On 12/08/2018 at 08:18, olisik said:

Petracca needs to be looked at as a trade option. Colin Sylvia 2.0.

Any game will be the breakout for the best 8 years.

Agree . Package trac and hogan 

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:15, brendan said:

So it comes down to beating west coast at home now, lose that and it’s season over if it comes down to playing GWS In the last game to make finals I give us zero chance, we are too mentally weak for that sort of challenge 

Yep, we've been in the exact same position the last two years and blew it both times, spectacularly last year. 

Given we've blown every test against top 8 opponents this year, I have no reason to expect a different outcome this year.

Infuriating club. Always 1 step forward and 2 steps back. [censored] headcases, the lot of them. Or am I the headcase for still supporting this soulless rabble? 

Edited August 12, 20186 yr by SaberFang

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:15, Colin B. Flaubert said:

Poise. Finishing. Leadership.

Those three things got the Swannies over the line.

When opportunities were there they took them. A lot of the time, they took 50/50 chances when we were blowing 80/20 chances.

The other issue is we need to stop trying to make every game a 120 minute highlight reel. Sometimes it's a case of progressing into the fifty rather than trying to smash into it. That's what we are missing. The Swans were brilliant with this.

There are two games to go. I genuinely believe we aren't that far off the pace and we can beat either of the Eagles or Giants. The head needs to be in the game and not up the players' bumholes and we will be where we need to be.

Lastly, Johnson's knee injury was as gutting am injury I have seen. It will take a superhuman effort to get back and whatever way he goes, I wish him all the best.

 

 

 

This exactly! Especially the bit about taking chances. As strange as it may sound, i thought we were actually the better team on the day. Hogan is clearly carrying a knee injury, it is affecting his confidence. Whenever he came off he was hobbling like an 80 year old

It’s the little things we do poorly again and again that kill us. Dumb decision making from marks and free kicks, bad tackling techniques, poor lead patterns, poor kicking skills, multiple players flying for the same ball.

When we play poor teams they go unpunished, when we play good teams they get punished.

Also, we don’t know how to manage the clock and momentum, if we can’t play on straight away we go to water.

Edited August 12, 20186 yr by Clint Bizkit

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:22, MSFebey said:

Soft underbelly

Front runners

Bathwater

No leaders

Poor kicking into 50

Worst defence

Laziness

Swans 2 players down most of the game

Aliir.....

Skill errors

Goodwins tactical nous

Jones MIA again when heat is on

in Melk, Out Spargo.

Yips, 36% accuracy

Lazy running

Umpires?

+17 i50's, Swans only had 43!

 

There are times when a zone works and it doesn't work when teams chip it around and weave through the puzzle like Swans and Hawks. Goodwin should know this by now, go man on man. I always thought the Swans were a threat all along, still some fight in the old boxer yet. Jones, well, once again missing, his kicking is putrid and he looks so lazy and disinterested. While we had a shocker in front of goal, I'm glad Buddy did too.

I think we'll beat WCE but we are a weak club who haven't beaten anyone of importance all year, that's the facts, not the spin. Swans wanted to play finals a lot more.

All the best to Alex Johnson, heartbreaking story.

 

 

 

Out JKH, In Kent

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:14, Die Hard Demon said:

Garlett can go and get [censored] !! ZERO tackles for a small forward is the reason why we will never be a successful side. I never want to see him in the red & blue again. useless 

He made one good tackle I saw,,, but he WILL NOT contest in the air when there is no-one else around.

Have to bring the ball to ground instead of letting their defenders mark cleanly.

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:18, olisik said:

Petracca needs to be looked at as a trade option. Colin Sylvia 2.0.

Any game will be the breakout for the best 8 years.

This is silly.

Col was smashing cars, involved in domestic violence incidents, being in the vicinity of murders and ultimately, credit card fraud, falling off balconies and stalking after his career. Being a grade A peanut was the main reason he never lived up to his potential.

Trac is a kid who is a bit too buoyant for his own good. His worst has been getting bitten by a dog and trying to dunk on a basketball ring. Besides that he has been solid without being dominant.

Edited August 12, 20186 yr by Colin B. Flaubert

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:19, ding said:

You have dyslexia bloke? I clearly said 2 FIRST rounders.

If they offered that, considering how high those picks would be, i would take it.

You know what I think I just might. Saw the 2 and got it mixed up with the rounds. My mistake.

Still wouldn't take two first rounders. The list is built for now. Hogan is in the top echelon of KP forwards in the comp, proved it before he copped his ankle (and in some games since). You know as well as the club does that the list is built for now. Invest 2 first rounders into the King twins, you can just as easily end up with two Wiedemans... And even if one worked out ok (which would be pure dumb luck to hit on 2 195cm players in one year), you'd need 5 years to get them even close.

Disappointing loss. More disappointing to lose playing so predictably. 

As many have said throughout the season, there are serious problems with this game plan. There have been games when the players have been rehearsing their torpedoes in the warmups - that is just laughable. Our game plan prioritises blind F50 entries. How many times did we bomb it straight to Aliir Aliir? This would not have been a shock to Longmire either. What a dream matchup for them to have Aliir Aliir on AVB for so much time. As usual, very slow to react.  

