Sydney mids had their arses handed to them.

I’d go as far as to argue that Grundy was close to BOG. Gave his team every possible, but they couldn’t get any clean ball post clearance.

Dunkley was an absolute animal. Again. He’d take away the first option & every time Sydney exited the stoppage, the trap shut.

Sydney still went inside 50 49 times, but it was shit & their primary targets weren’t up to snuff. Rebound, travelator, score… still, 49 entries. Take Grundy away & they lose by 150.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

goes to show ... a gun ruck, giving first use, playing best on ground won't win you big games - not against a quality mids group with a plan, with run and tackling ferociously.

the lions won with their tackling, and ball use. the way starcevich and zorko used the ball off halfback was a thing of beauty. they didn't miss targets, and the lions got their run on.

sidenote: grundy is a bit pittonesque. plods around the field, barely takes a mark, can't lay a tackle. tapping to advantage (espesh with the new HTB) is the biggest overrated stat in footy, imo.

I was thinking along those lines after the game, but I came to the conclusion it wasn't Grundy's fault.
Swans did not play Bloods footy on the big stage. Grundy has made a huge difference to the Swans.
Remember Grundy vs Gawn? Swans won. Grundy was BOG.

I think Swans would've been more embarrassed if Grundy didnt ruck.

I don't agree with you re tapping to advantage.

Some of those taps to Neale and Ashcroft hitting the ball at full pace looked amazing. I think there is room for the combo to work well....tapping to advantage of a great midfielder has its place.

When TDK came on in our last Final, his taps to our advantage were obviously helpful, AND, made our team look quicker...hang on...we outscored Lions when TDK came on.

Every position plays an important role IF they are good enough.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

tapping to advantage with pace on the ball works. tapping into the hands of our 1-speeds, plays into the oppo. they just seal off the outlet handball and tackle us into turnover.

with the HTB rules now ... it's a viable plan to go in with an athletic ruck who can impact around the ground, and stoppage setup relies on them getting the ball first, and then you take it away from them.

With TDK in the ruck our best play is just for him to grab the flower and belt it up field immediately, that's what 666 dictates.

100%. and he does it better than anyone else, imo. the new modern ruck with 666 and HTB the way it is.

I get this HTB rule change has had a huge impact on winning ball first. I saw Walsh destroyed by umpires inconsistent application of the new rule.

I can't believe the AFL changed the rule mid season. Ridiculous interference in the game let alone disrespect shown towards any club planning over the preseason.

What's the bet there will be a reinterpretation of the HTB rule before season starts? and, The ruck rule? and, In the back rule?

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Yep.

Then we need the quick mids to run onto it.....who are the quick mids? Might be the HF's wjho run up to meet the bashed ball.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Yup - I think that rule tweak did far more damage to our game than has been acknowledged.

Get ball, get your hands up, find the best option after 3 mids are sucked to you and we're away. Except it became holding the ball and we couldn't adjust..........

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I'm shocked to be sitting here

I would like to point out there was no rule change just a different interpretation of the existing rule. And might I add it was the same rule and interpretation that was practised 50 years ago. Once tackled you are required to dispose of the ball, IMMEDIATELY. The only change has been that once upon a time as long as you attempted a handball or kick it was play on. Now you have to dispose of it correctly by hand or foot. The AFL should just stop stuffing about with the rules interpretation to influence the flow of the game and just stick to what is common sense. The only impact these supposed changes make is to the inconsistency of the umpiring. And don't get me started on the current interpretation of the pushing in the back rule especially when going for a mark - does my head in!!!!!!

Right on.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

They handed the game to teams with a bit of dash outside the contest, because they allowed the inside mids to DROP the ball when tackled.

Win possession, drop the ball into the path of a teammate, play for a holding or high contact free. Two exits.

Walsh was hard done-by because he got a touch slower as the ‘treatment’ wore off & with both wings behind the ball, there was nobody to knock the ball on to. At least with HTB going against you, there’s a couple seconds for the transition defence to start moving in the right direction.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

@#$%&! ridiculous to fundamentally change an interpretation mid-season.

