To win a flag...

[satchmopugdog]

What a lovely post Schneiderman. Thank you. I will go to bed with that in mind as I am about to embark on a weekend of parents with expectations from "Why aren't we winning at all costs? " to "Aren't our girls supposed to be enjoying sport?" and I don't get paid for doing this for 5 hours every Saturday morning.

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by satchmopugdog
What a lovely post Schneiderman. Thank you. I will go to bed with that in mind as I am about to embark on a weekend of parents with expectations from "Why aren't we winning at all costs? " to "Aren't our girls supposed to be enjoying sport?" and I don't get paid for doing this for 5 hours every Saturday morning.

LOL. Sounds painful... and to think I have three doses of it waiting for me just a few years from now as my kids start playing sport.

My golf coaches moto was always: "Compete like crazy, cause when you win you'll feel on top of the world. But for heaven's sake, remember its just GOLF!"

[NMWBloods]

We definitely lack sheer talent. If you look at who we have as highly talented 'footballers' I see only Williams, Davis, O'Loughlin and perhaps Hall and Ball.

[footyhead]

To win a flag, the Swans need to become the Bloods again.

[hammo]

End the flood. I read an interview with Eade the other day where he said the Dogs aren't flooding this season to teach their young backs how to play one on one.

I would like to see the Swans take the same approach. Stuff this ridiculous excuse of not being a talented team and back out players in one on one contests, and most importantly, kick long and direct to our forward line.

I would far prefer to see us play to style of football Melbourne, WC, Dogs to name a few are playing this year.

Surely by doing so our players will become better footballers by actually using and developing their skills, and forcing the backline to be more accountable in one on one contests.

[anne]

Originally posted by Thunder Shaker
To win a premiership, we need to do what Essendon, Brisbane and Port Adelaide have done: finish in the bottom four so we can get a decent dip at the draft. We've gone longer without a bottom four finish than any other club except Geelong. We probably have fewer players on our list drafted with single-digit draft picks than any other club.

I think the way to win the flag is to start playing a brand of football that wins finals. Long kicks into the forward line, man on man and no fear in marking contests. None of this overuse of handball in the backline that comes undone so often. We will probably suck at it, and so we will finish in the bottom four. We identify the players who are decent at that style of football and keep them. Those who are not up to scratch we trade or delist. We build the list with the players we need (KPP and midfielders), and in four years we have the kind of team that brings back memories of '87 with cricket scores at the SCG.

If the above plan has no chance of working, well it's why I don't work in football recruiting.

Send this idea to the club as they don't seem to be able to think as clearly about the future. Most fans would happily accept it if they could see that some current pain was a means to an end. We are going no-where as things are.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by hammo
End the flood. I read an interview with Eade the other day where he said the Dogs aren't flooding this season to teach their young backs how to play one on one.

I would like to see the Swans take the same approach. Stuff this ridiculous excuse of not being a talented team and back out players in one on one contests, and most importantly, kick long and direct to our forward line.

I would far prefer to see us play to style of football Melbourne, WC, Dogs to name a few are playing this year.

Surely by doing so our players will become better footballers by actually using and developing their skills, and forcing the backline to be more accountable in one on one contests.

I agree. It doesn't hurt to have a few players run back, say the midfield, but I'd rather keep the forwards out of there.

[sharpie]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I agree. It doesn't hurt to have a few players run back, say the midfield, but I'd rather keep the forwards out of there.

Yep, there is nothing more I hate than seeing Barry Hall running around in the back pocket.

[originalswan]

Perhaps give a couple of those pills that Capper took to the opposition - Didn't help him in 1986!

Seriously though we should perhaps get a bit more daring - we know we can flood but can we play one on one accountable football?

I still have faith in this team - at least until Round 8.

[Wazza]

Originally posted by anne
Send this idea to the club as they don't seem to be able to think as clearly about the future. Most fans would happily accept it if they could see that some current pain was a means to an end. We are going no-where as things are.

Really good point, if we were developing players and allowing them to play footbal rather than follow instructions, I wouldnt mind watching finishing in the bottom 4 for the sake of growth and to grab a couple of early draft picks

but the problem is we would use the picks to get a couple of 4'6 midget utilities and try to turn them into CHB - CHF.

Cheers

[sharpie]

Originally posted by Wazza
Really good point, if we were developing players and allowing them to play footbal rather than follow instructions, I wouldnt mind watching finishing in the bottom 4 for the sake of growth and to grab a couple of early draft picks

Neither would I, but only if that was the stated objective of the season. This is how 2003 started, and it was great watching the guys run around without worrying about the result, expecting them to finish well outside the 8. This was one of the reasons that made 2003 such an enjoyable season to watch, coz there was always this feeling that, hey, we may suddenly go in a massive heap and lose 5 games in a row, but it doesnt matter coz we are rebuilding.

The problem is now we have the expectations of success, so for this team with the talent that they seem to have, it is excrutiating to see them being so unsuccessful.

[Nico]

Originally posted by footyhead
To win a flag, the Swans need to become the Bloods again.

Here, here.

The real reason why the current group can't win a flag is because they are not good enough. Forget about theories and game plans, we just don't have enough talent and intelligent players.