Syd v Coll

[robbieando]

Re: excellent win for the swans

Originally posted by jude_boltons_babe
well done swannies can anyone tell me if bens injury is bad he just hurt his ankle last week

It was his ankle again, he walked off the ground, but never made it back.

[Foreign Legion]

Hi all,

I was at the game but left at 3/4 time - talk about bad timing!

In the first qtr the Swans looked good and should have been a couple of more goals in front - 2 set shots kicked out on the full.

2nd qtr - we certainly got our handball stats up - one passage contained at least 15 consecutive handballs - but we got a goal out of it!

3rd qtr - Collingwood had the breeze and doubled their score(!) with 3 goals. Hall wasn't reported but if you listened to the Collingwood fans he should have been charged with the WTC bombings. Had to leave - got sick of hearing them whinge for free kicks.

Thoughts - Pies are very slow, especially their bigger guys like the Clokes, Fraser, Mckee etc. Neon Leon is finished in my opinion - did some flukey stuff today but bailed out of 1 marking contest. Collingwood were VERY late out after half time - I reckon MM might have been reading the riot act.

Paul Williams is an absolute champion. As is Adam Goodes.

I was impressed with Malceski again - he kicked at least 1 goal and looks ok. Buchanan was very good early - put himself in a lot of tough places. Rogers does look good at times - worth hanging onto. MJ was better than I thought he could be - showing more promise every game and appears to have gained some pace. Kennelly kicked a nice goal and looks to have gained weight - also he has got a really dark tan - is he black irish?

The pies look slow, unskilled and dispassionate - MM will be starting to seriously worry about them.

I will need to leave work early Friday - done.

Cheers

[Foreign Legion]

P.S. McVeigh will be a very good player - lots of poise.

[gossipcom]

Sorry been MIA in the off-season but also be relishing in Optus putting the AFL channel as part of the normal package

Anyway, here is a link to the pics from today's match... (Getty Images is very good for pics)

Getty Images

[robbieando]

Well my report.

First of all, I will point out that Saddington, is bloodly useless. He at times didn't know what to do and again was going for the mark instead of the punch. He'll never become that key position defender some believe he will. He just doesn't have the brains to play the position.

Goodes was our best player today, just dominated the ruck and got almost a full match out of him, which is good. Kicked a goal late to cap off a good game for him. It seems the Brownlow won't effect him like it has others.

Aaron Rogers is the real deal, again today he showed he has the makings of a solid tall defender and dare I say it the answer to our so called "problem" at CHB. He just seems at home down back, cool under pressure and was rarely beaten one on one. I think the club must look at any possible way of getting him onto the senior list as soon as possible.

Jarred McVeigh is looking like a superstar in the making, he is pure class. He can find his way out of trouble and isn't worried to go in hard to get the ball, no doubt he has to be in the frame for selection in Round 1.

Barry Hall, was a solid presence at CHF today and got pleanty of the ball, however more offen than not the play broke down once he got it in long, but thats to be expected with O'Keefe, O'Loughlin and Ball/Doyle missing. Popped up late with a few shots at goal. Have to be happy with his form going in.

Williams and Jude Bolton made a hell of a difference to our midfield today. Willo's skills let him down a few times, but he was finding the ball and getting it on. Jude really didn't stand out to me, however he did a few nice things.

The running game that was missing last week was back in force today, with Barry and Kennelly back. Both were on and off the bench, but they showed that they haven't lost their touch, Leo in going back into a pack to mark, while Tiger kicked a nice running goal from the 50. The more match practice they get the better they and the team will become.

Kirk had the tag on Buckley, but I think today was the first time in a long time that he got beaten, however I think that was down to the fact it was a practice match. Kirk still did a few nice thing.

On the young kids Beven, Malceski and of course Rogers all did well, while Crouch, Craig Bolton and Nick Davis put in their normal efforts.

Buchanan and Ablett were dissapointments for mind, while the rest really didn't have time to make much impact.

On the game itself, we won because we played close to our normal game plan, while Collingwood were trying a few thing out. I really wouldn't read much into the result if I was a Collingwood fan. We were really direct today, and Collingwood stuffed around with it. We really were never in top gear, but the signs are good. I got more out of todays match than last weeks.

The crowd was about 7000 with the stands that were open, close to all full. A great day out.

[Foreign Legion]

Thanks for the link to the pics Gossipcom!

Thanks also Robbie for your summary, you're right I think Kirk got beaten today but not badly. On Saddo, I would give him a run at HFF or Wing - take a bit of pressure off him and let him play a game that way. He can't get any worse!

[monopoly19]

If

Originally posted by anne
Saddington was the best he has been for ages.

but

Originally posted by robbieando
Saddington is bloodly useless

then I think we may have a problem


I'm predicting a top 5 b&f finish for him!

[DST]

Here are my thoughts:

McVeigh - first time I have seen him play in the flesh and boy does he have poise. Never rushed and likes to take players on. Biggest advantage is his running capacity and stamina, gets to contests and also is able to work off his player and become a link man. Should be in the side round 1.

Malceski - once again first time I saw him and has good size (same for Dempster). Looked good as a forward, reads the play very well.

Rogers - how come this bloke didn't work out for Melbourne ? Very impressed, likes to back himself and really excelled when playing as a loose man in front of the FF. Has some much needed size and should get onto the list as soon as we have room.

