Autopsy The sinners go down by 14 pts to the Halo polishers

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Agree with the comments about HMac. Just a whole hearted player who is becoming a solid reliable B Grader.

In an indictment of our other forwards, he is the closest we have to a leader down there. Poor Bud is playing on fumes. Heeney and Wayward offer zero leadership and Papley is a terrible disappointment.

 

[Swans22]

New stand is great IMO, great food choices, full strength drinks with a good selection.

Agreed. Love the SCG. Atmosphere was lack last night as it was a shite game and an average crowd.

 

[SM]

Agreed. Love the SCG. Atmosphere was lack last night as it was a shite game and an average crowd.

Surprised there wasn't a bigger crowd for Bud.

 

[The King!]

Crazy idea maybe try Hayward somewhere other than half forward

 

[The King!]

Agreed. Love the SCG. Atmosphere was lack last night as it was a shite game and an average crowd.

The NSW crowd seem to be whisper quiet every week

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Crazy idea maybe try Hayward somewhere other than half forward

In the 2s.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Emotionally Checked Out

Emotionally Checked Out

My mind is pretty slow today, I thought you both said you were emotionally checked out with regards to my first point about some reason for optimism. I almost asked if there was an echo until I realised you were both explaining eco!

 

[Bloods86]

Regarding potential “outs”, look at who in the VFL is a potential “in” (plus potential returns from injury).

Within the current VFL side, only Stephens could reasonably be promoted based on output - but he’s clearly on the nose with Horse.

The sad truth is we’re 0-8 in the VFL and the cupboard is bare.

Today’s game will be fascinating - to see how the mid season recruits go.

Yeah, I think HHK and Konstanty would need massive games for a debut. Stephens, Co Warner and McAndrew are clearly considered if they have good games, so are more likely.

Buller is a chance if we rest Bud and he kicks a few.

 

[Bloods86]

I love McInerney but he's gotta get a bit more weeties into his touches. Every handball barely reached its target while his kicks only just made it to his teammates ankles and sold them up s**t creek. He's a dynamic, attacking player. He needs to put as much power into his ball use as he does his running patterns.

He and Warner need to learn (but not from Parker) that you shouldn't try to break through every congested area or contest. Sometimes you just need to give it off, or you're giving a guaranteed HTB.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

piss poor crowd effort from the Sydney supporters again trying to get us some
Home town decisions from the umps.

I swear, we are the most placid crowd in the league

If our crowds are all going to be so nice, perhaps they could at least applaud the frees we get to create some positive affirmation bias?

Our crowds only ever seem to have an edge when it is late in the forth quarter and the game is on the line. We must be far and afar the most pleasant away ground to play at, particularly once the Tassie games become home games for the Devils.

 

[Swans22]

Jury is still out really. He looked very promising early on the year, kicking 4 in Buddy's absence and then 2 in the first quarter before getting injured. However, there were 2 goaless games in between.

I think most of us had those two matches in mind, but geez, he did look very dynamic. But whether he can repeat that on a consistent basis is the great unknown. So the remainder of 2023 will be interesting.

I feel the upside is huge.. if he can get his body right. One of the goaless games was against the Dees where he was actually very competitve and took 8 marks but missed 3 shots. He crashes the packs hard and can take contested marks. Another poster commented that he isnt quick - have to disagree he actually has a good turn of speed for his size. It's been very hard for all the KPF's to etablish themselves with Buddy in the team. Note he kicked 4 goals over 3 quarter in round 2 and Buddy wasnt there. Give him a good run of games and I belive he could be a ripper. He is the type of player who may be snapped up by another club and end up being an Allir Allir type.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Now the key thing is to keep him there when Parker comes back going to be filthy if next week Parker comes back and Sheldrick is put forward. Use this year to get 10 solid inside mid games into Angus

I’d love for Parker to spend some time up front (that will be his position when we next vie for a premiership) and trial playing Heeney behind the ball. I think he needs some time regularly receiving the ball and playing a position he can dominate. His confidence is shot and I think a short spell wouldn’t hurt him. It might also dent his pride a bit and create a bit of burn to get back up forward. Might also free up Campbell to play more a Wing and McInerney to play up front.

I just feel like the team needs to shake things up to get out of the rut. Everyone is out of form, it is a mental thing. They need to have a bit of fun.

 

[Swans22]

The NSW crowd seem to be whisper quiet every week

This is not indicative of what its normally like. Get a good game on a Friday or Sat night and the atmosphere can be awesome. I've been to plenty of games @ MCG, Marvel etc and I'd argue the SCG is just as good in a big game. I think the game was so friggin bad last night that people were just underwhelmed and the game had no atmosphere.

 

[Swans22]

In the 2s.

True. He was ordinary. Who would replace him?

 

[swanssince2002]

This is not indicative of what its normally like. Get a good game on a Friday or Sat night and the atmosphere can be awesome. I've been to plenty of games @ MCG, Marvel etc and I'd argue the SCG is just as good in a big game. I think the game was so friggin bad last night that people were just underwhelmed and the game had no atmosphere.

Exactly both Pies games at the SCG last season was impressive in terms of atmosphere.

Its hard to get up off your seat if you have a goalless quarter, it is a massive turn off.

 

[KingV23]

McLean continued to impress. Just looks so confident right now going for those marks and stuff. Has a "get out of my way" feel to him atm.

Hopefully he doen't say that to a contract renewal.

