Rnd 4 Match Day Thread Adelaide Crows V Sydney Swans. 19.10pm (ACST) Adelaide Oval.

[AnnieH]

Reg dead-set makes me cringe sometimes. An effective disposal in the last ten minutes would have helped our cause greatly.
I think Buddy is carrying some sort of injury... can't grab a mark to save himself at the moment.
Zac Heeney is a little gun.

Very disappointing.

[mcs]

I think there's a lot to love about Mills, but some of his decision making is suspect. He's got skill, but the stuff he gets away with in the NEAFL isn't going to fly against a top-4 team in the AFL.

It's not the first time either - against Carlton he picked off a Swans player between two Carlton players inside the defensive 50. It might work some of the time, but it's going to cost a lot of goals. Did you see Rampe & Laidler ripping into him? My guess is that he's not following instructions.

The kid has played a grand total of 4 AFL games, after stepping up from basically no footy last year into the elite level.

Give him time - all young players, no matter how good they are, will make mistakes - Mills included. Yes it can be frustrating, but he is going to be an absolute gem. With him and Heeney running around in Red and White hopefully for a decade or more to come, we are in good hands.

He will quickly learn from his mistakes - as the other youngsters will. For instance, Papley made a bad error early in the 4th (When we were on top and had some chances), when he took the ball back into traffic in our forward line - when alternatively, had he looked up, he may have seen the best option clearly would of been to go back towards goal - if I'm not mistaken there was a team mate not far away with probably enough space, had Papley handballed to him, to get a snap away at goal. That's footy though - these young guys will learn, and we have some absolute gems coming through.

[AnnieH]

The kid has played a grand total of 4 AFL games, after stepping up from basically no footy last year into the elite level.

Give him time - all young players, no matter how good they are, will make mistakes - Mills included. Yes it can be frustrating, but he is going to be an absolute gem. With him and Heeney running around in Red and White hopefully for a decade or more to come, we are in good hands.

He will quickly learn from his mistakes - as the other youngsters will. For instance, Papley made a bad error early in the 4th (When we were on top and had some chances), when he took the ball back into traffic in our forward line - when alternatively, had he looked up, he may have seen the best option clearly would of been to go back towards goal - if I'm not mistaken there was a team mate not far away with probably enough space, had Papley handballed to him, to get a snap away at goal. That's footy though - these young guys will learn, and we have some absolute gems coming through.

Handballing into traffic is beginning to get on my last nerve.

[crackedactor]

Bit harsh#

The kid has played a grand total of 4 AFL games, after stepping up from basically no footy last year into the elite level.

Give him time - all young players, no matter how good they are, will make mistakes - Mills included. Yes it can be frustrating, but he is going to be an absolute gem. With him and Heeney running around in Red and White hopefully for a decade or more to come, we are in good hands.

He will quickly learn from his mistakes - as the other youngsters will. For instance, Papley made a bad error early in the 4th (When we were on top and had some chances), when he took the ball back into traffic in our forward line - when alternatively, had he looked up, he may have seen the best option clearly would of been to go back towards goal - if I'm not mistaken there was a team mate not far away with probably enough space, had Papley handballed to him, to get a snap away at goal. That's footy though - these young guys will learn, and we have some absolute gems coming through.

A lot of supporters keep forgetting that Mills has played 4 AFL games and playing in one of the hardest positions. half-back. Also A bit harsh on Teddy, it was the second up syndrome after a long lay off, so he will bounce back next week .Great game on Sat. night but cannot believe how Eddie Betts gets looked after. Blatant push in the back of Smith which resulted in a goal and that Rampe decision when it was a 15 meters and he had zero chance of getting rid of the ball, were just unbelievable home ground decisions. Melbourne Radio gave a big wrap on Heeney this morning, saying that the opposition may soon have Heeney as their number issue in the forward line rather than Buddy!!

[RogueSwan]

Reg dead-set makes me cringe sometimes...

Sometimes, but he is, by far, our best defender at the moment. He has really matured and is playing as well as Ted was a few years back.

[mcs]

A Melbourne Radio gave a big wrap on Heeney this morning, saying that the opposition may soon have Heeney as their number issue in the forward line rather than Buddy!!

If we didn't have my long time man crush Parker around, Heeney would be at the top of my list He was simply superb on Saturday night - sadly as it didn't help us get over the line, his massive roost, into the wind from outside 50 near the end will get forgotten by most. But what a kick under enormous pressure and with a hostile crowd. The kid is a genuine star and will only get better from here. The thought of him and Mills being key cogs in our midfield for years to come makes me smile, even after the disappointment of losing on Saturday night.

Heeney has it all - can clunk a big mark (tick), has elite disposal skills (95% efficiency on Saturday night), can kick the tough goals (ticks), is courageous (tick) and is as hard as nails (tick). If what we've seen is anything to go by, he will be every bit as special as our last #5 was.

