Disappointing day by our lads but great credit to a fanatical Swans team who finished all over us. Our tackling pressure was way down on the first 5 games, that is what has created the turnovers and overlap footy that we have been able to dominate all other teams with so far but Swans run and spread especially from deep in their backline was superb. Schoey identified this but the players did not respond or follow instructions and continued to bomb it in. Only one forward, Boland came close to winning his position won on the day and had he kicked straight and got a 50/50 break from the umps would have kicked 6 or 7, but bad kicking is bad footy and he missed some sitters in the first half but continued to present hard all day.
While our discipline was not great, not sure we were as bad as the umpires decisions would indicate especially deep forward in marking contests and some very petty 50m penalties, one in particular where the player was already clearly running back to make the mark and was immediately pinged without being given a reasonable time to get back. The umps total lack of consistency when applying most decisions was the most annoying thing but in the end did not affect the outcome given Swans dominating last qtr.
Will be interesting to see what the tribunal does, did not see if Waters was reported, would expect he was giving it was high and the player left the field but as I said on the Swans thread, the tribunal has set clear precedents especially with the "special treatment" given to Afl listed players in particular Silvia & Moribito, based on that, Waters can reasonably expect a reprimand,if not there should be an inquiry into the undue and unfair influence the AFL clubs are obviously placing on the tribunal.
We missed Hampsons creativity, run, clearance work and goal scoring plus Rumba's physicality down back. George sat in front of me in the first half and said he twinged a hammy at Tuesday training but should be back for Perth. We have a heap of injuries at the moment but hopefully the depth in the 2's will hold up and we can remain competitive. Perth next week at Browns cows oval, they have had the wood on us in recent seasons so we had better be on our game from the first bounce.