Match thread

[grimlock]

We were very very very lucky to get away with that one. I reckon 2 more minutes and the Pies would have taken it. We just stopped playing and tried to shut the shop up with almost disastrous results. It must be worrying when an inexperienced ruck division of Fanning and Clokes dominated ours near the end, so much so that Roos had to turn to Goodesy in desperation.

As for the umpiring, I haven't seen the match on video yet and there are things that you miss sitting in the grandstand, but I thought it was absolutely shocking. It was as if there were different holding the ball rules for each team.

 

[Glenn_]

Only explanation I can come up with for the shocking umpires are they are either on Eddies' payroll or have been watching Goldspink umpire too much, inept only begins to describe the yellow twits.
Sydney did all they could to throw away the game in the last quarter but managed to scrap and lock up the ball enough to get over the line

 

[robbieando]

One mistake? Geez your a harsh judge. Most players do a lot more than that. The bog (buckley) got caught Holding the ball (by LRT), and should have been pinged a few more times.

Anyway, I'd rather see LRT having a red hot go at every contest, even if it means a few inter-swan collisions.

Didn't say he had a bad game, just stating he has to learn to stop getting the way of teammates like he does. He is improving and is a player I want in the side, but more improvement is still needed if he is to become the player we hope.

 

[liz]

On the umpiring, now that I've watched it on replay I feel more able to comment. Number of frees for each side is irrelevant if they are all there and "soft" free are adjudicated consistently for both teams.

Most of the frees the Pies got were there - soft but there. We got a couple of softish frees later in the game but Hall had claims to a number of frees for being scragged which he didn't get.

In the piece of play where O'Loughlin tried to kick a goal off the ground in close range but hit the post, he was clearly being ******ed by the arm and its one reason he couldn't get to the ball properly. In my eyes it was as blatant as the one Kennelly gave away to Burns for scragging - which was pretty blatant too.

The two frees that I am still bewildered / incensed by are:

- the one that Buckley got in the first quarter just for running onto the ground. If the umpires are to give a free for everytime two players run into each other in a piece of off-the-ball byplay that hurts neither and has not impact on the game and is initiated simultaneously by both players, we might just as well revert to a penalty shoot -out.

- the deliberate OOB against Hall when he spoilt a marking contest near the boundary line in the dying minutes of the game, which directly led to the Pies launching their last attack after it looked like we had some relief. Sure, his intention was to knock the ball OOB but things like that must happen 20 times in every game of football. It's not like he thumped it 10m away. What was his alternative? - any spoil of the contest(still a legitimate tactic surely, even for Barry Hall) would have put the ball OOB. Note that earlier in the game the untouchable Clement kicked it 30m to the boundary line under moderate pressure with little disguise and with no Pies players anywhere close and yet didn't get pinged.

 

[grimlock]

It seems the deliberate OOB rule changes late in the game, especially if the result is in the balance.

RE: the Hall OOB - From what I recall it was a second effort after the initial spoil when he thumped it over. I'm not sure what the rule is in this case.

Also another Hall incident which I wasn't sure about was in the 2nd quarter when he tried to take on Presti inside the 50, and eventually ran out of bounds. He was penalised for what I think was OOB, even though the tackle was completed after he went out.

 

[liz]

Also another Hall incident which I wasn't sure about was in the 2nd quarter when he tried to take on Presti inside the 50, and eventually ran out of bounds. He was penalised for what I think was OOB, even though the tackle was completed after he went out.

I think on that one he was penalised for slinging Presti unneccessarily after he was out of play, not dissimilar to the incident he was reported for last year against the Dees (though not quite as "violent").

 

[grimlock]

I think on that one he was penalised for slinging Presti unneccessarily after he was out of play, not dissimilar to the incident he was reported for last year against the Dees (though not quite as "violent").

I think that was a different incident on the other wing?

 

[liz]

Could well be.

It is games like that one that still have me wondering about Hall as captain. He was obviously getting agitated as the night progressed and we were sitting on the edge of our seats waiting for him to do something daft.

