Swans "Dream Team" ... apparently

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by swansrule100
id start nicks on the half back flank

Who would you replace? Remember this is the Dream Team, not the Round 1 team.

[liz]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
Hang on a sec. If I am correct, Nicks only came into the side in place of Nick Davis' and/or Schneider's absence. We needed a forward flanker and he filled that spot. Dont get too carried away with some of his spectacular performances in the second half of the season... if we are not including him in the starting side, why put him on the bench?

But Bevan only came in as a late replacement for Kennelly. Buchanan only got a chance because of the injuries to Schneider.

Don't think it matters how or why players got back into the team if they consistently deliver once they are there.

On form from the second half of last year and this year's pre-season, Nicks is clearly in the best 22 at the moment. That might change as the season progresses but I'll be flabbergasted if he is omitted from this week's team.

[swansrule100]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
Who would you replace? Remember this is the Dream Team, not the Round 1 team.

my backline would be
B: Mathews, Schuable, C.Bolton
HB: Nicks, LRT OR Goodes, Barry

with kennelly on a wing or even forward

nicks can also play half forward he is a valuable player.

[Ajn]

I'm not sure why anyone wastes their time with set positions, it is a thing of the past. The bulldogs this year will have 14 positions alone in their backline, trying to stop anyone from scoring through their flood of numbers

[sharp9]

Originally posted by Ajn
[Bbulldogs this year will have 14 positions alone in their backline, trying to stop anyone from scoring through their flood of numbers [/B]

Mmmmm, I reckon that the match committee MUST make their choices by going 1-22 (with a nod to position requirements) rather than just filling in positions the way we do. In other words unless it is a matter of NEEDING and extra ruckman or KPP then form players will get the nod and playing positions will follow.

So our dream 22 would be

1 - Barry Hall
2 - Brett Kirk
3 - Adam Goodes
4 - Andrew Schauble
5 - Leo Barry
6 - Jason Ball
7 - Paul Williams
8 - Ryan O'Keefe
9 - Amon Buchanan
10 - Stuart Maxfield
11 - Jude Bolton
12 - Jared Crouch
13 - Ben Mathews
14 - Nick Davis
15 - Craig Bolton
16 - Tadgh Kennelly
17 - Adam Schneider
18 - Matthew Nicks
19 - Jarrad McVeigh
20 - Stephen Doyle
21 - Paul Bevan
22 - Darren Jolly
23 - Luke Ablett
24 - Lewis Roberts-Thomson
25 - Sean Dempster

Those are the ones demanding selection at the moment (plus the two injured stars). The rest are either not quite ready to challenge for a place (Saddington, Malceski, Fixter, Sundqvist) or have not shown the sort of form which would see them edge out those already in top 25 (Jolly, Spriggs, James, Fosdike, Powell, Willoughby, Moore, Schmidt).

The burning question is who plays at Full back this week? LRT has been playing at CHB, James has been disappointing, Dempster is inexprienced and not yet 90 Kgs, Campbell is on the rookie list, Goodes couldn't play there, surely, Saddington has repeatedly failed as 1st or 2nd Key Defender.

Which leaves Barry or Bolton as undersized KPPs again, plus losing some of their rebounding ability. Having said that if the replacemet third tall is Goodes or Dempster (or even James) then you do get back some of that rebound.

My decision would be to pick the best available defenders and work it out from there...namely, Barry, Bolton, Kennelly, Goodes, LRT plus one back pocket (Bevan, Mathews or Crouch). between the five taller players surely we can work out a strategy to combat Barker, Holland, Franklin and Williams.

[Red]

Originally posted by sharp9
The burning question is who plays at Full back this week? LRT has been playing at CHB, James has been disappointing, Dempster is inexprienced and not yet 90 Kgs, Campbell is on the rookie list, Goodes couldn't play there, surely, Saddington has repeatedly failed as 1st or 2nd Key Defender.
[/B]

I'd love to see LRT given a go at Fullback, although it looks like he's being groomed for CHB. They've experimented with Goodes at FB before, under Rodney IIRC. But can you imagine the stink on this board if he were to play there permanently? We seriously need to address this position as Schaubs looks like a week-to-week proposition now.

While I don't think James has been too bad, there's always concern against the really good or really tall forwards -- like Everitt when he drops down there. Not to mention injuries.

Fullback is a problem for us. Unlike the midfield, there doesn't seem to be any prospects coming through there. If we can't produce one from our list, you'd reckon it has to be the priority next trade week.

[swansrule100]

the cocky part of me thinks we could play anyone at full back this week, as the ball will be down at our forward line the whole game....but i wont say that

[liz]

Originally posted by Red
I'd love to see LRT given a go at Fullback, although it looks like he's being groomed for CHB.

I think the club sees LRT's athleticism as one of his key attributes - and by that I mean endurance rather than explosive pace. That's more important at CHB, keeping up with the likes of Riewoldt, than at FB, where speed on a lead and being able to read the flight of the ball and anticipate where short leads are going to go, are more important.

LRT played a bit at FB on Laycock in the Essendon game and looked completely lost. Further out from goal he looks much more comfortable.

While I don't think James has been too bad, there's always concern against the really good or really tall forwards -- like Everitt when he drops down there. Not to mention injuries.

People seem to forget that in football experience terms, James is still a babe. Dunks was a pretty mediocre fullback until 1996 (when he was already in his mid/late 20s) when it all suddenly came together for him.

I'm with Red in that I think James has done OK most of the time and given that there probably isn't a better option on the list at the moment to groom as Schauble's understudy / eventual replacement, it makes sense to start with James in that role. If, by the middle of the season it's clear he doesn't cut it, we'll probably see Barry sacrificed in that role (unless Schauble remains fit all year) and then there will be a need to find someone else at the trade table next year.

[Nico]

Is that NO you don't want to compare or No you don't agree.

[Nico]

Originally posted by Nico
Is that NO you don't want to compare or No you don't agree.

Woops. Wrong thread.

[Justice]

Originally posted by sharp9


6 - Jason Ball
7 - Paul Williams
9 - Ryan O'Keefe
10 - Amon Buchanan

Sydney may find it hard to win many games this year with the "dream 22" only containing 21 players! Missing a selection at 8.

[sharp9]

Originally posted by Sanecow
Fosdike ahead of Nicks? You are hilarious!

Seems that Roosy is acomedian, too! Have you seen the team list? Fosdike a starter and Nicks one of ten possible bench players.

[sharp9]

Originally posted by Justice
Sydney may find it hard to win many games this year with the "dream 22" only containing 21 players! Missing a selection at 8.

Nice to see someone reading the details. Fixed and have put Jolly in at no. 22 (from memory)

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by sharp9
Seems that Roosy is acomedian, too! Have you seen the team list? Fosdike a starter and Nicks one of ten possible bench players.

This is going to make it even trickier for me to get the Nicks bandwagon rolling but I am dedicated to the cause.

[swansrule100]

Nicks will play this week, the line up could change a lot before sunday. I think at the moment nicks would be in for every game he is fit for.