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

[707]

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

It's not our NAB Challenge form that has me worried, it's our lack of depth and that's not easily fixed unless some ressie players really start to lift and to date none of them have.

Unless we have a golden injury run, with the number of teams genuinely improving this year we could miss the 8!

As for GWS, they have 19, yes that's nineteen top 10 draft picks on their list! Plus another 7 picks 11-20. This not only makes them scarily good for the next 6-10 years, their domination will continue well past that because they can keep trading out talented kids not getting a game for more high draft picks and the cheap top end talent out of the Riverina. Eddie needs to change his anger focus from us to the VFL's love child GWS.

[wolftone57]

Isn't it funny. Give players two years in our system and no matter how good their skills were when they come after that amount of time they are crap. Dawson, Papley, Mills and Talia will learn how to not hit targets if they stay long enough.

[Ludwig]

It's not our NAB Challenge form that has me worried, it's our lack of depth and that's not easily fixed unless some ressie players really start to lift and to date none of them have.

Unless we have a golden injury run, with the number of teams genuinely improving this year we could miss the 8!

As for GWS, they have 19, yes that's nineteen top 10 draft picks on their list! Plus another 7 picks 11-20. This not only makes them scarily good for the next 6-10 years, their domination will continue well past that because they can keep trading out talented kids not getting a game for more high draft picks and the cheap top end talent out of the Riverina. Eddie needs to change his anger focus from us to the VFL's love child GWS.

Everyone knows that the AFL wants GWS to win a premiership. It's a business decision and it's important for the future of the game if it wants to be a national competition. Let them win a premiership first before we start criticizing the method used to get them to the top. Personally, I think it will be good for footy and especially for footy in NSW. They already have plenty of critics in Melbourne.

The Swans have dropped down to 10th in experience based on games played, so of course that means we lack experienced depth. These are just the facts. As you say, there is no quick fix except to get game time into these young players and hope they continue to improve. Some will and others won't. Yes, and we are certainly a chance to miss the 8. But why worry about it? It's just the state of affairs that we find ourselves at this point in time. We've had a fantastic run with finals footy and even if we drop off this year we should bounce back quickly. We have some good young talent.

Isn't it funny. Give players two years in our system and no matter how good their skills were when they come after that amount of time they are crap. Dawson, Papley, Mills and Talia will learn how to not hit targets if they stay long enough.

It's just awful how we ruin players careers. Take Tom Derickx for example. He was an absolute gun before coming to the Swans and now he has to suck up to Buddy and Jesinta just to get a modelling gig.

[wolftone57]

Gee, a lot of over reaction on here to a round 2 pre season game.
Given we play GWS for points in round 3, we were never give them a look at how we will structure up.
There was plenty of vanilla on show from the Swans. IMO, on purpose.
The continual 'throw it on the boot to move it forward' scenario, was supposed to set up contested footy and stoppages.
Horse alluded to his mind set in his pre game interview..."It's a small ground, the game will be congested."
He talked about getting plenty of body on body work, getting back into the groove of hits and bruises.
I reckon he was pissed off because GWS went harder, and pressured better, which was what he wanted from our boys.
I think you can all but guarantee a vast improvement in this area next week...
But again, we play Carlton in round 2, so it will be more vanilla in terms of game plan.
Come round 1, I expect to see Buddy and Tippo or Sinclair, lining up in the forward line.
The strugglers for me were...Towers, Robinson, B Jack...All pressure forwards, so that's a worry given we are without the services of McGlynn and Rohan.

There is an old saying if you play ducks and drakes you will end up with egg on your face. I don't think anyone is laying low to hide a game plan from opposition. I think we are sadly underdone and our skills are crap. The game plan is sadly outdated. The skill level is very low, that seems to happen after 2 years at Sydney lol.

[Bexl]

Just had a look at the stats.
Tackles Jack 7
Mitchell 6
Papley 6
Mills 5


The rest 4 or less. Not bad from Papley in his first hit out. I hope he gets elevated. Seams he goes in pretty hard.
Mills ok too.

