Round 11: North Melbourne v Sydney Swans

**Gary** · 16th June 2015, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by WauchopeAnalyst

Gerard Healy 'On the Couch' has a bit of a go at Sydney on the defence kicking. RAMPE, SMITH, McVEIGH and SHAW highlighted. Healy stated that Sydney would not be a top 2 team with the defence giving away too many goals. If the players make the same mistakes they would be no flag this year.

Impossible to argue with this ... when the chips are down at the end of the season ... we must be better in composure and disposal ... we look good on points scored against ... which baffles me based on this important issue ... but we would not get away with it in a grand final.

**Conor_Dillon** · 16th June 2015, 09:41 AM

You could look at any contender and pick out similar issues and say 'If team X don't improve on deficiency Y then team X won't win the flag'.

Gerard is just keeping the Swans under the radar

**ScottH** · 16th June 2015, 11:51 AM

Hawthorn bolstered their defence with Frawley.
Look where they are on the Ladder.

**magic.merkin** · 16th June 2015, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by Melbournehammer

Don't know whether this was answered but I would have thought we had 20-25% of the crowd. I was actually disappointed in our numbers last night. Once the north fans left at full time I guessed at about 6000-8000 swans

At Metricon the week before it was more like 50:50 I reckon.

Saturday night games can cut both ways. No kids usually means mums and dads at home also.

**Conor_Dillon** · 17th June 2015, 06:58 PM

Finally had time to watch the replay.

Q1 thoughts, should have been 5 goals up at quarter time...Reid and Rampe both missed easy goals within 25 metres, as well as the rubbish goal to Lindsay Thomas.
Free kick aside, Shaw has been good (set-up Rohan's goal)
Only 1 clean centre clearance to North, the rest were all scrappy so no major concern.

**Conor_Dillon** · 17th June 2015, 08:30 PM

Q2 was one of our better ones for the year, didn't quite capitalise on the scoreboard and should have been further up for sure.

At the time it felt like the Roos dominated quarter 3 but after watching it again now it was pretty even, we mucked up a few really good chances to kick goals and it should have been sewn up well before the last quarter got underway.

**AnnieH** · 18th June 2015, 11:39 AM

If we don't capitalise on the scoreboard... how can it possibly be one of "our better ones for the year".
Here I was thinking that percentage is important.
Silly me.

**Conor_Dillon** · 18th June 2015, 12:37 PM

I should have clarified that it was one of our better quarters in general play, ball use, ball movement, etc. Up until the final few minutes we had only conceded 2 inside 50's for the quarter.

Also, without our dominance in that quarter we most likely wouldn't have won the game and hence missed out on the 4 points which is much more important than percentage, Annie.

**Industrial Fan** · 18th June 2015, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Conor_Dillon

I should have clarified that it was one of our better quarters in general play, ball use, ball movement, etc. Up until the final few minutes we had only conceded 2 inside 50's for the quarter.

Also, without our dominance in that quarter we most likely wouldn't have won the game and hence missed out on the 4 points which is much more important than percentage, Annie.

Everybody else understood what you meant Conor.

I agree with you anyhow. Bank the 4 points first before worrying about %.

**AnnieH** · 19th June 2015, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Conor_Dillon

I should have clarified that it was one of our better quarters in general play, ball use, ball movement, etc. Up until the final few minutes we had only conceded 2 inside 50's for the quarter.

Also, without our dominance in that quarter we most likely wouldn't have won the game and hence missed out on the 4 points which is much more important than percentage, Annie.

Getting the four points as important is a given ... but if you're getting the four points, you need to back it up with a bit of percentage, because come the pointy end of the season, you're going to need it.
For instance, if we, Freo, West Coast, Hawthorn and Collingwood are sitting one, two, three, four and five on the ladder; and we've all won the same amount of games, the only thing separating 1 from 5 is percentage.
In this case, Collingwood miss out on a home final, and we get two chances at home because our percentage was the highest.
You just can't underestimate how important percentage is.