Intra-Club Clash

[baskin]

Thanks to everyone for their comments on the game. Sounds like it was a fun time.

[Ludwig]

It was great having the video of the whole game on the Swans' website.

Nick Davis is younger than Adam Goodes, and ready to play now! He looked pretty fit too. Sign him up.

I questioned using our draft pick 34 on Nanko, but now looks a great choice. He seems ready in the big time. He came with a reputation of being a good mark and kick for goal and showed it was true. Good body work in the ruck as well. After all the worry about how thin our ruck division was without Mummy, we had 4 pretty good ruckmen out there yesterday.

Laidler should slot right in to the 'Mattner' role. He looks a perfect fit for the 4th defender spot. I don't know how Carlton let him go. I'm not sure what that will mean for Rampe, who also looks very solid and has good speed. But Laidler reads the play well, is an accurate kick and very poised. I can see him working well with Ted and Reg.

Of the younger players, I thought Harry Cunningham looked great and ready to step up to senior level this year. I thought he looked more ready for senior footy than BJ. Also encouraging was how well 2nd year rookies Lloyd and Robinson looked. Both had solid games and showed good skill sets.

I felt sorry for Lockyer at times as he was often matched up on a big ruckman and couldn't compete physically, but otherwise had a solid game.

Malceski had a few very accurate kicks off the right boot. It looked as though he had been working on adding that aspect to his game.

It's early times, but I think the team's depth is looking very good this year.

[Auntie.Gerald]

i just tried to find the videos on the website and not there

[ShockOfHair]

I questioned using our draft pick 34 on Nanko, but now looks a great choice. He seems ready in the big time. He came with a reputation of being a good mark and kick for goal and showed it was true. Good body work in the ruck as well. After all the worry about how thin our ruck division was without Mummy, we had 4 pretty good ruckmen out there yesterday.

Yeah, pretty impressive after losing Mummo, White and Everitt. Not just rucks though. All our tall players seem either quality A-grade players or A-grade capable. The player with the biggest question mark would be T. Walsh - you just can't see him breaking into this forward line.

Rucks: Pyke, Derickx, Nanko, Naismith
Forwards: Goodes, Buddy, Tippett
Backs: Ted, Reg, AJ
Swingers: Reid, LRT
Up and coming: X, AA. T. Walsh?
Project player: P. Mitchell

[Legs Akimbo]

i just tried to find the videos on the website and not there

I think it was there and they took it off. I had it open and went to go back and watch it and got a 404 error

[Primmy]

Is it too early? We have lost a Mummy, but I think we may just have replaced him with a Nanny (Nankervis).

Thoughts?

[Auntie.Gerald]

just a few more comments and a disclaimer that from time to time I tend to see the positive sides of things a little ahead of the complexities of reality :

i) I know it is very difficult playing your own club to shake off your opponents as the know the game plan very well but it was interesting to notice not much with the way of sling shot footy occurring to counter the press.......other then that it looked like very much swans footy without the full intensity in the tackling dept so we didnt walk off with injuries.

ii) overall fitness for the first 4 x 25min hit out looked pretty good. I really didnt notice anyone standing with hands on hips struggling to keep up......there was some exciting midfield matchups, ruck matchups, backline vs forward matchups and the lads really ran it out

iii) the sharing of goals was once again evident and putting Buddy more on the HFF and wing possies was great to see as well as the top of the goal square....... and he very much reminds me of the impact that Adam can have when he is zipping just a handpass wide of the ruck. Buddy is a massive presence and is seriously quick for his height. His pressure on the ball player is very cool to watch as he really hunts down the player with the ball like Gazza.

iv) our backline does look more potent and direct when Shaw is part of the rotation ie our counter attack speeds up dramatically. Obviously Zak Jones is already being touted to fill that void of Rhys in the coming years with ease......BUT Harry Cunningham could also still be groomed into a similar role if our midfield just becomes so congested with talent. Harry is truly finding his feet in all aspects of the game and especially around the ruck which is a major step up from 1st year being given some work in the backline then forward line and now he is in the engine room. Quite frankly Harry could level jump much higher then alot of us first realised.......he is physically a different player in 2014

v) The fight for spots in the forwards for the med to smalls between Towers, BJ and Rohan etc is going to be so much fun to watch in 2014........these three guys in particular are a luxury for the club at the moment.....to think a few years ago we were suffering for a lack of speed !!!!........also with McGlynn moving to the midfield along with Harry C by the looks of his development in the pre season it has opened up the door for BJ and Towers even more so ......and 3 seriously quick guys...........