 

[ashep]

Agree with the comments about HMac. Just a whole hearted player who is becoming a solid reliable B Grader.

In an indictment of our other forwards, he is the closest we have to a leader down there. Poor Bud is playing on fumes. Heeney and Wayward offer zero leadership and Papley is a terrible disappointment.

What is "leadership" to you then because Heeney has been better than McInerney through the year despite him being down on form. He wins significantly more ball with his head over the footy in the contest, tackles more, and take more contested marks while Mac picks up cheapies on the wing.

Heeney was great last round playing on Cripps and was ok last night in his second game in the middle. McInerney looks great in full flight and can make the big play to jazz the crowd but he's also a turnover merchant with a tendency for absolute brain fades.

If leadership is solely about how close you play to your potential, then sure, but in all other facets, Heeney does more to take the team forward.

 

[Donza]

Jmac needs to kick it harder.
Some of his kicks travel so slow.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

True. He was ordinary. Who would replace him?

HHK. Want to see how he goes today.

He will be playing senior footy next year with us or somewhere else.

 

[Dubsforsam1]

It's unfortunate that Blakey was injured because he was the key player to beat St Kilda. Also not helped by Fox having to go in the ruck in the 4th quarter.

 

[Crust]

But our forward pressure is non-existent as you mentioned.

This is the problem. When every area on every line is failing, it has a knock-on effect and then nothing works.

We try to handball but can't, turn it over.

We bomb it long, Saints eat it up.

We get it in the forward 50, no pressure to lock it in.

We try to precision kick, Saints set up for it.

What else is there to do? There's only so many ways to play footy, and we've tried them all and have struggled at them all. I liked that we at least tried to get more handball chains going. They've gotta learn, it's the only way we'll get on the level we need to be at.

My take is slightly different.
Last night we took a gazillion wrong options, and when we took the right option our skills let us down. There was no composure.
Last year we moved the ball with precision kicking, and were very successful at it. At times we moved the ball quite slowly, patiently waiting for the right moment or lead.
This year everyone knows that's how we like to move the ball so opposition teams immediately block the corridor, forcing us wide, and then put two or three players 20m in front about 10 m apart, like an umbrella, to block the precision kick from the wing. One on 30 degrees, one on 60 and maybe one on the 45, depending.
Our response to this appears to me to be to attempt to move the ball quickly, playing on at every opportunity, to move the ball before the opposition can set up. This means the time to assess and make decisions is shortened, which leads to taking poor options. Second the ball movement seems to have an element of panic which leads to skill errors.
So the wrong options and the skill errors stem from an accelerated game plan.
Now there is nothing wrong and a lot right about swift ball movement, but that has to be tempered with composure. So many times we took the mark, and the marker would step away all of a metre from the opposition, and then handball all of another metre to the player running past. Opposition only has to step a metre to pressure the runner, and then we have panicked disposal. In the clinches we got sucked in to the contest which led again to short handballs. There is no separation, and it is separation which leads to time, and time leads to better decision making and better execution of skills.
It is no coincidence that the best decision makers last night had time, because they had separation. Those were Rampe, Fox and Campbell.
The player taking the mark has the least amount of time to make decisions. The players around him have the most. Because of this, the marking player has to honour the call for the play on, so the responsibility is on the calling player, who, before calling for it should assess the options. This rarely happened. Too many times the player called for it, ran an extra couple of metres and then bombed it. The calling player has to:
1. Make an assessment before calling for it
2. Ensure he is sufficiently separated so he can assess any other options which arise
3. Ensure he is sufficiently separated so that skills can be executed well

Once there is separation, there is time for players ahead to lead into space.

Handballs are generally quicker to execute and are more accurate than kicks. So yes, C88, I agree that handball chains are the answer but the thinking needs to be sorted first.

It is the thinking, or lack of it which lost us the game.

 

[MR0808]

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Yep, the new stands have good general bars & food options but it's not up to the standard of other venues. I would definitely recommend people who visit sydney for a swans game to also attend a game at allianz stadiums. Amazing stadium, great atmosphere, great facilities & a memorable experience even if you hate nrl. It's right next door to the SCG.

The SCG board should hang their heads in shame with the new stand. It is built for a lazy summer afternoon watching cricket, when most of the stadium attendees are AFL fans in the winter. The holes at the back of the stands let the cold wind through and allow the atmosphere to escape out. Given who was on the board, I would
not be surprised if it was a deliberate decision to undermine AFL. The worst part is that stand is designed to be repeated twice more to fill up everything except the members and ladies stands.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Really is a joke of a league

 

[sr20]

How many saints goals were from free kicks last night ? (legit or not)

Second goal - King from holding the man - if that was called every time the ball went inside 50, there’d be a shot on goal for a forward every time

We kicked 5 in a row. Then dying stages of the quarter to halt the momentum

Third goal Caminiti - for too high grazed his face incidental contact, again rarely called

Fourth goal Butler from holding the ball - legit, Warner dropped it.

But 3 from 4 before half time.

4 points up last quarter 16 minutes left

8th goal - Owens 50 from Gulden standing on the mark.
9th goal - Wanganeen Milera 50 from Sheldrick dawdling to the mark but not impacting anything

We get it back level

Free kick picked out on the wing to Sinclair in a marking contest, long lock forward and they kick their 10th goal.

So decisions came into 6 of their first 10 and they only kicked 12.

We did get Clarke’s and Guldens that were dicey as well.