Autopsy After a tight😶 half of football we steamroll Essendon by 39

[Ticky009]

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Same old negative sh** every week. Not a threat, much prefer to play them than almost anyone else in the 8 come finals time. Kate McCarthy just as bad. Even when we were 4 games clear at the start of the year it was always something negative. Has been the same the last couple of years, never a positive thing to say about the swans.

It’s not what he says, it is the way he says it. You can see there are some deep seated emotional issues going on there. Perhaps in needs to sit and talk on a different type of couch.

 

[GoulburnSwan]

The squiggle knows the bulldogs will get favourable umpiring decisions and media bias, so I'm praying they miss finals.

Gotta hope so.

I’m watching the replay now. It’s been interesting listening to the commentary when Heeney gets the ball, they were waxing lyrical, almost wistfully about him. It’s because of them and their commentary that the MRP took notice and hence he got suspended (we didn’t help ourselves with our pathetic legal team) he should be winning the Brownlow but for these deadshits.

 

[Kirkswan]

In that 3rd qtr you could see very clearly that we decided to flick a switch and start playing with more intent. It was like post bridge in a movie where we all of a sudden get our powers back leading to a happy ending. For the love of god what is it? What is it, at what point do we decide to use it, who decides that we're going to use it, and why can't we just use it all the time? It truly is bizarre.

Also special mention to Hayward, what an immense effort he has put out the last month. To think many fans thought he was an unnecessary player who didn't deserve a wage - have some of that. And be better. Make an effort to understand positional roles and that it's not always going to be their turn.

I disagree with your first paragraph... absolutely love the second!

There is no switch... we come out in the first and play, identifying the way the other teams is playing, what they are doing and trying to hold them to the lowest score possible while still scoring ourselves...

Meanwhile up in the box, the coaches are determining which strategies will work best, as demonstrated by ability to halt their scoring and peg back their lead in the second, and then in third we put it altogether and away we go!

I just don't get why every one is so upset by this... we've only had two bad losses all year, and sure they were big, but MUCK ME!!! We just won the minor premiership!

 

[GoulburnSwan]

A few observations having not read through the reactions yet

I dunno what is going on with Grundy but he was uncompetitive last night. Whether he’s carrying some injury or not, he got pushed around by a young bloke and by Sam Draper who I happen to think could be the most overrated player in the league. Rest him if you have to next week because he’s been underwhelming for a while and last night was probably as bad as he’s been lately. Adams was also real rickety.

Jordon back in form the last few weeks shutting down very good players and getting involved offensively. Looks more active than he did mid year

Loved Campbell and Cleary for the energy they brought to the HF line particularly in the first half when the rest of the side looked uninterested. Both played crucial roles in keeping us in it and worked their tails off. I suspect if we get Papley McInerney and Warner back they’ll both miss out but they are going a good way to mounting their cases to stay in.

Florent across HF and on a wing continues to be a winner. Given Roberts has emerged as our prime mover off HB, it just makes sense to shift our resources in this way and even more so with Mills in defence. On Mills, easily his best game since returning and he’s gotta stay there. His third quarter was great. 87% game time is a very pleasing sign.

Parker continuing to show he’s nowhere near finished. His set shots have been automatic for years - I can’t think of a more reliable set shot in the league personally over many years. He and Heeney dragged us to the lead and then explored away.

Shout out to Hayward who I think has been really impressive as something of the forward line leader since Papley went down. Clearly playing hurt but remaining influential. I’m also still up on Amartey - he isn’t dominating by any means but he just does good and useful things out there. Getting his body in to compete and to block for others and getting to aerial contests. Liked that he and McLean took more ruck time to rest Grundy.

I think Grundy is carrying a sore back, he’s tired, but some have said elsewhere he’s become complacent, which I don’t believe that for a second. He needs a rest and the pre finals break can’t come soon enough.

Hayward is just a worrier, he is a very important part of our side. He scores the goals when we need them most.

Having Melican back made a huge difference too.

Heeney also said after the game that he’s been a bit crook all week, the lurgy may have gone through the team too.

