Sydney

[Bombers_Forever]

I would not write the Swans off- yes, two losses but there is a long way to go. If they are 2-4 or 1-5 after 6 rounds, maybe then they can worry.

 

[stellation]

Gone and that is a good thing.

Sour puss

 

[nathspazz]

Sydney are traditionally slow starters and their comeback in the second half is to be commendable. Their first 2 1/2 quaters they were outgunned by a good unit today. Sydney will make the finals, and will again be a hard nut to crack at the right time of the season. If footy teaches us anything its not often the team that shoots out of the blocks that holds up the premiership cup, unless ur Essendon and the year is 2000

 

[NYMets]

Chad Cornes.

If any danger of going to the SCG and witnessing the mind-boggling boring Swans style of play has been removed (as it is not working this year) then yeah!
Nothing was coming out of the centre (They missed Ball and the ball) and Williams was missing as well.

Wakelin did his job.
Barry Hall gets his second touch after 79 minutes. Cometti:"he's on fire"

 

[section8]

some here might have you believe it's all the fault of the umpires and the vic-centric afl administration and media.

Aren't they members of their cheer squad any more?

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

And then they will probably also say that Kennelly being out is a big factor too.

Well, he is a massive loss. His running game out of defenc would be greatly suited to the new kick out laws. Without him we are relying of players like Barry & Schneider to do the same jobs. Not only are they not doing a very good job of it, but they are neither marking their men close enough nor have the height or body strength to withstand contested possession and tall marking forwards.

And judging by the non-descript started answers both Leo Barry & Luke Ablett gave at the aftermatch this evening, it appears that nobody is horribly sure about how to alleviate these problems.

The facts remain that last year we were keeping teams like Port to 5-9 goals a match. Now we are giving that amount away in a quarter.

I'm not only embarrassed by today's effort, but I'm somewhat stunned. These new rules are great for open footy. And from what I have seen, it doesn't appear if we have worked out what to do about them.

I know it is early days, BUT the feeling in my gut is not a positive one right now.

JF

PS:- Um, did somebody say the "H" word?

 

[nathspazz]

Sydney had 19 of their 22 premiership players available to them today, Port had 13 of the 22 from the year before. I dont think Kennelly could really be classed as a heftier loss than Tredrea, Wanganeen, Francou, Kingsley & Chaplin. Credit where credit's due, Port relished being the hunter again today rather than the hunted. Sydney lived on this last year and have to accept that they are now the hunted.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Rule changes have ripped the Swans a new one.

Sydney Goneski.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

They lost last week. Getting polaxed by an undermanned and pretty average Port team.

What's going on? Should they be worried?

Only another 72 years to wait for the next premiership.

 

[CharlieG]

Didn't you guys learn last year never to write this team off?

Never mind. No expectations suits us fine.

 

[Sid]

I dont think we have a reasonable excuse at the moment. We dont even look like we want to win. The game against port was so frustrating to watch. You can see the "we've won a flag, can't be bothered no more" attitude in some of the players.

Having said that, i'm certain things will turn around soon.

Anyone who thinks it has to do with rule changes is obviously just saying it purely because of their hatred towards sydney.

 

[Schneiderman]

Anyone who thinks it has to do with rule changes is obviously just saying it purely because of their hatred towards sydney.

Completely agree. The only change that seems to have affected us is the kick-in, and that only because most of the time we seem to ignore that we can kick in faster if we want.

The losses can be put down to poor form and a lack of enthusiasm at the moment. The 'new rules' have very little to do with it.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

As much as it's only round 2 at this stage unless alterations are made to the game plan we will be lucky to squeeze in the 8 judging by the past 2 weeks.

If they go the last 11 weeks of the season with no injuries, and all the contenders lose up to 8 players each time they play them - they'll be up there again.

 

[Schneiderman]

If they go the last 11 weeks of the season with no injuries, and all the contenders lose up to 8 players each time they play them - they'll be up there again.

Amazing that St Kilda supporters are so obsessed with 'injuries'. It almost equals our obsession with umpiring. Well at least we both have an excuse now.

 

[swanniez1983]

Rule changes have ripped the Swans a new one.

Sydney Goneski.

hhmm...it seems funny that all these people think the new rules have resulted in our two losses and we are "goneski." Was this the case last year when we played poorly in the first half of the season?...oh wait they only introuduced the new rules this year. So it's obviously the rules and not the way we start a season off which explains our losses...silly me.

 

[Malibu#27]

hhmm...it seems funny that all these people think the new rules have resulted in our two losses and we are "goneski." Was this the case last year when we played poorly in the first half of the season?...oh wait they only introuduced the new rules this year. So it's obviously the rules and not the way we start a season off which explains our losses...silly me.

