Lewis roberts-thomson

[hammo]

Quite often, the very last line of defence.

The way opposition coaches like it.

[reigning premier]

Excluding his first few games this year, when he was in the very unfamiliar position of ruckman, and as a result can't be fairly brought into the discussion, LRT has been ordinary for most games, genuinely terrible in one or two, and fairly good in two or three. That's how I've read his performance anyway.

At the Freo game, I thought LRT did a very good job on Pavlich in the first half, when the Freo star was playing forward. Then, Pav was moved through the midfield and into defence in order to inject him into the game, and LRT simply wasn't versatile enough to follow him there and do a good job. I haven't seen a replay of the match, and it wasn't a matchup I was watching particularly closely, so I may have got that wrong, but that's how it seemed to me.

Basically, I think LRT is still working back into the game after his injury-riddled season last year. I reckon if he gets another good preseason under him, and gets his confidence up (perhaps a team intervention a la the Bevonator would do the trick...), he'll be back playing like he has in the past. He has shown flashes of it this year. SOS saw something in him. I see no reason why whatever he saw should have disappeared.

Fair call re the Freo game. He did pretty well against a real star in white hot form. For mine, it seemed almost like Roos was willing to conceed that Pavlich would tear a player apart. It might as well be LRT as he doesn't give us a lot offensively.

[BSA5]

Fair call re the Freo game. He did pretty well against a real star in white hot form. For mine, it seemed almost like Roos was willing to conceed that Pavlich would tear a player apart. It might as well be LRT as he doesn't give us a lot offensively.

That was the feeling I got when Pavlich was moved into the midfield and backline, and Roos kept LRT on him (for most of the time, anyway). Previous to then, LRT wasn't being torn apart at all. Pav was forced to shake LRT by moving into the midfield and backline. It seemed to me then that Roos was happy for Pav to play down there and rack up possessions on LRT, rather than using up a midfielder on him. Also, that way, if Pav ever did try to sneak forward, which he did, LRT would still be with him to defend. And as far as I'm concerned, it worked. I honestly didn't think Pav had all that much influence on the game. I'd much rather him kick 1 goal and have 27 disposals than 6 goals and 10 disposals.

[liz]

That was the feeling I got when Pavlich was moved into the midfield and backline, and Roos kept LRT on him (for most of the time, anyway). Previous to then, LRT wasn't being torn apart at all. Pav was forced to shake LRT by moving into the midfield and backline. It seemed to me then that Roos was happy for Pav to play down there and rack up possessions on LRT, rather than using up a midfielder on him. Also, that way, if Pav ever did try to sneak forward, which he did, LRT would still be with him to defend. And as far as I'm concerned, it worked. I honestly didn't think Pav had all that much influence on the game. I'd much rather him kick 1 goal and have 27 disposals than 6 goals and 10 disposals.

Exactly - and Lewis at least broke even with Pavlich in their one-on-one contests close to goal.

Also consider that the only real alternative for Pavlich was Bolton. At different times you could pitch a fit Goodes against Pavlich in the midfield and roll the dice as to who'd have more influence. But that wasn't an option this time round. And with Lewis tracking Pavlich, it allowed Bolton to play on McPharlin - who'd kicked 5 goals the week before. McPharlin barely touched the ball in the first half, and then was moved back to try and do something about Goodes at the other end of the ground (which he had as little success doing as the youngsters who'd played on him in the first half).

Winning a game of footy isn't about winning every head to head match up. It's about winning more than you lose, and hoping winning some of the more influential ones.

[satchmopugdog]

After reading the game thread and comments on here I expected to see a shocking performance by LRT when I eventually got to see a replay of the game.

Well I was wrong..he played a lot better than I had been lead to believe. Sure Pavlich played well but wasn't as damaging upon viewing as the impression I was given via the radio broadcast.

LRT didn't once have the rabbit in the headlights body language that he had 2 years ago and his passing by foot and hand was fine. He wasn't nearly as clumsy as I have seen him earlier in the season. Sure he got beaten by Pavlich in one on one duels....but name players who wouldn't and you would be looking at the very elite of the competition.

Nothing brilliant but more than adequate.