 

[bloodsbigot]

Gotta hope so.

I’m watching the replay now. It’s been interesting listening to the commentary when Heeney gets the ball, they were waxing lyrical, almost wistfully about him. It’s because of them and their commentary that the MRP took notice and hence he got suspended (we didn’t help ourselves with our pathetic legal team) he should be winning the Brownlow but for these deadshits.

I've never seen a commentry team trying so hard to get a player suspended.

 

[BloodySwan]

Rubbish! We never let them get more than two goals ahead, always gettable... Go and watch the Cats, Blues, Doggies (1st game) and Brisbane games again! That is just something the commentators have liked to say all year!

They go on and on about how this is not how previous teams won the flag, but this whole season has been unlike any previous seasons! We are doing fine! Have a little faith!!!

You don't win flags during the H&A season.

So long as we come out strong in September none of this will matter

 

[The King!]

Our first half was not even top 8 standard. I honestly cant see how playing like this is going to hold up in finals.

Celebrate the win tonight for sure but I'm not getting too excited just yet.

I think the first half had some good things, lot of junk sure, but the idea Essendon just missed it all and any other side will kill us is a bit OTT IMO. I thought we generally defended ok in the back half and Campbell, Cleary, McDonald etc all stood up well.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

I more meant Lewis Melican - the guy who was forgotten about two years ago and could have been delisted or on traded multiple times over the last 5 years. Who would have thought he would be the man that would be so pivotal.

Just shows we need to be patient with some of these players and accept that MAYBE the Sydney Swans staff know what they’re doing most of the time.

 

[GoulburnSwan]

I disagree with your first paragraph... absolutely love the second!

There is no switch... we come out in the first and play, identifying the way the other teams is playing, what they are doing and trying to hold them to the lowest score possible while still scoring ourselves...

Meanwhile up in the box, the coaches are determining which strategies will work best, as demonstrated by ability to halt their scoring and peg back their lead in the second, and then in third we put it altogether and away we go!

I just don't get why every one is so upset by this... we've only had two bad losses all year, and sure they were big, but MUCK ME!!! We just won the minor premiership!

Well said. I (naively) think we let the opposition run riot in the first, and on some occassions second quarters, they wear themselves out and we pounce. Well that’s how it looks to me, I’m known to be wrong - a lot.

 

[the hypnotoad]

I can't believe some of you guys! You're going to bitch and whinge about your team not being good enough all the way to a flag!!! You should stop listening to the commentators and start watching the game! We won that game by 6+ goals, secured the minor premiership and two home finals, and you're still not happy!

It was a brilliant effort tonight! We never let them get more than two goals out, and that only in the first. We defended and pressured well, and while they had a lot of early entries, they weren't good entries and they couldn't score from them. While we as usual, got less clearances and entries, but made the most of those we got. Stop listening to those telling you that's not how it should be done, because should've, could've would've don't mean crap! Winning is what counts!

Mills continues to build, and so does Parker! McDonald and McLean had excellent nights, and Amartey played his role without shining! Florent was back, and Heen's was Heen's, Melican looked good all night...

Brilliant game! Great coaching and great implementation! Carn the BLOODS!!!

great post
no team just rolls over, they always offer something, and that something has to be overcome ...
two weeks ago we got fckng embarrassed, and everything looked lost ... we've since overwhelmed two teams who were fighting for their seasons ... not much of it was pretty, but to get up out of the gutter has taken great spirit, if nothing else
we've been without some key players over this past 6-8 weeks and we're still working stuff out, but that was as good a team performance as we've managed for months ...
there's every indication we're the team hitting form at the right time, which is a fair sign for a team that's led the competition most of the season

 

[The King!]

I regret saying Parker was cooked, but he was absolute arse and WOG in the first half. Laverde was running off him and giving him a bath.

I can see why he is sub and maybe with Papley and Jmac back he will be sub, and you may need to pull the trigger earlier, who knows.

I mean in the second half he just got to attack and was great, but still didn't lay a tackle for the game, teams will try to expose his speed, but his best can turn a game, will be interesting how they manage it.

