Youngsters report card - part 2

[ScottH]

Part two of Brett Allison's assessment of the youngsters form in the pre-season.

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[ScottH]

Earl Shaw (three games)

He played in the ruck predominantly and that is his position so he is really stuck to the one area of the ground at the moment. He is competitive in that position, his ruck work is fine, but he certainly needs to improve his around the ground play, that is reading the play and getting into the right position to contest the footy as much as possible.

You could change Earl Shaw to Darren Jolly, and we wouldn't now the difference.

Good analysis on the rest of the kiddies.

[Sanecow]

Matthew Davis has completed about three weeks of training after suffering from osteitis pubis for about 2-3 years and we need him to complete every session for another month before playing.

Ahhh.

[ugg]

OP for 2-3 years. Holy smokes!

[liz]

So Schmidt still counts as a 'youngster' but Moore doesn't?

[stellation]

So Schmidt still counts as a 'youngster' but Moore doesn't?

I was wondering that myself. There is a chance that Schmit and Moore may duke it out for a final spot in the senior team so I was keen to see the notes on both.

[SimonH]

I just wanna take Brett Allison and shake his hand.

On a website that has precious little straight-talkin' footy information, and (like all official AFL club websites) a whole lot of corporate PR fluff, this is the straight gear.

Speculation about where the club thinks all of our youngsters are up to-- gone.
Speculation about where the hell DOK and Matt Davis are at if they're not on the injured list but not playing-- gone.
Ryan Brabazon and Kristin Thornton at the end of 2007, unless they step up significantly this year-- gone.

And nice to see him say that Jesse White has been "the most impressive of the four draftees this year". Sure, DOK being injured and big Currie being a fly-in part-timer meant the competition was down to him and Colombo; but it does go to show that draft pick numbers are just a meaningless stat, once you're at the club and playing footy.

My reading between the lines on significant others:
Ed Barlow: A pretty marginal AFL prospect. We mighta promoted him, but he's got a fair way to go to be a player.
Laidlaw: A keeper. He's gotta push himself that last 5% to actually press for selection, but he's got what it takes.
Jack: In with a fair chance to 'make it' as an eventual Crouch replacement, and a monty to get promoted in 2007 if a small goes down with a long-term injury.
Rowe: We could just have a diamond in the rough here. Has exceeded expectations, but will need to keep doing so.
Flipper and Schmidt: Now leaving the development coach's kennel, to be looked after by the grown-up coaches. Their time under the master is done. Just plug & play.
Simpkin: We reckon he's probably got the goods, but won't be considered to play a game until 2008 at earliest.

Swans playing one player down on their list (46 as against 47 last year), minus big HSC Currie for most games, minus Luke Brennan, Matt O'Dwyer and Smoky Davis for the first month or so, probably minus Heath Grundy for a week or two, minus the fringe players (senior 2nds players) who will be backfilling for senior players' injuries, plus a bunch of new kids still gelling as a team... all adds up to a weaker Swans seconds.

If one of the stronger Canberra clubs is ever going to knock us off, the first 4 or 5 rounds is the time for them to do it.