Players mentally fragile still - how else can you explain the inaccuracy today? Could have easily won today if we had kicked straight, and certainly should have easily won given they were 2 down for almost the whole game.

As happens all too often, Jones one of our worst in a big game. Shades of the Collingwood game last year in which he was a net negative. Does not work hard defensively. Lacks composure. The bomb straight to an unmarked Sydney player inside F50 with about 10 minutes to go was a good example. Still, the game plan values the contest rather than composure and precision, so I'm not sure if there will be many complaints internally. 

Good to see Frost back in the team recently, as he was the obvious inclusion after the Lever injury and it took some time for this to be seen internally. 

Difficult to see how things will improve enough for us to win a GF with this game plan and our inability to stop a team that gets on a run. Second quarter yet another example of the tide turning against us yet we do not change a thing.

I was only able to watch the second half, we actually could’ve won that. We dominated the whole last quarter and it wasn’t until 6min left that we actually started using our chances. Stupid footy. Very stupid. 

I don’t know if it was the game plan to bomb it in but if you’re going to do that at least put it to the forwards advantage. 

Harmes played well from what I saw, Oliver did as he always does, Gawn dominant in the ruck but they were sharking his taps at times. 

But HFF and forward line is where things broke down, very getable chances gone begging. We must address this issue, for one we’re are letting good chances fall by the wayside, but we’re also allowing teams to set up from the defence and make us pay. 

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:04, Sir Why You Little said:

It’s time for Jones to really think about retirement. 

Captains must stand up and show the way. 

At Training and on Game Day

that’s the credentials of a Captain...

Yep Jones just a B grader ,but not on his own. We lack polish. Just an ordinary B+ team. You watch Smith and Breust yesterday that is the difference. We have learnt nothing this year , we failed to defend in R1 and cats kicked 8 goals. Same today we let champions have space and they make you pay.  Our bottom 6 just VFL standard.  Jeffy is done.

I am going to stick up for N.Jones, we shouldn't drop him, we shouldn't trade him.HE SHOULD "[censored]"N RETIRE. This bloke lacks the skill to be a captain. PLS NAT Retire now, you will make us all happy.

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:12, Dirts said:

I honestly believe and said it last year , we should put hogan up for sale. I understand he has had his issues but he goes missing when it gets hard. 

Many clubs especially freo would give a lot for him and I think we cash in now while he has some value. 

Its time now this year.

And Petracca is too lazy and unprofessional. amateurish.

I heard Nathan Burke on radio pregame tipping the Swans, because, and I quote: “Melbourne will choke. They always do”. It made me angry, because I wanted in my heart to know that he was wrong, but in my head I knew he was likely on the money. Once more we had everything to play for, but this time against an interstate team, at home, and down to 20 men effectively for the whole game. In truth, if we had an ounce of the gumption, belief and sheer fortitude that Sydney has, we would have won, and bearing life as a Dees supporter would be a breeze. As it is, this club currently has an insurmountable problem with their group psyche. Will it change? Maybe, hopefully, but nothing about their approach to big games this year tells me it will. And even if we make finals, it’s worth little, because quality teams know easily they can upset our apple cart mentally and tactically. We are horribly inadaptable defensively, have been all year, the good teams exploit it, and today happens. As a result, I couldn’t be more confident that we’ll roll over in the next two weeks. 

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:19, Sir Why You Little said:

Jones is finished at AFL level

He has never performed well against good sides

He's not finished.. as a player, he needs to move on to another clubs challenge.

  On 12/08/2018 at 07:55, reynolds46 said:

Bath water 

Rubish

Melbourne are pretenders.

Every time they get an opportunity they crumble under pressure. We still have to win 1 game but I don't see it happening. Hogan should go, can't kick for goal and he is a FF. Tmac is looking wobbly in front of goal. Lack of leadership by Jones lewis and co. I want to blame the umpires but I can't, 5 or so wasted opportunities in the last ten minutes and woeful kicking all day long.

Book your September holidays folks, the Melbourne demons will finish 9th again.

Prove me wrong melbourne.

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:21, Bitter but optimistic said:

It might have more impact if you give them a brown eye Ethan

True. But much harder to do secretly, I have a reputation to uphold.

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:28, DV8 said:

He's not finished.. as a player, he needs to move on to another clubs challenge.

Give it a rest

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:27, DV8 said:

Its time now this year.

And Petracca is too lazy and unprofessional. amateurish.

Similar to but Way worse than jack Watts. At least Jack  would finish occasionally.

  On 12/08/2018 at 08:27, DV8 said:

Its time now this year.

And Petracca is too lazy and unprofessional. amateurish.

Yes agree

Hogan must go up for sale, particularly if Freo have the picks now

He's a full forward that has a serious problem with kicking... But lets keep that to ourselves for now yeah?!

I was particularly pleased at how our forward entries repeatedly picked out Aliir or Heney with aplomb 

I want to know who was the genius that appointed Troy Chaplin as our defensive coach. 

Our defence line is in a shambles 

We will beat West Coast next week, you know why coz there is no expectation on us to win.

we are [censored] weak mentally to deal with expectation.

Sydney were on their knees and we still couldnt put them away.

FML.

 

Just can't win when we most need to.