Changes Round 22 v Bulldogs

[aguy]

Okay. So I know everyone has been waiting or this. Finally here are my thoughts.

OUT: Kennedy Bird Reid Towers
IN: Mitchell Smith Naimsith Hewitt

First two outs are obvious. Reid I think was hurt early on and struggled for the rest of the game. I think he has been struggling for a few weeks so needs a week to get right. Towers has been okay but I'd like to see what Hewitt has to offer so he should be sub

Mitchell in to replace JPK. Smith returns. That means mcveigh and and Biggs/Rohan can play more through the midfield.

Naismith comes in to see what he offers in place of Reid as our forth tall / backup ruck.

Then back to the standard team for the Richmond game as I think mcglynn Kennedy shaw bird and Reid will all be right to come back then and need the game before finals

That is that

[Melbournehammer]

Okay. So I know everyone has been waiting or this. Finally here are my thoughts.

OUT: Kennedy Bird Reid Towers
IN: Mitchell Smith Naimsith Hewitt

First two outs are obvious. Reid I think was hurt early on and struggled for the rest of the game. I think he has been struggling for a few weeks so needs a week to get right. Towers has been okay but I'd like to see what Hewitt has to offer so he should be sub

Mitchell in to replace JPK. Smith returns. That means mcveigh and and Biggs/Rohan can play more through the midfield.

Naismith comes in to see what he offers in place of Reid as our forth tall / backup ruck.

Then back to the standard team for the Richmond game as I think mcglynn Kennedy shaw bird and Reid will all be right to come back then and need the game before finals

That is that

I'm glad about the towers has been ok comment. I reckon he has been going ok as well. the negativity directed his way has been a bit harsh. he was an extremely late first rounder and everything i have read suggested that he has kept improving throughout his career to date, given that very few had high expectations of him as a junior and then at vfl level

i am not sure i would drop him for hewitt although i can see the reasoning. equally you could bring zac jones in as well.

[Ajn]

I assume you're joking? Why not secure a Top 2 spot with our best possible team against a fairly weak opposition and then worry about resting players against Richmond where a loss doesn't matter to our ladder position?

- - - Updated - - -

That comment was directed at Ajn.

Yes I am joking, but there needs to be a "no risk" policy taken, especially facing up with a likely Freo.
Anyone who is sore needs to have a break, it is no different to what top sides have been doing for years.

[Hartijon]

To win the flag we must play team football for the whole 4 quarters.History suggests big game winning players are smothered out of it in Grand Finals (with the exception of G Abblet senior).We have to find numerous ways to win and have the team full of confidence in eah other. This means. like Goodes does each week,you knock the ball to where you know a player will be running, you do the 1% ers! To get this system fine tuned you don,t rest good players against weak opposition you play everyone who is fit and in your top 22.The success of the Swans in Premiership years has been due to the small number of players introduced into the team.It makes it tough for reserves players but AFL Footy is a tough sport in every way. Players,sore ,tired or carrying a niggle LOVE to play and for the development of machine like team play and total confidence in each other SHOULD play at all costs.

[Ampersand]

Yes I am joking, but there needs to be a "no risk" policy taken, especially facing up with a likely Freo.
Anyone who is sore needs to have a break, it is no different to what top sides have been doing for years.

Top sides have been resting players when games have no impact on ladder position. That isn't the case this week.

[ShockOfHair]

Yeah interesting selection dilemma, isn't it? Two midfielders out, two defenders ready to come in. Shaw, Malceski and Rohan can help out in midfield if need be.

Would hate to see Biggs miss out ahead of Towers. How much confidence do the coaches have in his multi-tasking skills?

[Ludwig]

I imagine the plan must be to get the best side on the ground in Round 23 against Richmond and have a finals like contest, which it might be if the Tigers are a chance for the 8.

So this is the last week to mend a few of those sore bodies. It's also the time to assess who you have in reserve in case any of the regulars get injured. I think that Mitchell would be high on the list of those who we would like to see perform at senior level before going into the finals, even though it is doubtful he will be a starter at this point. If he doesn't play seniors on Sunday, it must be due to fitness concerns, as his NEAFL form seems to be pretty good.

