Now BEVAN is the real liability

[connolly]

The long game plan is working well for the Kangaroos and Collingwood this year.

A long game plan doesn't exclude contested football or running out of defence. What it does exclude is holding the ball up and chipping the ball around.

My point was that the long kick to the power forward gameplan is fatally vulnerable to a running rebounding defense. Quick entries lead to quick turnovers and (with well organised teams such as us) very structured rebounding attacks. The Kangas midfield when really pressured kicks so badly at long distances that they will be easy meat in the finals and Collingwood will fail due to no Bucks, loose defense and heart problems (yet again).

[NMWBloods]

It's harder to rebound when the forward line is one on one.

[dendol]

My point was that the long kick to the power forward gameplan is fatally vulnerable to a running rebounding defense. Quick entries lead to quick turnovers and (with well organised teams such as us) very structured rebounding attacks. The Kangas midfield when really pressured kicks so badly at long distances that they will be easy meat in the finals and Collingwood will fail due to no Bucks, loose defense and heart problems (yet again).

Rebound is usually generated with a loose man in defence and also hugely depends on the workrate of the opposition forward line to pressure when the ball comes to ground.

Quick entries generally lead to quick goals. I doubt that any defensive unit in the modern game would prefer their midfield didnt push back to help them out. The long kicking game denies the opposition this and forces more one on one contests, and when you have strong forwards and clever crumbers, why wouldnt you want to get the ball quickly in there?

[connolly]

Rebound is usually generated with a loose man in defence and also hugely depends on the workrate of the opposition forward line to pressure when the ball comes to ground.

Quick entries generally lead to quick goals. I doubt that any defensive unit in the modern game would prefer their midfield didnt push back to help them out. The long kicking game denies the opposition this and forces more one on one contests, and when you have strong forwards and clever crumbers, why wouldnt you want to get the ball quickly in there?

As rhe actress said to the bishop "I thought we were talking length rather than quickness" old chap. Quite incredible how arguments slide on this site. The issue is about a long kicking game plan, where the ball is kicked regularly (and predictably) long into a forward contest. Of course moving the ball quickly into a forward line is an effective game plan. In modern Roos football teams tend to link up and run through the corridor and then kick precisely to a zone with a leading forward. The days of the thundering high hanging kicks into a forward contest where the ball is easily punched or spoilt and then run out of defense on a quick rebound are over. I just wish someone would give Malcom Blight another crack at coaching and then we could all see the slaughter that would occur with the "kick it long" plan. The style police have even introduced the worst rule interpretation in living memory to advantage marking forwards. The sackings of the dinosaur coaches advocating the long kick gameplan this last couple of weeks indicates how sucessful that has been.

[Robbo]

I did mention two clangers one of which was the hospital to Demster. The whole backline was under enormous pressure all night. The Eagles pumped the ball in to their forwards and our defenders stood up pretty well. Bevo did not let the side down. He gave away 2 (two) free kicks all night. One was there and one wasn't. I did mentioin his attempt to mark with the bonce. However unless you are completely biased and take some perverse pleasure out of rubbishing a courageous young footballer who fearlessly fills the channel with bigger forwards thundering down on him, you just might attempt a balanced assessment. If thats delusional let the dream live.

When will you realise that courage and hardness alone simply doesn't cut it?

Hardness is his only strength, and most of the time his wrecklessness turns it into a weakness.

There are better, more exciting options on our list than Paul Bevan.

[NMWBloods]

The issue is about a long kicking game plan, where the ball is kicked regularly (and predictably) long into a forward contest.

No - that is the game of the 70s and 80s. I was talking about the modern long game where a team moves it forward quickly and long, to get the ball into the forward line before the opposition has time to get numbers back.

[mulfa]

The long kick into the forwards game plan dosen't work because umpire's have a natural bias towards back's, watch any game. It's unlikely that any forward (exept mabey hird ) will receive the amount of frees he is entilted..

