Mark Stone = genius ????

[Triple B]

Let's change the pace and talk about a positive.......

Our midfield has smashed the opposition over the past few weeks, even with just one bona fide ruckman and a makeshift backup.

McVeigh has gone from a nightmare to a real fair dinkum contributor. The young fellas have been given roles they have been able to succeed at, in Kizza/Cracker's case, spectacularly.

Goodes' flashes of brilliance in the second quarter were from stoppage setups that Stone would be plotting.

He obviously needs time to fully appreciate what our guys are capable of, he isn't exactly working with Judd, Cousins, Cox and Kerr here!!

Early indications are he may well be every bit as good a recruit as Mattner.

Thoughts???

[annew]

Who is Mark Stone???

[ScottH]

Who is Mark Stone???

Stoppage coach, who came from the eagles.

[ScottH]

We've been smashed in the ruck contests 4 weeks in a row. But have won many more clearances, as well as 3.9 games.

I'd say he is doing OK.

[NMWBloods]

Has anyone noticed any specific differences in our tactics at stoppages this year?

One thing I have noticed is there is less emphasis on locking the ball up and forcing a ball up, and more on getting it out and moving forward.

Another is that the midfielders are normally facing the ball rather than their man!

[Xie Shan]

As a midfield coach,

Mark Stone >>>>>> Ross Lyon. Nice to see some talent coming the other way for a change after suffering a 'brain drain' of sorts with assistant coaches (though I personally was glad to see Lyon go -- we needed a more proactive approach to the midfield)

Makes a difference when your midfield is actually taught how to win the ball. Even if they're not in the class of Judd/Cousins/Kerr.

[liz]

I heard one commentator note - and I think it was in the Brions game - that the Swans seemed to be spreading out a bit more at stoppages. If so, it seems a bit odd that they've not tried this before around the ground, since it was observed a couple of seasons ago how good they were at spreading out at forward-50 stoppage - and there's no better example that Nick Davis' famous 4th.

[connolly]

Has anyone noticed any specific differences in our tactics at stoppages this year?

One thing I have noticed is there is less emphasis on locking the ball up and forcing a ball up, and more on getting it out and moving forward.

Another is that the midfielders are normally facing the ball rather than their man!

We now have a designated receiver who breaks from his opponent when the ball is contested. We are not matching up any differently or standing further from the contest. We just have a tweak in the roles of the midfielders. Jack in particular although he has been used as a defensive mid has also been given the role to break from his man if he's not directly involved in the contest. It creates more pace and quicker ball movement out of the breakdowns and the pack. Its working a treat.

[stellation]

They do look to get the ball out a bit quicker and appear more willing to go to a wider/longer handball target from stoppages more frequently now.

[swantastic]

As a midfield coach,

Mark Stone >>>>>> Ross Lyon. Nice to see some talent coming the other way for a change after suffering a 'brain drain' of sorts with assistant coaches (though I personally was glad to see Lyon go -- we needed a more proactive approach to the midfield)

Makes a difference when your midfield is actually taught how to win the ball. Even if they're not in the class of Judd/Cousins/Kerr.

It doesnt matter if we dont have Judd/Cousins/Kerr,just as long as Stone can get the best out of our strengths to win us games.

A great team is always better than having great players.

If you have a great team it generally makes all the players look good.

[TheHood]

It's possible that Jack is the new SOS, Son Of Stone.

I think Keiran's primary instincts are to win the ball and at the same time he's ultra competitive so he multi-tasks unlike anything we've seen in AFL. He's put on a man to limit that man's influence but Keiran doesn't stop there.

Normally, you're either a ball winner or a stopper who can "get a bit of it".

Keiran has morphed from stopper with okay disposal into a ball winner who does a very good stopping job. This has made a massive difference to our success at stoppages in 2008.

It helps that he's a clean canvas and Stone can have maximum influence on a young player's strategy.

Jude - in form
Kirk - still a legend
Monty - will get better this year
Goodes - thrilling when he hits the pack at full tilt

Geelong will be doing their homework. We are their toughest test for 2008.

[Triple B]

I heard one commentator note - and I think it was in the Brions game - that the Swans seemed to be spreading out a bit more at stoppages. If so, it seems a bit odd that they've not tried this before around the ground, since it was observed a couple of seasons ago how good they were at spreading out at forward-50 stoppage - and there's no better example that Nick Davis' famous 4th.

It's all about our mindset at stoppages. We are now appear more attacking and the obvious reason is Stone is having a major influence. We no longer look to lock it up and force another stoppage.

As you say, 'that goal' was a perfect example, but that stoppage setup was borne out of necessity. If the same situation occurred in the second quarter, B1 would have been diving on top of the ball with Ablett diving on top of him to make a good job of killing it.

[NMWBloods]

If the same situation occurred in the second quarter, B1 would have been diving on top of the ball with Ablett diving on top of him to make a good job of killing it.

And Mathews on top of him and Crouch on top of him and Kirk on top of him... And Davo waving at the crowd!

[satchmopugdog]

I commented on the warmup at Telstra Dome after our round 1 clash with the SAints that the warm up was distinclty different as regards the clearance drills. They were practising run through stuff and I saw the players trying to use it in the game. Obviously it gets stopped by the varigeties of the game but I was excited to see the difference then and pleased that I wasn't imagining things.

[stellation]

A lot of the tight spacing/checking at stoppages may simply have been that the coaching staff didn't believe they had the cattle in the midfield to spread things out more. The whole drab four/cortinas thing.