Sydney Swans best 22, 2015 AFL Premiership Season

[wolftone57]

I called for this many times last year but was told by many, many people that you don't rest players, always play your best 22, we have to worry about finishing top 2, players don't want to stand down, etc. The only time we should be worried about best 22 is during the finals series. And that will be determined by who is available. But during the season, IMO, we should have a rotating squad of players. Where players like X, Jones, Hewett, Robinson, Heeney, Naismith, Nankervis and Towers can get around 3-6 games each based on matchups. If we cant beat the likes of Saints, Melbourne, Bulldogs, etc with 2 or 3 of these players in our team then our future is not looking too bright. Everyone boasts about our depth. We need to get games into these players soon, as they are the future of our club. The trade ban that has been imposed on us has only reinforced this. I know a lot of people don't agree with this, but just my opinion.

I totally agree with you but with me it has never been about resting players it is about who have we got that matches or has a special ability to beat his opponent. Tailor your squad for match ups and a best mix against different sides. This is what Hawks did last year and by the finals the younger players like Langford were cherry ripe to go if they had to.

[Scottee]

I really sometimes wonder whether people calling for Jetta's scalp watched any of the home and away season.

Not after his scalp, just think he has something to prove after the GF with so many other deserving players knocking on the door. Good players respond to a challenge, let him respond.

[Ampersand]

Not after his scalp, just think he has something to prove after the GF with so many other deserving players knocking on the door. Good players respond to a challenge, let him respond.

Everyone has something to prove after the GF. Don't know why you're singling out Jetta. Reid and Shaw had much worse seasons overall.

[Dan]

My team for round 1 next year (barring any preseason injuries)

FB: Smith - Grundy - Shaw
HB: Rampe - Richards - McVeigh
C: Jetta - Hannebery - Cunningham
HF: Bird - Franklin - K.Jack
FF: McGlynn - Tippett - Goodes
R: Pyke - Kennedy - Parker
INT: Reid - Lloyd - Mitchell - Rohan (SUB)
EMG: Laidler - Derrickx - Jones

Basically our GF team with Mitchell coming in for Malceski and McVeigh slotting into the halfback line.
The people leaving Bird out of the team are crazy, he is a much better player than most here give him credit for.

[penga]

INT: Reid - Lloyd - Mitchell - Rohan (SUB)

The people leaving Bird out of the team are crazy, he is a much better player than most here give him credit for.

And Rohan is better than you give him credit.

[Dan]

And Rohan is better than you give him credit.

My team is for round 1, I wouldn't play him as the sub every game. Probably rotate the sub between Rohan, Lloyd and Cunningham. Obviously injuries and form will change this throughout the season.

[S.S. Bleeder]

The people leaving Bird out of the team are crazy, he is a much better player than most here give him credit for.

I agree. All you have to do is look at the B&F results for the last few + years. He's always up there. Some players just don't seem to get the attention of fans or the media; ie. Ben Matthews, Jared Crouch, LRT, Nick Smith, etc.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Just wondering what everyones thoughts are re Mitchell and Heeney for 2015 ?

In 2014 we went with Lloyd and Harry to matchup on the outside players as we saw that to beat Port, Cats, Hawks, Freeo we needed to be able to matchup and be versatile with our un with players etc

My argument is can your midfield rotation be so good by stacking top class "inside mids"...... that in fact you win more clearances and then the opposition need to stack more inside players in their 22 to match u ?

Brisbane come to mind and Geelong at their best went with more brutal classy inside mids

I am going to make a big call and barring injuries i think that Mitchell and Heeney will play so well a dominate so much in ressies that you wont be able to stop them making the 22

Heeney is so bloody good both sides on the kick and handpass it is crazy and this from an inside mid..........his overhead mark rivals Parker at the same age if not better !

[dimelb]

Just wondering what everyones thoughts are re Mitchell and Heeney for 2015 ?
...

Brisbane come to mind and Geelong at their best went with more brutal classy inside mids ...

Not to mention Hawthorn's mids, who are now the best in the game, especially with the addition of Langford.

[wolftone57]

I am a bit peeved that we have tried to turn so many outside mids into inside mids. either they are inside mids or they are not. We are playing too many outside mids in the centre square. Hannas, Macca & Kizza are outside mids and would be better playing off the back of the square. Use Mitchell, Heaney, Joey, Benny (natural inside/outside), Parks & Hewett (natural inside/outside) in the centre square at different times during the year.

