Stick with a policy

[Go Swannies]

Why are the kids going to get done by 100 points?

I guess I'm just making that assumption after watching every other team that lost the balance of youth and experience and played the kids, often from the previous season's draft. Teams like the Tigers and the Blues and the Dees. The ones we could rely on as the easybeats. And seen a couple of teams recover from those down times - like the Hawks and, maybe, Freo. But if you have a Tigers friend, as I have, you'll know how hard it's been for a very long time. I've also seen teams like the Pies and North that have maintained the balance as the Swans have done. As its still not proven that bottoming out is the best way to a flag, I'd prefer to have a team with pride that builds to its next premiership by always trying to win, and putting on the park the best team to do that. I don't find that at odds with my other "effort" thread but you might.

[Hartijon]

The 'policy' should be, and always is, try to win as many games as possible.

That's an intention not a policy.A policy requires long term aims and objectives with a plan to impliment it. Of course it would be nice to win every game but even Geelong(who have a long term policy) can't achive this.

[Hartijon]

You can have all the plans you want. The Swans have been decimated by injury this year...can't plan for that.

Geelong have had as many missing from their best starting 22.Not an excuse!

[Hartijon]

I've recognised things are a fine balance between too little experience on the field for the young players and just the right amount - you only have to see my comments in other threads on this.

However, my thinking is that when there is an opportunity for a couple of games to bring in a kid, we often don't do this which frustrates me no end. I want to see us building towards another flag, but for whatever reason, be it the "Sydney market needing a successful team" or whatever, we don't necessarily do this.

At the end of the day though, this is all part of the fun of being the armchair critic - my opinion doesn't matter - but it won't stop me putting it forward.

Hehehe..so true! You say what I am thinking very politely! At least I hope the reality therapy of getting beaten by the bottom side has got to you. ?? I just wonder why the conservatives are terrified of "playing the kids" and automatically assume a 100 point thrashing! Did that happen when we played Rohan,Hanneberry, Jetta??? Where do they get these ideas from? Who is suggesting we play all of them at once?

[UglyDuckling]

Geelong have more depth in their list than we do so its not an apt comparison.

The whole things is a balancing act. We need to balance playing young players for the future with playing experienced players for the now. Assuming that more senior players add more than younger players, which is of course debatable. Melbourne have gone down the path of playing all young players, sacrificing current performance for possible future success. We however seem to have gone down a different route where by we play a mixture of younger and senior players so we can still challenge for the 8 while rebuilding our list.

If you consider it this way we are doing pretty good we have a good range of young players getting senior experience: Smith, Hanners, Bird, Kennedy, White, Jack, Rohan, Jetta, Vez

Mixed with improving mid aged players: McGlynn, Mummy, Jack, McVeigh, Malcheski, Pyke, Seaby, Grundy,

And some senior players: You know who they are

It is a process in which our best 22 become younger while staying competitive and i think we have done pretty well this year. Thus far we have improved our ladder position while making our team younger, what more can you ask for?

The only change in policy i would advocate would be picking the game day 22 more by form. It seems that some players, previously in the best 22, are getting call ups without dominating the reserves like young players have to. See. Beavan, Richards

[Mr Magoo]

I agree on the "picking on form" issue. It would be highly annoying to be constantly overlooked for an out of form seasoned player just because they have been around for a while.

[Go Swannies]

Hehehe..so true! You say what I am thinking very politely! At least I hope the reality therapy of getting beaten by the bottom side has got to you. ?? I just wonder why the conservatives are terrified of "playing the kids" and automatically assume a 100 point thrashing! Did that happen when we played Rohan,Hanneberry, Jetta??? Where do they get these ideas from? Who is suggesting we play all of them at once?

As you quote me I guess I'm a conservative. I don't think I am but I may respond a bit too quickly when I see the mindless and predictable knee jerk reaction in the hours after a loss when half the team should never get another game and we'd be down to Auskick to find enough replacements. I have seen teams who have cleaned out the deadwood, burned out the kids and discarded them to start again - Terry's Tigers anyone? I don't want the Swans to go down that path though it seems others do.

Growing up with a rugby background and continuing my education almost next door to RL HQ I didn't follow any football for decades afterwards. Then I was taken to some AFL games and thought as an outsider that this was exciting. But my passion came after some Swans social events when I found that the players and coaches were normal people who liked each other - and cared for each other. That's quite different from what I've seen in other sports where all that counts is money, fame, babes and winning for yourself. Roos said that, as a player, he saw how coaches did it wrong and was determined not to make those mistakes. That's why I find it infuriating when it's often claimed he plays favourites, without any real knowledge (just like me). If so he's been lying when he says he'll always develop young players slowly as he's seen them broken by being brought on too fast.

At the start of the season it seemed as if we'd found the right mix of youth and maturity. Then injuries and tiredness have set in so most of the older players look flat and the younger players look exhausted. Maybe it was the sandhills, maybe it's the coach - and I think Roos has to do something himself. That may be as simple as going back to the box or reversing rolls with Horse. But that has it's perils too. When the coach changes there has to be a clear cut so the team get the benefit of a new coach with new plans and goals - that effect may be diluted by a staged handover.

