Analysis of our "aging" list for 2008

[liz]

It is generally agreed among unbiassed onlookers that Hall and Kennelly are our two most important (not necessarily best) players. For all intents and purposes last season neither was really up and running due to injuries. So our recruits should include those two if fully fit a la Jason Ball after his shoulder injury in 2004.

Two of our most important, maybe, but hard to argue that they are THE two most important. A case can be made for Hall, although the way the forward line functioned against Hawthorn without him suggests he's not absolutely fundamental to the team playing well.

And important as Kennelly is, the team would have struggled as much - in my opinion more - if one of a couple of other players had been missing instead. For instance, I shudder to think of the holes that might have been carved through defence without the presence of Craig Bolton. Our midfield (especially in 2007 with Bolton and Buchanan both down on effectiveness) would have been practically non-existent without the impact of Brett Kirk.
And while I understand your argument is about importance rather than "bestness", Goodes frequently gets the team out of trouble when most other players are in a stupor.

[hammo]

Story I hear from someone pretty close to the club is that the players are pretty unhappy about the trade of Schneider and Dempster.

At least one player (Jude Bolton) decided to talk to the papers about it.

Probably an indication that the playing group has had too much power and this is just the coaches taking some of that power back.

If the players are seriously ticked off then it's an admission that mediocrity has become accepted at the Swans, which totally runs against the grain of the Bloods spirit that they've been crapping on about for 4 years.

[Lucky Knickers]

What were they unhappy about Bloods? That it wasn't other players or the way it happened was done?

[NMWBloods]

What were they unhappy about Bloods? That it wasn't other players or the way it happened was done?

I didn't get time to ask for details - I will try to find out specifics.

[DST]

Story I hear from someone pretty close to the club is that the players are pretty unhappy about the trade of Schneider and Dempster.

People are never happy when work mates are asked/required to move on.

Hopefully it has shaken a few in the group who just thought it is just walk-up start from year to year.

It will also let the younger blokes know that now is the time to start performing as spots are available.

DST

[digital]

As a regular reader of RW, but an infrequent poster, it is disturbing to read the negative comments coming here. We aren;'t as bad as the Richmond supporters, eating our own, but we have vwery short memories. Outting things into perspective, we have a coach, general manager of football and a group of players, who won us a flag, went within a kick and one minute of repeating the dose, against a team that forever will have their premiership "tarnished", and finished top 8 in the next year, when many players were down on form and/or fitness and some key exclusions through injury. Hall, operating at 50%, Kennely out, LRT who gives a lot of balance to the side, out for virtually the season, and we get knocked out by the Magpies, who take Geelong to 5 points, the same Geelong that demolishes " the second best side' in PA by 20 goals.
A little patience and trust is needed here, and some belief in those who got us what we wanted,

[Jewels]

As a regular reader of RW, but an infrequent poster, it is disturbing to read the negative comments coming here. We aren;'t as bad as the Richmond supporters, eating our own, but we have vwery short memories. Outting things into perspective, we have a coach, general manager of football and a group of players, who won us a flag, went within a kick and one minute of repeating the dose, against a team that forever will have their premiership "tarnished", and finished top 8 in the next year, when many players were down on form and/or fitness and some key exclusions through injury. Hall, operating at 50%, Kennely out, LRT who gives a lot of balance to the side, out for virtually the season, and we get knocked out by the Magpies, who take Geelong to 5 points, the same Geelong that demolishes " the second best side' in PA by 20 goals.
A little patience and trust is needed here, and some belief in those who got us what we wanted,

Great post digital, the best, most logical and reasonable in a very long time.

[bennyfrou]

As a regular reader of RW, but an infrequent poster, it is disturbing to read the negative comments coming here. We aren;'t as bad as the Richmond supporters, eating our own, but we have vwery short memories. Outting things into perspective, we have a coach, general manager of football and a group of players, who won us a flag, went within a kick and one minute of repeating the dose, against a team that forever will have their premiership "tarnished", and finished top 8 in the next year, when many players were down on form and/or fitness and some key exclusions through injury. Hall, operating at 50%, Kennely out, LRT who gives a lot of balance to the side, out for virtually the season, and we get knocked out by the Magpies, who take Geelong to 5 points, the same Geelong that demolishes " the second best side' in PA by 20 goals.
A little patience and trust is needed here, and some belief in those who got us what we wanted,

Great post digital, the best, most logical and reasonable in a very long time.

I concur.

[Bleed Red Blood]

As a regular reader of RW, but an infrequent poster, it is disturbing to read the negative comments coming here. We aren;'t as bad as the Richmond supporters, eating our own, but we have vwery short memories. Outting things into perspective, we have a coach, general manager of football and a group of players, who won us a flag, went within a kick and one minute of repeating the dose, against a team that forever will have their premiership "tarnished", and finished top 8 in the next year, when many players were down on form and/or fitness and some key exclusions through injury. Hall, operating at 50%, Kennely out, LRT who gives a lot of balance to the side, out for virtually the season, and we get knocked out by the Magpies, who take Geelong to 5 points, the same Geelong that demolishes " the second best side' in PA by 20 goals.
A little patience and trust is needed here, and some belief in those who got us what we wanted,

Yeah we won a flag two seasons ago.
We very nearly went back to back.
But in 2007 we went from grand finalists to not winning a final.
In 2008 where is our improvement going to come from?
We have the same list of players, mostly over 26+ (I.e as good as they are going to get) and other teams have gone past us.

[bennyfrou]

Is living in the past good, logical and reasonable?

Jewels was simply putting things into perspective.

Is always bagging the coach and the powers that be and being negative about decisions that are made, logical and reasonable also?

[Plugger46]

Can't live on '05 and '06 forever. That was a great period, but I want to know where the next flag's coming from.

I'm happy Dempster's gone, and I don't think Schneider will be a great loss.

[digital]

Can't live on '05 and '06 forever. That was a great period, but I want to know where the next flag's coming from.

I'm happy Dempster's gone, and I don't think Schneider will be a great loss.

Plugger, if you accept the salary cap, trading, list sizes, and all the other regulations imposed by the AFL, it should work out that every side wins a flag every 15 years..that said, I have significant faith in Roos, Ireland and the Club management, who are privy to much more information and facts than we or any other supporter will ever be. We can be critical of selections, but lets make it positive and not just destructive. This is the same coach and managment that delivered us a flag after 75 years, and after spending many a cold Saturday at the Lake Oval, watching us getting flogged, even though we had some of the greatest players, foot has ever known, its time to acknowledge what a great effort these guys have made and i am sure are continuing to make.

[ScottH]

That's not what I said. However, having patience and trust and belief a number of years down the track is not necessarily the mark of logic or reasonableness, neither is complaining about "short memories" because people are concerned about the team's performance sliding.

No, it's called hope.

[bennyfrou]

That's not what I said. However, having patience and trust and belief a number of years down the track is not necessarily the mark of logic or reasonableness, neither is complaining about "short memories" because people are concerned about the team's performance sliding.

Blind faith is stupid I agree. Giving the team of people who brought us a premiership after a 75 year drought some respect is not stupid, illogic or unreasonable.

I'll be making my judgements after the 2008 season.