 

[Kirkswan]

But if he’s not quick enough as a mid he’s surely not fast enough to play as a small forward. you have to play him like a tall forward because he’s simply the opposite of a bobby hill or a cam Rayner or Stengel etc. he’s has to be surrounded with fast agile players not be the small crumbing player.

Anyway I really only came back to have a crack at umpiring. The first half was diabolical on holding the ball and out of bounds. I’ve been one of the resisters of last touch. I’m a convert - it’s just too random when things are paid and when they’re not and when forwards can just whack the ball into a pocket but defenders can’t just makes the game at whim of blithering idiots. This is compounded by illegal disposal versus holding the ball. It’s just too impossible to believe that umpires cannot tell when someone tackled and has the ball in one hand that if it comes out it’s dropped or thrown. How is it that hard ?

Yep, it's a problem... but in the forward half he doesn't have to run as far for as long.

I think they are managing it pretty well at the moment, but if the full team is fit and firing, the best he can hope for is Sub in my view, and that's unlikely as in general during finals you will need your sub to be able to come in in the first five minutes and play a full game. Going to be very interesting, they will need to weigh up his experience, leadership, skills and craft, against his inability to go with the speed of the game.

Awful to say, and his nous and experience has been crucial to the last couple of wins, but in my view its as sub or depth, not best 22

Luckily enough I'm not the coach, and/or on the selection committee... some very tough calls to be made in the next few weeks...

 

[The King!]

great post
no team just rolls over, they always offer something, and that something has to be overcome ...
two weeks away we got fckng embarrassed, and everything looked lost ... we've since overwhelmed two teams who were fighting for their seasons ... not much of it was pretty, but to get up out of the gutter has taken great spirit, if nothing else
we've been without some key players over this past 6-8 weeks and we're still working stuff out, but that was as good a team performance as we've managed for months ...
there's every indication we're the team hitting form at the right time, which is a fair sign for a team that's led the competition most of the season

We have really only had one embarrassing game I guess, maybe 2 counting the Dogs, our embarrassing game waa awful.

I guess there has been patchy footy around it, but thats not unusual. If you could some erase Port from the season and the Dogs was our worst, I think the narrative would be very different rightly or wrongly

 

[The King!]

Yep, it's a problem... but in the forward half he doesn't have to run as far for as long.

I think they are managing it pretty well at the moment, but if the full team is fit and firing, the best he can hope for is Sub in my view, and that's unlikely as in general during finals you will need your sub to be able to come in in the first five minutes and play a full game. Going to be very interesting, they will need to weigh up his experience, leadership, skills and craft, against his inability to go with the speed of the game.

Awful to say, and his nous and experience has been crucial to the last couple of wins, but in my view its as sub or depth, not best 22

Luckily enough I'm not the coach, and/or on the selection committee... some very tough calls to be made in the next few weeks...

The case for Parker sub in a full strength team is if it is a shit start and lets say they looked like last night, sluggish,

You go **** this at half time and bring Parker on fresh and **** an Adams or whoever off.

If we are flying and don't need him until the last then thats a win, but at least if you need him early he can handle it.


The argument against is the sub is there for injuries, and if you move early then get an injury.... so maybe they don't want to risk that.

Im with you glad I can just be a whingy fan, the second half was good, but if Laverde is beating you it is a slight worry for when a decent opponent comes

 

[Maddo11]

Of the teams I reckon will finish top 8, I don't fear giants, Cats, freo. Dogs and Brisbane will be our biggest challengers, with Port being a huge wildcard because who knows which team turns up in September.

Three weeks until our next game that matters, time to manage every little niggle

 

[The King!]

I felt like Grundy fought out the game he was beaten in, but the fact he was beaten and we looked better with Mclean in the ruck in the first half was a worry,


He seems to move ok? he does seem to be rucking without getting off the ground more and more, he may as well start the centre bounce holding the opposition ruck.

