‘Worst move in footy’ returns as AFL great says slipping Swans ‘lost at match committee’

The “worst move in footy” made a return in the Sydney’s eight-point loss to Port Adelaide, and it meant the Swans — who slumped to 2-4 on Sunday — lost the game “at match committee”.

With Joel Amartey hamstrung and an underdone Logan McDonald still out of the senior side, swingman Tom McCartin was sent back into attack by senior coach Dean Cox.

Playing up forward, McCartin was the 46th-ranked player at the SCG in the first half. He finished the match with seven disposals and one mark in 94 per cent game-time.

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“It was the worst move in footy when it was broached a few weeks ago, and you know what? It’s still the worst move in footy,” two-time flag-winner David King asserted on Fox Footy’s First Crack.

“If I see Tom McCartin at full forward one more time, it’s just laughable what it does. Dean Cox, we’ve had this out on Fox Footy — I don’t understand what you’re trying to achieve with this guy.

“If you look at what he’s able to do as a target as a forward, they’ve gone to him 13 times for the year for zero (return). He hasn’t kicked a goal as a targeted player going inside the forward 50.

“If you look at the team’s ability to kick a goal after you target him, he’s ranked 63rd in the competition. It’s not paying the bills. But my problem is that’s the forward side of it — it’s what you give up at the other end (that’s the issue).”

With McCartin deployed in attack, Cox’s defence has had to place a bigger reliance on the likes of Lewis Melican, who was recalled last Thursday night and whose positioning on Sunday against the Power was questioned.

“I want to show some vision that sees lesser players getting caught in the wrong positions. Look at Melican here — if that is Tom McCartin, I guarantee you he’s not getting leapfrogged like this at the start of games when you give Port an absolute flyer,” King said.

“In the first half, McCartin doesn’t touch it — zero marks — he’s at one end just doing nothing, and the other end of the ground, they (the Power) are taking 11 marks inside 50.

“And in terms of the contested battle in the Port Adelaide forward line, it’s 14 contested possessions … now that’s a disaster. You want to be winning that, as a back six, because you’ve usually got help.

“That is way too easy. So, what’s the cost of a goal? It’s the same if you give one up at the defensive end as if you kick one at the forward end. So, get it right at one end, because after half-time, guess what? They threw him back, it’s shored up the whole thing behind the ball, and they run it to an eight-point margin.”

King said Sunday’s defeat at the hands of the Power — the Swans’ fourth from six games thus far — was “lost at match committee”, with tactical substitute Aaron Francis booting three goals from just 33 per cent time-on-ground.

“If (McCartin) is down back minute one, you get that stability, you get that confidence, and you can play with more dare,” he said.

“I’m frustrated by this move. (Aaron) Francis comes on as the sub, well, you know what, why not try him? He’s played forward before. He’s a better version at full forward than (Joel) Hamling is.

“They just made too many mistakes, the Sydney coaches’ box today, to get this result.”

McDonald, regaining fitness after off-season ankle surgery, kicked 1.2 for the Swans’ reserves against Werribee at the weekend.