Kangaroos

[EMJ]

How do we beat them in Canberra?
We must get on top of them early and keep our normal game going not be changed to theirs like last night.
Hope we can pull of a win down at Manuka.

[midaro]

If we play like last night, we'll get slaughtered - obviously.

We need to blancket their midfield - Kirk, Crouch and Mathews are vital.

Goodes and Hall need to kick a bag between them.

Micky O' back would be nice.

McKernan is a worry. Saddington?

Doyle must get some ruck time.

[Dpw]

Looks like Colbert and Archer will both miss at this stage, we will need to get on top early and if our boys can stop there midfield run we should get home.

[dimelb]

This is shaping up as a standard Kangas affair: undermanned, unfashionable, and underestimated. They are always a serious challenge for us. If we are more switched on than this weekend we have a chance to repair our lousy recent record at Manuka.

[Cheer Cheer]

Re: Kangaroos

Originally posted by janpa
How do we beat them in Canberra?
We must get on top of them early and keep our normal game going not be changed to theirs like last night.
Hope we can pull of a win down at Manuka.

We were beaten by the Kangaroos last year at MO, and they beat us because they implemented the same game plan that Geelong used last night, however they pulled it off for the full 4 qtrs pretty much.

They would have watched last nights game with great interest and satisfaction in that if our free flowing rebounding running game gets shut down the opposition will go along way in beating us.

The Kangaroos will start favourites - if we beat them it will be an upset.

[liz]

Once we got into our stride last year (ie after the first few games) we didn't play two bad ones in a row, did we? To me that was the big difference with the Roos' Swans vs the later vintage Eade Swans, where we could rely on the team to fall into a heap for a few weeks each year before recovering some semblance of form.

When the Roos beat us last year it was an ordinary performance coming off a string of very good ones, and we bounced back the following week. And the previous three meetings between the two clubs we won by an average of around 80 points (all at the SCG, admittedly). So it's hardly as if they have the wood over us.

The Roos should start favourites but I see no reason why we can't win and I'm expecting a close, tight tussle.

[Bleed Red Blood]

I say we need a big backmen to take McKernan(Rogers?).

As Midaro said if Grant, Simpson,Stevens are out of the game, they dont really have a second tier of midfielders that can keep up to the 1st tiers standard.

With Archer and Colbert set to miss, will they be able to overcome tall,experienced forwards?

I'm tipping us, in a hard game.

[chammond]

I think their weakness is defence, especially if Archer and Colbert are out, whereas defence is the Swans biggest asset.

They'll try to rough us up in the first quarter, but if we can withstand that, we match up pretty well man for man, and I think we should win comfortably.

[EMJ]

I agree I would like to see Rogers in the team I think he could be an asset - golly I hope we win. Thank for all the above ideas it is great to read everyone's assessment of the team.
I hope we can't play as bad as we were shut down twice in a row.
Kirk sparked a lift and Williams last night.
Hopefully the team pulls together as a team on Sunday.

[Swansinger]

I have a theory that we don't play well at Manuka Oval , as it doesn't seem like a real AFL ground .
A nice kickaround in the sunshine on Sunday arvo - it's hard to believe that there's four points at stake down there.

Hopefully we can make amends for last year , but I see us losing by two kicks or less in a low-scoring game.

[Reggi]

According to Melb media, Colbert is a chance.

They played a pretty full side against us a few weeks ago and won by 6 goals or. They have a strong experienced midfield.

Who we can have fit by next weekend is the question.

MO to play ND a chance, Kennelly.

This is a big test for our side, currently in Melb they are being rated as one of the better midfields.

Ball is a good match-up against Mckernan.

[The Boot]

Originally posted by Swansinger
I have a theory that we don't play well at Manuka Oval , as it doesn't seem like a real AFL ground.

Hey, hang on there just ONE minute ... I grew up in Canberra, and I'll have you know that Manuka oval has the blood of many a great player and footy match seeped into its green vastness. (manglish??)

Ask Aaron Hamill, James Heard, Cowboy Neale, Jezza!!, Micky Conlon, Justin Blumfield.

As a lad, I even did the scoring - for many a 1st division grand final - AND now the points go up on an ORIGINAL MCG scoreboard (renamed the "Jack Fingleton") no less!!

So come down, and breathe in the atmosphere of a great ground, in what will be perfect conditions.

It's a real AFL ground, make no mistake .. and that's where players are born and raised.

[EMJ]

Who is the idiot in Canberra who organised a Marathon on the same day right up to the edge of Manuka Oval in Telopea Park.
Dum organisation I would think.
Great for us travelling and finding our way around the circles.

[sharp9]

Originally posted by janpa
I agree I would like to see Rogers in the team I think he could be an asset - golly I hope we win. Thank for all the above ideas it is great to read everyone's assessment of the team.
I hope we can't play as bad as we were shut down twice in a row.
Kirk sparked a lift and Williams last night.
Hopefully the team pulls together as a team on Sunday.

I'm all for the use of the word "golly," but prefer it to be hyphened with the word "gosh."

[Mark]

Why are people so worried about McKernan he is a washed up hack !

One stellar season at North first time around is the extent of his achievement. He goes missing for long periods in games and for a bloke his size is as soft as @@@@ .

Our ability to close down Harvey, Grant and Simpson will decide the game not how we match up the soft serve !