The Good The bad and the very F Ugly

[picket fence 18,068]

GOOD

Stretch's first kick and goal and very promising debut

Mc Donald tearing "Buddy" a new one

Brayshaw's continued "composure"

Cross's grunt and leadership

Vanderthings involvement

Jesse Hogan say no more

Salem ( needs to go to a wing)

BAD

Garlett missing "Sitters" happens too frequently

Howe's Lacklustre performance ( needs to go forward)

Watts indifference ( although did a few nice things when he came on

Spencers inability to even get to so many ruck contests

Dawes lack of Drive

Toupas slowness and lack of presence

UGLY

Our turnovers and general lack of skill

Our "One Paced" midfield who although try are all just far too slow

Our lack of Run and spread.

Over umpiring which cost us some critical possesions

I reckon time to start playing blokes like Neal Bullen, White and blood for the future AKA Billy Stretch!

[bush demon 2,202]

Swans also missed some gimmes. Garlett conjured a beautiful goal at the Punt Rd end, the guy is a +++ for our team. Watts was quite lively when he came on, and set up a goal under high duress, also at the Punt Rd end. Do some of these commentators go to the games? It was the Swans' second and third efforts in the first and second quarters which flummoxed our team.

[Demon trucker 1,800]

How can u say garletts bad he crates more chances then anyone else on the team,the teams biggest problem is the lack of inside 50's the team has to s set up to have more inside 50. Jeff might miss a few but that's. what u get with Jeff.

[Tony Tea 2,816]

We're lucky the Swans didn't bust the lead out to 80-odd points, but at least we hung in there to keep the margin to a less-than-embarrassing level.

[Ted Lasso 19,568]

GOOD

Stretch's first kick and goal and very promising debut

Mc Donald tearing "Buddy" a new one

Brayshaw's continued "composure"

Cross's grunt and leadership

Vanderthings involvement

Jesse Hogan say no more

Salem ( needs to go to a wing)

BAD

Garlett missing "Sitters" happens too frequently

Howe's Lacklustre performance ( needs to go forward)

Watts indifference ( although did a few nice things when he came on

Spencers inability to even get to so many ruck contests

Dawes lack of Drive

Toupas slowness and lack of presence

UGLY

Our turnovers and general lack of skill

Our "One Paced" midfield who although try are all just far too slow

Our lack of Run and spread.

Over umpiring which cost us some critical possesions

I reckon time to start playing blokes like Neal Bullen, White and blood for the future AKA Billy Stretch!

time to throw out all of our plans for the year?!

we're sitting 2-4

have beaten Gold coast

lost to GWS ( currently sitting second and beat the Hawks yesterday )

lost to Adelaide ( seriously challenged but fell short over there, against a team currently sitting 4th)

beaten Richmond ( played finals last year )

lost to Fremantle ( competed fairly well for half the game, but had lapses against the flag favourites )

lost to Sydney ( probably the most talented list in the comp, 2 of the last three grand finals )

we aren't getting beaten by dud teams, we all knew where our team sat going into the year 6-8 win team showing signs we could be a 10-12 win team in 2016

i think we've shown signs we're on the way up, probably lacked some polish and composure against good teams and it's cost us, and we've had lapses as young teams do.

certainly don't feel like we're playing anywhere near our best, but i also don't think things are so bad we should just start playing kids and planning for the future, and that goes against the culture we're trying to build

[chookrat 4,268]

GOOD

Stretch's first kick and goal and very promising debut

Mc Donald tearing "Buddy" a new one

Brayshaw's continued "composure"

Cross's grunt and leadership

Vanderthings involvement

Jesse Hogan say no more

Salem ( needs to go to a wing)

BAD

Garlett missing "Sitters" happens too frequently

Howe's Lacklustre performance ( needs to go forward)

Watts indifference ( although did a few nice things when he came on

Spencers inability to even get to so many ruck contests

Dawes lack of Drive

Toupas slowness and lack of presence

UGLY

Our turnovers and general lack of skill

Our "One Paced" midfield who although try are all just far too slow

Our lack of Run and spread.

Over umpiring which cost us some critical possesions

I reckon time to start playing blokes like Neal Bullen, White and blood for the future AKA Billy Stretch!

Watts performance was very indifferent in the first half, as if we were a man down.

[Macca 17,120]

People here want to go down the path of just playing all our young players? ... don't expect to win any games if that happens.

