Mike,Pyke,like,White

[Hartijon]

The selectors were patient with Jesse last year as were the fans. Amidst flashes of brilliance his development curve did not rise too far upwards. Mike Pyke's curve did and astonishingly so. How far can it go? Do we have more than a back up ruckman here? Do we have in fact a big man who can play in the forwards like Jesse and be a marking target and a pack splitter?He is a big item and it will be fascinating to see if he has further improved in skills and the reading of play.If he has(and I mean IF) why not try him in Jesse's role out of a forward pocket.If he is successful move him to CHF to release Goodsey to run on the ball. It would be a shame if a guy with his strength,speed and development who has tried so hard to make the grade wasn't given a shot at something else besides ruckman. I actually secretly want him to score a try one day ,say when we are 60 points up!

[swansrob]

I'd also like to see Pyke tried out up forward. He has a good set of hands - a great contested mark - and he can kick. If he can learn to lead to the right spots as well, he could well make it. Give him a shot up forward in the NAB Cup and see how it goes from there maybe?

[CJK]

I'd like thread titles that are readable.

And paragraphs.

[aardvark]

I'd like thread titles that are readable.

And paragraphs.

Gawd some people are fussy......Is this a literary forum ??? Everyone knows footy fans can't spell.

[aardvark]

Back on topic, Pyke cant kick straight so won't make much of a forward. Could be a great full back though....

[Hartijon]

Back on topic, Pyke cant kick straight so won't make much of a forward. Could be a great full back though....

(I will resist the temptation to write in capitals and use monosyllabic words!) BUT since when has kicking straight been a criteria to play in the forward lines for the Swans? Its not that long ago that the two straightest kicks in the side (Bevan and Davis) were playing 1/2 back flank and back pocket while our forwards were missing plenty!Jetta had 19 shots before he nailed a goal and we worry about Mike??

New Paragraph:

Our straightest kick for goal is probably young Lamb who scored an incredible 97% at training camp. Mike will be ok shooting for goal.Just have Bradshaw standing next to the fence behind the goals and tell him to pass it to him.He could also handball to Macca and let him have a ping.

[Primmy]

[Primmy]

Anyway, MikePyke is such a big unit that he is probably better settled in the back rather than the forward area, at this stage. He is learning "game instinct" on the run, and his tap rucking is improving expidentially. And again, he is enormous and can tackle cleanly without injuring (so far), so has a big of street cred in that department.

Jesse, well he probably knows how he is placed in the squad now; I suspect stressing out hinders him somewhat, he always plays better when he has a smile on his face. His marking is his main problem; his kicking can be pretty good, when he is not stressing, and he was creating waves amongst the backs which made space for the forwards to run into by the end of the season, kind of like an icebreaker in amongst sheet ice - big and dangerous, but a bit unpredictable (make that a Lot unpredictable). Its all there, he does try, he puts in effort.

However its kind of like waiting for the other shoe to drop. I hope this year he will get a case of the Ah Ha s, that moment you 'get it', and the Gun emerges.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Pyke is a monster, but I'm not sure he's ready to be leading or co-leading our attack just yet.

I'd definitely rather him play a role down back and see those powerful tackles stop a few of the big forwards in their tracks.

I'm not so sure about scoring a try, but it'd be epic if we were 10 goals up in the last quater of a GF and he feigned to touch the ball down after running into an open goal, before kicking it through of course.