To achieve in 2008, who needs to step up / improve?

[Matt79]

For me:

* McVeigh
* Jude Bolton
* Barlow
* Grundy (develop into a key forward or defender)

Your thoughts?

[DST]

Very simple as stated in another thread:

* Hall's goin to be fixed
* Kennelly to play a full season
* Goodes to be mentally ready come round 1
* Bucky to pull his finger out and re-discover his work rate from 2005/2006
* Snare Travis Johnston with our second pick

All those things to happen and the rest of the team to travel the same as this year and we will finish top 4.

DST

[Robbo]

It's hard for younger guys to step up when they are playing Belconnen. IMO, our premiership window is closed, so it's time we started to think of the future.

McVeigh- I can tolerate his selection because he is still young and is still a chance to play a role in our next premiership tilt in a few years. Showed enough in 2006 to indicate he will make it.

Jude- Had a shocker in 2007 and needs to lift early in 2008 otherwise he should be dropped. Is getting on a bit so his place in the side should come under intense scrutiny.

Mathews- Get rid of him. Too old, too slow and not good enough. We need to rebuild, so it's pointless having him in the side.

Moore- 2008 is a make or break year, but he NEEDS a chance. And that means a 5 week run where he plays plenty of minutes. Will need to impress because he's been on the list quite awhile now.

Schmidt- 2007 was his first year of regular senior footy, but will be expected to take the next step in 2008 because of his age. He will be 22 next year.

Crouch, Leo and LRT will need to have good years aswell.

[Bas]

Another aspect to consider next year is a change in pre-season training. The Swans have had a few very hard years and lost desire I would think this year.

Next year they will have a new fitness coach and hopefully a few other things to re-ignite them.

What will re-ignite the Swans next year?

On this topic I can't say much more than others but the team needs someone or something so that they don't have to have EVERY player playing above 95% to reach and win a GF.

What will the Swans coaching team do different next year? Or do we get the same old same old and blame the players contribution, injury, horse flu for their failure.

[hammo]

Interesting that the thread asks people to nominate who should step up & improve and the best we've had so far are the usual suspects of Jude Bolton, Buchanan, McVeigh, Hall, Leo.

It could be a very long season...

[Old Royboy]

The young guys from the reserves need to play themselves into the first team and show us how good they are. Laidlaw, Barlow, Jack, Moore, White & co are our future and if they don't stand up to be counted soon then things could be grim. Sure, some of the older guys will have better seasons, but for everyone who does better, there will usually be one or two others who go downhill. It's called getting old.

As for Jude, if there are any offers from Melbourne clubs I reckon the club should take them. As he gets older, his lack of talent shows more and more.

[Nico]

Everyone except Goodes, C Bolton, Kirk, MOL, O'Keefe and Malceski.

[gossipcom]

Everyone except Goodes, C Bolton, Kirk, MOL, O'Keefe and Malceski.

I agree with those names.

Looks like Roos is admitting we need a bit of improvement too.

[hammo]

Everyone except Goodes, C Bolton, Kirk, MOL, O'Keefe and Malceski.

I would say the first four is fair enough - Goodes and C.Bolton are playing at their peak already (Goodes could be more consistent and be even better) and Kirk and MOL are too old to get any better.

O'Keefe and Malceski are already among our best players but still offer a lot of room for improvement.

O'Keefe has the ability but doesn't impose himself on games often enough and as 2007 showed, he has struggled with the extra attention being paid to him by opposition coaches. I've said this before and been shouted down so I'm waiting for it again

Malceski has played less than 50 games so you'd expect improvement. While he had an excellent season, he did drop off in the second half of the year and if his future is in the midfield then improvement is necessary and will probably happen.

[Sanecow]

Goodes needs to step up. Only switching on for half a season is pathetic.

[goswannie14]

Roos' coaching plan needs to step up. He needs to have at least 1 plan B.

[liz]

The young guys from the reserves need to play themselves into the first team and show us how good they are. Laidlaw, Barlow, Jack, Moore, White & co are our future and if they don't stand up to be counted soon then things could be grim.

Yes, but they have to be given the chance.

I don't have a particular problem with our involvement in the ACTAFL. I don't subscribe to the view stated by some that it definitely hinders development. Sure, better competition would be an improvement but there are some advantages of the current arrangements.

What does frustrate me is that the coaching staff don't seem to believe in the form shown by the youngsters. There were half a dozen who barely played a poor game all year and yet that didn't translate into senior opportunities. Those that did present were almost out of necessity in that there was no-one else left to play.

Yet when Barlow, and to lesser extents (given less opportunity) Laidlaw and Jack were given a chance, they didn't disgrace themselves. I thought all looked as comfortable as any debutant could be expected to look.

I agree with Roos' assessment that the current core group is capable of giving things a shake in 2008. But Geelong have raised the bar and other teams are not far behind and our team needs to evolve to improve. All premiership credits need to be deemed well and truly expired and everyone selected on their current merits, not on memories of past glories.

[Bas]

I agree with those names.

Looks like Roos is admitting we need a bit of improvement too.

Oh no, looks like pick 11 to demons for Travis Johnstone. Such a waste!

[RogueSwan]

Roos -?For us I think we need to try and get an outside skillful running midfielder?we lost Paul Williams a couple of years ago and I think it?s a Paul Williams type of player that we miss."

Here's an idea, look at every second post from Swantastic, play the Eski in the middle in the "Paul Williams" role.

[Big Al]

Oh no, looks like pick 11 to demons for Travis Johnstone. Such a waste!

If we can get this blokes mind in the right place he would be the type of midfielder we need.