TOPIC:

What has disappointed me being the composition of the top 5 has been known for a couple of weeks already. I'm sure of not being the only one.
And yet there are still 7 qualifying rounds to be played before the Finals. With West Perth dropping yesterdays match, it will be difficult for them to achieve a top 5 berth, one would think? The plight of the other 3 teams of Swans, Souths and Perth for this season has been known for quite some time, sadly. It would make for a far better spectacle and interest factor if those 3 teams had more on field success. I think Swans had 5 narrow losses that could easily gone the other way. South Fremantle had at least 2 or 3 losses of 3 goals or less. The top 5 could have looked a bit different.
Sadly, still a fair way from the Finals and the only interest being in what order the top teams will finish.

There are a few "elephant in the room" topics that need to be addressed but I will leave some for more private discussions.
One I will discuss is when was the last time the club actively sought out and secured the best available coach in the land to take the reins and steer us in the right direction on the field?
I would answer that was John Todd in late 1976 (47 years ago) by John Cooper and his board and we saw the results of that for the next 15 years or more.
I have to admit I have been completely underwhelmed by our coaching choices of late, if they were the best of those available god help us all.
Surely there are some highly ambitious, well credentialled coaches around the country, with a vision of taking this club on the journey to be the best State League side in the country with a game plan structured around kicking 100 points per game and then getting the players in and up to speed with the fitness and skill to complete it???

Sad to say the only time I can remember being excited to go watch a Swans game in the last 25 years or so was the era under Dawson in which he built a side with many young local players and also well credentialled Interstate boys that played a brand of football that was more concerned about hitting the scoreboard then defending it which made for on the most part an enjoyable 3 hours at the football win, lose or draw as at least you were most weeks entertained watching but sadly that has been lost again with more defensive game plans and the attitude to rack up meaningless possessions mostly backwards or sideways that do nothing but infuriate those long standing footy fans who saw football when it was played at its most exhilarating and exciting.
At the rate WAFL footy is being played and the continual failures by the likes of Swans I am not surprised attendances will continue to drop as if it wasnt for the long standing loyal club ties and connection that are hard to break I wouldnt bother going either to be honest!

Also what has happened to the Coaches Comments on camera we as members used to get after every game under Harding & then Pickering win, lose or draw that also appeared on the clubs social pages?
I have barely heard a word from Pruyn all year and if I have it was after a rare win.
Dare I say the club are protecting him in his first season as League coach but whether they know or care are also treating us members with contempt in not getting a summary of each weeks game like we have enjoyed in the recent past.

I was thinking of Dawsons coaching earlier and then read your comments BH, 2008 his first year it only took a few games to see his plan, run and attack and see where that gets you, it was great to watch.
Now it’s handballs in a circle then eventually kick it forward to a little bloke

Until yesterday I thought we'd covered our injuries reasonably well (at least we were still competitive), but against EP we either did not have the players in their correct positions or we simply couldn't field a good side. Jones having to get kicks up on the wing and Greg O as the leading forward beggared belief. Ottaviano tried hard, but how many chest marks did he and Clarke drop in the forward line, while I would have maintained Kemp over Palmer for the reasons given earlier by Jimmy. And I notice that Cameron was not in the seconds. 

A fortnight ago Swans gained possession in the middle and thumped the ball forward - yesterday, they were back to their cute, ineffective three or four short handball style of play that was too early short-circuited after the second handball.

To improve, there has to be removal of men at the top of the administrative side of the club. Pruyn has not had clear air to coach without interference. 

We need to have a rethink of our game plan.If you bomb the footy from 70 metres out.To the fwd pocket or congestion 25m out from goal.Its just to easy to defend against that predictable attack.
Fitness has kept us in a lot of games this year.But we don't have the key position players to play the centre square attack,game plan.
Back to a traditional Wafl type run and spread game.Hold the footy use the width of the ground.Pass the ball to leading fwds,not on top of there head.
We may get flogged by the top 3 or 4 teams.For a season of two.
It just seems acceptable to lose by a couple of goals against good teams.
Time will pass and we will be bottom to peaking mid table and maby sneak into the top 5.
As stated in other posts.We needed an outside new coach.With new ideas and definitely a new skills coach,lol.
I would look to the east coast as Perth did with German.Its to early to judge Germos time at Perth.But he won't die wondering in his attempt to get Perth up the ladder.

I think EP went through the motions a little and it showed with some sloppy goal kicking and lapses in effort.  Also the first time I remember that the umpiring was definitely our way.  Swans missing a few didn’t help but aren’t miles off being a decent team. 

Thanks Larry, Swans are only a decent team when they feel like it and it certainly wasn't the case yesterday.
Good luck  for the finals. Would like to see East Perth win the flag rather than a Western Suburbs team . Big game next week

I’ve watched a bit of Swans the last few weeks and it does stand out that the forwards are always taking marks deep into the pockets

Correct Frothy. Imagine how frustrating it is for supporters watching that.