V PA @ SCG Sunday. Out: Davis N In: Barlow E

[connolly]

I understand that, but it actually seems that players like Jude, Bevan, McVeigh etc still have brownie points stored away, though I'm not sure where they got them. If Davis is the player we have to drop to improve the most, then I know nothing.

Don't be so hard on yourself. And it was pretty obvious from Lyons match ups last week that Davis lack of pace, willingness to run and chase and his limitations as a one trick pony does mean that we can improve with Cheese taking his spot. As for Bevo please refer to my previous three thousand posts as I can't be arsed trying to explain it AGAIN.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Im just giving my opinion that i dont find it unbelievable that Davis would be dropped on his performances over the last two seasons and im happy for Roos to do what he thinks best. Hes the one who knows exactly what is going on 24/7 with these guys and i find it strange that people on here are so quick to point out that he hasnt changed things or taken risks with young players or game plans but when he does he gets smashed from pillar to post. lets see what happens tomorrow, i reckon hell play anyway and i hope he kicks 6 and we win.

We're going around in circles. I never critisised you for having a different opinion, I just don't like it when anyone uses the "He's the coach, so he must be right" logic. We're all here to give our opinions and discuss things that we might not agree one, we're not puppets who just automatically agree with the coach.

Roos may well be right, and I hope he is, but being the coach doesn't guarantee it.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Don't be so hard on yourself. And it was pretty obvious from Lyons match ups last week that Davis lack of pace, willingness to run and chase and his limitations as a one trick pony does mean that we can improve with Cheese taking his spot. As for Bevo please refer to my previous three thousand posts as I can't be arsed trying to explain it AGAIN.

Don't bother, flogging a dead horse wont bring it back to life

[stellation]

Don't be so hard on yourself. And it was pretty obvious from Lyons match ups last week that Davis lack of pace, willingness to run and chase and his limitations as a one trick pony does mean that we can improve with Cheese taking his spot. As for Bevo please refer to my previous three thousand posts as I can't be arsed trying to explain it AGAIN.

I honestly just can't see how it was pretty obvious at all? Because you said that Clarke played on Davis for a quarter?

[connolly]

OK then, Bevan was our third worst player. And he's definitely our worst player right now.

If that was the thinking behind dropping Davis, then surely it would have made more sense to drop O'Loughlin or Hall. Both are older and slower than Davis.

Nup wrong again. Our third worst player was Ryan O'Connor. Our worst player now is J McVeigh

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Nup wrong again. Our third worst player was Ryan O'Connor. Our worst player now is J McVeigh

McVeigh is better than Bevan. If he was actually given the correct role, he'd be very handy for us. There would be plenty of kids in each draft who could do Bevan's job, and probably better.

[connolly]

I honestly just can't see how it was pretty obvious at all? Because you said that Clarke played on Davis for a quarter?

Apologies. Perhaps not obvious but given Roos policy of giving the young blokes a go for a couple of weeks Davo was the one who had to go. Our forward line is just too slow at the moment. He is getting up to veteran stage, isn't quick and doesn't work hard. Probably on form in the game the forward to drop should have been Grundy who is slow and didn't do much. If Grundy fails to pick up Davis will probably be brought back.

[Bleed Red Blood]

Ablett should have been the one dropped.
He shouldn't have played last week either.

[ROK Lobster]

Apologies. Perhaps not obvious but given Roos policy of giving the young blokes a go for a couple of weeks Davo was the one who had to go. Our forward line is just too slow at the moment. He is getting up to veteran stage, isn't quick and doesn't work hard. Probably on form in the game the forward to drop should have been Grundy who is slow and didn't do much. If Grundy fails to pick up Davis will probably be brought back.

I don't care how hard he works. If he's in the best 22 - which he clearly is - he should play.

[Xie Shan]

I don't care how hard he works. If he's in the best 22 - which he clearly is - he should play.

Agree with you 100% and I'm sure the coaching staff shares your opinion. My guess is he must have broken a team rule or something after the teams were named (that would explain why he's still listed as an emergency), and the club wanted to send him a message early on in the season. let's just hope they handle it better than they did last time

Don't get me wrong I would love to see him out there playing every week too as he's one of our most talented players (though I don't love him quite the way stella does ), but I do think he is probably the one player on our list who can benefit from the discipline on occasion. I hope this is just a wake-up call for him!

of course, this is pure speculation and I could be completely wrong. but that's what internet forums are for! i have little energy for debating whether davo should have been dropped or not so am just having a guess as to why he's been left out.

