Changes for Round 13

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by liz
My thought exactly. I don't recall seeing him out there a single time. Did he touch the ball.

He gave it straight to Collingwood at least three times.

To add to those who need a kick up the backside, I'd put Davis on the list. I haven't been a Davis-knocker in the past but some of his second efforts in the forward line tonight were dreadful.

He looked disinterested tonight. Still, if you were constantly ignored I think that could happen.

If he's fit enough to play in midfield I'd give him a run there. Otherwise - and I know it won't happen - a week alongside Grundy and Prior would give him time to reflect on things.

Would be a complete waste of time.

[swans_premiers]

If doyle is fit he must come in, and vogels for richards, malceski for mathews.

[SimonH]

Well, here it is. Confirmation that there'll be a shake-up. If there are (say) 3 unforced changes (and any less than that wouldn't really qualify as a shake-up), that would be the largest number at Sydney for some considerable time (perhaps ever under Roos?).

Some thoughts on how it might happen:

1. Malceski (deservedly) has huge wraps from the coaching staff, and so presumably will be picked straight away when fit. If he doesn't come up fit, there should still be one young midfielder who gets a go, and Schmidt would have to be #1 in the queue. McVeigh is objectively most likely to be the victim, but (ignoring Mathews, which is fantasy-land stuff as he's part of the leadership group) L. Ablett would be the more appropriate dropee on form. (I feel for Luke because he always puts in 100%, has improved further than most people thought possible in the last 5 years, and is as hard on himself as anyone else is on him; but it's hard to shake the feeling that he doesn't have what it takes to be a 150-gamer.)

2. The club would not allow/organise this story to be published if it wasn't seriously looking at playing Vogels. And in the badly-out-of-sorts Richards, there's a ready victim for him.

3. A fit Doyle (or even an 85% fit Doyle) is clearly a better ruckman than Chambers; the only things stopping this swap being made would be if the club decides for political reasons it wants to stick with Chambers, or doesn't believe Doyle is truly fit yet.

4. *Warning: sacrilege talk follows*.
The fact that Roos:
a) talks about players who aren't able to pull their weight because of injury, and
b) is talking up in-and-under small players like Bevan and Moore
means that Jared Crouch's record-breaking run may be broken not by unavailability through injury (or his career ending), but by being dropped.

[ugg]

In the post match interview, Roos singled out McVeigh as one who played well (in relation to his role) so I doubt very much he would be dropped.

Vogels for Richards seems to be the logical choice for me.

The players struggling for fitness would include Crouch, Mathews, Williams, Hall, O'Loughlin

[Young Blood]

"We haven't got a lot of players who are able to get out and train and I don't know if that is hurting us. There are probably five or six of our more important players, some are gradually getting back to it and others are maybe going backwards a little bit, so it is a balancing act. I think it is time for changes ... at some point you have to balance how much is the lack of game time ? hurting as well.

So who is it that's struggling to train who's going to be dropped/rested? I don't think he's referring to Chambers or Richards. Dare we think it might be Mathews?

Probably not Crouch this week, given Freo have Farmer and Medhurst.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by SimonH
Well, here it is. Confirmation that there'll be a shake-up.

The only time I'll take anything as confirmation of a shake-up is on Thursday night when I see the line-up for the game against Freo, until then, I'm not getting my hopes up. The same thing was said after the game against St Kilda and what changed? Mathews came in, and was absolutely useless.

Personally, I feel insulted by Roos coming out and saying changes were afoot and nothing being done - if you come out and say changes will be made, make them, or don't say anything.

As for the changes, take your pick out of any of Mathews, Crouch, Richards, Chambers to go.

The fact is, we have to get our untried players in - its not good for their morale, development or our club's future if we don't. If some put their hands up to see I want opportunities elsewhere, at least if they've been seen, you might be able to get something (admittedly not much) in a trade - if they haven't played a senior game, nobody will give up something on virtually sight-unseen.

[floppinab]

Originally posted by Mike_B
The only time I'll take anything as confirmation of a shake-up is on Thursday night when I see the line-up for the game against Freo, until then, I'm not getting my hopes up. The same thing was said after the game against St Kilda and what changed? Mathews came in, and was absolutely useless.

Personally, I feel insulted by Roos coming out and saying changes were afoot and nothing being done - if you come out and say changes will be made, make them, or don't say anything.

Amen to that. After Roos comments after St. Kilda you would've thought something would've been done but I bet at the selection table during last week they all talked themselves into 1 more week of the same team.

I think we've fallen for a trap in thinking we could stick with the same team and setup as last year and everything would be apples. We were certainly not a good enough team last year to get away with that and the changes that have been made (Chambers and Richards) are crap.