Demand more from the senior players and stop with the unrealistic focus on draftees. The saviour/messiah mentality just doesn't work - especially with teenagers. Today's footy requires much much more than that. We see a few kids doing well elsewhere and adopt the monkey see, monkey do approach. It's just nonsense. There is an absolute stack of draftees at other clubs either struggling or playing 2's.

We've already got too many kids in the side because of the state of our list. Some kids like Hogan, Brayshaw & Viney are good to go ... others like Stretch, JKH & Toumpas are playing because the alternatives are often far worse.

Yet some here expect instant results from our draftees? Astonishing.

Given the state of our list, I'm actually in favour of playing a certain amount of young players. However, it's the senior players who are supposed to be producing the goods on match day.

My expectations with the youngsters who have played less than 20-30 games is tempered by a realistic approach. In reality, a player needs 60-70 games under his belt before he has arrived as a footballer (there are obviously exceptions to that rule)

[Redleg 42,048]

Watts performance was very indifferent in the first half, as if we were a man down.

Are you being sarcastic? You know he was the sub and came on in the 3rd, don't you?

[jnrmac 20,307]

Watts performance was very indifferent in the first half, as if we were a man down.

That is gold!

[RalphiusMaximus 6,110]

...

we aren't getting beaten by dud teams, we all knew where our team sat going into the year 6-8 win team showing signs we could be a 10-12 win team in 2016

i think we've shown signs we're on the way up, probably lacked some polish and composure against good teams and it's cost us, and we've had lapses as young teams do.

certainly don't feel like we're playing anywhere near our best, but i also don't think things are so bad we should just start playing kids and planning for the future, and that goes against the culture we're trying to build

What he said. We always knew we were going to get thumped in these three games. I can't be the only one who looked at the draw and saw us sitting at 0-7 with the media crawling over us like the parasites they are and the fans calling for blood. We are exactly where we should be according to the most positive realistic assessment of our chances this season. Fortunately, after the Hawks next week we start to see some more even games and we'll also start to see a few of those injured first 18 players coming back in to give us a bit more hardness. Yes, we've looked bad the last couple of weeks, but that was against two of the best sides in the league. Anything from 7-8 downwards we're in with a chance and we'll give a much better account of ourselves.

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 5,627]

time to throw out all of our plans for the year?!

we're sitting 2-4

have beaten Gold coast

lost to GWS ( currently sitting second and beat the Hawks yesterday )

lost to Adelaide ( seriously challenged but fell short over there, against a team currently sitting 4th)

beaten Richmond ( played finals last year )

lost to Fremantle ( competed fairly well for half the game, but had lapses against the flag favourites )

lost to Sydney ( probably the most talented list in the comp, 2 of the last three grand finals )

we aren't getting beaten by dud teams, we all knew where our team sat going into the year 6-8 win team showing signs we could be a 10-12 win team in 2016

i think we've shown signs we're on the way up, probably lacked some polish and composure against good teams and it's cost us, and we've had lapses as young teams do.

certainly don't feel like we're playing anywhere near our best, but i also don't think things are so bad we should just start playing kids and planning for the future, and that goes against the culture we're trying to build

The 3 games I've been to. I admit it's hard to see the 'big picture' sitting where the atmosphere is (ground level, behind the goals) but the frustration for me in yesterday's game was that so much of the stuff that the boys were able to do that made the other two so exciting was missing, and there didn't seem enough in what Sydney was doing to explain all of the difference.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 17,072]

And Picket starts another thread which criticises Toumpas.

Talking of F Ugly.

[Pates 9,688]

And Picket starts another thread which criticises Toumpas.

Talking of F Ugly.

I didn't actually Toumpas was bad, not saying he was good or anything but plenty of others who'd I'd level criticism at first. The thing I liked about his game was he seemed to do 2nd and 3rd efforts, something that I feel he's struggled with in the past. Those things won't go down on the stats sheet.

I dunno maybe I'm delusional.

FWIW I would also put Spencer in the very F ugly category. He looked totally out of standard and I honestly can't work out why Jamar was dropped for him.

[The Devil Inside 2,147]

I didn't actually Toumpas was bad, not saying he was good or anything but plenty of others who'd I'd level criticism at first. The thing I liked about his game was he seemed to do 2nd and 3rd efforts, something that I feel he's struggled with in the past. Those things won't go down on the stats sheet.

I dunno maybe I'm delusional.

FWIW I would also put Spencer in the very F ugly category. He looked totally out of standard and I honestly can't work out why Jamar was dropped for him.

The read what Roos said, you will find out why, Spencer was serviceable

[Guest]

People here want to go down the path of just playing all our young players? ... don't expect to win any games if that happens.

