Changes for Rnd.18 V Carlton

[barry]

The problem with someone who looks like they are running slowly (even if running fast) is they quickly become a RWO whipping boy.

Young, one or two poor games,... bang.

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Out. McVeigh, McGlynn and Richards. Who'd have thought we'd ever see that. Welcome to the future. The interesting thing for me will be how much effect McVeigh missing has on the organisation of the back line.

Could be a positive effect.

[Sandrevan]

Out. McVeigh, McGlynn and Richards. Who'd have thought we'd ever see that. Welcome to the future. The interesting thing for me will be how much effect McVeigh missing has on the organisation of the back line.

I doubt we'll be worse off without McVeigh in the back line. We have Reg, Rampe and Nick Smith.

I like the changes and I doubt we'll see Benny again unless there are more injuries. As for using Teddy as a decoy up forward - it worked against Geelong but got picked apart easily by Hawthorn. A decoy needs to kick goals so they become a real threat. If X can kick some goals then our forward setup becomes a problem for other teams. If only Sam Reid was available!
Good luck to Xavier and congrats to Jordan Foote for his debut

[Sandrevan]

umpires are Margetts (WA), Dalgleish (WA) and De Boy (SA). In another thread Margetts was photographed training with some Hawthorn players in the off-season.

Are these guys likely to be neutral? Notice how I say 'neutral' Hawthorn supporters might be saying 'Are these guys likely to help us?

[Chookbilly]

The team will love playing with Foote this weekend. I hear he's a real fungai.

[dimelb]

The team will love playing with Foote this weekend. I hear he's a real fungai.

He's a legend (no, you pronounce it differently).

[Swanny40519]

umpires are Margetts (WA), Dalgleish (WA) and De Boy (SA). In another thread Margetts was photographed training with some Hawthorn players in the off-season.

Are these guys likely to be neutral? Notice how I say 'neutral' Hawthorn supporters might be saying 'Are these guys likely to help us?

At least we don't face a WA side with Margetts umpiring . I would put him in the same class as Razor - makes some very unusual and inconsistent decisions particularly in front of WA crowds.

[DA_Swan]

No doubt the AFL will be banning rookie lists soon. ??????????????????

They are thinking about it

AFL open to abolishing rookie list - AFL.com.au

[Ludwig]

umpires are Margetts (WA), Dalgleish (WA) and De Boy (SA). In another thread Margetts was photographed training with some Hawthorn players in the off-season.

Are these guys likely to be neutral? Notice how I say 'neutral' Hawthorn supporters might be saying 'Are these guys likely to help us?

I noticed that since her brief encounter with Dane Rampe that Rose O'Dea has been officiating all our games. I expect a few of our OOBOTFs to be called goals this game.

Late news is that Margetts may have to withdraw from the game to attend a Hawthorn team meeting.

[56-14]

Does the "Swans ethic" include umpire & AFL bashing?
I'd be shattered if Longmire mentioned in his pre-match address - "Now Guys - we're up against it here - umpires will cheat us & the AFL wants us to be unsuccessful."
Our proudest moments have been our performances on the day - 2005 & 2012 Grand Finals - that's the "Swans ethic" I believe in.

[mcs]

Yes, I think it's something of a testament to the management skills of the club. That is, taking players who may not have been the most naturally talented at junior level and turning them into high class, professional athletes.

But if you listen to the Melbourne big mouths, we are full of highly expensive recruits and bondi billionaires....

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It is getting a bit worrying now - Rd 18 you would like to have your best side settled (or at least very close to it) - instead we're introducing another debutant and a KPP with 2 games experience.

It's fine earlier in the season to reward good reserves form at the expense of ideal team balance, but now is the time to replace like-for-like in case the same is needed for finals.

Messing around with the likes of Cunningham, Rohan or Heeney across HB isn't the right option when we could have tested out Newman in that role.

Persevering with an experienced and versatile player like McGlynn, and trying to run him into form against the likes of Carlton and Freo, is a better option for our finals campaign than giving a guy like Foote 1 or 2 games and then banished for the rest of the year.

We've done remarkably well so far give the youth that has played, but we can't expect the senior players to carry us into finals in the same way.

You can't really run an argument that we are too unsettled, and then argue that we should be testing an untested player off the rookie list instead.

I completely support the demotion of McGlynn - he had next to no impact against Hawthorn, and in the ressies game the week before, against a very weak team he did not impress me at all (I..e I wouldn't have picked him anyway).

Foote has been in super form in ressies for an extended period - he deserves a chance in my opinion and might just surprise a few - he can provide another option going forward from midfield as well (at least on what I've seen in ressies football) and is as tough as nails. On form, he well and truly deserves to be given a chance.

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Can't help but fear it may be, despite the media "he'll be back" spin. We know he considered retirement after the recent concussion and he hasn't looked great on return, aside from the brief forward cameo in Geelong.

Then again if he's fit and we go deep into finals, who would you want in the backline...

What teddy needs is a run of good games in ressies - we need him as an option going in to finals, but as an option down back (we just got lucky against Geelong using him up forward). I do fear we may not see him again in Seniors - but unless there is a clear shocker from someone down back/further injuries, then our back 6 is potentially the least of our problems.

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Looking fwd to see what X can do across Half fwd, hopefully he has a tank like everyone is saying. For us the challenge for a GF that is the line we need most help at with Reid out.
Teddy unlucky as a club great but that role wasn't going to be long term, he is a victim of Alir's growth

I rate HC, he is like Rohan in that he gets thrown around way too much.
Horse has seen over the last few weeks what happens when you give Rohan 1 role, hopefully he can give HC a role. I reckon a tagging HFF, to sit on Simpson, he can run, mark and kick goals.

Put Heeney down back behind the ball and give Mills a go in the middle

I would most definitely not be moving Mills. With McVeigh and Jones both out, there is 2 of the back 6 already out - you don't want to be making further changes if you can avoid it.

[mcs]

Don't expect Gazza level pace from X. He's not that quick But he does have enough toe on him to get decent separation on the lead from most defenders if he times the lead right, and he's reasonably agile at ground level for a tall fellow.

His main challenge will be to maintain the intensity for the full game, as he can tend to seem a little lackadaisical at times. When he's competing for the ball he'll probably be fine, but it will be interesting to see if he's able to apply - for a whole four quarters - the kind of defensive forward line pressure that is expected at AFL level but not quite so important at NEAFL level. Expect to see a defender run off him now and again because he's slow to react to what is expected (not because he lacks the pace to chase).

That's an excellent summary of my view on X at the moment as well Liz, in terms of where he is up to. I hope he does well tomorrow, but I fear the step up will be pretty steep for him (in terms of playing as a forward). Certainly deserves a chance given what he has done in ressies in recent weeks.