AFL Round Table - Fox Footy

[Ampersand]

Maybe I'm still smarting from the last game of 2014 but I think the Swans should cop some criticism on the chin.

I'm really annoyed we're going into this year with the same mealy-mouthed dual captaincy structure and I sometimes question Jack and McVeigh's mental toughness. I think the lack of leadership was pretty evident when the chips were down in the GF. Same could be said about the 2013 Freo game.

Despite the lip service what are the structural and cultural changes that will ensure GF 2014 won't happen again?

[aguy]

Maybe I'm still smarting from the last game of 2014 but I think the Swans should cop some criticism on the chin.

I'm really annoyed we're going into this year with the same mealy-mouthed dual captaincy structure and I sometimes question Jack and McVeigh's mental toughness. I think the lack of leadership was pretty evident when the chips were down in the GF. Same could be said about the 2013 Freo game.

Despite the lip service what are the structural and cultural changes that will ensure GF 2014 won't happen again?

Do you think Parker is ready to be captain? He seems the heir apparent. If he has another year like last year he would have to be considered.

[Ampersand]

Call me crazy but if we're trying to build a ten year franchise around Buddy then maybe he should be the captain. He's one of the few that stood up last year in the GF and tried his guts out despite having his head buried in the turf.

[swansrob]

My brain must still be fried from the weekend, because I have a pretty vivid memory of us beating Hawthorn at ANZ last year and doing so more convincingly than they did to us at the MCG later in the H&A season. Grand Final was an anomaly.

[Melbournehammer]

I personally can't see us beating the Hawks with our best side and their best side. They have too many avenues to goal, too many quality contested ball winning players and too many good users of the ball.

We have a pretty decent forward line - but they have gone out and specifically recruited to beat us - and a pretty decent midfield but our defence has not been the same without mattner and aj who could both play on talls and smalls and covered for each other.

For us to win we simply need goodes to play like its 2006 and make gibson truly accountable. I saw frawley beat tippett at the mcg when the dees were a rabble and lake has an excellent record on franklin - and then gibson gets involved whenever they need him to.

We lost to them in round 18 when litherland was playing on franklin, not lake and we dominated the midfield - and yet for the fifteen minutes they were on top we couldnt stop them from scoring. even when we beat them in sydney we went through a period playing against them without gibson and hodge and we still couldnt stop them from getting an extended run on.

They have a team which matches up so well on us that it is scary. For us to win the thing I reckon we are going to need a swag of hawthorn injuries (and even that didnt stop them last year) and freo or port to knock them out.

Everyone else i reckon we've got covered.

[Plugger46]

I'm not remotely interested in what they think but enjoy pointing out some of the ridiculous things.

We made the GF in 2014. Yes, we failed on the big day and it's taken a long while to get over it. We won it in 2012 with a less talented team. 2 GFs and 3 top 4 finishes on the trot clearly indicate that we're a threat.

Port didn't make the top 4 in the regular season but the most recent memory people have is of how close they got to Hawthorn. So they're the buzz team at the moment. It was Fremantle last year. It doesn't just automatically happen again.

We were terrible on GF day but we were 19-5 and that was after being 1-3. We're a very good side. That didn't change in two hours of footy.

[rojo]

This was an actual quote from David King: "If Buddy wins the Coleman, Sydney can't win the Premiership"

Up there with the dumbest things I've ever heard, particularly from a so called 'expert'

I think there is some merit in that statement in that if Buddy wins the Coleman it means we have again become Buddy dependent for our goals. I know KT should make a difference, but how much can we depend on him! I am not KT bashing, its just that the Hawks have a battery of goal kickers alongside Roughhead. On Sunday without Buddy and KT, Goodesy was well covered but what encouraged me a lot was Jetts asserting himself a bit, reminding us of what he is capable of, and Rohan, when he was put up forward showed us glimpses of his unique strengths, leading for the ball with speed etc. In the opinion of one of the commentators on SEN Rohan can become a star if given the right opportunities!!

The thing is that when KT and especially Buddy are on the park we become a 'one trick pony' team!

[liz]

I think there is some merit in that statement in that if Buddy wins the Coleman it means we have again become Buddy dependent for our goals. I know KT should make a difference, but how much can we depend on him! I am not KT bashing, its just that the Hawks have a battery of goal kickers alongside Roughhead. On Sunday without Buddy and KT, Goodesy was well covered but what encouraged me a lot was Jetts asserting himself a bit, reminding us of what he is capable of, and Rohan, when he was put up forward showed us glimpses of his unique strengths, leading for the ball with speed etc. In the opinion of one of the commentators on SEN Rohan can become a star if given the right opportunities!!

The thing is that when KT and especially Buddy are on the park we become a 'one trick pony' team!

Not really. Buddy won the Coleman last season and we reached the grand final. The cause of our capitulation in the grand final wasn't due to a failure to convert the chances we created (due to too much focus on Buddy as a target). It was a failure of the midfield to create any chances because they couldn't cope with the pressure that Hawthorn applied.

Regardless of having one (or two, if Tippett is fit) key targets, we have a pretty decent spread of goal kickers. Most of our midfielders are more than capable in front of goal. Compare the current team to the 2005/6 outfit, where we need our proper forwards to convert most of the goals, and we lucky to get double figure goals over a season from pretty much all our mids.

[Ampersand]

My brain must still be fried from the weekend, because I have a pretty vivid memory of us beating Hawthorn at ANZ last year and doing so more convincingly than they did to us at the MCG later in the H&A season. Grand Final was an anomaly.

