Bird vs Crowley

[Auntie.Gerald]

i have been contemplating the role of the tagger after watching ryan crowley this year

I have also contemplated Craig Bird and his effectiveness compared to Crowley in the role of tagging........Bird is a long way off ryan right now

I think it is fair to say that the only way you can negate Crowley is that your tagger has to do a better job then ryan on the oppositions best attacking/ball winning player

a great tagger one on one you can only beat thru fitness, speed or making very early decisions....or take him away from the contest.

Ryan crowley has proven no matter how good you are in fitness, speed, early decisions or taking him away from the contest he can match you and beat you.

So for me the responsibility comes back on your best tagger to nullify the key player in the opposition.......so it becomes an equal match.

[woo]

If Kizza wasn't so shagged from a long season he would have got him...same goes for Bird.

[magic.merkin]

Send Jack to someone!

[Primmy]

We haven't had an annoying arse on our team since Crouchy retired. I know Smooch is a quality tagger, but he is isn't back slappingly punch invitingly annoying is he. Kizz would hate that role anyway - he is a 'showman' player by nature.

We need a bloke with 'attitude'.

[Mug Punter]

We haven't had an annoying arse on our team since Crouchy retired. I know Smooch is a quality tagger, but he is isn't back slappingly punch invitingly annoying is he. Kizz would hate that role anyway - he is a 'showman' player by nature.

We need a bloke with 'attitude'.

A little extra mongrel next season would not go astray, it was unpleasant viewing at times but I would love to have Crowley on our team...

[Go Swannies]

And to defend against the Crowley types we need to develop a team response the way Geelong did with Gaz - the whole midfield would block to give him space. Maybe it's time to stop playing fair?

[stellation]

I kind of get the impression at times that Craig doesn't enjoy the role, whereas Ryan seems to REALLY enjoy it.

[Ludwig]

I kind of get the impression at times that Craig doesn't enjoy the role, whereas Ryan seems to REALLY enjoy it.

You are right, because Craig Bird is not a natural tagger, he's an insider midfielder in a team that has so many good inside mids that he doesn't get enough opportunity to play his best role. It's a credit to him how well he does, considering he often takes players that are much quicker than he is.

I'm not sure if anyone on the Swans has that annoying Crowley/Ballantyne demeanor, except perhaps Benny McGlynn. I've seen Malceski take on a player or 2 as well, but he's not going to be a tagger. McGlynn is a very good tagger, except he can be taken forward and beaten in marking contests, which is why you see him mostly in forward roles. I can appreciate the accomplished tagger, but don't like the constant scragging and think it should be taken out of the game. It shouldn't be permitted to have a player constantly bumped and pushed off the play all game, even if it's at a very low impact. There was some attention given to this when but it seems to have died out.

I have a sneaky suspicion that we are training up Harry Marsh to be a Crowley type tagger. He was taken from his natural role as a running halfback and put into the middle in tagging roles. He hadn't produced much before his injury though. Physically, he does have the size, speed and kicking ability to take on any midfielder and hurt them on the rebound, but who knows if he reach an AFL level as a player. BTW, his brother Jonothan is a hot prospect in this year's draft and may even go in the first round.

[ernie koala]

I kind of get the impression at times that Craig doesn't enjoy the role, whereas Ryan seems to REALLY enjoy it.

Totally agree Stella, he certainly doesn't seem to relish it like Crowley does.

Also agree with Go Swannies, I didn't see any others pitching in to block and harass Crowley...It's a must against a hard, relentless tagger.

[Nico]

It is hard to tell when watching on TV, but I thought if Jack was taken away from the centre bounces and throw ins and played off those contests and just ran to space then Crowley may have struggled to keep up. It appears he did take him forward on occasion but that doesn't stop the close tactics.

[Panttz]

He did take him forward (On the half a dozen times we went forward that is...)

On Bird as a tagger. Compared to Crowley I would say Birdy is missing the mental side of things. You need to take it as a kick in the guts every time your player gets a possession the way that Lingy always talked about. That hatred will overcome any amount of running or rough play that comes back your way. Not sure if Birdy has that