Young Swans to benefit from injury woes

[NMWBloods]

They will probably go a tall forward to replace Playfair so White would be a chance. Goodes is listed as out so maybe Brabazon to come into the midfield, although it's more likely Eski will come back in, in defence and maybe Mattner will play further afield.

Or we could put Barry and Malceski into defence, and bring Crouch in for some more defence, and leave Grundy and Mattner there, and perhaps move Mathews and Bevan down there as well. After all defence is our weakness...

[bedford]

it was against carlton

[TheMase]

Leo's return will allow Grundy to push forward to be Playfair's replacement.

Malceski for Goodes.

That is what I expect will happen.

[BeeEmmAre]

Why?

Aside from the fact that he's my cousin, I believe he's given good enough service to the club that he deserves to be given the chance to play 200 games.

No player should be left stranded so close to a milestone anyway.

ROK, don't twist my words please.

[ROK Lobster]

ROK, don't twist my cousin please.

[Bear]

i've seen plenty of negatives about Crouch on RWO.
not sure what that's based on, other than the fact he has had a bad run with injuries in the last 2 years.

he's always been very reliable as a minder-backman, and provides good run and linkage off half back.
if (and yes a big if) his body is good, he's easily in our best 22.

[Mike_B]

Aside from the fact that he's my cousin, I believe he's given good enough service to the club that he deserves to be given the chance to play 200 games.

No player should be left stranded so close to a milestone anyway.

I know some might say its a case of double standards, but IMO, the only time you would give someone games to achieve a milestone is where you're out of finals contention and just playing out the season. Otherwise, there's no room for sentimentality in giving a guy a game who doesn't deserve it, just because of a milestone, when the game is critical to the team's finals chances.

[ernie koala]

Aside from the fact that he's my cousin, I believe he's given good enough service to the club that he deserves to be given the chance to play 200 games.

No player should be left stranded so close to a milestone anyway.

Cousin or no cousin...To acheive a milestone based on past service is fairly hollow (in Mathews case it's a black hole). Surely a milestone is only significant if it is reached on merrit, ie; being selected as one of the best 22 available. IMO Mathews is not in our best 22.

[Bas]

Well with our injury list as long as it is.

Play Benny to 200. We're making up numbers in the 8 and let him have his life membership.

Then happy retirement.

[swansrock4eva]

I think 150 games is life m'ship.

If he was in our best 22 I'd say let him play, but he's still not, so sentimentality shouldn't be playing a part when the race to even now stay in the 8 is so tight.

[BloodsInMyVeins]

I think 150 games is life m'ship.

If he was in our best 22 I'd say let him play, but he's still not, so sentimentality shouldn't be playing a part when the race to even now stay in the 8 is so tight.

Yes i Agree BUT!!!

Isn't our best 22 injured @ the moment?

So the way the Swans have been playing the past 3 weeks ,I'm confident Crouchy probably wouldn't do any worse than the rest of the team.

P.S. While they keep playing players like LRT, theres definitely room for Crouchy in my eyes

[Plugger46]

Aside from the fact that he's my cousin, I believe he's given good enough service to the club that he deserves to be given the chance to play 200 games.

No player should be left stranded so close to a milestone anyway.

ROK, don't twist my words please.

Fair enough, obviously I had no idea that he was your cousin.

I don't think players should be carried to milestones though.

[Plugger46]

Well with our injury list as long as it is.

Play Benny to 200. We're making up numbers in the 8 and let him have his life membership.

Then happy retirement.

While we're in the top 4, we're not making up the numbers. We have a realistic shot at a preliminary final if we stay in the top 4. As far as I'm concerned, that is not making up the numbers and we should be doing everything in our power to stay in the top 4 - not carrying players to milestones for the sake of it.

[BeeEmmAre]

I said take out the cousin fact - because I feel the same way about anybody who is close to a milestone.
As others said, with so many out at the moment, who is in the seconds that could do a better job than Benny for two more games?
Braba and Vez we don't know, and they may get their chance this week anyway.
White, Faulks etc, totally different type of player.
What did people think when Rod Carter was screwed on 193 a few years back?

ROK, you're a smartarse but we luv ya for it.

[Plugger46]

I said take out the cousin fact - because I feel the same way about anybody who is close to a milestone.
As others said, with so many out at the moment, who is in the seconds that could do a better job than Benny for two more games?
Braba and Vez we don't know, and they may get their chance this week anyway.
White, Faulks etc, totally different type of player.
What did people think when Rod Carter was screwed on 193 a few years back?

ROK, you're a smartarse but we luv ya for it.

Nick Smith for me. He has played 2 games and been dropped straight after each one. I don't think he'd give us any less than Benny, and he's the future.