(p.s. Is there anyway we can get Michael Johnson to play for us. He is a good player)

[barlow]

The problem with LRT is when he has the ball. One on one in defence, he is alright, as was the case against Pav.
But for a team to be a contender come finals, you can't have blokes like Andrew Dunkley running around anymore. In all respect to Dunks, he would not survive today. Footy has changed, so that every player must be capable in all facets of the game, or it will be exploited.
Where this hurts the most is on the turnover. This is where LRT hurts us. He can't set up play, he can't break lines, he can't hurt an opponent, he can't hit a target. It ultimately creates a turnover for the opponent.
He improved greatly in his one-on-one coaching sessions with SOS. But he hasnt improved this part of his game.
Geelong, Hawthorn and the Bulldogs all have one thing in common. Extreme consistency. Every player can hit a target. Every player can hurt his opponent if not respected. Every player is capable of turning defence into attack on the turnover. AFL has turned into something that resembles Basketball, and the turnover is huge.
Look at the Hawks. They NEVER kick to a contest. They do everything possible to prevent turning the ball over. They win games because they have 22 capable players.

Against Collingwood, LRT was exploited and this hurt us. Its sad to say it, but there is just no room in football, in its current climate, for a player that can not kick.

[dimelb]

After reading the game thread and comments on here I expected to see a shocking performance by LRT when I eventually got to see a replay of the game.

Well I was wrong..he played a lot better than I had been lead to believe. Sure Pavlich played well but wasn't as damaging upon viewing as the impression I was given via the radio broadcast.

LRT didn't once have the rabbit in the headlights body language that he had 2 years ago and his passing by foot and hand was fine. He wasn't nearly as clumsy as I have seen him earlier in the season. Sure he got beaten by Pavlich in one on one duels....but name players who wouldn't and you would be looking at the very elite of the competition.

Nothing brilliant but more than adequate.

I watched the game on Fox and agree with every word. Lewy is not our best defender, but he is the big body that our defence needs. And his kicking and handballing have improved, as has his decisiveness. What's more, I feel more confident now about his kicking for goal than I do with some others in the team.

[BloodsInMyVeins]

LRT should leave he's a waste of space.

That's all i have to say about that.

[ScottH]

Roberts-Thomson happy to be back

Roberts-Thomson happy to be back

Swans defender Lewis Roberts-Thomson is pleased to have returned to the backline as the finals near

VERSATILE big man Lewis Roberts-Thomson is happy to have re-established himself in the Sydney Swans' backline as they prepare for their massive test against ladder leader Geelong at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.

Roberts-Thomson, who made his name as a premiership defender in 2005, has found himself in different positions this year because of the Swans' injury woes.

[Mr Magoo]

A couple of points on LRT :

1. I dont think they will trade him as they dont have a ready made replacement and he probably isnt worth much at the table in any respect.

2. He is only 24 and a later comer to the game. Most big men dont really reach their peak until after 25. Would hate to get rid of him only to have him do a scott stevens who is now a pretty reasonable player at Adelaide (and who was similar to LRT when at the swans). Look at geelongs backmen. Excepting Scarlett they werent necessarily viewed as the unstoppable force we now see them two seasons ago.

3. He has had a disrupted year and virtually didnt play all of last year. He is never going to be a Lance Franklin but then again few are.

4. His real problem at the moment is his hesitation when he takes a mark and goes back. he then doesnt play to the first (and usually the best) option. Thats a confidence thing not an ability thing.

5. When in the backine he regularly gets their best big man. His effort on Pavlich was pretty good on saturday night. Without him , who takes the Pavlich type players. Certainly not grundy at this stage IMO.

[timbo]

trade him to carlton for saddington.

[hammo]

3. He has had a disrupted year and virtually didnt play all of last year.

He's played every game this year

4. His real problem at the moment is his hesitation when he takes a mark and goes back. he then doesnt play to the first (and usually the best) option. Thats a confidence thing not an ability thing.

Correct. He has no footy smarts. It could partly be confidence but awareness is also the sort of thing that can't be taught.

[Mr Magoo]

He's played every game this year

Correct. He has no footy smarts. It could partly be confidence but awareness is also the sort of thing that can't be taught.

By disrupted I mean he has played partly ruck , partly defence and even sometimes in attack.

Agree that awareness is a quiality some players have better than others but he doesnt seem to lack in as much when he gets the ball in general play and just has to give off. he then seems to generally find players and use the better option without stalling. From my recollections of his games, he is rarely caught holding the ball and rarely turns it over (someone I am sure will correct me on this ).

[Bleed Red Blood]

The only reason he has played in the forward line is when he's been so soundly beaten as a defender that they seem to want to hide him away up forward.

[Wardy]

The only reason he has played in the forward line is when he's been so soundly beaten as a defender that they seem to want to hide him away up forward.

LRT is like the Wing Defence in Netball - you cant get into too much trouble playing that position.