Game Plan - much easier to see to see our game plan this week with the return of Kennelly, Barry, Williams, Crouch etc. The set-up from half back and hard running with use of handball and short kicks was much better today.

Kirk - think a few on the board have been a bit hard on Kirky, looks to me that Roos has told him to go out and get a bit of the footy without worrying to much about tagging. Buckley therefore got a fair bit of the ball but Kirk was also alot more attacking today. Love it how Collingwood players time and again thought they could baulk him (he is such a great tackler).

Saddington - once again people are way to hard on Saddington. No brain implosions today and if it was anyone else you would have given him a slap on the back for a good effort. No confidence at present but that will come with consecutive games. Reckon this is why he looks to be miss judging contests as he does not have the confidence at present to back his initial decision.

Goodes - seemed to be playing another game today, had the ball on the string and is moving so well. Can't wait to get Ball & Doyle back so Goodes can play on the ball and just run around where he wants to. Much too good to be risked running into big lumbering ruckman at centre bounces.

Only real disappointments were the injury to Fixter (sustained when cutting off a pass, but looks to just be a corkie) and the form of Ablett. He looks like a footballer but just can't seem to find the ball. Fellow RWO's used to like to criticise Ben Matthews for his disposal, thing is that he has the knack of finding the pill with ease. Coaches can teach players to dispose the ball better but not how to instinctively find it, this is where I think Ablett is in trouble.

All up a very enjoyable day, despite the scoreline at 3/4 time the pies were never really in it. They looked very slow and lazy (guys like Didak and Leon Davis don't like to chase their man), maybe a few of their senior players missing will solve that but only time will tell.

DST

[Cheer Cheer]

Robbie - great summary so wont repeat as generally all my thoughts exactly

My couple of main points are : -

But let it be known - I saw Jason Saddington up close and personal today and he has officially lost the plot - anyone who was at the game today and says otherwise is too red and white eyed to see that the boy has gone backwards at rapid knots. Will be playing reserves if he doesnt turn it around in the early rounds this season.

First sight of McVeigh today and showed the football world he is worthy high draft pick - will cement his place in the side by the end of this season - a great answer to our potential mid field crisis when willo and maxfield are gone

Paul williams - was dynamic today as looks better than last year already. Skills impeccable and has lost no pace - big ball winner and will be our premier midfielder this year again

Thoughts of last week have quickly gone after todays showing when we have had a side with many more senior players than last week - If we have similiar side to last year I see no reason why we shoudn't do as well if not better.

[Dpw]

Thanks for the reports guy's great to hear we had a win even better over the pies.

[anniswan]

Originally posted by Cheer Cheer

But let it be known - I saw Jason Saddington up close and personal today and he has officially lost the plot - anyone who was at the game today and says otherwise is too red and white eyed to see that the boy has gone backwards at rapid knots. Will be playing reserves if he doesnt turn it around in the early rounds this season.

He is lacking in confidence and really needs to bulk up, I thought when he played loose in defence he did some not so bad things. IMHO I think that since Roos took over he is one of the only players to have gone backwards, maybe he is more suited to direction and not so suited to being let loose.

[gossipcom]

Question I have is did Brodie Holland at any stage match up on Willo?

[robbieando]

Originally posted by gossipcom
Question I have is did Brodie Holland at any stage match up on Willo?

Not that I can recall, I think he didn't match up on anyone. A bit like us last week with Kirk, we didn't set him anyone and it showed.

[Charlie]

From what I saw, Willo racked up 124 touches and never had a Colliwobble within 100 metres of him.

Ok, slight exaggeration, but he was brilliant.

[robbieando]

Originally posted by anniswan
He is lacking in confidence and really needs to bulk up, I thought when he played loose in defence he did some not so bad things. IMHO I think that since Roos took over he is one of the only players to have gone backwards, maybe he is more suited to direction and not so suited to being let loose.

First of all, on the point about him bulking up, we have been saying the same thing for years now, fact is I don't think he'll be able to get any better in this area if he can't after 6 seasons of senior football.

Yes he has lost confidence, yes he has gone backwards as a CHB, however that isn't to say he doesn't have any value to the side. Time and time again I have said he MUST be used as a Back Pocket or Back Flank, because yes he does have some value as a defender, just not as a key defender on one of the other teams top 2 forwards. Put him on the 3rd or 4th forward and his value for us will skyrocket.

Today he for mind was shocking. Time after time he was in a pack and each time he went the mark and NOT THE PUNCH. He isn't dropping the easy stuff, he is dropping the hard chances when the better option would be to punch. He got near the ball alot today and that in itself is a good thing, however it was his decision making once he got near the ball the let him down time after time.

So far this pre season its clear that he doen't have the football "brains" to play in a key position defence role for an entire season, once or twice a season yes no problems, its just he can't do it for an entire season.

I don't think we should get rid of him or even think about it, we just have to figure what his best use for us as a defender is.

On whether he has gone backwards under Roos, well I don't think so, sure he isn't the same but, I put that down to his injury problems last season that cost him a season of football. Up until about Round 7 or 8 he was playing good, solid football week after week for the past 6 seasons, no one then questioned his ability or value to the side. However after coming back from injury it was claer something was wrong with him, but just as it seem he was getting back to some sort of good form,he does his knee and only plays once more.