NAB Challenge game Rnd 2. Sydney V GWS at Drummoyne Oval.

[707]

I don't buy the "this is just pre season" comments to justify the lack of competitiveness.

I have been banging on for a while now that we are seriously short on AFL standard players and whilst a few on here have been pumping up the tyres of a number of ressie players, none of them have shown they are up to making a contribution in the seniors.

We only have 18 proven AFL standard players on our list
Buddy, Kennedy, Richards, Grundy, K Jack, Tippett, Hanners, Parker, Rampe, Laidler, Heeney, Smith, Mitchell, Lloyd, Mills plus currently injured McVeigh, Reid, McGlynn.

Rohan is injured and yet to really prove himself, Cunningham is looking more fringish as time goes on. Towers might make it but looks more like a 21st/22nd at best. Jones & Talia might make it but not certainties. BJ looks more likely a bust.

This is not the list of a contender plus we lack outside speed and skill levels are very ordinary. The trading ban has cruelled us, we do not have the depth to mount a challenge unless several, that's 4 or 5 ressie players make serious ground in the next few weeks.

GWS showed last night that there is no substitute for class. Their decision making and skill execution just cut us to pieces, we were just hacks in comparison and any talk by Horse about work rate is just that - talk. Even without putting their best side on the park, GWS last night trotted out two number 1 picks, a 2, a 3, two 4's, a 5, a 6, a 7, a 9, a 10 etc, plus players who would have been top 10s like Cameron, Greene, Shiel etc.

Worried already about the work LOAD put in by a young Mills and a previously fragile Tippett.

We are in trouble before the season has started, I hope that I'm proven wrong but we just don't have enough players, last night proved that.

[troyjones2525]

Totally agree. Especially on the play ratings. People keep on saying that we need to persist with young K. Jack but he continues to go missing and provide little or no impact!

[Levii3]

i think its over compensation for what happened last year when we were handling too much and putting receiving players under pressure now we're kicking to much. We lack depth particularly in defence i also think McVeigh won't be much help he hasn't had a proper preseason this year or last and his kicking was average last year. Decisions need to be made about players like Hiscox Derickx Toby Marsh and BJ.

Just a side note how good was Reggie last night with the ball coming in as it was improving your game at 30 is impressive and Rampe made a few skill errors but kept Cameron Goaless and to four touches

[Ludwig]

I don't buy the "this is just pre season" comments to justify the lack of competitiveness.

I have been banging on for a while now that we are seriously short on AFL standard players and whilst a few on here have been pumping up the tyres of a number of ressie players, none of them have shown they are up to making a contribution in the seniors.

We only have 18 proven AFL standard players on our list
Buddy, Kennedy, Richards, Grundy, K Jack, Tippett, Hanners, Parker, Rampe, Laidler, Heeney, Smith, Mitchell, Lloyd, Mills plus currently injured McVeigh, Reid, McGlynn.

Rohan is injured and yet to really prove himself, Cunningham is looking more fringish as time goes on. Towers might make it but looks more like a 21st/22nd at best. Jones & Talia might make it but not certainties. BJ looks more likely a bust.

This is not the list of a contender plus we lack outside speed and skill levels are very ordinary. The trading ban has cruelled us, we do not have the depth to mount a challenge unless several, that's 4 or 5 ressie players make serious ground in the next few weeks.

GWS showed last night that there is no substitute for class. Their decision making and skill execution just cut us to pieces, we were just hacks in comparison and any talk by Horse about work rate is just that - talk. Even without putting their best side on the park, GWS last night trotted out two number 1 picks, a 2, a 3, two 4's, a 5, a 6, a 7, a 9, a 10 etc, plus players who would have been top 10s like Cameron, Greene, Shiel etc.

Worried already about the work LOAD put in by a young Mills and a previously fragile Tippett.

We are in trouble before the season has started, I hope that I'm proven wrong but we just don't have enough players, last night proved that.

There's a lot of truth in what you say, but it's still a bit harsh an assessment for this point in the season.

It's no secret that we are starting the season with a number of holes to fill with unproven players. It's going to take some time to sort out how we are to accomplish that. Moving the ball out of defense was a problem last year and there are clearly no quick fixes. Mills and Jones are both talented players, but are sure to take some time before they become accomplished players in providing the drive we need transitioning from defense to offense.

