Reserves Score - Round 8

[stellation]

Originally posted by Charlie
Easy. 'Merge' with the NSW AFL. Surely it's in the best interests of the game in NSW to have the best half a dozen kids playing in the second best competition in Australia regularly. I don't care how they do it, but one way or another, there simply must be a recognition by the various interested parties that Sydney needs this to happen.

Taking half a dozen of (what you would assume would have to be) the best kids out of the Sydney AFL is the best thing for the game in NSW?

[liz]

One would have to presume the the best kids in southern NSW are already playing for the Swans as top up players. Certainly most of the rookies taken as NSW priority picks by the Swans have played a handful of games for the team the previous year - certainly Shaw, Hayes, Potter and Clarke did.

The cost will be prohibitive if it is the Swans doing it on its own. They would need the AFL to accept that it is a major issue and be prepared to help fund the exercise, as well as put pressure on the VFL to allow the Swans to enter a new team in the competition (which wouldn't be easy).

The thing is, despite the one-sided nature of the reserves results, there isn't overwhelming evidence that it is holding back the development of our younger players. Moore, Dempster and Malceski have all come into the team this year and have made decent contributions first up and haven't looked out of place.

Bevan burst into the team after spending a year playing in the Canberra AFL and took out a top 5 spot in the Rising Star award. His struggles this year can hardly be put down to the quality of the reserves comp given that he's been playing senior football until this weekend.

Schneider has been yo-yo'ing between the two teams but confidence in his hamstrings and less than perfect physical preparation could be the reason. There are many young players who regularly burn it up at VFL level yet don't make much of an impact in the AFL in their first few games.

[Foreign Legion]

Originally posted by midaro
Crisis!

Forget the seniors, this is the single biggest issue facing the Swans.
It has the potential to destroy our development in perpetuity.

I want to know what the club plans to do about this NOW.

Well Midaro when developing players start complaining that they are going backwards then it will be a crisis!

Why would you want to come to the Swans and try to learn in this crappy comp? Much better chance to learn in the VFL.

[Mark]

Originally posted by Charlie
Easy. 'Merge' with the NSW AFL. Surely it's in the best interests of the game in NSW to have the best half a dozen kids playing in the second best competition in Australia regularly. I don't care how they do it, but one way or another, there simply must be a recognition by the various interested parties that Sydney needs this to happen.

I think we have to accept that cost can't be prohibitive. The cost of not having a viable reserves program far outweighs any monetary cost, if that cost is a chance at a premiership.

Spot on !

False economy

It is not the Swans job to increase the level of either the Sydney or ACT comps, sure we will benefit from it if it happens but it is the "Swans job" to win premierships.

[stellation]

Originally posted by Mark
Spot on !

False economy

It is not the Swans job to increase the level of either the Sydney or ACT comps, sure we will benefit from it if it happens but it is the "Swans job" to win premierships.

But increasing the level of either the Sydney or ACT comps IS the job of "potential merger partners" the NSW/ACT AFL.

[Schneiderman]

These results are in fact a very good thing for the long-term future of both the NSW and ACT FLs. Only when a half-decent team like the Swans regularly smash local second-tier sides will the AFL sit up and notice what Roos told them recently: there is now junior competition in this state at all.

Once the AFL start to pump dollars into the juniors (ie post-AusKick) and then into the local leagues, will this state start to reap the rewards.

I agree the short-term solution would be to merge the NSW and ACT leagues, with obvious funding for transport and adequate accomodation of crowds the first funding priority. If they are willing to pump $2.5mil into a sports ground out west in the vague hope that one day you might have a second Sydney team, surely they can pump a few hundred thousand into support the local leagues and schools in an effort to get a robust long-term competition going.

I think we should also be carful not to dump the current system simply because we are having a good year. I recall going to a couple of reserves games at the SCG last year only to watch us get pummelled (Queenbeayan and Belconnen from memory).

The ideal solution is to have our own league to play our reserves in locally, and it to be as strong as any around the country. Lets have a long-term plan to do just that.

[wedge.maverick]

Originally posted by adnar
I think the players have their own teams in the QFL. like WA and SA players.

Brisbane's reserves side is the Suncoast Lions and competes as a stand alone side in the QFL.They use the QFL Under 18s as top ups.What about the Swans having a side in the Ovens and Murray? Most of the players that have gone from the O&M to Canberra have been stars in that comp and in some cases were average players here.The standard of the O&M has dropped a bit recently and I believe this would be a win-win for both parties.North Melbourne made a half hearted attempt at basing a side here and the region would get behind the Swans.

[Mark]

Originally posted by stellation
But increasing the level of either the Sydney or ACT comps IS the job of "potential merger partners" the NSW/ACT AFL.

Absolutely, however i very much doubt they would baulk at the opportunity of a well funded "premier side" playing in the VFL

Bottom line (for me) is youngsters must learn to play against big bodied players, who are match hardened and very competetive. That is the only way to learn any sport, not just AFL.

Surely you would agree with that ?

[smasher]

It is a bit of a joke isn't it.I hope these young Swans don't get a mind set that you win all the time.
As for young Moore,he must have calluses on his hands for touching the ball so much since his return from the seniors.I hope we don't lose any of these young up and coming players to other clubs but surely there will be temptation when contracts run out and I have no doubt other clubs are watching with interest.I think a first year player is contracted for two years so we have some untouchables at this stage.Each player (except Spriggsie)ie Vogels,moore and Malceski have performed admirably in their limited senior appearances.
Our future looks good.

[j s]

Originally posted by Charlie
I think I know where the dodgy game plan comes from. The ressies are so bored that they pass it to and fro to see if all 18 can touch it on the one attack... and Roosy sees the scores each week and thinks it works.

Sorry Charlie but you are wrong - adept use of the interchange ensures that all 22 players can get involved in each attacking play.

[ScottH]

Originally posted by j s
Sorry Charlie but you are wrong - adept use of the interchange ensures that all 22 players can get involved in each attacking play.

And the runners lay a shepherd or two!!!

[j s]

Originally posted by ScottH
And the runners lay a shepherd or two!!!

ScottH, shame on you! We are NOT Essendon!

[liz]

The report on the Swans' website shows that the win was even more "impressive" in that it was achieved with a squad of just 19 men and with two players sitting out the final term!

http://sydneyswans.com.au/default.asp?pg=insidetheclub&spg=reserves

[Nico]

Mathew Davis. I have noticed he has been in the best a couple of times lately. Any scoops on him?

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by Nico
Mathew Davis. I have noticed he has been in the best a couple of times lately. Any scoops on him?

No scoops, just what I've seen. Tall, slenmder, one-grab player, very reminiscent of a young Rhys-Jones (in the "time" he seemed to have with the ball thing, not the puching everyone you can reach thing).
He has improved, particularly in the last month, from last year.