To challenge for the Flag in 2016....

[RogueSwan]

He needs to play back.
...

Maybe the team make pushes him back but he has played his best games forward. He seems to go missing when he has been played down back. Of all the mid and small forward options you have mentioned none has Rohan's speed and chase ability except maybe Benny. If Rohan doesn't play forward who is going to put that pressure on the oppositions defenders? Maybe Cunningham but he didn't really play forward this season, he has been given the run-with role more often than not.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Maybe the team make pushes him back but he has played his best games forward. He seems to go missing when he has been played down back. Of all the mid and small forward options you have mentioned none has Rohan's speed and chase ability except maybe Benny. If Rohan doesn't play forward who is going to put that pressure on the oppositions defenders? Maybe Cunningham but he didn't really play forward this season, he has been given the run-with role more often than not.

He's probably played more good games forward than back, but his best game IMO was the prelim against North in 2014 playing off halfback. He was incredible that night, with electrifying rebound, fast closing spoils, tackles. That was the only 4 qtr effort I've seen from Gaz, ever.

[Mug Punter]

I like Gary as a rebounding half back but he looked really good against the Pies this year as a forward, I'd like Horse to decide where he thinks his best position is and play him there for a full season, no matter how tempting it may be to use him to plug a hole elsewhere

[RogueSwan]

..no matter how tempting it may be to use him to plug a hole elsewhere

like one S. Reid?

[rojo]

I like Gary as a rebounding half back but he looked really good against the Pies this year as a forward, I'd like Horse to decide where he thinks his best position is and play him there for a full season, no matter how tempting it may be to use him to plug a hole elsewhere

+1

[Industrial Fan]

As I say - he needs to find a permanent home.

Still on the verge of being one of the best in the comp, but in which position?

[Conor_Dillon]

I'd love Gary to have a massive, pain-free pre-season and develop enough of a tank to play on a wing.

[bungwahl]

To challenge for the flag the Swans must give up their ridiculously defensive game plan and prioritise attacking. Our list is built for attack. At the very least we need to leave a forward structure in place more often.

[stevoswan]

To challenge for the flag the Swans must give up their ridiculously defensive game plan and prioritise attacking. Our list is built for attack. At the very least we need to leave a forward structure in place more often.

I agree with this. As Freo and Ross Lyon have shown, defense only is no longer the way to win Premierships, and Hawthorn have shown the opposite is now more relevant. Doggies rise also backs this trend. We used to pull it off, but I don't think our list can sustain that 'full on' defensive style like the teams of '05, or even '12's slightly more attacking style. As you said, our list is built for attack, and if we can find a nice effective but fluid, ie; change to suit the situation as it presents, balance between attack and defence, we will have more success. With the right game plan, I believe we could be as offensively effective as Hawthorn and West Coast. Bud, Tipp, Sammy, Heeney, Parks, Rohan, Rose, Towers, the rest of the mids, there's potentially a lot of fire power there. I hope Horse has a 'light bulb moment' off season! Also hope Kirky hasn't returned with too much 'Ross' in his head, except for the pressure stuff!

[barry]

Dogs game didnt stand up in finals

[Melbourne_Blood]

Dogs game didnt stand up in finals

Stood up better than ours, they only lost one final.

[RogueSwan]

I agree with this. As Freo and Ross Lyon have shown, defense only is no longer the way to win Premierships, and Hawthorn have shown the opposite is now more relevant...

I think what the Hawks have shown us is (their) defense is definitely underrated, but they have obviously got the balance right. What happened to the Eagles strong forward line? A team with Kennedy, Darling, LeCras, Hill and Cripps are definitely "built for attack" but the Hawks defence stopped them in their tracks.
I don't think we need to change things too much apart from becoming better shots on goal.
We used to be like the Hawks when it came to punishing turnovers but not recently. Maybe it is the lack of a skillful, rebounding defender, the lose of Malceski has hurt more than I thought it would. Rampe hasn't progressed as much as I had hoped. I really thought he would have become a better kick by now, his technique looks pretty good and he can kick 50-60m with ease.

- - - Updated - - -

Stood up better than ours, they only lost one final.

with a fully fit team (apart from Roughead) to choose from.

[dimelb]

I think what the Hawks have shown us is (their) defense is definitely underrated, but they have obviously got the balance right. What happened to the Eagles strong forward line? A team with Kennedy, Darling, LeCras, Hill and Cripps are definitely "built for attack" but the Hawks defence stopped them in their tracks.
I don't think we need to change things too much apart from becoming better shots on goal.
We used to be like the Hawks when it came to punishing turnovers but not recently. Maybe it is the lack of a skillful, rebounding defender, the lose of Malceski has hurt more than I thought it would. Rampe hasn't progressed as much as I had hoped. I really thought he would have become a better kick by now, his technique looks pretty good and he can kick 50-60m with ease.

I agree with this, especially the highlighted bit. And if we were better shots on goal it would carry over to our field kicking to a fair extent.

In fact I'd go so far as to say we - at full strength, kicking accurately and maintaining pressure - were really the only ones capable of stopping the Hawks.

[Cheer_Cheer]

One thing that has worried me over the last 12 months or so is that we have periods where teams kick multiple goals against us.. I think GC kicked 6 unanswered in our last meeting. This didn't used to happen and shouldn't..Even the best teams didn't do that to us. We used to be able to play tempo footy and keepings off to starve the opposition and stifle their flow. I am not sure if it is an issue with our stoppages or is it a lack of on field leadership to say lets choke them now ?

[WauchopeAnalyst]

Stood up better than ours, they only lost one final.

Yes and with a new system with just fair defence but working together