Match thread: Swans v Cats.

[Thunder Shaker]

Well a draw doesn't help us much. We had one of the better percentages of the contenders for 8th spot, but that's not going to help us now.
Still, if you offered me a draw against Geelong with Chad out, I would have taken it.

I have had a quick look at the fixture for the remaining matches, with particular attention to which teams have games to come against the bottom two teams.

West Coast play: St Kilda (today), Brisbane Lions, Richmond, Carlton, North Melbourne, Essendon, Fremantle, Western Bulldogs, Adelaide.
North Melbourne play: Geelong, Hawthorn, St Kilda, West Coast, Melbourne, Essendon, Richmond, Gold Coast.

Those mid-ladder teams playing West Coast can expect a win and a significant percentage boost. Mid-ladder teams playing North Melbourne can pencil in a win as well (aside from the possibility of an upset) with occasional big wins.

Apart from Sydney, three other teams have a draw as well: Geelong, Richmond, Carlton. All are competing for spots in the finals. Geelong play North Melbourne, Carlton plays West Coast, Richmond plays both of them. So percentage is going to be a factor. Perhaps not Carlton, they're rubbish, but the others? Definitely.

As for the Swans, the task is simple: win as many games as possible. Sydney's remaining fixture is challenging, with games to come against several teams in the middle of the ladder: Richmond, Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, Essendon, GWS Giants, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Melbourne. Eight-point games as far as the eye can see. If we are better than the other mid-ladder sides, we have the opportunity to prove it: not by running up the score against bottom sides, but by beating the other teams around us competing for places in the finals.

[barry]

Well a draw doesn't help us much. We had one of the better percentages of the contenders for 8th spot, but that's not going to help us now.
Still, if you offered me a draw against Geelong with Chad out, I would have taken it.

[MattW]

I’ve got problems with the rule. In fact I hate it. But I also hate the push in the back, the dragging it in and the ubsufficient attempt. I hate everything to do with the afl making rules up to deal with congestion because it’s all about their vision of what the game should look like.

If you pin an arm and the player hits their head because they can’t protect themselves then you should get rubbed out regardless of the result. Striking or attempted striking should lead to the penalty with weeks added for outcome.

I agree. Close pinned the arm, Francis couldn't protect himself and Francis' head hit the ground first. It was dangerous. If the defender pins an arm, their duty includes to avoid the tackled player hitting the ground head first.

[KTigers]

Well, if nothing else you'd have to say our last two games have been about as weird as it gets in footy. Looking forward to
a more "normal" game against Richmond on Thursday night.

[Melbournehammer]

I’ve got problems with the rule. In fact I hate it. But I also hate the push in the back, the dragging it in and the ubsufficient attempt. I hate everything to do with the afl making rules up to deal with congestion because it’s all about their vision of what the game should look like.

If you pin an arm and the player hits their head because they can’t protect themselves then you should get rubbed out regardless of the result. Striking or attempted striking should lead to the penalty with weeks added for outcome.

[i'm-uninformed2]

The AFL ranking points system had McLean and Heeney as our worst players, even lower than Clarke, which I guess means we would have been better off if they stayed home.

Our forward line plus Hickey were our 7 lowest ranked players on the night.

Which goes to show the stupidity of ranking points.

- - - Updated - - -

Yep, I'm sure there is a clause in the dangerous tackle rules that states that you can slam a Swans players head into the ground and that will be deemed ok.....especially if you play for a Victorian team.

MATCH REVIEW: Cats forward learns fate for Francis tackle

I’m going to be the contrarian on this one. Close neither slung nor dumped Francis. He arguably could have let Francis’ arm release a little, but other than that, it wasn’t a tackle with much damage. We’d hate to see one of our players go for that.

[Ludwig]

The AFL ranking points system had McLean and Heeney as our worst players, even lower than Clarke, which I guess means we would have been better off if they stayed home.

Our forward line plus Hickey were our 7 lowest ranked players on the night.

[waswan]

I think he’s done, has had plenty of chances, just can’t adapt his fame rk the AFL - looks like he holds back/lacks confidence

I think he is capable but after this year if he cant get a game and is out of contract he is gone.
Would like to play him but would only play him in front of Clarke atm

- - - Updated - - -

Heeney is 15 goals 14 behinds and 14 misses
Paps is 25 17 and 13
That is ridiculous

[stevoswan]

No penalty for Brad Close for his tackle on Aaron Francis which ended with Francis’s head hitting the ground. Deemed to be ‘not careless’.

Yep, I'm sure there is a clause in the dangerous tackle rules that states that you can slam a Swans players head into the ground and that will be deemed ok.....especially if you play for a Victorian team.

MATCH REVIEW: Cats forward learns fate for Francis tackle

[Dow]

Not writing Stephens off quite yet.

I think he’s done, has had plenty of chances, just can’t adapt his fame rk the AFL - looks like he holds back/lacks confidence

[Meg]

No penalty for Brad Close for his tackle on Aaron Francis which ended with Francis’s head hitting the ground. Deemed to be ‘not careless’.

[i'm-uninformed2]

The debate about Sheldrick v Van Rooyen is a good one, and as Ludwig says, anchored in a view around our list needs. Lord knows I’ve harped on here about the need for us to find Logan’s long term companion. But given our weakness at contested ball and centre clearances the last few years, basically since Kennedy was no longer at his most profilic, Sheldrick may prove a very prophetic pick.

I think I mentioned on here before that I’d read in his draft year he was a bit akin to Luke Shuey, and there are some similar traits. But watching him the last few weeks he reminds me of Dion Prestia. He uses his body to advantage at the contest, with his low centre of gravity and strong legs, to create and hold space for himself. He’s got good leg drive through the contest and really burrows in and has clean hands. And while I haven’t seen him live, he looks to have good running patterns that see him get from contest to contest without being super quick. If he becomes a player anywhere near the quality of Prestia, we’ve got a total beauty on our hands.

[stevoswan]

Sheldrick is not timid like Stephens who loses confidence too easily.

Agree with this....time will tell I guess.

[stevoswan]

Good question - I wonder how often in the AFL a team has received one free kick in a half of football? I like to see the stats for that. The final count was 17 to 9 free kicks. I am glad we had the home ground advantage for the umpiring decisions.

Us in the 2016 GF.....one free kick in the 2nd and 3rd quarters.... and that was for out on the full. Nothing in general play. The AFL umpires have form where we're concerned.

[stevoswan]

Yet the majority of your posts are negative, condescending and aggressive….

Sure there were positives. How about understanding that most of us are gutted by that and there were plenty of bloody negatives. Missing open goals from 10m out isn’t easy for a lot of us to accept and a huge bloody negative.

You're first point is just BS.....and you know it. Have another go.

I get that people are disappointed.....I was pissed off that we didn't win, I was angry at all those pathetic missed shots....I just like to find positives out of a bad situation and it's easy to find some from last night if one isn't preoccupied with negativity, with throwing ones toys out of the cot.

We're all wired differently.....obviously.