Rnd16 MDT. Geelong V Sydney. 19.50 pm at SS.

[Ludwig]

Ludwig, you are a very good judge of a footballer's talent. You have nominated both Alir and Naismith as being up to the task way back at the start of the season. Who else will debut for you this year?

Thanks Nico, but to set the record straight, I was not pleased with our selection of Aliir in the 2013 draft, and didn't give him much chance to make it until this year. The improvement in his game has been remarkable. But now that he's made the big step to AFL level, I'm thrilled that we've clearly found that key defender we all thought we needed to trade for. It makes such a difference going forward. I have a lot of confidence in Talia and Aliir being an integral part of the Swans future.

I've been saying for a while that we will go into the finals with a Naismith-Tippett ruck combo if both are fit, which is always a bit iffy with these 2. Even though I don't think Nankervis is quite up to AFL level footy yet, he's got a lot of room for improvement and is already a better option than Sinclair, who simply offer too little in the ruck, forward and around the ground to warrant a spot in the side. Abe Davis would be better option in a bind.

I thought Newman was next logical choice to come into the seniors, but with the Foote elevation that seems unlikely now. But I hope we elevate Newman at the end of the year. He's been very consistent and has a good all around game. Maybe we'll see Foote given a game or two once we play a weaker side than next week's game. I also like to see Abe Davis get a game or 2 this year.

Otherwise, a rested Heeney looks the most likely to come back in the side, probably for Rose. A number of the dropped and injured players, Reid, Marsh, McGlynn, Cunningham and Laidler, followed by Tippett and Talia in August (hopefully), look to be more than enough in reserve to carry us through the season.

My smokey for next year is a mature ager named Alex Johnson.

[bloodsbigot]

I was annoyed at Towers how he didn't communicate with Mitchell when he got rundown. Never said, "watch out," or nothing. He just watched Mitchell get tackled and sighed to himself. Thought this was really poor play. Maybe Towers is just a bad communicator?

[mcs]

yep and we have drafted so well. We have drafted kids and look what is happening. Our reserves has a percentage of 238 & it is only going to get bigger with a 95-11 margin at half time today. Look at who we drafted in the last two to three years; Heens, Mills, Papley (rookie), Aliir, Robinson (I still think Robbo is a player), Towers, Dawson (has kicked 3 so far today), Newman (Rookie, BOG so far and so many times this season), Jordan Foote (Rookie, BOG so many times this year as well), Murray (Rookie, is turning out quite nicely & uses the ball so well potential replacement for Smithy), Rose. Sorry if I left anyone out. But the point is we have some awesome talent on our list. At the start of the season people kept saying we had no depth & I kept saying look at the talent and the new players who are ready togo. Dawson, Papley, Mills all ready for action. Foote now upgraded, by the way he deserves every plaudit we can give him. This bloke is a bit like Kirkie & Ramps, there were questions on his ability, not now. His disposal is improving week by week. Hardest at the ball I've seen since Mark R\'Roo' Ricciuto a real bull.

What I like is we have switched from drafting too many what I'd call 'athletes'/project players which seemed to be the vogue there for a while, to focusing more on getting players in that have footy smarts, and have other areas they need to improve. The strategy is starting to pay some rich dividends, and I hope it continues.

[liz]

I was annoyed at Towers how he didn't communicate with Mitchell when he got rundown. Never said, "watch out," or nothing. He just watched Mitchell get tackled and sighed to himself. Thought this was really poor play. Maybe Towers is just a bad communicator?

He's a youngish guy (in terms of senior footy experience, rather than earth years) who comes across as a bit of an introvert and is still gaining confidence. Yes, it would have been nice for him to have screamed out something to Mitchell, but Mitchell had the ball for an age, in a crowded area of the ground. He knows he's not quick. He had to expect a tackle was coming.. It was poor play but I think Mitchell needs to shoulder most of the responsibility.

He more than made up for it as the game progressed. Thought he was sensational around the stoppages, dishing off quick handballs that mostly found their mark.

[56-14]

I was annoyed at Towers how he didn't communicate with Mitchell when he got rundown. Never said, "watch out," or nothing. He just watched Mitchell get tackled and sighed to himself. Thought this was really poor play. Maybe Towers is just a bad communicator?

