Changes v Tigers (aka will ROK get a farewell game?)

[Danzar]

Congratulations Sammy Naismith on your first game. Reid in sounds to me like we are going to try to stretch Richmond's defence. Towers or Shaw will probably vie for the vest. Good looking team and I think anyone who is fretting about Benny or Joey should stop being drama queens. They are being rested as is big Mikey, who did have a virus last week and should not have played but was probably ok for this week but the club didn't want to take the risk so close to the finals. The club is wrapping a few in mothballs until next week.

Agree on Ben and Josh - we're definitely ensuring there's that little extra time to fully recover. Who do you think is going to support Naismith against Maric if not Reid? Nankervis is an interesting emergency. Maybe a late scratching and let the two rookies handle it?

[Matt80]

On the serious side; Kennedy, Bird and McGlynn haven't come up. Surely that is a worry going into next week. These guys have been absolute rocks to our side all season. It certainly takes away a lot of experience. All 3 injuruies are not easy to get over. A PCL from memory is about a 6 week layoff, unless you are Adam Goodes. I doubt any of these guys are being "rested".

McGlynn, Pyke and Kennedy will be back next week. Kennedy and Pyke will be well rested and fine.

McGlynn will be under done and may have to be a high impact sub in the first final.

If no injuries occur this week. The changes for the first final will be:

Outs - Naismith, Towers and Shaw
Ins - Pyke, Kennedy, McGlynn

I think Biggs will get the nod over Shaw because he is in form and can play half back as well as midfield tag.

[DamY]

Biggs was so good in the Freo final last year, would love for him to stay in. The new kids overall have been really good - Cunningham, Lloyd, etc

[ScottH]

I don't get Mike's handoffs. It may have been necessary for his first season or so but not since. As he shows when he lines up for a goal kick, he's got the skill. So use it.

It is frustrating, but kicking between to big sticks is somewhat easier than nailing a moving target in traffic.
When he has to kick long down the line, he does alright.

[Matt80]

At the start of last season, the Swans' rookie list comprised:
Jake Lloyd
Shane Biggs
Daniel Robinson
Sam Naismith
Dane Rampe
Xav Richards
Brandon Jack

Quite remarkably, come Saturday night, all bar Robinson will have played senior football. Rampe has pretty much established himself as a stalwart of the team. Lloyd has managed to hold his spot over two thirds of this season. Biggs and Jack aren't in our best 22 (yet) but have shown themselves able to come in and play a role. Robinson can consider himself to be a tad unlucky to be the exception on the list because the quality and consistency of NEAFL footy he's played over the past two seasons suggests he would be just as equipped to play senior footy as those who have managed to do so.

That's a fair hit rate from one year's rookie list. All but Biggs were recruited last year, and they come off the back of Cunningham's similar journey the year before.

Great post Liz. The real dilemma is who will be retained in 2015.

You would assume that Lloyd would be an automatic upgrade.

Biggs is a 3rd year rookie. He needs to be upgraded to the senior list or delisted. I think he will be upgraded due to his consistent form and good form in the seniors in a variety of roles.

We then have one 3rd year rookie spot available and three rookies in the running for that spot (X.Richards, Naismith and Robinson).
If Naismith is plays well against Richmond and has an impact in some part of the finals I think he will also be upgraded to the senior list.

That leaves a 3rd year rookie spot available to either Robinson or Richards. Who do you pick for that spot? With Johnson and Allir returning from injury and Walsh showing good form as a key defender with swingman capability I would be inclined to give the spot to Robinson. Unfortunately X Richards may be delisted.

With a potential three rookie upgrades you need to clear some space on the senior list. The club also needs to take a minimum two players in the November NAB draft (Heeney and one other). That means that a potential five players need to leave the senior list to clear enough space.

ROK and LRT are already leaving. I think Shaw may also be at the end. That makes three. Need to find two more. If Malceski leaves under free agency then that makes four. If another player leaves via trade (Membrey, B.Jack, Mitchell) that will make five. You may get a handy draft pick via a trade which you should use. That will mean that six spots need to be opened up. The next players in danger are Lockyear, Dick, Marsh and Walsh.

I think Walsh?s big body and a useful Key Defence back up will see him retained. Lockyear and Dick would look in trouble, but Marsh?s form has improved and he has pace.

Hard decisions to be made!

[Ampersand]

It is frustrating, but kicking between to big sticks is somewhat easier than nailing a moving target in traffic.
When he has to kick long down the line, he does alright.

I agree. I don't think Pyke has a lot of confidence in his short passing which makes him fairly predictable to defend against when he kicks down the line.

Don't mind him handing off in the right circumstances. If he can shepherd Malceski's opponent it creates a substantial speed mismatch with Pyke's opponent.

[CureTheSane]

Does he have a great tackle?

That comment probably deserves a high five.

[Ampersand]

Does he give electric ruck though? Swans need electric ruck in addition to other electrical skills.

[Go Swannies]

Does he give electric ruck though? Swans need electric ruck in addition to other electrical skills.

So that's how Plugger got his name.

[Nico]

Congratulations Sammy Naismith on your first game. Reid in sounds to me like we are going to try to stretch Richmond's defence. Towers or Shaw will probably vie for the vest. Good looking team and I think anyone who is fretting about Benny or Joey should stop being drama queens. They are being rested as is big Mikey, who did have a virus last week and should not have played but was probably ok for this week but the club didn't want to take the risk so close to the finals. The club is wrapping a few in mothballs until next week.

You do not rest senior players for 3 weeks as in the case of McGlynn. Never heard of a club doing it. I will continue to be a drama queen on this issue because it looks like we will go into the first final with a couple of underdone players.

[CureTheSane]

You do not rest senior players for 3 weeks as in the case of McGlynn. Never heard of a club doing it. I will continue to be a drama queen on this issue because it looks like we will go into the first final with a couple of underdone players.

At the end of the season, most teams will have to do this.
Risk vs benefit.

I would suggest that they are making sure that Kennedy and McGlynn are right - particularly given the nothingness of the game.

[Zlatorog]

You do not rest senior players for 3 weeks as in the case of McGlynn. Never heard of a club doing it. I will continue to be a drama queen on this issue because it looks like we will go into the first final with a couple of underdone players.

+1, totally agree.

[Nico]

At the end of the season, most teams will have to do this.
Risk vs benefit.

I would suggest that they are making sure that Kennedy and McGlynn are right - particularly given the nothingness of the game.

CTS, the point I am making is that the injuries are worse than we think. Hammies, knees and calf injuries are not one week misses. Yes they are taking precautions but their time absence appears in line with these types of injuries. So if all but Bird plays next week we are potentially taking suss players into a final that is crucial to going straight to the PF.

[Hartijon]

McGlynn would be a great sub if underdone as you say. Maybe give us 2 quarters of gut running as he builds match fitness. Horse hates the concept of resting players .If he liked it K.Jack would not have carried sore ribs for 3 weeks.

[Steve]

If we have our best 22 in next week, I would think Plan A would be to have the one sub for the finals series, as Parker was in 2012.

Problem with making McGlynn sub next week is that he could then go into a Prelim Final having only played 1 quarter in 6+ weeks.

You wouldn't be totally shocked if there were a couple of late changes tomorrow - teams resting multiple players seem to want to stagger announcing (Geelong have done this many times).