Rd whatever v Cats

[UUaswan]

Depends where you’re reading. Some sites are more balanced than others

The main consensus for a month has been whether or not the game plan will stand up against good opponents

We had 2 average teams quell the game plan and nearly beat us, only a matter of time before a good side would destroy it.

Add to that the elephant in the room about us and big games in general, its easy to see the negativity about our season, even with all the wins.
Too many have seen this play out before

Play 2 Rucks, play 3 tall fwds, put your guns in the middle, tag off the back flank.

Thanks God for Tom Mc and Edwards, it would have been a lot worse if not for them

[BRS328]

Pretty ordinary 2nd quarter sadly. Some really dumb decision making from a few of our players is certainly not helping our cause. That late goal just keeps us in touch, but fear we could get really blown away if they get an early run on in the 3rd.

Our forward structure has gone to crap today sadly - not helped by Rosas going off with that ankle.

And I love Rowy - but he is not a forward in any sense of the word. If he is going to be playing primarily up there in that role, he should be dropped to the VFL.

You need to understand the role Rowy played. Stewart has been destroying teams with his intercept marking and run out of defence. Rowy did an excellent job on him and it was not his fault that the team lost.

If you want to point the finger at someone have a close look at Chad Warner

[UUaswan]

You need to understand the role Rowy played. Stewart has been destroying teams with his intercept marking and run out of defence. Rowy did an excellent job on him and it was not his fault that the team lost.

If you want to point the finger at someone have a close look at Chad Warner

Play 3 talls and Stewart has his hands full
Play Chad and Rowy in the middle and the mids are half a chance

Only team in the 8 that has a gimmick, handball fast game, no other side is as predictable as us.
Geelong just admitted to rotating guys thru Grundy to tire him out, blind freddy can see the vulnerability yet we still run him into the ground.
Look at the last few weeks, teams are letting Blakey run riot knowing he will put it in the corridor and due to some @@@@house game plan the bloke marking it will handball to someone under pressure

12 months ago, the hottest midfield property was Warner, now we come up against Bailey Smith and he attends 2.5x the Centre Bounces as Warner does. 25yrs old, 100% midfield time.

Rowy 150th was all about his sacrifice to make others better, he was the defensive mid that let others run, 5 @@@@ing centre bounce attendances

[SwanSand]

We have been ordinary for many weeks.
class is there, grunt is lacking. Story of the Swans over this decade.
Rowy is a tackler who hasn’t got the other game in him. He did a good job quelling the influence but otherwise not enough.
Chad is just making too many wrong decisions when he gets the ball which he doesn’t get enough of. Not sure what his position is in the squad, He has been poor most games this year.
Sheldrick needs to work harder too. Reminds me of Florent. Can he go to the next level or get stuck as Florent.

[Foreign Legion]

Missing the point, play a 2nd ruck for the bloke not 1 out 1 in. Every other AFL coach does it yet Cox and Co are seeing something different. How many @@@@ing times, long down the line to nothing because we dont have enough talls.

Curnow was awesome up the ground, all our fwds need to run up at the ball and not wrestle.

Treacey best rated fwd in the comp, doesn't wrestle at all, gets on his bike and jumps at it

Rowy on Stewart would have to be the dumbest @@@@ I've ever seen. Rowy is under the ruckman or in the 2s, he doesn't have another feather in his cap

Yes you are probably right about the two ruckmen. Either way, Grundy needs a week off - I know there is a bye approaching so that will help. Maybe bring in Ladhams and McLean if the weather forecast is dry?

EDIT just checked a day game which is good for no dew etc but rain is forecast lol. I think of Amartey, McDonald and McLean that Mclean is the best ruckman. I don't think McDonald is any good for anything but an emergency ruck.

[mcs]

It’s hard to play 2 genuine rucks with 3 tall forwards x pretty top heavy

Multiple other clubs are effectively doing just that however. Maybe not quite as top heavy as us (i.e. with a medium to medium tall in there as their third tall) - but still are doing so.

[mcs]

You need to understand the role Rowy played. Stewart has been destroying teams with his intercept marking and run out of defence. Rowy did an excellent job on him and it was not his fault that the team lost.

If you want to point the finger at someone have a close look at Chad Warner

I'm not pointing the finger at Rowy - at all. But he has been played all over the place all season, and his output is dreadful as a result. He did an okay job yesterday, but just that. He offers ZERO forward presence - he might stop someone going the other way, but he isn't going to hurt you if he gets a chance at goal too often. He did well against Stewart early, but then Stewart just took him deep when Amartey/Curnow/McDonald were getting up the field, and our forward line structure fell apart as a result.

If all he can do in game 150 is effectively a defensive forward tagging job, then it suggests we don't really know how to best use him, or what his best role is in the team. I love the bloke, but he is fading at the moment and a shadow of his best.

[Foreign Legion]

Multiple other clubs are effectively doing just that however. Maybe not quite as top heavy as us (i.e. with a medium to medium tall in there as their third tall) - but still are doing so.

LOL the irony is if we still had Hayward one of those three probably wouldnt play. I really think Phillipou should be given a chance he has an X factor about him. The right week to try it. Not sure he has earned it but I see something in him.

[The Big Cat]

I think that everyone would agree that the team we put on the park yesterday is not a premiership team with the likes of Cleary and Hanily included. We know we have Gulden, Campbell, Rampe and Roberts to return to make up our best 23 AT THIS STAGE,

While it's admirable that Cox says blokes who play well in the twos should be rewarded, I think that a line should be drawn through those names who do perform well but will never be part of out next flag. i.e. Blokes like Hanity and Cleary. There are always players who excel at the lower level but can't reproduce that at AFL level. James Bell was a case in point who would star in the Magoos but always disappointed on the big stage.

If I was Cox, I would be identifying those who have a bit of class and that something special who might blossom with the skills of the better players around them. Here I'm thinking of of Dattoli, Kyle, maybe even Snell.

[Foreign Legion]

I agree Big Cat. Snell has been very good lately but hard to see him getting in right now. I hope he plays on next year as I suspect Rampe may retire and he would slot in well.

Dattoli just seems a little 'muted' to me compared to last year maybe injured? Kyle will be a player down the track. And yes, the James Bell comparison is a good one!

[UUaswan]

Certainly not backing Hannily as a star but first game in 12 months, playing a @@@@ handball under pressure game

Young blokes need talls down the line to bail out long