I've really enjoyed watching the young players come into the team - TDL and Rohan especially. But I'll probably continue to get annoyed by those who think we have to tank for our next premiership - or that we should play all the reserves because our "crap team of antiquated seniors and no talents" lost at the weekend.

Sorry for jumping on the soapbox. I'll jump off now.

[dimelb]

As you quote me I guess I'm a conservative. I don't think I am but I may respond a bit too quickly when I see the mindless and predictable knee jerk reaction in the hours after a loss when half the team should never get another game and we'd be down to Auskick to find enough replacements. I have seen teams who have cleaned out the deadwood, burned out the kids and discarded them to start again - Terry's Tigers anyone? I don't want the Swans to go down that path though it seems others do.

Growing up with a rugby background and continuing my education almost next door to RL HQ I didn't follow any football for decades afterwards. Then I was taken to some AFL games and thought as an outsider that this was exciting. But my passion came after some Swans social events when I found that the players and coaches were normal people who liked each other - and cared for each other. That's quite different from what I've seen in other sports where all that counts is money, fame, babes and winning for yourself. Roos said that, as a player, he saw how coaches did it wrong and was determined not to make those mistakes. That's why I find it infuriating when it's often claimed he plays favourites, without any real knowledge (just like me). If so he's been lying when he says he'll always develop young players slowly as he's seen them broken by being brought on too fast.

At the start of the season it seemed as if we'd found the right mix of youth and maturity. Then injuries and tiredness have set in so most of the older players look flat and the younger players look exhausted. Maybe it was the sandhills, maybe it's the coach - and I think Roos has to do something himself. That may be as simple as going back to the box or reversing rolls with Horse. But that has it's perils too. When the coach changes there has to be a clear cut so the team get the benefit of a new coach with new plans and goals - that effect may be diluted by a staged handover.

I've really enjoyed watching the young players come into the team - TDL and Rohan especially. But I'll probably continue to get annoyed by those who think we have to tank for our next premiership - or that we should play all the reserves because our "crap team of antiquated seniors and no talents" lost at the weekend.

Sorry for jumping on the soapbox. I'll jump off now.

Makes sense to me.

[Mike_B]

As you quote me I guess I'm a conservative. I don't think I am but I may respond a bit too quickly when I see the mindless and predictable knee jerk reaction in the hours after a loss when half the team should never get another game and we'd be down to Auskick to find enough replacements. I have seen teams who have cleaned out the deadwood, burned out the kids and discarded them to start again - Terry's Tigers anyone? I don't want the Swans to go down that path though it seems others do.

I think what comes through clearly is everyone's passion for the club and the desire to see us succeed. The joys of a forum like this is that we can see the very different means that people would utilise to achieve the same end.

I've really enjoyed watching the young players come into the team - TDL and Rohan especially. But I'll probably continue to get annoyed by those who think we have to tank for our next premiership - or that we should play all the reserves because our "crap team of antiquated seniors and no talents" lost at the weekend.

Sorry for jumping on the soapbox. I'll jump off now.

I think you may be reading more into what's been said than really is the case, particularly around tanking or playing all the reserves (although I do recognise you may be exaggerating just a little to emphasise your point). I know that for me, it's when we play guys like Bevan or Richards, who are serviceable players, but have known limitations that I get frustrated. We aren't taking a risk by playing Rohan etc over them as we aren't risking losing a premiership as a result. Rather, we're setting ourselves up for a tilt at the next flag. It would definitely be different if we were leaving out 10 players at a time to play 1st year players but this isn't the case....

[Hartijon]

I think the previous 3 posts are very sensible comments.We all share a desire for Swan success. I will state clearly that I want a Premiership and not in 70 years time.I don't give a stuff about the Sydney public and the need to make up the numbers in the finals. This is Bull@@@@ and we should recognise it as such. We need to shake the League leaders and we will never do that with yesterdays heroes. I t surely is about building the future I agree,that playing all the kids and sweeping out all the old is dumb. I agree its a balance. I maintain we have been too conservative because we have not been clear about what 2010 is all about for the Swans. It is not about a Premiership,it maybe making the finals ,it surely is about building the future.

[707]

I love seeing the youngsters get games and I do get a bit annoyed about certain senior players being brought back into the side without dominating in the ressies as the youngsters need to in order to get promoted.

But there is a danger in playing too many youngsters in the team at the same time, it can lead to some needless thrashings and youngsters do need senior players around them when the going gets tough.

We were motoring nicely, albeit against lower sides until round 7 when injuries to really key players has cruelled our season. It has however given senior exposure to a number of promising new players who from next year on will be much better for those handful of senior games this year.

So I think selection policy is to do the best we can to win games but expose to senior footy and not wear out young players.

[Mike_B]

I think that from the extended bench named this week, there is an opportunity to look towards youth - I will be extremely disappointed if Bevan is in the final 22. Can understand if Richards makes the cut just as an extra taller option, but would still rather see him miss out as well. Who the 3rd to miss out will be, well I think they should stick with TDL, and would like to see LJ get a run, so it might be between Meredith and Vez whom I rate both of highly.

[Bas]

If they don't pick either TDL or LJ, who is going to kick the goals. Won't be Goodes. Might play Ted in the forwards this week.