In the game, we weren't up to the task of matching GWS's pressure and intensity. The ball rarely came out cleanly to our outside players like Lloyd and Cunningham, who both saw little of the ball. You would hope that will change during the regular season.

There were also a few things we seemed to be trying out in the game. We wanted to get Tom Mitchell to kick the ball more and provide a target forward to help with the rotations. He kicked the ball under pressure most of time and aimlessly, usually hitting a GWS player, but I think we are looking to round out his game more. Buddy again spent a fair bit of time in the midfield, probably to make sure he gets some touch before the season proper.

We didn't have a tall outlet to kick to out of defense. Reid often fills that role. Maybe Towers was the man, but he didn't do much of job; his tackling leaves a lot to be desired as well.

But there were some good things to come out of the game. Papley looks capable of filling a small forward role this year. He's a great kick on both sides and can kick goals on either foot from outside 50. Heeney is a great kick on both sides as well. If Hewett makes to team it will make 3. I don't know if Dawson is up to the pace of the game this season, but he looks a great find that should be ready to go next year. Tremendous kick of the ball.

There certainly were many disappointing performances, but it's far too early to be writing off players at this time of the year. We need to lower our expectations for this year, but the future is looking bright.

[sprite]

Funny thing - premierships aren't played in March.

I don't pay any heed to the plastic footy being played now.

Everyone is getting in tune for the real season to begin.

[Nico]

A major difference between Papley and McGlynn is that Papley is an excellent kick on either side.

And for goal.

[Nico]

I can't see how Cunningham, Lloyd or Robinson are anywhere near the quality of Craig Bird.

[Bexl]

We have 2 spots open to elevate a rookie. Johnson and Rohan. Am I right?

[liz]

I can't see how Cunningham, Lloyd or Robinson are anywhere near the quality of Craig Bird.

For a start, they are on a lot less money than Bird was. That has to be a key reason he was off-loaded. If the club wants to sign up the likes of Hanners and Parker to lucrative long-term contracts, on top of the money Tippett and Buddy are on, something has to give.

I agree with you on Robinson. To me he's always seemed like a solid, hardworking NEAFL level player, without an outstanding attribute that was likely to equip him to be more than a bit part player at senior AFL level. Lloyd I'm still agnostic on. I prefer him to Robinson as he usually runs harder, his disposal is usually better, and he seems to have more of a sense of where to run to provide a useful option. But I am doubtful whether he has much improvement left in him.

I know you've never been a Cunningham fan. I like him more, and his pace and goal sense are valuable attributes at senior level, especially in a side that has lost so much pace in the off-season. I thought his first half of last season was very ordinary, but his second half was promising. He is one player who needs to elevate his involvement significantly again if the Swans are to become a good side this year. (The other, in my mind, is Towers.) I liked him in the intra-club game - he unleashed one gem of a pass into the forward 50, one that Jetta would have been proud of. But his two NAB Cup outings this year haven't been especially encouraging.

[Mug Punter]

Agree with this because they have like 25? first round picks

The rest of the comp will be fully aware of the depth of GWS by the end of the year, their potential is frightening as is the possibility of having a team that goes three-peating with about 300 fans....

[Ludwig]

The Future

"GSW are now playing in their 13th consecutive Grand Final. Their members have packed the MCG and can hardly contain their excitement."

[Auntie.Gerald]

?

hhhmmmm

[barry]

The rest of the comp will be fully aware of the depth of GWS by the end of the year, their potential is frightening as is the possibility of having a team that goes three-peating with about 300 fans....

Same (300 fans) could have been said about the swans early days.

The swans are probably 2 weeks behind the giants in terms of prep, but this could be the year that the team that represents all that is west of Anzac bridge moves past the swans.

Swans are giving off the impression of a team in slow decline.

[aardvark]

Now that Tippett is a ruckman and Franklin a midfielder maybe we should recruit a power forward. I hear Jesse White may be available!

[RogueSwan]

For those unimpressed with our form NAB-Challenge-v-Lions/page4