Centurion LRT

[Mr Magoo]

Have been on the "leave LRT alone" committee for quite a while now but happy to see he seems to be injury free, fitter and able to impose himself onto opposition forwards with strength and good judgement.

As a result his running off has improved and he is disposing quickly and usually pretty accurately. His past disposal problems usually came about when he stood around for an enternity and seemed to be looking for the perfect pass .

[cruiser]

The LRT appreciation thread

OK, I'm prepared to stick my neck out and predict that LRT will be our big improver this season. I'm hoping that we see a McVeigh like transition from him this season; that he finally delivers consistently as a good player and vindicates the hopes of the selectors. His two games so far this season have both been very good. He was one of our few good players against the Saints. He looks strong, fit and bulked up (has anyone else noticed that?) and most importantly, he looks confident and like he's enjoying himself out there.

So here's to hoping we dont see any bagging of LRT on RWO this season - because they'll only be reason for praise.

[dimelb]

I expect others may be bigger improvers (Bird, Meredith, White) but if LRT can consistently deliver along the lines he has shown so far he is a good chance of featuring in our B&F by season's end. What pleases me most is his capacity to run and carry, and deliver a pretty reasonable kick to team mates. He's always been good in the air.

[Playsmart]

Lewis has been excellent so far this year, some really big things (for me at least) based on the two games so far this year;
1. when he has a good run to help out in a marking contest in defence I am now confident that the odds are the opposition forward will not take a mark (granted 20% of the times it might be because Lewis gives away a free )
2. his kicking has improved out of sight, I've been particuarly impressed with his pinpoint delivery on the run coming up along the wings
3. he is developing a Schauble-esque ability to pick when to run off his man to provide an extra link downfield (with obviously a tad more pace)- just needs to work on those wonderful Schaubs 20 metre/as good as a kick handballs

LRT is developing to be the previous solid back bone Brisbane Leppitsh defence guy. We know he brought accendancy to the Brisbane side a few cups of glory.

For this, I salute the coaching staff in developing and persevere this fellow despite his glaring weakness at the beginning of his games. Quite a few of us have seen the crystal ball a few years back as well to see his potential.

If he is allowed/supported in forward attack mode at the end of 3rd quarter or more in the 4th quarters when other opponents defenders are getting tired, like what the Brisbane Leppitich did often to kill the Swan off in later stages of the game, he can becomes invincible Leppitch clone. Smart coaches could utilise his presence to full effect on the field.

[Bleed Red Blood]

Leppitsch was a much, much better player than LRT will ever be - despite the far more assured look he has this season.

[573v30]

Well, his great run didn't last long...

[ScottH]

1 bad game out of 3, so far. Aint too bad.

[Mr Magoo]

You guys bagging LRT have got to be kidding.

Brown and Bradshaw are two of the best and when they get pinpoint delivery to a one on one contest then forget it. The new rules in the game make it almost impossible for backmen to defend this type of delivery.

[reigning premier]

LRT might be the ONLY player in the team to have had only one bad game.....

[cressakel]

You guys bagging LRT have got to be kidding.

Brown and Bradshaw are two of the best and when they get pinpoint delivery to a one on one contest then forget it. The new rules in the game make it almost impossible for backmen to defend this type of delivery.

I counted LRT giving away at least eight - and possibly up to 10 - goals on Saturday night to his direct opponent in a marking contest (either via a mark or free kick), a skill error or holding the ball !! Surely that must be a record.....

LRT's game was so embarrasing the coaching staff moved him to CHF half way through the last qrtr. I personally would have moved him to the bench for the remainder of the game from 10mins into the 3rd qrtr. Another game like Saturday should see LRT moved to the Ressies for a spell...

The new rules haven't affected the way Craig Bolton plays the game defensively. Bolton should have started on Brown - no if's, but's or maybe's !! Bolton plays within the rules and rarely gives away frees. Bolton also forces his opponent into making unforced errors such as dropped marks (ie. Buddy Franklin the week before dropping three marks) due to perceived pressure of Bolton being right on their hammer. Doesn't happen with LRT as he is a clumsy git, doesn't know how to use his body in one-on-one contests and is slow off the mark when a forward offers a quick lead to a bullet-like pass.

