Game Plan 2010

[Big Al]

I would be so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o happy if this turns out to be true, especially for Plan A rather than Plan X. I say winning is not everything, its how you win???????!!!!!

So you would be disappointed if we won the Grand Final playing ugly football?

As for game plans, each team must play to their strengths otherwise you diminish your chances of winning football matches. Whatever the game plan the Swans come up with it will be based on the personnel available.

[Nico]

Now Auntie G, are you seriously suggesting that Jude will play at CHF. That is play tall when he is short and be a dummy forward. I wouldn't have thought by the coaches/Jude saying he will spend more time in the forward line, they don't mean CHF.

I would think Jude is far more intent on keeping his place in the side. Maybe he already knows he is under extreme pressure to keep his spot in the midfield. Time stops for nobody.

[rojo]

So you would be disappointed if we won the Grand Final playing ugly football?

As for game plans, each team must play to their strengths otherwise you diminish your chances of winning football matches. Whatever the game plan the Swans come up with it will be based on the personnel available.

Theoretically, yes, as I'm well over 'grinding it out', ugly, 'rubbish' football. In reality too I will be really disappointed if the new look Swans don't play a more attacking, offensive style of football this year.

[Captain]

I would think Jude is far more intent on keeping his place in the side. Maybe he already knows he is under extreme pressure to keep his spot in the midfield. Time stops for nobody.

Jude had a fantastic 2009 playing midfield and there is no logical reason to suggest otherwise for this year. With Goodes moving forward and Kirk on his last legs, it actually makes Judes position there more important.

[ShockOfHair]

Because of the rule changes (quick kick-ins, hands in the back) and because of the way Geelong plays there's no going to back to the grinding 2005 game plan. Personally I never minded watching it because it made every possession is a contest.

These days we still play mano e mano footy but we don't move the ball around fast enough or with enough precision. That's the way the Saints play - it certainly works for them and no-one calls them ugly. With the pace of the new outside players it should work a lot better for us this year.

[liz]

These days we still play mano e mano footy but we don't move the ball around fast enough or with enough precision. That's the way the Saints play - it certainly works for them and no-one calls them ugly. With the pace of the new outside players it should work a lot better for us this year.

I think the "with precision" is more significant than the "fast enough". The number of times last year the ball was kicked reasonably quickly but just didn't hit a target - especially in the third of the ground closest to our goals - was a significant factor in the win/loss ratio. Having players who can run and carry the ball better - or use their pace to get into space to provide an uncontested target might help. But getting Kenneski back with precision passing from half back (possibly supplemented by Veszpremi, if he does spend time there) will help more, I suspect.

In terms of the Geelong style, there is no question that they adopted a far higher risk approach than Roos' Swans ever have. But I don't think it should be overlooked that they still worked incredibly hard when they didn't have the ball - as the Saints did in 2009 too. I don't think a team will ever be consistently successful with 2010 style AFL unless it learns to do this as a habit - something that Essendon and Carlton started to get the hang of last year, while Richmond, Freo and Port seemed yet to get a handle on.

[RogueSwan]

Jude had a fantastic 2009 playing midfield ..

I agree with you here Captain.
Also, B1 is a pretty good contested mark and has remembered that it is the two big sticks you need to kick the ball through. I am more than happy to see him "resting" in the fwd50.

I think the "with precision" is more significant than the "fast enough".

Yes, everyone (well maybe a significant amount of RWOer's ) is screaming for out and out pace when I think better skills, ie: quick, clean hands and accurate kicking are more important. And we have seen a bit of it last year with the likes of MOD and Meredith, not the fastest runners we have ever seen but they have the basic skills down pat and the team looked all that much better for it.
Sure let Jetta run like crazy on the wing, but it will not do a lot of good if he coughs it straight up as soon as he kicks it.
BTW I can't wait to see the "Jet" tearing it in R&W.

[DST]

A team with pace will always be beaten by a side that has 22 players with good decision making skills and disposal.

