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Interesting week at the selection table. The Cheese was rancid last week, and it seems not much better in the ressies the previous week. On form he has to go. If LRT has to go and pinch hit for Spida, I hope that means we do not get any more of Brennan and his woeful disposal. Would much prefer to see Mocca given another go. My gut feeling is that the Currymuncher is not quite ready, but he has been in the ressies best three weeks running, has to count for something. The presence of Milne in the Saints forward lione (can't wait to see Bevo or Cracker drill him) will mean that either of those two take him, with the Eski continuing the midfield role we saw last week. If Tiger is out, and the weather is poor I would not be surprised to see two of Bird, Fossie or Schmidt included for him and Cheese. If dry then Brennan (ugh) or (cross fingers) the in form Columbo may replace him.
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Pay peanuts get monkeys -
Columbo
Do you really think he is close to ready? It's been nice to see his improvement this year after a very underwhelming first season but I think it would be unfair to throw him to the wolves just yet.
If we do happen to be a tall player down, any of White, Grundy or Brennan would be well ahead of him in the pecking order. But apart from the two twin towers up forward, the Saints aren't an overly tall side and it's probably going to be wet, so I'd expect runners to come into the team if anyone is injured, even if that anyone is Spida.
Kennelly "training lightly" doesn't surprise me given what his joints have been through. But it will take more than a sore knee or shoulder to keep him out. If he were to miss, it might even be worth bringing Davo back for this game to see how he goes at half-back. If it doesn't work, Roos can just shift Malceski back there and sit Davo in a forward pocket.Comment
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Wasn't Playfair a back up ruck at the Cats a few years ago? I thought I remembered seeing him play there but I'm not quite sure.Comment
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Liz, I cannot see the logic in recycling players who have been given many chances and failed. Brennan and Grundy are cases in point. If the club persist with Brennan they need to accept that he is Dunkley Mk2 and always have another bloke hanging around to take his handball. I personally would rather they didn't.
I reckon we have all been conditioned over the last couple of years to have low initial expectations from our youngsters, hence our surprise last year when Cheese was promoted and slotted straight in. Columbo may be one who can do that. The question with him and Curry is whether they are physically ready, not if they have the talent. At this point in time I can't answer that.
Re Mocca, the club needs to decide whether he plays forward, back or on ball and give him an extended run in the one position. I don't think chopping and changing his playing position on a weekly basis is doing his development any favours.Pay peanuts get monkeysComment
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Thanks guys, thought I remembered that.Comment
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ORB. I'm with you on Brennan, though I suspect the coaching staff probably aren't. I'm sure they're not with you on Grundy. They were talking him up over the off-season and it was injury that forced him out of the side, not form. Once he's back to full fitness I'd like to see him get more opportunities. I still think he could become a valuable player, though I reckon he's more of a forward than defender. He's going to be competing with Playfair for a spot (and maybe Davis too) for the rest of this year.
I do agree with you on settling White into one position- at least for now - and letting him have a run of games there. I've really liked what I've seen of him as an ultra-mobile FB. He looks more convincing than up forward. If I was confident Murphy was capable of becoming our next gun CHF I'd love them to seriously develop White as a FB. But it's too early to tell yet whether Murphy will be able to develop the tools needed at CHF (specifically contested marking) and our forward line needs are closer to becoming critical than our defensive ones.Comment
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There's every chance to be 3 changes this week
out -
Everitt - Injury
Barlow - @@@@@
Playfair - Hall's BackEd Considine's day out - Round 3, 16th April 1995.
11 Kicks, 13 Handballs, 8 Marks, 1 Goal, 1 Behind, 1 Tackle, 1 Hitout, 3 Brownlow votes (his only votes)
Ed = GodComment
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Hall will return, so forward line will get a re-shuffle. That means (probably) Playfair will get less time - although I have been pleasantly surprised at his competiveness and 1%ers.
If Spida is out, then Playfair would be my selection for the back up Ruck, particularly with Saints not having much there, and some injury concerns. I would prefer that this week compared to LRT being moved from his role of "tall" in the backline; when he (rightly) was criticised for failing to contribute much early in the season when taken to that relief ruck role.
Barlow has not given much, and either Bird or Schmidt would be better, particularly for the SCG. If young player management is the go, then giving 2 weeks in 2nds for Bird would not surprise.Comment
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There's a lot o' talk about a whole lot o' options for change. But even after shocking losses the Roos Swans err heavily on the side of minimal rather than maximum changes. If Everitt is unfit, my money is on
In: BBBH
Out: Everitt,
and that's it.
LRT can pinch-hit in the ruck, with BBBH doing his usual 'shove people about' routine for stoppages in the forward line. The absence of a resting ruck at FF means that Playfair will be able to get a fair whack of time on the ground even with BBBH's return. I'm about as much chance of debuting for the Swans this week as Colombo is.
IMO, unless he puts in (say) 3 shockers in a row, Ed Barlow should be an automatic first 22 pick. We know that he can do it in the top league, and the long-term rewards for sticking with him now are very likely to be there. As talent scouts say: his upside is huge.Comment
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Hall to return is a given. If Everitt is out, I wouldn't be surprised if LRT and Playfair perform the ruck duties in the backline and forward line respectively.
If there are too many talls in the side, Barlow will be dropped and either Fosdike or Bird will come in.
I only support one team: The SYDNEY SWANS!!!!! :adoreComment
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We could bring in Davo straight into the ruck. He could certainly jump higher than M. Gardiner. Is he the slowest thing on 2 legs.Comment
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