Mid-season report: Sydney Swans

[TheGrimReaper]

Official Website of the Australian Football League > News Article > Mid-season report: Sydney Swans

I'm hoping for another 8 wins on our run home. But it looks tough though.

[BeeEmmAre]

I'm expecting 8 and hoping for 11. We won't win them all, but there's none we can't win.

[top40]

Sydney are having their best half way performance since 1986, when they were 9-2. In 1996 as of Round 11 they were, as with this year 7-3-1, but their % wasn't as good as this year.

Further, in the past 20 years or so, nearly every year the Swans improve in the second half the season. My fingers are crossed for that second half improvement to continue in 2008, with 8 wins from 11. The games are have in order of degree of difficulty are:

1. Hawthorn Away, (although we have a good recent record against them)
2. Geelong at Home, (should be a huge ANZ stadium crowd that night)
3. Collingwood Away, (where we have a poor recent record against)
4. Collingwood at Home, (another huge ANZ stadium crowd is expected)
5. Western Bulldogs Away, (and in Canberra)
6. Adelaide Home at Home, (another club we're the Swans have a poor recent record against)
7. Brisbane at Home, (tough in one sense, but the Sydney have a good recent record against them, at the SCG and in Round 22 games at home. The Swans haven't lost a last round game since 2001, and a last round home game since 1997)
8. Carlton Away, (could be tough)
9. St Kilda at Home, (being this week's game)
10. Fremantle at Home, (who knows with them!?)
11. Melbourne Away, (and in Canberra)

[Bleed Red Blood]

Hmm. From what I've seen, Amon hasn't had a great year at all. And there he is, at 25 or so, listed as being a great improver with Cracker and Cheese, Bulldog and Macca. Have I missed something? (Other than fiveish games that we're only on Foxtel)

[Plugger46]

Hmm. From what I've seen, Amon hasn't had a great year at all. And there he is, at 25 or so, listed as being a great improver with Cracker and Cheese, Bulldog and Macca. Have I missed something? (Other than fiveish games that we're only on Foxtel)

I think he's had a reasonable year but I thought the same thing about him being an improver. '04/'05 were his breakout years in my opinion.

[Mike_B]

Hmm. From what I've seen, Amon hasn't had a great year at all.

I'm with you Aub. Apart from the last 2-3 weeks where it seems his role has changed a bit to play further forward, I've been fairly disappointed in his season and was suggesting he needed to look over his shoulder a few weeks back. Having said that, if he continues the form of the last few weeks, he has nothing to worry about.

[Cheer Squad]

Sydney are having their best half way performance since 1986, when they were 9-2. In 1996 as of Round 11 they were, as with this year 7-3-1, but their % wasn't as good as this year.

Further, in the past 20 years or so, nearly every year the Swans improve in the second half the season. My fingers are crossed for that second half improvement to continue in 2008, with 8 wins from 11. The games are have in order of degree of difficulty are:

1. Hawthorn Away, (although we have a good recent record against them)
2. Geelong at Home, (should be a huge ANZ stadium crowd that night)
3. Collingwood Away, (where we have a poor recent record against)
4. Collingwood at Home, (another huge ANZ stadium crowd is expected)
5. Western Bulldogs Away, (and in Canberra)
6. Adelaide Home at Home, (another club we're the Swans have a poor recent record against)
7. Brisbane at Home, (tough in one sense, but the Sydney have a good recent record against them, at the SCG and in Round 22 games at home. The Swans haven't lost a last round game since 2001, and a last round home game since 1997)
8. Carlton Away, (could be tough)
9. St Kilda at Home, (being this week's game)
10. Fremantle at Home, (who knows with them!?)
11. Melbourne Away, (and in Canberra)

I would rate the second half like this:

1. Collingwood Away in Round 21 - easily our toughest game to come
2. Bulldogs Away in Round 18 - they know how to beat us
3. Hawthorn Away in Round 15 - greatly improved and in Melbourne
4. Carlton Away in Round 16 - ditto
5. Collingwood Home in Round 14 - they know how to play Homebush very well
6. Geelong Home in Round 20 - tough game, but not unwinnable
7. Adelaide Home in Round 17 - our real bogey team, but I think we can beat them this time
8. St.Kilda Home in Round 12 - they will make us earn it
9. Brisbane Home in Round 22 - we've had their measure but they will test us
10. Melbourne Away in Round 13 - they could cause an upset
11. Fremantle Home in Round 19 - haven't won at the SCG since 1996

Given the draw, we might not win any games in Melbourne this year.

[cruiser]

I would rate the second half like this:
10. Melbourne Away in Round 13 - they could cause an upset.

Are you serious?

[SCGonasunnyday]

8 home games (counting manuka) but they are all tough games - apart from Melbourne.

But if we play well we should win more than we lose.

Just wish we didn't have to play Collingwood twice, I think we will need to beat them at least once to make 4th or they will take our spot.

