The positives of this season keep growing

[Hartijon]

This season is turning around from a frustrating "what might have been" to a very interesting year. All Swan lovers have shared the dissappointment of losing winnable games through circumstances that were in our power to control.That is frustrating and the bitterness caused by this comes through in many posts.
But now a new Swans team is emerging,sooner rather than later.Bazza is gone,MOL is playing his last season, and Leo appears injury prone late in his career and hasn't played.Other stalwarts are on borrowed time(Ablett,Malceski,)
In their place we are playing some exciting prospects,and have experimented with others.eg Barlow,Grundy,Vespa,Smith,Brabza,Thornton ,White,Meredith and now Hannebury! Throw in the addition of Shaw this year and its a new look team!

It would be great if the supporters who wanna rebuild (and don't mind finishing 12th to do so) and those who want finals at any cost both get their way!If this fresh new rebuilt team made the finals as well,i think we could all say its been a GREAT year! Even if we don't make the finals what makes it more interesting is that we have some money to buy the kind of players we are still needing. I think all Swans supporters have cause for real optimism about the future!Predictions of years in the rebuilding stage may prove wrong!

[Robbo]

The only way forward is to play the kids so I hope that is the focus for the rest of the year.

[Bear]

This season is turning around from a frustrating "what might have been" to a very interesting year. All Swan lovers have shared the dissappointment of losing winnable games through circumstances that were in our power to control.That is frustrating and the bitterness caused by this comes through in many posts.
But now a new Swans team is emerging,sooner rather than later.Bazza is gone,MOL is playing his last season, and Leo appears injury prone late in his career and hasn't played.Other stalwarts are on borrowed time(Ablett,Malceski,)
In their place we are playing some exciting prospects,and have experimented with others.eg Barlow,Grundy,Vespa,Smith,Brabza,Thornton ,White,Meredith and now Hannebury! Throw in the addition of Shaw this year and its a new look team!

It would be great if the supporters who wanna rebuild (and don't mind finishing 12th to do so) and those who want finals at any cost both get their way!If this fresh new rebuilt team made the finals as well,i think we could all say its been a GREAT year! Even if we don't make the finals what makes it more interesting is that we have some money to buy the kind of players we are still needing. I think all Swans supporters have cause for real optimism about the future!Predictions of years in the rebuilding stage may prove wrong!

I'm struggling to make any sense of this post. Can anyone help?

[Lohengrin]

Malceski is not really a stalwart and I don't think he's on borrowed time yet.

[jono2707]

I'm struggling to make any sense of this post. Can anyone help?

Its called optimism - not a very welcome emotion on this website....

Good post Bear - I like your positive thinking - good to see someone putting a positive spin on things. I think it will be interesting to see how we go for the rest of the year too.

[Trickster]

Just as long as not too many of the seniors are taken off for the season-I am going to the three away games as well as the home games that are left this season.
Anyone have any theories who will not play the next few?
Micky O is a must-I really want him to make the 300!!!!

[Donners]

Even if we don't make the finals what makes it more interesting is that we have some money to buy the kind of players we are still needing.

The problem is that we can't exactly "buy" players. We either have to give up something for them - Roos has said we will hold on to our 1st & 2nd round picks, and we don't have a lot of player bait - or gamble with getting them in the pre-season (and then likely only one). Not a great situation to be in.

[Lucky Knickers]

The problem is that we can't exactly "buy" players. We either have to give up something for them - Roos has said we will hold on to our 1st & 2nd round picks, and we don't have a lot of player bait - or gamble with getting them in the pre-season (and then likely only one). Not a great situation to be in.

When does GC17s access to "one uncontracted player on each list" come in (if I have understood that correctly)?
that would thin down the PSD already.

[SCGonasunnyday]

Malceski is a gun and will return to his 2007 form, whether it is next year or the year after. It would be incredible to not show faith and patience in the guy - he is obviously going through a bad patch.

Like the article today in realfooty.com.au says, 2009 has really been a great year for football. I have enjoyed it a lot. As for the Swans, this year my expectations have been really low and I have enjoyed following the team in a more relaxed way than before. Even in losses, I can enjoy the sight of future players doing great things.

[Hartijon]

The selectors have just made this season even better!Out: Ablett,Bevan and Crouch

[top40]

I am trying to compare 2009 with 2002. In both years Sydney had ageing lists, with no apparent young superstar in the horizon.

Do recall which Swan in 2002 was identified as a future superstar? Perhaps Schneider, but no one else that I can recall. No one saw the future potential of Tadhg Kennelly, (too skinny), Ryan O'Keefe (originally not a forward), or Leo Barry, (whom had just started his career as a defender in 2002). Kelly, Dunkley, Lockett, Schwass all retired in 2002, with Cresswell not far off. Ball and Williams were both nearly 30.

I remember in 2002 that Brett Kirk was on the cusp of delistment. People were asking the question: what happened to that Adam Goodes, the 1999 Rising Star winner? Micky O'Loughlin was in 2002 perceived as a shadow of his 1997-2000 All Australian form.

By the summer of 2002/2003 there was a virtual consensus that Sydney in 2003 would finish either 15th or last.

So what happened in 2003? or for that matter just three years later in 2005?

Teams can improve and shine without any expectation, or visa versa. It is very hard to predict. I remember Mick Malthouse writing for the Australian the Monday after the Eagles' 2006 Premiership win predicting that his old club was at the start of a very long dynasty, whilst Sydney would not play finals again in the near future. When Adelaide sacked Gary Ayes in 2004, every man and his dog predicated that the Crows would spend a few years to come out of the 8. Who predicated that just three years after Port Adelaide had climbed the mountain and won a flag, they would then drop out of the finals, but then, come back with another Grand Final appearance?

But who I am to say? The most intelligent assessment is simply keep your fingers cross.

[sprite]

I don't think NoG is on borrowed time either.

We still need mature players to build around, he has had a poor year so far considering his pre season problems.

So I think he will be better next year.