TOPIC:

It seems to me the club is at the crossroads and lacking leadership at the top. Why was there no coaches report after last weeks debacle? Michael Bennell who is a highly skilled footballer has made a concerted effort to make a comeback, now we know with some indigenous boys they have their issues but I have spoken to Mickey a couple of times and seen him encouraging the league players around the huddles when he's not been picked.

Last week he kicked two goals and battled manfully in the ruck when the reserves ruckman went down. Bennell is NOT a ruckman. He is skinny as a toothpick yet he did it and competed well.

Not picked this week and his stats show 1 kick and 3 tackles in reserves. No HO so he didn't play ruck.

My feeling is he will walk while we are a club lacking goal kickers and skill yet we treat a player blessed with skill like this. I didn't go yesterday, no excuses just my choice. I've really had enough of this club dishing up unacceptable effort and performances.

Was the changeroom like a nightclub yesterday before the game with the doof doof music and rahh rahh rahh?

Yesterday we lost a game that we should have won. We had fought hard to get a good start and we built a good lead by half-time. Sadly we failed to consolidate early in the third quarter and allowed Swans to chip away at the lead and take the initiative away. From that point it was game over. Swans sniffed a win and left us standing with hard running (again) and good skills.  We do not know how to combat a hard running side and we do not know how to be a hard running side ourselves. And skill level is at times woeful.
Our final quarter was a joke with panic setting in from the pressure and giving away silly free kicks, some of which cost goals.
We could not win any clearances from the middle, throw ins and stoppages. Yet, there were no apparent moves made to address this.
Swans were a depleted side  but as a team they completely outplayed us. Well done Swans.
DD, crossroads is where we are. Our club is close to crisis point both on and off the field IMO. One has to ask what is going on at Board level, in the coaches' box and with the playing group. There are people within the club who are in denial that we have any  problems.
FFS, we have not done anything about it for 45 years.
 

Fair go you guys.
We are only one game off 2nd spot.
Top 3 still there for the taking.

Demons Forever wrote:

Fair go you guys.
We are only one game off 2nd spot.
Top 3 still there for the taking.

Not for long DF. Peel next week at Mandurah.

Yep.
Looking forward to a trip to Boganville. 

Back in the day wasnt Boganville located in the Eastern suburbs?

No, it moved South from East Fremantle.

We are not at a crossroads. That suggests that we could go one of two ways. We are heading squarely in one direction only: another 3-5 years minimum in the bottom 3. We are no longer the sleeping giant of the WAFL, I assume. We were almost at full strength playing a depleted SD team, but still couldn't get it done. So many non-contributors: Sing with 1 disposal, More, Hug, McPartland, Smith, Cary, Gray. But who do you bring in next week? I assume Ajang. Nicholas for Sing. Beyond that, J Busher played well, but if he comes in we risk being top heavy and even slower than we already are. Maybe give Quill a run. Not that it matters, anything less than a 50 point loss would be a good outcome against Peel in Mandurah. 

Ted, we are in agreement. We are at the crossroads and you have correctly nominated which road we should take. The alternative is so unpalatable that we should not discuss.
I agree with your summary of the Swans’s game. I have a list of 12 players who may be of little value going forward. Most will need to be replaced somewhere down the road. Not any easy task and will take time.
There does appear to be some talent in the colts and ressies squads but they will take time to develop.
Recruiting will take time also and will need a more realistic and smart approach that properly identifies our deficiencies and that brings me to the second part of the equation. Do we have the right people within the football department and above to turn around what is our nemesis.  I am not sure on this point but whatever there will be pain ahead IMO which hopefully we can relieve sooner rather than later, or worse, not at all.

DF,  now I know you have lost the plot mate.....bogans living in the affluent leafy suburbs of Applecross, Ardross, Attadale, Palmyra etc....??....dream on fella...