Well I started to laugh: Picture This. Horse attempting to keep Jude on the pine and nurse him into old age.....nah. All guns blazing at the OK Coral is my guess, and to the devil with the consequences.
Best XX11 for 2012
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Jude throwing his walking frame to one side "no coach I can still kick some whipper snapper butt"Chillin' with the strange QuarksComment
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Johnson ahead of LRT, you guys must be joking!! A few injuries and people write off a good player. This is the Ted situation all over again.
I hope Johnson plays well this year, but am looking forward to these same posters calling for his head if he struggles (which I might add would be only natural for a 2nd year player, bit like Jetta).Comment
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Yes that could be a problem but sooner or later gonna have to be done to preserve his poor old frame. The way he hits the player and ball it is a wonder no great damage has been done already. I have learned not to cringe but I still get nervous. He is a very important element in our side and such a good example to the younger blokes.Comment
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Johnson ahead of LRT, you guys must be joking!! A few injuries and people write off a good player. This is the Ted situation all over again.
I hope Johnson plays well this year, but am looking forward to these same posters calling for his head if he struggles (which I might add would be only natural for a 2nd year player, bit like Jetta).Comment
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Johnson ahead of LRT, you guys must be joking!! A few injuries and people write off a good player. This is the Ted situation all over again.
I hope Johnson plays well this year, but am looking forward to these same posters calling for his head if he struggles (which I might add would be only natural for a 2nd year player, bit like Jetta).
However much of this backline chat is premature and will be made redundant by injuries ,loss of form or team balance. Hence all the confident statements about who will play where are just guesses at this stage.Educated guesses but still guesses!Comment
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I agree LRT is one of the first players picked when fit. He has nothing to prove.Johnson has made a magnificent start to his career but is no certainty and must earn his place every game. Courageous Ted will need help this year. I seem to remember Buddy outsprinting him,outmarking him and out playing him to an embarassing degree.(Mind you Buddy has done the same to a few other key defenders).He will need help against Hawthorn ,Geelong and Richmond.I think LRT is the player to help him by spoiling from behind or changing positions for a while. I would have Lrt and Ted side by side with Smith the other side.
However much of this backline chat is premature and will be made redundant by injuries ,loss of form or team balance. Hence all the confident statements about who will play where are just guesses at this stage.Educated guesses but still guesses!Comment
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It is difficult to pick the best 22 but I have a different approach. I'll rank our list into 6 groups.
1. The "Core" - 10 of them, they will be picked for every game (unless injured or seriously out of form)
Goodes, Adam
Mumford,Shane
Kennedy, Josh
McVeigh, Jarrad
Jack, Kieren
Hannebery, Dan
Smith, Nick
Richards, Ted
McGlynn, Ben
Reid,Sam
2. The "Proven" - 8 of them but only a maximum of 6 of them will be picked in each game. Each player will play 16.5 home and away game in average. However, some of them can play every game if forms and opposition warrant this.
Bolton, Jude
O'Keefe, Ryan
Shaw, Rhyce
Mattner, Martin
Malceski, Nick
Bird, Craig
Grundy, Heath
Roberts-Thomson, Lewis
3.The "Emerging" - again 8 of them but only a maximum of 5 to be selected every game. In average, one will play 13.86 Home and Away game but again depending on forms and opposition.
Johnson, Alex
Rohan, Gary
Parker, Luke
Jetta, Lewis
Dennis-Lane,Trent
Armstrong, Tony
Walsh, Tommy
Morton, Mitch
4. The "Developing" - 5 of them but only one will be selected in each game. In average, each can play 4.4 games
Lamb , Jed
Mitchell, Tom
Gordon, Nathan
Lockyer, Jordan
Brown, Alex
5. The "Depth" - 7 of them. They will be only selected when we have injuries or serious form issues with the first 3 groups.
Seaby, Mark
Spnangher, Matt
PYKE, Mike
White, Jesse@@
Everitt, Andrejs
Moore, Jarred
Meredith, Brett
6. The Rookies -
McNeil, Dylan
Kruger, Eugene
Biggs, shane
HEATH, Campbell @
Cunningham, Harry
Lynch, Jack
This may reach a need for further developing new talents, giving them experience and keeping older players a chance to refresh and pro-long their career. ROK and Bolton can certainly be put in the core group based on 2011 performance but because of their age, they may be rest for 1 or 2 games when required.
I have put Armstrong,Walsh and Morton into the emerging group as they have not played for Swans yet but we know the coach should have recruited them for a purpose and will be given more chances to perform.
It is difficult to put White and Pyke into the right groups. The question is we don't know our coaches' plan for the support ruckman. Be it be White, Pyke or LRT or even try Walsh?Comment
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This is a very interesting way of arranging the talent. I guess there would be many opinions; my own preference would be LRT in the core group.
In the last paragraph I find my other quibble. In the light of finals experience I think we need to take the field with two ruckmen, as did three of the top four teams. The fourth was Collingwood, and I think the decision to have Jolly as a stand-alone ruckman was one of the things that lost the game for them. My preference is for Pyke; I think his time has come and he won't let us down.He reminds him of the guys, close-set, slow, and never rattled, who were play-makers on the team. (John Updike, seeing Josh Kennedy in a crystal ball)Comment
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So hard to know what young players will step up and what older players will taper off and who will have injuries. I think Aaron's method is a great way to classify the list heading into a new season.
I also agree with Di, Pykes time is here and at his best I think he can add a lot to the side. Also would love to see Parker and Rohan be two of the emergers that play all games.
Off season has been way too long already..........Comment
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So hard to know what young players will step up and what older players will taper off and who will have injuries. I think Aaron's method is a great way to classify the list heading into a new season.
