Reserves

[liz]

Don't think there's a thread on this yet.

Swans had another overly comfortable win earlier in the afternoon, this time against a team that is a bit more of a match for them than Weston Creek who they thumped last week.

There were lots of contributors but probably no absolute standouts.

Schmidt and Willoughby were particularly prominent in the first half, but Willoughby injured his leg late in the game. Not sure how bad it was but could have been a recurrence of his recent injury.

Malceski came into it well in the second half - got lots of ball and much of it contested.

Schauble didn't dominate but looked comfortable and I wouldn't be surprised to see him back next week. He hasn't forgotten how to mark the ball.

Grundy kicked another 7 goals. Two were clever crumbing goals and the rest came from marks. He reads the ball exceptionally well through the air and knows how to position his body, which enables him to take contested chest marks. Can't recall seeing him take any on a lead nor marking any over his head. I have to question whether this style will convert to a forward role at AFL level but his reading of the ball might convert well to a defensive role.

Ed Clarke had a pretty good game - busy and mostly quite skilfull (and kicked three goals). Vogels drifted in and out but marked strongly and is a good kick at goal. Potter worked very very hard and was good in contests. Erikson laid a couple of excellent tackles - great for such a tall man - both of which won him HTB frees. He kicked a goal from one of these.

Garruba had a pretty good game too. He has a bit of zip about him and neat, though not spectacular, skills. Whether he's got enough to eventually reach AFL level is questionable but he was good today.

Moore did a few good things but made some mistakes as well. The third quarter was the worst, with the team trying to manufacture stuff that wasn't really there, and he was one of the culprits. Once they went back to more straightforward football in the final term they looked pretty good.

Given our need for tall defenders I kept a special eye out for both Powell and Campbell. Neither was overly impressive, though they each had their brief moments.

Neither Saddo nor James played.

[KillerQueen]

I was told that Powell got injured

So there is no truth in that?

I think the floggings arent that good for them...how will they handle the top grade if they are use to coasting along flogging the opposition?

[liz]

Originally posted by KillerQueen
I was told that Powell got injured

So there is no truth in that?

He might have, I didn't notice. And because he wasn't having that much of an impact while he was on the ground I didn't notice if he was missing late in the game.

[BAM_BAM]

we got there for the final quarter and he was assisted hopping off the field while favouring his right (I think) foot.

[ROK Lobster]

Re: Reserves

Originally posted by liz
The third quarter was the worst, with the team trying to manufacture stuff that wasn't really there, and he was one of the culprits. Once they went back to more straightforward football in the final term they looked pretty good.

Hmmn... something might be starting to rub off. Perhaps they should start training on different days to the seniors.

(Thanks for the report Liz)

[JMM from Werro]

Mark Powell

Yes Mark Powell was hurt... looks like an ankle problem. Taken off in the last quarter to put ice on and elevated. Hope it's not to bad. Willoughby had a lot of cramping in the legs and was off and on the bench. Thought both Powell and Willoughby played well.

[j s]

Some reserves pix (the motion blur comes from slow shutter speeds caused by lack of light)....

<img src="http://img150.echo.cx/img150/1155/reserves-0207.jpg" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />

<img src="http://img150.echo.cx/img150/1555/reserves-0208.jpg" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />

<img src="http://img150.echo.cx/img150/3070/reserves-0210.jpg" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />

<img src="http://img150.echo.cx/img150/5797/reserves-0211.jpg" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />

[swan_song]

Powell was def injured. I saw him after the match coming from the Swans' med centre, on crutches...hopefully just a precaution. I think we should bite the bullet, maybe keep Jude, Kirk, Bazza, Micky and bring in the rest from the ressies team. They couldn't play any worse than we have these past two weeks. As David Schwarz said on 7 this morning -- the Swans are woeful!

[liz]

Re: Re: Reserves

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
Hmmn... something might be starting to rub off. Perhaps they should start training on different days to the seniors.

There is absolutely no doubt who they train with. The style of play is identical - ie as soon as they take a mark they look to handball it off to a team mate regardless of whether it is the best option or not and usually without looking for another option.

[Wil]

Re: Re: Re: Reserves

Originally posted by liz
There is absolutely no doubt who they train with. The style of play is identical - ie as soon as they take a mark they look to handball it off to a team mate regardless of whether it is the best option or not and usually without looking for another option.

