Match thread: Swans v Giants.

[crackedactor 01]

With McLEAN Hamling and Papley out next week maybe its time for Ladhams , Snell and Dattloi to be given a chance.

[imuninformedtwo]

Wasn’t quite as bad as the Gold Coast game but not great either. GWS were red hot in the second half and with most of our stars off, we had no real answer. Even Errol: got a lot of the ball and ran hard, but butchered it a fair bit.

Wanna give two ticks. Wicks continued his stellar season. What a move. And not sure about the criticism on here of Rampe. Toby Greene was nowhere near it.

There was one coaching move that had me puzzled. Sheldrick really won some great contests early on and was part of our drive from the contests but then appeared, at least watching on TV, to spend a lot of the game at half forward. Odd.

[UUaswan]

Wasn’t quite as bad as the Gold Coast game but not great either. GWS were red hot in the second half and with most of our stars off, we had no real answer. Even Errol: got a lot of the ball and ran hard, but butchered it a fair bit.

Wanna give two ticks. Wicks continued his stellar season. What a move. And not sure about the criticism on here of Rampe. Toby Greene was nowhere near it.

There was one coaching move that had me puzzled. Sheldrick really won some great contests early on and was part of our drive from the contests but then appeared, at least watching on TV, to spend a lot of the game at half forward. Odd.

Ramps is a Star, my only thing with him is that next year he is 36 and history doesn't toll well for him. If he had the Boak treatment maybe but like you say, he is playing on Toby bloody Greene at 35, madness.

Odd is not having talls down the line, we can bag guys for short kicks and missed targets but there isn't a bail out option long down the line.

Warner bombs long more than anyone, looked great last year as we had 3 guys down the line that weren't going to get out marked.

[lwjoyner]

agree re Francis, hamling adn maybe lloyed first 2 delisted by essendon and Freo, Francis seems to have the ideal size but lacks footy smarts. LLoyd is close , and maybe cuningham and amarty if we can get Ugle hagan from bulldogs whose marking and kicking is more consistent than Amarties. Adams is a ? mark and maybe mitchel for delisting and Ramps for retirement. Sheldrake is also not a certainty lacks something maybe size aand cleary must also be close as we have at least 3 academy players to come. We have to upgrade Buller and play Datoli and Snell in the next 4 games to assess their worth.
We definitely need a tall backman to support Blakey ,Melicn and Tom Mc who may also be a problem with his problems. Intersting times ahead
Maybe the coach is also a ? mark. Twice this year we have succumed to a second half breakdown. What happens at half time, we have looked the goods against the Suns and the giants yeaterday until half time.

[UUaswan]

The need to access the fwd line is more about how he wants to operate it, might be worth moving guys on if they are surplus.

I'd happily play, Mclean, Amartey and Logan alongside each other, im not sure Cox wants to play 3 talls. Plus we have Green and Ladhams.

Our best footy in the last 3 yrs has been with 3 tall fwds.

Hayward is polarising for some as he is seen as all or nothing. Reality is, when he plays good he is beating guys he shouldn't have to as we dont have the support around him.

He should be marking on a lead or crumbing, not having to wrestle multiple defenders bigger than him

[UUaswan]

How the plan at the start of the year, after 3 months of pre season and gathering of great football minds, was to play Tom MC fwd is still staggering.

Kind of scary to think what these guys could come up with at the trade table or over next pre season.

Football manager or BoD or someone needs to drag them into a room and give them all a spray for putting Gulden back on the ground with 5 mins to go and a strapped knee

[MattW]

Disappointing end to the season, aspirationally.

Really, a terrible year for injuries, particularly hitting our talls. We're a different team if Amartey, McDonald and McCartin are fit. Even losing McLean and Hamling last night, who have both been going ok as understudies in big roles. I noticed in the coverage last night that Papley has only kicked 4 goals total for the year. Mills needs a huge preseason.