And can someone explain to me why a ruck is immune to holding the ball after snatching the ball out of the air given the way inside mids are treated under this interpretation?

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

i don't think i'm being a sore loser, or it's hyperbole. but the htb rule, mid year change, is the main thing that cost us this season.

we've drafted specifically under voss for big bodies to stand up in tackles, draw in opponents and then extract the ball from the contest to our mids in flight. that was our dna at stoppage.

and when you take away from us, the whole standing up in the tackle with strong bodies, we were lost.

absolute amateur hour at afl hq, to change a rule midyear all bcos hardwick has a bitch about charlie being too strong and allowed to stand forever in tackles.

We were told they'd blow the whistle for a ball-up sooner so that the tackler/tackled player weren't put in undue danger.
What they did was give ball players zero time to dispose of the ball before being penalised.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Grundy went ok I guess and perhaps unfair but really needed to try something different, similar to what others have mentioned above. I get you might want to stay the course but the "horse" had bolted pretty early. Id suggest swans should have lost by record amount even with Grundy playing.


Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

2025 has arrived.
10 days before the bounce of the ball for 4 points next Thursday.

Will Voss have his reasons to select 2 rucks?
I think there continue to be good reasons why Vossy would pick to play 2 rucks, like some other coaches do.

Vossy did pick the 2 rucks last year, despite some believing it wouldn't happen, but Pittonet hasn't shown form this preseason to warrant selection.
In fact, in the practise game vs Saints, with Marshall not playing, Pittonet struggled with the rules and had a lot of frees paid against him in the ruck.

Furthermore, Pittonet is not available till round 4. Regardless, Pitto hasn't shown enough to claim a spot in the 22 imo.

With TDK and McKay certainties to play, and TDK-McKay ruck combo is a possibility. However, I really expect Young to be named in the 23 to give TDK a chop out in the ruck.

Tigers captain, Nankervis makes it an artform to maim and wear down his opponents, like Pitto did in the past, and in the round 1 game vs TDK, I expect he will continue play hard at the man.

Case of horses for courses imo. I expect TDK and Young to be selected.

Pity O'Keefe did a hammy in the game vs Sandringham, and is out till round 3, because he looks stronger and bigger than 2024, and we know he can take mark better than Pitto around the ground, and a is a better forward than Pitto. I'm looking forward to watching O'Keefe evolve this year. I expect him to have a break out year if he can get himself super fit.

Kempy has shown he can hold a KP role, and if he continues this form, when Charlie plays, Harry would be the obvious 2nd ruck to TDK, and our forwardline graced with a 3 headed monster.

I'd like TDK taking a couple breaks during quarters to conserve energy to contest for marks down the line and around the ground. Whilst TDK has been clocking up 80% Game time in the practise games, I've watched him in both games walking a lot to get his breath back, and not able to get a kick behind play or in a dangerous spot. Hopefully Harry and TDK can wax from FF more often during the game when Charlie is back and Kempy holding his spot as the 3rd tall. I'd like to see Charlie and Kempy doing a lot more running around in the forwardline (if Charlie's knee is fine to do so)

Go Blues. Lets break this 30 year drought FFS.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Such bad timing for HOK. Every time I saw him last year I was impressed with his growth.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

This ruck debate is not really about having 2 rucks in the team. Its having Pittonet as one of them for me.

If we had two TDK's then happy days !!. We need to throw the kitchen sink at his brother at seasons end i reckon.

Pittonet doesnt offer anything around the ground. Doesnt go back to take a mark. Doesnt go forward to take a mark. Cant take a relieving mark from a kick in. etc.

If it were ROK and TDK then 100%.

You cant have a lumbering guy that offers nothing in todays footy.

Everyone needs to play a part. Would rather we lose the tap and rove off it. Thats where a mobile guy like TDK is so important. Its another midfielder for us.

My 2 cents.

Whilst there is any query over Charlie, I would rather not have Harry or Crippa chipping in for a resting TDK. The risk of injury is not worth it. As such, I would be prepared to play Young off the bench as the 2nd ruck.

We can load up with 3 suitable runners on the bench and another as sub. Young could also sub in to rest SOS or Weiters for minutes here and there.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”