Happy?

[jetts32]

I may get some criticism for what I'm about to say, but surely there's someone who agrees.

I'm actually happy we didn't win against Freo tonight.

I'm happy we fought back and lost.
I wouldn't be happy if we didn't fight back.

Why you ask? No? Well I'm going to tell you anyway.

We didn't deserve to win this game, football is a 4 quarter sport (cliche).
We got beaten up and our heads were down. Now, if we didn't fight back, we'd go in with little to no confidence next time.

But when they watch the tape, surely they'll be able to see how damaging our team is when they're running and making gut instinct decisions and applying pressure.

What we did tonight, proved we could beat Freo (easily) if we play the way we did in the last half for four quarters.

If we won this game, I don't necessarily think they would've taken that to heart. The way we played in the second half was the same way we played in the 2012 GF.

The way we played in the first half is the way we played in the 2014 GF.

Hopefully the swans can see this and back themselves to go all out with tackling and moving the ball every game.

I honestly think we could beat Freo, Hawks & Port at their best if we're at our best.

Sometimes it takes a loss to realise how could you can be (2012 example: we lost to Adelaide, Hawks & Collingwood in 2012 then beat them all in the finals).

[Bexl]

I may get some criticism for what I'm about to say, but surely there's someone who agrees.

I'm actually happy we didn't win against Freo tonight.

I'm happy we fought back and lost.
I wouldn't be happy if we didn't fight back.

Why you ask? No? Well I'm going to tell you anyway.

We didn't deserve to win this game, football is a 4 quarter sport (cliche).
We got beaten up and our heads were down. Now, if we didn't fight back, we'd go in with little to no confidence next time.

But when they watch the tape, surely they'll be able to see how damaging our team is when they're running and making gut instinct decisions and applying pressure.

What we did tonight, proved we could beat Freo (easily) if we play the way we did in the last half for four quarters.

If we won this game, I don't necessarily think they would've taken that to heart. The way we played in the second half was the same way we played in the 2012 GF.

The way we played in the first half is the way we played in the 2014 GF.

Hopefully the swans can see this and back themselves to go all out with tackling and moving the ball every game.

I honestly think we could beat Freo, Hawks & Port at their best if we're at our best.

Sometimes it takes a loss to realise how could you can be (2012 example: we lost to Adelaide, Hawks & Collingwood in 2012 then beat them all in the finals).

Interesting.

[Ludwig]

I tend to agree with you Jetts32. This game should be a good learning experience. If out coaching staff are worth their salt it should go a long way to making us a better team as the season progresses.

[Hotpotato]

Funny , I tend to agree with this analysis , so zip criticism from me Jetts ... Many goal umpire reviews to go before October ... And we've still got Adam to come back in ...

[liz]

Happy might be too strong a word for it. I would have preferred the team had played the whole game in the manner they played the second half. But I understand where you're coming from. I think stronger lessons are usually learned from mistakes (or losses) than from victory.

I am glad that they suddenly remembered at half-time that they are a darned good side when they work hard, run to present, and pressure the opposition.

And I am very happy with Reid's second half - his third quarter in particular. He needs to be made to watch and re-watch a tape of that quarter every night before he goes to sleep in the hope that he realises the kind of player he could become if he could do that consistently.

[Mug Punter]

I may get some criticism for what I'm about to say, but surely there's someone who agrees.

I'm actually happy we didn't win against Freo tonight.

I'm happy we fought back and lost.
I wouldn't be happy if we didn't fight back.

Why you ask? No? Well I'm going to tell you anyway.

We didn't deserve to win this game, football is a 4 quarter sport (cliche).
We got beaten up and our heads were down. Now, if we didn't fight back, we'd go in with little to no confidence next time.

But when they watch the tape, surely they'll be able to see how damaging our team is when they're running and making gut instinct decisions and applying pressure.

What we did tonight, proved we could beat Freo (easily) if we play the way we did in the last half for four quarters.

If we won this game, I don't necessarily think they would've taken that to heart. The way we played in the second half was the same way we played in the 2012 GF.

The way we played in the first half is the way we played in the 2014 GF.

Hopefully the swans can see this and back themselves to go all out with tackling and moving the ball every game.

I honestly think we could beat Freo, Hawks & Port at their best if we're at our best.

Sometimes it takes a loss to realise how could you can be (2012 example: we lost to Adelaide, Hawks & Collingwood in 2012 then beat them all in the finals).

I don't think that any great harm will come out of this loss.

Of course I would have preferred to win so I guess I don't totally agree with your post but I think more good than harm came out of that game.

