Who from Reserves will make it this year?

[Push The Limits]

Every team, no matter how successful or bad they have been, turn over players every year to freshen and challenge those in the team and to add another dimension to that team.

Swans have been very lucky over the last 2 years and their turn over in the seniors has been minimal. In fact I have been concerned that some of the players haven't been challenged enough.

Grundy, Moore, Phillips, Schmidt are 4 who come to mind that were given a few games but not enough to really find out if they have the goods.

There are a few who have been playing in the seniors who must be looking over their shoulders - Mathews, Dempster, Bevan, Doyle, Fosdike and even Schneider(disposal and fitness).

Laidlaw, Thornton and Brabazon are 3 from reserves who should get a go as they are hungry and talented young men and will put pressure on those I have mentioned. They have grown in size and bulk over the last year and have speed to burn and are very very good ball users. Laidlaw - wing, half back, Thornton, wing, half forward, Brabazon - wing, half back, half forward on the ball.

Grundy, Moore and Phillips should also get more game time this year.

My thoughts for what they are worth

[Layby]

Agree in general, i cant quite see why Roos is so keen on Phillips though. He just looks like an average player, with a very small build/frame for AFL footy. He is a bit taller and more versatile than Bevan, Moore etc but those others would/should be ahead of him IMHO

[liz]

Laidlaw should get a go. He seems to have most of the required attributes. The suggestion was a year ago that his endurance was a way off AFL standard - draft camp results seemed to indicate that - so whether he gets a chance some time soon probably depends largely on how quickly he's been able to improve in that area.

Thornton still looked pretty skinny, even at the end of last season, so for him it will depend on whether he's been able to add bulk / strength. He looks to be a clever player with decent disposal but nothing so extraordinary skill / pace wise that suggest he can command a senior spot if he doesn't add a bit of bulk.

I'm not sold on Brabazon (yet). He seems to do most things OK without having any stand-out attributes. Bevan is quicker, a better overhead mark and a better tackler, for example. It was only his first year so he's got time left to prove himself but I reckon he's a long way back in the queue - probably behind Simpkin as well as those who've already debuted.

Some of Phillips' work at reserves grade last season was exquisite. Though he's tiny, his overhead marking is pretty good, he knows where to position himself around goals and can get ball to boot very quickly. He does look, at the moment, to be exclusively a small crumbing forward though, and I was a bit confused by the way he seemed to be playing midfield in the few senior games he got last year. He had neither the bulk nor the confidence to make any impact there.

[AnnieH]

Barring serious injury (my blue-beads will protect them) ... who would you drop (other than Davo) so that these kids can make the team?

[swannieserin]

Spriggs was the obvious choice for me but alas that will not be ocurring.

Phillips and Schmidt really shine at ressies level. And I'm not sure Dempster would be "looking over his shoulder", he's played two AFL grand finals and from what I understand plays his role well, same deal with Fosdike. They might not be flashy but they do what they are told and thats highly regarded by Roos et al. It seems that sticking to a role is more highly regarded in ressies than being a standout player, so without knowing the directions from coaches, any guess is probably as good as the next.

[SimonH]

Originally posted by Annie Haddad
Barring serious injury (my blue-beads will protect them) ... who would you drop (other than Davo) so that these kids can make the team?

If you look at the history of most teams in most years, some of the dropees 'pick themselves' by just not playing well enough (e.g. Woewodin at the Woods in 2005, Super Ted in mid-2006). However, many more suffer niggling but not fatal injuries and struggle to come back from them to full form & fitness (e.g. Saddington, Rowan Warfe, the Schneider of 2004, Maxfield). If you look at how most mid-career players get dumped off club lists, it's this latter method. So it's not merely 'serious injury' but more minor injuries that will also do you in.

Everyone, except those who are guaranteed not to have to return through the 2nds on recovering from injury (a list comprising maybe 10 players), is potentially at risk.

Anyhoo, forgetting those who might go down and back on the original topic of those who are going up:
Phillips, Grundy, Moore are all ready for more gametime with the 1sts. The first 2 are still at varying stages of their development, but Moore (subject to fitness) would be an automatic selection for a lesser team.

Grundy could potentially be a very important player for the Swans in the future, and 2007 is the time for him to prove that he can take that step up; but I worry about how all of he, Doyle, Jolly and Spida could possibly play in the one team.

[dimelb]

Re: Who from Reserves will make it this year?

Originally posted by Push The Limits
There are a few who have been playing in the seniors who must be looking over their shoulders - ... Doyle, Fosdike and even Schneider(disposal and fitness).

Living up to your name aren't you?!
Moore I would pick ahead of a few that are in - I think only injury stopped him from being a regular last season.

[swans song]

I think Moore is likely to play seniors regulary this year.
The pre season will determine a lot. Brabazon is a clever player who was used mostly in defence last year and given an on ball role this year in reserves he will push for senior debut. Laidlaw has stamina queries as previously mentioned. Thornton is still young and looks like he will have another developing year.
It is going to be interesting how Roos and the coaching staff manage their future players. We have heaps of talent in the reserves and sometime soon the coaching staff are going to have to slowly blend the youngsters into the seniors so we don't end up like Brisbane

[reigning premier]

There are a few who have been playing in the seniors who must be looking over their shoulders - Mathews, Dempster, Bevan, Doyle, Fosdike and even Schneider(disposal and fitness).

Mathews is the only one of this list that needs to be worried....

Fosdike and Schneider are keys to our success and provide us with a lot of "little man" fire power... i.e. They are key "hard-ball-get" magicians.....

Bevan and Dempster have been unlucky and there's been no place for them....

Doyle will play every game in 07.

[AnnieH]

Originally posted by reigning premier
Doyle will play every game in 07.

Wanna bet?

[reigning premier]

Originally posted by Annie Haddad
Wanna bet?

LOL>.. OK.....

If he stays fit and available he will....

[Nico]

Strewth you lot must be related to Bevan.

He proved once and for all in 2006 that he is simply NO GOOD.

He is slow, can't kick, can't handball (dont think he has learned the skill yet), no skills, horrible reaction time, fumbles, unaccountable, looks lost on the field, gets the mandatory ping for holding the ball every game and frankly doesn't have a footy brain. He was brought up on rugby and still plays that way. Yes he can tackle but rarely gets close enough to an opponent to lay one. His stats are appalling - barely existent.

He was banished to the 2's in the second half of 2006, and that is where he will stay. He is probably close to no. 38 on the list.

[reigning premier]

Originally posted by Nico
Strewth you lot must be related to Bevan.

He proved once and for all in 2006 that he is simply NO GOOD.

He is slow, can't kick, can't handball (dont think he has learned the skill yet), no skills, horrible reaction time, fumbles, unaccountable, looks lost on the field, gets the mandatory ping for holding the ball every game and frankly doesn't have a footy brain. He was brought up on rugby and still plays that way. Yes he can tackle but rarely gets close enough to an opponent to lay one. His stats are appalling - barely existent.

He was banished to the 2's in the second half of 2006, and that is where he will stay. He is probably close to no. 38 on the list.

Hmmmm... You may be on to something there....

[Jeffers1984]

i'm keen to see Rowe step up even more this year. Hopefully he has bulked up this year to really dominate up forward.

[reigning premier]

i'm keen to see Rowe step up even more this year. Hopefully he has bulked up this year to really dominate up forward.

If she can get out of that dodgy channel 9 gig she'd be a walk up start for a fwd pocket......