We're Going To Struggle BIG TIME

[shearer]

Only skilful sides win in the wet. Wet weather brings out the best in skilful players.

For any further proof that semi at the SCG against Adelaide, in 1998(i think).Jarman,Vardy & co tore us apart cos they had one touch skill and could still hit people lace out with a wet brick.

Were not a skilful side, so pray the heavens dont open.

[A swans fan]

For any further proof that semi at the SCG against Adelaide, in 1998(i think).Jarman,Vardy & co tore us apart cos they had one touch skill and could still hit people lace out with a wet brick.

OMG!! Don't remind me of that match!!
I have nightmares everytime anyone reminds me of it!!!

[skilts stilts]

Why all the pessimism about 2003.Anything less than top 8 is unacceptable.The only gap we need to fill is Dunkley.That might be a temporary problem but should be offset by the youngsters ready to step up to the plate and the return of a few injured players.
The negative comments are getting a bit boring and so are the excuses already emanating from the coach.When a new coach starts sprouting that supporters should not expect much and that the team is in a rebuilding phase you know he has serious doubts about his own ability.
I have no doubts we have the cattle to make the 8 and we should accept nothing less.

[Reggi]

Wait and see.

Really it depends on how much our player group has teaken on the responsibility over the summer.

We have a group that must step up

Doyle
Fosdike
Bolton
Saddington
Goodes
N Davis?

Some slow improvers

Kenneally
Fixter

and a group who are under the pump

Stevens
Buchanan
Sundqvist
Luke Ablett
Schneider
O'Keefe

Really it depends on whether these players were willing to do everything possible to improve over the summer. If not we and they could be in trouble.

We will have some indication in a few weeks.

[liz]

Originally posted by Reggi
Wait and see.


and a group who are under the pump

Stevens
Buchanan
Sundqvist
Luke Ablett
Schneider
O'Keefe

Stevens, Buchanan, Ablett I agree. Is going to be particularly tough for Bucky given he will have missed pretty much the entire pre-season.

O'Keefe has probably done pretty much everything that could be expected of him thus far given injuries and the personal problems he had last year. I agree he can't stand still but I'd group him in the first lot.

Sundqvist and Schneider - I think that's a tough call, especially Schneider. He's only been on the list a year and was suffering from GF for most of that. When he wasn't he played some pretty good football, by all reports, for Port. If you're going to include Schneider in this group, why not LRT, Powell and Hunt as well?

There's also that group of mature players who need to stand up and be at least consistent - not that they (all) haven't in the past. Just it will be ultra important this year. Schauble and Nicks are two I'm particularly thinking of here because when they play well the team functions much better.

[SWANSBEST]

SCHNEIDER

It is interesting that Schneider has been mentioned a few times on this thread. I have only seen him play once and that was for the Redbacks and he was BOG. I thought that he was a real ball magnet and I was very impressed with his skills. Not long after he contacted GF and played little football. I will be watching him with much interest.

[skilts stilts]

If Buchannan,Stevens et al are classified as under the pump then guys like McPherson,Kirk,Barry,Matthews,Goodes and Cresswell must be at deaths door.

[snajik]

Originally posted by skilts stilts
If Buchannan,Stevens et al are classified as under the pump then guys like McPherson,Kirk,Barry,Matthews,Goodes and Cresswell must be at deaths door.

Not quite as dismal as Colin Powell's speech, but a pile of rubbish nonetheless. The Swans will finish top 4 this year and all of these guys will be strong contributors.

[skilts stilts]

That is nearly as funny as Hussein expecting his army to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy.If your expecting a top 4 position it certainly won't be due largely to the efforts of that bunch.

[shearer]

We definately arent top 4 material..maybe next year but not this year.

[snajik]

Let's discuss this again in 7 months time.

[liz]

Originally posted by skilts stilts
If Buchannan,Stevens et al are classified as under the pump then guys like McPherson,Kirk,Barry,Matthews,Goodes and Cresswell must be at deaths door.

Barry, Mathews, Goodes and Cresswell are clearly established senior team players and unless something happens to change the pecking order, can't really consider to be under the pump per se. Not to mention two of these players finished in the top 3 at the B&F count, and another did the previous year.

Kirk may not quite be an automatic first team player but I fancy he will be in the team far more often than not in 2003. His skills may not be the best ever but his fitness and work ethic can't really be criticised.

McPherson may well be under the pump in the sense that others are poised to overtake him in the selection pecking order but he's still a proven "handy" player at AFL level.

Stevens and Buchanan are different in the sense they are far from established AFL players. Stevens is entering his fourth year on the list and Buchanan his third. Both will have to do something this year to convince the coaching staff they have what it takes - they won't get another year otherwise. May be a little tough, but that's how the AFL system works. Plenty of youngsters only get two years to show something, so they've not been starved of time.

[Steve]

You'd be hard pressed arguing that any of our current players played above their ability/potential in 2002, and for various reasons (including injury) many played well below it.

Probably Williams, Cresswell and Crouch played to their fulll capabilities over the whole season. Fixter and Kennelly played pretty much to the highest standard that could be expected of them at that stage of their development.

That leaves a huge scope for improvement for those ready and willing to take up the challenge.

Guys like O'Keefe, Doyle and Ablett, as well as the likes of Seymour, Warfe, Nicks really need to have good seasons - no matter what.

A full season of poor performances and big questions will be asked.

If they can't get on the park they'll be (somewhat legitimately) branded as injury-riddled.

One possible bonus for us is that we have a number of relatively unknown 'rookies' who are effectively starting their careers as 20-something players. Stevens, Doyle, Ablett, Sundqvist, even O'Keefe are really looking to begin their seniors careers having had that bit extra time to develop.

You'd imagine few sides have really focussed in on Fosdike, Bolton, Mathews, Fixter, Crouch etc - they have an opportunity to take advantage of that in the first half of the year.

Maybe they won't admit it but there'd be a number of clubs who'd be happy to have a young(ish) group of talls of the quality of Hall, Saddington, Doyle, Goodes, Stevens, O'Loughlin, LRT etc.

[omnipotent]

I went interstate at the weekend and everybody I talked with thinks we have the worst list. I am starting to agree. They further pointed out that we recruited a guy, Davis, who admits even in an article the footy is not a big thing in his life and he doesn't like it full-on. Last night I went to a Collingwood function and heard their coaches and general staff talk, . Malthouse was super impressive. As was their recruiter Judkins. I think in terms of professionalism, when I compare with Swans functions, they are light years ahead of us. Perhaps it's because we are such a young club and lack the tradition, but I loved the feel about their function. My Pie supporting friends are trying to convert me. I seems they might make a foray into Sydney territory and I think they will be successful and many in the west might follow the black and white.

[Reggi]

These days two years is about as long as smaller players get. Buchanan was lucky to get another year, Schnieder would want to get some runs on the board.