Ben Mathews=Trade Bait

[elroy67]

I'm a little disturbed by this thread.

Ben Matthews has been and continues to be an excellent servant of the club. It was not that many years ago that he would have been consistently among our highest possession winner. This talk of trading him is nothing short of ridiculous

The idea of loyalty between player and club is, in my opinion, one of the main reasons that families follow footy clubs for generations. It sets footy apart from all other codes in that respect, most notably rugby league and the world game. It even encourages clubs to retain thier champions through specific salary cap rules.

Ben Matthews at worst would be an excellent mentor for the kids in the reserves, even though I feel his experience certainly has a place in the seniors should his form warrant it.

[Legs Akimbo]

Originally posted by elroy67
I'm a little disturbed by this thread.

Ben Matthews has been and continues to be an excellent servant of the club. It was not that many years ago that he would have been consistently among our highest possession winner. This talk of trading him is nothing short of ridiculous

The idea of loyalty between player and club is, in my opinion, one of the main reasons that families follow footy clubs for generations. It sets footy apart from all other codes in that respect, most notably rugby league and the world game. It even encourages clubs to retain thier champions through specific salary cap rules.

Ben Matthews at worst would be an excellent mentor for the kids in the reserves, even though I feel his experience certainly has a place in the seniors should his form warrant it.

Leroy76, your last five words are the most telling.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by Legs Akimbo
Leroy76, your last five words are the most telling.

I thought axactly the same thing LA.

[elroy67]

Originally posted by Legs Akimbo
Leroy76, your last five words are the most telling.

AL,

I am the first to agree that we should only pick players on form, but that is a different matter entirely to the general tone of this thread.

[wheels27]

I love to bag Mathews (and I do), but in reality, as mentioned here, loyalty to the core playing group has been the key to our success.

Obviously Ben is not as skilled as most others in the team, but he obviously must make up for that in usefulness to the attitude of the team, maybe even because of that. He would be one player who has to be at his absolute best every week, or he gets found out, this would set a pretty good example for younger guys I would have thought....

Probably similar to what Kel did during his captaincy, started out as one of the least skilled at the club but hard work got him a brownlow, just as hard work has got Mathews a premiership.

He will never be a champion, but is a swan through and through, so I guess that puts me in the 'against trading him' category......








plus I need someone to yell at every week

[RogueSwan]

Originally posted by wheels27
Obviously Ben is not as skilled as most others in the team, but he obviously must make up for that in usefulness to the attitude of the team, maybe even because of that. He would be one player who has to be at his absolute best every week, or he gets found out, this would set a pretty good example for younger guys I would have thought....

That is a very good point. If that is the way it is, let him play (once his hammy is okay).

[Ruck'n'Roll]

We could definitely have used Ben Matthews against Robbins or Johnson this week!

[NMWBloods]

Both would have beaten Mathews as they would outmark him.

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Both would have beaten Mathews

Of course they would, Bloods. Mathews plays for the Swans.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Sanecow
Of course they would, Bloods. Mathews plays for the Swans.

Mathews is hardly renowned for his prowess in the air.

[liz]

Originally posted by Ruckman
We could definitely have used Ben Matthews against Robbins or Johnson this week!

Nah - he doesn't have the pace to go with either of them.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by liz
Nah - he doesn't have the pace to go with either of them.

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Mathews is hardly renowned for his prowess in the air.

Both fair criticisms (although he's certainly better than Crouch above his head) his limitations are noted, regardless of them he has been an excellent "Plan B" for the Swans ~ he has shown the ability to move onto and shut down an opponent that was firing.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Ruckman
he has been an excellent "Plan B" for the Swans ~ he has shown the ability to move onto and shut down an opponent that was firing.

Yes, I think he's generally done a fine job at negating ground players. However, I think we need more.

[Go Swannies]

Over at the Swans website you'll find this:

"Meanwhile, Ben Mathews is due to return from a hamstring injury for Saturday night's game with Hawthorn at the MCG and the dilemma will be who to drop.

Roos joked that Mathews was hovering around the recovery session at North Bondi on Sunday morning so 'I think he is pretty keen'.

"Benny is a quality player and he has been in our top five or six in the best and fairest for the last 7-8 years so he is clearly one of our better players and we will have to find a spot for him if he is fit," he added.

"We have to see how Craig Bolton (hamstring) and Luke Ablett (bruised knee) pull up. I think they are both going to be ok but it is a long week and you have to get through the week.

"But certainly Benny is an important player for us and we will have to find a spot for him and if everyone is fit then it is going to be somebody unlucky to miss out.

[Ryan Bomford]

Originally posted by Ruck'n'Roll
he has shown the ability to move onto and shut down an opponent that was firing.

I like that: Benny - The Cooler'