vi) my other call is I think the pressure to perform in our 22 week in week out may still push Jetta into a more HFF role.........its not unreasonable to contemplate our 2012 hero being in the pressure cooker of the 22 as much as any other player..............this is one of the best squads I have ever seen. The rise up of about 7 or 8 kids is so evident when watch the lads live

vii) Swampy has certainly trimmed down and his work ethic has picked up massively.........he was playing a run with role and with so many high quality midfielders out there on wed night it is very difficult to look like you are dominant. I cant wait to watch more of Marsh thru out the ressies season as he is close to realising he can be a major figure in our ressies midfield now that he has an engine to match the skills........he just needs to become a little more selfish and aggressive to be first to the ball in ressies (which was not his role on wed night)

viii) I do think that McGlynn and HarryC moving into the midfield will put pressure on Birdy........reason being in my view is that Mcglynn is more versatile, faster and a better kick then birdy......ie I think McGlynn will play a more run with role 50% of the time but then equally be given some free run also which makes him a great matchup. Alternatively HarryC is knocking on the door of just being to good to leave out of the 22. He looked best when he was in the Sam Mitchell type possie on wed night ie just sitting behind the ruck and running off it to set up play as he has such a wonderful kick both sides of the body. HarryC has added another part of his game where he won a few tap downs with quick hands to Kennedy moving it out of the ruck

ix) the real shame was not seeing where Zak Jones is really at after so many of his teams mates and coaching staff saying how promising he is hru the pre season.......cant wait to see some NAB cup and ressies and watch Zak develop into that HBF Midfield role as he appears a real goer and with skills to match

x) Lastly take the time to watch the rapid development of Sam Naismith thru 2014.......this kid could be something special..........he has all the skills, vision, ability to pick up the low ball like a midfielder and passes it very smoothly BUT no1 and most importantly he is a very dominant tap ruckman. He really is very very hard to beat. With Sam and Mike coming back from injuries I can understand why we went with depth for 2014. Also Tip will only feature 50% max in the ruck. I will be amazed if Sam is not ready by 2015 to be a serious ruck rotation as right now if we needed him to play Snrs due to a big injury toll amongst our senior fellas........ he would do a good job in my opinion !

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Intra-Club Clash

I like it, Prim.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Is it too early? We have lost a Mummy, but I think we may just have replaced him with a Nanny (Nankervis).

Thoughts?

I think Nan is good but Sammy is better - just my opinion.......Nan got the easy role of playing a lot more in the forwards on Wed night and didnt have to run as much as Sam. Sam is just such a dominant figure in the ruck

BUT Nan is exciting

[Primmy]

YOu are too literal Auntie.

Mummy Nanny. Geddit?huhhuh??

[Nico]

Yeah, pretty impressive after losing Mummo, White and Everitt. Not just rucks though. All our tall players seem either quality A-grade players or A-grade capable. The player with the biggest question mark would be T. Walsh - you just can't see him breaking into this forward line.

Rucks: Pyke, Derickx, Nanko, Naismith
Forwards: Goodes, Buddy, Tippett
Backs: Ted, Reg, AJ
Swingers: Reid, LRT
Up and coming: X, AA. T. Walsh?
Project player: P. Mitchell

Reid and LRT are Swingers!

[magic.merkin]

iVe just been calling my fellow tasweigen "Knackers"

[dimelb]

Is it too early? We have lost a Mummy, but I think we may just have replaced him with a Nanny (Nankervis).

Thoughts?

Good one Primmy - if I can't have Mummy I want my Nanny.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

We used to have a mummy. Now we're left with a nanny and two dads.

Who said Hawthorn is the family club?

[dimelb]

And while we're at it, I like Dane Rampe's suggested nickname for Aliir Aliir: Chand.