Yep - I'm not quite sure what aspects of the new rules are "to blame" for Sydneys losses. The weekend looked like a combination of Sydney being a little rusty coming of a flag, and the fact Port appeared to have set themselves for the game, and had a pretty good attack on the ball carrier - and more importantly when playing Sydney - didint allow thatfree man to appear in support of the ball carrier.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Amazing that St Kilda supporters are so obsessed with 'injuries'. It almost equals our obsession with umpiring. Well at least we both have an excuse now.

Having fit players at the right time of the year is the most important part of footy.

Call it an obsession if you like - but it is the difference between being a contender and a premiership team.

 

[Obi-Haive]

Absolutely don't write these guys off. This happened last year. No body backed the Swans to get too far (Demetriou??) and look what happened. The Swans style of play begins to work for them come round 10-11, when all the other "favourites" are starting to tire/have injuries. The Swans play a good defensive game that exploits these weaknesses as they are still fairly fresh and fit - this gives them the charge they need to finish off the season well, making them a force come finals time. As much as I hate to admit it, because they are always a foil against West Coast, the Swans will be there again this year - money in thy purse.

 

[Portia]

The problem with being a successful underdog for a long period of time is that eventually you just begin to expect to win from ridiculous positions...so you let the opposition get the lead, and you don't make it. But thats ok, because you're the underdog, so you can get the next one. And don't make it. Thats ok, normal sides may not make it from here, but we should be able to. And then they don't make it. Next thing you know, the season's half gone and you need to pull of a miracle just to make the eight.

 

[Sid]

Absolutely don't write these guys off. This happened last year. No body backed the Swans to get too far (Demetriou??) and look what happened. The Swans style of play begins to work for them come round 10-11, when all the other "favourites" are starting to tire/have injuries. The Swans play a good defensive game that exploits these weaknesses as they are still fairly fresh and fit - this gives them the charge they need to finish off the season well, making them a force come finals time. As much as I hate to admit it, because they are always a foil against West Coast, the Swans will be there again this year - money in thy purse.

Its amazing how quickly people forget the demetriou saga.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

No expectations suits us fine.

What are you talking about. Now Sydney have more expectation on them more than ever. I'm not ready to write anyone off yet but with every loss the Swans have the expectation will just get heavier and heavier.

 

[Tuco]

The Swans are definitely a little flat. They didn't run hard enough in numbers against Port. They weren't first at it in the middle and the clearances weren't there. And as the confidence dropped they almost never took the opportunity to use the "quick-kick-in" option until late in the game.

But I'm seeing a lot of ineffective kicks and handpasses, and inaccuracy in front of goal. This was the problem in our bad patch in 05, and we rectified it then.

This tells me they're still rusty, but this will change - next week I'm hoping.

 

[Obi-Haive]

Its amazing how quickly people forget the demetriou saga.

Totally! Short memories a lot of people. I won't be tipping them too much in the next couple of rounds but come late May early June they will be up and cranking again - just like last year.

 

[Larry the Liquidator]

The sooner the Swans’ fans stop the comparisons to last year, the better off they will be. Take it from me as a Port supporter who had to endure something similar last year. Last year is gone and this year is all together different. It is fair to say the Swans got under a lot of teams’ guards last year. But not this year. This year they are the hunted. As a Port fan said earlier, Port had to go through that last year and it is Sydney’s turn this year. It is not pleasant. You win the flag, you have high expectations the following year, and it gets very painful the following year knowing you are good enough, but seeing your team second to the ball on a lot of occassions. Premiership hangover? Who knows. But for the first time since Port knocked off the modern day equivalent of the Roman Empire in September 2004, Port looked hungry again…the hunter, as opposed to the hunted.

Of more concern to the Swans than their 0-2 win/loss record should be the way they were getting drubbed yesterday. Forget the final score. Bandaid job. To be around 10 goals down halfway through the third quarter, and at home, will be giving Roos some sleepless nights I would imagine.

Very easy to lose touch with the others, so suffice to say, it is a very important game this week.

 

[Sid]

The sooner the Swans’ fans stop the comparisons to last year, the better off they will be. Take it from me as a Port supporter who had to endure something similar last year. Last year is gone and this year is all together different. It is fair to say the Swans got under a lot of teams’ guards last year. But not this year. This year they are the hunted. As a Port fan said earlier, Port had to go through that last year and it is Sydney’s turn this year. It is not pleasant. You win the flag, you have high expectations the following year, and it gets very painful the following year knowing you are good enough, but seeing your team second to the ball on a lot of occassions. Premiership hangover? Who knows. But for the first time since Port knocked off the modern day equivalent of the Roman Empire in September 2004, Port looked hungry again…the hunter, as opposed to the hunted.

Of more concern to the Swans than their 0-2 win/loss record should be the way they were getting drubbed yesterday. Forget the final score. Bandaid job. To be around 10 goals down halfway through the third quarter, and at home, will be giving Roos some sleepless nights I would imagine.

Very easy to lose touch with the others, so suffice to say, it is a very important game this week.

Oh thanks, didnt know that.