Match Day Thread Rnd 20. Geelong V Sydney. Simonds Stadium 19.50 pm.

[Markwebbos]

Not sure if it showed on the TV but Geelong constantly kept trying to switch play - and the Swans kept them in check 95% of the time - so they had lots of cheap disposals but were stopped and repelled by our half back line.
Our talls kept the ball in and gave chances then to the smalls Papley, Hayward , Heeney and co.

It was great to enjoy a couple of days in Sleepy Hollow.
Locals commenting on how bad game it was - I disagreed

You could see that on TV. Swans did the same with devastating effect v Saints when I went to the SCG.

Earlier in the year teams were switching play against us with ease.

[Burra]

He's the best sports journo around imo.

You wont get any arguments from Gerard about that.

[Hotpotato]

The Back Page Live at least takes the p$&$ out of all sport .... would never miss it especially with Skull a regular panellist these days.

[S.S. Bleeder]

Unlike this.........Attachment 2018

Robbing was claiming on SEN that it was a dive and the rest of the panel went along with it.

[Mug Punter]

Whateley believes he's the Messiah for all matters regarding sport. Absolute tosspot!

Can't stand him, a complete establishment stooge who panders to those in power and never ever rocks the boat. Weak as you-know-what, at least Robbo has a paird

[Meg]

Robbing was claiming on SEN that it was a dive and the rest of the panel went along with it.

I am genuinely puzzled about this. Has anyone heard one of these doubters explain why they think Papley was staging? Everything about the incident looks to me (from the available vision) like the reaction of someone winded by a punch in the solar plexus. (A very unpleasant experience for 30-60 seconds as I know from playing netball).

It is exactly the same as Lachie Plowman's reaction after a similar punch from Zach Merrett in the Carlton v Essendon match and no-one seems to be accusing Plowman of staging. (I appreciate that the camera picked up clear vision of the moment of impact of Merrett's strike, while the same moment is obscured in the Duncan strike).

Anyway we will get the MRP's verdict tomorrow. It might not be till late in the afternoon though as the MRP will have a very heavy workload tomorrow!

[monopoly19]

I am genuinely puzzled about this.

Me too. So many people seem to have jumped on board the staging scenario based on...nothing? Perhaps because it seems too coincidental after the Hodge incident last week? But you could also argue that he is an annoying little @@@@ who draws this kind of behaviour from the opposition. If the AFL have alternative footage I hope they release it, but based on what I've seen surely he can't be cited for staging.

[Markwebbos]

Robbo said in his Tackle column:

"The Swans small forward, Tom Papley, has been whacked twice in two weeks � by Luke Hodge and Mitch Duncan. While he has felt contact, his action to go to ground after each blow is gaining Papley a reputation as a diver. He said he was caught flush in the sternum area both times, and from the cheap seats, you can�t put yourself in Papley�s shoes. Still, it looks a touch theatrical."

Robbo seems confused. Surely you are a diver if you are not whacked and go to ground?

[Bloody Hell]

I think it's a case of the boy who cried wolf.

He went down easily for the Hodge hit and given Hodge - high profile - was up for the third strike, every man and his dog saw the vision. I suspect many "journalists" commenting on the latest incident haven't seen the action in full, probably focusing on the super slo mo 1 second either side of the contact.

He was turning blue! If he is capable of faking that he's wasting his time in the AFL and should send his tape to some Hollywood agents.

[RogueSwan]

I think it's a case of the boy who cried wolf.

He went down easily for the Hodge hit and given Hodge - high profile - was up for the third strike, every man and his dog saw the vision. I suspect many "journalists" commenting on the latest incident haven't seen the action in full, probably focusing on the super slo mo 1 second either side of the contact.

He was turning blue! If he is capable of faking that he's wasting his time in the AFL and should send his tape to some Hollywood agents.

Mark McLure (sp?) on Grandstand was pretty confident he wasn't staging. He pointed out the size difference and the fact anyone unexpectedly getting hit there would buckle. He also said it was a punch and punches of any kind need to be stopped.

[Meg]

Me too. But you could also argue that he is an annoying little @@@@ who draws this kind of behaviour from the opposition.

Papley cheerfully admitted to that! Sees it as part of his job description.

[Dooloo]

I teach Martial Arts, and I can assure you from both giving and receiving a strike to the solar plexus, it takes very little force to have an adverse effect on some one. If the punch is in the right spot, it would drop and wind a person quite easily. It looked to me that Papley was hit right in this spot.