Brownie

I want Woey!

1 minute ago, Moonshadow said:

The new bar set up in Betty Cuthbert area is as bad as the umpiring today

People seem to be really efficient at creating inefficiencies these days.

Just now, leave it to deever said:

I'd put Kozzie in the guts and Tracca fwd.

Maybe sub Worry on for Sparrow.

Fresh legs won't hurt.

Kozzies work around the packs is much more valuable than in front of goals at the moment. His chase and tackling is bloody beautiful to watch

21 minutes ago, binman said:

Fair enough EO.

You're right, the way the swans (and dees and tigers) are playing is clearly a strategic and planned method - and as you suggest a fundamental element of her method is taking territory at all cost, though more by hand than foot. 

An you're also right, it is really a twist on  the approach tigers perfected in their flag years. 

Its worth noting though that Goody was experimenting in the 2023 preseason and first few games with really long handballs forward.

A better way of describing is perhaps that it looks somewhat chaotic. 

It's an interesting model becuase it is impossible to implement without hundreds hours of all team practice over the preseason, drilling it in, honing the handball skills (for example the increasingly used over the head and bounce handballs) and practicing positioning and structures.

On the latter point, how often did the Swans handball blind but still find teammate? That sort of synergy can't be magicked up, so if clubs didn't put in the time in the preseason its going to be all but impossible to implment in season.

From all the training reports, my observation at the two training sessions i've been too, and our three games it looks like we have done the work.

The other interesitng thing is it is a model that might be exposed come finals becuase each handball creates a trurnover opposrtubity.

But as i've noted i think there are now two seasons and two methods - home and and away and finals. 

Come finals the game devolves into the sort of brutal rugby scrap we saw last year (whilst still retaining elements of the home and away season method)

Really appreciate your observations @binman

The Swan's handball chains and fast movement have been great. You could see how it led to a much more open forward line for them last night.

I thought the pressure the Swan's brought sucked us in to too many short 1 metre handballs last week too. Didn't help on a small field perhaps.

More and more it becomes a hard fast running game. Our squad in general has had a few niggles. Hope our general fitness comes up to speed. You wonder how BB and Tmac will go with this game style at the moment. We'll see.

Looking forward to seeing us in more open space this weekend.

31 minutes ago, TheWiz said:

What on earth is in the water in Sydney. Playing out of their skin. Fantastic footy to watch, and couldn’t be against a better team.

They used the small ground well last week but are also spreading really effectively on the G too.

11 minutes ago, The heart beats true said:

I’d love to see a graph of momentum shifts in games tracked to show forward half free kicks. 

Nobody wants to talk about it but forward half frees are worth their weight in gold, and decide far too many games.

This is so spot on.

11 hours ago, binman said:

I'd be filthy if I was a tigers fan.

How could the AFL not find a way to ensure the tigers had at least a 6 day break. Ridiculous.

I went to a music trivia night at a brewery instead of watching Carlton and I won a slab. I'd call that a win I guess.

@binman just wondering on your thoughts of the Richmond gameplan and style with Yze in charge? 

5 hours ago, Demonstone said:

The banter in the outer at the old suburban VFL grounds in the 70s and 80s was almost worth the price of admittance alone.  There were always plenty of very funny comments being yelled out, but not with malice or spite.

Yep, the "crowd activation" all came from some very funny buggers having a few cans on the hill.

Much more relaxing and enjoyable @Demonstone

4 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

As a rule, we (cheer squad) don’t boo opposition players. It’s beneath us. At the back of our bay fans might boo, but definitely up the front, we don’t. BUT… something tells me an exception will be made come the KB match.

We’re widely regarded by the AFL and other cheer squads as a disciplined, respectful cheer squad, but we are also human. Nuff sed. 

Booing really is pretty dumb.

One of the things I loved most about footy when I was a kid (apart from playing our beautiful game) was standing near the licenced area at suburban football and listen to a good sledging. Some blokes were just fantastic at it as players were lining up for goal etc.

However, I agree 100 percent that KB game should be the exception. Sometimes you just gotta make some noise.

I don't think Brainhard would understand if you sledged him. 

Let him have it @WalkingCivilWar

8 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

I’m still confused by the language and the vastly different descriptions of exactly how Gus’s ‘retirement’ panned out.