I love the character the team showed. I thought that one crucial play where Hanners turned the ball over when we were 3 down was the turning point.

But, as you say we didn't play for four quarters and if you don't then it's a fools gold beating a top team. The Port Adelaide effort is the benchmark for us and I feel we fell short of that tonight.

The one enormous plus for me was the second half of Reid, the best half he has ever played without doubt. If he can play with that aggression and intent on a regular basis we'll be more worried about whether we can keep him rather than what trade pick we'll get for him. He's shown he can do it, maybe he just needs the belief. I'm hoping that was a career changing game for Reid tonight.

We lost but I'm proud to be a Swans fan tonight

[Primmy]

I don't have a problem with losing this game really. We were given a hope in hell by most of the media so to lose by so little,...... However its the second time we have had to come from waaay behind this season. That does not please me at all.

Its all between the ears, and maybe Adam is needed back - but on that ground, probably was not going to work well anyway.

As that song says (about Sam) You Gotta Have Faith. Looks like the coaching mob once again know more than the other mob (us).

[ernie koala]

I'm happy with some parts of this game...

The ability to change momentum and crack in, as a team, the 2nd half.
Keep Freo to 2 second half goals, both late.
The form of Reid.
The impact of Rohan when he came on.
The second half leadership of McVeigh and Jack, they lead by example.
No significant injuries.

[barry]

I hate that saying "didn't deserve to win ". If you win, you see deserve it.
if we had got ahead last night it would be winning 2 quarters each . How would we be less deserving than freo?

[aguy]

Can't say that I'm happy about a loss but I'm encouraged is the word that I would use. We played poorly and freo played extremely well. Despite this we almost stole the game. There is lots to learn and slot to be encouraged about.

Things to take out of it for me.

1 Reid like everyone said had the best game I've seen him play for the swans. Better than when he was our only key forward in 2012. His pressure, contested play and ground skills were the biggest reason for the change in fortunes in the 2nd half. More confidence for him and he can definitely be a game winner as as swing man

2. Rohan should not be sub. I said it before the game too. We need his run. He is more aggressive than Jetta in contested play but with similar speed. Jetta benefits from rohan playing and they form a formidable team down either side of the ground. It is much harder to control Jetta with rohan running around too.

3. Lloyd is amazing. His composure was first class

4. Heeney was quiet and was rightly subbed. Hope his ankle or hammy is ok. Doesn't matter though because he has only had 4 games and the experience will only benefit him.

5. Horse is right about tackling pressure. We had none in the first half and it showed.

6. We displayed more fortitude than the grand final and so it was pleasing to see the boys rally

7. Pyke looked valuable in the forward 50. Much more so than the last 2 years. In 2013 he was almost the highest contested mark count for the year and the ruck rotation with Tippett has allowed him to revisit that role a little. Just is out of practice kicking goals (28 in 2013 and just 3 last year). We should be having pyke kick goals regularly in addition to tippet franklin Heeney and all the mids.

With polish we are a formibbable team. The port game was the closest we've come this year to our best but there is still a lot better that can be done. If that happens then watch out .....

[CureTheSane]

I hate that saying "didn't deserve to win ". If you win, you see deserve it.
if we had got ahead last night it would be winning 2 quarters each . How would we be less deserving than freo?

Thank you.
And "we deserved to lose" is worse.
"happy about the loss" is also up there

[Nolie]

Rohan - I was surprised and impressed by the (particularly) good and strong contested marks he took. He is a good mark probably only behind Pyke and Tippett. It should be used. Like Heeney however he seems to a bit overawed by Buddy Franklin. They both sought to hand the ball to Franklin a couple of times when they had better options. Sam Reid was absolutely fantastic. I too had been one of his critics. In the past I had not had a big opinion either of Craig Bird but he continues to change my mind and he did some clever things last night and was one of the few that seemed to contain his composure when things were looking desperate. The one, surprisingly, who cracked was Hanneberry. He made some terrrible decisions last night not the least the one which cost the game. He had an easy hand ball over the top in that last qaurter to clear the ball out of defence, tried to do too much, too fancy, with the result a turnover and easy goal to Fremantle which basically won the game for them. Not Hanneberry's best game. Buddy Franklin needs to put his ego to the side also. How he thinks he can kick 80 metre goals every time he gets the ball just irritates me. He tried in the first quarter banging away at the goals with no one there except a Fremantle defender. When the whole team stopped being "Franklin centric "things began to improve. Why cannot the players see this and get over it.