Changes for round 1 - Syd vs Port

[Nico]

Fair dinkum, talk about putting the mozz a player. I had 50 each way on Heeney at 100/1. Every time I bet on a Swans player something happens to them. This is a big blow to our team. He and Mills looked like taking the comp by the scruff of the neck. Don't get all the love for Harry. Have we all forgotten about KJ up forward. Cheers from Port Douglas.

[Joel Ridge]

Updated team.

I'm not counting Aliir

B Smith Grundy Melican
HB Marsh Reid Rampe
C Mills Jones Hannas
HF Towers Franklin Lloyd
F Hewitt Tippett K. Jack
Foll Naismith Kennedy Parker
Inter Newman Florent Foote Cunningham

[707]

I've been warning all summer about our lack of depth, and I know a few have been talking it up, but the reality is that our fringe players seem a long way from AFL standard. We'll go into R1 having to play some of these fringies and injuries will only exacerbate the problem.

Don't expect K Jack to be playing forward, he'll be very much needed in the middle.

Here's a list of players (still) available for R1, I think you may be surprised how short the list of proven AFL standard players is.

Kennedy, Franklin, Rampe, Hannebery, Parker, Mills, Grundy, Tippett, Reid, K Jack, Jones, Smith, Naismith, Lloyd, Hewett, that's 15 so we need another 7! Then we get into Laidler, Towers, Cunningham who are ok but still only up to 18 now, still need another 4! Really unproven types now, Robbo, Marsh, Foote, Talia and yet to debut players.

Not the time to be experimenting with Rampe in midfield as we need all we can down back for stability.

We could be in real strife unless a number of fringies step up and we have a golden injury run. I'm worried now, really worried.

[liz]

I've been warning all summer about our lack of depth, and I know a few have been talking it up, but the reality is that our fringe players seem a long way from AFL standard. We'll go into R1 having to play some of these fringies and injuries will only exacerbate the problem.

Don't expect K Jack to be playing forward, he'll be very much needed in the middle.

Here's a list of players (still) available for R1, I think you may be surprised how short the list of proven AFL standard players is.

Kennedy, Franklin, Rampe, Hannebery, Parker, Mills, Grundy, Tippett, Reid, K Jack, Jones, Smith, Naismith, Lloyd, Hewett, that's 15 so we need another 7! Then we get into Laidler, Towers, Cunningham who are ok but still only up to 18 now, still need another 4! Really unproven types now, Robbo, Marsh, Foote, Talia and yet to debut players.

Not the time to be experimenting with Rampe in midfield as we need all we can down back for stability.

We could be in real strife unless a number of fringies step up and we have a golden injury run. I'm worried now, really worried.

Firstly, what is the point of worrying? The list (and the injury situation) is what the list is. That's what the club has to work with in 2017. For me, it's exciting to see what might unfold. Isn't that a huge part of the fun of following the sport? That we don't - and can't - know what is about to unfold?

Secondly, our top handful of players are remarkably consistent when uninjured. There's a bit of a cloud over Parker at the moment but he's got the runs on the board to suggest he'll get into the swing of things soon enough. Kennedy, Franklin, Hannebery, Rampe, plus the next group - Grundy, Smith, Lloyd - rarely play much below their capability. They all had very consistent seasons last year and, sure, we'll need them to this year but it's more than likely they'll pick up where they left off.

Mills and Jones show signs of improvement over last year, and Heeney will deliver, too, when he returns. He may not quite hit the heights this year that we'd been hoping for, but he'll be a solid contributor at least.

Our ruck stocks seem healthy enough. Tippo's actually pretty consistent himself when he's not injured, and while he probably will get injured at some point (partly because he's a ruckman and partly because he's just Tippo), I think the other three look like they can play a role. The competition between them should push them on.

Sure, we need players to stand up and fill the last half dozen or so spots in the team but we did this time last year, and the likes of Hewett and Papley delivered in spades, with OK contributions also from the likes of Allir, Robinson, Marsh and some others. I reckon there's a big enough group of players who've been in the system long enough and have developed solidly, to be confident that, as a group, they can contribute as the season unfolds.

