Bradshaw under the knife again

[Plugger46]

So why didn't he win us the semi against the Bulldogs last year?

Bradshaw's glory days as one of the best forwards in the competition are well and truly behind him. It's laughable to think otherwise. He's 32 and is going under the knife yet again.

He very nearly did as you well know (poor kicking aside, he kept getting the footy) - was the only forward on our list capable of doing so. If he had kicked straight and we happened to the game, you'd still be against him returning as you seem to have some sort of set against him.

We all know you didn't want him but if you don't think he was one of the best going around in the first chunk of 2010, you clearly weren't watching our games.

Those days are probably behind him because he can't get on the park. We've had four players make their debut, several different forward set-ups with limited success and multiple injuries - just how would he unsettle the team if he were to return? It's not settled as it is.

[neilfws]

Here's the latest from the man himself:


Bradshaw staying positive - Official AFL Website of the Sydney Swans Football Club

[ShockOfHair]

Still a possibility to play again, though a slim one. We now know this op is pretty much the last roll of the dice.

[Cheer Squad]

He very nearly did as you well know (poor kicking aside, he kept getting the footy) - was the only forward on our list capable of doing so. If he had kicked straight and we happened to the game, you'd still be against him returning as you seem to have some sort of set against him.

We all know you didn't want him but if you don't think he was one of the best going around in the first chunk of 2010, you clearly weren't watching our games.

Those days are probably behind him because he can't get on the park. We've had four players make their debut, several different forward set-ups with limited success and multiple injuries - just how would he unsettle the team if he were to return? It's not settled as it is.

"He very nearly did" is just a euphemistic way of saying that he didn't. You keep making extravagant claims that he'd win us a final - but when given the opportunity to do so, he didn't! And there's absolutely no evidence to suggest that if last year's situation repeats this year, the same thing wouldn't happen again.

Yes, I did not support obtaining him, because Brisbane would not have let a player of his calibre go without very good reason. And the past couple of years have shown us their pessimism about his knee was justified.

And no, I don't have some sort of personal set against him. I'm being hard-headed about the situation. Bradshaw will not be part of our next premiership team. We need to get over him now and see what we can do with Sam Reid, TDL, Lewis Johnstone (remember him?) etc etc. The sooner we do this, the sooner we become legitimate contenders again.

Waiting for Bradshaw to magically come good will get us nowhere.

[Lucky Knickers]

Good on him for seeking every chance to play again.

[Plugger46]

"He very nearly did" is just a euphemistic way of saying that he didn't. You keep making extravagant claims that he'd win us a final - but when given the opportunity to do so, he didn't! And there's absolutely no evidence to suggest that if last year's situation repeats this year, the same thing wouldn't happen again.

Yes, I did not support obtaining him, because Brisbane would not have let a player of his calibre go without very good reason. And the past couple of years have shown us their pessimism about his knee was justified.

And no, I don't have some sort of personal set against him. I'm being hard-headed about the situation. Bradshaw will not be part of our next premiership team. We need to get over him now and see what we can do with Sam Reid, TDL, Lewis Johnstone (remember him?) etc etc. The sooner we do this, the sooner we become legitimate contenders again.

Waiting for Bradshaw to magically come good will get us nowhere.

Rubbish it is. He's played one final for us - had 13 possessions, 9 marks, kicked 3.4. Not a pass mark? Of course he's not going to win us every game he plays in and I haven't suggested he will but we are a much better team with him. Fact.

No, Voss wouldn't do anything silly would he? He only shopped around stars, recruited a bunch of list cloggers and Fevola
Not entirely sure about the knee being pre-existing either. The club and Bradshaw both said that the major problem came in the Fremantle game last year when Grover came down on his knee.

I remember Lewis Johnston, he's playing CHB in the reserves. What's your point? Do you know when our next premiership is going to be? We didn't win one for 72 years, I hate that thought process - let's try and win one in 2011, as no one has a clue when the next one will be.

We are playing the young guys anyway and that doesn't mean you can't have a few experienced players around them.

We're not sitting here 'waiting' for Bradshaw but if he does happen to come good, he'd be a huge bonus heading towards finals.

[bennyfabulous]

So why didn't he win us the semi against the Bulldogs last year?



Bradshaw's glory days as one of the best forwards in the competition are well and truly behind him. It's laughable to think otherwise. He's 32 and is going under the knife yet again.

