Round 6 : Changes vs Melb

[TPR4]

Personally, with no Tippo my ideal talls are: Pyke rucking, LRT chipping in and the big Bud and Reid as the two tall forwards. Goodes can roam/do what he wants/be the best/lead-up with the others filling in. Derickx seems to be a good competitor but doesn't offer anything Lewie doesn't without the versatility the Great Man offers. It means we can play a mobile tall in Reidy too, will help Buddy out in drawing defenders as a forward who can take a pack mark.

The way Horse phrases it in the selection vid implies they will play Samuel if he pulls up ok (Achilles are notoriously dodgy). To me that would mean Derickx would drop out as per above, but then again, Horse gives very little away for the most part. Could be shenanigans.

I also note how he says it's great to have the Champ back "in the 22". An obvious question would be whether he'd take the green vest after his time out (yes, I know he was named on the ground, but final benches an hour out are what counts), it's obviously something they decided not to raise to throw a few doubts in, as would be expected by any side. I suspect that he'll start on the ground and play mostly forward as he builds fitness and they'll see how he goes as he's about as fit as they come and should run it out ok.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Round 6 : Changes vs Melb

I understand the "if he's fit he should play" mindset but I feel a little paranoid about Reid doing further damage in a game against a team we can beat without him.

Give him one more week to be sure.

[Doctor]

I don't understand naming Reid as an emergency if he's not going to play. He'd have been better off travelling to Mackay to play with the reserves otherwise.

Anyway, GOODESY!!!!!

[Alan]

I don't understand naming Reid as an emergency if he's not going to play.

Me too. Maybe he is foxing and there will be a late change??

[707]

Buddy looked proppy in a bit of footage I saw of yesterdays training, maybe Reid for Buddy will be a late change.

Don't think we can take the Tankers lightly on their home deck, needs to be the same effort as we had last week. Just watched last weeks game again and Derickx must definitely be on borrowed time, added little to the team except big body at ruck contests and doesn't appear to have a footy brain.

[jono2707]

Buddy looked proppy in a bit of footage I saw of yesterdays training, maybe Reid for Buddy will be a late change.

Proppy as in injured? Is this a considered opinion or more speculation?

[wolftone57]

Zac Jones is up in Mackay. Sammy & BJ the emergencies and seeing Sammy has been injured and there will still be doubts about him until the fitness test today I would suggest BJ first emergency. Both Goodsie & Sammy are having fitness tests today and if they both pull up well then there may be a change with Reid in. But two players coming in from injury is not generally the Swans way although we did it last year to disastrous results.

[hot potato]

Buddy looked proppy and down beat last week up to the long break, then came out and played a good second half to ice the game for us and we would be 0-5 without him this year.

He needs this game against the D's to get a few things off his mind.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

What player ever wants to be "rested"? You are an AFL player to play not to spectate.Also you want to be part of the team and experience the ups and downs with your mates.I can imagine the response of Kennedy,KJ etc to being told they are being rested. Its a bad idea all round and works against team building and the individual,s desire to play AFLat the highest level.

Not so long ago you could have been asking with equal incredulity "What player ever wants to be "benched"? I'm not disagreeing with you, just less certain that players, who are already squeeling for a shorter season, won't one day accept being "rested" with similar equanimity.

[Matt80]

I think resting and rotation is essential in the modern game. Twenty years ago players played to their selected position and roles, which meant less running. AFL is now like a game of Basketball with a full court press. I'm convinced that the Melbourne Demons of tonight would kill the 1994 West Coast Eagles premiership side due to the modern hard running and filling of space. This hard running, aggressive tackling and filling of space is taking a great physical toll on players. Rest and rotation is thus essential if you want continuing maximum effort of the players at key times of the year.

It's amazing watching football 20 years ago, where you see how much space there was. Modern day players have amazing skills under pressure and incredible aerobic capacity. Would Greg Williams survive today's modern football?

[ernie koala]

Would Greg Williams survive today's modern football?

Your kidding aren't you ?? One of the all time great, in and under, distributers the game has seen.

With all the congestion and 'in tight' footy being played, he would thrive.

[Matt80]

Your kidding aren't you ?? One of the all time great, in and under, distributers the game has seen.

With all the congestion and 'in tight' footy being played, he would thrive.

Wonderful player and not disputing that, but how would he match up to someone like Josh Kennedy who is bigger, stronger, faster and probably a better endurance runner? Kennedy is the modern in and under player!

[rb4x]

Goodes the sub

[0918330512]

It's amazing watching football 20 years ago, where you see how much space there was. Modern day players have amazing skills under pressure and incredible aerobic capacity. Would Greg Williams survive today's modern football?

Pft. I'm not sure what the point is? Are you suggesting that he wouldn't? Or are you suggesting that he was over-rated?
Comparisons across eras, more often than not, stikes me as a pointless waste of time. If Greg Williams TRAINED as they do today, how much better would he have been? We'll never know.
It's as much a waste of time as belittling Dawn Fraser's record in the pool saying even the 30th fastest girl in the pool today would beat her. SO WHAT?! If Dawn trained & competed today, how good would she be? Equally pointless question.

But to answer your hypothetical, Deasil's unparalleled peripheral vision, lightning quick hands, reading & anticipation of the play, and single-minded competitive intensity would offset his lack of footspeed & aerobic capacity as much today as it did back then. He was rated too slow back then & his persistence, determination & sheer football ability saw him dominate the game. You can't tell me he wouldn't get a game with the Dees? Pft, he could just about pull on the boots today & get a gig with them (ok that bit wasn't serious)

[goswannies]

It's amazing watching football 20 years ago, where you see how much space there was. Modern day players have amazing skills under pressure and incredible aerobic capacity. Would Greg Williams survive today's modern football?

Ha ha - glad you weren't picking the Swans Team of the Century Matt80 ... it'd only have players from the last decade, & guys like Pratt, Nash, Plugger & plodders like Williams wouldn't get a look in.