Changes for Rnd 2 V Port.

[Scottee]

There is a writeup about it on the GWS website but the sods didn't have the decency to include any info about the swans. Sorry, no link, beyond my technical capabilities ATM. Seems that there were a number of GWS players vieing for senior selection in the game.

[ugg]

There is a writeup about it on the GWS website but the sods didn't have the decency to include any info about the swans. Sorry, no link, beyond my technical capabilities ATM. Seems that there were a number of GWS players vieing for senior selection in the game.

I wouldn't expect a Swans Reserves report to contain any information about the opposition, instead I save my criticism for the Swans site who have failed to report on the past two reserves games. I know they are practice matches but obviously they have a bearing on senior selection and the fans would liked to be kept in the loop. It's a definite downgrade from past years when such practice games were reported on.

[Mug Punter]

NEAFL Round 1 is THIS weekend, against Ainslie

Not sure what match Matt was getting his knickers in knot over but how about we reserve judgement on them until they have actually played a competitive game.....

[Matt80]

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.

Your correct Mug. Gerard Healy is a legend of the game and is a serious AFL pundit. He is also great TV talent.

I provide an amateur viewpoint on Red and White, inspired by my own thought out theories. I'm not an authority in the AFL community, just an evidenced based analyser.

Healy, who was on the couch last night, could not explain why Tom Mitchell is not being selected when asked.

I have been expressing a theory since mid-way through last year on why Mitchell is not being selected. People got agitated with me and claimed that Tom had niggles in 2014 and will be ready to roll in 2015 after a full pre-season.

Tom is still in the reserves because the decision is based on team midfield balance. A maximum of three slower inside midfield extractors are selected and the evidence has been there since round four last year. I would be surprised if Kennedy, Parker, Bird and Mitchell ever play in the same selected side.

Maybe this week Parker will drop out for Mitchell, which still gives you three.

Gerard Healy does not know why Mitchell is not selected, but this is my theory that has been checking out for almost a year.

I thought this system would still be in place in 2015, but I thought it would be Mitchell playing regularly and not Craig Bird.

Keep an eye on how this midfield system plays out. If Kennedy, Parker, Mitchell and Bird play in the one side then my theory is dead and I will apologise.

[aguy]

Keep an eye on how this midfield system plays out. If Kennedy, Parker, Mitchell and Bird play in the one side then my theory is dead and I will apologise.

I've been thinking about hawthorn after watching them demolish geelong yesterday. They are clearly the hardest team to beat. I think a lot of that is due to skill but a significant part is due to coaching and the fact that basically every player can and does play in all positions. There is an unpredictability as to who will be in clearances who will
Be forward who any of the matchups will be which confuses the opposition and makes the Hawks look invincible.

I been thinking that we need to keep improving our versatility to match the Hawks. It seems our clearances have become quite predictable. Kennedy to Parker to hannebery or Jack.

If we are to play mitchell as well as bird plus the others I think we need to be rotating kennedy and Parker more through the forward line. Parker is the best contested mark in the team and a great forward. Kennedy we know can kick goals ( though didn't have a good year last year while forward). We need that Unpredictability. Rampe into the middle helps but it needs to become even Moreso.

I could see Mitchell coming in along with bird and the others in that scenario. Add in Heeney mcveigh to that midfield Unpredictability and maybe just maybe we can upset the Hawks.

[Ampersand]

Mitchell didn't exactly light the world on fire in the NAB cup but it won't take long to put 2 and 2 together if we continue to get smashed in clearances week after week. There's no point in having outside run if your inside players (Parker/Kennedy) have 2 players on their back the second they touch the ball and can't make an effective disposal out of the contest. It's predictable and one-dimensional and it's part of the reason why Essendon smashed us for 3 quarters on the weekend until Rampe was thrown in the mix and offered another avenue out.

Hawthorn have 4-5 world-class "slow" inside mids (Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis, Langford, Burgoyne) whose only job is to get the ball out to their team's advantage. If you win the majority of the contested ball and rarely make a silly turnover you will be impossible to beat, no matter how fast the other team can run.

If we lose on clearances again this weekend I won't be expecting another 4th quarter miracle. Port will demolish us.

