Review Swan Bake - encore performance (Round 20)

[dogwatch]

What's even now surprising was in the first quarter, Darcy was setting that tone. Massive effort from a guy who, by now, must be 209cm

With his long reach he can smother from about 20m away.

 

[_Cerberus_]

With his long reach he can smother from about 20m away.

I feel like I'm watching Inspector Gadget when I see him grab a ball with his 20m long arms.

 

[PurpJuice]

This is the best list we’ve had in at least 15 years.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Next Waiting]

This is the best list we’ve had in at least 15 years.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Don't you mean 8 years?

 

[Dogs 13]

Something has gone horribly wrong with the Bulldogs. Sure, we beat the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams over the last three rounds but we lost the free kick count in ALL THREE GAMES! What happened? Did our check for the umpires bunce?

Hey Flo Rida, get it right, it’s a cheque ok

 

[ScottyDogg]

This is the best list we’ve had in at least 15 years.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

I’m too young to know. Was our list 15 years ago really this good?

 

[CarnTheScray]

I’m too young to know. Was our list 15 years ago really this good?

In my opinion, no. Bunch of champion smalls and mediums but bugger all quality talls. Talls win you finals and premierships.

 

[PurpJuice]

Don't you mean 8 years?

I think our list now is better than 2016, but that’s just my opinion. We were playing some amazing football that year.

 

[Next Waiting]

I think our list now is better than 2016, but that’s just my opinion. We were playing some amazing football that year.

There's no right or wrong, just result. The 2016 list won an amazing premiership. No other list we'd had since 1954 had won.

This current list is a chance, this year and next year. I guess the lists have to be seen in the context of their contemporaries. Very difficult to compare eras.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

It’s always a shame under Bevo he doesn’t know his best team early in the season and it costs us games , this year possibly top4

Take a look at the side selected for round 1. And then take a look at the side from the weekend.

The differences aren't as stark as some would have it.

Except for some pivotal positional changes, tweaking around the fringes of the side and the injured Johannisen and Harmes. I think it could be argued that the team that we currently have is the team that he wanted from the start.

The only exceptions are inclusion of Duryea (into the side in Round 3.), Sanders and Gallagher who have been in the side for much of our run over the last couple of months, the phenomenal rise of Darcy and the craziness of Lobb going from not being dropped after Round 1. to being a corner stone of an all of a sudden rock solid and stingy defensive outfit. However, this is something that by his own admission not even Beveridge foresaw.

The only real casualties have been Macrea and Daniel. The other of the controversial omissions that had the likes of Cane Korns up in arms early in the season was Bailey Dale and I think it can be argued that his commission from the side was the foot up the arse that will probably see him in the AA squad. If not the team.


Personally I think that Beveridge went into the season with a pretty clear idea of the team he wanted and the attacking game plan that he wanted to implement. It just took a little longer than he expected for the team to transform from the shambolic mess that it was earlier when it was dealing with injuries. To what for the most part we've seen for the last 10 weeks. When I was wavering about Beveridges future, it was because he looked lost for ideas. With hindsight, I think he was just befuddled and frustrated with the lack of cohesion that what was on display as the team sorted through its issues.

Round 1.


Round 20.

 

[Lex22]

Did we tag Warner? I think that’s his worst ever game. Very mentally fragile midfield the swans.

Warner is very one-sided & he’s easy to predict as his first thought is always to break right.

With his speed, he can get away when bursting forward at clearances, but he’s rather limited if you take that away.

Libba on a few occasions (when they were kicking left of screen) simply sat corridor side when Warner was looking to go inboard from half back. He couldn’t do anything.

Dangerous player when allowed, but it really pisses me off that opposition (mostly) don’t do their homework on guys like Warner.

 

[_Cerberus_]

I think our list now is better than 2016, but that’s just my opinion. We were playing some amazing football that year.

Talent wise definitely. I don't think 2016 was the most talented team. Just the hardest working team, and lots of leaders on the field. That stood up when it mattered most. If this team can get any fraction of the hardness and selflessness of the 2016 team, there is no reason they cannot win a couple of Premierships themselves.

Our best team talent wise was the one under Eade when I first started following properly. Sadly just had to be the same time Geelong had one of the greatest AFL teams.