Seems a candidate to rest from the outside, but maybe its not an injury and he just needs to build? O'Brien is no mug, is better than Draper IMO, so will be a test, or we just let Ladhams have a go

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Same old negative sh** every week. Not a threat, much prefer to play them than almost anyone else in the 8 come finals time. Kate McCarthy just as bad. Even when we were 4 games clear at the start of the year it was always something negative. Has been the same the last couple of years, never a positive thing to say about the swans.

Heeney > Cooney

 

[Kirkswan]

Well said. I (naively) think we let the opposition run riot in the first, and on some occassions second quarters, they wear themselves out and we pounce. Well that’s how it looks to me, I’m known to be wrong - a lot.

We're all wrong a lot... that's the basis of humanity! It just shits me to tears that we keep bagging this team and coach that has won a minor, and put us in best position to really have a crack at the flag!

Sorry, just pissed that instead of pinging around on high, we're pulling the team and game apart...

 

[The King!]

Of the teams I reckon will finish top 8, I don't fear giants, Cats, freo. Dogs and Brisbane will be our biggest challengers, with Port being a huge wildcard because who knows which team turns up in September

Thats interesting, I think we can beat them all, but in terms of who I want to avoid the most, it is probably GWS. They don't travel to play us, and have some decent big game experience and their best is just quite fearsome, if Hogan is on fire we dont match up well, Greene too.

These things can bite us in the arse, but give us the Dogs thanks, they played their grand final against us, they aren't much.

Brisbane respect but don't fear them, think we almost had them crippled and probably should have.

Port have the wood on us so them and GWS , though surely due to beat Port.

 

[GoulburnSwan]

I've never seen a commentry team trying so hard to get a player suspended.

They were almost gleeful at the time. It made it a lot easier for one of their darlings Naicos, The Bont or Cripps to win it. So hope that Heeney wins the vote. When you consider the others who have caused avtual concussions got off, it all defies logic.

 

[The King!]

We're all wrong a lot... that's the basis of humanity! It just shits me to tears that we keep bagging this team and coach that has won a minor, and put us in best position to really have a crack at the flag!

Sorry, just pissed that instead of pinging around on high, we're pulling the team and game apart...

Let's turn the tide then.

How ****en good was Logan last night.


Media ignored it basically because the forward didn't score, but he was everywhere. He blocked for Heeney instead of marked the goal he could have got. Missed a tough shot. But he was doing a lot of non stat stuff, worked around the ground and if he plays like that in September it will be massive. Especially if he gets back and nails the shot.

I think we are seeing some big steps here

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Took this off another BF forum but find it funny as hell.

Here is a list of things that have happened since Essendon last won a final:

