"You get the feeling that like Monty Python's Black Knight, the Swans would regard amputation as merely a flesh wound."
I was away Saturday night, followed the game via live blogs and watched the replay Sunday. Have to say, it looked a lot closer in the text updates than it did when viewed for real.
I enjoyed it on the whole, the play had all the intensity of a good grand final and it was interesting as a "one-off" (?) to see something different. I hope it remains a day game. I'd have no issue with other venues but it isn't going to happen unless circumstances force it, and it is hard to beat the roar of 100 000 people.
Whatever you think of the Tigers they're good, and they're good when it matters - in the second half of close games. And they're clearly a close and well-drilled team, noticeable how they break up into small huddles after every score to discuss. Cats were barely getting around each other when they scored - something else on their minds?
And then Dusty. How he does what he does, in so little space, with so few steps and time, is quite a mystery to me. One of those players who just seems to be on another plane to the rest.
So that was 2020, save for the trades and drafts. It sure was a weird one. Let's hope we can all get back to seeing a game live next year.
Killers good, Black Eyed Peas bad.....sometimes they get it right, sometimes they don't. Stick to Australian acts and they'll get it right most times.
Here's a thought......AC/DC should be touring sometime next year.....hopefully the timing is right to have them in Australia around late September. You could do far worse....and no one would be complaining.
Its always interesting to think about questions like that. There is clearly elements of his game that coaches like a lot. But so much of his game feels like its 'almost' there, and now one would say it is unlikely to ever get there.
He certainly isn't alone in being a dud out of the 2009 top end draft picks. And I still think the original leg break really set his career on a very different direction to where it was heading at that point in time.
"You get the feeling that like Monty Python's Black Knight, the Swans would regard amputation as merely a flesh wound."
I didn't particularly mind the night grand final. Because I wasn't invested in it, I could do a lot of other things in the day, so it definitely suits a more casual observer.
However I think it was a big tick for holding the grand final outside the MCG. If the gabba at half capacity can pull it off without a Brisbane team, then anywhere can.
I'm no NRL fan, but I found the NRL grand final better viewing.
So what are the lessons for the Swans from Richmonds 3 premierships in 4 years?
* debt free and strong and effective off-field leadership with a clear vision - Swans OK here.
* settled and respected coach with clear game plan - Swans good here too.
* capable assistant coaches with a variety of backgrounds and good experience - a few too many ex-Swans and players on their first coaching gig for me.
* some proven A+ match winners that perform
in big games - outside of Buddy and Papley, plus maybe Heeney, I think we are a bit short.
* settled and well balanced backline that work well as a unit supporting each other - Rampe is very good but we don’t have Richmonds depth of quality (Grimes, Vlaustin, Houli are All Australian squad plus Broad, Short, Baker, and Astbury really play their roles well)
* quality hard running midfield (Cotchin, Prestia, Edwards, Graham, Martin, Lambert) - outside of Kennedy and Heeney we are short on depth and quality.
* key targets up forward (Lynch and Riewoldt) - we really missed Buddy this year.
* speed and running ability of wings and small forwards - not too bad here for Swans but not many with explosive speed of a Rioli or Castagna.
What does all that mean? We still have a way to go to be competitive but we have the foundations to build on.
Other opinions are welcomed! Fire at will.
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Parker is not quality?
Blakey and McInerney are pretty quick. They settled into the wing in the last few games. Locks for the wing in 2021.
Lloyd won the B&F AGAIN. He goes alright in defence. McCartin became one of the revelations of the season when he went into defence. Mills is not too shabby. Rampe coming back makes it a pretty solid defence.
Last edited by Nico; 26th October 2020 at 07:00 PM.
Yeah I forgot about Parker. It’s what happens when you get old. But that still only means 3 quality mids.
Lloyd is ok as an outside ball distributor.
The others you mentioned, apart from Rampe, would be playing VFL at Richmond and most other top 4 teams.
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This series of mini 'episodes' showing the inside of the rooms and coaching boxes during the Grand Final is excellent: Sound the Alarm (afl.com.au). While I didn't understand all of what they were saying it gave the best window I've had yet into what happens in the coaching boxes (and in huddles) on game day. It's also a bit of a window on Dimma and Chris Scott. It reinforces the impression I got from the Making Their Mark series on Amazon Prime that Hardwick's success comes from his 'teacherly' style. It's not that he personally puts himself on the same level as the players, but he communicates the big picture to them so that they understand what is going on and what the point of what they are doing is and it feels (to me) like they are "inside" the coaching process, it's not mysterious to them. One benefit of this is that it could empower the players to think better for themselves during the game.
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