Our Back Six as Good as Any

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by robbieando
Last year he played every game but in 2002 he only played 14 games and in 2001 he played 15 games. In fact only in 2000 his first year at the club and last season has he played anything close to full seasons.

I'd use Saddington as bait for a good KPP or ****-hot midfielder. Although I think the guy is a fantastic talent, he hasn't delivered to date, and we all seem to agree he doesn't really fit into our structure.

[liz]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
and we all seem to agree he doesn't really fit into our structure.

Do we?

[NMWBloods]

Where do you see him slotting in Liz?

[timthefish]

Re: Our Back Six as Good as Any

Originally posted by ihamilto
if we can snare say Ottens

i have a sneaking suspicion that ottens will never deliver the football goods his athleticism promises because he's a dope.

[robbieando]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Where do you see him slotting in Liz?

Somewhere on the field

On Saddo as trade bait, it might just work to get us the kind of player we all are looking for. Saddo seems to be highly rated outside of the club (or at least the fans) and you never know maybe a club could bite on a trade if we offer Saddo and a 1st Round Pick. Biggest problem would be his injury and the fact the club itself is really high on him.

As to where to play him, well he could be the perfect spare parts player. Have no set position for him week to week, just put him in a position that he might be useful for us, be it in the forward line, in defence or even in the middle. I would of loved to have seen him play though the midfield before his injury because I think he could make a impact there, however with the knee that might not be the case come next season. One things for sure he isn't a CHB.

[liz]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Where do you see him slotting in Liz?

Pretty much anywhere Roos wanted to play him.

He's tall, agile, has good endurance, good pace for his height, has a decent kick, is one of the best marks in the squad and has shown he can kick a goal or two plus pinch hit in the ruck when the need is dire. I also don't share the view of others on here that he can't play in defence. He's done fine back there in the past, if anyone has a memory longer than 18 months.

Does anyone really think that a fit Saddington could not find a place in the current Swans team?

[sharp9]

I was thinking about our whole problem of finding a fast/classy/strong/silky midfielder a la Judd. The fact is that we have one....only he's not playing in the midfield.

Tiger Kennelly has all the Judd attibutes....similar size and speed, same competitive spirit and goal scoring ability.....he should be there (IMO) and that will save us 2 first round draft picks and half a million dollars a season!

Saddington can take a permamnent position playing Tiger's current role (3rd/4th tall along with Leo). This still leaves us needing a genuine Gorilla capable fullback or CHB, but I honestly feel that this is the only position we need to trade for at this stage. With Tiger in the midfield (remembering we have large stocks of young pacy/skillful type midfielders to come in over the next 2 years) we should really be hitting our straps come 2006.

Haddrill, Polak, McPharlin...that's too many young KP backmen at one club!

Maybe make Brian Harris an offer he can't refuse (or McPhee or Richards)

Then there's Hay, Penny, Maguire, Scarlett, Rivers, Ko****zke, Pavlich, Glass, Bradshaw, Rutten....

Geez, I mean ONE of them must be unhappy at the moment!

[cressakel]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Did you not read all I wrote?

As the current potential forward line stands it can have:

Hall, O'Loughlin, O'Keefe, Davis, Schneider, Buchanan, Goodes, Bevan, Doyle.

I don't see a lot of point in putting Saddington in there as it stands. If I had him on the ground, then it would probably be at HBF.

However, as I already said, he provides options so that he can go forward if needed!!

Did you not read what I wrote !?

This is my opinion of the following forward line options you have mentiond -

Hall - GUN, enough said.
O'Loughlin - very good decoy to Hall when PLAYING.
N.Davis - Ditto to above.
O'Keefe - will get better, good straight fast lead with excellent kick, goes missing at times, needs to do more when playing in the forward line.
Schneider - will eventually become a very good ruck rover type when Williams and Maxfield retire and he has a few more games under his belt.
Goodes - can't play in the forward line, can't play in the backline either, only good on the ball in any role.
Buchanan - Pigmy's have never amounted to good forward line options ( stupid call placing Buchanan in our forward line rotations ).
Bevan - backline player who plays the odd 10 to 15 minutes in the forward line - clearly not enough time.
Doyle - can't believe you put this f@#*@n donkey in our forward line set-ups, clutching at straws there Pal.

