The month ahead...

[johnno]

Now I know a lot of players and coaches say " we are taking it 1 week at a time", but I like to take it 22 weeks at a time(23 if you count the split round and 26 weeks at a time if I am being cheeky and counting in finals), but the month ahead is actually going to be quite tough and is going to go a long way towards where we actually finish come the end of the year.

First up its the Bulldogs: watched them play against the Cats on Friday night and let me tell you, they were very unlucky not to win as they played some awsome footy, especially that last quarter. Very different forward line to others, its a small/midsize forward line rather than a tall one. Last year I felt we outplayed them in 3 out of the 4 quarters in both games, its just that in that 1 quarter they outplayed us, they actually dominated on the scoreboeard.

Second up it the Hawks: I know they technically are our bitches(can I use that word moderators), only beating us once in the last 6-7 occassions, but seem to have got their mojo back and it is in Melbourne, is going to be interesting.

Thirdly is Collingwood at ANZ: enough said, we all know our recent record here, both in Melbourne and in Sydney, just hope I can finally go to a game with my Collingwood buddies and leave a winner not a loser.

and finally, the Crows at AAMI: if our record against the pies is woeful, than how do yo describe our performances against the crows? This is one team that is able to disect our defensive game style(when we play it, unlike on Sunday) better than even Collingwood. I would rather have a win against this mob than over Collingwood, thats how sick and tired I am of losing to them.

your thoughts people...

[Plugger46]

Win 2 of the 4 and we're looking good. Very tough month.

[Go Swannies]

I'd prefer to take it one week at a time. And yesterday gave us the chance to set up the year. How well we capitalise on that will be known this time next week.

I watched the Cats/Dogs gave on TV and watched the Cats put the Dogs away in the first quarter - much as we did to Port. But the Dogs fought back and nearly/should have snatched the win. I seem to spend most of the time at the SCG screaming "second effort Swans" - and yesterday they did all over the ground - and if I was a Dogs supporter I would have felt pleased by their second efforts against the tougher test of the Cats, too. I think the trick to the Cats is that they back each other up so well. So you tackle one but the next has the ball and if he doesn't get it into space someone in the next five handballs will. It must be so demoralising - especially when you're a few goals down already. The Dogs just kept tackling until they had the ball then got it forward quickly.

If we do what we did yesterday - flatten the Dogs running game as we did well until last year - and control the ball until we get it quickly into our forward 50 we have a good chance. If we let them play open footy we'll loose - as we will if we do this slow, steady getting the ball forward only to find 17 Dog have got there before it. If we play like we did yesterday (though it'll be harder this week) we have a good chance to win.

If we win then the Hawks should hold no fear for us. Four wins in a row may let us turn up to play against the Pies and Crows - and I can't remember the last time I saw that. Goodes seems to be getting better week by week so he could be a problem for any team, even our Nemesis I and II.

[RogueSwan]

Win 2 of the 4 and we're looking good. Very tough month.

and if I could choose the two, it would be the doggies and the pies.

[reigning premier]

If we're contenders we need 3 of the 4...

[Jeffers1984]

I'm glad we have this test coming up. We're either gonna be shown up as pretenders or contenders.

We had a similar tough run in 05 and it did us wonders.

BRING IT ON!

[johnno]

I'd prefer to take it one week at a time. And yesterday gave us the chance to set up the year. How well we capitalise on that will be known this time next week.

I watched the Cats/Dogs gave on TV and watched the Cats put the Dogs away in the first quarter - much as we did to Port. But the Dogs fought back and nearly/should have snatched the win. I seem to spend most of the time at the SCG screaming "second effort Swans" - and yesterday they did all over the ground - and if I was a Dogs supporter I would have felt pleased by their second efforts against the tougher test of the Cats, too. I think the trick to the Cats is that they back each other up so well. So you tackle one but the next has the ball and if he doesn't get it into space someone in the next five handballs will. It must be so demoralising - especially when you're a few goals down already. The Dogs just kept tackling until they had the ball then got it forward quickly.

If we do what we did yesterday - flatten the Dogs running game as we did well until last year - and control the ball until we get it quickly into our forward 50 we have a good chance. If we let them play open footy we'll loose - as we will if we do this slow, steady getting the ball forward only to find 17 Dog have got there before it. If we play like we did yesterday (though it'll be harder this week) we have a good chance to win.

If we win then the Hawks should hold no fear for us. Four wins in a row may let us turn up to play against the Pies and Crows - and I can't remember the last time I saw that. Goodes seems to be getting better week by week so he could be a problem for any team, even our Nemesis I and II.

Who do you consider to be 'nemesis I and nemesis II. I would put the crows as number 1 and the pies at number 2.

[Go Swannies]

Who do you consider to be 'nemesis I and nemesis II. I would put the crows as number 1 and the pies at number 2.

That's what I was thinking. Craig got inside Roos' head first then Malthouse jointed him. Now the team don't expect to win against either - and don't.

[Mr Magoo]

It almost impossible to guess where we are heading this year. You could say in retrospect that the West Coast game was the precursor to yestedays performance. In that game I thought we were dominant but didnt put the score on the board to reflect it, yesterday we did.

If we continue yesterdays effort we could go 3 out of 4 over the next month, if we slip in intensity we probably go 1 out of 4.

We should beat Collingwood and Adelaide and maybe hawthorn but I reckon we will struggle to match the bulldogs.

[Jeffers1984]

We should beat Collingwood and Adelaide and maybe hawthorn but I reckon we will struggle to match the bulldogs.

The thing with Collingwood and Adelaide is there constant pressure and use of zones. We just can't handle it and make alot of mistakes. No matter what kind of form they are in, we just wilt under their gameplan.

At least with the Doggies they will take the game on which is our best chance.

[Go Swannies]

It almost impossible to guess where we are heading this year. You could say in retrospect that the West Coast game was the precursor to yestedays performance. In that game I thought we were dominant but didnt put the score on the board to reflect it, yesterday we did.

If we continue yesterdays effort we could go 3 out of 4 over the next month, if we slip in intensity we probably go 1 out of 4.

We should beat Collingwood and Adelaide and maybe hawthorn but I reckon we will struggle to match the bulldogs.

So, on my experience from years of following the Swannies, I take that as a win against the Dogs, losses against the Pies and Crows and a draw against the Hawks.

[dimelb]

That's what I was thinking. Craig got inside Roos' head first then Malthouse jointed him. Now the team don't expect to win against either - and don't.

I suspect it's the team's heads rather than Roos's. They collectively seem to go into their shell when they should be thinking and acting as they did yesterday, fight for the ball when the other lot has it and strike quickly when we have it.

[johnno]

I suspect it's the team's heads rather than Roos's. They collectively seem to go into their shell when they should be thinking and acting as they did yesterday, fight for the ball when the other lot has it and strike quickly when we have it.

Exactley, as I have heard a lot of coaches(and Roosy)say in the past..." I can only do all the preparations during the week to get the boys ready, on gameday, its up to them".

[Go Swannies]

Exactley, as I have heard a lot of coaches(and Roosy)say in the past..." I can only do all the preparations during the week to get the boys ready, on gameday, its up to them".

However, if the coach is comprehensively out coached during the game - as we have seen Roos been by both those coaches in the past, it's a bit weak to blame the players for him not reacting to costly match-ups on the ground.

[Plugger46]

However, if the coach is comprehensively out coached during the game - as we have seen Roos been by both those coaches in the past, it's a bit weak to blame the players for him not reacting to costly match-ups on the ground.

Correct. We never seem to change anything against either side.