Autopsy Round 2 vs Bravedogs. Things learnt

[sataris]

Finally got around to watching the game.

Bit deflated, but I take solace that if we start winning games then umpires are going to start getting fired

 

[Kummerspeck]

Your coach in the presser said your players are not playing to the current interpretation of the rules as well as we did.

You've missed something.

 

[bedford]

A little Germ like his old man but you hate coke sniffers ? Ever heard of Skeletons in Closet or Glass Houses ???? On that basis I can tell you that you hate a few you think you like.

I know what you mean

 

[mcs095]

i couldnt care less about the flag unfurling...if the players dont like it, win a grand final

That is fine and perfectly reasonable, but I don't understand what is exceedingly outrageous about holding the alternate view I do on the matter of who the team should play in the game they unfurl the flag.

 

[mcs095]

Or he might be looking at the fact his team has the equal highest frees conceded after 2 rounds?

And no before you say it, that stat doesn't confirm the conspiracy against your team either as you have the been awarded the second highest as well.

Anyway I'll move on As I suspect I've overstayed my welcome..

More likely this has more to do with the fact that we had the exact same umpires for week 1 and 2 (seems unusual to have that happen, but I'm sure it does), who in general are very much whistle happy. 49 free kicks on Friday night under the roof at Etihad (I.e. perfection conditions) in my opinion was way over the top. If they had of applied every rule consistently as they should in such a trigger happy approach, there would of been 80 or 90 free kicks on the night.

 

[Banyo Bloods]

Aliir Aliir was rusty but he is going to be the best defender in the league. He should be encouraged to take on the game the way he does as he seems to be the only Swan who ever has any time and that's all him. He was hard done by a few times and out of position but he is something special and a massive positive from the game.

 

[bedford]

Big call, he's played under 20 games !

 

[DASwan]

We averaged about 70 points against us last season - based on our last two games if our defense does not improve we are deep trouble - Grundy and Allir are going to be under the pump this year with way defenders are being pinged for grappling with forwards

 

[MC Bad Genius]

We averaged about 70 points against us last season - based on our last two games if our defense does not improve we are deep trouble - Grundy and Allir are going to be under the pump this year with way defenders are being pinged for grappling with forwards

Rampe is going to be a massive loss - hopefully they get a cast on him and he can get back into the side asap. As much as I love Aliir (and trust me, I love him A LOT), my one concern is the amount of space he gives his direct opponent. It's a very attacking way to defend, as it means he is positioned well to intercept kicks going to other opposition forwards. But on turnovers (especially against the teams that move the ball so fast like the Bulldogs), his insanely deceptive closing speed still isn't enough to get himself to the contest. If he's going to be the #2 tall defender, he needs to tighten up.

 

[sthmelb_dimmies]

Rampe is going to be a massive loss - hopefully they get a cast on him and he can get back into the side asap. As much as I love Aliir (and trust me, I love him A LOT), my one concern is the amount of space he gives his direct opponent. It's a very attacking way to defend, as it means he is positioned well to intercept kicks going to other opposition forwards. But on turnovers (especially against the teams that move the ball so fast like the Bulldogs), his insanely deceptive closing speed still isn't enough to get himself to the contest. If he's going to be the #2 tall defender, he needs to tighten up.

But that one-on-one where Boyd got rag-dolled was magnificent.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

But that one-on-one where Boyd got rag-dolled was magnificent.

The one in the goal square? Loved it. The guy can definitely play!

 

[caesar88]

I'm so pissed off because i really want to watch the replay of this game to check out the kids, because they were bloody awesome. And to see Reid play probably the best game of his career. And to see a performance that surely cements Buddy as the best player in the competition.

But I cannot bring myself to do it.

 

[bungee]

What I found strange at one stage was seeing Buddy up the ground, Naismith rucking and Sam in defence. The talls need to work out who's where. What's the point of having them all dragging the Dogs towards their goal when at least one could have sat back inside our 50. That woud have kept 2 or 3 Dogs out of the competition and left a focal point on the rebound. Still a lot of work to do there but it's all upside. Only 5 goal kickers suggests our mids and small forwards are found wanting at the moment. Hope we get Heeney and Paps back soon.

