Hypothetical

[Go Swannies]

I know I follow a game with passion rather than an eye for detail. So I thought I'd try the collective intelligence of RWO. Put yourself in the position of the Swans' coaching squad and answer:

1. What does Luke Ablett add to the midfield that makes him invaluable? The expression used was "the midfield doesn't work without him". Why?

2. LRT - is he just the best of our limited options for a tall back or does he give us something special down the back?

3. After Vespa's game last weekend, why would you consider leaving him out? Is fielding a more experienced team giving us that much more chance for success that it's worth going against the stated aim of giving the kids some valuable finals experience?

I know each of these questions is wide open for a cheap shot. But I'd really like to hear serious answers to each or any of these questions.

[Hartijon]

"Finals Experience" is one of the biggest "furfies" around. Just because you haven't played in a GF doesn't mean you don't know what is required . No two GF's are exactly the same and just witness the stuff ups and brain fades of our "Finals experienced " players in the first half of the 2006 GF. Keneally choosing to run straight into Ben cousins for a HTB free and goal to WC still remains as one of the dumbest things I have ever seen on a footy field let alone a GF. Who can forget Abletts pass to Cousins right in front to give WC the lead back in 2005?

No as I have said in other threads,if you want to win a game or a final you pick on form alone! Of course you pick Vez!
Ablett and the mid field? It's hard to tell particularly against a weak side like Brisbane. All i can think of is creating space and voicing instructions.He hardly sets the team alight there and would any other team chose him to play there?

[australian_made]

1. Whoever used that expression is on drugs. His form over the last month has not been great and if i had to pick between him and say Vespa i would keep the Vespa this week.

2. LRT is an enigma. Sometimes he can play like a champion and keeps a champion forward goalless (J Brown), at other times a champion full forward will eat him alive (L Franklin). But you kinda answered your own question, we just aren't spoiled for choice when it comes to talls in the backline, and we are just always hopeful that he will play the way we know he can. Consistency is his problem really, but his best really is quite good.

3. I agree with Hartijon, form is more more important than "finals experience". Its just a cliche that is being touted at the moment, mainly by our camp, to make is sound like we have some kind of advantage. I would drop Ablett and Crouch to bring in Goodes and O'Keefe. Vespa, Bird, Jack, Moore and Grundy all deserve to have their chance this weekend.

[AussieAnge]

I know I follow a game with passion rather than an eye for detail. So I thought I'd try the collective intelligence of RWO. Put yourself in the position of the Swans' coaching squad and answer:

1. What does Luke Ablett add to the midfield that makes him invaluable? The expression used was "the midfield doesn't work without him". Why?

2. LRT - is he just the best of our limited options for a tall back or does he give us something special down the back?

3. After Vespa's game last weekend, why would you consider leaving him out? Is fielding a more experienced team giving us that much more chance for success that it's worth going against the stated aim of giving the kids some valuable finals experience?

I know each of these questions is wide open for a cheap shot. But I'd really like to hear serious answers to each or any of these questions.

1. GS who said that? The midfield seemed to cope adequately in the gmaes he didn't play.
2. Not sure that LRT adds something special, reckon he does the job asked of him and is the best of the limited options.
3. If I ruled the world or coached the Swans I would pick Veszpremi.

[ScottH]

1. GS who said that?

I'm pretty sure it was Roos. I read it today in one of the many links posted.

[DST]

I know I follow a game with passion rather than an eye for detail. So I thought I'd try the collective intelligence of RWO. Put yourself in the position of the Swans' coaching squad and answer:

1. What does Luke Ablett add to the midfield that makes him invaluable? The expression used was "the midfield doesn't work without him". Why?

2. LRT - is he just the best of our limited options for a tall back or does he give us something special down the back?

3. After Vespa's game last weekend, why would you consider leaving him out? Is fielding a more experienced team giving us that much more chance for success that it's worth going against the stated aim of giving the kids some valuable finals experience?

I know each of these questions is wide open for a cheap shot. But I'd really like to hear serious answers to each or any of these questions.

1. He gives us another run with option which allows Jude and Kirk to hunt the ball more, not the man

2. A bit of both, at this stage LRT is the only tall defender option so he plays no matter what. IMHO he can play (see his effort on Brown last weekend) he just needs to be settled at CHB, remain injury free and play simple fuss free footy

3. Vespa looks good, real good but you don't have to be Einstein to see that he is way to unfit to be playing regular senior football at present (this will come it's his first year and he had no preseason). He was blowing like a puffer fish on Saturday night. The match committee are no doubt trying to manage him to make sure that when he does play at senior level they get something out of him

DST

[AussieAnge]

I'm pretty sure it was Roos. I read it today in one of the many links posted.

