In Parker, out ??

[ScottH]

THE best team in the AFL is likely to get better with the imminent return of teenage Swans dynamo Luke Parker.

Coach John Longmire claimed Parker, 19, was on the verge of returning for Sunday?s clash against likely finalist St Kilda at the SCG after missing five games with a broken collarbone.

A hard in and under midfielder, Parker was averaging 20 possessions a game before suffering an injury in round 10.

"We're keen to get him back into the team, we consider him a really good player for us when he's at this best, so that will be something we have to make a decision on," Longmire said.

"We think he's a player that can really add to our team, it's just a matter of when we think is the right time to bring him in.

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[Captain]

Personally I would make no changes. Parker still has a long way to go before he can foce a good player, in good form out of the team.

However, if they are determined to bring him back then the only options to go would be LRT (injured), Everitt, Bird, Malceski, Pyke.

Bird and Malceski are in good form and the others are all tall so would muck up structures.

[Far Reach]

LRT out (inj), Parker in, Mal sub, Goodes mostly used as key/ lead-up forward.

[ernie koala]

Personally I would make no changes. Parker still has a long way to go before he can foce a good player, in good form out of the team.

However, if they are determined to bring him back then the only options to go would be LRT (injured), Everitt, Bird, Malceski, Pyke.

Bird and Malceski are in good form and the others are all tall so would muck up structures.

Malceski got plenty of the pill against the Lions .... but he had little impact against the Eagles.

Another game like that, and he'll be the one under pressure to hold his spot.

[BillyRayCypress]

Where are the cookies? I like chocolate ones.

[Plugger46]

Malceski got plenty of the pill against the Lions .... but he had little impact against the Eagles.

Another game like that, and he'll be the one under pressure to hold his spot.

Totally agree and I would have Armstrong ahead of him for that role.

Parker is clearly best 22. Must come in.

[Go Swannies]

Totally agree and I would have Armstrong ahead of him for that role.

Parker is clearly best 22. Must come in.

Parker needs a run in the 2s. Even Goodes has taken a few weeks to start playing well after a similar layoff. Nic Mal wasn't dominant this week but he didn't stuff up under pressure much either. I'm happy with either him or Armstrong as the sub and the other in for the game. The Saints game will be like the Eagles - lots of in close pressure but they have forwards, too. We may not win.

[GongSwan]

Malceski got plenty of the pill against the Lions .... but he had little impact against the Eagles.

Another game like that, and he'll be the one under pressure to hold his spot.

It's odd that Mal appears to now be a fringe player, one of the last 6 picked I imagine. Is he just having a bad run, or has the team gone past him?

[Plugger46]

Parker needs a run in the 2s. Even Goodes has taken a few weeks to start playing well after a similar layoff. Nic Mal wasn't dominant this week but he didn't stuff up under pressure much either. I'm happy with either him or Armstrong as the sub and the other in for the game. The Saints game will be like the Eagles - lots of in close pressure but they have forwards, too. We may not win.

I think Armstrong is probably going to need a run in the twos - he was sub against Brisbane and didn't play at all on the weekend. I meant that I prefer Armstrong overall, not necessarily for this weekend.

Parker played in the reserves a bit over a week ago and given that it was a shoulder injury, you would think that he wouldn't have lost a lot of fitness.

[BSA5]

Malceski got plenty of the pill against the Lions .... but he had little impact against the Eagles.

Another game like that, and he'll be the one under pressure to hold his spot.

Disagree. He didn't rack up much ball, but his ball use was terrific, and his defensive work was also extremely good, which is a welcome addition to his game. Some of his spoils were simply fantastic. We will need him doing that against the Saints' armada of small forwards.

[Jewels]

Disagree. He didn't rack up much ball, but his ball use was terrific, and his defensive work was also extremely good, which is a welcome addition to his game. Some of his spoils were simply fantastic. We will need him doing that against the Saints' armada of small forwards.

I'm with you BSA, he didn't get as much of the ball this week as last but I thought he used it far better and his defensive work was some of the best I've seen from him.
In my opinion his stint in the two's has really given him the kick up the bum we all hoped it would.

[caj23]

I still think Mal is ahead of Armstrong in the pecking order

Armstrong has shown some positive signs by providing dash from the backline, but I don't think he is quite there yet as a topline player. His disposal is good but he doesn't go as long and direct as he could, and he needs to do some more work on the defensive side of his game.

Having said that he's a very handy backup and if injuries hit I wouldn't have any qualms about seeing him in the ones.

I reckon with another pre-season behind him he will be a very good player

[Cheer_Cheer]

I fear for Bird.. He played a terrific game against the Weagles.. Even so, I think Longmire might push him aside for Parker..

[Ludwig]

Parker coming in effectively pushes Goodes into a permanent forward role. Then the decision becomes who is the ruck/forward: LRT of Pyke. Parker and Bird both should be in the side based on their form this year. We have a lot flexibility on how we want to structure the team because of the versatility of several players, like Goodes and ROK who play anywhere on the ground.

[Go Swannies]

I think Bird would be doing well on B&F points for his games this year. Unlikely to be dropped.