NAB Challenge v Lions

[Matt80]

Another outbreak of Bird nonsense.
Bird has his place: he is widely regarded as the best stopper in the team. He also manages to get his own share of the ball. He is there until someone does the job better, which has not happened yet.

This is the question. How do you bring Tom Mitchell and Issac Heeney in and keep Bird in as well? Who is the one to miss out? You can't have them all!

[RogueSwan]

Another outbreak of Bird nonsense.
Bird has his place: he is widely regarded as the best stopper in the team. He also manages to get his own share of the ball. He is there until someone does the job better, which has not happened yet.

Even though various RWOer's have called for him to be dropped many a time over the past five years.

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I have this GF vision in my head that I can't shake. It was Brad Hill in the first quarter with miles of space at half forward with only Parker chasing 20m away. He was cantering towards Brad Hill as Hill kept pulling further away.

The only people on the Swans list with a hope of keeping up with Hill are Cunningham, Brandon Jack and Hiscox. Hiscox and Brandon may disappoint on occasions but they are electrifying and have huge upside. They must be given more time than most.

This was not due to pace but the way the team was set up defensively. Anyone given 20m of space in this game, at that level, will (should) capitalise on it. BTW BJ has had plenty of chances to show his "huge upside" and has produced nothing.

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I agree Bird might be a footballer first and athlete second but in modern day footy you need the second to be the first...

I don't agree. Last year the Hawks won with football skills, especially kicking, not because they posted the best 3km times.

[Conor_Dillon]

I still feel there were far more positives than negatives from Friday night's game...Heeney was all class from limited game time, Hiscox didn't look out of place, KJ, Joey, Parks, Hanners and Mitchell all might have been rusty but they all found plenty of the footy with relative ease. Jetta did some good things and younger guys like Naismith, Towers and B.Jack all showed some promise.

If anyone cares to watch the replay you'll notice that 90% of the players from Sydney weren't going in hard and were definitely thinking self preservation ahead of contested posession. This has to be a direct result of the horror injuries we've seen so far this pre-season...any NAB Challenge game that results in zero significant injuries should be seen as a success! Sydney only use them to improve match fitness, we've always kept our cards close to our chest with regards to tactics/positional set-ups etc.

[magic.merkin]

Most of my thoughts have been covered. I will just say there hasn't been enough love for Jetta, I thought he played well. And his two boundary line tackles were aggressive and strong. Hope to seem him exposed one out a few more times with the ball coming in, but I may be comfortable with him off the HB by the time it's over.

Bird is important. Played ok, but disposal was poor on the far tv wing a few times.

And I think the only mid with any real intent, was the reigning champ Parker. I also loved his tirade at their #8 who Parker felt squibbed/didn't take the ball with Parker baring down on him thus free kick. A part of the audio came through over TV.

[jono2707]

I'm pretty comfortable with where we are at at this stage of the year. It would be particularly unSwans-like to be winning games and looking good in March.

It's good to give a few youngsters a run, but as a result there is a lack of cohesion evident in the way we play. Bring the regulars back and we'll be much more settled and we'll play much more as expected.

Just a few points at this stage:

* Jetts is looking good to replace Mal in the rebounding halfback role.

* Parker, Rampe & Grundy are looking to be in very good touch at this stage.

* Heeney does look the goods but his disposal does have room for improvement. This will come with more top-line experience, which he will get.

* I think Birdy has trimmed down a bit and is looking fitter than ever. People too easily forget that although he doesn't have top-line pace, he has a great sidestep and is very elusive. He is also very smart and is an integral part of our lineup.

* Without Tippett on the field our ruck stocks are thin.

* Towers should be better with last years experience and should improve this year - he might not yet be in the best 22 but he'll get games this year.

* Mitchell is a lock - no more injuries please.

* it seems like Gazza is yet to find his mojo yet - it doesn't seem like a clear role has been found for him - it'd be interesting to hear the coaches' plans for him this year.

I can't see a vastly different lineup for the first few rounds of the season (injuries permitting) and Heeney is the only first year player with any real chance of getting a game early in the year. I expect a stronger start from us this year.

[JPK12]

Am i the only one who thinks that Jetta has lost some bulk in the off season? He has gone back to being skinnier..i remember last year he looked like he was bulking up which i thought was one of the reasons why he lost some pace.

[magic.merkin]

seemed same maybe a smidge bigger than 2014? But that's plenty beers and tears ago.

i think he looked a good balance

[Melbournehammer]

I have this GF vision in my head that I can't shake. It was Brad Hill in the first quarter with miles of space at half forward with only Parker chasing 20m away. He was cantering towards Brad Hill as Hill kept pulling further away.

The only people on the Swans list with a hope of keeping up with Hill are Cunningham, Brandon Jack and Hiscox. Hiscox and Brandon may disappoint on occasions but they are electrifying and have huge upside. They must be given more time than most.

as an aside it was in the third quarter.

hanners ran with him and then they switched at chf when hill kept going towards parker.

This was an indication of how much better their coaching/players thinking was on the day. We simply should not have been letting parker switch onto hill - it was an obvious mismatch if the ball went into space - and all day the ball went into space because we couldnt corral the ball back into the contest. They just knew to handball wide of the contest - all of our players were sucked (like auskickers) to the ball and they just ran off to the outside.

[JPK12]

I cant believe we allowed hawthorn to do that all day.

[magic.merkin]

and to roll off the back of the ballups to a loose man....

lets not go down this path... again...

[S.S. Bleeder]

I agree Bird might be a footballer first and athlete second but in modern day footy you need the second to be the first.

The way fast teams open us up in the middle with ease is a massive concern when we have too many Bird type players.

Athlete first and footballer second? You mean the opposite of Hodge? Yes, who would want him.

[JPK12]

And your point is?

[The Big Cat]

And your point is?

That people like Hodge are better than a hundred Cheese Barlows, or Patrick Mitchells. Who murdered us in the Grand Final? - It was Hodge, Mitchell and Lewis. ALL FOOTBALLERS rather than athletes!

[Doctor]

That people like Hodge are better than a hundred Cheese Barlows, or Patrick Mitchells. Who murdered us in the Grand Final? - It was Hodge, Mitchell and Lewis. ALL FOOTBALLERS rather than athletes!

That's not in dispute, but a little speed from a couple of runners is handy too for the occasions those footballers you speak of are good enough to get the ball to the speedsters.

[JPK12]

That people like Hodge are better than a hundred Cheese Barlows, or Patrick Mitchells. Who murdered us in the Grand Final? - It was Hodge, Mitchell and Lewis. ALL FOOTBALLERS rather than athletes!

Well modern day coaches seem to want or feel they need athletes who can kick a ball.

Hodge just floats across half back and just finds his speedy mids with pin point accuracy.