 

[Lex22]

This Friday is so bloody massive. Obviously coming off a 5 day break (albeit the last quarter of yesterday's game would have been played at a much calmer pace both mentally and physically), can properly end the Demons season and dynasty, consolidate the hard earned breathing space we have given ourselves and put some pressure on Carlton, GWS, Port, Geelong etc... to win or see us pass them by.

Friday night is a maturity test for the group after beating three top teams. If they’re grown up they’ll get the four points, whether it’s pretty or not.

Not using five-day break as an excuse, they arrived to Sydney off an eight day spell and we took the foot off for the last 15 minutes or so.

Go and play like professionals. No more weirdo losses from here on.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Haven’t commented in here yet but I must say it was so good to sit among those pack of theatre goers and listen to them either sit there in silence or completely lose interest and talk about other things.

Our pressure was unreal, didn’t allow them any and all free movement like plenty of other teams have done which allows them to get their game going.

 

[Lex22]

I’m too young to know. Was our list 15 years ago really this good?

More quality mids and smalls. A mids/fwds team of genuine A Grade talent in Johnson, Akermanis, Griffen, Cooney & Murphy should always be playing finals and going pretty deep, especially when supported by Higgins, Boyd, Cross, Gilbee, Hahn, Eagleton etc. Plenty of talent there.

Problem is they lacked the balance to trouble the very best sides when it mattered (no key forwards). If we’d got Barry Hall a year earlier, we win the flag in 2009.

There’s more balance to the current list and we actually have quality talls.

 

[perro_loco]

how far?

all the way to victory in the GF! Good coaching, no injuries, play really hard and as always a bit of luck!

 

[perro_loco]

I was wrong. The recruitment team, the selection panel were right. The recruitment of Lachie Bramble is the steal of the year. Now an integral part of this team. He just needed to feel the faith and love, he has repaid I spades.
This recruitment has released the ginger ninja to the midfield, which in turn has energised our season.
I'm still a massive critic of VDMs selection but well done to Lachie and the people behind his continued improvement.

Actually while VDM and McNeil look poor they provide massive pressure and running which is often hard to see. Not convinced by CD unfortunately!

 

[Floridog]

Hey Flo Rida, get it right, it’s a cheque ok

There you are Dogs 13 right on queue. Okay, I fixed it. Now I'm afraid I'm going to have an Australian accent without ever leaving the US.

 

[Golden_6]

Take a look at the side selected for round 1. And then take a look at the side from the weekend.

The differences aren't as stark as some would have it.

Except for some pivotal positional changes, tweaking around the fringes of the side and the injured Johannisen and Harmes. I think it could be argued that the team that we currently have is the team that he wanted from the start.

The only exceptions are inclusion of Duryea (into the side in Round 3.), Sanders and Gallagher who have been in the side for much of our run over the last couple of months, the phenomenal rise of Darcy and the craziness of Lobb going from not being dropped after Round 1. to being a corner stone of an all of a sudden rock solid and stingy defensive outfit. However, this is something that by his own admission not even Beveridge foresaw.

The only real casualties have been Macrea and Daniel. The other of the controversial omissions that had the likes of Cane Korns up in arms early in the season was Bailey Dale and I think it can be argued that his commission from the side was the foot up the arse that will probably see him in the AA squad. If not the team.


Personally I think that Beveridge went into the season with a pretty clear idea of the team he wanted and the attacking game plan that he wanted to implement. It just took a little longer than he expected for the team to transform from the shambolic mess that it was earlier when it was dealing with injuries. To what for the most part we've seen for the last 10 weeks. When I was wavering about Beveridges future, it was because he looked lost for ideas. With hindsight, I think he was just befuddled and frustrated with the lack of cohesion that what was on display as the team sorted through its issues.

Round 1.
View attachment 2062990

Round 20.

View attachment 2062998

In: Darcy, Duryea, Garcia, Poulter
Out: Sanders, JJ, Harmes, Gallagher

Lobb to defence & Richards to the midfield.

Really no significant personnel changes to the round 1 squad and as mentioned previously, these two key positional changes were always by accident due to injury.

 

[Freshwater]

Actually while VDM and McNeil look poor they provide massive pressure and running which is often hard to see. Not convinced by CD unfortunately!

Unfortunately for CD, a premiership hero and best and fairest, I think you are correct. Frejiah, Sanders, Macrae, even Gaggs and probably a fit JJ are all ahead of him. And with an injured Baz he is lucky to be top 28 these days.

