Cautious Optimism

**monopoly19** · 16 August 2004, 09:59 AM

I think our midfield is ok, and that's about it. I think it may have been Peter Schwab that said on Saturday night we have a lot of good, honest midfielders, and he was completely right. It's a little too defensive for my liking, and I would love to have someone with clean hands (we have too many second-grab players) who can break the lines consistently, with assured delivery on the end. It's probably a little too much to ask, but hey, I can dream!

Having said that, I'm going to completely contradict myself and say that from a perspective other than winning a premiership, I love the guys we have in the team, particularly the midfield. Kirk, Crouch and Bolton J are three of my favourite players, and I would love to gain the midfield game-breaker without losing any of the current guys, but that seems fairly unlikely really.

And yes, we are a fickle bunch (but not in the sense that any of us will actually stop supporting the Swans)!

**Bart** · 16 August 2004, 10:18 AM

Re: Cautious Optimism

Originally posted by sharpie
Well, as some predicted last week (it was Footyhead IIRC), people's opinions on this board change faster than the weather in Melbourne. I have been a culprit at times this season as much as anyone.

At least with Footyhead, you gotta say he's consistent and he would be the first to gladly eat humble pie if we jammed a premiership this year.

But I must admit I did have a wry smile at some of the comments on this week's match from individuals who were forecasting the end of the world last week, and the promised land the week before. I'd hate to see some of you investing in the share market.

Overall we are placed where we ought to be given our list. We are not top 4 material over 22 rounds, but on our day we are a fairly effective side. We may not be pretty to watch, but we are good at shutting down top sides who are more talented than us.

I think if we can get past week one of the finals, we are real chance of causing some major upsets. However it is week one that will really worry me, as we awill be playing teams at our level.

What people forget is that this is where Roos probably had us in his 3 year plan, i.e in the lower rungs of the 8 in year 2. Last year was fantastic but it wasn't forecast I'm sure.

***NMWBloods*** · 16 August 2004, 10:23 AM

I find the extreme inconsistency rather frustrating. It's far more so than just because it's a young developing side.

I still think the midfield is a gun player short and is probably the most inconsistent part of our team. Can play a good defensive game but needs more offensive spark.

The defence could perhaps do with another big body, but with Schauble back in the side and if the midfield does well, this is less of a concern than above.

The forward line is great if they are all there and the midfield can deliver effectively enough and often enough.

We are looking like finishing around 6th-8th, which is actually where I predicted we would finish this year. We just aren't doing it in quite the manner I expected.

**dimelb** · 16 August 2004, 11:33 AM

Re: Re: Cautious Optimism

Originally posted by Bart
We may not be pretty to watch,

On the contrary, we can be dazzling and exhilarating (and nerve-wracking) - as in the first three quarters on Saturday night. But yes, we can shut sides down, and IMO the best teams are founded on defence.

***NMWBloods*** · 16 August 2004, 11:56 AM

There were some references to us being a little like West Coast of the early 1990s - strong defensively, not kicking many goals. It won them a couple of premierships!!

**cressakel** · 16 August 2004, 05:15 PM

Re: Cautious Optimism

Originally posted by sharpie
Well, as some predicted last week (it was Footyhead IIRC), people's opinions on this board change faster than the weather in Melbourne. I have been a culprit at times this season as much as anyone.

last week (just a very brief snippet):
the whole swans team is crap
leo barry is crap
our defense is crap
doyle is crap

so far this week:
the whole swans team is awesome, we are good money for the flag
leo barry is our saviour
our defense is amazing, we dont need a key defender in the trade period, we must focus on getting a midfielder coz now our midfield is crap (yes, the same midfield that dominated Brisbane)
doyle is our 2nd saviour

This year has been a complete waste of a season for the swans regardless of how it finishes up (unless we miraculously win the next 6 games in a row). We continue to beat the unbeatable and lose the unloseable. The only team above us on the ladder that we havent beaten this year is Port. So why are these teams actually still ABOVE us on the ladder? Too many teams below us on the ladder have beaten us or come so close that we have not been able to build percentage. Funnily enough, our percentage boosters have come from teams above us on the ladder .

