Autopsy The sinners go down by 14 pts to the Halo polishers

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Tuned in to Port playing the Bulldogs on Friday night. I was struck by the difference, Port's free flowing style, skilled and direct, breaking the lines, running for 4 quarters. Coach Hinkley calm and measured, hanging out on the sideline.

At season end, an in-house brutally honest review, top to bottom, for us.

But at this stage of the season, no point in throwing the toys out of the cot.

True. Also a very good reason not to throw the toys out of the cot. Port fans were frothing when Port stole the win against Sydney earlier in the year, because they wanted Hinkley to get the sack. Imagine if they lost and did sack Hinkley?

Sometimes teams just fall out of form. It only takes a few things in an even comp for this to happen. For us, it was injuries and new combinations leading to loss of confidence and form.

I am all for being ruthless in the off season (we should be ruthless every off season) but I don’t think there is any need to panic unless we play this badly next year as well.

I have a feeling things will start to click again, and having Buddy out of the forward line in the off season will force the mids to start being honest and make the forwards hungry and refreshed.

I think next year we will be back to being exciting but inconsistent. The year after, we need to be firing. Then if not, start to think about big changes.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

We can play like that too. Only problem is our skill level and fitness has really dropped off.....

The fitness part is the most inexplicable for me. They should be the simplest part to get right. It’s literally just about putting in. At first I thought they lightened the loads so that we wouldn’t tire by seasons end, but we are still giving goals late in quarters and fading the fourth. The injuries don’t help, but I am not sure they explain it enough.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

The fitness part is the most inexplicable for me. They should be the simplest part to get right. It’s literally just about putting in. At first I thought they lightened the loads so that we wouldn’t tire by seasons end, but we are still giving goals late in quarters and fading the fourth. The injuries don’t help, but I am not sure they explain it enough.

Rocky always trained in a crumby old gym …. whereas his opponents always had outstanding facilities.

Perhaps the move to the new HQ has turned us from Rocky into Ivan Dragos

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Might be just me, but I am baffled as to why they didn't play Amartey at all in the VFL, at least some managed minutes.

no tank…no fitness base.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Rocky always trained in a crumby old gym …. whereas his opponents always had outstanding facilities.

Perhaps the move to the new HQ has turned us from Rocky into Ivan Dragos

Have we become too comfortable? We were a good fourth quarter team last year and had some of the worst facilities in the league.

 

[Deccas]

D

Have we become too comfortable? We were a good fourth quarter team last year and had some of the worst facilities in the league.

Somehow doubt it's too do with good facilities and probably more due to a you g squad having a deep finals run and a shorter less intense pre season

 

[KingV23]

How hard did they go at Oktoberfest last year..

 

[Superstar swan]

How hard did they go at Oktoberfest last year..

Yea that trip is starting to look a little silly now

 

[Superstar swan]

D

Somehow doubt it's too do with good facilities and probably more due to a you g squad having a deep finals run and a shorter less intense pre season

Short pre season made even shorter by having a 4 week euro trip. Reckon the players showed their inexperience and immaturity on that one. Just thinking they will waltz through another season and not realised how much work is required to improve at this level

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Out of the contenders from last season we have dropped back the most significantly rest of the contenders have remained relatively similiar in performance.

 

[Superstar swan]

Out of the contenders from last season we have dropped back the most significantly rest of the contenders have remained relatively similiar in performance.

We are barely outperforming 3 out of the bottom 4

 

[caesar88]

Out of the contenders from last season we have dropped back the most significantly rest of the contenders have remained relatively similiar in performance.

And yet all those contenders also had down years in between.

Collingwood's last five years: GF, PF, SF, 17th, PF

Melbourne's last five years: PF, 17th, 9th, premiers, SF

Port Adelaide's last five years: 10th, 10th, PF, PF, 11th

Western Bulldogs last five years: 13th, EF, EF, GF, EF

They're all enjoying strong years but none of their trajectories have been linear at all.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

We are barely outperforming 3 out of the bottom 4

In terms of performance we have transposed back to 2019 where a few of the old brigade called it a day.

For a few of the 2022 group that may of been the final hurrah for them.

Rampe
Buddy
Reid
Hickey
JPK
Paddy

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

And yet all those contenders also had down years in between.

