2 minutes ago, Return to Glory said:

I know, thank God we smashed the Bombers.

Yep, would be pretty embarrassing if we had lost that game.

Rtg is right about our wet wether skills or lack of thereof.

The postive in that is that we have become a highly skilled side whose skils are imapcted by poor conditions.

Ie hogan, watss and gawns marking

Some points from today:

Sydney had a class and hardness advantage that showed up in the wet.  We fumbled and bumbled, and they smashed us with intensity.  Tale of 2nd vs 10th, and where our teams are at.  Simply too many errors.

Their ability to defend in their back 50 outdid our ability to find a target or have clean possession.

it was one extended contest.  Glad there is a bye next week

Tony Shaw is a [censored].

5 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Rtg is right about our wet wether skills or lack of thereof.

The postive in that is that we have become a highly skilled side whose skils are imapcted by poor conditions.

Ie hogan, watss and gawns marking

The only problem as I see it, and it's a tiny one, is that the game is essentially played in Winter. We are, however, well set should they move the season forward by six months.

Dunno if it's been said, but I think the fact that Sydney has been playing (and likely training) in abhorrent conditions similar to those today for the last month, they would be well drilled and used to handling the slippery ball. I did think that we were a bit more useful with tactics in the wet than we were against hawthorn, but there were just too many errors on our side of attack.

The constant use of a backline sweeper by sydney also stopped a few of the late opportunities that we had late in the game.

17 minutes ago, Return to Glory said:

The only problem as I see it, and it's a tiny one, is that the game is essentially played in Winter. We are, however, well set should they move the season forward by six months.

Todays conditions were far from normal wet melbourne drizzle. There was about 25mm of rain during the game. The number of marks taken by hogan watts and gawn were  10

When our talls fail to take marks (and the conditions didn't suit them today obviously), we fall down badly. We're not clean enough in the midfield and we don't know when to go between wet weather and dry footy. Tom McDonald's kick across goal to his brother had turn over written all over it. Don't take the risk! Kick it down the line. We also over handballed when we should have simply gone long and got the ball moving forward. 

Petracca is going to be a superstar. He'll [censored] all over Stringer soon. Dangerfield like at his age. He is so clean and a very smart footballer. Very glad he's ours.

Hunt was also terrific today and I thought early, the defenders did a pretty good job considering the conditions.

But, it's the second time in recent memory that we haven't been able to handle the conditions and it's effectively cost us the game.

Harmes in for Kennedy next week and hope that the deck chair shuffle works.

AFL shouldn't be played north of Wodonga - leave it to the NRL

We attacked the ball and man hard for the first 15 minutes. Then it became all a bit too hard and we then were happy to try and hang in rather than try to win the game. We panicked in the packs which meant we pulled too many in at the ball so once they got it out it was easier for them to move it forward. Conditions like that need strong direction on the ground and our leaders appeared to be mute. 

Petracca will be a star (sooner than later). Hunt and Wagner coming along well. Frost might well be our best defender by end of year. 

Time for the bye. Our boys need it and so do I. 

1 minute ago, big_red_fire_engine said:

We attacked the ball and man hard for the first 15 minutes. Then it became all a bit too hard and we then were happy to try and hang in rather than try to win the game. We panicked in the packs which meant we pulled too many in at the ball so once they got it out it was easier for them to move it forward. Conditions like that need strong direction on the ground and our leaders appeared to be mute. 

Petracca will be a star (sooner than later). Hunt and Wagner coming along well. Frost might well be our best defender by end of year. 

Time for the bye. Our boys need it and so do I. 

Agreed. 

Mute Leadership

We need to go to school on that game to learn how the Swans organised themselves around every contest. We need to aim for that level of support.

Not a great way to head into the bye. 

The players have a couple of weeks to think about their performance more specifically the last quarter. 

On a positive the Truck played well in the wet and looks the goods. 

1 hour ago, Je Roos Salem said:

We had enough entries, but they delivered it better, marked it better, and obviously tackled. Should've played any of Grimes, Harmes, Michie and Garlett instead of OMac and Dawes

I actually thought young omac was good today. 

3 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Agreed. 

Mute Leadership

Well, the Sydney leaders were certainly their best players. McVeigh was outstanding. 

1 hour ago, Rusty Nails said:

Much needed In today's conditions where yardage/possession are even more crItical. Something we dont have enough of. H may have been handy although he can also be choppy with the ball In hand.

When H runs with the ball it reminds me of a headless chook!!

3 minutes ago, AdamPleb said:

Well, the Sydney leaders were certainly their best players. McVeigh was outstanding. 

And so they should be...

2 minutes ago, DemonOX said:

I actually thought young omac was good today. 

He did some good things, but we will have to get used to his mistakes which will raise their head each week. We were building some momentum when he dropped that mark which cost us a goal, his brother should know better. He is slow and looks completely buggered half the time. 

47 minutes ago, buck_nekkid said:

Tony Shaw is a [censored].

U can add Derm to that list too Buck. 

The last quarter was a disappointment as I was hoping we would crack in and stay in the contest... but we folded a little, which is down to experience.  Could have been worse.

The first 3 quarters saw us hang with them, even though their intensity was better, and we worked pretty hard in the conditions.  Our skills and decision making let us down though and we continue to cough up goals through avoidable mistakes.

I was also disappointed that we couldn't get a crack at them in dry conditions.  I really thought we would get close to them and even cause an upset.  Shame it rained all day, horrible game to watch.

Our kids will be alright though and we will continue to learn from the experience.  The bye has come at a good time and we can hopefully improve for the Crows game in a fortnight.

13 minutes ago, DemonOX said:

When H runs with the ball it reminds me of a headless chook!!

I literally hear the benny hill music in my head whenever he gallops

23 minutes ago, DemonOX said:

U can add Derm to that list too Buck. 

Hudson was the only one actually commenting the play. Derm was talking [censored] and telling us what the players would be thinking and I just switched off whenever Shaw spoke. 

1 hour ago, Return to Glory said:

 I think we would have done better in drier conditions. We're horrible in the wet.

I reckon their pressure would have got them out the back far more. We would have tired anyway and I just think they would have schooled us even more.

1 hour ago, Return to Glory said:

The only problem as I see it, and it's a tiny one, is that the game is essentially played in Winter. We are, however, well set should they move the season forward by six months.

It's a good point you raise.

Similarly, I am considering moving to a third world country so I can appreciate the little things more.

Then when I come home I can say "The best thing about going overseas is coming home".

5 minutes ago, Biffen said:

It's a good point you raise.

Similarly, I am considering moving to a third world country so I can appreciate the little things more.

Then when I come home I can say "The best thing about going overseas is coming home".

Is there even such a thimg as a second world country??