Purely and simply - LRT should a) never have started on Brown (or Bradshaw) and b) should be given the third forward and/or pushed outside the immediate scoring zone ie. opposition teams always ensure LRT is one out with his opponent 20-30m out from goal. When are the Swans coaching staff going to realise this ploy is happening ?? Drives me insane.....

[Bloody Hell]

You guys bagging LRT have got to be kidding.

Brown and Bradshaw are two of the best and when they get pinpoint delivery to a one on one contest then forget it. The new rules in the game make it almost impossible for backmen to defend this type of delivery.

He is a liability.

Against Brisbane he started on Brown (Bolton on Bradshaw). He got towelled up. Bolton and LRT were swapped. Noone wants LRT on the last line (especially the commentators).

The fourth quarter started with Richards on Brown and Bolton on Bradshaw - and finished with those two swapped.

I believe LRT finished on the wing. Yes.... LRT on the wing...how a player with the skills of LRT could play on the wing is beyond me. Though no faith shown in him as a defender.

I have read the preceding love fest and understand LRT is a crowd favorite. This has little to do with his playing ability.

The judgemental eye of RWO seems to have been delisted (along with Nick Davis I suspect.)

[Mr Magoo]

So his games against Hawthorn and St Kilda reflected this did they?

Comparing him to Bolton, who is currently being discussed on the talk shows as one of the best stopppers in the game is unfair. Of course Bolton should take the best the opposition serves up each week, that doesnt condemn LRT to purgatory.

If LRT is not the person for the job , who do you propose replace him in his current role. As the swans it would seem believe that Richards is not the one , that leaves ???

[Primmy]

All much ado about nothing. Some of us love LRT, some don't. The coaches do. His team mates do. They win, some of us don't. And here's a thought, aren't there another 21 players out there at some stage who may also have a bit to do with this game, NOT just Sunny. He may not be brilliant, but he is a Swan who is getting the best out of himself. He may be beaten at times, but I have never EVER seen him give up!

[Melbournehammer]

This is the bit that makes me laugh about the LRT defenders. He tries hard. Sheeshh I'd try hard too but that does not make me a league footballer.

In truth i reckon he was beaten by kossy on the night (at least partly because of dodgy frees) but nowhere near as badly as the team was beaten. Beat roughead by about the same margin as hawthorn was beaten and was beaten pointlessly by both brown and bradshaw. And in both of those contests he was beaten worse than the team was beaten. But having said that the midfield was just awful and there seemed to be a lot of open spaces for brisbane forwards to lead into.

I happen to agree with the person above who said that he is getting caught one out too often because opposition coaches choose to play through his man deep in the forward line - even the goal that mcqualter kicked after LRT spoiled kosi was because there was a one-on-one deep in our defensive end. he needs a third person up if he is going to be played on elite forwards (often he needs a third person on the likes of john anthony too but that is another story). His clumsiness leads to soft frees being paid against him regularly - in the same way that leo gets frees paid against him - the difference being leo still offers something going forward which LRT does not.

[Playsmart]

Acres of space for their forwards

You guys bagging LRT have got to be kidding.

Brown and Bradshaw are two of the best and when they get pinpoint delivery to a one on one contest then forget it. The new rules in the game make it almost impossible for backmen to defend this type of delivery.

Why was there so much space given to two of the best?

Why is that we cant get acre space for our forward in Vs Brisbane as we did against the hawk?

We didn't kick long more in the wet more often in the middle or half back?
If that is the problem, surely, we have not learnt to play in the wet despite the many times we have played in the wet.

We were 1-2 steps behind most of the time when we defended Vs Brisbane.
Why the turnaround after one game?

We cant come up with a counter plan against this "acre of space for their forward? If we dont have a counter plan, then we will be greatly disadvantaged with our smaller but supposedly more agile faster moving defenders in future games. Our smaller defenders didn't look that agile comparatively though they were Vs Hawks.