As per above summary's, there are only FOUR forward line options, possibly FIVE with Schneider, when all players are FIT AND FIRING - which leaves room for at least another two options and possibly more as you can never have all your chickens in the one basket, as we have found with N.Davis, Schneider and O'Loughlin missing large chunks of the season.

Therefore, as per my summary's above, WE DO need another strong bodied option in the forward line at all times in Saddington and, if available through trading or the draft, another HFF and FP.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by cressakel
O'Loughlin - very good decoy to Hall when PLAYING.
N.Davis - Ditto to above.

Yes, and my point was as the forward line currently stands, Saddington doesn't have a spot. Therefore obviously O'Loughlin and Davis would be playing in that case. If he's not playing, then Saddington is can go forward if needed, which I've said twice now. However, that does not make him a forward line player now as the current forward line options/players/opportunities look good. Also, many teams often run with just 5 forwards as it leaves more space up forward.

Buchanan - Pigmy's have never amounted to good forward line options ( stupid call placing Buchanan in our forward line rotations ).

Short players don't make good forward options...?!? Do you not watch football? Who do you think crumbs packs? Phil Matera can't play forward?

Why is it stupid putting Buchanan in the forward line rotations? He's taller than Schneider anyway.

Why are you so rude - are you Reggi?

As per above summary's, there are only FOUR forward line options, possibly FIVE with Schneider, when all players are FIT AND FIRING - which leaves room for at least another two options and possibly more as you can never have all your chickens in the one basket, as we have found with N.Davis, Schneider and O'Loughlin missing large chunks of the season.

Yes, which again I repeat, makes Saddington a possibility for the forward line but not an automatic pick for the forward line.

Therefore, as per my summary's above, WE DO need another strong bodied option in the forward line at all times in Saddington and, if available through trading or the draft, another HFF and FP.

Obviously the confusion came from my first use of the word 'option.' When I was referring to forward line options I was referring I was referring to who can currently play in the forward line and what options we have when going into attack - we have a good mix of tall, medium and small. It was used in context of options for the players taking the ball forward rather than options for the coach to change the team around. I should have used a different word - I should have said "The forward line currently has plenty of players and doesn't really need another, who probably isn't quite as good as the ones already there."

When I said "as occasionally being moved around where needed, such as onto a taller defender or into the forward line" I meant I wouldn't put him in the forward line as I think the current options, when fully fit and playing, in the forward line for the players to choose between are good now. However, he makes a potential utility, who can be thrown around where needed, forward or back.

[chammond]

Originally posted by liz
Pretty much anywhere Roos wanted to play him.

He's tall, agile, has good endurance, good pace for his height, has a decent kick, is one of the best marks in the squad and has shown he can kick a goal or two plus pinch hit in the ruck when the need is dire. I also don't share the view of others on here that he can't play in defence. He's done fine back there in the past, if anyone has a memory longer than 18 months.

Does anyone really think that a fit Saddington could not find a place in the current Swans team?

I agree that Saddington's versatility is very much his strongest asset.

He might not be the best defender, forward or winger in the squad, but he's good enough in any of those positions to regularly feature among the team's best players.

Every team needs an Archer or a Cornes that can be thrown into the heat of the battle at either end.

We'd be hard pressed to find a trade that adds as much value as Saddington does.

[swan_song]

I'm half and half here. I agree with Liz that a fit Saddo definitely has a place in our squad, but I'm also very much of the opinion that Saddo is not a backman, well at least not a key position backman. The Irishman and Leaping give us the run we need off the half back line, and to me at the moment our most glaring weakness -- apart from a top-notch ruckman and an in-and-under, get it out of the centre midfielder -- is and has been for a few years, a strong, mongrel-type at CHB/FB. For me, Saddo doesn't fit the bill there, but as an option in the squad for Roosie to push forward or maybe play off the bench or cover for one of our injury-prone forwards...that's a different matter...wing or half forward, sure. Great mark in a pack for sure, but it can be a weakness in defence!