[Xie Shan]

I this article was some sort of weird signal from the swans to explain the davis omission.


Official AFL Website of the Sydney Swans > News Article > Grundy goes back to move forward

"The work ethic here is player-driven. You're sort of left out if you don't work hard. Most of the senior players set a good example so you get an idea of how hard you have to work very quickly. Otherwise, you look a bit stupid."

hmmm

i didn't read the article until now, i think you are probably right as davo himself has admitted in the past that he only just fits in. maybe they just thought he needed to pull his head in again...?

[NMWBloods]

The whole suggestion that Bevan was moved onto Clarke because Davis was too lazy is just fanciful. Davis was only only Clarke for a short time - J Bolton was on him much of the time. I'm curious to see how Bevan shut him down given Clarke was still one of the leading possession getters and Bevan had just one tackle. And if the aim is to make the forwards shut down the defenders rather than get the ball and kick the goals, then how are we going to win?

There is far too much focus on trying to turn everyone into a tagger. Davis is not quick - he's never been quick. There is an assumption he's lazy. Sometimes he does, but more often he recognises when he's not going to catch someone and they're getting rid of the ball, so he stops. I saw this a couple of times on Saturday - was chasing his man, an opposition player came in to shepherd, Davis pulled up. Not much benefit in crashing into them like Hall or Kirk would, but somehow people think that's good.

Davis is a smart footballer who can get the ball, use it well and kick goals. He may be able to play better than he does but he's still valuable to the side. I don't think Roos is getting the most out of him and doesn't know how as Roos' onfield player management is rather straightjacketed.

[Xie Shan]

Davis is a smart footballer who can get the ball, use it well and kick goals. He may be able to play better than he does but he's still valuable to the side. I don't think Roos is getting the most out of him and doesn't know how as Roos' onfield player management is rather straightjacketed.

That's the thing with Davis though, I'm not really sure what is the best way to get the most out of him! (The Swans have been trying since 2003, so you may be right about Roos' player management ) I doubt even Roos would try to turn him into a tagger though. While there is no question he is still valuable to the side now, I just get the feeling that they still want him to work harder and haven't given up hope that they can get him to realize his potential.

[NMWBloods]

I don't think dumping him is going to help. He's a real confidence player. I think they need to involve him more. Dragging him in the last few minutes hardly made much sense.

Also, if the team's problem is pace and disposal, how on earth is J Bolton still in the side? There is no chance that he is more valuable to the side than Davis.

[connolly]

The whole suggestion that Bevan was moved onto Clarke because Davis was too lazy is just fanciful. Davis was only only Clarke for a short time - J Bolton was on him much of the time. I'm curious to see how Bevan shut him down given Clarke was still one of the leading possession getters and Bevan had just one tackle. And if the aim is to make the forwards shut down the defenders rather than get the ball and kick the goals, then how are we going to win?

There is far too much focus on trying to turn everyone into a tagger. Davis is not quick - he's never been quick. There is an assumption he's lazy. Sometimes he does, but more often he recognises when he's not going to catch someone and they're getting rid of the ball, so he stops. I saw this a couple of times on Saturday - was chasing his man, an opposition player came in to shepherd, Davis pulled up. Not much benefit in crashing into them like Hall or Kirk would, but somehow people think that's good.

Davis is a smart footballer who can get the ball, use it well and kick goals. He may be able to play better than he does but he's still valuable to the side. I don't think Roos is getting the most out of him and doesn't know how as Roos' onfield player management is rather straightjacketed.

X Clarkes influence on the game diminished in the second quarter and we came back into the game. I say cause and effect you say coincidence(?) The fact is we were exposed last year and also last week because our midfield(last year) and our forward line (last week) was too slow. The selections tried to do something about the midfiield (Bird, Moore and Jack) and tomorrow something about the forward line (Barlow). Barlow coming in and Davis going gives us more pace and much more flexibility. Barlow can be played in the midfield and up forward and therefore can allow Moore and Bird to be played up forward while Barlow is switched into the midfield. Davis simply has not developed the motor to play consistently in the midfield and hence is a one dimensional player. It was the same reason we let Schnieder go. The days of the specialist one position half forward flanker are probably over. Its not that Roos wants everyone to be a tagger but everyone has to be able to play up the ground. We have two specialist forwards in Magic and Big Bustling. There is no room for three - it really slows us down and reduces our tactical adaptability. The fact that Davis failed to chase down the Saints quick defenders was probably the clincher. So many people here have wanted a youth selection policy. Well here it is. Young potential champion replaces aging disappointment. Sounds OK to me.