Round 12: Sydney Swans Reserves v Sydney University

[ugg]

Sydney Swans
Goal Kickers: B. Jack 2, D. Towers , X. Richards , D. Robinson
Best Players: , B. Jack , J. Foote , D. Towers , X. Richards , H. Marsh

[liz]

It was a pretty tough day for the reserves team. They were generally on top early, though missing a forward structure that would have enabled them to capitalise. Nankervis wasn't a bad target but he was having to carry the ruck mostly on his own. Losing Bird and then Robinson tore a mighty hole in what was already a thin midfield division. Uni realised halfway through the second quarter that they were a real chance at winning the game, and their intensity lifted markedly. The more they got on top, the greater their energy and the more the heads of the reserves team dropped. Longmire was watching much of the second half from the top of the players' race and his face was stony. (Probably not as bad as it would be a few hours later, but he looked pissed at the lack of effort.)

When the numbers of listed players are low, the size, experience and quality of the top ups becomes particularly important, and at the moment, we seem to lack that core of players who know the game plan and are physically ready. We didn't really have any out there today who looked like they believed they belonged. Most were just occupying space on the ground.

It wasn't hard to work out who Ben Davis was. He's shorter than Abe (but still mid 180s, I'd guess) and pretty skinny but otherwise he's the spitting image, even down to the same fantastic head of hair. He played on a HFF in the first half and barely touched the ball. In the second half, the whole team was shuffled around (with AA up forward and taking centre bounces in the ruck too) and Davis moved down to a half-back flank. He found the ball a few times and used it decently enough, but I reckon he's too young and slight for us to tell whether he's a potential AFL player in the making.

It was painful to see Rose, Perris, Heeney, Naismith, Pyke and Melican all in civvies watching on (plus Abe Davis, of course), and even worse to see Birdy clutching his iced shoulder and in-a-sling arm, and Robinson needing to be helped down the steps of the players' race at half time.

[AnnieH]

Watched the second half.
Shellacking.
Badly.

[dimelb]

Thanks to ugg, Liz, Ampersand and others for the preview and comments.

A dismal day for the ressies too, but not surprising when you look at the wealth of talent not on the ground. Things will improve.

[ugg]

Which players replaced Bird and Robinson in the midfield? I thought Hiscox might be one of them but his low disposal count indicates he probably didn't.

[Ampersand]

It really was a bit of a shambles in there - most of the reason Uni smashed them was because our clearance work was so terrible. I noticed Hewett, Foote, Jack and, yes, Hiscox in there on occassions, though he seemed to play mostly on the wing. There were a few Academy top ups in there too - from memory #51 and #55, though don't quote me on that. Liz might remember.

After half time Towers, one of our few clean users of the ball, went back and played a McVeigh-type sweeper role around defence in an attempt to stem the flow of goals, which meant our forward options were even more limited. Aliir Aliir went forward but didn't do much up there except contest a fair number of ball ups.

[Ampersand]

Oh, and regarding our big men giving the likely suspensions in the seniors - I though Nankervis looked good as a forward target and in the ruck, particularly in the 1st half but he was obviously frustrated by the poor performance in the 2nd and gave away a couple of undisciplined frees plus a 50 metre penalty. It's hard to say how much of his occasional dominance is down to his size advantage over smaller opponents but my instincts suggest that he'd struggle right now at the AFL level against similar sized or bigger opponents.

McLaren is barely worth mentioning. He popped up for a few cameos in the first half but if he did much after that I was at the bar. Not that anyone is suggesting he might be ready for a berth in the seniors. Although Richards played well the whole performance made me very worried about our KPD depth.

[ugg]

Clearance stats will come out Monday or Tuesday

[Nico]

It really was a bit of a shambles in there - most of the reason Uni smashed them was because our clearance work was so terrible. I noticed Hewett, Foote, Jack and, yes, Hiscox in there on occassions, though he seemed to play mostly on the wing. There were a few Academy top ups in there too - from memory #51 and #55, though don't quote me on that. Liz might remember.

After half time Towers, one of our few clean users of the ball, went back and played a McVeigh-type sweeper role around defence in an attempt to stem the flow of goals, which meant our forward options were even more limited. Aliir Aliir went forward but didn't do much up there except contest a fair number of ball ups.

The seniors clearance work is rubbish. Wonder who the clearance coach is. The clearance virus goes deep at our club.

[707]

Good to see BJ best for us, impressive number of possessions in a badly beaten team.

Lack of senior depth is a real worry for us now given likely suspensions and bad injuries to Bird and Robinson. My boy George must be getting close to a senior debut.

[ugg]

[ugg]

ROUND 12 NEAFL MVP VOTES
Sydney Swans v Sydney University
9: Matt Rawlinson (Sydney University)
9: Tom Young (Sydney University)
3: Sam Fong (Sydney University)
3: Jacob Derickx (Sydney University)
3: Brandon Jack (Sydney)
3: Lewis Stevenson (Sydney University)

[jono2707]

ROUND 12 NEAFL MVP VOTES
Sydney Swans v Sydney University
9: Matt Rawlinson (Sydney University)
9: Tom Young (Sydney University)
3: Sam Fong (Sydney University)
3: Jacob Derickx (Sydney University)
3: Brandon Jack (Sydney)
3: Lewis Stevenson (Sydney University)

Any chance of Tom Young snaring a rookie list spot with us next year? Depending on our list changes someone like him with a bit of AFL experience could be handy depth cover?

[Conor_Dillon]

Any chance of Tom Young snaring a rookie list spot with us next year? Depending on our list changes someone like him with a bit of AFL experience could be handy depth cover?

Was going to say he's too old but he's only just turned 23...I'd be very surprised but you never know.