Indeed, there is one incident that might draw some scrutiny from the MRP - a tackle on Fanning when he may have swung a fist into the Pieman's midriff. Anyone else see that?

 

[Mike_B]

Could well be.

It is games like that one that still have me wondering about Hall as captain. He was obviously getting agitated as the night progressed and we were sitting on the edge of our seats waiting for him to do something daft.

Indeed, there is one incident that might draw some scrutiny from the MRP - a tackle on Fanning when he may have swung a fist into the Pieman's midriff. Anyone else see that?

Yep, I saw it. He made the tackle, then rolled over and swung both hands into the Pie player. Initial reaction was that he will be in trouble.

As for being penalised when he was tackled OOB, he was pinged for holding the ball, not deliberate OOB. I'm assuming it was because he tried to break a tackle and was a few metres from the line when grabbed. But how the ump from 40m away could decide when the ball was actually out is beyond me.

 

[Mike_B]

I think on that one he was penalised for slinging Presti unneccessarily after he was out of play, not dissimilar to the incident he was reported for last year against the Dees (though not quite as "violent").

He was pinged for slinging O'Bree after a contest - I had no issue with that call. Was undisciplined and unnecessary.

 

[grimlock]

Yeah that was quite silly and unnecessary. I have no idea how the tribunal works this year so I don't know whether it will draw any scrutiny. I hope that the image that media have tried to build up as Hall the enforcer and intimidator hasn't got to his head.

 

[Jeffers]

Yes, i'm very worried about that Hall, Fanning incident. Knowing the tribunal, heck i have no ********ing clue about the tribunal! They just confuse me to the tee.

 

[Glenn_]

For the Fanning incident, probably looking at 2 weeks in the stands IMHO
Unfortunatly inept umpires can't be used as a defence

 

[Dudley]

No way will he get two weeks for that, minor incident wont even rate a report.

 

[TheBloods]

I finally had a chance to watch the game.

Firstly, I don't normally comment much on the umpiring, but that was just about the worst display I have ever seen. For even the media to write that the Swans were "being shafted" says a lot!

I'd also have to say that I used to like Tim Lane as a commentator, but he has lost my respect after some of the comments he made last night - just absurd, such as Buckley deserved that ridiculous free when he ran onto the ground.

Overall, an okay win, but nothing great. It's nice to be 8-5, but we've been there or near at this stage plenty of times before and our form is still not great.

Our back line did very well for the first three quarters under a fair bit of pressure. Barry, Bolton, Dempster, LRT and Crouch were all good in their defensive assigments.

I thought LRT was quite good although I'm never quite sure how he manages it. I agree with Mike that he struggles to read the flight of the ball and is often outpointed in body contests. Perhaps it's his wild flailing that puts off his opponents. However, he is tall and quick and fairly agile, can make it to contests, so can create strong body contact and take arms away. Just needs to play against less skillful/experienced players for a fair bit longer. He's good at ground level though - picks up the ball well and although he struggles with decision making, he's smart enough to simply give off the handball now. BTW - the tackle on Buckley was not a particular highlight - just a normal tackle.

Speaking of Buckley, so much for those people who thought he would have no impact and not inspire the team!

Ablett did some good things, as did Goodes, and Davis is showing some promising signs of running into form. O'Keefe and O'Loughlin both started poorly but did okay afterwards. But just not consistent enough through the game.

Another great game by Williams and by Kirk. I thought Buchanan was good too, although someone needs to work on his goalkicking with him.

Hall was okay, but delivery to him continues to be mixed and his overhead marking is still ordinary. Looked very frustrated and did some very silly things, and should stop looking for free kicks all the time. Wouldn't be surprised if he got 1 week for the scuffle with Fanning. Just as equally though, if that is the case then Tarrant should get 1 week for his swing and slight connect on Barry.

What an abysmally crap last quarter - very very poor effort and lucky to get away with it in the end. Ruckmen were disappointing in the last quarter.

 

[liz]

What an abysmally crap last quarter - very very poor effort and lucky to get away with it in the end. Ruckmen were disappointing in the last quarter.

