Changes for Rnd 2 V Port.

[dimelb]

That would be the GWS uni side wouldn't it?

No, that's University of Western Sydney - UWS is seconds (+ a few) for GWS.

[Ludwig]

The Swans reserves have some players that are severely overrated. This is the overrated list:

Aliir Aliir
George Hewitt
Toby N
Zac Jones
Brandon Jack

First of all, I don't think much can be made from a reserves practice match played in the rain. And no one, to my knowledge, has reported on player performances in any case.

As for the players you've listed, it's fair enough to question how they might turn out, since they all have little or no senior experience. But I don't think you can jump to the conclusion that they are overrated. Some of us have more favourable evaluations than others, but I think it would be fair to say that they all have yet to prove their worth.

For mine, I feel that Zak Jones is a near certainty to be a very good player. I feel George Hewitt has the talent to be quite good, but am not sure of his commitment. As for the others, I have an optimistic outlook of an overzealous fan. Only time will tell.

[aguy]

Anyone else travelling to adelaide next week for the port game? It's my first interstate trip for an away game. I Can't wait.

[Mug Punter]

First of all, I don't think much can be made from a reserves practice match played in the rain. And no one, to my knowledge, has reported on player performances in any case.

As for the players you've listed, it's fair enough to question how they might turn out, since they all have little or no senior experience. But I don't think you can jump to the conclusion that they are overrated. Some of us have more favourable evaluations than others, but I think it would be fair to say that they all have yet to prove their worth.

For mine, I feel that Zak Jones is a near certainty to be a very good player. I feel George Hewitt has the talent to be quite good, but am not sure of his commitment. As for the others, I have an optimistic outlook of an overzealous fan. Only time will tell.

Gerard Healy, who unlike Matt actually knows something about football, was asked to comment on the Swans' Premiership prospects and indeed if they had any.

His view, as always was on the money. He said we were but that a few things needed to happen for us to challenge this season. Firstly he said we needed Tippet to have a near All-Australian season. He said that Tom Mitchell needed to play and play well. He also said we needed two but preferably three new or fringe players to step and step up big.

The first two scenarios are well and truly achievable and I really want to see Tom given a chance but totally trust the Horse.

Re the "step ups" he mentioned Zak Jones and Heeney as potentials and I see them as the best bet but I feel we need a third. Could Towers explode on the scene? I doubt it. Brandon Jack maybe because if his pure pace but he leaves me underwhelmed every time I see him. Maybe Robinson, maybe Lloyd could improve out of sight like Parker did a couple of seasons ago. Whoever it is we need two or three young kids to really take this opportunity.

It also shows how evil and debilitating the trade ban was but if it was because we had Frawley signed up then we only have ourselves to blame


From what I have seen, albeit on one wet Saturday, I can see no place for Goodes in that side. It's sad but unavoidable event in the brutal world of professional sport.

[Cressakel2]

Write Goodesy off at your peril! Every season for the last 3-4 seasons he's been written off at various times. Absolutely hilarious guys - HILARIOUS! The old adage - never write off a champion - still applies to the great man. He'll be fine. Blaming his tackling as an indication of his decline is funnier than Kiwi jokes! Goodes has never tackled his whole career, he isn't going to turn into a tackling machine now. Same with his chasing - never been a strong point.

The one player who should solely be under the gun is Heath Grundy. Makes numerous mistakes that result in goals, should take more uncontested marks but chooses to go the spoil, slow by hand or foot, chooses the wrong option time after time. I would drop Grundy (for good) and have Sam Reid effectively take his spot for the remainder of the season.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH with Grundy!

PS. Grundy is the new Darren Holmes aka worst footballer ever.

[Plugger46]

Gerard Healy, who unlike Matt actually knows something about football, was asked to comment on the Swans' Premiership prospects and indeed if they had any.

His view, as always was on the money. He said we were but that a few things needed to happen for us to challenge this season. Firstly he said we needed Tippet to have a near All-Australian season. He said that Tom Mitchell needed to play and play well. He also said we needed two but preferably three new or fringe players to step and step up big.

The first two scenarios are well and truly achievable and I really want to see Tom given a chance but totally trust the Horse.

Re the "step ups" he mentioned Zak Jones and Heeney as potentials and I see them as the best bet but I feel we need a third. Could Towers explode on the scene? I doubt it. Brandon Jack maybe because if his pure pace but he leaves me underwhelmed every time I see him. Maybe Robinson, maybe Lloyd could improve out of sight like Parker did a couple of seasons ago. Whoever it is we need two or three young kids to really take this opportunity.

It also shows how evil and debilitating the trade ban was but if it was because we had Frawley signed up then we only have ourselves to blame


From what I have seen, albeit on one wet Saturday, I can see no place for Goodes in that side. It's sad but unavoidable event in the brutal world of professional sport.

