Slow down, you move to fast

**magic.merkin** · 28 July 2010, 11:54 AM

/pulls up a seat and grabs a box of popcorn.

I'm backing your point.

**Chilcott** · 28 July 2010, 11:59 AM

Good post 'Go Swannies'.

We may not be that slow across the ground, but I am somewhat concerned about midfield pace.

Midfielders, such as Kirk, J Bolton, Kennedy, Meredith, Bird and J Moore no how to get the ball, but do lack a bit of leg speed and thats where we may get caught out against some of the teams with pace through their midfields.

**AnnieH** · 28 July 2010, 12:16 PM

Do we go extreme and say that Goodes is unlikely to be around for our next Premiership so maybe we should trade him for a speedster who will be?

Get rid of Goodes???? That's very extreme.

Surely you jest.

I can't see Goodesy going anywhere. He's a one jumper man.

**jono2707** · 28 July 2010, 12:25 PM

I don't think we'll be particularly active in this trade season as we had decent-sized turnover of the list last year and I think we'll concentrate more on developing our youngsters and mid-aged players. That said if a classy, speedy and experienced midfielder came on the market we should have a crack, but most teams probably would. I dont think we are that slow compared to most other teams, and when commentators spout the same old lines on us being a slow-paced and playing a stoppage-based game, I wonder whether they've actually paid any attention to what the Swans have been trying to do more recently.

I think we are moving towards a more fast-paced team and style of play but this sort of thing doesn't happen overnight and we can't expect miracles straight away.

**AnnieH** · 28 July 2010, 12:44 PM

Originally posted by jono2707

I think we are moving towards a more fast-paced team and style of play but this sort of thing doesn't happen overnight and we can't expect miracles straight away.

Rachel Hunter reckons it won't happen overnight, but it will happen!!

**aardvark** · 28 July 2010, 12:52 PM

Originally posted by AnnieH

Rachel Hunter reckons it won't happen overnight, but it will happen!!

Hmm....must be right then...

**sWAns63** · 28 July 2010, 12:56 PM

Originally posted by Go Swannies

From reading RWO this week it seems like the only speedy thing about the Swans are our typing fingers. We got cut up by the Dees and when Roos points out where that happened and commented that the Swans are reasonably fast he's described as "delusional". I thought that he's right and we're not that slow so obviously he and I haven't got a clue.

So for those who know the team better, here's our entire list. Can you point out the slow seniors who should be dropped and the reserves that should be brought into the seniors to do their job better for the rest of this season? Or do we put a big black cross through 2010 and start looking at who to sack and who to look for in the trade and draft period?

Do we go extreme and say that Goodes is unlikely to be around for our next Premiership so maybe we should trade him for a speedster who will be? Or do we act conservatively and get rid of Bevan and Ted and find speedier players to replace them? Or do we look at the Swans players who can move quickly like Shaw and Jetta and say that we should regard them as failed attempts to make the team faster because they don't add enough with their speed? I'd be interested whether Tadhg (who has has slowed noticeably) or Mal and his dodgy knee are now that much slower that they are liabilities? If speed is the goal, should we look for athletes rather than footballers then teach them the ball skills?

Let's look at the practicalities of list management to get some speed into the Swans. Suggestions?

Barlow, Ed
Bevan, Paul
Bird, Craig
Bolton, Craig
Bolton, Jude
Bradshaw, Daniel
Currie, Daniel
Dennis-Lane, Trent
Goodes, Adam
Grundy, Heath
Hannebery, Daniel
Heath, Campbell
Jack, Kieren
Jetta, Lewis
Johnston, Lewis
Kennedy, Josh P.
Kennelly, Tadhg
Kirk, Brett
Malceski, Nick
Mattner, Martin
McGlynn, Ben
McVeigh, Jarrad
Meredith, Brett
Moore, Jarred
Mumford, Shane
O'Dwyer, Matthew
O'Keefe, Ryan
Reid, Sam
Richards, Ted
Roberts-Thomson, Lewis
Rohan, Gary
Seaby, Mark
Shaw, Rhyce
Smith, Nicholas
Sumner, Byron
Thornton, Kristin
Veszpremi, Patrick
White, Jesse

Players like Gordon are eligible too!

**Go Swannies** · 28 July 2010, 01:02 PM

Originally posted by sWAns63

Players like Gordon are eligible too!

Fixed, feel free to comment now.

**RogueSwan** · 28 July 2010, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by AnnieH

Rachel Hunter reckons it won't heppen overnight, but it will heppen!!

I am with Go Swannies. Speedy runners will not make the Swans a premiership team. Instead of fleet footed footballers I would happily take footballers with fast minds, hands and feet (for kicking). A handball or kick is much faster than a running footballer. Sure, you do need some runners but only so the guys with quick hands (and brains) have someone to feed the ball to after they get the ball out of congestion.
Magic and Hanners are two of the best handballers I have ever seen, not the quickest runners but the way they can dish off a ball of has been/is of great benefit to the team.
Those who are after speedwon't change their minds but just picture 2-3 clean handballs and a quick kick to advantage, who can keep up with that?

