Davis in, Smith in......

[stellation]

Nope.

[liz]

This isn't the same Nick Smith who St. Kevin's College flew in from Ireland a few years ago, and spent a few years on an AFL list without playing, is it?

He was drafted onto the rookie list a an 18yo for the 2007 season...so no.

[Go Swannies]

It said nothing of the sort when I linked to it. Just a bit on Hall and a paragraph on Smith and Davis in, Hall and Brennan out.

It did say at the end of the article 'more to come' but now it's a longer read than War and Peace

It didn't say this: " . . . And midfielder Nick Smith, 19, will make his Swans debut. He replaces Luke Brennan who pulled up stiff after last week's match against West Coast."?

[NMWBloods]

It may seem tough on Brennan, but Roos commented at the start of the season on how they'd been focussing on skill level, and not turning the ball over unnecessarily.

Some players are still immune to this scrutiny.

[Go Swannies]

Some players are still immune to this scrutiny.

Maybe they are asked to take on other roles that the coaching staff have assessed that they did better than those who have been/will be dropped?

[Triple B]

It didn't say this: " . . . And midfielder Nick Smith, 19, will make his Swans debut. He replaces Luke Brennan who pulled up stiff after last week's match against West Coast."?

No, hence I would have probably not composed a brilliant post on Brennan being dropped in the name of team balance/matchups.

[NMWBloods]

Maybe they are asked to take on other roles that the coaching staff have assessed that they did better than those who have been/will be dropped?

What players can afford to have poor disposal? And it doesn't fit with the comment from Roos which Liz quoted that I was referring to.

[TheGrimReaper]

Good luck to Nick "Dick" Smith. Great to see another youngster given a go.

[Go Swannies]

What players can afford to have poor disposal? And it doesn't fit with the comment from Roos which Liz quoted that I was referring to.

Go back a few years and think Kirk. Crap disposal but could shut down the other player completely. It effectively put two 17-man teams out there. We lost Kirk, they lost one of their best so it worked week after week. I can't imagine the selection committee thought "Brett had some woeful disposals last weekend so we better leave him out. So let's leave him out. Now who will we put on Kerr?"

Similarly, Tiger and Goodes were kept in the team when they were simply awful at stopping their opponents - I heard Tiger joking about it. But they provided other positives (run) so stayed in when others who had a better balance between attack and defence were dropped.

I think the game is more subtle now and players are asked to fulfill roles we don't even notice or understand (and the team certainly won't talk about). They do and so get coaching brownie points while we are left perplexed.

[liz]

What players can afford to have poor disposal? And it doesn't fit with the comment from Roos which Liz quoted that I was referring to.

Who is left in the side that isn't a very good kick?

Clearly Kirk, but I doubt anyone would be questioning his value to the team.

Ted is so so but clearly is valuable in the backline at the moment while LRT is rucking.

LRT himself isn;t the greatest kick but he's been getting gradually better and I don't think it detracts from his value.

Monty's not a bad kick - many of his deliveries are pearlers. But he is certainly inconsistent.

With Mathews now seemingly out of favour and Fosdike injured, that really just leaves Bolton and Bevan for whom you wouldn't describe their kicking a a strength. (Though I do think Bevan has improved this year, and possibly Jude has too.) McVeigh the jury is still out on but clearly he's been much much better in the first 4 games of this year. And these two (and maybe Buchanan) might find their places start to come under pressure once Schmidt recovers from his injury and/or Laidlaw gets some match fitness.

[bandwagon]

What players can afford to have poor disposal? And it doesn't fit with the comment from Roos which Liz quoted that I was referring to.

I see your point. However the replacement for a tough in-and-under midfielder with dodgy disposal would be Schmidt, who is several weeks away.

[Plugger46]

Who is left in the side that isn't a very good kick?

Clearly Kirk, but I doubt anyone would be questioning his value to the team.

Ted is so so but clearly is valuable in the backline at the moment while LRT is rucking.

LRT himself isn;t the greatest kick but he's been getting gradually better and I don't think it detracts from his value.

Monty's not a bad kick - many of his deliveries are pearlers. But he is certainly inconsistent.

With Mathews now seemingly out of favour and Fosdike injured, that really just leaves Bolton and Bevan for whom you wouldn't describe their kicking a a strength. (Though I do think Bevan has improved this year, and possibly Jude has too.) McVeigh the jury is still out on but clearly he's been much much better in the first 4 games of this year. And these two (and maybe Buchanan) might find their places start to come under pressure once Schmidt recovers from his injury and/or Laidlaw gets some match fitness.

I think that's a myth with Kirky. He has an awkward kicking style, but more often than not he finds his target. Bolton and Buchanan have better kicking styles but hit their targets a hell of a lot less.

[bandwagon]

Geez you type quick Liz... made my point for me.

WRT Laidlaw, would see him playing a Bevan type role in the seniors or more of a big bodied wingman? I recall he had outstanding speed/endurance results at draft time.

[liz]

Geez you type quick Liz... made my point for me.

WRT Laidlaw, would see him playing a Bevan type role in the seniors or more of a big bodied wingman? I recall he had outstanding speed/endurance results at draft time.

If and when he gets his chance he'll probably be a bits and pieces player to start with. He's nothing like the tackling terrier that Bevan is but he won't get a game unless he can apply some kind of pressure.

He probably is most suited to a wing or as an attacking flanker (at either end of the ground) but he might be able to play as a mid-sized defender too.

Thornton is probably the one who was being more groomed as a mid-defender. It's a real shame about his injury because I reckon he'd be giving Bevan a run for his money otherwise.

And just on Laidlaw, his speed results were outstanding but not his endurance. That's the thing that's probably been holding him back.

[NMWBloods]

The obvious one is J Bolton. If the emphasis this year is on "skill level, and not turning the ball over unnecessarily", which is the part I was specifically responding to, then as someone whose prime aim as a midfielder is to get and use the ball, then surely he is one to be looked at. His disposal continues to be very average.

If the emphasis this year is on "skill level, and not turning the ball over unnecessarily", which is the part I was specifically responding to, then are other things a player brings to the game taking a secondary role? If other players can be in the side because of other aspects, why not Brennan?