[cressakel]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
[B]Yes, and my point was as the forward line currently stands, Saddington doesn't have a spot. Therefore obviously O'Loughlin and Davis would be playing in that case. If he's not playing, then Saddington is can go forward if needed, which I've said twice now. However, that does not make him a forward line player now as the current forward line options/players/opportunities look good. Also, many teams often run with just 5 forwards as it leaves more space up forward.

[B]

Short players don't make good forward options...?!? Do you not watch football? Who do you think crumbs packs? Phil Matera can't play forward?

Why is it stupid putting Buchanan in the forward line rotations? He's taller than Schneider anyway.

Why are you so rude - are you Reggi?

[B]

Yes, which again I repeat, makes Saddington a possibility for the forward line but not an automatic pick for the forward line.


Obviously the confusion came from my first use of the word 'option.' When I was referring to forward line options I was referring I was referring to who can currently play in the forward line and what options we have when going into attack - we have a good mix of tall, medium and small. It was used in context of options for the players taking the ball forward rather than options for the coach to change the team around. I should have used a different word - I should have said "The forward line currently has plenty of players and doesn't really need another, who probably isn't quite as good as the ones already there."

When I said "as occasionally being moved around where needed, such as onto a taller defender or into the forward line" I meant I wouldn't put him in the forward line as I think the current options, when fully fit and playing, in the forward line for the players to choose between are good now. However, he makes a potential utility, who can be thrown around where needed, forward or back.

Matera and Milne are exceptions to the rule when it comes to very small forwards, as both have qualities that Buchanan will never have - explosive pace off the mark, goalsense and suprising strength.

Even then I think both players mentioned above are a good 10 centimetres taller tahn Buchanan !

Buchanan must be a bees dick bigger than Schneider, and even then I would doubt he is due to the AFL's and the AFL Record's incorrect figures on players weight and height over the years !

Who cares anyway, as one ( Buchanan ) will be off the Swans list in 2-3 years and the other ( Schneider ) will be eased into an on-ball role next season - leaving two forward spots to fill.

Who the f*&@ is Reggi ?!

I am not rude Pal, as Pigmy is a medical term for men under five feet - which Buchanan must be very close to....

Why are you so right ?! You should debate with yourself in the mirror and see who comes out on top after 50 years......

[Newbie]

We cannot have 22 fix-position players in the ground. We need few utility type of players and Saddo would be one of the best utility players around. Would be crazy to trade him.

To say our forward line is good enough is crazy. We are ONE-TALL short up front. Apart from Hall, we have no key forward. In a bigger ground when the line between half forward and full forward is distinct, we tend to struggle to get a big score. Saddo could play as a Key forward better than most of our other forwards, except O'loughlin who is clearly playing better as the second option than the go-to man.

[ihamilto]

Originally posted by Newbie
We cannot have 22 fix-position players in the ground. We need few utility type of players and Saddo would be one of the best utility players around. Would be crazy to trade him.

To say our forward line is good enough is crazy. We are ONE-TALL short up front. Apart from Hall, we have no key forward. In a bigger ground when the line between half forward and full forward is distinct, we tend to struggle to get a big score. Saddo could play as a Key forward better than most of our other forwards, except O'loughlin who is clearly playing better as the second option than the go-to man.

Agree 100%
Newbie when we get to the MCG on the large ground we need another tall option up forward imagine Mooney and Hall in the
same forward line a handfull for any defence
cheers Ian

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by cressakel
Even then I think both players mentioned above are a good 10 centimetres taller tahn Buchanan !

According to AFL records Buchanan is taller than all three. Do you have something better to go on?

Who cares anyway, as one ( Buchanan ) will be off the Swans list in 2-3 years and the other ( Schneider ) will be eased into an on-ball role next season - leaving two forward spots to fill.

Oh well - we'll see whether he stays.

Who the f*&@ is Reggi ?!

I am not rude Pal, as Pigmy is a medical term for men under five feet - which Buchanan must be very close to....

Buchanan is meant to be 180cm which seems too tall, but I'd guess he'd be about 175cm.

As for rude, I think throwing comments in like 'stupid call' and 'ridiculous comment' is unnecessarily rude in a discussion.

Why are you so right ?! You should debate with yourself in the mirror and see who comes out on top after 50 years......

I'm not so right. I haven't said you're wrong - I just disagree with some of your point. I'm simply having a view.