**sWAns63** · 28 July 2010, 01:34 PM

Originally posted by Go Swannies

Fixed, feel free to comment now.

With only 5 rounds to go you can't really do to much now though and I have said this over and over more games for Rohan, Jetta, Ves, Johnston, TDL, Reid, O Dywer, Heath, Currie
As far as players I would move on

Barlow, Ed, Even know he's supposed to have great speed he has never shown it for the Swans seems to lope around the ground
Bevan, Paul, Doesn't seem to have any real speed filled in gaps when we were a powerhouse things have changed now
Kennelly, Tadhg, 30 getting on now should retire
Kirk, Brett, retiring
Moore, Jarred,Kicks the odd goal or two though doesn't have any running ability his opponent can easiliy run off him
Playfair,Retired
Richards, Ted,much like Bevo reminds me of Frank Spencer sometimes makes too many mistakes
Thornton, Kristin, seems to be too injury prone should of shown more by now

**Mr Magoo** · 28 July 2010, 01:40 PM

The one who doesnt seem to get a fair go to me is MOD. I know injury has plagued him at times but whenever he has been called into the team over the past two seasons he always impresses (well me at least ) and gets good numbers of disposals that despite his prior reputation seem effective and accurate. Surely this is the type of player we are calling out for. Anybody got any insight into why he continually fails to get a run.

**Doctor J.** · 28 July 2010, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by RogueSwan

I am with Go Swannies. Speedy runners will not make the Swans a premiership team. Instead of fleet footed footballers I would happily take footballers with fast minds, hands and feet (for kicking). A handball or kick is much faster than a running footballer. Sure, you do need some runners but only so the guys with quick hands (and brains) have someone to feed the ball to after they get the ball out of congestion.
Magic and Hanners are two of the best handballers I have ever seen, not the quickest runners but the way they can dish off a ball of has been/is of great benefit to the team.
Those who are after speedwon't change their minds but just picture 2-3 clean handballs and a quick kick to advantage, who can keep up with that?

Spot on.

Many years ago I had a footy coach who was explaining what speed on the footy field actually meant. To demonstrate it he had two players stand 20 metres apart from each other. He then made 1 player run to the other player and back again, and at the same time he'd kick the footy to the player standing 20 metres away, and have that player kick it back to him. No surprise what made it back first.

The point he was trying to make to us young kids was if you have the skills you can always look quick.

**sWAns63** · 28 July 2010, 01:48 PM

Originally posted by Mr Magoo

The one who doesnt seem to get a fair go to me is MOD. I know injury has plagued him at times but whenever he has been called into the team over the past two seasons he always impresses (well me at least ) and gets good numbers of disposals that despite his prior reputation seem effective and accurate. Surely this is the type of player we are calling out for. Anybody got any insight into why he continually fails to get a run.

Yeah he is one of ones played 2 games looked good got dropped Ves played one game looked real good got dropped Tdl played 2 games looked ok got dropped Heath played solid 2 games.....dropped

**Scottee** · 28 July 2010, 02:05 PM

OK, I'll bite.

Could you also put up the list of our 2005 premiership side and tell us who was slow? What we had then was the full range of requirements, speed, mental speed, skill, physical strength to win the contested ball and the right blend of youth and experience. I can rarely recall our players being left for dead like they were on the weekend. This combination, including speed was our main advantage, the fact that there were very few vulnerabilities, especially not speed.

Crouch's ability to keep up with and run-off any opponent was a major asset. Williams ability to do likewise was the same.Mobile and talented rucks were an advantage, but quick thinking and hard working runners in the forward line got most of out goals (Hall, Magic, Schneids).Fosdike was a national level 400m runner.Ben Fixter was a flying machine.Craig Bolton was at his peak. Davis was not the fittest player ever, but he had speed when he needed it. Buchanan was quick then, ROK ran his opponents into the ground. Goodesy did the same only more. Kennelly was lightning and could go all day. Dempster had great speed and stamina. We played better on the MCG, even better than at home IMHO. Our slowest players were Ablett (who did a huge amount of work in close), and Bevan who was at that stage close to our weakest link.Kirk had his incredible stamina and a bity more speed than now. Leo not onl;y had a great leap but was quick as well. Watch the replay again if you have forgotten.

The current senior side does not seem to have this underlying strength. In addition it seems that there is plenty of speed currently playing in Canberra, not so much so in the seniors.

The only other reason to think that the seniors are basically quick enough but just out of form could be fatigue or players playing with injury (I notice that on the Geelong board they are talking about rotating players who are suffering fatigue from the long season. Our season has been going longer than theirs, so maybe this is a cause.

However, even in the games earlier in the season where we were against good sides, we struggled on the big grounds and it was usually the other sides pace that got us in the end.

However, to be more specific, you can get away with playing slow but talented players without great tanks in very small numbers but they should not make up the bulk of your side. Moore, Bird, Grundy, Kirk, (now, not before),Kennedy, and currently (maybe due to fatigue or injury) O'Keefe, and one or two more are just a bit too many to get away, especially on the big grounds IMHO.

The upside is that there is plenty of speed coming through on the list.

Slow down, you move to fast

Slow down, you move to fast

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