Bradshaw a Swan

[msb]

You $%^*en beauty! I am so rapt we have got him, to be honest getting this guy has made me now decide to renew my membership for next year, I know that sounds selfish etc, but I was just so sick of seeing loss after loss in melbourne over the last couple of years! Good onya Roosy & the rest of the footy department!

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Good to see you celebrating a young player being kept out of the side.

Who? White will be in the side, so who is Bradshaw keeping out?

[Rob-bloods]

You $%^*en beauty! I am so rapt we have got him, to be honest getting this guy has made me now decide to renew my membership for next year, I know that sounds selfish etc,

Disloyal comes to mind rather than selfish, you join because they are your team, results are quite different.

[Hartijon]

Patience Now

With the excitement of a star recruit one can't help dreaming of more instant success in 2010. With an exciting bunch of new blokes with a star forward,all who have never played with each other before,I am prepared to give them some time to learn to play with each other.Everyone knew where the old retired and moved on stars were going to kick to,handpass to etc...it takes time to learn the instinctive moves of new players. Don't expect instant success! It will take some time for the coaches to get this potentially great but currently disparate group to play as one! My guess is if we are outside the 8 in the first half of the season don't panic as it will take that long for the team to settle down,(unless Roos is a genius).Once we settle expect us to knock off some big scalps in the second half of the season and push up the ladder. Where will we end up? too early to speculate.

[TheHood]

I am happy with Bradshaw. Think the fit is perfect. I also think we have the cattle and structure to make the 8 in 2010.

[Primmy]

Bradshaw is not the Messiah, and no one is expecting him to be. What his best attribute for the Swans is the fact that he resets the "experienced" games played level that somewhat counter-balances the loss we had at the end of this season. He also provides another target up forward. He is also consistent.

I have looked at other teams that ran the broom through and got rid of experienced players and relied on mostly newbies, and they are still floundering. There has to be a balance. Importantly that is what we now have. A good quality intelligent balancing act in the forward line who also has the advantage of being as far from belting someone as I have ever seen!

[CJK]

Good news everybody!

[msb]

Disloyal comes to mind rather than selfish, you join because they are your team, results are quite different.

Certainly not disloyal, have not missed a game in melbourne for ages. I would of probably most likely renewed anyway, but to hear of bradshaw coming has given heaps more positiveness to next year. Sure white, johnston etc will develop and that is exciting, but they wont win too many games whilst developing, but with bradshaw to help them and to stay injury free, top 8 here we come again i rekon.

[timthefish]

bradshaw is just about the most adaptable and dependable tall forward going around. a bit like o'keefe with an extra 4 cms. we are extremely lucky to get him in to replace some of the loss created by hall and o'loughlin leaving. he can play as a main target and also knows how to play around others. he can teach every forward in our team a bit about the game and will enable white and others to find their natural positions and styles much faster.

[Cheer Squad]

bradshaw is just about the most adaptable and dependable tall forward going around. a bit like o'keefe with an extra 4 cms. we are extremely lucky to get him in to replace some of the loss created by hall and o'loughlin leaving. he can play as a main target and also knows how to play around others. he can teach every forward in our team a bit about the game and will enable white and others to find their natural positions and styles much faster.

Provided he doesn't get injured.

Assuming he doesn't, what's the point of just scraping into the lower half of the eight anyway? That only postpones our day of reckoning, and pushes further and further away our real objective, which is to build a genuine top 4 side.

[ernie koala]

Providing his body holds up, he's an excellent pick up for no draft picks.
His experience, and the fact he'll take the oppositions best defender each week should definetely help those around him, particularly White. He's also a very good defender himself, and that versatility will be more than handy.

[UglyDuckling]

Provided he doesn't get injured.

Assuming he doesn't, what's the point of just scraping into the lower half of the eight anyway? That only postpones our day of reckoning, and pushes further and further away our real objective, which is to build a genuine top 4 side.

Considering the nature of the draft in the next few years there is very little incentive to finish in the bottom half of the ladder. Because of gold coast draft concessions next year our pick 6 this year would turn into pick 12. There is very little incentive to finish down the bottom of the ladder now.

I would much prefer we did the honourable thing and try to win as many games as possible, maintain our winning culture and rebuild on the run. The only argument would be that it keeps a young player out of the team probably Johnston who isnt ready for AFL yet week in week out.

[Reggi]

http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7106/newsid/86328/default.aspx

It's now on the Swans site, hopefully now in PSD it goes like

L Ball - Melbourne
J Mcdonald - Richmond

etc so that he can train with us presuming that is how it still works in the PSD?

[Auntie.Gerald]

Considering the nature of the draft in the next few years there is very little incentive to finish in the bottom half of the ladder. Because of gold coast draft concessions next year our pick 6 this year would turn into pick 12. There is very little incentive to finish down the bottom of the ladder now.

I would much prefer we did the honourable thing and try to win as many games as possible, maintain our winning culture and rebuild on the run. The only argument would be that it keeps a young player out of the team probably Johnston who isnt ready for AFL yet week in week out.

I only think Johnston wont feature as much if Moore, Jude, Ablett, Hannebery, Vespa etc are used in the forward or HF lines and are playing well.......

If Goodes plays half the game in the middle of the field and White develops as a CHF........then Johnston "IF" he is good enough will still get plenty of time in the Forwards......

[Damien]

http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/n...8/default.aspx

It's now on the Swans site, hopefully now in PSD it goes like

L Ball - Melbourne
J Mcdonald - Richmond

etc so that he can train with us presuming that is how it still works in the PSD?

Yeah as far as I am aware, if clubs in front of the swans promise their picks and the AFL approve it under salary cap, then the AFL will approve Bradshaw to train with us early.

Same applies if the AFL determines no other club with picks before us can accommodate him in their salary cap.

Would be pretty low for another club to recruit him considering he doesn't want to live in Melbourne. (I do get it's a business, but fairs fair IMO)