[aguy]

Mitchell didn't exactly light the world on fire in the NAB cup but it won't take long to put 2 and 2 together if we continue to get smashed in clearances week after week. There's no point in having outside run if your inside players (Parker/Kennedy) have 2 players on their back the second they touch the ball and can't make an effective disposal out of the contest. It's predictable and one-dimensional and it's part of the reason why Essendon smashed us for 3 quarters on the weekend until Rampe was thrown in the mix and offered another avenue out.

Hawthorn have 4-5 world-class "slow" inside mids (Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis, Langford, Burgoyne) whose only job is to get the ball out to their team's advantage. If you win the majority of the contested ball and rarely make a silly turnover you will be impossible to beat, no matter how fast the other team can run.

If we lose on clearances again this weekend I won't be expecting another 4th quarter miracle. Port will demolish us.

Yes the clearances in every other game I watched on the weekend were fare less congested than the swans bombers game. Now I'm sure the rain has a lot do to with that but I think hird definitely coached that way to shut down kennedy and Parker and look at the result.

[AnnieH]

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.

I'll be there aguy. We'll be sitting with the cheer squad.
Hope the swans turn up too.

[crackedactor]

Mitchell didn't exactly light the world on fire in the NAB cup but it won't take long to put 2 and 2 together if we continue to get smashed in clearances week after week. There's no point in having outside run if your inside players (Parker/Kennedy) have 2 players on their back the second they touch the ball and can't make an effective disposal out of the contest. It's predictable and one-dimensional and it's part of the reason why Essendon smashed us for 3 quarters on the weekend until Rampe was thrown in the mix and offered another avenue out.

Hawthorn have 4-5 world-class "slow" inside mids (Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis, Langford, Burgoyne) whose only job is to get the ball out to their team's advantage. If you win the majority of the contested ball and rarely make a silly turnover you will be impossible to beat, no matter how fast the other team can run.

If we lose on clearances again this weekend I won't be expecting another 4th quarter miracle. Port will demolish us.

Not sure if Port will crush us!! Looked at replay and the bombers went defensive but they still looked to be running pretty well and did not look slow in the last quarter. The Swans fumbled the ball up to the 41 points behind mark and from then it seemed a different game (Apart from the Grundy usual fumbles). It seem very strange to go from fumbles to sure ball handling?? Next week could be a surprise.

[Matt80]

Mitchell didn't exactly light the world on fire in the NAB cup but it won't take long to put 2 and 2 together if we continue to get smashed in clearances week after week. There's no point in having outside run if your inside players (Parker/Kennedy) have 2 players on their back the second they touch the ball and can't make an effective disposal out of the contest. It's predictable and one-dimensional and it's part of the reason why Essendon smashed us for 3 quarters on the weekend until Rampe was thrown in the mix and offered another avenue out.

Hawthorn have 4-5 world-class "slow" inside mids (Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis, Langford, Burgoyne) whose only job is to get the ball out to their team's advantage. If you win the majority of the contested ball and rarely make a silly turnover you will be impossible to beat, no matter how fast the other team can run.

If we lose on clearances again this weekend I won't be expecting another 4th quarter miracle. Port will demolish us.

There are some key differences when analysing the Hawks extraction unit (Mitchell, Hodge, Burgoyne, Lewis and Langford) and the Swans extraction unit (Kennedy, Parker, Bird and Mitchell)

1) Langford is quite fast. He would out sprint all members of the Swans extraction unit.

2) The versatility of Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis and Burgoyne is superior to the versatility of the members of the Swans extraction unit. The above Hawks guys have also proved effective as half forwards, half backs, small forwards and wingman. Kennedy and Parker can go forward effectively, but have never gone to half back. Bird has done some work as a tagger and some work up forward but has never gone back. Tom Mitchell has not displayed effective versatility outside of extraction.

3) Burgoyne, Mitchell, Lewis and Hodge are all brilliant users by foot. Members of the Swans extraction unit are all inferior ball users by foot compared to the above Hawks champions.

4) Hodge, Lewis and Mitchell are outstanding leaders of men. They communicate clearly and have developed guys around them like Smith, Suckling, Hill and Langford. They are inspirational, will protect the young players and encourage the young players. Compare watching their leadership to watching McVeigh or Hannenbery whinging at some young player for not giving them the ball. Hanners was whinging at Heeney on the weekend for having a left foot snap at goal in the second quarter. Josh Kennedy is quiet and although a brilliant player does not bring blokes with him like Hodge or Lewis does. Parker is the great leadership hope and I think Heeney will be a great leader as well.

