D
Del125763
Guest
I think Cox has inherited a poisoned chalice, a list badly scarred by the last few years. There were more than a few predicting a big drop-off after the way they capitulated in the grand final.
I don't think Longmire is a bad coach, but I do think he's an over-rated one. As with Bevo, getting a flag in year two seems to have given him a pass for a decade or more of underachieving, of not getting results despite a very, very good list. An AFL-assisted one for the swans, but that just makes it an even bigger waste.
If not for the Hawks blowing things with inaccuracy in 2012 (including 4.7 vs 9.4 in the first half and a bit to let the Swans out to a 5 goal lead, then coming back and going 2 goals up early in q4, only to kick 0.5 the rest of the way and lose the game), Longmire would be unfavourably compared to Hinkley and Buckley. Sure, the Swans did well to win that game in 2012, but I think it was in part because the Hawks managed to choke harder than the Swans did.
Longmire's Swans had a particular problem with big games. I count 28 times they lost a game by 6 goals or more under Longmire. 8 of those were in finals. Add in the 2013 prelim (7 goals down at ¾ time, reduced it to 4 goals down as the final quarter was all junktime), and that's 9 ugly finals losses in 14 years.
Nearly a third of their bad losses under Longmire happened in September.
Nearly a third of their finals under Longmire ended in ugly losses.
The context of Sydney getting special treatment from the AFL, their position as the dominant option in the Sydney market just makes some of those losses look even worse. GWS's 1st ever final was against Longmire's Swans. Chance for the Swans to prove they are the best Sydney has got, that they are minor premiers for a reason. GWS won by 6 goals, and that margin flattered the swans, as GWS kicked 12.19.
Two years later, they get a chance to redeem themselves. They play the Hawks in the final round, winner gets a top 4 spot, loser gets a knockout final. Sydney lose, blow a 4 goal lead. Their knockout final is against the upstart GWS, who embarrassed them 2 years previously. The Swans kick just 2 goals in the first 3 quarters, lose by 49, and again that margin flatters them with GWS kicking 10.19 in a romp.
More than any other side in the modern era, even more than Ken's Port, Longmire's Swans epitomise the stereotype of pretenders who are very good in the regular season but go missing on the biggest stages. With apologies to Ross Lyon, his sides don't qualify for the title due to being unable to sustain the good in the regular season bit. Ross can inherit a good list and choke in September for a few years, no problem. All goes to poop after that though. Longmire and Ken, unlike Ross, showed they can develop players, build and sustain a list, even if it fell apart in finals.
I'd take both Buckley and Hinkley ahead of Longmire, Ross, Brad Scott if I was going to target an experienced coach.
I don't think Longmire is a bad coach, but I do think he's an over-rated one. As with Bevo, getting a flag in year two seems to have given him a pass for a decade or more of underachieving, of not getting results despite a very, very good list. An AFL-assisted one for the swans, but that just makes it an even bigger waste.
If not for the Hawks blowing things with inaccuracy in 2012 (including 4.7 vs 9.4 in the first half and a bit to let the Swans out to a 5 goal lead, then coming back and going 2 goals up early in q4, only to kick 0.5 the rest of the way and lose the game), Longmire would be unfavourably compared to Hinkley and Buckley. Sure, the Swans did well to win that game in 2012, but I think it was in part because the Hawks managed to choke harder than the Swans did.
Longmire's Swans had a particular problem with big games. I count 28 times they lost a game by 6 goals or more under Longmire. 8 of those were in finals. Add in the 2013 prelim (7 goals down at ¾ time, reduced it to 4 goals down as the final quarter was all junktime), and that's 9 ugly finals losses in 14 years.
Nearly a third of their bad losses under Longmire happened in September.
Nearly a third of their finals under Longmire ended in ugly losses.
The context of Sydney getting special treatment from the AFL, their position as the dominant option in the Sydney market just makes some of those losses look even worse. GWS's 1st ever final was against Longmire's Swans. Chance for the Swans to prove they are the best Sydney has got, that they are minor premiers for a reason. GWS won by 6 goals, and that margin flattered the swans, as GWS kicked 12.19.
Two years later, they get a chance to redeem themselves. They play the Hawks in the final round, winner gets a top 4 spot, loser gets a knockout final. Sydney lose, blow a 4 goal lead. Their knockout final is against the upstart GWS, who embarrassed them 2 years previously. The Swans kick just 2 goals in the first 3 quarters, lose by 49, and again that margin flatters them with GWS kicking 10.19 in a romp.
More than any other side in the modern era, even more than Ken's Port, Longmire's Swans epitomise the stereotype of pretenders who are very good in the regular season but go missing on the biggest stages. With apologies to Ross Lyon, his sides don't qualify for the title due to being unable to sustain the good in the regular season bit. Ross can inherit a good list and choke in September for a few years, no problem. All goes to poop after that though. Longmire and Ken, unlike Ross, showed they can develop players, build and sustain a list, even if it fell apart in finals.
I'd take both Buckley and Hinkley ahead of Longmire, Ross, Brad Scott if I was going to target an experienced coach.
