Who are our bottom 6?

[bandwagon]

A team is only as good as its bottom half dozen players, supposedly....
I took a stab at who is in our bottom 6 ? so how do you think are our bottom 6 look compared another team you may be familiar with?
Rnd 16 2012
Bird
Everitt
LRT
Malceski
Mattner
Pyke

GF 2005
Ablett
Bevan
Dempster
LRT
Mathews
Schneider

[barry]

I'd like to see a comparison between our 2005 side and current side, player by player, position by position.

My feeling is that our backline is comparible. Rucks are probably down a bit now. Midfield is much stronger. Forward line is down.
X factor (aka Nick Davis factor) possibly a bit down too.

[GongSwan]

I don't know, Mummy and Pyke might be the first 2 picked now, although Pyke or LRT might go out against a particularly quick back six, it's such an even team, putting marty in the bottom six feels harsh, but I couldn't split the team

[RogueSwan]

X factor (aka Nick Davis factor) possibly a bit down too.

I realise it is early in his career but I believe Jetta possesses a genuine "x factor".

[Swansongster]

A team is only as good as its bottom half dozen players, supposedly....
I took a stab at who is in our bottom 6 ? so how do you think are our bottom 6 look compared another team you may be familiar with?
Rnd 16 2012
Bird
Everitt
LRT
Malceski
Mattner
Pyke

GF 2005
Ablett
Bevan
Dempster
LRT
Mathews
Schneider

A pretty good bunch of B6s in both lists. Maybe Buchanan and Crouch would replace Williams and Schneider in my 05 list. A tough call either way.

For 2012, I think I'd swap Johnson for Mattner but I suspect that is debatable too. You'd suspect that none of this list would be B6 category at many other clubs.

[Swansongster]

A pretty good bunch of B6s in both lists. Maybe Buchanan and Crouch would replace Williams and Schneider in my 05 list. A tough call either way.

For 2012, I think I'd swap Johnson for Mattner but I suspect that is debatable too. You'd suspect that none of this list would be B6 category at many other clubs.

That should've read Matthews and Schneider.

[RogueSwan]

... but I couldn't split the team

depends on the round. Each week someone plays a little better, another a little worse. Earlier in the year McVeigh, as a player not captain, would have been down there but not in recent weeks. Hanners has had some quiet weeks but had an absolute blinder against the Weagles. Marty "Super" Mattner can do those special, critical things in defence that win games. It is just too hard to isolate a specific bottom six.

[Go Swannies]

depends on the round. Each week someone plays a little better, another a little worse. Earlier in the year McVeigh, as a player not captain, would have been down there but not in recent weeks. Hanners has had some quiet weeks but had an absolute blinder against the Weagles. Marty "Super" Mattner can do those special, critical things in defence that win games. It is just too hard to isolate a specific bottom six.

Hence the adage that it's the quality of your bottom six that wins you premierships. Swansongster - one of your bottom six kept us in the GF till the rest came on board and another kicked the winning goal. Not bad for bottom players.

[BSA5]

Our bottom 6 is much better, and that's our biggest strength this year. I wouldn't have Mattner in that bottom 6 though, his form this year has been sensational, and he hasn't received nearly enough recognition. I wouldn't be surprised if he places top 5 in our B&F, and would be stunned if he wasn't top 10.

My bottom 6 probably goes like this:

Bird
McGlynn
Malceski
LRT
Everitt
Pyke

The fact that we have players of the ilk of Bird (who I rate highly and has claimed some massive defensive scalps, as well as being one of our most creative players with ball in hand), Malceski and McGlynn in our bottom 6 speaks volumes. When the other three are LRT, who has been extremely solid playing a structurally very important role, Everitt, who has improved in confidence every game, has arguably the best kicking skills in the team and is currently playing some really good footy, and Pyke, who along with Mumford just defeated the, by reputation, best ruck-duo in the competition on their home turf and has kicked a goal in every one of the last 4 games, we have a ridiculously good bottom 6.

What's also important is that two of that bottom 6 play very important roles for our structure, roles for which you really just need a base competency to get good value out of, which they deliver. You don't need to be a superstar to play LRT's role, as it currently is. All you need is somebody who can keep his opponent honest and stop him from preventing the other, better forwards from kicking goals. LRT does that. You also don't need a superstar second ruckman, you just need a guy who can hold the fort while Mumford has a rest. Pyke can do that, but he's also added a string to his bow with his ability to get forward and kick goals (one in each of the last 4 games) and take marks (over 3 marks, 1 contested, per week for the last month).

Really, our bottom 6 is incredible. Probably the best in the competition.

[RogueSwan]

...

My bottom 6 probably goes like this:

Bird
McGlynn
Malceski
LRT
Everitt
Pyke...

...Really, our bottom 6 is incredible. Probably the best in the competition.

It is, because any of these footballers could have, and have had, a blinder on their day and be in our top 3 (well my top 3 anyway).

[Mountain Man]

I looked at the Stats for Round 16 - Time on Ground

LRT played 44% of the first half and 46% of the second half.

The over 90%'ers were the back 4: Richards and Grundy 100%; Johnson and Smith both 96%

The 70%'ers were the 2 incredible gut busting runners in the team (Jack 72%and Kanneberry 76%).
and
Malceski and Pyke at 74% of game time.

That means the remaining 12 players were on the field between 80 and 90% of the time.

To me, this indicates that the coaches have confidence in everyone, can manage the workload, and that they barely see a bottom 6 issue.

[Mountain Man]

Woops - Everitt played 46% of the 2nd 1/2. Love LRT but he is not quite a miracleman.

[barry]

Of that bottom six:

Bird
McGlynn - automatic selection if fit. I dont think he place has ever been questioned.
Malceski
LRT - automatic selection by match commitee if fit.
Everitt
Pyke - automatic selection now days.

Malceski is only not an automatic selection because we now have an abundance of running half backers. Him and armstrong are fighting for the spot.
Bird is fighting with Parker as the final mid.
Everitt is the super sub.

So really, at any given selection meeting, only 3 spots are potentially debatable.

[Swansinger]

I do not like to think in such terms. Occasionally , from RWO threads , it seems Swans' fans are not happy, unless we have 18 Brownlow medallist contenders on the park. We are a team and every one of the boys contributes.

[snajik]

I do not like to think in such terms. Occasionally , from RWO threads , it seems Swans' fans are not happy, unless we have 18 Brownlow medallist contenders on the park. We are a team and every one of the boys contributes.

+1. There is no bottom 6 in this team just a top 22.