Best XX11 for 2012

[Full Forward]

Rhyce played most of last season in an on ball roll and only went back toward the end of the season. He is pretty versatile but not entirely safe in the back line. Armstrong is solid there and gives very good run as well, a much safer option at half back than Shawie. I like Shawie in a run with role.

What games were you at. Shaw started almost all games in the back half. He had a few run with roles on mids, but they were rare.

I will agree that he is not always safe and can waste it at times but to think Armstrong could take his place is lubricious.

I saw Armstrong play twice last year and Nevis just a kid learning the game. To say he "is solid there" is to imagine stuff.

If he dose half as well next year as shaw did this year then it will have been one of the great trades of the summer

[Full Forward]

Our forwards didn't split & spread. They all led to the same part of the ground or stayed at home & our onballers just bombed it in. Very hard for even Reid, as good as he is in a pack, to mark the ball with 5, 6 or 7 defenders & 4 or 5 of our own congesting the area. We need to set up with talls giving the onballers a range of options not just one congested area. If Reid is being monstered by oposition players then spread & make them pay by using our free blokes. We didn't do this enough last season.

Agree totally. What concerns me is when people think the answer is to put another marking option down there.

Buddy hardly takes a contested mark and he is probably the best forward in the league at the moment

[Auntie.Gerald]

ive got to say that my recollection of Shawie was no matter where he started on the team sheet he played a stack of tagging roles and only a few games as teh free HBF

BUT

he had a fantastic season and he played tagging because Jack was out and Macca was in and out and same again Mal..........and then McGlynn came back into the midfield alot second half of teh season

either way for me I like Shaw on the man and then breaking in the latter minutes of the qtrs..........and remember that Armstrong if he delivers balls like he did in his limited games for the Crows is simply way ahead of all of our HBFs except Mal when he is on song

[SPC]

ive got to say that my recollection of Shawie was no matter where he started on the team sheet he played a stack of tagging roles and only a few games as teh free HBF

BUT

he had a fantastic season and he played tagging because Jack was out and Macca was in and out and same again Mal..........and then McGlynn came back into the midfield alot second half of teh season

either way for me I like Shaw on the man and then breaking in the latter minutes of the qtrs..........and remember that Armstrong if he delivers balls like he did in his limited games for the Crows is simply way ahead of all of our HBFs except Mal when he is on song

My recollection as well AG, and I agree with you that both Shaw & McGlynn were best when they were on run with roles, then getting loose when they ran their opponent into the ground. Shaw had a great year because of these roles, as his running is the strong point of his game. His disposal by foot is woeful when in the purely rebound HB role.

[wolftone57]

So a kid who's played a dozen games in a crap side is a better option than the runner up in the best and fairest ? You're dreamin wolfie !!

Shawie leaks like sieve in the backs. I don't feel at all safe with him down there but in a tagging role I'm much more comfortable. Armstrong was a part of Adelaide's plans & will be good. I'm not saying replacing Shaw I'm saying in the team as well as Shaw. Shaw can play a range of roles and did last year as needed whereas Armstrong was recruited as a half back

[wolftone57]

What games were you at. Shaw started almost all games in the back half. He had a few run with roles on mids, but they were rare.

I will agree that he is not always safe and can waste it at times but to think Armstrong could take his place is lubricious.

I saw Armstrong play twice last year and Nevis just a kid learning the game. To say he "is solid there" is to imagine stuff.

If he dose half as well next year as shaw did this year then it will have been one of the great trades of the summer

he did not play a lot in the back half last year at all & I watched all games. Every week whether on telly or live. He was given a tagging role due to injuries and then completed the year back. We had several injuries if you will recollect including Jack. He also played a few games as a defensive forward which worked really well.

[wolftone57]

My recollection as well AG, and I agree with you that both Shaw & McGlynn were best when they were on run with roles, then getting loose when they ran their opponent into the ground. Shaw had a great year because of these roles, as his running is the strong point of his game. His disposal by foot is woeful when in the purely rebound HB role.

I agree totally with this post. Thanks SPC.

[707]

Must be a slow day here leading up to Xmas so thought I'd trawl up this thread that has laid dormant for a month.

Let's just surmise that all three players we traded in - Walsh, Armstrong and Morton are starters. Remember we always recruit with a plan and rarely do our recruits not become regulars. I reckon if they perform as expected in the pre season then we will see them Round 1 so who will drop down the order to make way for them?

Armstrong is the Kennelly replacement off half back, Morton is the really talented x-factor goal kicking small forward we need and Walsh, after seeing him in the International games, is the agressive monster mobile forward to compliment to sublime talent of Reid.

I don't think Walsh will play FF, too restrictive and that is the best position for the back up ruckman. White has one last chance as FF/ruck, Pyke is a very realistic first choice as his tap ruck work is superior and he looks like he's improved his marking and kicking.