OK, thanks Scott. TBH I tend not to listen to what Roos says.

[Nico]

I know I follow a game with passion rather than an eye for detail. So I thought I'd try the collective intelligence of RWO. Put yourself in the position of the Swans' coaching squad and answer:

1. What does Luke Ablett add to the midfield that makes him invaluable? The expression used was "the midfield doesn't work without him". Why?

2. LRT - is he just the best of our limited options for a tall back or does he give us something special down the back?

3. After Vespa's game last weekend, why would you consider leaving him out? Is fielding a more experienced team giving us that much more chance for success that it's worth going against the stated aim of giving the kids some valuable finals experience?

I know each of these questions is wide open for a cheap shot. But I'd really like to hear serious answers to each or any of these questions.

1. Nothing, and it does work without him. How can it not when he goes a half without a possession. Strewth in one game he played up forward because he was so crap on the ball and that was because we had 2 who couldn't come back on.

2. Limited options is my best guess. Should be in the ruck for mine, far better than the tortoise.

3. Vespa, play him. DST says he is not fit and blows like the wind when he comes off. Have a close look at any midfielder who comes off during a game, they all blow more than a Melbourne Cup runner. If he keeps kicking goals better to play him before a midfielder who doesn't (Ablett and Crouch come to mind) Lack of goals from midfielders has been one of our glaring weaknesses until 2008.

[Dogzbody]

1. Ablett (and I reckon he would know inside) has played his best footy. ROK should take his midfield role, because at the end of the day ROK will tag, go forward, back, centre....everywhere and actually think about his options...and rack up 20+ quality disposals.

2. LRT is a good player...and like others have said its just the consistency. I believe that keep his goals simple with the others around him doing theirs and its not a bad equation. Goodness knows we have got this far...may as well see how good he can be.

3. Vesz is 19 years old....the more times he blows like a thoroughbred the better and the sooner it happens the better. He is our future star small forward, every opportunity should be given for him to get his tank/talent combo sorted.

[TheMase]

3. Vesz is 19 years old....the more times he blows like a thoroughbred the better and the sooner it happens the better. He is our future star small forward, every opportunity should be given for him to get his tank/talent combo sorted.

If he is willing to put in the hard yards, I think I would rather him in the midfield long term.

[Darren Thomson]

1. Ablett is out of form or injured or just out of gas. Put him in a paddock and see what happens next year. ROK plays amidfield role anyway, back, forward, on ball, doesn't really matter, biggest tank at the club.

2. LRT is underrated and picked at because he is slow to make decisions and play on. There is also a lack of height in our backline, but the pressure on the backs is created by a lack of defensive pressure in the midfield and by fast rebound from d50, you know, like what we do to clubs sometimes.

3. Vez is a midfielder who isn't quite up to full top level AFL fitness yet. HFF or pocket drifting in and out of the midfield for another year and he will be a star. No KFC please. MHO

[DST]

3. Vespa, play him. DST says he is not fit and blows like the wind when he comes off. Have a close look at any midfielder who comes off during a game, they all blow more than a Melbourne Cup runner. If he keeps kicking goals better to play him before a midfielder who doesn't (Ablett and Crouch come to mind) Lack of goals from midfielders has been one of our glaring weaknesses until 2008.

Vespa cannot play in the midfield, he is simply not ready at this stage.

I agree he should be playing, but with his limited pre-season and injury hit year he is a week to week proposition at best in terms as to whether he can come up.

IMHO he was to be rested last week in preparation of playing this week, but with ROK out (and a home final on the cards) he played.

Whether this has a marked effect on his performance this week (where the intensity goes up again) will be interesting.

Going to be a gun midfielder/forward in the future no doubt just no where near physically ready to play week in and out as a forward let alone in the midfield.


DST

[C-Train]

2. LRT is an enigma..

Cant you get cream for that??

[Go Swannies]

My questions still stand. I'm surprised that some of the more regular posters on the site don't have a go at answering - in football land there must be a rational explanation . . .

[TheHood]

My questions still stand. I'm surprised that some of the more regular posters on the site don't have a go at answering - in football land there must be a rational explanation . . .

Hey, I thought this was a "hypothetical".