Round 3: Sydney Swans Reserves v Gold Coast Suns Reserves

[aardvark]

Yeah, me to ???????????

Here's the Vid Primmy. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x-0M_NhBNA

[ScottH]

excellent

[satchmopugdog]

We lost....

[ScottH]

We lost....

to Gold Coast

[ScottH]

final score

Ft swans 7.13 55 suns 13.13 91 goalsWalsh 2 mcneil 2 tdl pyke lycakis suns:fraser 5 stanley 2 sexton 2 magin dixon gillbee day #goswans

[707]

I notice the Swans website has Walsh and Jack amongst the best players. Also a top up Lycakis, is he an Academy player?

Anyone there to see the ressies that can give us their thoughts?

Thanks in advance and in anticipation

[desredandwhite]

Just couldn't match the GC reserves on the day.

Let's put it this way - they have a hell of a lot of great young talent. On the other hand, their senior side isn't much better than their reserves side IMO they're caught between the two levels at the moment. Their reserves are going to be very strong in the NEAFL and their seniors are going to struggle in the AFL.

[ugg]

Swans lost by 6 goals but weren't disgraced. Due to White and Pryor (topup) not starting and Seaby pulling out after 2 minutes when news of Mummy's sore back filtered through the team hierarchy, the Swans had 2 on the bench for most of the day which was further reduced to 1 when Lockyer was injured in the third quarter and didn't return. By contrast the Suns were entitled to the full complement of 5 on the bench and their fresh legs were telling in the last quarter. In fact, the Swans did pretty well to contain them until the 3rd quarter when they only trailed by 5 points. Josh Fraser moved forward in the last term and he booted 4 on the undersized Campbell Heath who was unlucky to be marking a much taller opponent, but there were really no other defensive options available to the Swans.

• Seaby - Must be one of the weirdest days of his life. Starting as a forward alongside Pyke while Everitt took main ruck duties, then quickly withdrawn to prepare to face the tallest man in the AFL.
• Dennis-Lane - Played further up the ground than usual, starting some centre bounces as well. I felt he kept up the defensive side of his game which was encouraging but struggled with winning enough ball in what was a very strong Suns midfield.
• Morton - Tough day for Mitch again, started in defence and finished in attack but had minimal impact on the game. A nightmare spell for Morton at the moment.
• Lamb - Started in the midfield but was outclassed. Moved forward in the latter parts of the game but couldn't get into it.
• Everitt - Started in the ruck as mentioned above and was 2nd to most taps although more effective around the ground. I suppose the idea was to get him more involved in the physical side of the game, to toughen him up.
• Walsh - Played forward for most of the game, with only a spell in the ruck late in the game. His 2 goals were from set shots, the first managing to hang onto a fast travelling ball above his head, the second outmuscling Coad and leaving him on the ground to take it uncontested.
• Armstrong - He seemed a little rusty to me, quite a few of his kicks didn't hit the target. But he seemed enthusiastic and was always running to space to provide an option for his teammates.
• Lockyer - Played deep defence and came off injured in the 3rd quarter. Had a long discussion with the Swans medical staff and went down the race at 3quarter time only to reappear just before the start of the 4th but never came back on.
• McNeil - Did his usual work in the middle, combined well with Pyke for his first goal as a part of a boundary throw-in set play.
• Moore - Spent most of the day in the midfield and finished as a de facto CHF when he ran out of puff. He would have registered a few assists today with yet again his clever delivery into the forward 50 a highlight.
• Heath - Very impressive for 3 quarters on the much taller Charlie Dixon before having his colours lowered a little by the much taller Josh Fraser. He must be excused though as in the last quarter the Swans on-ball brigade had assumed the ascendancy and had a lot more inside 50s than their Swans opponents. Heath reads the play very well, makes good judgment calls on when to leave his man to help out or when to assume front position to block his opponent from attacking the football.
• Pyke - Had to shoulder the ruck for most of the day and still managed to find time to have 5 shots on goal but only finished with 1.3. All very kickable shots too. Showed to have no ill effects from that PCL injury although I wonder if they expected him to play as much today as he did.
• Lynch - Solid game from Lynch again, also giving up a lot of height to Sam Day but blanketing the #3 pick completely.
• Cunningham - Harry sure loves having a shot on goal! 4 behinds today to Harry playing mostly through the midfield. His pace and in particular his acceleration are very eye-catching and he also has a massive boot which clears 55m with ease.
• Gordon - I really liked his game today. I would say he was assigned a midfield role but ran so hard all day that he was seen at time in defence and in attack. His defensive pressure and tackling were excellent and was creative with the ball around the half-forward area.
• Toppies - Lycakis was the standout with assured play in tight situations and was rewarded with a running goal. Jack was a winger/high half-forward for most of the day. He is a very skinny lad who while taller than his brother still has some aspects of his game that are reminiscent of his older sibling, including a visually pleasing pivot and turn after a mark. Wray and Robinson were the other 2 topups who found some of the footy through the midfield while I think Potter played as a small defender.