[Flying South]

IMO if you take Kennedy and Bird out of the equation for a moment, and Smith and Shaw were fit to return, who would they replace? Most likely Laidler and Towers. Biggs played great and deserves another game. If Kennedy and Bird are not playing, we are losing two 'inside' midfielder's, so should be replaced for like. Therefore Mitchell is a must inclusion for me. Who else comes in is a bit more open for discussion. For me I would like to see what Hewitt has to offer or Jones because of his hardness. If Reid doesn't come up, I would like to see Naismith come in to offer back up ruck service and another tall option down forward. Hopefully Hannebery comes up because he needs the game time.

Ins: Smith, Shaw, Mitchell, Hewett
Outs: Laidler, Towers, Kennedy, Bird

The bulldogs will be no pushovers. They have a very good young emerging midfield and I don't think we can experiment with defenders playing in the midfield. Replace midfielder's with midfielder's and defenders with defenders.

[wolftone57]

I agree, if Jones is fit enough he's definitely ahead of Hewitt at this stage.

But let's not forget Smith, hopefully he's ready to come back this week.

In which case :

Mitchell for Kennedy
Smith for Bird

Then it gets interesting with how the other limping Swans pull up and whether there will need to be other changes.

Horse, being Horse, will want to keep the changes to a minimum, especially 2 week out from finals.

I fail to see how a player who has played back for the majority of the year, except when injured, can be compared to a mid who has played mid all year. Jones I don't think is vying for a position with Hewett, he will be vying with Biggs & Shaw. Add to that the fact Jones has had only one game back from injury and he is less ready to play than Mitchell.

[wolftone57]

Yeah interesting selection dilemma, isn't it? Two midfielders out, two defenders ready to come in. Shaw, Malceski and Rohan can help out in midfield if need be.

Would hate to see Biggs miss out ahead of Towers. How much confidence do the coaches have in his multi-tasking skills?

They must have had a bit last week they played him on a wing as a tagger on Lenny Hayes. That is a pretty biy job for any player let alone a 3 gamer. He kept Lenny to 8 disposals by half time and had 13 himself. Not bad really.

[Doctor]

Longmire has said that it'll most likely be Smith and Shaw for Kennedy and Bird. The bigger question will now be how we line up. Macca will go back to the midfield for a start, but what else?

[wolftone57]

At this stage it looks like Birdy & Benny are definite to miss out. Birdy has strained a posterior cruciate and Benny hasn't come up but will probably resume next week. Smithy WILL play. Sammy, Joey & Rhyce will all need fitness tests later in the week. So at this stage I wouldn't be putting any bets on who will play and who won't.

[Matt80]

At this stage it looks like Birdy & Benny are definite to miss out. Birdy has strained a posterior cruciate and Benny hasn't come up but will probably resume next week. Smithy WILL play. Sammy, Joey & Rhyce will all need fitness tests later in the week. So at this stage I wouldn't be putting any bets on who will play and who won't.

I wonder if we are about to rest a key defender. The Bulldogs only recognised key forward is Crameri who is Dane Rampe size.

We may only need to play one of Grundy and Richards due to opposition match ups. There are certainly enough small/medium defenders in the line up.

Does anyone think this move is a possibility? Who would you rest out of Richards or Grundy?

[jono2707]

I wonder if we are about to rest a key defender. The Bulldogs only recognised key forward is Crameri who is Dane Rampe size.

We may only need to play one of Grundy and Richards due to opposition match ups. There are certainly enough small/medium defenders in the line up.

Does anyone think this move is a possibility? Who would you rest out of Richards or Grundy?

No need to rest either Ted or Reg. Both are fine. Plus Bulldogs will probably give Grant another run, plus Campbell as second ruck. Both need key defenders to mind them.

[Ludwig]

I wonder if we are about to rest a key defender. The Bulldogs only recognised key forward is Crameri who is Dane Rampe size.

We may only need to play one of Grundy and Richards due to opposition match ups. There are certainly enough small/medium defenders in the line up.

Does anyone think this move is a possibility? Who would you rest out of Richards or Grundy?

Last week the Dogs played Tom Campbell and Jarrad Grant, neither kicked a goal, and they also have Liam Jones available if they choose. Bontempelli is around 194 cm and plays forward a lot. Their tall forwards are not very good, but still have to be defended. I think Laidler can handle Jake Stringer, who's not all that quick. Cooney also goes forward a lot and still has pretty good pace.

I think we can match up pretty well on them. It's more a matter of quality than height. The WB players are looking a bit tired at this late stage of the season. They came home stronger last year.