So, a couple of weeks ago Swans beat West Perth. Just. And thereby keeping the wooden spoon from lapping at their feet. Of course, it was greeted by some with the usual fatuous “Woohoo. Go the Black Ducks”. Let’s put it in perspective. Currently West Perth are a shambles. But they still won the grand final 3 years ago.
Then the game against East Perth.
The game against was lost before it started. Selected a skinny third gamer ruckman as the sole ruckman against Jones. Game was lost there. A replication of last year when Evan Smith, then a colt, was selected to ruck against Jones. Absolutely incomprehensible.
The effort was insipid and a disgraceful way for an ornament to the club, and football in general, to bow out of football, after having seen no success in his 18 years at the club.
There was absolutely no movement ahead of the ball. I saw a player with the ball in the back pocket look up and see no one ahead. And when the ball did manage to get into the forward line if and (when) Kohlman couldn’t take the mark there were no crumbers and the ball would readily come out. What is the role of the 171cm Jackson McLachlan?
Then the game against South. Again, no movement ahead of the ball. Awful sideways football and turnovers aplenty. Had a 6 goal wind in the first quarter and attacked through Ethan Hughes. Just snaggedg 1 goal on the cusp of the end of the quarter. Good to see the coach drop Brenton Hilton for the game for a lad who looked like he’d never played football in his life - had a selection of 3 unattended Swan players (an unusual situation) and managed to hit Schloithe on the chest, and give them a goal into the wind.
The coaching panel could do a lot worse than access John Townsend’s assessment of Swans’ “game plan” on Sport FM.
Once again the club is limping along with no prospects of finals and the wooden spoon mathematically possible.
The rot starts with the opening line on the Club’s web site. “Swans has a proud over 90-year history.” Not they don’t. They have a negative win-loss ratio against all other clubs. They do not appear regularly in finals. They’ve gone broke twice. What such a statement does is exemplify delusion and the ready acceptance of underperformance or, might I suggest, mediocrity.
One of the few blips was when a young HB Jnr came across and told them to lose the lame duck.
Let’s put the Rokhar furphy to bed. He did not go back to Norwood for “family reasons”. His wife is from Perth and was homesick and so they came to Perth to live. They had recently bought a house in Perth. His parents live in country Victoria. He went back to Norwood because they have a professional football department, of which he wanted to be a part. Look at the pedigree of their current coach and his immediate successor. For that matter, look at their web page and the quality and timeliness of the information that they provide.
I am sure that Swans’ coach is a beaut bloke and a loyal Swans’ fellow. Most admirable. But what were the KPIs when he applied for, and was rapidly given, the job? Was it a game plan? How did he meet those KPIs and what experience was brought?
The pre-season list management was very unusual. Worse than unusual was not finding a decent ruckman. Whilst I’m sure he also is a beaut bloke, Troy Yukich is not, and never has been, a league footballer. Trawl back and see how many marks a lad of his size has taken (even in reserves). He is the Steven Bradbury of premiership medallists.
Losing Jesse Glass-McCasker and having a black hole at centre-half-forward is an interesting one.
The league has won one game at home this year, against the Eagles, and that wasn’t a shoe-in.
A decent crowd turned out for Tony Notte’s last game, and it was an opportunity to entertain those who turned up and give them a reason to return. The game was dreadful. 2 goals in a half of footy in those conditions. Game against South no better. 4 goals at home against Claremont. People don’t want to watch that. I sure as hell don’t.
On that point. Swans shouldn’t be worried about the attendances this year. They should be extremely concerned. The attendances have been very poor. I know people who have stopped going because they have no interest in enduring the on-field performances.
All that said, I feel very sorry for the lads putting in all that energy week in-week out to have the outcomes that they have had. In my view, better guided, they could do a lot better.
Another issue of concern is the impending departure of Jeff Dennis. I think that he has been an excellent CEO who generally has sought to be innovative and has provided the club with good stewardship. (That said, what is it with AC/DC and the redneck “Sweet Home Alabama”?) He will be extremely difficult to replace.
I am unclear as to whether this a “rebuilding” or “being competitive” year. It is hard to keep up. In my view, the club has gone, and will continue to go, nowhere with the league team with Andy Cap in charge of the football department. He needs to put aside whatever it is that leads him to believe that he has something to offer the football department, reflect on his record to date, and do the right thing by the club and move aside, immediately.
Cue the apologists and injury laments.
