondly my earlier post quoting you said it wasn't personal, thirdly, I never once argued against the move to Sydney. If your angry and want to attack someone, at least attack the right person AND keep it real and relevant. Scratching my head atm.

[stevoswan]

So who is the most overrated player in our team then? Are you saying it's ridiculous to say someone is overrated? They can still be a good player but be overrated. Actually they have to be a decent player in the first place to even be considered to be overrated.

JPK is a true star. Parker isn't in his league. I don't think that's a ridiculous thing to say.

Parker is a solid citizen ie a good player but not a great one. Again far from ridiculous.

I think your own emotion and rose coloured glasses are clouding your view.

No mate, I just prefer to cool down so I don't embarrass myself.

[Sandrevan]

The Mills free kick early in Q1....sorry but it was correct.

Mills with ball in the goal square shapes to handball to Hayward but sees he has 2 opponents near him. Mills hesitates and shapes to kick then decides not to. Then he moves towards the goal line and Riewoldt helps him over it.

Mills had 2 chances to dispose of the ball without immediate pressure but didn't do so. If he doesn't know the rules maybe his coach should explain them.

But he did get better as the game went on - credit to him for that.