Match thread: Swans v St Kilda.

[Nico]

Why do JMc, Lizzard and Robert’s persist with their 15.5m chips? It places enormous pressure on the receiver who is generally called to play on when under extreme pressure? It’s just dumb play

My thoughts entirely. We played such dumb footy in the middle quarters. I don't know if others noticed but Cox started with 2 mystifying moves. Mills started on the forward line and McCartin on the half back flank. 2 quick goals to the Saints and Mills went back and Tom took up his usual position at full back. The team balance looked so out of whack.

[Nico]

Across the team our play makers made some horrible errors. I thought Blakey and JMac were the chief culprits with horrible little chips that were never on. Mills was a genuine turnover merchant both by foot and hand. Heeney was so, so. Having said that, he, Errol and Chad lifted in the last quarter. Lloyd was our best forward. Consistently got into good position.
I'm not a Roberts fan. He is way too slow for the wing and plays timid footy. Just bring back Ollie onto the wing. He gives us way more run than Roberts.

[111431]

JMac was one I had in mind. My namesake another. And yes, Mills was pretty blah. Also thought Roberts was poor, but he’s not one I expect to be in our second tier of contributors.

Why do JMc, Lizzard and Robert’s persist with their 15.5m chips? It places enormous pressure on the receiver who is generally called to play on when under extreme pressure? It’s just dumb play

[MattW]

JMac was one I had in mind. My namesake another. And yes, Mills was pretty blah. Also thought Roberts was poor, but he’s not one I expect to be in our second tier of contributors.

Agree re the first three. I thought Roberts was ok.

[MattW]

Totally agree, Daisi. He is a real competitor and his kicking has been first rate. Both goals were gems.

Those were the two best set shots kicked by a Swan all year. Would have cleared 60m.

[MattW]

Not our finest but gotta admire their willingness to persist given St Kilda had been up our bums all day.

Earlier in the year I was a bit into Grundy for his defensive, dull tap work. But he’s got more expansive and that tap to Gulden, and his snap, might well be play of the year. A thing of beauty.

Good games by Gus, the big man in the ruck, Lloyd and thought Melican held his nerve down back when a few others didn’t. Excellent last quarters by Wilbur, Rowie, Chad and Bice.

One thing I really like about Buller is he doesn’t hang back, get caught wrestling or playing for frees. He works to get to the front as much as possible and that play on the wing was exhibit A. He’s no star but a few of our forwards could learn from him on that count.

I hope McCartin is ok, but I suspect we will treat him cautiously and miss for a couple of weeks - regardless of his concussion status.

Agree with all of that.

Brodie our best again.

I also thought Gulden was important, particularly with his calm under pressure, which was not a universal attribute. It's interesting that he has the majority of his possessions in defensive half - they are looking for him to connect us out of defence.

I thought Rowbottom was excellent all day. He had 15 tackles!

[MattW]

Such a good win on the wing by Buller and so composed by Campbell

Match turning sequence. Sheldrick also involved in moving it forward, having applied pressure on defensive 50. Two clutch finishes by Hayward in the last.

[Hotpotato]

The Grundy tap and Gulden snap was folklore stuff. Yup.

[liz]

Did anyone else have visions of Jason Ball/Nick Davis when that play got us over the line? Delightful!!

GO BLOODS!!

I texted that comparison to a friend about half an hour ago...so yes! Though the kick was more like G1 and G3 than G4.

[Sandridge]

I'll take it! For the Grundy tap and Errol goal alone.

Did anyone else have visions of Jason Ball/Nick Davis when that play got us over the line? Delightful!!

GO BLOODS!!

[liz]

My man McInerney had a shocker. Brain fades, high ball drops, tap ons that weren’t on. I love Juzzy but aye carumba. Also thought Mills had a pooey one.

JMac was one I had in mind. My namesake another. And yes, Mills was pretty blah. Also thought Roberts was poor, but he’s not one I expect to be in our second tier of contributors.

[imuninformedtwo]

That was tough to watch. A couple of our players - ones who should be our “next tier” after “the stars” - had shockers.

But kudos to Grundy who, yet again, was the most influential player on the ground. Kudos to Hayward who stood up on several telling occasions. Kudos to Lloyd for responding so well to his dropping. And kudos to Buller for learning to kick for goal. If he takes a mark within 40m of goal he should walk back and kick from 50m. He looks so much more fluent from that distance.

My man McInerney had a shocker. Brain fades, high ball drops, tap ons that weren’t on. I love Juzzy but aye carumba. Also thought Mills had a pooey one.

[neilfws]

What a weird win. Saints were the better team, however Swannies willed a way to be in front at the end.

I'll take it! For the Grundy tap and Errol goal alone.

I was thinking about the phrase "deserved the win" this weekend, which doubtless some will be using with regard to the Saints. I don't like it, for the simple reason that if teams do everything right except the last bit - the winning - well, they could have done better.

Anyway, these close ones often come down to little moments and I think when the moment came today, near the end, the Swans did most things right in holding on to the lead.

I enjoyed Buller's game today. Might be a silver lining to the Amartey injury, getting to see what Buller can do over a few games. Hayward was very good too.

[UUaswan]

Centre clearance was heaps different to last week, I suspect Cox was worried about guys getting tagged out of it, Gulden in particular

Don't think Errol went to a centre bounce once where he went to half of them last week, vica versa with Rowy

Buller looked heaps better, Need Mclean permanently alongside him.

Francis or Hamling in defence that frees up Blakey who needs to stop running himself into trouble,he needs to stop calling for it if he is running to his right with no intention of using his right boot

Wish Campbell would have a ping from within distance, did well in transition to find Will but if its crowded he is better off having a shot, thats what he needs for his next level

[Hotpotato]

What a weird win. Saints were the better team, however
Swannies willed a way to be in front at the end.