It's that simple. your opposition can't beat you if they don't have the ball and you can ensure this happens by not turning the ball over or use it well enough to score when you have it.

No need to change the game plan, just need to find the right players to a) maintain the game plan in any situation and b) use the football well when they get it.

DST

[Hartijon]

A team with pace will always be beaten by a side that has 22 players with good decision making skills and disposal.

It's that simple. your opposition can't beat you if they don't have the ball and you can ensure this happens by not turning the ball over or use it well enough to score when you have it.

No need to change the game plan, just need to find the right players to a) maintain the game plan in any situation and b) use the football well when they get it.

DST

True enough but the thing I don't understand is how did Geelong develop such superior skills? Its more than Gary Ablett,their ability to split zones with precision handball is stunning. Roosey needs a spy at Kardinia Park or is it the water down there? Your point b) has been developed wonderfully well by Geelong and I wish I knew how!

[Captain]

A team with pace will always be beaten by a side that has 22 players with good decision making skills and disposal.

Yep - look at the Bombers over the past few years. Lots of pace and not much skills.

[ShockOfHair]

A team with pace will always be beaten by a side that has 22 players with good decision making skills and disposal.


DST

Yeah we've added pace, but don't know about the decision-making or disposal of the new guys, or how the team gells together. What makes our hearts beat faster is that the recruits all look like they've got the goods.

At this stage of the season we're all optimists.

[Hartijon]

Hanging onto the ball at all costs and not worrying about scoring is a good tactic when your opposition is on a roll kicking consecutive goals. When the Bulldogs did this to us we just needed 3 or 4 minutes ball possession to stop their run. Defending a narrow winning score is another situation where its ok.However to hold the ball and not score is pointless because eventually your opposition will get the ball and will then hurt you on the scoreboard.Having loads of hard fought possession for no scoreboard reward saps morale. I think the Swans had a good game plan but just were not good enough to use it last year. Put a level of fast attacking football on top of our grinding man on man defence mode and we should have big winning scores.
Looking at it from the opponents point of view and you would be considering how to nobble our running back line.

[liz]

Yeah we've added pace, but don't know about the decision-making or disposal of the new guys, or how the team gells together. What makes our hearts beat faster is that the recruits all look like they've got the goods.

At this stage of the season we're all optimists.

In terms of the short term "best 22" it is not clear how much pace we've really added. Rohan and Jetta have it, but shouldn't be expected to make significant impact in 2010. (Any major impact Jetta has should be considered a bonus, while we won't see much, if anything, of Rohan.)

The main recruits who should play in 2010 who are pacy are McGlynn (but we've lost Crouch - who played part of last year), Kennelly (genuine addition) and possibly TDL (whose impact should be felt as increased zip in the forward line rather than around the ground pace).

[2005]

In terms of the short term "best 22" it is not clear how much pace we've really added. Rohan and Jetta have it, but shouldn't be expected to make significant impact in 2010. (Any major impact Jetta has should be considered a bonus, while we won't see much, if anything, of Rohan.)
The main recruits who should play in 2010 who are pacy are McGlynn (but we've lost Crouch - who played part of last year), Kennelly (genuine addition) and possibly TDL (whose impact should be felt as increased zip in the forward line rather than around the ground pace).

Wait and see Liz.
I think you will be suprised.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Like I said Nico when Goodes plays half of his minutes in the midfield some one will drop back into the HF line and I wont want Jude to play on the flanks and I do know he already said he will playing significant minutes in the HF line.

SO

Maybe u have some ideas on the rotation of players.....??

Jude or any other small forward wont be playing a traditional CHF role when Goodes is not playing CHF.........there is no point to that otherwise you would leave Goodes there all game

UNLESS we have an emerging CHF who needs some minutes at CHF

All I do know is Adam "running man" Goodes will get significant minutes on the ball - just like the sun will rise from the east tomorrow