Sydney v Hawthorn

[Conor_Dillon]

If anyone attending tonight's dinner finds out anything - anything at all - that might throw some light on to Saturday's horrible performance then I would be grateful if they would share it on RWO.

Big +1 to that!

[Meg]

If anyone attending tonight's dinner finds out anything - anything at all - that might throw some light on to Saturday's horrible performance then I would be grateful if they would share it on RWO.

[Industrial Fan]

Did that game still happen?

Cant believe it.

[mcs]

I have been trying to find a positive out of Saturdays match (other than getting a higher draft pick then Hawthorn). I think I found a small light.

The newbies did not do too bad. If just going by stats (do not yell ... i know they are only a rough guide on actual performance)

Cunningham time on ground - 88%, disposals - 9, disposal efficiency - 89%, clangers - 0, one % ers - 3, tackles - 5

Lloyd time on ground - 50%, disposals - 11, disposal efficiency - 73%, clangers - 0, one % ers - 1, tackles - 4

I still don't get why it was Lloyd that got subbed off. About 10 other players shoudl have went before he did.

[AnnieH]

Give him captain.
And vice captain.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Buddy is the positive. He was enormous considering. Should be promoted to leadership group based on his season.

[southsideswan]

I have been trying to find a positive out of Saturdays match (other than getting a higher draft pick then Hawthorn). I think I found a small light.

The newbies did not do too bad. If just going by stats (do not yell ... i know they are only a rough guide on actual performance)

Cunningham time on ground - 88%, disposals - 9, disposal efficiency - 89%, clangers - 0, one % ers - 3, tackles - 5

Lloyd time on ground - 50%, disposals - 11, disposal efficiency - 73%, clangers - 0, one % ers - 1, tackles - 4

[neilfws]

For anyone who (a) enjoys advanced statistics (I've found they can distract from the pain) and/or (b) wonders how this year compares with other GFs, someone has tried grouping finals by using the scoring pattern.

http://www.matterofstats.com/mafl-stats-journal/2014/9/30/fuzzy-clustering-of-vflafl-grand-final-scores

He finds:

• 2014 is one of seven GFs in which one team basically ran away with it
• There's one other, even-less attractive category where they really ran away with it, as in 2007
• The most recent final most similar to this year is the 2000 Essendon v Melbourne final

So it really was something of an aberration in the modern era. I can't say this brings any comfort.

[ernie koala]

I don't agree that we have become one dimensional. When the attitude is right, our game plan has proven to be highly successful.

Tippett spends time in the ruck, Buddy moves from the forward line to the wings.

I do think we need at least one specialist small forward, one that's a pressure specialist as much as a goal kicker.

But IMO, the result on Saturday was much more about attitude than game plan.

[CureTheSane]

My first sense of a wipe out came when numerous Swans players made big mistakes.
I knew this would likely kill their spirit off - affect them mentally for the rest of the game.
Only hope we had was a resurgence to build on, but it never really happened.

[dimelb]

an interesting analysis of why it happened:

Why we were so wrong: Swans not even second best | The New Daily

[ernie koala]

I agree Ampersand. I hate to say it, but we were soft in the GF.

From the moment Grundy flinched, ducked, and meekly punched the ball to a spot about 10m out straight in front, we were in trouble.

You could sense it, the Hawthorn players could sense it...IMO, it was one of the defining moments of the game.

At that point, one of our players needed to throw themselves, or back, fearlessly into a contest, to show we were going to stand up to them.

2 way gut running is great, but you also need to bring a fearless and feisty attitude if you are going to counter intense opposition.

[Ampersand]

Cardinal, it's easy to have a mental lapse or two during the home and away season but this is different. That's two seasons in a row we looked overawed and intimidated by the physical intensity of our opponent in a final.

Remember the Prelim against Freo last year where Crowley was mocking Jack for ducking his head while backing into a contest? The worst part was Crowley was right - he did flinch in anticipation of contact and didn't commit to the ball.

You don't have to be a dickhead like Crowley to sense this lack of toughness in the opposition and good teams will take advantage of it.

Look at Paul Kelly or Brett Kirk. You couldn't find two better captains and their courage and hardness for the ball was unquestionable. Could I say the same thing about our current leadership group? Unfortunately not and I think someone in our coaching staff needs to point that out to them.

[Cardinal]

I don't agree with any of this physically soft and mental untoughness rubbish about the Swans. We just finished minor prems and made the gf. Instead, I'm hearing commentary similar to that posted after our start to the season when we had no runs on the board & lost to GWS.

But I do agree that if the umpies weren't going to sort out the Hawk's "unsociable football" then someone should have stood up. Gibson and Lake did a great job of rubbing Buddy into ground just a fraction too late after every contested mark.

[Big Al]

I thought exactly the same. Maybe the players should have bought a copy of the Record on entering the ground. They did the exact opposite

I have thrown it out. Same as I did for 96 & 06

I gave mine to my nephew warning him if I ever see it again I'll tear it into 3 million pieces.

Cleaned out my bag and found my GF ticket which was duly disposed of with extreme prejudice. What a contrast to the 2012 ticket which is part of a framed WEG poster hanging proudly at home.