Collingwood's last five years: GF, PF, SF, 17th, PF

Melbourne's last five years: PF, 17th, 9th, premiers, SF

Port Adelaide's last five years: 10th, 10th, PF, PF, 11th

Western Bulldogs last five years: 13th, EF, EF, GF, EF

They're all enjoying strong years but none of their trajectories have been linear at all.

Indeed its a complicating formula to try and figure out the projection forward for the team.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Of players 25+ none have found their form from last year. Yep some are cooked and Rampe looked good early while Foxy has been just ok.

Where did the old guys go for holidays?

 

[Ticky009]

Lions preview thread now up

Preview - Lions vs Swans @GABBA Friday 16th June 7:50pm

The Swans travel up to Brizvegas for our game against the Lions. After an impressive off season recruitment drive the Lions are cruising at the moment in 4th place. Discussion points: For all the talk on their forward line, the Lions across back have been super impressive. Lead by Ritch but...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[RubbaDuck]

I found that game very hard to watch. The umpiring, particularly in the 2nd half was atrocious, the worst I've seen in terms of bias since 2016 GF. I don't mind umpires cracking down or making mistakes, just not one-sided.

Still we had our opportunities. Bad goal kicking is bad footy. What the hell is wrong when Campbell's kicks are missing everything, slewing off the side of the boot, out of bounds on the full or straight to an opponent. McInerney has gone back to his soft utensil ways, puts no power into his kicks at all, they just sort of float. When there are 36 players kicking to the opposition side we don't stand a chance.

God we miss Reid. Just having a mobile tall who cluncks contested marks or brings the ball to ground would be so bloody good. Our constested marking had dried up. McLean takes one or two, Buddy can sometimes take a few. Hickey should be taking a lot more.

What's with our hands? We could not pick up the ball, other than Sheldrick and Rowbum, but Sheldrick isn't quick enough to avoid a tackle - though I thought he looked a lot more confortable in this game - and Rowbum has forgotten how to handball. I mean seriously, his handballing is the worst in the team by some distance in a team that would struggle to hit the side of a very, very large barn with a huge target painted on the side of it. Our kicking game has gone. I watched Saints slice and dice us with their kicking. I saw them bring pressure that went right off the end of the gauge. Did we respond? No, we just fell over.

If footy is a game of kicking, marking and handballing, Aaron Francis is not ready for the big league. He drops easy marks, he misses simple kicks and his handballing lacks intelligence. He was standing in the clear with time to pick out a target, then he handballs to Warner who's not only stationary amd sandwiched between two opposition players. Decision making and execution seem to have left Sydney. Perhaps Francis had no options. Our players were flat, standing still, not offering any leads. It's like they were knackered after the long break. Whoever is in charge of conditioning at the Swans should be updating their CV. We simply can't run out last quarters.

Another issue that needs asking is why our players are constantly falling over. A pack goes up, all the Swans fall down, the opposition players stroll out of the contest, stepping carefully over the red and white bodies. We fall over easier than an Italian forward. "He breaka my leg", "I never touched him" "Free kick" "Itsa miracle. My leg, itsa fixed". That final fall of Rampe's was the last straw for me. Note to all Swans players: BUY BOOTS WITH STOPS. And stop falling over. We know you're tired. We know it's been a long season and you want an excuse to rest. Here's a trick I learned from my high school footy coach. Eat a teaspoons of cement and HARDEN THE FECK UP.

Positives....hmmm....Rampe made it back on field. Amartey showed up

 

[RubbaDuck]

Of players 25+ none have found their form from last year. Yep some are cooked and Rampe looked good early while Foxy has been just ok.

Where did the old guys go for holidays?

Fox has been more than serviceable, more than just OK.

 

[RubbaDuck]

Tuned in to Port playing the Bulldogs on Friday night. I was struck by the difference, Port's free flowing style, skilled and direct, breaking the lines, running for 4 quarters. Coach Hinkley calm and measured, hanging out on the sideline.

At season end, an in-house brutally honest review, top to bottom, for us.

But at this stage of the season, no point in throwing the toys out of the cot.

Horse has every reason to be frustrated, when players are making stupid decisions and so many basic skill errors.

 

[Neverwas]

no tank…no fitness base.

Its up there with the Seeby for sub fiasco. Horse returning to his roots.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[Wolftone]

* No forward line for much of the last half. Certainly nobody there in the last. If a player got the ball on the wing all he had to kick to was a St Kilda backline. They kept structure. Our coaches, panicked and pushed everyone back. Even if there is no forward line if you have run you can get movement going. But there was none.

* Comprehensively beaten by Ross. He out coached Longmire. The Swans coaching was very ordinary. I can't understand this, with so many good and successful coaches on staff

* Obviously too many ordinary players. But if you don't hold structure how is a forward line to operate? The forwards were on a hiding to nothing. What's more when they had some structure the delivery was 90%to a worn out Buddy.

* Buller kicked 5 and Arnold was very good. Maybe time to bring them in already. Francis hesitates far too often and that has been costly. Buddy is cooked, needs a rest. Buller to replace. Get some structure back.

* if we replace assistant coaches at the end of the year it won't matter. The final say is always with Horse. On game day does he listen when he is having one of his tanties? The game plan is his and it's not working. The flooding back has always been a Horse go to when the other side gets a run on. The long bomb, which played into their hands, is just insufferable. Either he has to change or we have to have a change.

* We are a far worse side than you think. We are straddling the bottom of the pond. We could be a very good side. We have the personnel. But there are far too many problems with the game plan and the predictable nature of Horse's coaching. In certain situations I know exactly how we will play. We flood back if they get a run on to minimise the damage, not that this works mind you, as the fact is every time we flood back we get scored against because there is no out. We bomb long to the forwards at least 70% of our entries. Predictable.

* We can't kick a decent score. Why? Well if there are no forwards, or only Papley opposed to 5 opposition then how are you going to score? Ridiculous!

* I think we need to rethink these guys. Clarke, Francis, Harry (as much as he is trying he just has far too many limitations), Buddy (the best player to ever play the game should retire), Hickey (was absolutely murdered by Marshall).

* Ollie had a couple of minutes in the mids on Thursday night and looked wonderful. I think I prefer him there. Draft a few HB and start again. We need to look at 2025 as 2924 will be for blooding new players.

* As much as all players love Buddy, I am afraid we might lose players if he stays around much longer. He was incapable of chasing on the weekend. He had a virus coming in, but he put his hand up, if you are out there you have to do the job. The inability to chase a player has hurt us badly. Buddy has been like this for a while though. Too many times I have seen his man take off and Bud just stays forward. Hayward, Heeney & Co have to cover and it can be costly.

* Time to play the future not the past.

* Time for a new game plan. If Horse can't produce one then hire somebody who can.

On JAT-L29 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Maddo11]

.

* Buller kicked 5 and Arnold was very good. Maybe time to bring them in already. Francis hesitates far too often and that has been costly. Buddy is cooked. Buller to replace. Get some structure back.

Honestly, replace the greatest forward of his generation with somebody who hasn't even been at the club for one month?

Ridiculous.

 

[Wolftone]

Honestly, replace the greatest forward of his generation with somebody who hasn't even been at the club for one month?

Ridiculous.

Listen mate he is cooked. A forward who can no longer chase his man is a liability no matter his reputation. You can't allow anyone, even the best forward ever, to play on reputation. Look at Plugger's comeback. It was dreadful. He needs a break and the kid kicked 5 in the reserves 1st game. Give him a go and see what he can do. How long since, Buddy kicked 5? Last year Round 11. He has kicked 10 this year all up. Been goalless 3 times.

On JAT-L29 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Dubsforsam1]

Listen mate he is cooked. A forward who can no longer chase his man is a liability no matter his reputation. You can't allow anyone, even the best forward ever, to play on reputation. Look at Plugger's comeback. It was dreadful. He needs a break and the kid kicked 5 in the reserves 1st game. Give him a go and see what he can do. How long since, Buddy kicked 5? Last year Round 11. He has kicked 10 this year all up. Been goalless 3 times.

On JAT-L29 using BigFooty.com mobile app

If forwards who can't chase their men should be dropped Mclean needs to go.

 

[Maddo11]

If forwards who can't chase their men should be dropped Mclean needs to go.

Basically the same number of tackles as each other over the last 5 weeks