• Pluto was downgraded to a dwarf planet
• Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans
• Saddam Hussein was executed
• Italy won the 2006 FIFA World Cup
• The first iPhone was released
• Buddy Franklin, Brett Deledio, Jarryd Roughead and Jordan Lewis were all drafted
• Nathan Buckley, Brad and Chris Scott, Simon Goodwin, Stuart Dew, Sam Mitchell, Damien Hardwick and Adam Simpson all retired
• Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Brett Lee all retired from Australian Test cricket
• Andrew Bogut was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks
• Blue-ray disks were invented
• Twitter started up
• Shaun Burgoyne won four premierships and retired
• How I Met Your Mother premiered
• Steve Irwin passed away
• PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 came out
• SoundCloud came out
• Kanye West's 'Gold Digger', Snoop Dogg's 'Drop it Like it's Hot' and The Killers' 'Mr Brightside' were all released
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince book was published, and the Goblet of Fire film was released
• George W. Bush won a US presidential election
• The Simpsons have aired over a dozen seasons
• Alastair Clarkson coached his first AFL game and has since left Hawthorn and joined North Melbourne
• Zach Merrett started high school and since been appointed captain of the Bombers
• Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith was released
• Prince Charles married Camilla Bowles
• London bombings
• The T20 Big Bash League was formed
• Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth' was released
• Smoking ban implemented in the UK
• Usain Bolt won his first Olympic gold medal
• Australia's Black Saturday bushfires occurred
• YouTube was launched
• The world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, was built in Dubai
• Melbourne's Eureka Tower was built
• Port Adelaide won its first AFL premiership
• Scottie Pippen retired from the NBA
• Andrew Gaze retired from the NBL
• Lionel Messi made his league debut for Barcelona and is now nearing retirement
• Manchester United defeated Arsenal, ending an EPL-record 49-game unbeaten streak
• The Suite Life of Zack & Cody premiered on Disney Channel
• John Cena won his first of a record 16 World Championships, defeating JBL at WrestleMania 21
• Madagascar, Batman Begins, Wedding Crashers, Brokeback Mountain, Borat, Step Brothers and Saw were all released
• Winx was born
• Kobe Bryant scored a career-high 81 points for the LA Lakers against the Toronto Raptors
• Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit passed away
• Bulgaria and Romania officially joined the European Union
• Donald Trump married Melanie Knavs
• Britney Spears shaved her head
• Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt got divorced
• The Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami hit
• Novak Djokovic won his first Grand Slam
• Carlton have claimed four wooden spoons
• The Giants entered the AFL and have even featured in a grand final
• All of Essendon's current players were drafted
• AFL SuperCoach came out
• Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber all released their first albums
• Wikileaks was launched
• John Aloisi scored that famous penalty
• Leo Barry took that famous mark
• Ben Cousins was sacked as the West Coastskipper
• The TV Show 'Lost' premiered
• The NBA's infamous 'Malice at the Palace' brawl between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons took place

Very good, but let’s not forget

Here is a list of things that have happened since Sydney last won a grand final:

• Sydney lost a grand final
• Sydney lost a grand final
• Sydney lost a grand final

Yes, I’m great fun at parties.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I regret saying Parker was cooked, but he was absolute arse and WOG in the first half. Laverde was running off him and giving him a bath.

I can see why he is sub and maybe with Papley and Jmac back he will be sub, and you may need to pull the trigger earlier, who knows.

I mean in the second half he just got to attack and was great, but still didn't lay a tackle for the game, teams will try to expose his speed, but his best can turn a game, will be interesting how they manage it.

I know you’re an Adams fan - but Parker replacing him in the centre had a massive impact.

I saw Parker as the most influential player on the ground. Setting aside Q1, where our entire forward line didn’t get near it - he was immense.

Kane Cornes nailed it when he said 2024 Parker is pure brutality and strength. With a terrific set shot.

 

[GoulburnSwan]

Thats interesting, I think we can beat them all, but in terms of who I want to avoid the most, it is probably GWS. They don't travel to play us, and have some decent big game experience and their best is just quite fearsome, if Hogan is on fire we dont match up well, Greene too.

These things can bite us in the arse, but give us the Dogs thanks, they played their grand final against us, they aren't much.

Brisbane respect but don't fear them, think we almost had them crippled and probably should have.

Port have the wood on us so them and GWS , though surely due to beat Port.

The crows might lift a gear for some respect and beat port in showdown tonight - bloody hope so.

 

[The King!]

I disagree with your first paragraph... absolutely love the second!

There is no switch... we come out in the first and play, identifying the way the other teams is playing, what they are doing and trying to hold them to the lowest score possible while still scoring ourselves...

Meanwhile up in the box, the coaches are determining which strategies will work best, as demonstrated by ability to halt their scoring and peg back their lead in the second, and then in third we put it altogether and away we go!

I just don't get why every one is so upset by this... we've only had two bad losses all year, and sure they were big, but MUCK ME!!! We just won the minor premiership!

One really ( ok maybe two).

I said to my daughter and I think on here at half time we would win, I thought there was enough there, there was a bit of cat and mouse. Media talking like it was 50 points, if Gulden nails the late kick we win the first quarter.

Horse said there are differences in the slowish starts and I agree they have been very different, Port yep what was that they couldn't play footy at all. But pick others and sometimes its just a few rolled through like Carlton. Geelong I thought we didn't take the chances early and they did but around the ground it was even for instance.