Gerard Healy talking about All-Australian honours like it's the only measure of a footballer's season. What a surprise. Having said that, most of that is right and fairly obvious. But I suggest you listen to Gerard more often if you think his views are always on the money.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Anyone else travelling to adelaide next week for the port game? It's my first interstate trip for an away game. I Can't wait.

Yeah there's quite a few RWOer's heading over for the game, there's a thread on it.

[Auntie.Gerald]

hmmmm

the big questions and do we have the big answers ?

when you look at the diversity of the Hawks best 22 ..............well it is is such a bloody hard team to match up on...........Hawks, Freeo, Port and Sydney in my opinion are still the teams to beat but the Hawks seem to be still more then a step ahead

(side note beware Adelaide !! )

when everyone else is still in 5th gear flat out the Hawks still look like they can go from 3rd to 4th to 5th when ever they want !

Picking up Buddy and Tip quite frankly was critical for us just to be able to keep up and continue to feature in the top4

Thank goodness we also had Heeney come thru the academy

Ill be honest if I was head of recruitment a the HAWKS i would be pretty pumped about the list that the Hawks have accumulated for 2015..........it is a bloody complete squad unless they suffer a few key player injuries like any team and then it is on for young and old

-------------------------------

So back to Port

we have to either hold our back 50m like a fortress and counter attack with a similar team to what we went with on the wknd...............or start to adjust our style of attack with a slightly more mobile team

from memory last season we didnt do this until round 4 and that is our style ie hold the back 50m and create a pagans paddock for Bud etc ...........for our team that tends to work as we dont seem to be able to go head to head with the chip and chase post up hand pass play on style that the Hawks do so bloody well !

[Ludwig]

Comments on the previous posts:

It will take a massive effort for any club to take down Hawthorn this year. I agree with Healy as well. It's unlikely that all the pieces will fit together to deliver a premiership, especially against a club that already has all the pieces in place and only needs a bit of tweaking now and then.

I'm a bit hopeful on Towers. He was involved in a few important plays including the handball to Buddy for the winner. His decision making is much quicker than last year, which shows that he's on the improve. Heeney will be a star. The question is how fast his star rises. I've seen enough of Zak Jones to be convinced he will in the same class as his brother, perhaps even better, because he's taller and quicker. He's fearless and so competitive.

Goodes used to be so elite that he didn't have to tackle, but now defenders are running off him. He's not good enough to be the man other sides use to rebound out of defence. That said, I am not writing him off. I think there could be a place for him in the side, most likely as a sub that can make an impact in the 2nd half of games.

Grundy was very fumbley on Saturday. But he is a good defender that we would find hard to replace given our lack of depth in this area. Reid has more talent than Reg, but I can only hope that Reid can learn to play as well a Reg as a defender, then our defensive problems would be solved.

[Ampersand]

Completely agree with Mug Punter/Gerard Healy. We should pump some senior game time/finals experience into our younger players. Even if they don't offer as much right now as Shaw and Goodes (which is debatable), we will be much better placed in subsequent years for doing so.

[Ludwig]

Completely agree with Mug Punter/Gerard Healy. We should pump some senior game time/finals experience into our younger players. Even if they don't offer as much right now as Shaw and Goodes (which is debatable), we will be much better placed in subsequent years for doing so.

Yes. This is the main point about making changes to the side early in the season.

We have to take a 2 year perspective on how we structure the side, and it's almost certain that Shaw and Goodes won't be here next season. Everything has to go right for us to take the premiership, so let's give it a go. If we play Mitchell and Jones, it will also end the speculation that they will be leaving due to lack of opportunity. Maybe they can step up and play out of their skins. There are plenty of second and third year players doing very well at AFL level.

[Auntie.Gerald]

i agree that we need a 22 to be ready come the finals that can compete with a full 22 Hawks

Heeney
Jones
Mitchell
Towers
Rohan
Lloyd
Harry

the guys all the types of players that we would love to be a couple years older and wiser and ready to take on a Hawks best 22 but you would guess that the coaching panel must be more in tune then us with the perfect composition for our game plan and what can best take on the best in a finals series

to be honest of late I have started worrying less and in 2015 i am simply going to enjoy the change of the guard at the Swans and hope for the best !

[goswannies]

Anyone else travelling to adelaide next week for the port game? It's my first interstate trip for an away game. I Can't wait.

Sadly I'm permantly stuck in Adelaide, so I'll be there!

[0918330512]

any chance you can stop using ridiculous gridiron terms like 'depth chart' - it is really, really annoying. This is an AFL forum, not a gridiron forum.

There is a thread devoted entirely to 'depth charts' ... good spot for such stuff

[aguy]

There is a thread devoted entirely to 'depth charts' ... good spot for such stuff

Whilst I don't always agree with matt80 I appreciate his contributions to our discussions here. I'm just a fan who really just enjoys watching our team perform ( hopefully well). My opinions certainly have no authority they are just opinions. I enjoy reading many varies opinions. Ludwig has given much food for thought with the last few posts.

Cheers for a good and entertaining forum