Changes for Rnd 2 v Dockers

[ScottH]

From FB

Sydney Swans
A late change for the Swans this afternoon with Shane Mumford to miss with a sore back. He will be replaced in the selected side by Mark Seaby. 80 minutes to go until the first bounce in perfect conditions at the SCG. The reserves currently trail Gold Coast reserves by 3 goals halfway through the last quarter.

[Nico]

Now for an optimists's spin on how we are travelling.

First up we gave a stellar display by trouncing the Aints. We didn't progress in the NAB Cup past the very narrow loss to a hot Essendon. A few weeks ago we got over the GCS in the last minutes of a game which was clearly a run to get rid of a few cobwebs. Then the world turned on us when we could only get over the newbies by 69 points. Some of the comments by the very knowledgeable Melbourne media/press included; flat, ordinary display, rusty, unimpressive, should have won by more than 100 points etc etc. To me the coaches didn't look too concerned by the performance.

At the same time Carlton was copping a pizzling for not having won a preseason game. They haven't been too bad in 2 solid games. All their preseason games were designed to get them primed for round 1. The Tiges were tipped to beat them because of their good preseason form.

Could it be that as we were playing GWS that the game was used to get rid of some rough edges. I seem to remember Goodes strolling around looking not too concerned and spent little or no time on the ball, Bolton took time to get into his stride as did McGlynn, Hanners was only there to get game time, to me Jack and McVeigh hardly got out of second gear and Mummy played well within himself. So they took round 1 as another practice match with the switch to be flicked at round 2.

On Shaw and O'Keefe; Shaw was in sparkling form in the first round of the NAB Cup so has the pre season under his belt. ROK isn't getting any younger so maybe they have been saving him and bringing him on slowly after a bit of an injury to help get him through the season. Many clubs now are looking at resting top players during the season. Why not at the start of the season. Sometimes players first up from a spell play blinders and then have a flat spot. Shaw has had a bit of back as I understand so it was easy for the coaches to ease him back in because of the GWS game. They come into replace Everitt and Cunningham. A no brainer I would think.

No worse than a 50/50 game against Freo as I see it. The positives are we are fresh and Freo come of a tough game. I doubt the "bye" will have any negative bearing at this time of the year. We should be primed for a big one.

I was at the country races yesterday so didn't see the game. I managed to duck out to the car to have a listen and when we were 40 points up at half time took a bow based on what I said above. I wasn't so assured when I next looked at my Iphone and saw we were only 11 points up. ROk only got 2 stats but very few clubs play their elite players in the 2's. In the end we got away with it and so the coaches got it right. Hanners as the sub was the right call and it appears he had a big influence on us steadying to win. ROK will be better for the run.

The fact that we won this game against good quality opposition with Mummy out, shows that the coaches appear to have got it right in our prep for the opening of the season. On all reports parts of our game was rusty but that should have us cherry ripe for Port next week.

On players cramping as a couple have posters have mentioned; I have heard all the post match summaries on the games this round and it has been a common occurance probably because of the 3 on the bench rule. Ex players are saying that the first 2 rounds are the toughest from a fitness point of view. The teams that have fewer injuries and get their man management right will be the ones that stand out as the season progresses more than ever. So far we have succeded in this area and to date my glass in very full with regards our coaching team.