Demand more from the senior players and stop with the unrealistic focus on draftees. The saviour/messiah mentality just doesn't work - especially with teenagers. Today's footy requires much much more than that. We see a few kids doing well elsewhere and adopt the monkey see, monkey do approach. It's just nonsense. There is an absolute stack of draftees at other clubs either struggling or playing 2's.

We've already got too many kids in the side because of the state of our list. Some kids like Hogan, Brayshaw & Viney are good to go ... others like Stretch, JKH & Toumpas are playing because the alternatives are often far worse.

Yet some here expect instant results from our draftees? Astonishing.

Given the state of our list, I'm actually in favour of playing a certain amount of young players. However, it's the senior players who are supposed to be producing the goods on match day.

My expectations with the youngsters who have played less than 20-30 games is tempered by a realistic approach. In reality, a player needs 60-70 games under his belt before he has arrived as a footballer (there are obviously exceptions to that rule)

We tried to 'play the kids' whether they were ready or not 8 years ago and look what happened.

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

[Gorgoroth 13,188]

Spencer had 7 tackles, and 10 disposals. Not to bad I thought.

Toumpas suffers from Wattsism, where fans expect Ablett like game or he was poor.

fwiw I thought Toump was decent. And thought Watts was too in his limited game time.

Stretch needs to learn to keep his kicks down and not so floaty but otherwise a great start to his career. Showed he knows how to find the footy and space. Has a crack too.

[rjay 25,355]

Spencer had 7 tackles, and 10 disposals. Not to bad I thought.

Toumpas suffers from Wattsism, where fans expect Ablett like game or he was poor.

fwiw I thought Toump was decent. And thought Watts was too in his limited game time.

Stretch needs to learn to keep his kicks down and not so floaty but otherwise a great start to his career. Showed he knows how to find the footy and space. Has a crack too.

I thought he was badly beaten by Pike who gave his onballers great service all night.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Spencer had 7 tackles, and 10 disposals. Not to bad I thought.

Toumpas suffers from Wattsism, where fans expect Ablett like game or he was poor.

fwiw I thought Toump was decent. And thought Watts was too in his limited game time.

Stretch needs to learn to keep his kicks down and not so floaty but otherwise a great start to his career. Showed he knows how to find the footy and space. Has a crack too.

Thing for me about Spencer was that I didn't notice how bad he was. Which for mine, shows he has actually improved.

Toumpas looked a little lost in the first half, but thought his third quarter was very good (came out and took the game on a lot more, as though Roos had a positive word to him). His last quarter was ok, just seemed that every time Sydney went forward, it ended up in Toumpas' opponents hands. I don't blame Toump for this however, the ball was coming in quite easy and making it very difficult for defenders. Did enough to warrant selection in the 21 next week.

[Gorgoroth 13,188]

I thought he was badly beaten by Pike who gave his onballers great service all night.

I didn't think Pyke was that good. I thought Spencer actually tapped it to areas our players could get first use and not just to his feet.

[rjay 25,355]

I didn't think Pyke was that good. I thought Spencer actually tapped it to areas our players could get first use and not just to his feet.

Different opinion on this but that's ok. I thought he struggled but as always he kept at it, he deserves to at least get another shot at it.

[Forest Demon 4,681]

I didn't think Pyke was that good. I thought Spencer actually tapped it to areas our players could get first use and not just to his feet.

We did compete in terms of clearances and he won a few ruck free kicks, so wasn't all bad. It is funny when he gets those free kicks though and just starts doing 360's, while everyone tries to get a yard on their opponent to get the handball.

[Gorgoroth 13,188]

Yep, I'd like to see him get back quickly in case a kick is on, but if there is a clear handball and he can block if required then use it.

Still think we need s true ruck at the end of the year.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I don't rate Toumpas at all but you really go to great lengths to slag him off.

[Macca 17,120]

We tried to 'play the kids' whether they were ready or not 8 years ago and look what happened.

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Instead of doing what Roos is doing (keeping hold of our experienced players and putting the onus on them as I suspect he does) we couldn't wait to get rid of our experienced players during that time. We still don't have much depth but at least a lot of our depth players have a bit of go in them.

It might have had a slight chance of working back then if a number of our draftees had become A graders quickly ... but what are the chances of that happening? As it was, most of our draftees during that time became busts.

Roos is having to play some of the draftees before their time but I'm quite confident he will manage their game time properly. That's the beauty of having an experienced coach.

[Frosty Demon 153]

Watts performance was very indifferent in the first half, as if we were a man down.

His first half impact was about average for him.