For goodness sake - blaming Towers for Mitchell getting run-down.
I thought Towers made a big contribution to our fantastic win.

[stevoswan]

Tigers doing well against Dogs....it's all falling into place, heh, heh, heh!!

[bloodsbigot]

For goodness sake - blaming Towers for Mitchell getting run-down.
I thought Towers made a big contribution to our fantastic win.

I'm just being nitpicky. Otherwise it was pretty much a flawless win.

We got a bigger challenge next week so I just want them to try harder is all. Hawthorn has Hodge this time around and it's at the business end of the season.

Seriously, if we lose to those bunch of *****its this week I think I'll throw up. There's been a pattern every season since 2012. Win the early season game against them and lose the later game. Sick of this crap. Pull your @@@@ together swans.

[Auntie.Gerald]

That was a huge win against the cats.

The young fua and our old heads looked like a team that has been playing for a decade !!!

I really enjoyed the direct shot sharp passing they the middle and we are making this transition from the backs as good as anyone in the comp.

Now we are playing a serious backline against the Hawks and a team that isolates one on ones better then any in the comp

Great test coming up

[YvonneH]

Teddy was playing on Lachie Henderson. You'd imagine he'd go to Sam Gibson this week against the Hawks. Is he quick enough?

Would that be Josh Gibson?

[Scottee]

All the patience with Naismith appears to be paying off. Just watched the replay, he really troubled Geelong. This year has been fantastic with all the youngies coming through.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

[kilroy]

I was annoyed at Towers how he didn't communicate with Mitchell when he got rundown. Never said, "watch out," or nothing. He just watched Mitchell get tackled and sighed to himself. Thought this was really poor play. Maybe Towers is just a bad communicator?

The way MItchell ran that ball out reminded me of that time i was racing a commodore v8 on the highway..my car was a 1980 toyota corolla..going no where slow.

[Nico]

Watched the replay and Towers played a really good game. On Mitchell getting run down; I doubt Towers was the only one in the vicinity. Regardless someone should have told him he was hot. Then again Tom takes a bit to get balanced.

[Primmy]

Thought I would wait and see what you lot said before I threw my bit in.

Loved Teddy up forward. I mean, who would have thought he'd be playing in that position, especially the Geelong coaches let alone the players. Worked out well, for us I mean.
They had AA down back with Reg and Ramps, that's kind of formidable as it turns out. Safe as, future is assured.
I love Zac. He is so like his brother, but different. Learns and gets better week by week.
George is just there isn't he. Remarkably accurate in front of goal, call got mixed up as Towers too often, but he is always just there, doing something.
Rose looked a bit out of it this week.
Didn't you just love the mix of tap downs by Crayfish??? And our very own token man bun too. All good.

Callam Mills. He plays such a sophisticated style of game. Way beyond his years. Nothing flashy, but always (nearly always) making sense.

Like to mention, if noone else has (have they?) that its weird our two emotional crisis games for our two captains have been played against Geelong at Symonds. What are the chances.

Keiran oh Kiz. I'd hire him in a flash if I saw the emotional toughness and calm shown in that game. Dependable. Very

[Zlatorog]

After watching post game on Fox Footy, it became clearer to me why are we loosing those close games. Apparently we are #1 in competition for causing turn overs in defence to others, but also in our attack. The point they were making is that, because of our poor delivery in the forward line (about which we bemoan every week), turn overs happen so frequently and some teams exploited that and used that against us like Crows, Bulldogs and Tigers. The said that when turn overs happen in our FL, those teams put too much pressure on our defence and prevent them to cause a turn over again. Almost all goals we received was from those turn overs. It looks like teams are already figuring out how to deal with our lack of kicking skills, which might prevent us from winning another flag. If Hawthorn has (by now) learned of our weakness, they'll exploit it and will lose this game as usual.

[Faunac8]

Billy Williams.....passed away.

1945-1951
124 games
180 goals
Best and fairest ? 1946, 1947, 1950
Swans team of the century

Probably in the wrong place but this article is a ripper and highlights just what a great job the Swans have done with keeping the history of South Melbourne alive.
Born Working. Billy Williams.