Yup, pretty disappointing effort by Ball and Jolly in the final term. No wonder Roos reverted to Goodes in the ruck - at least he was providing around the ground.

We really missed Jude, especially in that final term. It was kind of game that he relishes and he's the player who has managed to turn it around this season when we're getting beaten at clearances in the middle.

 

[Sid]

I am a bit worried about that hall incident actually. It looked like a dead set punch into the chest. Hes dangerous when he gets fired up.

 

[stellation]

Ablett did some good things, as did Goodes, and Davis is showing some promising signs of running into form. O'Keefe and O'Loughlin both started poorly but did okay afterwards. But just not consistent enough through the game.

It would have been interesting to see the distance covered + hard running done by Nicky D last night (make the GPS devices smaller and micro-chip 'em!). He covered a lot of ground in the first half, fitness wise he is still showing signs of a limited pre-season + the few weeks missed with injury though- as the match went on it looked like the early hard running had made a big impact on him. Great to see him come out firing though, also nice for him to slot the goal from a set shot with all the Collingwood supporters right in his ear. If afl.com.au listed O'Keefe in their best Davis could almost feel a little hard done by that he wasn't there.

 

[SCARD]

Great win. With what was stacked against Sydney last night, this win ranks as one of the best ever.

 

[eirinn]

I noticed Kennelly playing forward a bit in the last quarter. Do you think that was because of the hit on him earlier or to try to psych Collingwood out with memories of last year???

 

[chammond]

Oh my God... which is the greatest travesty....the umpiring or the use of toilet paper by teenage girls. Have just chased away two 16 year old things that called themselves human beings. I suspect they were "BOYS".
Thank christ the Swans won so I am in a vaguely good mood. Where is Chammond when you need him with his advice on bringing up teenage girls.

You've got the wrong bloke.

I've kept my three girls locked in a padded room for the past 10 years.

They get out when they turn 21.

 

[sportsfan7]

p.s. Only 2 toilet rolls left.

Is that the lo-cal/hi-fibre diet of choice theses days?

 

[sportsfan7]

Oh my God... which is the greatest travesty....the umpiring or the use of toilet paper by teenage girls. Have just chased away two 16 year old things that called themselves human beings. I suspect they were "BOYS".
Thank christ the Swans won so I am in a vaguely good mood. Where is Chammond when you need him with his advice on bringing up teenage girls.

The teenage boys are easy to deal with - just leave out a number of very large plates of food - they'll forget all about the girls for a while at least

 

[RW]

I noticed Kennelly playing forward a bit in the last quarter. Do you think that was because of the hit on him earlier or to try to psych Collingwood out with memories of last year???

Speaking of Kennelly, I didn't notice him playing forward so much, but I did see a definite plan about his play. Triple M in the 1st qtr I think were criticizing him for not manning up in defence, I remember this because at the time I noticed he was zoning off about 15-20m off his opponent on the flank in front of us. But when the ball came to the area, he ran across to chop it off from getting to his man and I think this was the start of one of his dashing runs where he evaded a tackler or two. I thought this was a good example of things you see at the game that you don't pick up watching on TV.

I still think he uses the short option too much when he takes the kick-ins; would love to see him go long straight up the middle, providing that the players get numbers to the ball to belt it forward.

While the short kick-in was a 'safe' option especially the last one to Buchanan in the dying seconds, when you keep doing it, it really limits your options for the next kick, and hard to get any flow going from it unless the player receiving the short pass plays on straight away.

 

[grayham]

While the short kick-in was a 'safe' option especially the last one to Buchanan in the dying seconds, when you keep doing it, it really limits your options for the next kick, and hard to get any flow going from it unless the player receiving the short pass plays on straight away.

The idea of the short kick out to the pocket is that it gives the next kicker the options of:
1) switch play back to a much more open "other side"
2) kick to the ruckman near the boundary line about 80m out where if he cant mark will knock it OOB.

I dont think Dempster was the man for the 1st kick last night. Too much pressure on the kid. The pies ended up letting Dempster take it.