Can't wait for Malceski to come back. We need him.

No one won us the Semi Final, maybe everyone who played are all bad trades or draft picks.

[aardvark]

No one won us the Semi Final, maybe everyone who played are all bad trades or draft picks.

Good point.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Rubbish it is. He's played one final for us - had 13 possessions, 9 marks, kicked 3.4. Not a pass mark? Of course he's not going to win us every game he plays in and I haven't suggested he will but we are a much better team with him. Fact.

No, Voss wouldn't do anything silly would he? He only shopped around stars, recruited a bunch of list cloggers and Fevola
Not entirely sure about the knee being pre-existing either. The club and Bradshaw both said that the major problem came in the Fremantle game last year when Grover came down on his knee.

I remember Lewis Johnston, he's playing CHB in the reserves. What's your point? Do you know when our next premiership is going to be? We didn't win one for 72 years, I hate that thought process - let's try and win one in 2011, as no one has a clue when the next one will be.

We are playing the young guys anyway and that doesn't mean you can't have a few experienced players around them.

We're not sitting here 'waiting' for Bradshaw but if he does happen to come good, he'd be a huge bonus heading towards finals.

Great post.

It's ridiculous to talk about Bradshaw as if he lost us the final last year, how many goals would White have kicked? Selecting Bradshaw in the PSD was no risk at all, we didn't lose a player and after 6 rounds no one was saying it was a stupid gamble to make. I am sure we're planning to win a flag in 2013, 2014 etc but if we're not planning to win one every year with our current list then it doesn't say a lot about the players that we have.

I love the way Reid is playing and Everitt looks like he might make it as a forward yet, but to say we couldn't squeeze Bradshaw into that forward set up is an utter joke to say the least. It looks like we probably wont have that problem, but I sure wish that we did.

[Cheer Squad]

...we are a much better team with him. Fact.

We'd be a much better team with a fully fit Daniel Bradshaw in his prime. Sadly, that opportunity has passed us by. Fact.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

We'd be a much better team with a fully fit Daniel Bradshaw in his prime. Sadly, that opportunity has passed us by. Fact.

So we weren't a better team during the first 6 weeks last season? He wasn't fully fit then or in his prime, but he still made us a 3-4 goal better side.

[Peace]

You ask any coach in the AFL, whether they would've taken him in their team for what we got him for; AND, whether they would exhaust all options to get him back out there within the next 18months. Both answers would be YES.

He will know when his time is well and truly up for playing AFL.

[top40]

I am actually optimistic. We are told the operation is a minor one. One wouldn't publicly announce such medical treatment unless one was truly serious about playing in the near future. Here is my prediction: Daniel Bradshaw will be on the paddock for the Swans in the game against Collingwood on 25th June

[Big Al]

"He very nearly did" is just a euphemistic way of saying that he didn't. You keep making extravagant claims that he'd win us a final - but when given the opportunity to do so, he didn't! And there's absolutely no evidence to suggest that if last year's situation repeats this year, the same thing wouldn't happen again.

Yes, I did not support obtaining him, because Brisbane would not have let a player of his calibre go without very good reason. And the past couple of years have shown us their pessimism about his knee was justified.

And no, I don't have some sort of personal set against him. I'm being hard-headed about the situation. Bradshaw will not be part of our next premiership team. We need to get over him now and see what we can do with Sam Reid, TDL, Lewis Johnstone (remember him?) etc etc. The sooner we do this, the sooner we become legitimate contenders again.

Waiting for Bradshaw to magically come good will get us nowhere.

Can we send this post to Horse. He'll be relieved to know that's it's that awful Daniel Bradshaw that's stopping us from becoming legitimate premiership contenders.

[Cheer Squad]

I am actually optimistic. We are told the operation is a minor one. One wouldn't publicly announce such medical treatment unless one was truly serious about playing in the near future. Here is my prediction: Daniel Bradshaw will be on the paddock for the Swans in the game against Collingwood on 25th June

LARS is last option for Bradshaw

In Bradshaw's own words, if today's surgery doesn't work, LARS is effectively his last roll of the dice.

Assuming that today's surgery works, he'd need at least another 3 weeks to recover before being considered for selection.

If it doesn't work, and he opts for LARS, then based on the experience with Malceski, he would need at least another 10 weeks to recover, and that takes us up to about Round 22 before he could be considered for selection. Assuming that LARS works for him.