Rd 16 v Essendon Bombers @ MCG

[Matty10]

Rd 16 v Essendon Bombers @ MCG

That and the fact we haven’t beaten Essendon at the MCG since 1923.

…other than last year.

[aardvark]

When have we ever done things the easy way? These 5 minute disappearing acts are a huge frustration.

[Goal Sneak]

When have we ever done things the easy way? These 5 minute disappearing acts are a huge frustration.

Frustrating is right. There were wild flows of momentum throughout the game. There were parts during the 2nd and 4th quarters where Essendon were playing at a very high level, far better than a bottom 3 team. Equally, there were parts of the 1st and 3rd quarters where Essendon did play like a bottom 3 team.

Essentially, the Swans didn't take advantage when they had the momentum and Essendon did.

[Blood Fever]

What's embarrassing is a team with the chance to push for the top 4 losing to the third worst team in the competition, when they should have been 6 goals up early in the second qr.

This could have been a year when we had a silly chance of sneaking a flag. Instead, my gut tells me from here we'll be lucky to make the 8. But it's OK, we're a young team, we'll have another crack next year, right? BS. That's what they said when they choked in the final last year - beginning to think this isn't the group to take us where we want to be.

Deeply deeply disappointing and perhaps ultimately terrifically damaging result.

Disagree. Our team has a lot of young developing players. Way too early to write them off. As a matter of interest, if you're right about this group, how do you manage the list going forward?

[H2F]

Collingwood overtaken us now

[Agent 86]

Collingwood overtaken us now

As will Richmond tomorrow. A terrible result for us today. If we’re not out of the 8 next week, we will be the week after. Probably a fair indication of where we are at given the up and down nature of this team.

[Markwebbos]

…other than last year.

Ooops.

[Torpin de Torpe]

I joked to my son just before the Saints game that the "most Sydney thing" to do would be to belt the Saints and then lose to Essendon. Didn't really expect either, but here we are.

I prefer to look at the positives from today:-

1. I wasn't sitting at the SCG in torrential rain watching this inept performance (20mm of rain between 1:30pm and 4:30pm) (Though of course would have been a different game in those conditions)

Umm...that's about it for positives. Perhaps a (somewhat tenuous) positive is that it wasn't a proverbial "8-point game".

I'd describe the performance as "lazy". Perhaps a bit harsh - maybe last weeks game took a lot out of us? But we didn't apply the pressure that we are capable of, and seemed to give them a lot of space all over the ground. On occasions they seemed to get through/around us with ease. Defence was pretty ordinary.

I thought Parkergate would work to our advantage. We should have known they'd be up-and-about and responded accordingly. But alas...

Anyhoo, we get another go next week...

[The Big Cat]

Looking at Stephens’ detailed stats is interesting. He was the top high speed runner on the ground and was in the top few for all categories of speed and distance. Four tackles was good for him and metres gained was in the top half. Campbell also did a lot of high speed running just not getting much of the ball. Fastest player on the ground was Will Hayward. As usual Rowbottom had a lot of pressure acts.

[TheBloods]

How fantastic is Chad

[Agent 86]

How fantastic is Chad

Already a star. Your other pets have work to do.

[TheBloods]

Already a star. Your other pets have work to do.

They are young but the talent is obviously there . Chad tried and failed to win the game for us yesterday , Jmac did win a game for us this year . Blakey fantastic last week , Gulden best 1st yr player last year ?? Yes they have work to do , all players need to keep working to get better but not sure what more you can expect from them at this stage of their careers ?

[royboy42]

The fact that Logan doesn't play well when Bud is in the side is a worry.I thought Bud might take his leading area, and thus bugger up his game. (And, of course, as the far senior player, Bud has that right.)But with Bud playing more time further from the goal lately, I don't think that theory holds up. Logan inexplicably only seems to get the footy from a direct, straight ahead lead, and he's got great hands for them, and at acute boundary angles.Yet when Franklin is missing, McDonald has so much more freedom, and impacts the game so much more.Any theories? And what do we do about it?

[Ludwig]

Mill commented in the post game interview that they didn't do well with Essendon's transition game, which is the #1 problem I noted. I can't understand how we just let them move the ball around without closing down space. Every time we have a big loss, this is the main failing. I'm also not very satisfied with Longmire's repeated remarks about momentum shifts. Yes. There are momentum shifts, but that doesn't account for being totally trampled on when it shifts against us. There has to be some resistance during these periods.

Mills Post-Game Interview - Round 16, 2022

It's another one of those games when we have so few players doing well that it's hardly worth commenting on selection. Chad was excellent, while Parker and Paddy were okay. You can't change 19 players. There's something wrong with the system. We never used to be an easy team to get a run of goals on, until this year. Why doesn't one of those journos ask Longmire why that is?

Looking at Stephens’ detailed stats is interesting. He was the top high speed runner on the ground and was in the top few for all categories of speed and distance. Four tackles was good for him and metres gained was in the top half. Campbell also did a lot of high speed running just not getting much of the ball. Fastest player on the ground was Will Hayward. As usual Rowbottom had a lot of pressure acts.

I've commented on the VFL thread several times about how quick Stephens is, and very agile as well, which should be perfect for an on baller. Sadly though, he demonstrated some of that errant kicking again, although he did nicely hit up some targets. He gets caught out defensively and has a poor sense of what's going on around him. He has some real upside, but so much to work on as well.

The fact that Logan doesn't play well when Bud is in the side is a worry.I thought Bud might take his leading area, and thus bugger up his game. (And, of course, as the far senior player, Bud has that right.)But with Bud playing more time further from the goal lately, I don't think that theory holds up. Logan inexplicably only seems to get the footy from a direct, straight ahead lead, and he's got great hands for them, and at acute boundary angles.Yet when Franklin is missing, McDonald has so much more freedom, and impacts the game so much more.Any theories? And what do we do about it?

My solution is to make Buddy the Medisub. Bring in Amartey if he's fit. He had a slow game in the VFL and strapping on his knee, so not sure what the problem is, but has had a very strong year in the VFL. I would like to see Reid, Logan and Joel working together.

[Agent 86]

They are young but the talent is obviously there . Chad tried and failed to win the game for us yesterday , Jmac did win a game for us this year . Blakey fantastic last week , Gulden best 1st yr player last year ?? Yes they have work to do , all players need to keep working to get better but not sure what more you can expect from them at this stage of their careers ?

Wasn’t referring to either of those 2 (Blakey & Gulden both awesome talents).