Match Day Rnd. 6. Carlton V Sydney. MCG 14.10 pm.

[bloodspirit]

Nico, Lloyd is an outside player. He runs his guts out and gets in to space to receive the ball and then he is able to help us keep it moving forward, which he does superbly well. Sure, he is not a great tackler or contested ball winner but, very likely for that reason, that is not the job we ask him to do. There is a place in our team for a player like him. Indeed, I am grateful we have him. Especially at the moment when we are struggling and he is one of the few really putting in a lot of effort.

Incidentally, I did see him tackle today but it wasn't an effective tackle which is perhaps why it wasn't listed in the stats. At least he tried.

[Nico]

Nico, Lloyd is an outside player. He runs his guts out and gets in to space to receive the ball and then he is able to help us keep it moving forward, which he does superbly well. Sure, he is not a great tackler or contested ball winner but, very likely for that reason, that is not the job we ask him to do. There is a place in our team for a player like him. Indeed, I am grateful we have him. Especially at the moment when we are struggling and he is one of the few really putting in a lot of effort.

Incidentally, I did see him tackle today but it wasn't an effective tackle which is perhaps why it wasn't listed in the stats. At least he tried.

I understand he is an outside player and I have no problem with that, but he is such a waster with his disposal and decision making. He could be a so much better footballer if he improved the part of the game that he is there for.

[annew]

Swans were not good but a lot of other teams pretty bad too. Has the standard to be an AFL player dropped or are the players crap like the umpires. Look at the WC V Freo game thats pretty bad as is the north V Suns game. Maybe this is the cost for two extra teams in the comp.

[111431]

At the game today. My observations:
Our midfield are yesterday's men. No idea about how to create space at stoppages
When will Parker learn the first option is the best option.trying to beat the opposition on your own says nothing about team
Reggie far too slow
No game plan
Forward line non existent
One ruckman selection ridiculous
Basic skill execution by all of our players was disgraceful inc Buddy

We are fortunate to play the hawks twice this yr as they are the only side we could possibly beat based on today's form

[Nico]

At the game today. My observations:
Our midfield are yesterday's men. No idea about how to create space at stoppages
When will Parker learn the first option is the best option.trying to beat the opposition on your own says nothing about team
Reggie far too slow
No game plan
Forward line non existent
One ruckman selection ridiculous
Basic skill execution by all of our players was disgraceful inc Buddy

We are fortunate to play the hawks twice this yr as they are the only side we could possibly beat based on today's form

What I noticed was we didn't run in numbers very often. When we did, and got into space we turned it over with very poor kicks.

[111431]

What I noticed was we didn't run in numbers very often. When we did, and got into space we turned it over with very poor kicks.

Agree and our defensive running non existent. It was sad to see Rohan injured but Gary if you can't touch the ball ( 1 disposal to 1/2 time) do the defensive stuff and create opportunities for others

[annew]

Been following the Swans since their first game in Sydney.

Have never seem such a weak, pathetic, gutless performance from us in that time.

Words cannot express the pure anger I feel towards that bunch of highly paid and pampered little boys that were out there today, an absolute disgrace to the shirt.

Here is a tip "Parks", "Hanners" et al. I don't want to hear from you this week. DO NOT DARE utter the words "unswanslike", I do not want to see our Dalia Lama aka Brett Kirk front the press. NOTHING you say can absolve you from that pile of toilet you served up today.

As for the coaching staff, Horse you inherited the best list in the land from Roos and it is time you earned your corn along with your anonymously huge team of invisible and faceless men who form your coaching staff. I expect nothing less than utter and complete ruthlessness the next 16 weeks. Weed out the weak and the old and give us some hope.

Some emotional comments

* Lloyd is soft, pick 24-28 in a flag team
* Newman was utterly and totally shown up today against the worst team in the land as VFL standard at best and I find his worship here deluded
* Grundy is gone, as is Laidler
* Reid, trade him or get a first round pick
* Lloyd needs a heart bigger than a pea
* Parker and Hanners, if they are not fit then get them operated on and don't pick them
* BJ never to play seniors again, absolutely useless

I expect Florent, Maubain, Cameron, O'Riordan (as he has a bit of C@@@ in him), Aliir, Melican and Hayward to play every single game from here on in.

The others should be on notice. Pay em out, ship em out, I do not care but by the end of this season the chaff must be cut.

We are in serious rebuild mode here and I just do know if this mob has the stomach for it.....

If that s really how you feel then I suggest you follow GWS instead.

[neilfws]

Spent the week thinking that the Blues must have felt they were a good chance, and so it came to pass.

I've been to every home game this year and something is not right with this team. Don't know what, don't want to speculate on the causes, but they just have this downtrodden, don't-really-care attitude about them. Buddy puts in every week, the rest just look done. Or very young. Haven't seen anything like it since I started watching them regularly in 2003. It's a sad and sorry state of affairs.

[Bexl]

What got me today was the fumbling and dropping of simple chest marks. That is when on the odd occasion a pass actually landed on a chest.






As others have said, what do they do in off season regards kicking skills.

Buddy dropped a couple of chest marks but he had to reach for them rather than have them land nicely .

This dropping of chest marks got me mad as well. and Our kicking skills are crap.

[dimelb]

Very disappointing at MCG today.

I don't think the main problem is lack of spirit, although there's more than a bit of that around. The main problem, as others have said, is our appalling skill level, particularly delivery by foot, and receiving. For me the most frustrating aspect of the whole game was to see us playing Carlton into form: the further the match went, the better their skills, especially their kicking. Not altogether surprising, considering their coach.

The other main problem to my mind is selection. I'm sure the coaches know much more about the game than I do, but it seems crazy to me that when we are in rebuilding mode we are using the ressies to develop match savvy. I'm thinking especially of Aliir here, although it applies to others. OK, there's still a lot for him to learn, but I'd sooner see him (and one or two others) developing in the seniors. The season is shot after today; let's focus on shaping the future.

[Foreign Legion]

Can anyone explain to me the situation when Cripps was given two shots at goal in the 3rd qtr? I was about 75 metres away and it looked to me as if he played on - got in trouble then the umpire blew the whistle. I thought, OK that is a 50M penalty or why else blow the whistle. Then the umpire gives him another go and he proceeded to kick that into the man on the mark.

To me once you are on the correct angle and kicking for goal or position, the only possible outcomes are a 50m penalty for infringement, or it is play on. What the bloody hell did the ump do here? I have been watching for over 40 years and am totally stumped as to what happened. Buggered if I know this game any more.

[mcs]

What I noticed was we didn't run in numbers very often. When we did, and got into space we turned it over with very poor kicks.

Part of the problem with the poor kicks is so often when we do manage to get a few running bodies and space, our forward structure is non-existent, as we get sucked back to defend in numbers far too easily. This leaves us with very few options going forward and having to take a poor option more often than not.

It really was a disappointing day at the g today