Analysis Bloods' Performance Discussion 2022

[Grand Uncle Horace]

"Swans'" would be correct

Bloods' would be great, but yes, I get Swans'.

 

[Millky95]

Bloods' would be great, but yes, I get Swans'.

Sydney's
Bloods'
Swans'
Our

Would all be acceptable

 

[sthmelb_dimmies]

Unless of course the thread is about Wayne Swan. Then please leave as is. Not sure what Swanny is up to these days.

 

[robbieando]

We do it in parts, issue is opposition are now flooding the corridor on us.

This is an important factor that I don't think many have picked up on. Teams just aren't giving us the corridor and as we lose the midfield battle most weeks we have to either bomb it long or exit the defensive half using short chip kicks which makes it much easier for teams to defend against us. Also opens us up going the other way quickly if we turn it over.

 

[caesar88]

I think if we're gonna long bomb (which in a post-Richmond comp seems to be the name of the game), then we need to win it out of the centre more to maximise our opportunities of turning those long bombs into scores.

Long bombs only really work in weight of numbers. Sure the Mays and McGoverns of the comp can pluck them off, but quick, deep, repeat entries will eventually win out and heap the pressure on, no matter how well the opposition defence is set up. We've gotta start winning the ball more and getting the game and territory on our terms.

It was interesting seeing McInerney at the centre bounces late in the game on the weekend. In terms of what he did with it, I wasn't blown away. I don't have a lot of interest in seeing such a classy player just slamming it on the boot out of the centre. But it was the fact he was actually getting his hands on it in the first place that made things happen. We're starving ourselves of opportunities by just not getting enough of the ball.

McInerney's not even an inside mid and yet he had 7 contested possessions in the 4th quarter - that's more than the actual mids in Heeney, Florent, Rowbottom and Warner had for their entire games. He matched their hard ball wins for the entire game in one quarter. Is that a testament to McInerney or an indictment on the rest? I think it is both. This is not to dismiss how good McInerney was, but under no circumstances should the skinny, scrawny kid be leading the way in terms of winning hard balls, and if he is, then the rest need to be taking a good look at themselves.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

McInerney's not even an inside mid and yet he had 7 contested possessions in the 4th quarter

Played a few games inside in the 2s a couple of years back and was more than handy.

 

[caesar88]

Played a few games inside in the 2s a couple of years back and was more than handy.

He's clearly shown ability there but he's not naturally an inside mid with years of playing in such a role behind him as the others have. Which just makes it all the more impressive that he can adapt to it so seamlessly.

 

[Big Blood]

The stats make for sobering reading. We're in the bottom third for most of the key stas:

centre clearances - 17th
stoppage clearances - 16th
I50s - 10th
contested marks - 14th
marks inside 50 - 11th

On the upside: no.1 in rebound 50s

David King covered some of this with Whately yesterday, said Swans not moving the ball as quickly as last year, mids not dominant physically or in terms of possession, says Longmire is showing signs of concern about it

Starts 27:40

The Monday Means Test with David King - Round 4 (11.4.22)

<div>Why the rest of the competition should be scared of Melbourne, Essendon's inability to defend, the impressive coaching at St Kilda, why Adam Simpson is still one of the best coaches in the league, where it's going wrong at the Western Bulldogs, why you can't write Richmond off, Paddy...

player.fm

 

[Kapers]

Thanks for notifying my grammar error, been changed to Bloods'

Bloods' would be great, but yes, I get Swans'.

My favourite option.

 

[Kapers]

He's clearly shown ability there but he's not naturally an inside mid with years of playing in such a role behind him as the others have. Which just makes it all the more impressive that he can adapt to it so seamlessly.

Tbf, he ended up with the second most contested possessions on the ground, he might just be that good.

I think we have a position where our best inside player might just be our best outside lol.

 

[caesar88]

Tbf, he ended up with the second most contested possessions on the ground, he might just be that good.

I think we have a position where our best inside player might just be our best outside lol.

I reckon he absolutely is that good. But he shouldn't have to be. We are playing guys who have been playing inside mid since they were in high school and a kid like McInerney walks in for a quarter and shows them how it's done. Like I said, kudos to McInerney for doing so, but it shouldn't have been necessary, and shouldn't be going forward.

 

[Tesla Tenet]

Could do with a player like that!!!!!

Sent from my SM-G990E using Tapatalk

 

[caesar88]

 

[Jewelsbon]

This is degenerating into the Mitchell thread of a few years ago.
You guys do realise that you can bitch and moan and carry on about the trade as much as you like but it's not going to change anything, George is a blue now not a swan.
Build a bridge.

 

[caesar88]

This is degenerating into the Mitchell thread of a few years ago.
You guys do realise that you can bitch and moan and carry on about the trade as much as you like but it's not going to change anything, George is a blue now not a swan.
Build a bridge.

That's a little harsh Jewels. One comment about George is hardly derailing the thread.

I would also argue that those who were pro-George are owed something of a victory lap, given how much flack we copped for holding him in such high esteem. That said, I've been very restrained on the topic since Ticky gave me a scoulding and told me to think about what I'd done.

 

[the hypnotoad]

last season our very exciting but inexperienced young team blew games against far lesser opponents, games we should have won ...
gold coast, hawthorn, fremantle stand out, maybe include the blown game v giants first time round ...
this is now two weeks in a row playing lesser teams and we've won both ...
last week, the board lit up in frustration and then relief, but there was plenty of criticism of the effort against north, and rightly so
yet we won that, then climbed out of the rut by smashing west coast in perth
i reckon, combined, that's a good sign ... particularly as it's been the young players standing up when they had to, and lifting the team when some of the older big names have been down ... and of course, while west coast can argue they had players out and fitness issues, we had no hickey, franklin or papley ...
next week against hawthorn is another test of that but we're entitled to feel encouraged

 

[Kapers]

I think there's a bit of discussion about Rowbottom's position in the team, whether it's too defensive and if it suits him.

