Live: R4 V Bombers @SCG Thursday 8/4/2021

[TheBloods]

The crowd didn't look that good, seemed to be a lot of aqua seats visible on tv.

What was it like at the ground - I can't trust me ears because of the marketing department and tv screws perceptions anyway

The crowd was dismal. I had a whole row to myself. I like the music. Didnt notice it much a fortnight ago but felt it more last night but it was worth it . Got the team revved up. Maybe they should save it for the close games , did seem silly when we flogged the Crows

[Markwebbos]

The crowd didn't look that good, seemed to be a lot of aqua seats visible on tv.

What was it like at the ground - I can't trust me ears because of the marketing department and tv screws perceptions anyway

28,000. There were a lot of free seats but that’s still over 50% full when people are on school holidays etc. And in the middle of a pandemic.

I was near the Swans goal and didn’t hear the final siren over the crowd.

Need to write another letter to the club about the wall to wall noise including the half time break!

[Meg]

On Fox after the game Gerard Healy and Leigh Montania both said there was NO FREE against Hickey as under new rules, his prior opportunity begins ONCE he takes possession. (He was immediately tackled)

Hickey wasn’t immediately tackled, he took at least four steps after taking possession before he was tackled. (Watch the last 2 mins video on Swans website.) In those four steps he could have disposed.

It was one of those marginal subjective decisions umpires have to make snap judgements on. I think it probably should have been called HTB. But that one (non) decision didn’t decide the match outcome. It’s all hypothetical what might have happened if it had been called a free for Bombers. It wasn’t 10 metres out straight in front of the goal posts.

[Aaron]

Blakey, Mills charged by MRP

Callum Mills has been charged with a first offence of making Careless Contact with an Umpire.
Nick Blakey has been charged with Engaging in Rough Conduct against Zachary Merrett, Essendon, during the first quarter.

[greeng]

Back to periods of poor disposal and shoddy kicks for goal. Also kicking to Franklin excessively. They really missed Heens when he got injured.

[Sandridge]

Hickey wasn’t immediately tackled, he took at least four steps after taking possession before he was tackled. (Watch the last 2 mins video on Swans website.) In those four steps he could have disposed.

It was one of those marginal subjective decisions umpires have to make snap judgements on. I think it probably should have been called HTB. But that one (non) decision didn’t decide the match outcome. It’s all hypothetical what might have happened if it had been called a free for Bombers. It wasn’t 10 metres out straight in front of the goal posts.

AFL says the non-decision was ok.

AFL 2021: Sydney vs Essendon, Tom Hickey free kick, holding the ball, video, reaction, umpires, free kick count

[greeng]

none

We definitely got some favourable decisions which annoys me. That deliberate out of bounds decision in, I think it was the 1st quarter against the Essendon defender was a disgrace. I hate that stupid rule so much.

[SwanSand]

Back to periods of poor disposal and shoddy kicks for goal. Also kicking to Franklin excessively. They really missed Heens when he got injured.

We really need a medium forward or a small who can fly for the marks like Heeney does. Hayward and Blakey are in that mould but unfortunately both are very unpredictable.

[MattW]

AFL put lots of money and resources on Champion Data. They may have supplied more details to coaches but not enough for us fans.
The following may have some answers : see Player ratings: frequently asked questions.

Essentially,"Players accrue or lose points every time they are involved in a passage of play, and the score awarded to them each time they are in the play is determined by a complex algorithm formulated and refined over a number of years by Champion Data. Whether players accrue or lose points is based around whether they have a positive or negative impact on the passage of play.....

Every time a player is involved in a passage of play he will have the chance to accrue points. But rather than his score being a simple tally of his possessions, marks, tackles, hit-outs, free-kicks and scores, his performance will be measured using a system called Equity Ratings. The system determines where and how a player influences a contest and whether the player's effort then results in a positive result for his team. Equity Ratings includes what coaches love to describe as "pressure acts". As a result, players are rewarded for interrupting opposition passages of play as well as setting up scores for their own team."

Fans in front of TV or even sitting in SCG can't keep tab on every player and every act but Champion Data have enough staff, camera angles and resources to cover more.

Yes, I actually find them quite indicative.

