The positives thread

[573v30]

The positives:

Barry Hall taking marks and kicking goals
Crouchy in the first half
Solid returns from Fosdike and Buchanan
Mattner and Kennelly went they didn't turn over the ball
Bevan's tackling and defensive pressure
Craig Bird giving it a crack against the best team of the comp

[hammo]

I thought Crouch gave us fantastic run all night and was a key to our more attacking style of play.

I know this is a positives thread, but wasn't Crouch playing on Ablett in the first half? His attacking game was good but defensively he's not what he used to be.

[ScottH]

Sure, we got done by 39 points. But surely we can get to at least page 2 of a thread like this just focussing on the good stuff? Can't we?

You're always so positive!

To kick off...

1 Barry Hall. Made something out of almost every chance that came his way. Played like he had super glue on his hands - best I've seen him mark at night time for a fair while. But it wasn't just that his hands were secure. He attacked contests with a renewed vigour, winning some contests he looked well out of position for. Sure, it was only against Harry Taylor, not Matty Scarlett, but still as dominant a forward performance as you can get with so little quality ball coming your way.

Regardless of Scarlet not being there some of his marks I don't think scarlett would've been able to stop. It would be a huge boost to his confidence, just to get so much of the ball, and get back to his pre-brain-fart form.

2 Craig Bird. If nothing else comes of this season, even if we bomb out over the next fortnight and miss the finals altogether, this season will have been worth it for the pleasure of watching this lad blossom and grow. Still needs to find more of it, get fitter, stronger, etc etc but the way his confidence, vision and skills have improved as the season has progressed has been a delight. The goal he kicked tonight was evidence of this. 15 weeks ago he wouldn't have had the confidence. Tonight he knew exactly what he was trying to do, wasn't over-awed by the nearby presence of Hall demanding the ball, and had the skills to execute it too.

Next...

Bird was also the one who long kicked to Hall one out in the F50, after a series of many handballs to get out of the D50, and I thought he was about to off load another HB, when he decided to bomb it long, and he did and it was great to see.

Malceski's long kick to Hall, again one out, was a sign of his confidence returning too.

Monty had a fair game.
Fosdike was OK, but his kicking let him down. I like him because he prefers to kick not a handball.
Crouch loves to straighten up, and was our BOG, until his injury.
And Bevan's attack on the ball is exhilarating, doesn't always come off, but he is just hard at it.

[swansrule100]

i am probably alone but spida is playing better than he was, and is still a better option than say white.

But having said that i actually think Jolly played better when he had little to no help.

The biggest positive has to be bird, the other positive is given they are related maybe noggy can get gary to show him how to play

[ScottH]

i am probably alone but spida is playing better than he was, and is still a better option than say white.

No you're not alone. I've mentioned it a few times, and a few others have as well.

But having said that i actually think Jolly played better when he had little to no help.

Jolly was in great form until a few weeks ago. Not sure why.

[ScottH]

I left out Jude.
I thought he was very good last night. He'll never be a Judd of Ablett, but he was in there fighting all night.

[liz]

Malceski's long kick to Hall, again one out, was a sign of his confidence returning too.

One of my favourite micro-plays of the game. Everyone could see that he had Hall on if he could kick the ball to his advantage but Hall had two defenders in his vicinity and not just any kick would do it. Rather than kick long quickly and hope for the best, he held onto it for just the perfect length of time before he unleashed. The kick itself wasn't quite one of those Mal-sizzler-specials but the play was a sign that the best football brain in the team is still alive and throbbing even if the body it's in isn't quite up to scratch at the moment.

Agree on Buchanan as well. He was pretty good. Love his move of diving on a loose ball in dispute to stop the opposition moving it off the ground in their direction but then standing up immediately with ball in hand. It's a trick a few of our in-and-unders try but none of them is as good at getting to their feet so cleanly as Monty is.

[ScottH]

Agree on Buchanan as well. He was pretty good. Love his move of diving on a loose ball in dispute to stop the opposition moving it off the ground in their direction but then standing up immediately with ball in hand. It's a trick a few of our in-and-unders try but none of them is as good at getting to their feet so cleanly as Monty is.

One of Kellys tricks he used to use quite often to perfection.

[Ludwig]

Agree with Liz on Hall and Bird. In a few years I think Bird will become a player spoken of much like Bartel and Hodge.

But for me, considering the opposition, Bevan was fantastic. All the joking is over now. He is genuine AFL footballer. Showing real poise and good skills. I have him in my top 10 B&F this year.

[Mike_B]

Jolly was in great form until a few weeks ago. Not sure why.

Perhaps the change in style of play doesn't suit him as much?

[liz]

Bevan was fantastic. All the joking is over now. He is genuine AFL footballer. Showing real poise and good skills. I have him in my top 10 B&F this year.

I think Bevo is a monty to finish in the top 10 B&F (unlike Monty!)

Putting aside the debates on here about his merits, it is evident that the coaches rate highly the job he does each week.

[liz]

Jolly was in great form until a few weeks ago. Not sure why.

Perhaps the change in style of play doesn't suit him as much?

What happens when the ball is in play should have little impact on his ability to influence ruck contests - which he seems down on. Plus where he was adding so much value earlier in the year was hard running forward to present an option close to goals. Quicker ball movement should help that, not hinder it.

It's as likely as anything that he's carrying a niggling injury that is hampering him during games and/or preventing him working on the track during the week. I realise that players get judged on what they do out there, if they're fit enough to play, and lots of players will be sore this time of year. But very frequently when a good player is down on form, some form of injury is at least part of the cause. We mob sitting up in the stands, who don't have the inside knowledge, are a pretty unforgiving and demanded bunch who demand the best each week from every player. In reality, they're not always physically able to give what we demand.

[Nico]

My poisitve is I thought the spark returned last night even though it was a 39point defeat.

There was a positiveness and fluency that hasn't been there for some time. Crucial set shot misses by Hall and Goodes at critical times and some stupid over possessing in the midfield let Geelong in for easy goals just when we looked back in the game, twice.

[Xie Shan]

Good thread, even though top 4 now looks unlikely I think the Swans will be able to take a fair bit out of this year. Not just the new talent we've unearthed, but the last few weeks (excluding the Collingwood and Adelaide losses) has seen a gradual shift to a more positive style.

[Wazza]

Positive for me -

the return of Monty and Fossie, with Goodes restricted we need Fossie playing the outside Midfield role and Monty gives us the extra grunt in the MF we have missed. The trio of Mal Monty and Fossie could prove the difference against Collingwood next week.