Maybe this is desperation, but I would give Stephens a defensive mid role. Give him a run with role, similar to what we've given Clark in the past. I would probably drop Bell and play Stephens.

On that note, I think Bell has earnt a few more cracks at it, but I just don't like how he uses the ball.

 

[wills2g]

Bell's probably out for Paps. We'll get a way better goal return from our smalls aka Paps at least 1-2/game.

I think our performance differs when we play a team with zoning defence of if they're playing man on man. Zoning defences we kick our way through, but when opposition goes man on man, I feel like we struggle a bit more. Similar to last year

 

[caesar88]

I think there's a bit of discussion about Rowbottom's position in the team, whether it's too defensive and if it suits him.

Maybe this is desperation, but I would give Stephens a defensive mid role. Give him a run with role, similar to what we've given Clark in the past. I would probably drop Bell and play Stephens.

On that note, I think Bell has earnt a few more cracks at it, but I just don't like how he uses the ball.

I reckon that could be a productive change for Stephens. Gives him something to focus on that isn't necessarily related to meeting metrics like x amount of possessions or kilometres covered. Might be an easier way to work himself into the game.

The problem is I don't really think there's a place for a defensive mid in this team. Our midfield is nowhere near dominant enough to be able to afford to have a mid who is focused more on his opponent than the ball. I think the reason we persist with it is because most of our mids, as good as they are, suck at being accountable.

If every one of our mids could just play with some basic accountability like the very best do (Petracca, Steele, Miller) then we wouldn't need to have a defensive mid. Watching them the other night, they just lost their opponents so easily, and if they were better opponents they'd have punished us for it severely.

 

[Kapers]

I reckon that could be a productive change for Stephens. Gives him something to focus on that isn't necessarily related to meeting metrics like x amount of possessions or kilometres covered. Might be an easier way to work himself into the game.

The problem is I don't really think there's a place for a defensive mid in this team. Our midfield is nowhere near dominant enough to be able to afford to have a mid who is focused more on his opponent than the ball. I think the reason we persist with it is because most of our mids, as good as they are, suck at being accountable.

If every one of our mids could just play with some basic accountability like the very best do (Petracca, Steele, Miller) then we wouldn't need to have a defensive mid. Watching them the other night, they just lost their opponents so easily, and if they were better opponents they'd have punished us for it severely.

It's interesting that accountability seems to be an issue with our misfield, as it's something that I don't think the swans midfield has struggled with in recent years.
Will be interesting to see how our rolling midfield affects our ability to remain accountable. It shouldn't, but maybe rotating through means that players have to adjust when they get thrown in the middle.

 

[caesar88]

It's interesting that accountability seems to be an issue with our misfield, as it's something that I don't this the swans midfield has struggled with in recent years.
Will be interesting to see how our rolling midfield affects our ability to remain accountable. It shouldn't, but maybe rotating through means that players have to adjust when they get thrown in the middle.

Think it's just natural when you bring in more guys with attacking instincts that they will probably be less capable in the defensive realm. We aren't the first and we won't be the last to attempt a more attacking midfield and end up struggling with pressure and accountability. (See: GWS, Bulldogs in recent years.)

Some of our guys just need to get better at knowing when the ball is there to be won (ie. see ball, get ball at the ruck's feet) and when the ball is lost and it's time to defend. And they need to be able to do this in a split second at a centre bounce. If they don't then I worry we'll always concede as many quick, easy centre breaks as we win ourselves.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Think it's just natural when you bring in more guys with attacking instincts that they will probably be less capable in the defensive realm. We aren't the first and we won't be the last to attempt a more attacking midfield and end up struggling with pressure and accountability. (See: GWS, Bulldogs in recent years.)

Some of our guys just need to get better at knowing when the ball is there to be won (ie. see ball, get ball at the ruck's feet) and when the ball is lost and it's time to defend. And they need to be able to do this in a split second at a centre bounce. If they don't then I worry we'll always concede as many quick, easy centre breaks as we win ourselves.

Swings and roundabouts. We have been regularly beaten in in CBAs in recent years and the 6,6,6 rule has accentuated this. We simply could not run with a Parker, Hewett, Mills and JPK midfield and compete.

Yes we have lost an accomplished mid in Hewett (sob) but others will pick up the defensive load as well as win clearances a bit more frequently. Moving on from JPK had to happen, just as Parker needed to balance his time there.

I reckon the players running through there are doing a pretty good job and are still learning.

 

[Kapers]

I reckon Kennedy has earnt his spot back in the midfield. Just adds so much.

We will be tested down back with Paddy out, but gives a chance to the reserves side. Very interested to see who plays when Paddy can't.

 

[Kapers]

Also, and I probably sound like a broken record, we score really heavily.

The game has become moments of dominance rather than dominating the game. When we dominate, we score.

 

[BloodySwan]

I reckon Kennedy has earnt his spot back in the midfield. Just adds so much.

We will be tested down back with Paddy out, but gives a chance to the reserves side. Very interested to see who plays when Paddy can't.

Kennedy came on the last quarter and a half while everyone else was already tired. Different from him playing the full 4 quarters.

Whether he still has a role full time is yet to be seen but he's earned his spot for next week