Davis in, Smith in......

[Triple B]

Brennan, Hall out

Linky

[Plugger46]

Probably wouldn't have dropped Brennan but happy that Davis is back.

[NMWBloods]

Brennan's a little unlucky. Not really getting the opportunity some others have had.

[stellation]

I'm dissapointed to see Brennan go. I find it frustrating that some players are given only 1 game in the seniors to prove themselves but others get more (I appreciate that Luke only came in off the emergency list).

Good luck to Nick Smith, a proud moment for any young footballer. I hope he does well!

[Triple B]

Brennan's a little unlucky. Not really getting the opportunity some others have had.

Agree, but although it's a cliche used to justify changes often, this would almost certainly be a matchup forced change.

The Cats get a heap of their goals thru the midfield, complemented by Stokes. With B2, Leo and Ted likely to mix and match on Mooney and Hawkins, Brennan is definately expendable for this match. Good chance to give Smith a taste and also they are going to need as many midfielders on the bench as they can get, the interchanges are going to be fast and furious as we try to keep guys fresh enough to run with the all star Cats midfield.

[ugg]

More youngsters debuting, good to see.

Smith's nickname is "Smooch" (You can hear the other players call it out during the reserves games). Anyone have the history behind this sobriquet?

[liz]

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. I think this has driven their recruiting somewhat too, with Vezspremi a beautiful user of the ball and Meredith reportedly so as well.(Not seen enough of him to know how accurate that is.)

All the guys who've come into the team - esp Jack, Barlow and Moore but to some extent Bird and Grundy too - have shown very good kicking skills, even under pressure. Smith is another with a very accurate boot on him. He may not get the ball much this weekend but what he does get he'll use well so long as the pressure doesn't get to him.

Brennan's a great mark, good tackler and reasonably quick. But he's never going to be more than a bits and pieces player unless he can eliminate the worst of his kicking turnovers, especially when he's coming out of defence and has slightly less pressure on him than further up the ground.

[Go Swannies]

This seems balanced to me - Hall can't and Brennan probably can't play so we bring two in.

" . . . 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. Smith was recently elevated off the Swans' rookie list for the long-term injured Brett Meredith.

Roos added: ?Whilst everyone else has been speculating all week on Barry Hall, I can assure you our focus is on preparing the side for Geelong on the weekend. Not on sanctions for Barry Hall.

?The media have been all over it all week. Some our players wouldn't have even discussed it. The leadership group had a five-minute chat about it on Monday. We're obviously preparing for a game of footy. There are bigger issues. It's a minor issue in terms of the bigger scheme of things [at the footy club].

?Probably one per cent of my time this week has been taken on Barry Hall.?

[connolly]

More youngsters debuting, good to see.

Smith's nickname is "Smooch" (You can hear the other players call it out during the reserves games). Anyone have the history behind this sobriquet?

Dunno. But he's obviously fitted in well.

[liz]

Also the article that BBB's linked to says that Brennan pulled up sore last week. So it may not even be a form thing at all.

[TheHood]

I think Brennan is a real tryer and not much more than that.

I don't see a heap of untapped potential in him and at AFL level he extends himself as far as he can and as a result his poise, decision making and skills abandon him sapped by his nerves and the speed of the game.

I hope I am wrong because I am sure there was a valuable draft pick along the way that we sacrificed.

[Plugger46]

I hope I am wrong because I am sure there was a valuable draft pick along the way that we sacrificed.

Nah, we picked him up as a mature rookie.

He was a high draft pick with Hawthorn. But we lost nothing.

[bandwagon]

Brennan's a great mark, good tackler and reasonably quick. But he's never going to be more than a bits and pieces player unless he can eliminate the worst of his kicking turnovers....

Agree with this assessment. Given that he had 2-3 years with the Hawks and a couple with us, his kicking is unlikely to improve. May well be delisted at year end depending on how many retirements we have.

Anyway good luck Nick Smith!

[Triple B]

Also the article that BBB's linked to says that Brennan pulled up sore last week. So it may not even be a form thing at all.

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

[Donners]

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?