I'm off now to move the magnets around the board to see if I can come up with a 22 that includes the three trade ins and see who I need to leave out. Might take me until Boxing Day!

Merry Xmas all, remember drink less but drink better. Stick to wine as that's all red and white :-)

[Bleed Red Blood]

Must be a slow day here leading up to Xmas so thought I'd trawl up this thread that has laid dormant for a month.

Let's just surmise that all three players we traded in - Walsh, Armstrong and Morton are starters. Remember we always recruit with a plan and rarely do our recruits not become regulars. I reckon if they perform as expected in the pre season then we will see them Round 1 so who will drop down the order to make way for them?

Armstrong is the Kennelly replacement off half back, Morton is the really talented x-factor goal kicking small forward we need and Walsh, after seeing him in the International games, is the agressive monster mobile forward to compliment to sublime talent of Reid.

I don't think Walsh will play FF, too restrictive and that is the best position for the back up ruckman. White has one last chance as FF/ruck, Pyke is a very realistic first choice as his tap ruck work is superior and he looks like he's improved his marking and kicking.

I'm off now to move the magnets around the board to see if I can come up with a 22 that includes the three trade ins and see who I need to leave out. Might take me until Boxing Day!

Merry Xmas all, remember drink less but drink better. Stick to wine as that's all red and white :-)

Re: Your point about players being traded in and being best 22 - A Everitt started in the team last year but was pushed out, I don't think we can discount the possibility that could happen with any of '11s new dudes being pushed out if they're form isn't up to it. At least I hope that would happen since we do appear to have many players pushing for spots.

I was thinking maybe we could talk about how many games we'd like to see from guys - i.e like last year I would have said I hope Paul Bevan plays 0 cause it means we've got more well rounded players in the team.

So I guess I'll start..

Who I hope play all games -

Dan Hanners
K Jack
N Smith
C Bird
J Bolton
A Goodes
H Grundy
Kennedy
Nick Mal
McGlynn
Reid
ROK
Mummy
White/Spangher/Walsh (I know this is cheating a bit, but if one of them can stand up contribute and play each game, that'll go a long way to a premiership)

10 games +

Gary Rohan
Jetta
T Armstrong
Pyke
Moore
Richards
LRT
Spangher
White
Walsh
Morton
Dennis-Lane
Meredith
Parker
Shaw

less than 10 games
Gordon
Alex Johnson
Jed Lamb
Seaby
Mitchell
Everitt
Mattner
Shaw

[jono2707]

You had me right up to Alex Johnson, Mattner and Shaw....

[dimelb]

Gee BRB, Shaw and Alex J in the <10 group? How do you figure that? Not to mention Lamb; and did you see Marty's onepercenters on the 12 Days of Christmas?

[707]

You had me right up to Alex Johnson, Mattner and Shaw....

Given their 2011 form I'd reckon these three are locks for 2012.

AJ to play the way he did as a first year player was great and another year older and more importantly a full pre seaso under his belt and he's on the way to 200 games I'd reckon, a class KP player in the making.

Mattner seems to get under rated by some on this forum but no coincidence his 1% are highlighted on the Swans website as he is outstanding for the team with those things and provides abundant run from defence.

Shaw wasn't Best Team Man and 2nd in the B&F for no reason. Outstanding since he moved to Sydney 3 years ago, a real players player and a coaches player. Just hope he gets to 100 games in the red and white.

I'm still working on my best 22, unbelieveably difficult to leave out so many good players.

[swansrob]

To be fair to Bleed Red Blood, he also has Shaw in the 10 games + list...
Shaw, AJ and Mattner should play all 22, as should Rohan and Richards.

[SCGonasunnyday]

I'd like to see Rohan play every game.

To me the big question that I can't answer is who plays 2nd ruck and how the forward line should look.

Mumford is a lock, with 2nd ruck out of Seaby, Pyke, White, LRT. I don't think you can play more than one of those four, unless there is a spot for LRT in the backline. Assume the forward line already has Walsh and Reid in it, with a resting ruckman I don't think there is then room for a White for example.

I'd actually forgotten about Spangher. I expect there is a forward line spot for him which holds out TDL and Morton...

I'd like TDL to take a step up and cement a place. A forward line which includes Walsh, Reid, TDL and McGlynn along with Pyke or Seaby with Goodes roaming in and out seems promising to me... but I know Jack about such things. What I do think though is that our success in 2012 will depend largely on getting the right set up and sticking with it, that would help the young forwards learn their craft and will help the mids in delivering it to the right spots.

[swantastic]

bloody hell its a tough call..mine r
Goodes,mumford,Walsh,Morton,Mattner,Rohan,rok,grun dy,TDL,kennedy,pyke,Armstrong,Mcglynn,shaw,hanners ,jetta,reid,spanga,bird,parker,jack,teddy........g ee that was hard as....