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Regardless of where we finish, the likelihood of ultimate success for 2007 seems unlikely, due to both personnel and endeavour (judging by the game against Collingwood last night).
I think it would be prudent therefore to start looking at the shortcomings of the team and the steps required to rectify these problems. Following are the shortcomings that the team needs to urgently attend to :
1. Passion/Desire - At various stages this year (especially two games against Collingwood) the team just seems to coast and not put in the hard running/tackling that they have been known for. In the past the players had a belief or attitude that they were better than the opposition and therefore always in with a chance to win the game, that spirit now seems long gone. What happened to the so called sports psychologists the team were proud to say had a large impact on the 2005 team?
2. TACKLING - Only a poor impression of the tackling the team was renowned for between 2003-2006. What ever happened to the "Rugby" inspired tackling drills. Does the team still have rugby tackling coaches? Being at last nights game, it just seemed that Collingwood continually escaped relatively easily from Swans tackles but we simply couldn't break away from their tackles.
3. Without the need to name players (which has been done ad nauseum on this site) perhaps it's too late for this group and some personnel changes are required, with names not meaning much in the shakeup.
4. Team requirements - Our Midfield shortcomings were amplified against the Magpies last night and if a solution is not found in the short term then we will be in for a few more bleak winters. The team needs hard running ball winners and not the overabundance of stoppers (who by the way aren't doing too good a job at the moment). We would undoubtedly have one of the weakest (by talent) midfields in the whole competition, where we have previously excelled in such as commitment and passion now also seems lost thereby further highlighting this problem. If we are not in a position to draft a talented kid (such as Geelong with Selwood) perhaps we have to sacrifice a couple of average players to obtain a talented player. Our lack of height in the backline (some relief if LRT can step back up) and ageing forward line also does not bode well for the future. Unfortunately though, it is not easy to fix all the holes in a team over one summer.
More than anything last nights loss seems to indicate that the team has been living on past glories and hard decisions MUST be made for the good of the team in the medium to long term.
I think it would be prudent therefore to start looking at the shortcomings of the team and the steps required to rectify these problems. Following are the shortcomings that the team needs to urgently attend to :
1. Passion/Desire - At various stages this year (especially two games against Collingwood) the team just seems to coast and not put in the hard running/tackling that they have been known for. In the past the players had a belief or attitude that they were better than the opposition and therefore always in with a chance to win the game, that spirit now seems long gone. What happened to the so called sports psychologists the team were proud to say had a large impact on the 2005 team?
2. TACKLING - Only a poor impression of the tackling the team was renowned for between 2003-2006. What ever happened to the "Rugby" inspired tackling drills. Does the team still have rugby tackling coaches? Being at last nights game, it just seemed that Collingwood continually escaped relatively easily from Swans tackles but we simply couldn't break away from their tackles.
3. Without the need to name players (which has been done ad nauseum on this site) perhaps it's too late for this group and some personnel changes are required, with names not meaning much in the shakeup.
4. Team requirements - Our Midfield shortcomings were amplified against the Magpies last night and if a solution is not found in the short term then we will be in for a few more bleak winters. The team needs hard running ball winners and not the overabundance of stoppers (who by the way aren't doing too good a job at the moment). We would undoubtedly have one of the weakest (by talent) midfields in the whole competition, where we have previously excelled in such as commitment and passion now also seems lost thereby further highlighting this problem. If we are not in a position to draft a talented kid (such as Geelong with Selwood) perhaps we have to sacrifice a couple of average players to obtain a talented player. Our lack of height in the backline (some relief if LRT can step back up) and ageing forward line also does not bode well for the future. Unfortunately though, it is not easy to fix all the holes in a team over one summer.
More than anything last nights loss seems to indicate that the team has been living on past glories and hard decisions MUST be made for the good of the team in the medium to long term.
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