So extra man or not, once the ball comes to ground a smaller defence will make off with it

[mulfa]

Crumbers are an easy match up and a low perctentage play you would need atleast two that were more than just clever, they would have to have the abilty to consistantly turn low percentage kicks into goals and i haven't ever seen one with that sort of ablity..

That would be outside the law of phyisics me thinks

[connolly]

When will you realise that courage and hardness alone simply doesn't cut it?

Hardness is his only strength, and most of the time his wrecklessness turns it into a weakness.

There are better, more exciting options on our list than Paul Bevan.

Your assertion that he is "just" a hard footballer is wrong. He was the highest ranked first year footballer we have had for a decade. Can anyone remind me of another first year player we have elevated off the rookie list that won a Rising Star and was rated second best first year player in the comp? Bevo plays to the game plan and has beaten very good small forwards (always keeps the Whiz quiet for e.g)

[hammo]

Your assertion that he is "just" a hard footballer is wrong. He was the highest ranked first year footballer we have had for a decade. Can anyone remind me of another first year player we have elevated off the rookie list that won a Rising Star and was rated second best first year player in the comp? Bevo plays to the game plan and has beaten very good small forwards (always keeps the Whiz quiet for e.g)

Not a good comparison becuase the Swans don't play their first year players too often - not through lack of skill, but mainly lack of size / physical development. Bevan isn't a shade on some of the youngsters who have come through in recent years.

[goswannie14]

Your assertion that he is "just" a hard footballer is wrong. He was the highest ranked first year footballer we have had for a decade. Can anyone remind me of another first year player we have elevated off the rookie list that won a Rising Star and was rated second best first year player in the comp? Bevo plays to the game plan and has beaten very good small forwards (always keeps the Whiz quiet for e.g)

Get your facts right, he didn't win the rising star, he was nominated for one game. IIRC Goodesy is the only Swan who won the award. 22 players are nominated each year. They are not the winner of the award, they are just nominees. Bevan was nominated once, he did not win the NAB Rising Star award.

Here is the list of actual winners

Past Winners
1993 Nathan Buckley (Brisbane)
1994 Chris Scott (Brisbane)
1995 Nick Holland (Hawthorn)
1996 Ben Cousins (West Coast Eagles)
1997 Michael Wilson (Port Adelaide)
1998 Byron Pickett (North Melbourne)
1999 Adam Goodes (Sydney)
2000 Paul Hasleby (Fremantle)
2001 Justin Koschitzke (St Kilda)
2002 Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
2003 Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)
2004 Jared Rivers (Melbourne)
2005 Brett Deledio (Richmond)
2006 Danyle Pearce (Port Adelaide)

[NMWBloods]

Current players who were/are better than Bevan at ~50 game mark:

- Schneider
- Buchanan
- Malceski
- C Bolton
- Kennelly
- O'Keefe
- LRT
- Schmidt

[ScottH]

Get your facts right, he didn't win the rising star, he was nominated for one game. IIRC Goodesy is the only Swan who won the award. 22 players are nominated each year. They are not the winner of the award, they are just nominees. Bevan was nominated once, he did not win the NAB Rising Star award.

Here is the list of actual winners

I think he meant nomination.

[Bleed Red Blood]

Your assertion that he is "just" a hard footballer is wrong. He was the highest ranked first year footballer we have had for a decade. Can anyone remind me of another first year player we have elevated off the rookie list that won a Rising Star and was rated second best first year player in the comp? Bevo plays to the game plan and has beaten very good small forwards (always keeps the Whiz quiet for e.g)

That's right - was.

He's just never shown that form again despite ample opportunity.

[connolly]

That's right - was.

He's just never shown that form again despite ample opportunity.

A few facts re. Bevo seems to have sparked an outbreak of pedantry. Given that you can only be a first year player once and then everything is past tense your point is obscure. If you are claiming that Bevo has deteriorated in skill that is nonsensical. He did lose form after an injury. He is regaining his form and is the natural replacement for Crouch taking the small forwards.