[liz]

Liam Pickering made an astute observation about McVeigh on Fox Footy Teams this evening. He suggested that McVeigh spent the off-season taking lessons from O'Keefe in gut-busting running.

It is certainly amazing how often McVeigh has found himself yards from any opponent this season, especially in the forward 50. His three goals from close range against Richmond are testament to this (and he was on hand, in the goal square, to help Buchanan's dribbled goal too, had it not been on line). Part of it maybe that opposition coaches haven't yet woken up to the degree to which he has improved and aren't paying him very much attention. But I reckon Pickers is spot on about him raising his work rate significantly.

He arrived at the club with a tag of being an elite underage athlete but we've not really seen much evidence of it prior to this year. Whether it was confidence holding him back, or whether he just failed to build on that base endurance, who knows. But with opposition teams already having to find two endurance taggers to look after Goodes and O'Keefe, it is no bad thing that there's another to throw into the mix now. And while Fosdike's done a similar amount of running for seasons now, McVeigh's disposal when he's in space is a fair bit more damaging than Fosdike's, so opposition teams are going to have to start paying more attention to him than they ever have to Fosdike.

[hot potato]

I would rate the second half like this:

1. Collingwood Away in Round 21 -easily our toughest game to come
2. Bulldogs Away in Round 18 - they know how to beat us
3. Hawthorn Away in Round 15 - greatly improved and in Melbourne
4. Carlton Away in Round 16 - ditto
5. Collingwood Home in Round 14 - they know how to play Homebush very well
6. Geelong Home in Round 20 - tough game, but not unwinnable
7. Adelaide Home in Round 17 - our real bogey team, but I think we can beat them this time
8. St.Kilda Home in Round 12 - they will make us earn it
9. Brisbane Home in Round 22 - we've had their measure but they will test us
10. Melbourne Away in Round 13 - they could cause an upset
11. Fremantle Home in Round 19 - haven't won at the SCG since 1996

Given the draw, we might not win any games in Melbourne this year.

That's a pretty fair assessment and looking at it, just can't help feeling if Sydney play too high a percentage of 'running backwards, defensive' footy especially in games rated 1-6 above, they may lose more of them than they win.
Swans should account for Freo, Demons, Lions, Saints, Crows n Blues, that makes 13 wins one draw, they can beat the Dogs in return match, pies maybe once, unlikely on form to beat Hawthorn or Cats, that coiuld give 15 wins, would that get in top 4??
PS where do u guys get those moving icons?

[hot potato]

Liam Pickering made an astute observation about McVeigh on Fox Footy Teams this evening. He suggested that McVeigh spent the off-season taking lessons from O'Keefe in gut-busting running.

It is certainly amazing how often McVeigh has found himself yards from any opponent this season, especially in the forward 50. His three goals from close range against Richmond are testament to this (and he was on hand, in the goal square, to help Buchanan's dribbled goal too, had it not been on line). Part of it maybe that opposition coaches haven't yet woken up to the degree to which he has improved and aren't paying him very much attention. But I reckon Pickers is spot on about him raising his work rate significantly.

He arrived at the club with a tag of being an elite underage athlete but we've not really seen much evidence of it prior to this year. Whether it was confidence holding him back, or whether he just failed to build on that base endurance, who knows. But with opposition teams already having to find two endurance taggers to look after Goodes and O'Keefe, it is no bad thing that there's another to throw into the mix now. And while Fosdike's done a similar amount of running for seasons now, McVeigh's disposal when he's in space is a fair bit more damaging than Fosdike's, so opposition teams are going to have to start paying more attention to him than they ever have to Fosdike.

He's brimming with confidence now, Kirky must have taken him to see the Delli Lama (is that how u spell it?) He's finding more open space to run into than anyone apart from ROK and Goodes.
MG they they have some boring players on OTC, haven't seen a Swans player on there for ages.

PS can anyone tell me whay the Swans never play in a Friday nite blockbuster??

[Triple B]

It is certainly amazing how often McVeigh has found himself yards from any opponent this season, especially in the forward 50.

No doubt. Is really working hard off the ball.

He was 30 metres alone to grab Bevo's goal if it bounced up and didn't bounce thru on Sat night as another example.

He has taken a heap of grabs alone in the forward 50 this year where he has just sprinted down the corridor whilst the ball has been transferred down a wing. If his opponent doesn't/cannot go with him, it's a huge win.

[Lucky Knickers]

Pickers has talked McVeigh up so much this season (not unfairly either IMO) that I'm wondering if he is about to join his stable?

[stellation]

No doubt. Is really working hard off the ball.

He was 30 metres alone to grab Bevo's goal if it bounced up and didn't bounce thru on Sat night as another example.

He has taken a heap of grabs alone in the forward 50 this year where he has just sprinted down the corridor whilst the ball has been transferred down a wing. If his opponent doesn't/cannot go with him, it's a huge win.

I do think that a handful of games where he has found himself wide open in the forward line he's had a guy on him who has got lost and gone to the contest to give help instead of sticking with his man.