Match Day Thread Rnd 12 Sydney V Western Bulldogs. SCG. 19.20 pm.

[Ludwig]

I think it was a little from column A and a little from column B.

When you start a post with a Chinese Proverb, everything that follows seems to make sense.

[bloodspirit]

Also, Heeney has not been much talked about on this forum, but he was fantastic last night, and has been all year. Joey, Hanners et co are great, but I think Heeney adds a level of class we haven't had for a while. I would expect him to be up there in the best & fairest count.

Agreed.

Lloyd also was huge last night and has been all year and will be up there in the B&F count, although he doesn't have Heeney's class.

[WauchopeAnalyst]

A few more comments and the different from GF winners and losers:

Man up on the mark and be manic about it. The Wood goal came partially from Newman just wandering of the mark with Rampe covering another bulldog going past. The Bont get 0% and weighted the kick to Wood.

If Newman had to gone to the mark and gone to his right the Bont might have had to go back or a harder kick to Wood and Reg might have go to Wood. HOLD THE MARK.

Longmire and I both agree on this one. Hahaha. Out on the wing defending and both Rampe and Reid go up to mark but Stringer stayed down. Both missed the mark and allowed the ball over the back. Stringer picks it up and lace out to Dickson for the mark and later the goal. You HAVE to win or neutralise the contest and a big fail.

ALL players you have the look at both the forward and goal posts whilst either on or in F50s. If you look at the goal the defender rolls off his man and runs to goal as goal keeping. Also a good forward would turn back to player and lead and the defender must make a decision. If you only look at one option you may missed both chances. Jones x 2, Papley x1 and some others all want to goal.

Sinkers, Naismith, Marsh and Melican need to work on the marks. Strong, soft hands.

PS: Longmire smirked quickly before back to stone after Reid missed a soda.

If we keep going this way we will be a better allround team who can defend and attack with more balance and more options.

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[Danzar]

Every time I see him on the big screen he's mouthing off at someone. It's hilarious. He was clearly telling Hodge that he was over the hill during the Hawks game.

And he kicks timely goals too.

And most of those goals, at least in his first year, are off the deck. He seems to have a talent for it.


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[Danzar]

Obligatory xkcd reference:

xkcd: Lunch Order

Hah hah!


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[Nico]

The Bullies had 9 players out from their GF side. It is a year of swings and roundabouts. First time we played them injury fortunes were reversed. We finally got close to our best side on the ground and played accordingly.

After watching the game and reading almost every post mortem I think Longmire should be sacked and Grundy retired.

[S.S. Bleeder]

+1
Is there an RWOer who doesn't love Gazza? All the same, I wasn't disappointed he was ill and couldn't play. I'd actually been hoping both he and Tippett would be dropped for this game, so I was watching keenly to see how we'd go without him. There's no doubting his manic courage, and I know Longmire says he doesn't have to get a high possession count to influence a game, but sadly I don't think he's developed as we could have expected. He's looked a bit lost from what I've seen this season (his Carlton game was excruciating, right until he knocked himself out cold), and I just can't get out my head the image of him trying to dummy Easton Wood on the wing in the GF. Like Tippett, I think he should be worked hard to get his place in the best 22.

Unfortunately Gazza hasn't been the same since his broken leg. That was terrible timing. He was really starting to hit his straps when that happened. I have no inside knowledge on how it is effecting him at present but I suspect that his pace, and maybe confidence, has dropped off as a result.

[Velour&Ruffles]

I'm a Towers fan, but thought his game was average.

Couldn't disagree more. Not sure what you were watching if you thought this.

Also don't understand the criticism of Naismith, Melican and a few others for dropping marks. It was a wet and greasy night. Most players are going to fluff 'em on a night like that. All it really proved was what an amazing mark Sam Reid is .... but we already knew that.

[Bloody Hell]

Sinclair was powerful at and around the contest and applied good pressure including some good chase down tackles (which is great to see from a big bloke). So I would say he was valuable apart from his rucking. Arguably as valuable as another player might have been. He has the advantage of having a big, strong body to throw around and he was prepared to put in the effort and do that. I don't think he has to take lots of marks - that doesn't seem to be a great strength of his. Bringing the ball to ground and preventing the opposition from taking possession and giving our smalls a chance to get a hold of it is also important. That said, I agree, once we can start relying on Naismith to do the bulk of the rucking we need a 2nd ruck who does offer something different like goals and marks. At this stage I don't have confidence that Naismith can ruck a whole game. Naismith and Sinclair seemed to split it pretty evenly last night.

Incidentally, Ludwig, Beveridge made some interesting comments about the value of rucks in his post-match interviews. He made the point that they took Roughead away from the ruck contests and sent him down back to replace Adams because they weren't winning the hitouts anyway and thought that sending another mid would be more valuable. However he said it didn't work. He also said that when a midfield is well organised and playing with intensity, having a good ruck that can give the mids first use really is valuable. Since Bevo is one of the main poster boys for "no ruck theory" I think you would find those comments very pertinent.

Sinclair has an issue with marking the ball. Despite his efforts, this failing was still evident.

[Markwebbos]

I wonder if Towers is overthinking things. Only saw the game on tele, but it seems his best play is in contested situations, or in fluid play where the right option is immediate. When he gets the ball in space with time, he seems to make more errors.

Towers definitely plays better when he plays instinctively and doesn't engage his brain. I am a huge fan of Towers_v2.0_contested

[MattW]

Towers definitely plays better when he plays instinctively and doesn't engage his brain. I am a huge fan of Towers_v2.0_contested

Towers v2.0 is using the ball a lot better. He set up at least three scoring shots on Thursday, including an excellent long kicks for goals to Hewett and Reid, and a kick into the corridor from defence which led to a chain of passes which should have resulted in another goal to Reid (I think, he missed). He seems to make a particular impact in the second half of games. He can still struggle a bit when he takes a mark and has to stop to decide what to do, and he also gets pushed off the ball a little bit, but he's working on these too. Good on him, he's becoming a real contributor.

[Markwebbos]

Towers v2.0 is using the ball a lot better. He set up at least three scoring shots on Thursday, including an excellent long kicks for goals to Hewett and Reid, and a kick into the corridor from defence which led to a chain of passes which should have resulted in another goal to Reid (I think, he missed). He seems to make a particular impact in the second half of games. He can still struggle a bit when he takes a mark and has to stop to decide what to do, and he also gets pushed off the ball a little bit, but he's working on these too. Good on him, he's becoming a real contributor.

I agree. I had completely given up on him, and think he might have too earlier in the season.

He has a lot of great assets. I'm overjoyed that the Swans have found a way to harness them and find an effective role for him.