Which is it?

[barry]

Admittedly I didnt see the game against Freo, but heard the last quarter on radio.

The swans are a 4th - 8th quality side. We aint going to win the flag this year, but we will make the finals.
This is evidenced through the last 12 months by:
1) 5th highest % last year
2) 5 wins from last 6 games last year under Roos.
3) Some good wins against finalists in the pre-season
4) An above average win against Carlton (not many others will win by 70+ points)
5) A better than most loss against Freo (average loosing margin is 31 points in the west by away sides).

Dont expect us to win every game.
This week is a 50/50 game. Tough side, but at home. It will be a good gauge of our form.

[chammond]

Shows the benefit of not trading early draft picks!!!

You are joking of course.

Everyone knows that Freo have always been willing to trade early draft picks for quality players.

But they've been so bad for so long that they've had a bucketful of early draft picks!

And they still aren't good enough to make the finals.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by barry
Admittedly I didnt see the game against Freo, but heard the last quarter on radio.

The swans are a 4th - 8th quality side. We aint going to win the flag this year, but we will make the finals.
This is evidenced through the last 12 months by:
1) 5th highest % last year
2) 5 wins from last 6 games last year under Roos.
3) Some good wins against finalists in the pre-season
4) An above average win against Carlton (not many others will win by 70+ points)
5) A better than most loss against Freo (average loosing margin is 31 points in the west by away sides).

Dont expect us to win every game.
This week is a 50/50 game. Tough side, but at home. It will be a good gauge of our form.

Not sure if I agree with all of these comments, as much of the high percentage came from large wins (eg: Carlton, Freo) and small losses, some of which occurred under Eade. Also, we beat Carlton by more last year, and under Eade, but it meant nothing. Also, I'm not sure if either the games from last year at the end meant a lot, because not all the opposition was great, and the pre-season is not really a great measure.

Still, I agree that this week will be useful as a guide.

[barry]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Not sure if I agree with all of these comments, as much of the high percentage came from large wins (eg: Carlton, Freo) and small losses, some of which occurred under Eade. Also, we beat Carlton by more last year, and under Eade, but it meant nothing. Also, I'm not sure if either the games from last year at the end meant a lot, because not all the opposition was great, and the pre-season is not really a great measure.

Still, I agree that this week will be useful as a guide.

The high %, and low win/loss ratio was simply our inability to win the tight ones. I think someone compared it to our '96 season, and the only difference was in 96 we won all the close ones.

Also, Carlton and Freo are much better sides on-field (and off in Caltons case) than last year.

But I'm only summarising the avaliable information.

[Rod_]

What do we need?

What do we need is the question.

Problems

Fixter not on the paddock,
Schauble being short of a game,
Freo being a 5 goal better side a home,
Their on ball brigade better on the night. (Killed us as a fact)
Freo being beaten previous week, (And how they were beaten)
Etc..


The youth needs to realise that the effort is needed every week.

Cresser and Fixter would have helped.
I agree that Wharfy has had better games (On the wrong type of player)
I also feel that our own game plan was used against us by a better team on the night.


I feel that to be beaten only by 26 points wasn't a bad as is could have or should have been. - a plus in a small way......

They learnt from last week and we need too also.

Better the Swans aren't on top of the ladder anyway tall poppy syndrome.......

Middle to top suits me at this stage....

Rod- (Changed to middle of the road not the bottom like Rod_)

[Sanecow]

This probably sounds lame, but playing a night game in WA for some of the team (the early to bed / early to rise types) is probably like one of us pulling on the boots and going for a run at 2 am. The time difference would have an impact on your concentration and skills!

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by barry
The high %, and low win/loss ratio was simply our inability to win the tight ones. I think someone compared it to our '96 season, and the only difference was in 96 we won all the close ones.

Also, Carlton and Freo are much better sides on-field (and off in Caltons case) than last year.

But I'm only summarising the avaliable information.

Yes, I understand your points, however part of your comparison is to the 'old' Swans team of last year under Eade. As many have been at pains to point out, there is a difference between Eade's Swans of last year, and Roos' Swans, both of last year and this.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by Sanecow
This probably sounds lame, but playing a night game in WA for some of the team (the early to bed / early to rise types) is probably like one of us pulling on the boots and going for a run at 2 am. The time difference would have an impact on your concentration and skills!

I agree, it is lame, and that really is not an excuse (or at least one I'm willing to accept). They played at 7:20pm EDST (6:20pm EST) against Carlton and at 7:40pm EST vs Freo. The time difference would not be it. Amnd if it was the fatigue from flying, then they need to look at going over and spending 2 nights there before the game, not 1.

[Sanecow]

OK, it's lame.

[hardluck_harry]

Originally posted by chammond
You are joking of course.

Everyone knows that Freo have always been willing to trade early draft picks for quality players.

But they've been so bad for so long that they've had a bucketful of early draft picks!

And they still aren't good enough to make the finals.

Not kidding!!!

They always had heaps of early picks, but always traded their second pick for quality young players and got the Pavlich's and Haselby with their first.

Also, Collingwood had heaps of early picks over the last 4-5 years and they only came to fruitition last season.

You're not disputing that Pavlich and Haselby are top line players? They were picked in the top 3 in the draft.

I'd say Pavlich is comparable to, if not better than Riewoldt of the Saints and Haselby is far and away better than any of our young midfielders (unless someone's hidden) with probably more potential.

I wouldn't be surprised if Freo make the finals this year.

[Gunn]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
So we are no good without a CHF on a big ground. Fat lot of good we'll be at finals time then!!

Of course you are right. The problem with playing at the SCG is we don't need to develop a gun CHF. On the MCG in September we will find it an unsurmountable obstacle.

I think we struggled on the very hard Fre ground and the grounds hardness, the heat, the travle and the way the ball behaved on the hard ground made us tire quickly and look very ordinary.

We still need about 6 top players before we are a side. CHF, CHB. FB, 2 MidFielders and a top ruckman who is able to play every week.