And that's before we consider just how fine a player Mills is going to be

[RogueSwan]

... Heeney has it all - can clunk a big mark (tick), has elite disposal skills (95% efficiency on Saturday night), can kick the tough goals (ticks), is courageous (tick) and is as hard as nails (tick). If what we've seen is anything to go by, he will be every bit as special as our last #5 was...

With those attributes the commentators call of Heeney reminding him of Paul Kelly is not far off.

[Go Swannies]

Handballing into traffic is beginning to get on my last nerve.

Like Heeney to Benny?

[crackedactor]

Wasn't that handball absolute Magic!!! Shows what a talent this kid is!!

[707]

Mills knocker back off. We have an 18yo kid playing way beyond his age in the back line where any error is amplified. He is sheer class, looks like a classy mature player already and I'll give you a stat from Saturday night, five intercept marks! Yes, that is five!

We are very fortunate to have picked up Heeney and Mills when we finished as high as we did because these guys are both elite talents.

[Plugger46]

McVeigh is still on my watch list.
I think he's kinda done, and have been saying so most of last year. Really hope he proves me wrong.

McGlynn added a bit. Run and drive.
Heeney was a star.
Ted had a pretty forgettable day. Made to look less bad because Rample did well covering for him.
Papley played his first game at the elite level and has a way to go.
Mills on the other had showed he could match it (at times) and will continue on his merry way
Can I say that Buddy was average when he kicked 4? I think I can.
Hate him up the ground and my fear is that he doesn't posses the skills to create much in the forward line consistently.
Nankervis was ok I guess.
Kennedy, Mitchell and Parker weren't as they have been
Grundy was ok, probably had an average game.
Hanners, Jack and Cunningham were great
Laidler didn't have the impact he normally does

Tough on Buddy I reckon. Actually clunked some marks in the second half which was a nice surprise.

- - - Updated - - -

Mills knocker back off. We have an 18yo kid playing way beyond his age in the back line where any error is amplified. He is sheer class, looks like a classy mature player already and I'll give you a stat from Saturday night, five intercept marks! Yes, that is five!

We are very fortunate to have picked up Heeney and Mills when we finished as high as we did because these guys are both elite talents.

Reckon it was Mills' best game to date. Took some very gutsy marks.

[stevoswan]

Mills knocker back off. We have an 18yo kid playing way beyond his age in the back line where any error is amplified. He is sheer class, looks like a classy mature player already and I'll give you a stat from Saturday night, five intercept marks! Yes, that is five!

We are very fortunate to have picked up Heeney and Mills when we finished as high as we did because these guys are both elite talents.

Mills is becoming our "Easton Wood' and that is a very handy asset to have in our side.

[CureTheSane]

Probably a bit tough on Buddy. Probably more critical of the coaching staff playing him all over the ground, rather than where he is sometimes needed.
Rather see him working on escaping the clutches of a full back more and taking some easy marks, which we don;t see as often as we used to.
Adelaide is a pass in this area as the whole team played well and left little room for him.
But he's had trouble making space all season so far.

[Beerman]

Mills knocker back off. We have an 18yo kid playing way beyond his age in the back line where any error is amplified

No team should tolerate such basic decision-making errors from anyone on their list. Send him to the ressies to learn some lessons.

Just kidding:-)

Mills clearly has what it takes to be a star. The way he reads the ball is Jack Riewoldtesque. It's remarkable that in his 4th game the only knock on his game is a few dodgy decisions. He'll learn with experience and good coaching.

Papley will also learn fast. He looked a bit panicked at times but now he knows what to expect I think he'll improve. I'm not convinced he'll make it yet - too many players have given me false hope- but I don't see why not.

Also we played Heeney too much last year. Four fewer games and he would be red hot for the rising star.

[mcs]

Papley will also learn fast. He looked a bit panicked at times but now he knows what to expect I think he'll improve. I'm not convinced he'll make it yet - too many players have given me false hope- but I don't see why not.

If Mills cleans up his use of the ball, he will be right up there for the RS this year. His reading of the game is absolutely superb, and his skills are great as well - its the decision making that is letting him down. But it doesn't matter how good a player you are, that isn't a skill that you simply have at the top level (bar the very, very, very special players going around) - it takes time to develop. He is already an integral part of our team and he has played 4 games. Just imagine how good he and Heeney will be when they've played 54 games, or 104 games. Both clearly are (touch wood on the injury side) every chance to be 300 gamers for our great club. And if they turn out to be as good as we all hope, with a bit of luck, then there is every chance there might be a Premiership or Two thrown in as well. They are out future, but they are also part of the current - and by gee its exciting to watch them develop.

As for Papley - he is sooooo far ahead of where anyone expected him to be, that we can only be stoked with what he has shown so far. Even if he was to be dropped back to ressies from here and not return to the senior squad this year, it would be a successful year. There is most definitely something about him - the guys clearly love have him in the side, and he is every chance to be a young gem from the rough, just like many a star who have come before him in Red and White. As you say Beerman, we can't be convinced that he will make it - but by gee we can't have asked for much more yet, even if he had a quiet game on Saturday night.