In Need of New Game Plan

[31 hard at it]

Apart from the woefull second quarter the boys were ok and won the other 3 with a very inexperienced side.
Turnovers and fumbles a plenty but a good foundation to build on.

[Boodnutz]

The main change required to the game plan for the last fortnight - indeed most of the season, nay most of the last few seasons - is to kick it through the big sticks, rather than the little'uns. OK, so last week a lot of the woeful conversion could be put down to excellent Adelaide defence pushing our scoring chances long and wide. But not today. Had we converted the straightforward set shots it would have been a line-ball game, even after giving up 3 or 4 goals through very bad defence.

Trouble is, 4 of those horrid misses came from Brennan and Rchards. Great marks they both are, decent field kicks they both are, but they are horrid in front of goal and can't see much changing with them. Hall's kicking today was a mixed bag. His first shot should be his bread and butter but it was a very unconvincing kick. He worked his way back into some good marking form as the game wore on. Hopefully his kicking can follow.

Vez was one of the main culprits in front of goal, though a couple of those misses were from snaps. But he'll get better in this department as he gets a feel for the game. From what I've seen of him he has great instincts for where the goals are and is a very sound kick.

Other than the second quarter, when the Dogs were superb in not allowing the Swans any time and space (and the Swans didn't help their cause by being so stagnant), the rest of the game plan looked sound enough today. The defensive pressure in the midfield was down on the Swans at their best, but with such an inexperienced team - not just by the Swans' standards, but by any standard - that is not overly surprising.

That hits the nail on the head. There is NO excuse for pressional football players not being able to kick accurately. It should be an ABSOLUTE given. It's like professional golfers pulling shots into the rough every second shot. If it happened they wouldn't have a career as professional golfers for long. Those shots at goal that missed from in front were a disgrace. If you don't have the technique to kick properly, get out of the team. Football is a kicking game - what do these guys do at training ??? FFS get some technique or get out. Luke Brennan - why put all that effort into fitness, strategy etc and then fail to do the most important job of all - regularly. It's not on, and as a coach of junior elite footy, I'm disgusted.

[NMWBloods]

Trouble is, 4 of those horrid misses came from Brennan and Rchards. Great marks they both are, decent field kicks they both are, but they are horrid in front of goal and can't see much changing with them.

I think there is more chance of fixing Brennan's than Playfair's. Brennan has a decent technique and can kick a proper drop punt. He struggles with set shots - can't aim and stabs at the ball. Needs to learn to aim at a target behind the goals and kick through the ball. Playfair has no technique and usually kicks helicopters. Richards is harder to work out but he never appears particularly steady during his set shot routine.

[smasher]

In the coming weeks we play Collingwood and Geelong.It is pretty clear how Malthouse will have his blokes play and that is by hard,tough,relentless tackling.They did it against Geelong and beat them.I think we need to start woring on a similar plan and start implementing it against Freo.

[smasher]

I think there is more chance of fixing Brennan's than Playfair's. Brennan has a decent technique and can kick a proper drop punt. He struggles with set shots - can't aim and stabs at the ball. Needs to learn to aim at a target behind the goals and kick through the ball. Playfair has no technique and usually kicks helicopters. Richards is harder to work out but he never appears particularly steady during his set shot routine.

BT said on the Footy Show on Sunday that it is very hard to change a players kicking style.They were discussing Buudy whose kicks are all over the shop but the opinion was that he gets so many he will get results.

[ScottH]

With no MOL, Playfair, Davis, Hall in crap form, and possibly in trouble (again). Where are our goals going to come from?

We can't expect McV to kick 6 each week to save our ass.

Who is our next big forward target, who can kick goals??

[NMWBloods]

BT said on the Footy Show on Sunday that it is very hard to change a players kicking style.They were discussing Buudy whose kicks are all over the shop but the opinion was that he gets so many he will get results.

As I say, I don't think Brennan's is so much style from what I've seen of him. It's about confidence and knowing how to aim and kick through the ball.

[goswannie14]

With no MOL, Playfair, Davis, Hall in crap form, and possibly in trouble (again). Where are our goals going to come from?

We can't expect McV to kick 6 each week to save our ass.

Who is our next big forward target, who can kick goals??

Mark Williams next year?

[Lohengrin]

Mark Williams next year?

Mark Williams is not much bigger than Buchanan or Jack. He needs good delivery into the forward line or to play around taller forwards to kick a lot of goals.

[ScottH]

Mark Williams next year?

Not the size I was hoping for, but would be a very handy inclusion, to our crumbling fwd line.

[connolly]

Haven't seen the game yet, but I'm just ecited to see so many new faces in the team. It can only be a good thing for our future.

Brabazon's last quarter showed us a youngster with the motor, skills and smarts to be a very good midfielder. He's ready and Buchanon will probably be traded.

[ShockOfHair]

The injury toll means we're not just missing key players, and not just with new guys in the team, but also we're very unsettled. For that alone I'm loathe to blame the game plan.

Plus a lot of players are down on form and confidence: missing targets, missing goals, afraid to back themselves.

Roos' point in his post-game interview was we lack the intensity to play four quarters. Can't disagree with that -- but why?


Official AFL Website of the Sydney Swans > News Article > Swans 'can't compete' at the moment