Positives from 2015 to date

[Mug Punter]

I'm starting to get sick of the chronic negativity in here and slagging off of our team this year.

I'm not above criticising the team when required and to be quite honest I am not sure if I can ever forgive them for their gutless display last GF. But following a football team should be about the journey and it seems in here at the moment we are becoming like spoilt kids when we lose and somehow have the attitude that anything less than a flag is failure. I don't buy into that because I don't accept that we have only had two good seasons in the last 80 odd years and that the rest were a waste of time.

So, I'm going to list the positives I have taken out of 2015 so far and I'd appreciate of this could be a negative free post (fat chance perhaps).

Anyway, here goes

* Tom Mitchell establishing himself as a regular and his recent form
* The continued recovery of Gary Rohan - this kid has so much upside, he is a big unit, quick and a great leap and set of hands. Plus he can dob them from outside 50. I can see him being a great foil for Buddy very soon
* BJ's effort last night, I still think he can make it
* Nanka - he is still a work in progress but I like his work ethic and aggressive approach. At 20 he has only just started to develop as we all know big men take more time
* Issaac Heeney though I think the coaches have to teach him some art of self preservation as his bravery verges on crazy stuff
* Zak Jones' continued development
* The dignity and class that the club displayed re the Adam Goodes saga, that night against Adelaide will live me as long as I live
* Adam Goodes' form - I felt he would be a passenger this season but as he showed last night he is anything but and I hope he plays on
* Lewis Jetta's best season ever IMO, I just hope we can keep him
* Dane Rampe putting some brain farts earlier in the season behind him and even showing glimpses of being a midfielder, I love this story
* The fact that we can still be a shout at top four when we are disappointed with our form, surely this shows how far we have come and the standards at the club these days

Sure there are more so feel free to add some

[jetts32]

Love it,

Thanks for sharing!

2012 or 2015 Jetta? Big call there haha.

Agree with everything here. BJ looked like a senior player. Nankervis looks like a future senior and if we can keep everyone 5 years down the track our midfield will stay elite *fingers crossed*

Midfield in 5 years should consist of Mitchell, Heeney, Hanners, Parker and co.

[Sandridge]

Great thread MP! Thanks for it. Over the last dozen years, this club has taken us on a magnificent ride and although we're not setting the world on fire at the moment, we should celebrate the positives.

Beating Collingwood and smashing any hopes they had of playing finals is reason enough alone to say your season has been successful!

The response of the club and our fans to Goodesy!

The war dance!

Receiving 4 "37" t-shirts from KTigers and making a donation to the GO Foundation on his behalf.

Beating Hawthorn at the MCG.

Richard Colless "giving it" to Fitzpatrick.

For me, personally, the win against Power at the SCG. My 3 boys and I made our annual trip from Melbourne to Sydney to see the game. No Tippett, no Buddy and when Ted got carted off, we were losing. A gutsy, gutsy win that I was thrilled to see in person.

[aguy]

Great thread mug punter. And great post.

It is easy to forget that we are going to be playing finals footy again. That is nothing to be disappointed in and years ago Sydney wouldn't have dreamt of being in such good shape. We must remember that only two teams per year get to play in a grand final and only one team actually wins a premiership. That's 17 other "unsuccessful" clubs.

Another positive is the return of Lloyd Perris to playing footy. If I recall he was yet another reason that Eddie McGuire was unhappy with Sydney. He accused Of hiding perris away in the academy. That tells me that Collingwood rates him. I wouldn't be surprised to see him playing seniors next year

[dimelb]

Just from Friday night:
The teeth-gritted determination that emerged after Parker and Heeney went off.
Heeney coming back on!
Mike Pyke's mark and goal. Welcome back big fella.
The slingshot fires again.
The sheer persistence of players prepared to run the tank dry, and then go again.
Andrew Pridham going public, in front of four Commission members no less, about the (probably) illegal trade restraint.

[DamY]

Totally agree. I get that ppl are disappointed with the team's form at the moment, but would you follow any other team? We're still in the hunt for Top 4, you'd think we're wooden spooners by the tone of the commentary here and also on BigFooty.

Keep the faith.

[longmile]

Been some great games this year, particularly in the first half of the year, like the win against GWS and watching Buddy and Heeney work in tandem for 9 goals between them. Great signs for the future. Also the grand final replay against Hawthorn was particular sweet when the Swans went out with a tough bloods attitude and didnt let the Hawks push them around and scraped through for a thrilling win.

Other great games: smashing the power in round 2, and the heartwarming game against Adelaide at the SCG just a fortnight ago.

[goswannies]

Midfield in 5 years should consist of Mitchell, Heeney, Hanners, Parker and co.

Now that is confidence! Don't even need to go after Mills or Dunks Jr? ... or will they be relegated to & Co. status?
& Buddy will only be just after half way through his contract. Tippett will have finally realised his potential (after inking a new deal to make him a Swan for life ... & assure us of some more aesthetically pleasing father son selections). All this on the back of 4 more consecutive years of finals appearances. Looking forward to this ride!

[jetts32]

They're under co only because they're not playing yet where Heeney and Mitchell are already getting experience.

Hopefully BJ will keep improving and he'll still be in the team, same as X. Richards. Just for some romance and bloods history.

[Scottee]

They are "having a dip" to quote the great PK. What more can you ask for.

[mcsquirta]

Round 16, the 20-something-minute mark, 83 points down... A basket case, hack of a 'has been" defender - dead, buried and not quite cremated, jumps out of the coffin and slams some random Hawthorn git into the turf - refusing to just wait for the siren to end the pain. He may have even given a free away but that's not the point...

That's the day Rhyce Shaw won me back. After virtually everybody else had all but embraced the capitulation, he refused to give up. For me, that's the day Number 2 became a Blood For Life, that's the one that will stick with me for a long time. You've just got to love this club don't you??

[YvonneH]

Round 16, the 20-something-minute mark, 83 points down... A basket case, hack of a 'has been" defender - dead, buried and not quite cremated, jumps out of the coffin and slams some random Hawthorn git into the turf - refusing to just wait for the siren to end the pain. He may have even given a free away but that's not the point...

That's the day Rhyce Shaw won me back. After virtually everybody else had all but embraced the capitulation, he refused to give up. For me, that's the day Number 2 became a Blood For Life, that's the one that will stick with me for a long time. You've just got to love this club don't you??

Do we think Rhys will still around after retiring and have a crack at coaching? From all reports he is basically doing that with the younger boys now. Would love to see that.

[ScottH]

Loved watching Tom Mitchell on Friday night.
Not as skilled as a Pendlebury, but boy is he the new Jude "see ball, get ball" Bolton type.

He was great to watch and did a a lot of the 1% things as well.

Rohan, if he can stop with the injuries, is going to be a really important player.
So good with his hands, speed to burn, and a great roost on him.

[mcsquirta]

Do we think Rhys will still around after retiring and have a crack at coaching? From all reports he is basically doing that with the younger boys now. Would love to see that.

I don't know it's possible, especially with the new AFL spending caps on club's football departments (when does that come in, next year I think?). If nothing else it'd be great to have him mooching around the place like Mickey O does. (we'll need someone to replace Kenny one day :O )

We could set up the 'Old Boys Bar' up one end of the Steve Waugh room and have Mickey, Goodsey, Rhyce... maybe Barry Round too - all sittin' round the fireplace tellin tales of yore to the young'uns! The Swans do repay their Loyal Sons whenever they can.

[giant]

Good call. The pleasure of seeing two of the giants of the game in Franklin and Goodes play in the flesh is not to be overlooked.