[wolftone57]

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

I don't think Benny was ever a natural small forward whereas TP is. He instinctively knows where to knows where to be at the right time. There was also a moment on the wing with a terrible ball coming in high from the half back line. He had a few metres on his opponent, sized up the situation, stepped back a metre, protected the fall of the ball and took on two opponents for a chest mark. Very smart footy. He can come back any time. In fact we should upgrade this lad and play him immediately. He has smarts, has the body, is confident and I think will give us an edge.

[Levii3]

Just looking to next year if we miss the 8 we'll get a good pick in the draft around 10. If Reid can get his body right trading Tippett out to a club like Brisbane Freo Carlton Demons Essendon and maybe Saints we can get a first round pick or early second round. It'll clear cap space and we'll have couple good picks or we could do what we did in 09 clear unwanted players and trade for fringe players at other clubs

[rojo]

Hopefully Tippet will be managed differently once the season starts. As one commentator said on Saturday, 'I can't understand why you would pay top dollars for a key/gun forward and then play him in the ruck. At best he is a solid ruckman, but no Goldstein.' He seemed to be suggesting that Tippet was being played as No 1 ruck and Sinclair as back up when to him it should be the other way round. It will be interesting to see how it unfolds.

So far the much feared or if you are a Swans' fan, anticipated Franklin/Tippet combo in the Swans' forward line, has not lived up to expectation - for various reasons. What are the chances of the tactic of rotating KT between forward and ruck, and running Buddy through the midfield actually delivering winning scores? It seems good in theory ........

[Matt79]

It's a pre season game...no major injuries and we move on.

[royboy42]

It's a pre season game...no major injuries and we move on.

+1

[crackedactor]

In 2005 Carlton beat us by 85 points at Princes PARK OVAL. We won the flag, they won the wooden spoon. Positives was Sinclair, Heeney (gonna be a superstar) , Mills (showed glimpses of his talent). Papley and Dawson (still raw though). Still worried about Buddy's form, both games were ordinary, Same for Talia, his games have been terrible . Surely he cannot be in our team for round one.

[ernie koala]

There is an old saying if you play ducks and drakes you will end up with egg on your face. I don't think anyone is laying low to hide a game plan from opposition. I think we are sadly underdone and our skills are crap. The game plan is sadly outdated. The skill level is very low, that seems to happen after 2 years at Sydney lol.

Wolfie, you're shooting from the hip (to quote another old saying) with your criticism.
Last year we were a poster, and 1 more straight kick, away from a home prelim, without the services of Parker, Jack , Smith and Franklin ...I think you'd agree... a few handy players.
The knee jerk reaction on here, to a crappy pre season performance, is over the top.
If we're still playing like we did on Friday, after 4 or 5 rounds of real footy, then I'll join the naysayers.

[sprite]

+1

[caj23]

There is an old saying if you play ducks and drakes you will end up with egg on your face.

LOL - does Travis Cloke post on RWO under an alias?

[undy]

Originally Posted by lwjoyner
What a disgrace again we showed how to kick to ball to the opponents. How does Rampe make the leadership team. I am sure the long hair with the head band with most of them using it to keep hair out of eyes. Is Longmire finished as they don't seem to be hearing him or are they ignoring him. Has he been with us top long. We have gone backwards and I know you will all say its a practice game BUT.

Quote Originally Posted by undy
Go back, re-read the pre-season game reports for the last 20 years, chill. It's March, not August.

Quote Originally Posted by lwjoyner
Undy how long have you been following us, I am a 50+yr member. I know its March but we are not changing our habits particularly kicking the ball these are games you need to learn or cant you.

Quote Originally Posted by undy
Wow, that's a long time. I've only been a member for 20 odd years, but I don't have to think back far to remember some horrible pre and early season games in years where we went on to do really well. Check out the RWO posts from 2005 if they are still around.

I'm a chronic glass half-full guy though, so don't let my optimism bug you.

D'ya think its worth digging this up so that we don't panic next pre-season, or is that as realistic as expecting sane comments to flow in a match day thread when the game is in progress ?