Was it a forced retirement where the AFL said that he had to be medically retired, or was it completely Brayshaw’s decision?

I have heard both of these scenarios described in the media.  If it was the AFL’s call, then he should be paid entirely outside of the cap.

 

From Gus' interview, I thought the specialist advised him to stop playing.

46 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

Demon3165 most on this site understand that we have a forward 50 connection problem. In the last two years we have run out of key forwards leading into our finals campaigns with devastating results, however what hurt us the most was goal kicking accuracy. This year we have bought in McAdam, Fullarton, Billings to provide a different skill mix and help improve connection and to provide Max with a chop out. But we have started the year without Petty, Brown, McAdam and Fullarton due to injury and Kozzie due to suspension. Only time will tell whether the addition of this group will help us improve connection But I would bring Fullarton or Verrall into the team immediately and send Josh back to Casey.

I'd agree our accuracy isn't great, however look at how we take our shots.

Lots of marks taken deep in the pockets on the boundary. Lots of snaps through congested traffic under pressure from chaos balls.

Of course we're going to miss lots of those.

Teams rebound off us and move it fast into an open forward line.

Fritta one on one, Kozzy one on one, JVR leading into space would make a huge difference to our conversion rates. 

It's a dog's breakfast in there. Watching Viney drag two guys on his back while he snaps goals is fantastic to watch but it's low percentage play.

Locking the ball in with 32 players in the f50 arc is low percentage play and leads to poor conversion.

32 minutes ago, kev martin said:

Thanks for creating the debate.

It is the way we play. The coaches haven't evolved our ways.

First half, we tried the old get the ball in and hold it there (2 goals in a half). In the third, the clearances from the centre got us back in, by having some space for Fritta to operate in. Sydney adjusted, and went down the corridors on us, as we tired in the fourth.

Cannot waste the domination of inside 50's, like we did in the first half.

Push those little forwards out of the area. They are clogging the space, and not getting back to be front and centre.

The angles of the lead are straight, really need to hit a pack from the side, or run into space with angles.

In my opinion Derm is wrong about the players, it is the structure. At this level they all have some capacity, if only we could bring the best out of each other. 

Get a forwards coach! 

I completely agree Kev.

Another kpf would take pressure off JVR but ultimately if the delivery forward continues to be rubbish, then having Petty there won't make much difference.

I think Tracc's burst out of the centre and McVees beautiful pass to Fritta were the only two clean entries into our forward line all night that I can recall. 

There seems to be no clear system. The only change I could see was that instead of long bombs, occasionally there were low hard kicks delivered in. But.... Still to a pack of players.

We have to try something different with what we have up forward.

Adapt or die

12 minutes ago, Sigil said:

When I don't understand something, I find it useful to to do some dot points and diagrams to better my understanding.

I think I've cracked it!

Did you steal that from Simon or Greg's desk?

Just now, Lord Travis said:

Our worst loss all season in 2023 was 15 points. We're already worse off and defending hasn't been our main issue tonight. It's gonna be a slog of a year.

It's a bit flattering. Sydney's kicking was woeful for a quarter or more.

We look like we're going backwards.

The B graders are working us out now.

Bad luck there Windsor. He's been pretty good.

4 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Chandler and Spargo are no goal sneaks.

I hope Kozzie doesn't get reported again.

He's let his mates down.

I know we don't have any options other than Schache but gee whiz it's been three years since Jackson left we replaced him with Grundy and then gave up.

Take a look at the bump. It was a ridiculous suspension. The only head high contact was their heads clashing.

https://www.afl.com.au/video/1032134/pickett-in-hot-water-after-ferocious-bump-on-cripps?videoId=1032134&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1694774264001

Blakey, Grundy, Warner, Papley have killed us

I see they've really improved the goal review vision

What a rubbish free. He dropped it cold.

Melbourne needed that and so did Tracc

Just now, dees189227 said:

Dumb by spargo then. Didn't need to do it. Just cost us a goal

It was accidental , wasn't aware there was a player there.

Great forward pressure then.

Just now, Chook said:

Jeez Bowza, that was courageous. Hopefully it's just a bit of nervous damage (otherwise known as a stinger). 

We'll have to wait on BT's diagnosis 

So brave by Jake. He's played a really good game back there.

So tough.

Paps just elbowed Windsor in the head to break that tackle. No free