Hawthorn were badly injury-depleted when we faced them early in the season. From memory they were missing Mitchell, Hodge and Lake and I think Rioli did his hammy early in the third or maybe the second.

[Matt80]

If Mitchell and Hodge are injured then we have a chance. Mitchell keeps feeding the outside runners and exposes our outside game.

[Ampersand]

Their midfield could be exposed with some gut running. Lewis is pushing in on 30. Mitchell and a Hodge turn 33 and 31 respectively this year so you'd think they'll have to slow down eventually ala Ryan O'Keefe. Langford is a gun in and under but his endurance would be below his peak. I'd like to see us flood back, force them to kick to a contest and hit them on the counter attack.

[Matt80]

Their midfield could be exposed with some gut running. Lewis is pushing in on 30. Mitchell and a Hodge turn 33 and 31 respectively this year so you'd think they'll have to slow down eventually ala Ryan O'Keefe. Langford is a gun in and under but his endurance would be below his peak. I'd like to see us flood back, force them to kick to a contest and hit them on the counter attack.

Whatever happens l would like to see Heeney spend some time playing on either Hodge or Mitchell. It would be good to see Heeney learn from the masters. I have stated that I think he can develop into a player with the positive traits of those two greats

Imagine a feisty Hodge and a feisty Heeney taking on each other on the Swans half forward line. Heeney would give as good back to Hodge as what he would get from Hodge.

[Ludwig]

All supporters want their club to win the GF, but only one can do it. As it stands, the Hawks are clearly the team to beat this year, and have been for a number of years. The commentators are just stating the obvious. It took a massive physical and mental commitment to beat them in 2012. That's the sort of commitment that will be required for any team to dislodge them from the top spot this year. I hope the Hawks bring their best this year and they don't have many injuries.

As a Swans supporter, I want my team to give 100% whoever is on the park. I think we have a quality playing list, coaching staff and management team. If the Swans play to the best of their ability, that's all I can ask. If the Hawks are still better, so be it.

The top coaches just say that they want their team to give themselves a chance to play on the last day of the season. And I agree with that position. The coaches are looking for the right attitude. The rest will take care of itself.

The kind of commitment the Swans gave in the last GF is not what I want to see from them this year. They all say they've learned their lesson. Time will tell. I'm behind them. I'm optimistic. Let the season begin.

[Scottee]

I think if we are to challenge this year we need to look very closely at the failures and successes in the grand final.

Despite the fact that much of the problem was caused by woeful centre- clearance set-ups we had number of players with worryingly low possessions (Lloyd, Cunningham, McVeigh, McGlynn and Rohan) and a couple that did alright that are not getting much credit - Shaw was one of the top possession winners on the day.

Malceski was our second top possession winner and he is gone. I think Lloyd and Cunningham are by no means lock-ins this year with the potential improvement of Mitchell and Towers and the introduction of Heeney. I think that Towers and Heeney are shaping up as best 22ers and if our clearance work is to improve Mitchell should be part of that push.

McVeigh - I am wondering whether his fantastic service to the club has taken a toll or whether he simply had an injury or a just really bad day. Hoping it was a short term injury but not so sure.
The apparent improvement in Goode's fitness is heartening because whilst he was far from disgraced in the GF he was a liability in other games because of his inability to chase.

Rohan is to me most dangerous as a forward and I can't think of anyone better than him for applying forward pressure (as long as he watches where Franklin is).

Jetta looks sublime with his delivery from the back-line and barring injury should have a great year.

Bird won't be playing injured this time, set for a good year.

Depth will be better this year in the ruck with all three alternative rucks looking to have improved significantly.

There is the potential for Smith and Rampe to play a different role and line up in the midfield at stages. Smith looks better than I have seen him for a while.

In summary I think there are a number of improvers; Smith, Bird, Naismith, Nankervis, Jetta, Towers, Goodes, BJ, Mitchell perhaps Reid plus the addition of Heeney. The loss of Malceski is a blow but I think we may have it covered with Towers and Jetta in the new role.

Jones is a mystery.

A special word about Nankervis, Dermy was saying that we didn't have anyone who could play angry like Mummy - not sure I agree with what I have seen from Nankervis. He's now the same size as Mummy and seems to have similar ability to throw his weight around.

With all the improvers our depth is better and injuries will be better able to be covered.

Injuries to key backs will be our main worry. Similar to the worry last year when we were lucky the way Tom D shouldered the ruck duties admirably well. With Injuries to the key backs we rely on Reid, Xav and Aliir, any more injuries and we are down to Davis, Melican or McLaren or some very undersized regular players out of position. Given that the back line has been our strength for so long this would be a nightmare for the game-plan.

Bottom line is that with reasonable luck we could have a good year and be a chance.

[Melbourne_Blood]

All supporters want their club to win the GF, but only one can do it. As it stands, the Hawks are clearly the team to beat this year, and have been for a number of years. The commentators are just stating the obvious. It took a massive physical and mental commitment to beat them in 2012. That's the sort of commitment that will be required for any team to dislodge them from the top spot this year. I hope the Hawks bring their best this year and they don't have many injuries.

As a Swans supporter, I want my team to give 100% whoever is on the park. I think we have a quality playing list, coaching staff and management team. If the Swans play to the best of their ability, that's all I can ask. If the Hawks are still better, so be it.

The top coaches just say that they want their team to give themselves a chance to play on the last day of the season. And I agree with that position. The coaches are looking for the right attitude. The rest will take care of itself.

The kind of commitment the Swans gave in the last GF is not what I want to see from them this year. They all say they've learned their lesson. Time will tell. I'm behind them. I'm optimistic. Let the season begin.

[emoji106]