Meredith and Biggs came out and watched parts of the game from the bays. Brown and Kruger were seen with the coaching staff at the quarter time huddles.

For the opposition, Jaeger O'Meara caught the eye and it's understandable why the Suns traded their number 4 overall pick in last year's draft for the privilege of pre-listing (or whatever the term is) for their senior list next year. He was very effective in close, with quick hands and clever elusive skills as well as possessing pace when running in open space. He'd probably get a run in their seniors if he was eligible. All their defenders played well too, Coad, Hutchins and Schade were solid in their one-on-ones and provided good drive with their rebound 50s.

Swans 2.5 3.10 6.12 7.13 (55)
Suns 2.3 4.5 7.11 13.13 (91)

We have 2 different sets of goalkickers
Swans site: T. Walsh 2, J. Potter , D. McNeil , D. Lycakis , B. Jack , N. GordonN
My count: Walsh 2 McNeil 2 TDL Pyke Lycakis

Swans best: C. Heath, T. Walsh, D. Lycakis, J. Moore, B. Jack
My bests: Gordon Heath Moore McNeil Lycakis Pyke

[Triple B]

Ugg, Jack definitely kicked a goal, early 3rd term if that helps you work out the one you have wrong...

[ugg]

Thanks Trips I gave that one to McNeil. Were you keeping score too? I gave our first goal to Pyke

Oh and were you happy that they opened the gates 5 minutes earlier ?

[ScottH]

Excellent stuff Ugg!!
Thanks

[ShockOfHair]

Great work as usual Ugg.

Hope it's nothing serious for Lockyer. I'm looking forward to his debut some time this year.

[Aaron]

Thanks Ugg. Your effort to keep us inform of the Reserve definitely help to keep people returning to this forum!

[Triple B]

Thanks Trips I gave that one to McNeil. Were you keeping score too? I gave our first goal to Pyke

Oh and were you happy that they opened the gates 5 minutes earlier ?

Wasn't keeping score. My memory thinks you are correct with Pyke. I was discussing B Jack at halftime with ORB which is why I remember exactly when he scored his goal.

Yes, the gates were a pleasant surprise, but still only got to our seats just as the ball was bounced, bang on 10:35

[Primmy]

Thanks ugg, watched all of it myself (you can get to your seat in time in the Brewongle!!) and agree with all you said, and yes it was B Jack who kicked a goal when BBB said....english translation at some other stage, after morning coffee.

It might have been a bit of a shock to come up against Gold Coast ressies who also have players who have had senior experience (Josh for instance.....), instead of the usual fare, and a proper fight/game ensured. Wondered where all our bench players went.....

It was also very hot and very windy, lots of very red faces coming off at half time.

I liked the look of B Jack (thanks for the vision aarr!! it was terrific), has the same shoulder movement as K Jack.
Liked how competitive Nipper was.
You can see that Walsh is better this game than the last one I saw, but a year away I would say.
I would love to see Dylan get a senior. I wonder if his game would jump up a level or four if he was high up the scale. Some of them burst out of the blocks once the call up comes, leaving us "experts" wondering where on earth did that come from.
Cambo is an interesting case study. I think he could be the goods, but .. he has a lot going for him, and reads the play a lot better than previously.
Tony Armstrong will be better for the run. You can see that he is going to be ok, especially if enthusiasm and obviously loving the game time is anything to go by.
Mitch Morton.....lost all confidence imho; doesn't look he "feels" like he is a Blood. Someone get Shaw onto him.
Doggy; smart smart man, definitely a senior player, but his body is not going to allow him to do what his mind says he can do.
Harry loves playing footy. Mature for his age, but has a way to go, there are 18 team members to consider.
Didn't mind Jackson Potters game although not reading the play well enough yet; good, not great.
They call Andrejs Everitt Drey. Hope he gets enough confidence and hardness around the ball.

No sign of Jesse.

The toppies are all relatively well built boys, not the skinny toothpicks we were attempting to play with in the past. They all seem to know who each other is, and that's a great legacy that Henry brought into the ressies competition.