TOPIC:

Grump wrote:

How good is it with the colts game with so many familiar names, Jones, McManus and Eastaugh. I wonder if Fitzgerald and Burrows are sons of past players.

For Swans Brayden Jones (Greg) & Luke Kelly (Peter) are sons of former SD players.

Beasley Hutton wrote:

Groundhog Day yet again for SD supporters in losing a close game after being in front for a good part of the match.
I hate to keep harping on it but it is so glaring obvious to all bar those at the club obviously who do not appear to address the issue in that when we hit the front late in a match we give up that lead almost instantaneous from the next centre bounce.
MO there is no doubt we dont have the depth of the established annual Top 4 of every year and that is exacerbated when you lose 5 players on the morning of the match, 4 of which are from the backline- Erceg, Stephens, Beck & Watson and also our forward/back up ruck Ireland.
This also effects the Reserves who I noticed played 2 short Ehlers being pulled out early in the match to make his League debut and acquitted himself quite well too I might add.
Other than the 5 who were late outs for the League side yesterday I also noticed none of Cipro, O'Donoghue, Waite, Raynor or Morris played either I assume under H&S Protocols as well?


 

I might be wrong BH but I suspect that the fitness level of the team is not up to the high level tempo footy style that Pickering obviously wants them to play. They have really looked exhausted late in the last quarter of both games so far and that may explain why oppositions have been able to roll over the top of us so easily late in the game. COVID is an issue in this no doubt but I think it is now becoming a mental thing as well because it has happened so often in the last 12 months

Losing those 5 before the match,and being forced to use Noble your best forward as a pinch hitting ruckman,definitely imbalances a side,and i think overall your team is on the right track.On a brighter note Aidan Clarke is steadily becoming an elite midfielder.
 

Meant to ask you BH or MO or anyone else who might know, what happened to Reidy? Did he just give up footy or is he playing somewhere else?  I was sorry to see him go because I thought he added a bit to the team and could kick a goal or two.

Not only that RL the late changes on the morning of the match also impacts the Reserves who are already a very young and inexperienced group as they had to play 2 short as Ehlers was pulled out of that game to play League.

Yesterday's Reserves side had not 1 player who has played WAFL League footy previously which could be a first in my time following the club?

Interesting day out yesterday. EF appeared to be a bit of a rabble around their interchange  in the first half with the land giant Jono Marsh mouthing off at a few of his team mates as always. Not sure what he or the coach said at half time, they were a different side after the break squeezing us hard in the 3rd to set up the ‘live kill’ in the last. Great effort by EF to turn things around on the day with their big bodies through the middle cashing in late in the game.

Still thought we could have won it. The 50m the young fella gave away late obviously hurt. The missed opportunity for mine though was a few minutes earlier when Palmer had possession just outside 50 with 5-6 mins to go. Instead of an easy lay up pass over the man on the mark to Edwards 35m out straight in front, who had 5m on his opponent, Palmer went long to a 2 on 1 outnumber deep in the pocket. Warrick Wilson at that stage could barely hobble and didn’t get there. If the alternate easy lay up option had of been taken and Edwards  kicked straight from the set shot we would have had a desperately needed breather for our mids on top of the extra goal lead. All what ifs now. Late mistakes costing us again although to be fair EF probably deserved it more in the end for their quality 2nd half work inside the square and in reality for outsmarting us in the 2nd half . 
Must give kudos to Jesse Turner for his game…one of the better games I’ve seen him play. Nice to see him finishing a few. Also enjoyed Ottaviano’s efforts at times. He added a bit of grunt towards the ball around the ground which we need much more of if we ain’t gonna finish bottom 2 . Clarke also looks way fitter than previous seasons and impressed again - should only get better from here. 

Swans ran into some late pre season problems.With COVID-19 protocols and the preparation of the squad.Nothing like what Subi going through atm.
Have been out of town the last few weeks.But have watched both the live feeds on the AFL app..
Both losses where competitive games.And great to see Swans trying to win games of footy, kicking more than 10 goals a game.
The abnormal autumn weather,hot and sub tropical humid.Had a players hitting a brick wall in the second half. We over possess the footy per goals we score.
5'outs before the game must of thrown the days preparations into Chao's.For the league and ressies.So it probably wasn't that bad a performance..
Like Mo stated ,weight around the clearances.Could cause us problems in June,July,August,the winter months.
Cory Gault's absence will be felt for a long time too come.When he's not controlling the centre square.He was up fwd kicking goals when needed.He could of got us over the line in the first two matches.