Saddington rested

[Reggi]

http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,6577221%255E23211,00.html

How big a change is this from the time under Eade - Demetriou said on Melb radio last night that Andrew Ireland had had a huge impact on operations in Sydney.

Remembering also the 97, 99 and 2001 finals series when we limped in with injuries.

Good to see that they have finally been getting clever on this.

Interesting to see with Powell - his form probably warrants a senior game - will they drop O'Keefe to get him in?

[penga]

warranted that o'keefe only had 3 possessions, he did have one goal which was good but he did get the least amount of game time...

[omnipotent]

I know I will be shouted down but I have been saying for six months that Saddington is overrated. We have been doing fine without him. He is mainly important because our backline is such a weakness but I would take many other defenders in the competition before him. I think his kicking is ordinary, one on one against great forwards he gets consistently thrashed and his is slow. Great trade bait if you ask me.

[midaro]

Disagree. IMHO Saddo is all class. He played his best on the wing though, not as a key defender. Still, with more bulk there is no reason he couldn't hold his own. He's still only 23!

[NMWBloods]

I think he could make a fabulous wing or flanker. Has the height and ability to outmark most non-KPP opponents, so could easily drop into the forward or backline, and be useful as a second or third big man in a contest and difficult to match up on. However, as a KPP he just doesn't have the size.

[omnipotent]

Too slow for a flank.

[Mark]

This all bodes very well, bit of an unfair jump but our lack of injury worries overall has to be in some way related to getting players fit rather than allowing them back early.

We used to have an appalling soft tissue injury record !!

Now we seem to rehabiltate rather than just rush back or not even rest !

[Reggi]

Originally posted by omnipotent
Too slow for a flank.

The Bronte connection.

Could Mark and Omnipotent be the same person?

Actually IIRC Saddington was a top junior runner running in champs at 1500m so he ain't that slow.

He actually played his first few seasons - and quite well off the wing - I think he has reasonable pace but looks slower because he is a long strider.

[Cheer Cheer]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I think he could make a fabulous wing or flanker. Has the height and ability to outmark most non-KPP opponents, so could easily drop into the forward or backline, and be useful as a second or third big man in a contest and difficult to match up on. However, as a KPP he just doesn't have the size.

Yeh, similiar to Rawlings from hawthorn imo - saddo could be that as your description fits.

[chammond]

He is mainly important because our backline is such a weakness

Omnipotent, you have an interesting viewpoint on what constitutes a weakness.

Given that we have the third best defensive record in the AFL, and arguably the best rebounding defensive team, at what level would you concede that we don't have a weak defence?

Do you actually know anything about the Swans? or are you merely playing out some private fantasy here?

[omnipotent]

Look I know our defence has a good record on paper but I just see our key defenders as the major weakness and my fear is that if they were pitted against gun forwards who were in form they would really struggle. Forward line great on paper and playing accordingly

[Reggi]

Our good defence probably has a fair bit to do with our miserly midfield.

On sat night you would have said Schauble "played well' on Lloyd, except that when we took the pressure off their midfield at the end Lloyd beat him easily.

Not an easy issue to assess.

[penga]

Originally posted by omnipotent
I know I will be shouted down but I have been saying for six months that Saddington is overrated. We have been doing fine without him. He is mainly important because our backline is such a weakness but I would take many other defenders in the competition before him. I think his kicking is ordinary, one on one against great forwards he gets consistently thrashed and his is slow. Great trade bait if you ask me.

while i agree with u that saddington is overrated as a KP backman, he is a gun player, and (i will repeat other people's sentiments) is a huge part of our future and will be a HBF once we get the big man stocks up...

the one training session that ive been to, he wouldve been the 2nd player (behind bazza) who i was just watching in awe of his kicking skills, he hits a target more often than not... he was drilling these low trajectory passes along the wing, perfectly

the rawlings' analogy is a good one, he does have good leg speed... he did great on tarrant (arguably the most dangerous forward in the comp) up until 3/4 time til tarrant turned it up and silvagni wouldnt have had a chance...

at the same time schauble is overrated as a FB, too slow, too weak... but we r still winning, however i cant see schauble having an illustrious career in our stocks... love to be proven wrong though

[Jon]

Saddo is a perfect fit for this team. I think a lot of pundits sized up our players pre-season (and over the last few seasons as well) on the basis of one-and-one match-ups. I think even on this site supporters have had a history of taking individual players out of context and scratching our heads about how we're winning with them in.

Fact is no defender is as important as the gang-effort of those around him - especially the efforts of pressure players upfield. Sure this is a hackneyed comment in some ways, but I think the Swans have built a nameless "machine" into which even marginal youths like Powell and LRT can play a decisive role when given the chance.

The next step - and I'm already seeing it this year - is that those "nameless" players are now getting recognised. Leo Barry and Kirk (known only by coaching staff and players even recently) are now closer to being "stars" as they've ever been.

[Rizzo]

Great hand and foot skills and I would rue the day we saw him playing for another team.