We've got more holes than Swiss cheese at the moment, as good as some of the fill-ins have been.

 

[stevie26]

We averaged about 70 points against us last season - based on our last two games if our defense does not improve we are deep trouble - Grundy and Allir are going to be under the pump this year with way defenders are being pinged for grappling with forwards

Yeah. It's turned ridiculously against defenders this year. I have watched most games so far and have seen some absolute shockers given against defenders for extremely minimal contact. In cases of mutual grappling before the ball arrives the defender gets done by the umpire 75% of the time. Our players should be under instruction to never hold an oppositions jumper (even for a millisecond) as they will pinged for it by the eagle eyed trio. Take not Allir, especially.

And, while we are talking about interpretation of rules...................whatever happened to prior opportunity? Doesn't seem to exist these days. You get more leeway from the umps if you pick the ball up and don't try to dispose of it after you are immediately tackled. It's usually a ball up. We do want to encourage players in the AFL to be first in to get the ball, don't we? Oh well. The interpretation will probably change next week.

 

[alanlau34]

We averaged about 70 points against us last season - based on our last two games if our defense does not improve we are deep trouble - Grundy and Allir are going to be under the pump this year with way defenders are being pinged for grappling with forwards

Our midfield pressure and impact has been down for two weeks now, which puts defenders under the pump. We've never been had super defensive players like Talia or Scarlett, it's always relied on dirty balls (teehee) coming in.

Once/if our mids get back on top, you'll see the points against start to drop.

 

[Leg End]

Umpiring goes where the AFL money flows.

In the last 5 years, the Western Bulldogs have received more money from the AL than even the Giants. Makes sense that AFL employees (umpires) deliver a return on investment. A real fairytale.

This year, watch the next big investment - GWS get their fairytale.

The Swans are important to the AFL strategically for TV rights revenue - but it is against the Melbourne-based VFL hierarchy for us to win the flag.

Examples of AFL's attacks on Sydney:
1. Remove COLA;
2, Impose trade restrictions for no actual reason;
3. Attempt to tamper with draft to get Buddy to GWS;
4. Attack Swans when we got Buddy instead - as evidenced by AFL Commissioner himself;
5. Ensure Swans go into every game at least 4-5 goals down due to umpiring subjectivity.

 

[Kapanis]

Great week to have no power, glad I didn't see this game. No intention of raising my blood pressure watching a replay from the comments previous.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Think Neil Cordy summed it up well.

"Unfortunately for the Swans the unbalanced free kick count was entirely predictable, as it was in last year’s grand final and as it has been for virtually all non-Victorian teams when they meet the Bulldogs in Melbourne.

Last year Luke Beveridge’s team didn’t lose a free-kick count against the five interstate teams that visited Etihad Stadium — Fremantle, Brisbane, Adelaide, West Coast and Gold Coast. The overall tally was 111-70 in their favour.

 

[The Gong]

Umpiring goes where the AFL money flows.

In the last 5 years, the Western Bulldogs have received more money from the AL than even the Giants. Makes sense that AFL employees (umpires) deliver a return on investment. A real fairytale.

This year, watch the next big investment - GWS get their fairytale.

The Swans are important to the AFL strategically for TV rights revenue - but it is against the Melbourne-based VFL hierarchy for us to win the flag.

Examples of AFL's attacks on Sydney:
1. Remove COLA;
2, Impose trade restrictions for no actual reason;
3. Attempt to tamper with draft to get Buddy to GWS;
4. Attack Swans when we got Buddy instead - as evidenced by AFL Commissioner himself;
5. Ensure Swans go into every game at least 4-5 goals down due to umpiring subjectivity.

I think AFL umpiring conspiracies are a load of s**t. It's an cheap tactic when your team loses to shift blame away from the team. We didn't play well enough and we lost.

If you want to believe in AFL conspiracies then we would have benefitted from them more than most.