And if they don't? Well, we won't win the premiership but we'll have fun watching, and then the squad will regather, regroup and plan for 2018. I'm just looking forward to the ride, as I am on the eve of every season. Bring it on.

[Mel_C]

My reaction to the news about the glandular fever is - don't expect Isaac to be playing a major part, if any, this season.

Hope I'm wrong.

Does anyone have any info on other "elite" sportspeople recovering from glandular fever?

I agree with this based on family and friends that have had glandular fever. It takes months to recover just to regain energy for normal life let alone playing football.

Hopefully being a very fit sportsman helps the recovery process.

Poor Heeney [emoji22] .

[YvonneH]

Heeney has been diagnosed with glandular fever (per the Swans' website), opening up another spot in the middle or up forward for a youngster. Shame for the team, but hopefully he can recover quickly and make a come back not too far into the season.

Does glandular fever strike more 'athletes' than 'ordinary' people? It seems we have had our fair share of this illness i.e. Reg a couple of years ago. Any more players that anyone know about?

[caj23]

My reaction to the news about the glandular fever is - don't expect Isaac to be playing a major part, if any, this season.

Hope I'm wrong.

Does anyone have any info on other "elite" sportspeople recovering from glandular fever?

Don't have any info on elite sports people but it does depend on the severity of the virus. I had it when I was around Issac's age and it knocked my about very badly (i.e. months), however I know a teenager who had it a few weeks ago and he seems fine now

[Dosser]

I had it when I was a boy and couldnt get out of my bed for 6 weeks. I was then told that I couldnt play with the other kids for about another 2 months after that as overexertion could be dangerous.

[Auntie.Gerald]

I was in bed 2 weeks struggling to read

Sluggish next 2 weeks - struggled to ride my bike to school 7kms away

On the way up next 2 weeks

This was at 18yrs of age

Heeney will come back and be a surge of fire come round 6 to 8 and just what we need

Ironically our fringe players will get so much experience and we can cover them

I think a few of us will get a shock at what we will witness in the first few Rounds

It's time !!!

Mills into midfield rotation for sure

Marshy laids melican and hopefully Edwards in the backline rotation with ramps Grundy and smithy

AA and Macca to join in soon in the backs

[Auntie.Gerald]

Not talked about but I would not discount Brandon getting a spot upfront and towers playing a split role upfront and on the wing

Brandon in his small minutes appeared to simplify his disposals and movements in the pre season game

He could easily play the pressure forward role for a few rounds in snrs

Brandon Jack - sydneyswans.com.au

[Auntie.Gerald]

i think we have the fire power still on board to dominate and the emerging depth players to cover

SNRS revised :

given we have two weeks this weekend and given we start at the small oval of the SCG against Port I think AA and kizza will return to playand be fit enough to run out the game

Parker looked so much fitter in his second game against gws

Lloyd and Edwards in the backline rotation

Out = Heeney, Macca, Rohan, papley

Rd 1 =

Robinson, Reid, Towers
Kizza, Bud, Hewett

Tippo
Kennedy (C)
Jones
Parker
Hannes
Lloyd

Smithy, AA, Mills
Rampe, Grundy, Swampy

19. FOOTE
20. Naismith
21. BrandonJ
22. EDWARDS

Excited Emergencies :

Fox
Tailia
Melican
Laidler
Florent
Hayward
Rose
Cameron

[Old S.M.Blood]

Heaney Sick

Reported 7 News Melb . Heeney has glandular fever Not sure if he will play first round.

[crackedactor]

I think it can vary on how Glandular fever affect various people. For some it mild, for others it can be almost life changing. I always remember for my School days when we had the best footballer in the school district, already signed by St Kilda, got glandular fever and he was never the same. I hope Isaac does not have the same fate.

[ugg]

Grundy and Naismith are two Swans who suffered from Glandular Fever in recent times and they've recovered well from it.

[The Big Cat]

I got a bad case of GF (Glandular Fever) about 40 years ago and I still think I'm debilitated by it. Even worse, I had a bad case of GF (Grand Final) last year and I'll never get over it!