[MattW]

Hickey wasn’t immediately tackled, he took at least four steps after taking possession before he was tackled. (Watch the last 2 mins video on Swans website.) In those four steps he could have disposed.

It was one of those marginal subjective decisions umpires have to make snap judgements on. I think it probably should have been called HTB. But that one (non) decision didn’t decide the match outcome. It’s all hypothetical what might have happened if it had been called a free for Bombers. It wasn’t 10 metres out straight in front of the goal posts.

Agree with every word.

- - - Updated - - -

We definitely got some favourable decisions which annoys me. That deliberate out of bounds decision in, I think it was the 1st quarter against the Essendon defender was a disgrace. I hate that stupid rule so much.

I like that rule, what annoys me is the commentators banging on about it every time it is applied. Both those deliberate decisions against Essendon felt right to me.

[Markwebbos]

We definitely got some favourable decisions which annoys me. That deliberate out of bounds decision in, I think it was the 1st quarter against the Essendon defender was a disgrace. I hate that stupid rule so much.

It’s a rule designed to allow the crowd to “persuade” the umpire to award a dubious free kick to the home team.

We got 3 or 4, Bombers got none I think

[Bexl]

I agree with Stephens in but seriously, if you can't see from last nights game that Bell is just not up to AFL standard.....while deriding RB, you have a problem.

A very big problem.

[Bangalore Swans]

The reason we lost dare and confidence was because the tactics weren't working, because Essendon were able to (on the night) effectively counter them through a huge level of sustained pressure.

You don't hit your head constantly against a locked door because you don't have the key, why would we do the same on the football field? We found a way to win after being 4 goals down - history doesn't care about 'how' you got the win, just that you got hte win.

We will play quick ball movement footy at plenty of times this season to keep you happy, but it didn't work as well last night and we had to find another way. Which we did - which for a very young side is an excellent sign.

“To keep me happy”? You have to read the room.

The Swans quick ball movement keeps all Swans fans happy. The 1st three rounds of Don Pyke football have intoxicated all Swans fans with the style of football.

I want more Don Pyke football. I want the contested boundary line football to be a thing of the past. I just want more corridor, quick moving, daring kick football.

That style of football is also likely to increase crowd size and membership sign ups.

[mcs]

“To keep me happy”? You have to read the room.

The Swans quick ball movement keeps all Swans fans happy. The 1st three rounds of Don Pyke football have intoxicated all Swans fans with the style of football.

I want more Don Pyke football. I want the contested boundary line football to be a thing of the past. I just want more corridor, quick moving, daring kick football.

That style of football is also likely to increase crowd size and membership sign ups.

Blah blah blah, "insert meaningless marketing mumbo jumbo here" is a reasonable summary isn' it? Next you'll be defending the blaring music on the basis it might encourage a few people with zero interest in the football to come along....

The point I was making is that football is a results based business. We didn't go out there on purpose to play contested football of that style last night, but that is how the game turned out.

Style over substance as a sole determinant in football ultimately is pretty futile - unless you couldn't get a hoot about winning things at the end of the day. The best sides know how to win playing great football to watch, but they also know how to win ugly when needed. That characteristic is every bit as important, and we demonstrated last night we haven't forgotten that important attribute and our younger players recognise that need, which is exceptionally pleasing and a good sign for the future as well.

I'll take playing dog ugly football to get the job done once in a while, if it means when it comes to the crux, we can get the job done on the biggest stages at the other end of the season if that is what it boils down to. Maybe you are solely satisfied by the style of play on show and couldn't care less about results - that's your prerogative. But I, like most I'd expect, would love to see us be able to add to our trophy collection again sometime in the near future. And to do that, we will need to be adaptable in our approach, even if that means sometimes we can't play your hyperbolically described 'don pyke football'.

Had we not adapted our style last night and kept hitting our head against the brick wall when it wasn't working just because it was our preferred style of play, we would of lost that game.

[MattW]

“To keep me happy”? You have to read the room.

The Swans quick ball movement keeps all Swans fans happy. The 1st three rounds of Don Pyke football have intoxicated all Swans fans with the style of football.

I want more Don Pyke football. I want the contested boundary line football to be a thing of the past. I just want more corridor, quick moving, daring kick football.

That style of football is also likely to increase crowd size and membership sign ups.

Never mind the room, the ladder reads 4-0.