What I do believe is that the standard of umpiring can be poor and it was very poor in that game. I also believe that the rules committee have messed with the rules so much that the grey areas of interpretation are killing certain aspects of the game. Holding the ball doesn't include dropping it cold any more and players are taking advantage. A handball is no longer what it was. The Dogs "elite hand skills" is throwing 50% of the time but they aren't pinged for it so good luck to them. I know Horse was being sarcastic but we should copy what they do if that is how it is going to be officiated.

 

[The Swans Blog]

I'm so pissed off because i really want to watch the replay of this game to check out the kids, because they were bloody awesome. And to see Reid play probably the best game of his career. And to see a performance that surely cements Buddy as the best player in the competition.

But I cannot bring myself to do it.

Do it anyway. Its frustrating as * with the outside interference but its still good to see the kids play.

 

[RW]

Thread has been cleaned up, thanks for the reports.

 

[Banyo Bloods]

Big call, he's played under 20 games !

Fair point - but like every other footy expert in the media making bold predictions gotta get one right one day. Lets change it to I hope he becomes the best defender in the league.

 

[swansfan51]

I think AFL umpiring conspiracies are a load of s**t. It's an cheap tactic when your team loses to shift blame away from the team. We didn't play well enough and we lost.

If you want to believe in AFL conspiracies then we would have benefitted from them more than most.

Well said. If you want to bag the quality of umpiring then I have no problem with that, they make lots of mistakes every week for all clubs.

But to claim that some part-time umpires are getting bribed or otherwise directed by the AFL to favour certain teams is just bitter bullshit of the highest order. Does anyone genuinely believe that is actually happening, or is just a nice whine? No umpire or official has EVER come out and said something to the press about how they were told to give the Bulldogs or Hawks some free kicks? They are hardly being paid millions of dollars or threatened by the mafia to keep quiet, so why has nobody ever revealed this great conspiracy? Tin foil hat stuff.

The far more likely scenario is that they make mistakes, they can get influenced by home crowds, and when your team loses they are a handy scapegoat. Far easier than actually having to consider that your team might have some faults.

 

[melbournehammer]

Some stray thoughts:

- Florent did some good things on Friday night, but I think when we get some first 22 players back, he'll be the first to go. Hayward just seems a bit more ready. Not a slight on him at all and I think the exposure to the senior level will do wonders for his development.

- Although there were a few questionable umpiring decisions against us, there were a few poor calls against the Dogs too. The umpiring performance for both teams was of a really low standard. I actually don't mind the free that Mills got pinged for, but they obviously need to be clearer about their interpretation as Mills was really adamant about his understanding of the rule. In the Brisbane game last night, there were a few times when players had to keep it in on the goal line and it was great!

- The spirit of the team to come back and get in front (admittedly on the back of some Buddy brilliance) is incredibly admirable. That shows there's still a lot to be pumped for in 2017.

- Bontompelli is an absolute star and the Bulldogs are a great team to watch play football. I'm heading down to Canberra in a few weeks to see them take on the Giants. Will be a fantastic game!

Can I say for one that I think this is a nonsense. Making players run the ball out from their goal posts is great in the same way that ghouls marvel at the Indy 500 when the car stacks. The nature of AFL, unlike other sports, is that if you rush a behind the other side gets a point from it. They actually get a point. In many games sufficient of these things and you lose.

I reckon its great when teams have the wherewithal to run the ball out but if a guy is under pressure and he has limited options I simply regard the giving of a free kick - in circumstances where the attacking team has already gained a point - as a bridge too far.

I thought at the game that the Mills one was lineball - he just punched it through with only a little pressure around him - but when you are running back to your goal with the scores as close as what they were, I just think the rule stinks. Not the interpretation of it but the rule itself

 

[Kapanis]

The problem with some of the newish rules is that they are not black and white. If an umpire has to make a decision based on the players intent then there will always be inconsistencies. Trying to interpret a grey area rule is something the umpires should not have to do. The other problem is cracking down on a particular rule one week from the next, it's either correct or not week 1 to the grannie. Add tothis blatant mistakes made for whatever reason (eg Hanners below the knee non paid free) and fans blood starts to boil. As a fan you should be able to walk away from the game win, lose or draw not even thinking about if umpiring determined the outcome, unfortunately this hasn't been the case for way too long.