Binns and Cowan would be the likely senior ins from that game along with Lewis Young if Weitering doesnt come up or is iffy. Couple of old friends playing for Willi in Parks and Polson..... Bit surprised a few clubs havent looked at ex GWS player Downie as a backup ruckman, can take a mark and has some know how. Liam Mcmahon continues to show his talent and ex GC VFL Full forward in Brodie Mclaughlin is a player I think could make it as a senior AFL footballer, plays a bit like Georgiades from Port and is a nice kick for goal. Pity Ramshaw doesnt have a bit more pace as he can get the footy and be damaging.
Really liked Vossy's media conference. No excuses. Nailed the reasons - connection and lack of pro-activeness. He slammed shut the door on injuries as an excuse. Good.
I've banged on about being the hunters -- a mindset -- and that was low, except for the backline... most of them go hard and strong. The rest tried hard; lots of effort but confident, mongrel intensity was just not there... the kind of intensity needed to intimidate the opposition. The Bluebagger spirit evaporated last night. It wasn't us out there.
I felt for the backline... little defensive intensity from most of the mids. Midfield/forward line connection - non-existent... get your acts together relevant coaches - you are failing to instill ruthless intensity at the contest into your charges. As for the game-day strategic coach - obviously went home at qtr time once the Fluffy Ducks countered his strategies.
Easily broken tackles, dropped marks, looking tired... how can that be with not even half the season played? When that uncompromising determination is missing between the lugholes, you look slow, tired, inconsistent and lacking spirit.
Disappointed? Yep. Giving up on going deep into September? Not even a little bit. 100% confidence in Vossy... and Sammy. Perhaps some other coaches are letting down Vossy and the players. These coaches received some pretty damning feedback from the Fluffy Ducks. Leadership?
I like what I heard from Voss, he knows what the problems are and wasnt offering excuses.....the Swans stepped up the pressure and we couldnt go with them and if your midfield is being overwhelmed then its hard for your defense to stem the flow especially on a one kick to the goal square ground like the SCG. I would probably like to see a bit more innovative thinking when we are being swamped like in the 3rd quarter, its fine leaving all the pieces where they are when the game is close and backing your players in to win the day but when the opposition are all over you its time to make some serious changes and move the magnets like Collingwood under McRae do well to get back into games.
I wouldn't call us bruise free. There was plenty of effort but not much method. Tactics are the difference between talent and ability and a good footy team. We rely heavily on talented individuals it seems.
Swans walked through our tackles and we had players pull up in contests. Look at the one per center stats too. Rowbottom had 16 tackles....even stars like Heeney and Grundy worked hard tackling ,everything they did was effort based to win the game IMHO. We have the talent as the first quarter showed..
Good teams find a way, we were not even competitive after quarter time. Tired and we are not even midway through the season? About 4 or 5 of our blokes haven't had a kick for weeks now, don't know how they got tired...running through the banner? It was all about effort and lack of..as soon as the Swans locked down on Cripps and Walsh we stopped and lost interest when it got hard. The SCG isn't a big ground but requires contested players who can get their own ball, break tackles and scrap for loose balls. Sure we have injuries but good teams ie Collingwood last season find a way to win and be competitive. We were the lazy, non competitive bruise free Blues last night and I thought those days were over...
Agree. Seriously though, can we hire an NRL tackling coach? I'm sick of blokes walking through our tackles.
Tackles are effort related, you have to want to tackle, Im sure the coaches teach correct technique but you need the will to lay them. Matt Kennedy laid 7 tackles and put in effort.....Rowbottom had 16, Grundy and Heeney 8....they were just all over us everytime we got the ball in the middle.
Swans have had 17 players who have played every game this year while we can't get a bloke on the park.
Doesnt help when some of your blokes cant get the ball, wont lay a tackle and bail out of contests either.....those are non negotiables. Can accept losing on lack of talent caused by injuries but losing by lack of effort isnt on.
Lazy work ethic......well beaten in the tackle count and one percenters, Swans broke our tackles easily and wanted it more. Talent wise we have enough to beat anyone but when Cripps and Walsh cant lead the way and are tagged out of the game we struggle like a midpack team. Cripps 41%DE and Walsh went at 55%DE......wont win many games with that disposal and your forwards wont kick too many goals..
Got a few mates has Fantasia...McGovern putting in the short steps early in the game in a marking contest set the standard for the evening and you wont win games vs the Swans at the SCG with poor contesting.
We resurrected Fantasia's career when all and sundry reckoned he was kaputt. Time to pay the rent or feck off. It grinds my gears to watch blokes going at half rat power when there's always kids crying out for opportunity.
Even if you can't get a kick, you can still lay tackles and put on blocks. Don't just stand there DO SOMETHING
Orazio spent the second half of last season in the SANFL and Port played Jed MCEntee ahead of him as a small pressure forward and he didnt exactly light it up imo so you have to ask why wasnt Fantasia played when he appeared fit and had some good games where he kicked goals and had decent stats.
