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Vespremi any chance at seniors next week? I reckon we need to show some imagination with our selections next week.
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"As everyone knows our style of football is defensive and unattractive, and as such I have completely forgotten how to mark or kick over the years" - Brett Kirk
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They did deserve to win and the scoreboard slightly flattered the Swans - or rather, the Swans kicked very very well for goal and the Pies were wasteful in front of goal. Belconnen killed us in the midfield and the inexperience of some of the Swans defenders was shown up. It probably didn't help that Columbo KO'ed himself early in the game.
The standard of the top-ups was also significantly lower than in most games I've seen this year. Many of them were a liability out there, in contrast to others who've not looked out of place at all.
It was interesting to see Allison throw the players around in the second half in an attempt to turn the tide. Stacking the forward line with Currie and Orreal, while moving White onto the ball, was an interesting move and it paid dividends since their height clearly worried Belconnen. I think each of them got one fairly soft free kick in front of goal - they were there but came about because the defenders were worried about height rather than because Currie and Orreal looked like genuine chances of marking the ball in those instances.
Others have already drooled about Vez so there's not much need to add to it, except to say his snapped goal - ala Davis vs Geelong - showed signs of what we can expect in the future. Also really enjoyed Murph's goal (there's a surprise!!) but most of the credit has to go to the great kick from Reg that set it up.Comment
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I thought Currie was excellentComment
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Spiteri has certainly been one of the most impressive. He's been playing with the Swans throughout the extended U18 championships so must just have been called up recently into the team. Mitch Rawson and somebody-May are the only other two names I can recall (other than Sam Brassingham, who played today). But even when the top-ups in past games haven't done enough to make me remember their names, they've still impressed me with their courage in contests. Two or three of them out there today just looked a bit scared to go after the ball. I recall one of the more promising thrusts through the midfield that resulted in a long kick to a two on one contest in our forward line. Both the Swans players watched while the one Magpie came through, attacked the ball and marked it despite starting in the worst position of all three.
It sounds like I'm being a bit overly critical of these lads. That's not my intention. Most of them are very young to be playing senior grade football. Most of them aren't even the cream of the crop in their age group since those players are with the Rams at the moment and/or are signed on scholarships with other clubs. And most of them do have a red hot dip every week. I just think this week they were a significant factor in the Swans losing.Comment
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On the game, we were hamstrung by injuries big time.
Meredith came off and went down to the rooms after 10 minutes of the first quarter and sat on the bench in his tracksuit for the rest of the game. unsure of the injury, but he was walking fine, so maybe it could be his shoulder problem which kept him out the first 12 rounds. The tracksuit may have covered any telling clues.
Faulks came off after that collision with Murphy late in the first quarter. He was holding his ribs and seemed to be really having trouble. He went to the quarter time huddle and stood with his group but didn't return to the field. By 3/4 time he had showered and change into civvies.
Barlow came off midway thru the 3rd quarter, wrapped the hammy in ice and stayed on the bench the rest of the game.
Down to 2 on the bench really hurt us bad and only our good goalkicking kept us in it.Driver of the Dan Hannebery bandwagon....all aboard. 4th April 09Comment
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I thought Belconnen dominated our midfield, and Schmidt was the only one who seem to have any impact on the match. The other mids, Smith included, were well beaten.
BTW, how many hospital handballs did we serve up in that match. Felt sorry for the guys on the receiving end, they got crunched big time.Comment
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Jesus. Why are our mids being beaten by blokes who get pissed after they train?Comment
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Nothing worse than walking passed the team that has just thrashed you at the end of the game and noting they are all 20 kgs at least heavier than you, they laugh about not having trained for 10 years and are on their second fag before you can collect all you gear. I have never stuck around long enough to see if they get pissed....sometimes game experience is just something that can't be beaten"The Dog days are over, The Dog days are gone" Florence and the MachineComment
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I really am surprised that we can lose these games though. Half of our side are elite athletes. You would think we would run the opposition off their feet after about half time.Comment
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Shows how much of a difference Davis makes...?Captain Logic is not steering this tugboat.
"[T]here are things that matter more and he's reading and thinking about them: heaven, reincarnation. Life and death are the only things that are truly a matter of life and death. Not football."Comment
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Not yesterday. It was around clearances in the middle that the team was well and truly smashed. Doubt Davis would have made much of a difference in that department. Fosdike might have - although it's not a role he often plays at senior level, in his reserves games this year he's been a clearance machine. Schmidt did his best yesterday but, despite being named in the best, I didn't think either Smith or Mathews gave him the support they are capable of providing at centre bounces. And the team yesterday didn't really have anyone else capable in that department. Brabazon isn't really an in and under contested ball winner, nor is MOD. Meredith might be - haven't seen enough of him to be able to tell - but he was injured early.Comment
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