But can we beat the Crows or Eagles?

[BigBadBarryNo1]

Lets be honest about ourselves and realise that we did play against Richmond rookies, and there is a tonne of improvement still to be made.

LRT still needs work on kicks and passes, Chambers still needs to know how to touch the ball, and we're still waiting for Davis to explode now he's back.

BIG question is.. can we improve enough to beat tough teams like the Crows or the Eagles?

I'm sure that all of us would be scratching our heads a little bit about facing what is becoming a very very hard and professional Adelaide outfit, and a very hungry-for-revenge Eagles.

The 4 weeks where we face Pies @ Telstra, Freo @SCG, Crows @ SCG, Eagles @ Subi will be a MASSIVE test for us, and we really need to be very ready. (After that it looks slightly less tougher though lol)

Pies game (ON MY BIRTHDAY!!) will be a good test for this.

Or will we rest on our laurels and have a few off weeks or two and get back to scrappy footy? If we do we're looking at probably a 20 goal kicking in OUR butts if we do..

But.. one game at a time

[Zlatorog]

We'll know this Saturday when they take on the Bulldogs.

[ROK Lobster]

Re: But can we beat the Crows or Eagles?

Originally posted by BigBadBarryNo1
LRT still needs work on kicks and passes

I think LRT's disposal has improved out of sight. It's his head that needs work (and in so many ways).

[TheHood]

Re: Re: But can we beat the Crows or Eagles?

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
I think LRT's disposal has improved out of sight. It's his head that needs work (and in so many ways).

Yeah, he goes through these indecisive moments when he has TOO MUCH space to work in. His skill level is adequate but his decisions suck.

I love LRT but he'd do himself and the team a big favour by taking the longer option AWAY from the danger areas inside 50. Mans gots to know his limitations. One thing he can learn from Leo is that Leo rarely takes the shortest kick.

A backman has to be keen to get the ball WAY out of the zone to advantage. When no one is running, no point in flat footed pressure handpassing.

As for the real issue, apart from fear, you have to be salivating at the prospect of the top teams clashing head on this year.

The Crows look so dangerous, their backmen are very very good one on one so this means our forwards have to work hard to keep the ball alive down there and often enough to kick a winning score. Playing the Crows is like playing in front of a mirror, they're the team I most admire outside of NSW.

The Eagles run like Springboks over a flat dessert plain. They have a midfield that can only be stopped with fanatcial pressure and an unconvential skill set, ie Monty. He doesn't do things the way they are meant to be done, you have to do that.

[Mel]

Watching our game on Saturday I thought we could beat anybody if we played like that. I was a wee bit caught up in the moment. Then I saw the Crows first quarter and my confidence wavered. I think we CAN beat them, but it will be a corker of a game.

I'm more convinced we can beat the Weagles though. I don't know what it is, but they just don't worry me as much as the Crows.

[hammo]

The only doubt over the Crows will be whether they can maintain the same intensity over 22 weeks and a finals series.

They deserve premiership favouritism becuase they are playing the brand of football that is proven to win premierships.

The Eagles look exactly the same as last year - very impressive right now but remember the wheels fell off in the second half of the season.

Like all midfields they will struggle when put under intense pressure (even Judd). Lets see how they go in Melbourne / Geelong on cold wet winter afternoons.

You'd have to think Sydney vs Crows grand final is a strong possibility. At this stage Crows look a bit ahead of us across the park but when Spriggs is given his chance to prove himself as a damaging ball winner then watch out.

[australian_made]

Originally posted by Mel
I'm more convinced we can beat the Weagles though. I don't know what it is, but they just don't worry me as much as the Crows.

Im with Mel here, Wet Toast just dont scare me like they used to.

I think when the Swans are playing well, with confidence, we can beat any team in the competition

[Pommie Swannie]

At the moment, the Eagles & Crows are the only teams that I fear we will struggle to beat (with the Bulldogs just outside that category - let's see how Saturday pans out!)

But let's not forget that should we lose to those 2 in the H&A season, it's not the end of the world. Finals footy is a totally different scenario.

Given how we went about things last year, finishing outside the top 4 should be only a minor inconvenience. Sydney have a proven ability to win finals games (albeit by the thinnest of margins at times! )

[msb]

I could of sworn we beat one of them in september last year....so yes we can beat the eagles. Crows will be a huge game both play a similiar style of footy but i think we can beat them. I think also collingwood at TS will be really tough to win.

[desredandwhite]

I think the question I'd like to ask is... Can THEY beat US?

[anne]

The team that played last Saturday would beat any team, anywhere. It is just a question of whether that team will turn up each week.

[Carolyn]

We had 40 shots at goal on Saturday. If we could get all of them in, then we'll be fine when the time comes.

[punter257]

Originally posted by desredandwhite
I think the question I'd like to ask is... Can THEY beat US?

damn right !

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by punter257
damn right !

Yeah, they probably can.

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by Sanecow
Yeah, they probably can.

can - yes
will - maybe