It'll be interesting to see how the year plays out, selection wise. I'd like to see Dattoli get some games. Also, Fox being reintegrated back into the team, and maybe a couple of late games for Logan. I also wouldn't mind seeing Cleary get another run at it, with some pressure off, after hitting some form in the reserves.

Pretty flat that the season has slipped. There isn't a team I wouldn't support in a grand final against the Giants.

[UUaswan]

Rowy has collected above 25 disposals 3x in 135 games.... might be time to change his role too

I dont think its beyond him to be a good mid he just isnt being allowed to chase it

[BFG]

In many ways it's good the finals nonsense is finally dead. Now to use the rest of the year as the start of the 2026 season. Drifting down the ladder would be good for the upcoming drafts.

If players need to go for surgeries, get them done.

Time to give Cleary a good run as an inside mid, it's what he is and ressie watchers say he's firing. Dattoli needs to come in to see what he's got at senior level. The Essendon game this week against a heap of young players is an ideal time for them to come in.

All thinking on 2026 please.

[dejavoodoo44]

In many ways it's good the finals nonsense is finally dead. Now to use the rest of the year as the start of the 2026 season. Drifting down the ladder would be good for the upcoming drafts.

If players need to go for surgeries, get them done.

Time to give Cleary a good run as an inside mid, it's what he is and ressie watchers say he's firing. Dattoli needs to come in to see what he's got at senior level. The Essendon game this week against a heap of young players is an ideal time for them to come in.

All thinking on 2026 please.

On Dattoli, while watching him in the VFL, I'm increasingly confident when the ball goes in his direction. He seems to win almost all of his contests. So, I'm also keen to see how he goes in the AFL. And I've always been keen on Cleary as an inside mid.

[Dow]

On Dattoli, while watching him in the VFL, I'm increasingly confident when the ball goes in his direction. He seems to win almost all of his contests. So, I'm also keen to see how he goes in the AFL. And I've always been keen on Cleary as an inside mid.

Get a fitness base into him, I think they give him a run now for experience, his ability to win his own ball while be creative is something we need. Dattoli would be a good upgrade on Braeden Campbell (next season) who gives us very little at the moment

I would move Cleary in for Sheldrick and see what that looks like

[UUaswan]

Get a fitness base beyond him, I think they give him a run now for experience, his ability to win his own ball while be creative is something we need. Dattoli would be a good upgrade on Braeden Campbell (next season) who gives us very little at the moment

I would move Cleary in for Sheldrick and see what that looks like

or maybe Braeden gets to play as a ball chasing mid instead of playing in 5 minds like he is asked to atm

[stevoswan]

Maybe the coach is also a ? mark. Twice this year we have succumed to a second half breakdown. What happens at half time, we have looked the goods against the Suns and the giants yeaterday until half time.

Yeah, we definitely need to sack Cox. FFS, he's in his first year as a senior coach. I don't think we need to go down this negative path.....might be wise to cool the jets and give him a chance to learn and get better, which I'm confident he will.

[MattW]

On Dattoli, while watching him in the VFL, I'm increasingly confident when the ball goes in his direction. He seems to win almost all of his contests. So, I'm also keen to see how he goes in the AFL. And I've always been keen on Cleary as an inside mid.

Cleary seemed to lose confidence in the firsts. He looks to be building it up week on week in the reserves.

[stevoswan]

This season was always a bit of a write off with the injuries we've had but it was good to see we could still play some fine footy once we had some talent back....however we've never once been at full strength this year.

II agree we need to mix up selection a bit for the remainder of the season, be wise in the off season with recruitment and definitely look into why we had so many injuries (I'm tipping a maybe too brutal pre season had something to do with it) but overall, I don't think everything is as 'doom and gloom' as some on here are declaring.

A bad loss can be hard for some fans to bear and it seems scapegoats need to be found.....but I'll bet on the calmer heads at the club to get things right.