 

[doggy_dog]

Talent wise definitely. I don't think 2016 was the most talented team. Just the hardest working team, and lots of leaders on the field. That stood up when it mattered most. If this team can get any fraction of the hardness and selflessness of the 2016 team, there is no reason they cannot win a couple of Premierships themselves.

Our best team talent wise was the one under Eade when I first started following properly. Sadly just had to be the same time Geelong had one of the greatest AFL teams.

Our 2021 team was very strong IMO, good talls either end and elite midfield

 

[ScragCity]

Watching the game again with special attention on VDM and McNeil. They were doing a heck of a lot of defensive running and pressuring that might not register a stat but had a tangible affect on Sydney's ability to move the ball. Quite a few times VDM is able to get to multiple contests in the same chain of play to harrass and pressure.

 

[Testekill]

Coaches votes

Sydney v Western Bulldogs​

10 Adam Treloar

1

Adam Treloar

Age

31

Ht

185cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

28.2

5star

K

12.9

5star

HB

15.3

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

4.9

5star

CL

4.6

5star

D

30.3

5star

K

16.3

5star

HB

14.0

5star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.3

4star

CL

5.8

5star

D

18.0

5star

K

11.2

4star

HB

6.8

5star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

1.6

4star

(WB)
7 Liam Jones

19

Liam Jones

Age

33

Ht

199cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.4

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

4.3

4star

T

2.0

4star

MG

134.5

2star

D

7.6

2star

K

6.1

3star

HB

1.4

1star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.4

2star

MG

116.3

2star

D

9.4

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

(WB)
7 Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (WB)
2 Ed Richards

20

Ed Richards

Age

25

Ht

188cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

2.5

3star

T

2.4

4star

MG

201.4

3star

D

11.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

5.3

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

2.5

3star

MG

198.3

3star

D

14.6

4star

K

9.8

4star

HB

4.8

4star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.6

4star

MG

232.4

4star

(WB)
2 Matthew Roberts (SYD)
2 Tom Liberatore (WB)


Seems that Roberts and Richards would be the only difference between the two coaches.

 

[_Cerberus_]

Watching the game again with special attention on VDM and McNeil. They were doing a heck of a lot of defensive running and pressuring that might not register a stat but had a tangible affect on Sydney's ability to move the ball. Quite a few times VDM is able to get to multiple contests in the same chain of play to harrass and pressure.

One thing about the defensive side of the game, is that many attributes do not even come up as a stat on the sheet. If you position yourself in a great spot when a team is looking to move out of the defensive half, and take away an option for the ball carrier to kick to, because you will likely pick it off or create a spoil. Then it creates one less option for the kicker, and they will have to opt for the risky kick down the line to a pack type kick. Also the ability to get to where the ball is going before your opponent marks it, and creating pressure just by being close by, makes your opponent second guess, or be a little nervous, might enhance the chance of the mark being fumbled.

I always say. Like, of course doing the noticeable things like great intercept marks, spoils etc are great defensive plays. But I always say, you know someone has a good game defensively, when you don't notice them. It means they didn't make any mistakes. Not much action went their way because they didn't allow it etc.

To cover ground from contest to contest requires pace. No matter how polarizing they may be at times. Us opting to move towards a more pacier line up, has been a big part of our improved structure and game play. Sure we can drop Vanders etc, say we replace him with Macrae, whilst a better player. He is not going to get to a contest anywhere near the speed of Vanders.

Another stat that is unrecorded, is using your speed to make your opponent panic and be drawn to follow you. Thus opening up space for the likes of Naughton and Weightman to feast on one on one contests, or for the midfield to cruise through the middle. The faster you can draw your man away, the sooner we have an opening somewhere, and can move the ball from A to B faster.

They are role players for a reason. Though I do agree with another poster than it would be nice to see more scoreboard impact from the likes of Vanders. But if the rest of the group is humming along and kicking 100 points a week. Then I am good with that.

 

[Golden_6]

It’s actually pretty incredible how our backline looks given how makeshift it somewhat is.

We have three ‘failed’ forwards turned defenders (Jones, Lobb & Dale) all playing AA quality footy. Khamis was nearly delisted last year. Bramble was delisted last year. Coffield was highly rated but has significant injury issues for years. Duryea was somewhat cast aside by the Hawks as a non-vital piece.