My point? Dont get ahead of ourselves. Get to the end of the season and then make decisions about trading/drafting when reviewing the season as a whole. Not when a recently completed game is still at the front of your minds. And as for our hopes come finals? Well, who really knows how we will go in the next 2 games to start with. We SHOULD win both, but assumption is the mother of all f-ups, and nothing truer has ever been said about this swans team.

Remember, 22 rounds are only used for qualifying for the serious part of the season, the finals. After that, it is a whole new ball game.

Doyle is, and will always be, f&*@#*g crap and useless and good for nothing and unco-ordinated and slow for a Ruckman and not footy smart and a good Reserves player - end of story.

As much as we need a classy ready-made midfielder, Ruckman and CHB, I believe that we also need another strong bodied Key Forward type as we are very small once Hall is not there. Of course I am not talking about a Tredrea, Reiwoldt etc etc, but someone of 193-197cm who is strong enough to take a pack mark and can kick 35-40 goals a season.

**mja** · 17 August 2004, 10:36 AM

Re: Re: Cautious Optimism

Originally posted by cressakel
Doyle is, and will always be, f&*@#*g crap and useless and good for nothing and unco-ordinated and slow for a Ruckman and not footy smart and a good Reserves player - end of story.

Cressakel.. I really wish you would stop these lame posts

Stop beating around the bush...

What do you really think of Doyle?

**cressakel** · 17 August 2004, 10:44 AM

Re: Re: Re: Cautious Optimism

Originally posted by mja
Cressakel.. I really wish you would stop these lame posts

Stop beating around the bush...

What do you really think of Doyle?

Doyle's a gun....... shooting blanks.....

Doyle learnt the art of Rucking from Stephen Allendar, and what a disgrace he was to Bobby & Kel's No.14 !!

I can't wait until Fosdike comes back from injury and the centre square mix is Doyle, Fosdike, Matthews and Ablett. The centre clearances will read - Sydney 1, Opposition 39.....

**hird_god** · 17 August 2004, 02:06 PM

An outsiders perspective on the swans team. Your side as a whole is solid, albeit unspectacular. In that I mean, your defensive lineup works well as a unit and gets the job done - even though it lacks the one/two name players geelong/brisbane/st kilda have. I believe your teams ability to attack and set up play from defence is one of their strongest points, and this has much to do with the ability to work as a team rather than a group of individuals.
Your midfield is hard-running, but tends to also chip short a lot to set up play, looking to set up a free running player or for the best option to arise up forward. This is as much a defensive as offesive tactic, your coaches concede other midfields are stronger and hence no costly turnovers can be afforded.
Your forward line is very very good. Hall is a power forward and top four in the competition. O'Loughlan is tall, quick and agile, making him a difficult matchup - however he can either tear a game apart or have absolutley no impact. Needs consistancy, bridge the gap between his best and his worst. I rate O'Keefe very highly and believe he will be a gun forward given time. Your forward line does not need any improvement, as this is without even mentioning Davis and Goodes when he goes forward.
I believe Goodes in your current lineup should be CHB or rover due to the strength of the forwards. Your trade/draft aims have to be to develop a stronger midfield and defence, you can't trade to get quality talls without paying over their worth so I expect the swans to draft a tall with their first round pick. two midfielders and then one will be a tall or midfielder depending on what is available.

**Ruda Wakening** · 17 August 2004, 02:12 PM

Re: Re: Re: Re: Cautious Optimism

Originally posted by cressakel
I can't wait until Fosdike comes back from injury and the centre square mix is Doyle, Fosdike, Matthews and Ablett. The centre clearances will read - Sydney 1, Opposition 39.....

