Mathews is a liability

[sharp9]

I notice that the first line is "out of form Sydney players..." so you would think from that that Schmidt and Laidlaw won't be dropped seeing as they are in form.

As for Benny, Bevo and Macca..the problem is not that they are out of form...they always play like this (well this year anyway) so, I guess they won't be dropped either. Jude and Nog had shockers on the weekend, and Dempster wasn't far behind - so there's choppage there.

Add to that Melcho, B2 and Leo have been down on thier best recently so it could be just about anyone.

Actually my former love-child (Bucky) is a fantastic player who is terribly out of form....could be seconds for him.

Benny, Bevo and Macca will play - you read it here.

[Swansinger]

Benny has plenty of courage. The problem is , he doesn't have a real 'footballer's brain'.

[reigning premier]

My faith in Benny has been rewarded.....

He did a pretty good job curbing Bell yesterday. Thought he was going to kick a goal in the third just to ice the cake but in typical Swans style, kicked like a bastard!

[Nico]

Yep fair enough.

Gee you give up easy.

[reigning premier]

Nah.. We have an understanding...

Mathews' position is under review on a weekly basis. We accept he's no star player, but this year, thus far, he has done what has been required of him more often than not. And whilst he continues to deliver, we continue to letr him in!

Besides, there's a few players in front of him in the "should be dropped" list

[Plugger46]

Gee you give up easy.

Disagreed with his earlier statements but not the last one. Simple as that Nico.

I'm not a Benny fan as you well know, but I think he's having a better season.

[Triple B]

I reckon Benny can really play a great shutdown role on players who are not quick, or if not necessarily slow, not really explosive.

Great job on Bell on the weekend. Super job on Luke Power earlier in the year. For the life of me I can't remember the Hawthorn game, but I'd be real happy for him to be trying to nullify Mitchell, or Harris for the Kangas etc. Going back a few years here, but I remember him playing probably his finest ever game in Red and White on Brett Ratten when Carlton were near their peak.

This week he could find himself on Simpson or Carrazzo. Murphy maybe a little too nimble for him but not out of the question.

BUT, and it's a big BUT, if he has no logical matchup, he should be left out. Against the Eagles, forget it, Judd and Kerr and company will just carve him to pieces, again. This is where I'd leave him out and try somebody else.

Of course, I'm being delusional and none of this will happen.

[liz]

This week he could find himself on Simpson or Carrazzo. Murphy maybe a little too nimble for him but not out of the question.

BUT, and it's a big BUT, if he has no logical matchup, he should be left out. Against the Eagles, forget it, Judd and Kerr and company will just carve him to pieces, again. This is where I'd leave him out and try somebody else.

Of course, I'm being delusional and none of this will happen.

Maybe Heath Scotland this week?

Against the Wiggles there are some players who can be damaging that he could be effective against - the likes of Fletcher (if he plays) or maybe even Priddis. But then it comes down to the age old question of how many midfielders can a team tag, given that the likes of Judd and Kerr are obviously top priority. If someone is just in the team to tag out a third stringer from the opposition it becomes a bit pointless.

On the other hand, he could just try to win the ball himself occasionally. That's what's been most frustrating about him this year -even when he's playing an effective defensive role, he tends to just stand watching his opponent at contests rather than occasionally deciding to get in there and win it himself.

I know it's not fair to compare him with Kirk, but he holds his opponent to similar number of touches as Mathews (on Benny's good days), quite often has an even more dangerous opponent, and yet is still managing to average well over 20 possessions himself this year. Not to mention leading the club tackling by a fair margin.

[Triple B]

I guess what i'm trying to say, even though the chances are zero that Roosy will do it, is if Benny can't matchup on an opposition gun such as Mitchell or Harris or Bell etc., give him the week off and give somebody else a run.

As you say Liz, what's the point of tagging the 3rd and 4th best midfielder from the opposition. Unfortunately, Benny's days of providing anything worthwhile going the other way are long gone, some may say never were, so if the oppositions guns are going to be too nimble for Benny, rest him in the name of horses for courses.

[reigning premier]

Just a gentle reminder that Benny was more than serviceable again this weekend and is, in general, continuing to improve..

[Danzar]

Just a gentle reminder that Benny was more than serviceable again this weekend and is, in general, continuing to improve..

Yup - that he is.

[liz]

Possibly his best game of the year so far. Not only did he get himself in the right place at the right time to rack up quite a high possession count, at least twice I saw him jump in to try and extract the ball from a pack, rather than stand and watch his opponent.

[smasher]

I thought he did OK on Sunday.His work often goes unnoticed as he is a shutdown player who has,imo,had a pretty good year.Shame he can't kick like the previous number 4 !!

[floppinab]

Just a gentle reminder that Benny was more than serviceable again this weekend and is, in general, continuing to improve..

Yep, like the classic front runner that he is, although still on many occasions he continues to look @@@@ehouse, that "snap" whilst 5m clear in the forward pocket second quarter, that dribbled into the arms of 3 Blues defenders at the top of the goal square was typical.

I'll say it till I'm blue in the face, as a senior player, part of the leadership group no less, he should be doing far more than just a "shutdown player" and should be looking a lot better on the few occasions he has the footy in his hands.

[reigning premier]

I'll say it till I'm blue in the face, as a senior player, part of the leadership group no less, he should be doing far more than just a "shutdown player" and should be looking a lot better on the few occasions he has the footy in his hands.

You mean like he did on Sunday???