We were obviously smashed in the middle, and one reason I thought we won the last qtr was because we seemed to win a few clearances.

It was almost sickening the amount of clean ball Sydney were able to generate into their F50 from any kind of stoppage.

Sydney were wasteful in front of goal, but that evened the disgraceful umpiring by the men in blue.

Sydney have a great ability to keep the ball alive in close and get it to the outside for a clearance better than any team in the league IMO.

The fact we didn't lose this game by much more considering the midfield dominance, is a real testament to the team under the NC era.

Plenty to like, but just one major thing to fix....the midfield.

At the start of the year it seemed like our list was a mess - now we probably really need two more experienced midfielders and recruit some young midfielders in the draft. Jones tries hard but he makes terrible decisions when the football is congested.

Well, the reigning premiers are a five goal better side than us.

Ten. But right now I'll readily take that.

Oh and Trenners. He has some pace back. Perhaps it was a confidence thing? He was lightening fast today, but he wasn't slow either. I watched him chase someone right in front of me. Gained on them undoubtedly. That goal he kicked also had depth which he has rarely had on his kicking.

His top end speed wasn't/isn't/never will be the problem. Sure you'll have to make sure he's not manning Lewis Jetta or Cyrill but it's not a big deal.

It's his acceleration/agility that is the difference between him being a good player and a liability. When he has that he looks fine. When he looks so slow you have to wind him up then it's a problem.

Some interesting stats...

Kicks: Melb 215, Sydney 198

Marks: 125, 60

Tackles: 61, 59

Cont marks: 14, 7

Centre clearance: 5, 24.

We need a midfield desperately.

I can only recall two centre clearances for the first three quarters. Both of them got ironic cheers. I reckon we had three in the last quarter.

As far as our midfield is concerned, I think it's fair to say we need a clearance specialist. Someone to get their hands on the ball first after a stoppage, especially a centre bounce. Our best mids - N. Jones, Grimes, Trengove - aren't really clearance specialists.

For the Swans, Kennedy got 12 (including 8 centre clearances), O'Keefe & Jack got 7; Hannebery's 4 clearances were all from centre bounces. Our entire team got only 5 centre clearances.

That's why I push for Magner - sure, he's slow and butchers it, but he's the one mid at the club who is even remotely capable of racking up 8 or 10 clearances. The other one of course is Viney, but it's a big ask to expect a first-year player, even one with the his class, to be our clearance machine.

But that's the point about trading and drafting, we need clearance mids rather than link-up mids.

And how do we match the premiers in clearances from stoppages (20 to 21), but get so smashed in centre clearances (5 to 24)? My guess is that for centre bounces, the midfield "team" needs to be much more highly organised - know who's going to run where, , who's going first-in and who's backing up, where the ruck is going to try to hit it etc - while at stoppages it's more improvisation. In other words, the main problem with our midfield may just be that it's not organised enough, which is a coaching issue.

Anyway, there are mids and mids. And if it's clearance skill we need, someone like Daniel Cross may fit the bill, and would be a fairly easy get as he's not going to get games with the Dogs who are trying to put together a young midfield.

Well if you said 10 weeks ago you would lose to the reigning premiers by only 31 points I would have taken it. I knew we wernt going to win today. There midfield is so supreme and classy.

But Fitzy has come along in leaps and bounds. He has good hands and can take a mark and also he throws himself in to get the ball and acted as a rover in some parts.

Terlich has been fantastic for us this year and again today he showed his class.

DAwes pack marking is great and I hope we see a lot more of it.

The only disappointing this was Frawley doing his hammy again. We needed him for next week against the cats. he has been playing good footy the past 2 weeks.

Well if you said 10 weeks ago you would lose to the reigning premiers by only 31 points I would have taken it. I knew we wernt going to win today. There midfield is so supreme and classy.

But Fitzy has come along in leaps and bounds. He has good hands and can take a mark and also he throws himself in to get the ball and acted as a rover in some parts.

Terlich has been fantastic for us this year and again today he showed his class.

DAwes pack marking is great and I hope we see a lot more of it.

The only disappointing this was Frawley doing his hammy again. We needed him for next week against the cats. he has been playing good footy the past 2 weeks.

At this stage he hasn't done his hammy again. Just has tightness.

Interesting the runner actual went out and got Frawley in the 3rd term and then they sat him on the bench and subbed him.

He might have complained of tightness and then they told him to come off. Considering Garland and McDonald playing well and no other injuries and the tall forwards playing well Frawley wasn't the worst sub of all time anyway. If it wasn't him I would've suggested Kent or Dunn and I like Kent getting more game time.

I'm sure they will evaluate him and I'd probably lean on the side of caution but they are only saying tightness at this stage. Pedersen on Hawkins next week in a battle of the mud guts might not end well for us.

I've had a man crush on our backline all year - they've been amazing.

Woo Chippa, Tommy Mac and Garlo with fat contracts.

Lock in Terlich and Clisby.

How long til Viney is back?

We need him out there racking up games and getting AFL level experience.

Yeah - it is a shame that he sin't getting the opportunity to join in on these improved showings.

Hopefully he will become a top grade clearance player.

I understand that after he was grilled on air "on the Couch" about the Melbourne job, Paul Roos said to Mike Sheahan that "actually Melbourne has a pretty good list which has been underdeveloped". Sort of might say he is at least thinking about it.

Would really like though for Neil Craig be director of football though. I think we would then really have elite as coach, football director, and CEO. RIDE ON 2014.

I may be wrong but I thought that I read that he didn't want to be DOF.

A three goal loss to Sydney is okay. (NB: There are no points on my scoreboard.)

We should target a Sydney midfielder...

Luke Parker?

number 20 for the umpires was the matchwinner for the swans

two things I learnt today

neeld was no good

We should have taken Wines

Anyway great fight by the whole team

We are a few mistakes from an upset Go dees

22 Dees players v 22 Swans players and 3 umpires.

They lost Reid early.

They had the umps all day.

Nicholson was a sneaky Swan today.

So 21 v 25 all up.

Good effort Dees. Proud of your endeavour. I was throwing the remote in a 'we're back in it' way, not a 'I'm not renewing my membership' way.

Edited July 7, 201312 yr by Geddy Lee

I also couldn't believe how much muscle Grimes has lost. He is gaunt. I was 'introducing' (indoctrinating) a Californian to our great club today and this person pointed out how tiny he looked compared to everyone else.

Once again, he has a lot of work to do, poor guy.

As far as our midfield is concerned, I think it's fair to say we need a clearance .

How long does Moloney from Brisbane have on his contract?

Recon we could use a clearance player like him..........

I also couldn't believe how much muscle Grimes has lost. He is gaunt. I was 'introducing' (indoctrinating) a Californian to our great club today and this person pointed out how tiny he looked compared to everyone else.

Once again, he has a lot of work to do, poor guy.

Yep he certainly looked different to any of the swans players. He's an example of a guy who needs a more explosive program than a flat our endurance program I'd say. Then again you don't want to over bulk him because he's not super speedy either. But some more power in his game would be good. Personally I'd like to see him play half back more but that's a different story.

I've had a man crush on our backline all year - they've been amazing.

Woo Chippa, Tommy Mac and Garlo with fat contracts.

Lock in Terlich and Clisby.

Clisby has been really good. Apart from a few brain fades, which you'd expect from a first year player, he has taken the game on, provided some good run and most importantly good disposal out of the back half. Hopefully he keeps this form up.

As far as our midfield is concerned, I think it's fair to say we need a clearance specialist. Someone to get their hands on the ball first after a stoppage, especially a centre bounce. Our best mids - N. Jones, Grimes, Trengove - aren't really clearance specialists.

For the Swans, Kennedy got 12 (including 8 centre clearances), O'Keefe & Jack got 7; Hannebery's 4 clearances were all from centre bounces. Our entire team got only 5 centre clearances.

That's why I push for Magner - sure, he's slow and butchers it, but he's the one mid at the club who is even remotely capable of racking up 8 or 10 clearances. The other one of course is Viney, but it's a big ask to expect a first-year player, even one with the his class, to be our clearance machine.

But that's the point about trading and drafting, we need clearance mids rather than link-up mids.

And how do we match the premiers in clearances from stoppages (20 to 21), but get so smashed in centre clearances (5 to 24)? My guess is that for centre bounces, the midfield "team" needs to be much more highly organised - know who's going to run where, , who's going first-in and who's backing up, where the ruck is going to try to hit it etc - while at stoppages it's more improvisation. In other words, the main problem with our midfield may just be that it's not organised enough, which is a coaching issue.

Anyway, there are mids and mids. And if it's clearance skill we need, someone like Daniel Cross may fit the bill, and would be a fairly easy get as he's not going to get games with the Dogs who are trying to put together a young midfield.

I definitely agree with all of this except for Jones not being a clearance mid. I believe he is, though shouldn't be our go to man to clear the ball from stoppages. He is ranked 15th in the league for clearances which is pretty good. The list is linked below and he is in pretty good company.

Looking at that list, a couple of realistic targets for us might be Scott Selwood, Matthew Boyd and Ryan Griffen. I would be ecstatic if we threw the cheque book at Griffen, he'd be a supreme addition to the midfield.

http://www.afl.com.au/stats

I also couldn't believe how much muscle Grimes has lost. He is gaunt. I was 'introducing' (indoctrinating) a Californian to our great club today and this person pointed out how tiny he looked compared to everyone else.

Once again, he has a lot of work to do, poor guy.

I said the same thing to a friend. Wasn't sure if it was just me or if he has lost so much size

If anyone thinks the previous coach "had" the players they need a lobotomy.

The raw ingredients of a good side are definitely on the list. Needs some midfield influx, but that's the easiest part.

Spot on Ben - and Roos knows it...

want bird or parker.

or both.

I suspect we would have got very close today with Moloney and Mclean Out there for the Dees.

Two tragic losses