Cressa all we need is for Gerard Healey to give Fossie and Doyle a wrap one day, and i think you'll end it all

**sharpie** · 17 August 2004, 02:14 PM

Originally posted by hird_god
An outsiders perspective on the swans team. Your side as a whole is solid, albeit unspectacular. In that I mean, your defensive lineup works well as a unit and gets the job done - even though it lacks the one/two name players geelong/brisbane/st kilda have. I believe your teams ability to attack and set up play from defence is one of their strongest points, and this has much to do with the ability to work as a team rather than a group of individuals.
Your midfield is hard-running, but tends to also chip short a lot to set up play, looking to set up a free running player or for the best option to arise up forward. This is as much a defensive as offesive tactic, your coaches concede other midfields are stronger and hence no costly turnovers can be afforded.
Your forward line is very very good. Hall is a power forward and top four in the competition. O'Loughlan is tall, quick and agile, making him a difficult matchup - however he can either tear a game apart or have absolutley no impact. Needs consistancy, bridge the gap between his best and his worst. I rate O'Keefe very highly and believe he will be a gun forward given time. Your forward line does not need any improvement, as this is without even mentioning Davis and Goodes when he goes forward.
I believe Goodes in your current lineup should be CHB or rover due to the strength of the forwards. Your trade/draft aims have to be to develop a stronger midfield and defence, you can't trade to get quality talls without paying over their worth so I expect the swans to draft a tall with their first round pick. two midfielders and then one will be a tall or midfielder depending on what is available.

Not a bad summary IMO. Except Goodes at CHB is no good at the moment. Leo Barry or C.Bolton make a good enough 2nd key defender with Schauble as #1 at the moment. Goodes needs to run free, either as ruck-rover or on a wing/flank. Then the opposition coach has the nightmare of negating him instead of him playing a defensive position.

**cressakel** · 17 August 2004, 02:36 PM

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Cautious Optimism

Originally posted by Ruda Wakening
Cressa all we need is for Gerard Healey to give Fossie and Doyle a wrap one day, and i think you'll end it all

That or Ricky Barham in talks with Essendon regarding the availability of Mark Bolton, Mark McVeigh, Justin Murphy, Aaron Heneman or Damien Cupido in trade swaps for Leo Barry, Jude Bolton, Micky O'Loughlin, Jarrod McVeigh or Nick Davis !!

Rule No.1 ( mentioned before on this site ) - Never trade with Essendon, as even if Hird, Lucas, Lloyd, Fletcher or Jason Johnson were offered as trade bait, the Bombouts will know something about these players that amounts to CAREER OVER.

I still shake my head regarding the likes of Bomford, Werner, O'Connor, Considine, Filandia etc etc coming to the Swans from Essendon trades and contributing nothing.

**hird_god** · 17 August 2004, 02:46 PM

Rule No 2: Always trade with Freo, they'll give away anything that mob. No 1 pick for croad, worst trade in history. McPhee and draft pick for Headland in a three way deal.
the Cupido and McPhee deal for Caracella was a beauty, as was Jacobs for PICK 6 and Mark Alvey. However, the best EFC trade was the one that landed us the daniher's, nice work swans

**cressakel** · 17 August 2004, 02:52 PM

Originally posted by hird_god
Rule No 2: Always trade with Freo, they'll give away anything that mob. No 1 pick for croad, worst trade in history. McPhee and draft pick for Headland in a three way deal.
the Cupido and McPhee deal for Caracella was a beauty, as was Jacobs for PICK 6 and Mark Alvey. However, the best EFC trade was the one that landed us the daniher's, nice work swans

Neville Fields sends his regards.....

At least Essendon trade - those Carlton dogs just take....

Bedford, Evans, Rhys-Jones, Williams...... the list is endless.

P.S. I bet you thought Justin Murphy was a good pick up after Round 4-8 ! Good to see he is showing his real form in the last month....

Did you like the story the other day how the Geelong players didn't talk to Murphy at their end of season wake, whereby he sooked and got on the train back to Melbourne !?

Poor coconut boy....

Cautious Optimism

Cautious Optimism

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment