Swans look upwards as Doyle enters fray

[SWANSBEST]

Swans look upwards as Doyle enters fray

By NIKKI TUGWELL

April 7, 2004

THE Swans' forward line will sprout on Saturday night with their beanstalk forward-cum-ruckman Stephen Doyle reinstated for the clash with Geelong at the SCG.


Doyle, 203cm, will make his first appearance for the Swans since the preliminary final last season.

His 2003 season was ruined in the opening round by a knee injury and has been carefully managed through the pre-season.


Doyle played the first two practice games at full forward and last week in the ruck for the club's reserves.


Swans coach Paul Roos indicated Doyle would play regardless of the fitness of Michael O'Loughlin.






"We will probably bring Doyley in even if Mick plays," Roos said.


"He will play forward more than in a ruck role. It gives us that tall target up forward and he will eventually work into the ruck rotation."


Doyle adds another dimension to Sydney's versatile ruck rotation comprising Adam Goodes, Jason Ball and Lewis Roberts-Thomson. While Goodes plays forward, midfield or on the wing, Ball, Roberts-Thomson and Doyle provide tall forward options.


"We think that they can all complement each other," Roos said.


Despite the absence of Nick Davis (hip injury) and O'Loughlin from the second term against Fremantle last Sunday, the Swans had a more functional forward line than in the second half against the Brisbane Lions in round one.


The Swans improved their delivery into attack while the work of Barry Hall up field created opportunities. Ryan O'Keefe also had an impact in the third quarter.


Adam Schneider will benefit from a game in the seniors while Matthew Nicks is another option for Roos ? should star forward O'Loughlin's hamstring injury keep him sidelined. "O'Loughlin's being assessed through the week," Roos said.


Nicks was summoned for last year's finals to play a role similar to O'Loughlin in the Swans forward line.


Nicks has recovered from a back injury and is available ? as is Rowan Warfe, who has overcome a hip injury.


Paul Bevan, a last-minute call-up to make his debut against Brisbane, is causing selection headaches after two impressive performances.


The game against Geelong marks the first reacquaintance of Swans Team of the Century player Daryn Cresswell and his old club. Cresswell is assistant coach at Geelong. http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/st...toryid=1162269

[ManchesterCityF]

the article has made me think how well o'keefe has improved.
I wonder if other teams give too much thought about him when setting up their man-on-man match-ups.

on a lighter note, don't you think the author of the article (the link) has a great porn name???

[Ajn]

I think Doyle will be a fine forward option as long as he doesn't try to turn and do another knee!

[sharpie]

Re: Swans look upwards as Doyle enters fray

Originally posted by SWANSBEST
Paul Bevan, a last-minute call-up to make his debut against Brisbane, is causing selection headaches after two impressive performances.

In all the time I've followed the Swans, I doubt I've seen such a perplexing dilemma! Surely this is the best depth we've had on our list for a very long time. Look at the names who weren't in the team last week, but could be fairly safely relied upon at any stage:

Doyle
Nicks
Powell
Buchanan
Warfe (Yes, if we really had to, it wouldn't be THAT bad)
Meiklejohn
Rogers

Plus the guys who are fairly close to recoving from injuries:
Davis
Fixter
Schauble

Nothing like a bit of healthy competition for spots in the 22.

[TheHood]

Originally posted by ManchesterCityF
on a lighter note, don't you think the author of the article (the link) has a great porn name???

Yes, yes I do.

As for Doyley back, I am happy about the fact that all his game time will be at FF because I don't rate his ruck work as yet at AFL level. I hope he does become a regular in the ruck for us at some stage but not until he is ready.

As for ROK, I hope he keeps improving. I love his work.

Imagine this for a sharp shooting forward line when fit:

O'Loughlin Doyle O'Keefe
Davis Hall Schneider

To be honest I can't imagine a more accurate forward line in the comp.

[Barry Schneider]

I can't see how Bevan is causing selection headaches.He has to be picked.
Doyle is definitely a better forward than ruckman and is a difficult match up for any team in that position.
Our ruck rotation is great around the ground but really struggles in centre bounces which is ok if our midfielders read the opposition's taps.

[dendol]

Originally posted by TheHood
Imagine this for a sharp shooting forward line when fit:

O'Loughlin Doyle O'Keefe
Davis Hall Schneider

To be honest I can't imagine a more accurate forward line in the comp.

Alot to like about that lineup. The great thing is that O'Loughlin and O'Keefe usually play tall, but are also dangerous at ground level. Hall and Doyle will get the tallest strongest defenders, and then that leaves the third and fourth on O'Loughlin and Davis or O'Keefe - I salivate at the thought of Mickey getting the third defensive option.

[sharpie]

Doyle may not be any good in the ruck yet, but the only way of him improving is by giving him a go there, so its no good just camping him at FF because you're afraid he won't be able to match the opposition ruckmen. I'm not saying that he has to play the whole game in the ruck, but definitely has to be included in the rotation.

Anyway, I'm not too worried, coz I have faith that Roosy will play him in the right areas.

[dendol]

Roosy was quoted in one of the papers saying that Doyle will be gradually worked into the ruck rotation with Ball and Goodes. As it stands now, I would be more than happy if he set up a tent in the goal square and didnt get himself injured crashing into bodies in the centre square.

[liz]

Ironically, both of Doyle's bad injuries over the past two seasons have come while he was stationed forward - one when a Burgoyne charged him and the other when he somehow managed to crack his knee cap while kicking for goal.

Maybe he'd be better off in the ruck...

[SWANSBEST]

From an injury viewpoint it probably makes no difference where Doyle plays. But from a team performance aspect he will be very dangerous up forward because he is a strong mark and an accurate kick. The occassional run on the ball will also do no harm.

I have my fingers crossed that he gets though unscathed. Then again , Heath James has shown that players can come back from a bad injury run.

[dimelb]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by sharpie
[B]Doyle may not be any good in the ruck yet, but the only way of him improving is by giving him a go there, so its no good just camping him at FF because you're afraid he won't be able to match the opposition ruckmen. I'm not saying that he has to play the whole game in the ruck, but definitely has to be included in the rotation.

QUOTE]

Couldn't agree more - together with the conventional wisdom that ruckmen take longer to mature. Let's be patient with him - he'll do us right.

[Ryan Bomford]

Well, if we can get the Goodes-Ball-Doyle trio working in harmony we will pose a lot of problems to all sides, especially the Cats.

In addition to the obvious variations we can now apply to the foward line, and our ruck combinations, I see a big advantage in the area of kick-ins where our lack of marking talls has caused us to kick short most of the time.

[stellation]

I've said it before and I will say it again, I don't like sticking really tall guys at FF to just bomb it in to them. Even if it works it makes me feel icky.

[sharpie]

Originally posted by stellation
I've said it before and I will say it again, I don't like sticking really tall guys at FF to just bomb it in to them. Even if it works it makes me feel icky.

If it won you a flag would you still feel icky or would you have a shower?