Any speculation on why this is? Watching Dempster in the seniors over the past three weeks it is like someone has been in his ear telling him to stop kicking long and look for the best handball option. Did he kick it once last night? It seems as his long kicking is diminishing the last 3 weeks - so too, it seems, his confidence.

Some sports I have been involved in, as a junior, the coaches will tell you to get the ball to someone with more experience. Maybe this is what they are being told: "Look for Jude" or "Look for umm, ahh... Mathews"

[Bas]

Heath Grundy and Guy Campbell sat in front of us to watch seniors game. Must be frustrating for them.

[Nico]

I have said here before I know a Carlton recruiting scout who said he could not believe Grundy did not go top 20. He reckons he will be a very good player.

7 goals in any game is good and if he keps wracking them up then if there is to be a rookie promotion due to injury he must be the one.

A worry that Saddington didn't front. You would have to think he has genuine long term playing problems if his appearances are only intermittent.

[swan_song]

Final score was Swans 21.7 (133) to Eastlake 7.5 (47)
Grundy 7
Vogels 4
Clarke 3
Schauble, Moore 2
Willoughby, Ericksen, Shaw 1

[liz]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Reserves

Originally posted by Wil
Any speculation on why this is?

I don't think there is any need for speculation. They are being coached to play the same game plan as the seniors.

And while we might get frustrated with this game plan, it would be a worry if the seniors and juniors were being told to do things differently.

[Old Royboy]

I am always amused that we seem to see games from different perspectives, and have different players as playing well. Here is the game from my perspective.

Welcome to the Reg Grundy Show.

Injuries resulted in four top-up players being used ? Goodrem, Ryan, Addison and Shackleton. They had negligible impact.

The game opened with Eastlakes having the better of the midfield battle and scoring the first two goals, both from good short passes to leads. Hayes and Quade were the two trailing backmen.

There-after the Cygnets assumed almost total control in the midfield, apart from a dozy third quarter they dominated.

Shaw and Eriksson dominated the ruck, they both were given equal time on the ball. Shaw in particular impressed with his tapwork, the rest of his game is as green as grass, but many clean midfield breaks were a result of his taps. He?s a big lump who doesn?t mind throwing his weight around either.

The main midfield drivers were Potter, Willoughby, Powell and Jarred Moore.

Powell played his best game of the year, took several good one grab marks under pressure.

Despite his rookie status, Potter is the man always at the bottom of the pack, disposal still poor, but racked up the possessions and involved in two goal assists.

Willoughby is playing more as an outside midfielder, often being the free man as the first link out of defence. Solid but not spectacular.

Jarred Moore - Two good goals, one on the run from 50, the other a clever pack shark and snap. Got plenty of the ball, made good decisions and bad.

Schauble played forward first half, and back in the second. He?s making steady progress, but I think needs another week.

Grundy has ?footballer? written all over him. Kicked 8 goals, (that?s what I counted anyway) three from contested marks. Nearly all were from good judgement of the bal in the air and the ability to nudge his opponent under the ball. He kicked another 4 from general play, many on sharp angles through coolness, quick thinking and good execution. Topped his day off with a long bomb from a free and two good assists for goals to Potter and Clarke. My only critisism is that if he is beaten in a contest does not seem to chase hard enough.

Ed Clarke played half forward. Kicked three goals, two resulting from scavenging pack spills and was involved in assisting another four, either through good close in work or kicking well to his forwards advantage.

Luke Vogels led and marked well, rewarded with three goals and assisted in two others.

Quieter games this week from Schmidt and Malceski. Garubba found the ball a bit more but disposal is erratic. Campbell had not much to do down back.

The reserves are learning the running game style, and promising moves are often broken up by poor execution or decisions. (Moore and Clarke come to mind here) Thus far this year the opposition has been too poor to make them pay for these errors. However what is encouraging is that the second year players have improved from last year, and the first year and rookie players are having a big impact on the teams performance. Grundy is showing why he was originally rated to go as a second round pick, and if he can keep improving will be short odds to be elevated at seasons end.

As a result, games which last year were won by 4 or 5 goals are this year 10 goal plus floggings. I will be interested to see how these kids go when they play against the better teams like Belconnen and Queenbeyan


Swans Reserves: 5-1, 11-3, 13-5, 21-7-133
Eastlake: 2-2, 3-4, 5-5, 7-6-48

Swans Goals: Grundy 8, Clarke, Vogels 3, Schauble, Moore 2, Willoughby, Eriksson, Shaw.