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Is it really 25 playing 22?

Roar Guru
31st March, 2017
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Lance Franklin and the Swans are at the wrong end of the ladder. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Roar Guru
31st March, 2017
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2552 Reads

Being in a state of bewilderment following Friday night footy, I have turned to The Roar for solace.

Read on if you are a Swans fan – I apologise to those that are not.

Having watched the Swans and Bulldogs engage in another titanic struggle – it occurred to me in my inherent bias that the Swans were not getting the rub of the green.

Looking at the stats at the end of the game, the free kick count was 31 to 19, in favour of the Bulldogs.

In the grand final last year, it was 20 to 8 to the Doggies.

A margin of 51 to 27.

That suggests one side is doing some pretty consistently dodgy things, or comprehensively flouting the rules when the other team is not.

The umps were red hot on holding the ball for Swans players – yet the Bont and all the midfield favourites cannot be touched – ever.

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The final nail in the coffin was the Callum Mills rushed behind at such a crucial time in the last quarter. I can assure you that rule won’t be there in the finals. Or it will be there, but not policed.

What a shocking time to introduce arbitrary rubbish. If they are serious about it, introduce own goals and force the pressure back onto the player.

Travis Cloke could not buy a free kick at Collingwood, and he suddenly starts looking likely.

The Swans have certainly got some troubles – the Kurt Tippett investment is getting worse by the year, and they have some injuries, but the umpiring was atrocious and clearly impacted on what should have been a closer result.

Looks like the umps are doing it for Bob as well.

Rant over!

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