I also agree with Di, Pykes time is here and at his best I think he can add a lot to the side. Also would love to see Parker and Rohan be two of the emergers that play all games.
Off season has been way too long already..........Comment
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I've managed to attend a few of the training sessions this year and late last year.
I believe that like Aaron it is essential to bracket the team into roles but importantly one aspect of the "team selection" is balance and how that balance can be affected by the opposition.
Consider:
1. Do we pick the same side against a smaller running team with power forwards like Collingwood, Geelong or Hawthorn as we might against say Carlton or Essendon who have smaller forwards but one key player through which they direct attacks and then rest the reseve ruck up there.
2. How many "talls" shopuld we play against "smalls" and "on ballers" vs "specialists".
If we're just picking our best 22 regardless of circumstances then my earlier points become moot and its just best performed players vs the rest. Lets go with this as a starting point and look at who this group may be:
"Core" players:
1.Adam Goodes - co-captain and inspirational leader
2.Jarrad McVeigh - tenacious and highly skilled leader
3.Shane Mumford - most complete ruckman in the competition
4.Ryan O?Keefe - killer running machine with an intensity and determination that inspires, great value late in games.
5.Jude Bolton - most courageous player in the competition, never beaten.
6.Kieren Jack - best tagger in team, able to get free and punish and makes good decisions but most importantly has best 'quick kick' in the game.
7.Josh Kennedy - best clearance player in the team, incredibly strong in the clinches.
8.Ted Richards - showed plenty last season and has blossomed into our best key defender.
9. Ben McGlynn - great crumbing forward, leads up and presents well, showed late last season that he has the tank for run with roles although lacks real pace.
10.Rhyce Shaw - runs well out of defence and supports well, decision making and disposal skills suspect under pressure but is resilient and reliable. Very disciplined.
11.Nick Smith - incredible discipline on small forwards. Supports well, provides excellent support and can take a fine o'head mark. Reads play well and makes good decisions with the ball in hand.
12.Daniel Hannebery - absolute running machine. Great courage and reads game excellently. Disposal skills need to improve both in front of goal and around the ground.
13.Sam Reid - Absolute standout as a key forward. Must be protected and given support so does not burn out i.e. Reiwoldt. Needs to woek on converting in front of goals.
14.Heath Grundy - Solid defender. Strong over the ball, runs well and has good speed. Excellent reader of ball in flight and marks well. Must be more careful in making tackles and gives up too many turnovers.
15.Matty Mattner - Excellent defender, runs well in support, can kick well to position and marks well o'head. Needs to work on tackling skills, concedes too many frees.
This group is the basis of the team.
It provides both the strike power and the reliability to win games and just as importantly match other teams phsically.
"Potential" players:
16.Craig Bird - still the best 'tagger' of the remaining players and we have seen he can go forward and punish if allowed freedom.
17.Alex Johnson - best 'new' talent from last year's list. Very cool under pressure, real pace and endurance. Disposals sound and supports well. Marks well under pressure. Can handle talls or smalls. Nice Craig Bolton type.
18.Gary Rohan - great talent but needs to be more involved for longer periods. Could be played off back flank this year to real effect but dispcipline and concentration will be a factor.
19.Luke Parker - showed real grit in every game last season and reminds me of an emerging Jude Bolton. Good prospect especially up forward if he can convert better this season.
20.Lewis Roberts-Thompson - best reserve ruckman prospect. Showed last season he can play up forward when required and be a reasonable ruckman. Injuries are always his biggest concern.
21.Matt Spangher - showed plenty late last season as a lead up forward and an alternative 'get out' to Reid. Has been playing in defence during training sessions but looks a better forward for mine.
These are players I believe deserve a spot either for consistency of performance and potential to team.
Final Spot: Priority based on team balance e.g. substitution etc.
22.Tommy Walsh -looks impressve on the track. Been training the house down as a leading forward. Takes great mark, very strong and I like his attitude (maybe the Irish in me).
23.Lewis Jetta - pace to burn and a real asset with the ball in hand (except when kicking for goal) but seems to fade in and out of play and concentration a concern.
NB Gets plenty of encouragement at training and seems genuinely popular with other players always a good sign.
24.Tom Mitchell - very busy player and looks ready made for top level. Runs well, hits packs hard and has good skills by foot and hand. Very tasty pick up with a great pedigree.
25.Nathan Gordon/Brett Meredith - have been very active on the track but need both to find more ball.
26.Jed Lamb - will be interested to see his development. Injuries have restricted his opportunities but looks great at training.
27.Mark Seaby/Mike Pyke - will have limited opportunities if both Mummy and LRT can remain on track.
Not Favoured -
28.Nick Malkeski - Kicking and disposals have suffered as a consequence of repeated proceedures. Likely to be overlooked for newer prospects.
29.Jesse White - had plenty of opportunities last season but failed to capitalise. Needs more grit to go with gleam.
30.Jarrad Moore - great team player but lacks real pace and the tank to play on ball. Better small forwards available from new crop.
31.Trent Dennis-Lane - maybe used from time to time but too ineffective for long periods of the game and does not chase well.
32.Mitch Morton - Injuries early in pre-season do not bode well, may come into contention late in season.
33.Andrejs Everitt - inconsistency his biggest concern needs to be more involved for longer periods. Not certain if he is a better forward or back and plays with same uncertainty.
.Comment
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There are a couple who are ready made for AFL. Armstrong played a handful of games for Adelaide and would have played more if it wasn't for injury. Mitchell looks ready & if Mitch morton can put it together he is a seasoned player. Tommy Walsh looks good from all the footage I have seen. I think it will be a very exciting year. Long time RWO stalwarts please don't be upset if some of our fav older players get a little less time. This is what happens in a transition period.Comment
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