AG I think one player who will be a Smokie is Hiscox. He is super fast and knows where the goals are. He is a super crumber too. Davo could well do some work with him this year, not that he isn't already. He is also a pretty good kick. Heeney in my opinion will start the year in the team. I also think that if you have a bad game as a senior player you should be dropped. Look what happened at Hawks when that policy came in, two premierships. Everybody knows, one bad game, you're out and they all want to play.

[S.S. Bleeder]

Shaw, malceski, Goodes? Bird? They would be my first 4,

From "Meet Isaac Heeney" thread.
Jones - Malceski/Shaw (past his best, terrible disposal and poor under pressure).
Mitchell - Shaw (McVeigh to play at HB. Possibly Bird. People underestimate his results. He has been in the top half of the B&F for the last several years from memory. The trouble is, who else would you take out?
Heeney - I suspect that he will start playing in the Magoo's. By the time he comes in 1/3 of the way into the season we will know who is in form. I have some doubts about Lloyd so he could be a possibility.
Sadly I think that we will need to do some culling of people (possibly before their time is due) at the end of the 2015. I would suggest possibles as being; Shaw, McVeigh, Bird Richards, Pike, Goodes and Grundy. This will depend on the development of the younger players in like positions.

[S.S. Bleeder]

You could probably add Jetta to the endangered list too. Like many Aboriginal players can be brilliant when on song but just too inconsistant.
Found this article on the Herald Sun website which discusses our list;
No Cookies | Herald Sun

[Melbourne_Blood]

Jetta had a great year, and was super consistent. Much of Buddy's magic was due in part to Jettas beautiful delivery into him. No 1 at swans for inside 50's in 2014, thats consistent, and it's an important stat.

[wolftone57]

I would like to see Shaw out and Jetta and Rohan both playing on wings with the brief to drop back when the ball is in the opposition hands, and then run like they can when we win the ball back. Both can then run/deliver very quickly to the forward set up.

I agree with McVeigh back in a permanent role, and his distribution to those 2 'wingmen' is the replacement tactic for Malceski.

I prefer Rohan on the HBF. He gave us real drive from there and his cut out work was very Mattneresque. Prefer Jones to Shaw, they are similar backmen but Jones has real mongrel, Shaw doesn't, what's more Shaw is slowing down.

I like the idea of two ruckmen. Tippett's form dived when he had to go into the ruck. I was a bit disappointed that Shaw & Goodes decided to continue playing as I think their time is up. Retire while still playing good footy.

I think the mids will be rotated a lot more this coming season to ensure they don't burn out. We have plenty of talent to run through the mids Joey, Parks, Kizza, Benny, Hewett, Heaney are all naturals. Hannas is more a winger who the coaches have tried to turn into an In/Out mid. I think his role was better when he was an outside player.

Players like BJ, Towers & Hiscox will all vie for forward spots too.

[wolftone57]

Seriously, I don't understand all the love now for Derickx? Yes he tried hard and did a job for us when we were struggling for a ruckman through the early/middle part of the year but seriously! Many of his performances were not close to AFL standard! He mostly drops marks although he managed to hold onto one or two beauties! But dropped many sitters. His kicking is below average (yes Pyke isn't much better but still...) and rarely wins the ball around the ground and creates an option. He is just depth which is what he was recruited for and I'd be staggered and extremely disappointed if Nankervis or Naismith doesn't move past him for senior games this year!

I have watched all the games back Troy and Derrickx was actually very good. You obviously don't observe very well as his kicking is pretty good. It is his HB that lets him down not kicking. He did drop several marks but then again so did Sam Reid, Kurt Tippett, Buddy, Reg (a couple of howlers), Teddy (a couple of howlers), you could probably name the team, except Lukie. His second efforts are really good, unlike Pykie who is generally too awkward down low. He is a very good kick for goal and if he could develop his rucking a little more he will be a very good player. There is good potential. Pykie has achieved his potential I believe and while a good solid ruckman his value was more as a forward/ruck. When we took that away we suffered. We need to play two rucks and neither Nanka or Big Sammy are ready yet. Nanka is more the Pykie type anyway F/R.