Now of course we find ourselves in the situation were we risk sending out lambs against lions in the next few weeks (Freo, Adel, WC) where we should've been blooding the players six weeks ago. It's a going to be a big risk sending out 2,3 or 4 blokes that haven't played senior footy in 12 months +/ever. Easy to say in hindsight of course. Win lose or draw it's going to be an interesting few weeks. I hope Freo put up a good fight next week. I'd hate them to come over and play crap with us winning by 5 goal +. That would just give us the impression we'd turned the corner.

[liz]

If Mathews wasn't fit and couldn't train, it was criminal to bring him back into the team. It's one thing to persuade yourself not to tinker with the existing team, quite another to rush a player back in before he's ready.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by floppinab
I think we've fallen for a trap in thinking we could stick with the same team and setup as last year and everything would be apples. We were certainly not a good enough team last year to get away with that and the changes that have been made (Chambers and Richards) are crap.

Now of course we find ourselves in the situation were we risk sending out lambs against lions in the next few weeks (Freo, Adel, WC) where we should've been blooding the players six weeks ago. It's a going to be a big risk sending out 2,3 or 4 blokes that haven't played senior footy in 12 months +/ever. Easy to say in hindsight of course.

This is the big problem of not playing some younger players - the assumption that lack of injury and good form were going to keep ourside intact throughout the season like last year.

I think this is poor coaching and I'll believe what Roos says when he actually backs it up. Last week he must have had a very blunt axe!!

[Wardy]

It was interesting to hear Wayne Schwass on MMM - he said "people will shoot me for saying it but..." He figures that Crouch has played so many consecutive games that at some point his form would have to drop, and that is what we are seeing now. So I totally agree with him.

Now Roos got up on Sportsworld and said that he thinks its time to put some youngsters into the line up - I will believe it when I see it - but as I said in a previous thread:-

GIVE VOGES A GO
GIVE WILLOUGHBY A GO
GIVE SCHMIDT A GO

SEND MATTHEWS TO THE WRONG GROUND

DROP TO RESERVES AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO HAVE A GOOD HARD THINK ABOUT THINGS - =CROUCH, LEO, CHAMBERS, RICHARDS

[Nico]

Send Mathews to the wrong ground and tell him to keep on walking.

[Bas]

The only change you'll see this week is the venue.

[hammo]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
This is the big problem of not playing some younger players - the assumption that lack of injury and good form were going to keep ourside intact throughout the season like last year.

I think this is poor coaching and I'll believe what Roos says when he actually backs it up. Last week he must have had a very blunt axe!!

I couldn't agree with you more. Roos has never made more than one or two forced changes and none have been what I would call brave.

I am quite angry that team performance is suffering because 11 guys can't train, yet younger guys can't get a start. This sends absolutely the wrong message to youngsters trying to force their way into the side.

Reading between the lines, I'd say Mathews, Williams and hopefully Crouch (who clearly is not fit) will miss next week allowing for Schmidt, Moore and Dempster to come in.

I also hope to see Doyle for Chambers and Vogels for Richards.

But I will put my house (if I had one) on the fact Roos will not make 6 changes.

[Jeffers1984]

Doyle is still getting his feet back as it was only his first game back. Although a half fit Doyle is much better than the man we correctly call "Torture".

Earl Shaw is the man to make his debut next week.

[swan_song]

Here are some post traumatic-loss syndrome ramblings...
While Nick and Leo have plenty of cred points in the bag to use up, there comes a time when some others from last year's premiership team must make way for some new blood. Last night, to me, the Swannies looked slow, almost disinterested at times, hands on hips, heads down...and that's three shockers in a row now! But not as bad as being beaten by the drunks in the wet. Still when your team only kicks 2 goals in a half of football, you might as well be watching the soccer. And how many times in the past few years have we gone goalless in a quarter -- too many...
Others may disagree but I could hardly tell that Willo, Mathews, and a few others bothered to turn up last night. Others like Crouchie, Fossie just had shockers. And no matter what the press says, though Magic did some good things when moved up the ground, I thought his kicking and confidence were well down. Return him to the wing or half forward? Or maybe he needs a week or two off.
I believe that Sheedy reckons that a team has to turn over three or four players each season to maintain enthusiasm. We didn't do anything except pick up a couple more real duds in Chambers and Richards at the end of last year.
I'm philosophical though, I knew that this year would be a huge let down after 2005, but Id have hoped the players would still hanker for the glory. I've seen us win one premiership at least, and thats something many Swannie supporters have never done!