I hope this analysis of the Hawks and Swans extraction units is not too brutal. I think will have a terribly long way to go to match the extraction might of the Hawks.

[aguy]

I think the brilliance of hawthorns extraction unit as you say matt80 is what we need to develop. In the players we have bird Kennedy Parker mcveigh Mitchell Heeney feeding into Jack hannebery and Lloyd we can definitely get there. Versatility is the key and the rotation of roles.

[mcs]

There are some key differences when analysing the Hawks extraction unit (Mitchell, Hodge, Burgoyne, Lewis and Langford) and the Swans extraction unit (Kennedy, Parker, Bird and Mitchell)

1) Langford is quite fast. He would out sprint all members of the Swans extraction unit.

2) The versatility of Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis and Burgoyne is superior to the versatility of the members of the Swans extraction unit. The above Hawks guys have also proved effective as half forwards, half backs, small forwards and wingman. Kennedy and Parker can go forward effectively, but have never gone to half back. Bird has done some work as a tagger and some work up forward but has never gone back. Tom Mitchell has not displayed effective versatility outside of extraction.

3) Burgoyne, Mitchell, Lewis and Hodge are all brilliant users by foot. Members of the Swans extraction unit are all inferior ball users by foot compared to the above Hawks champions.

4) Hodge, Lewis and Mitchell are outstanding leaders of men. They communicate clearly and have developed guys around them like Smith, Suckling, Hill and Langford. They are inspirational, will protect the young players and encourage the young players. Compare watching their leadership to watching McVeigh or Hannenbery whinging at some young player for not giving them the ball. Hanners was whinging at Heeney on the weekend for having a left foot snap at goal in the second quarter. Josh Kennedy is quiet and although a brilliant player does not bring blokes with him like Hodge or Lewis does. Parker is the great leadership hope and I think Heeney will be a great leader as well.

I hope this analysis of the Hawks and Swans extraction units is not too brutal. I think will have a terribly long way to go to match the extraction might of the Hawks.

"Extraction Units" - sounds like we have a bunch of dentists playing in midfield

[royboy42]

One more 'extraction unit 'reference Matt, and I promise to ignore you for life.

Surely you are having a lend of us. No-one could really be so self important as you appear to be in real life?

[AnnieH]

No, he's only self-important in his head.

- - - Updated - - -

There are some key differences when analysing the Hawks extraction unit (Mitchell, Hodge, Burgoyne, Lewis and Langford) and the Swans extraction unit (Kennedy, Parker, Bird and Mitchell)

1) Langford is quite fast. He would out sprint all members of the Swans extraction unit.

2) The versatility of Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis and Burgoyne is superior to the versatility of the members of the Swans extraction unit. The above Hawks guys have also proved effective as half forwards, half backs, small forwards and wingman. Kennedy and Parker can go forward effectively, but have never gone to half back. Bird has done some work as a tagger and some work up forward but has never gone back. Tom Mitchell has not displayed effective versatility outside of extraction.

3) Burgoyne, Mitchell, Lewis and Hodge are all brilliant users by foot. Members of the Swans extraction unit are all inferior ball users by foot compared to the above Hawks champions.

4) Hodge, Lewis and Mitchell are outstanding leaders of men. They communicate clearly and have developed guys around them like Smith, Suckling, Hill and Langford. They are inspirational, will protect the young players and encourage the young players. Compare watching their leadership to watching McVeigh or Hannenbery whinging at some young player for not giving them the ball. Hanners was whinging at Heeney on the weekend for having a left foot snap at goal in the second quarter. Josh Kennedy is quiet and although a brilliant player does not bring blokes with him like Hodge or Lewis does. Parker is the great leadership hope and I think Heeney will be a great leader as well.

I hope this analysis of the Hawks and Swans extraction units is not too brutal. I think will have a terribly long way to go to match the extraction might of the Hawks.

You should follow the hawks.
Please.

[Matt80]

Relax guys. I was not trying to offend. I just made up the phrase to describe a group of inside midfield extractors.

I'm a Swans member and will continue to support the Swans. My family is on board with the Swans as well.

Annie, please explain why my analysis of the respective Swans and Hawks inside midfield's is flawed. The margin was 60 points in the GF and in the words of Jasinta Cambell "the midfielders did not turn up. We then saw the Hawks midfield dismantle a Cats midfield which contains great players like Bartel, Selwood and Motlop.