Match Day Rnd.4 West Coast V Sydney. Domain Stadium 20.10 pm.

[WauchopeAnalyst]

It's a misconception to think if we replace an out of form experienced player with an in form inexperienced player that we are going to somehow be worse off. Freo had 2 bad losses and looked hopeless, then made 6 changes, dropping several veterans, and now have gone on to win 2 successive games against highly favoured sides. We've lost 4 in a row. If something is not working, is the answer to leave it alone?

As for next week, I don't think we can drop Reg anyway because GWS will play 3 big forwards in Cameron, Patton and Lobb. Even if we bring in Melican, who played well against Patton in the JLT series, we will still be undersized against that trio.

Interesting point Ludwig. Do you think that Freo are playing the same way with different players and now winning.????

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[RogueSwan]

It's a misconception to think if we replace an out of form experienced player with an in form inexperienced player that we are going to somehow be worse off. Freo had 2 bad losses and looked hopeless, then made 6 changes, dropping several veterans, and now have gone on to win 2 successive games against highly favoured sides. We've lost 4 in a row. If something is not working, is the answer to leave it alone? ...

And has nothing to do with two of the leagues best midfielders, in Fyfe and Neale, finding top form and dragging their team along with them?
And the players they brought in, although more inexperienced, still had 130 odd games between them, quite different to debutantes.

[WauchopeAnalyst]

SPOILER: FREO have changed there defensive game style and are now they scored OVER 100 points today. We have the 'Last Mohican' as our coach.

There are simply are asking for 1 on 1 defence. Spread early to set up. Quick ball movement.

The perfect example of the difference occured in the Freo, Demons game. Oliver gets a free about 60m out but there is a little lag for the ball to come back. The Freo forwards were all running back toward the Demons goal and Stephen Hill holds up 2 hands and tells them to stay out and go forward. Freo get a turnover and got the ball out easily as they had forwards to kick to and not 1 on 3, like us.

They only got caught when 2 or 3 players all go to one player, most times it was 'Cleatus' or lack of communication and the Demons got to the outside quickly, due to have free players.

Simple footy. Ask each player to beat their man and Freo won. Oh they also have a lot of inexperience players. No excuses with them.



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[bodgie]

Reg starts every year bumbling and fumbling, the mob calls for demotion, but he ends each year close to All Australian standard. Without Sir Rampelot to the rescue he looks worse this early in the season but he will come good. Dropping him would be counter productive for the whole team.

[Flying South]

+1. This talk of bringing in rookies to replace him is just crazy.

[Ludwig]

Reg starts every year bumbling and fumbling, the mob calls for demotion, but he ends each year close to All Australian standard. Without Sir Rampelot to the rescue he looks worse this early in the season but he will come good. Dropping him would be counter productive for the whole team.

I start every year bumbling and fumbling too ................................. and stay that way all year round. Why should Reg be any different?

[Billericay]

I start every year bumbling and fumbling too ................................. and stay that way all year round. Why should Reg be any different?

Based on (1) past experience and (2) the fact he's a professional athlete and you're not?

[Sandrevan]

Wauchope, you've nailed my fear precisely on the head with that comment. I really do wonder if Longmire is going to be able to transform our gameplan, as the changing style of AFL footy is going to demand. Contested ball is no longer the king it was, and you can't make up for a slow midfield by having lots of contested ball kings. If I was a Hawks fan, despite the clear holes developing in their list, I'd be confident their coach knows how to adapt to the way footy is going (being driven by the Commission and its rule changes I might add). I can't say I'm confident Longmire will manage the same.

He has been an enormous part of our clubs success, but I wonder if Longmire will be able to reinvent our game plan as the game moves in an uncomfortable direction. Our style of footy is no longer being rewarded in the way it once was.

I have to agree with this.

[Sandrevan]

If we are going to rise from the ashes, Tom will be an essential part of the picture. He is exactly the kind of forward we have lacked and I enjoy his intensity, skill, sense of position and willingness to back himself.

And he's only a second year player off the rookie list. He showed us a lot last year so we just expect that to continue this year. I hope he does.

[Sandrevan]

I don't have Foxtel so I listened to the call on MMM. It was SO bad - incredibly one-sided. Andrew Embley was doing the 'special comments'. Whenever the Swans made a mistake he dwelt on it and then went on an on about how the WCE midfield were getting on top. it was truly nauseous.

About the game...what really stood out was the amount of turnovers. "Smith kicks a wobbly old kick out of defence straight to Gaff". Without seeing any of it the game and listening to the rubbish served up by Dennis Cometti I could tell our defence was poor. Like others have said we really missed Rampe and McVeighs finger pointing may actually be useful sometimes. When we got to 6 points down in Q4 the crowd started to get going - reminding the umpires that the home team needed to win. I knew it was all over then.
Yes, the Swans contested/stoppage kind of game is now passe. The AFL wants a free flowing game because it's more entertaining. So, we need to adjust to this. I don't see why it's such a problem as other teams are doing this quite easily eg Freo last week against the WB. Getting our injured players back could help but the Swans need to change the game plan. What happened to the Swans of the semi-final and the Prelim final of 2016?

[Ludwig]

Wauchope, you've nailed my fear precisely on the head with that comment. I really do wonder if Longmire is going to be able to transform our gameplan, as the changing style of AFL footy is going to demand. Contested ball is no longer the king it was, and you can't make up for a slow midfield by having lots of contested ball kings. If I was a Hawks fan, despite the clear holes developing in their list, I'd be confident their coach knows how to adapt to the way footy is going (being driven by the Commission and its rule changes I might add). I can't say I'm confident Longmire will manage the same.

He has been an enormous part of our clubs success, but I wonder if Longmire will be able to reinvent our game plan as the game moves in an uncomfortable direction. Our style of footy is no longer being rewarded in the way it once was.

I don't always agree with Longmire, especially when it comes to how he plays ruckmen, but there is a big divide in that regard among coaches and commentators. However, I do get the impression that Longmire has already committed to changing our game plan and has proven it by his actions.

He traded a proven contested ball winner in Mitchell in order to get another high draft pick. We took 2 speedy and mobile players in Florent and Hayward with our first 2 picks. We traded Nankervis and replaced him with a more mobile ruck-forward in Darcy Cameron. In fact, all 9 drafted players last year are quite mobile and some a very quick indeed. This alone shows his intention of transforming to a game style based on quicker ball movement.

Our defence has been staunch but slow in the past, but this too is changing. Recent additions Aliir, Newman and Marsh all have good pace. Melican appears close to a senior debut. Laidler is a reliable defender but has lost his spot seemingly due to lack of pace. Reg is the only holdover from the slow brigade. Once Rampe returns we should see much quicker ball movement out of defence.

I am not really sure what Swans' game plan some are referring too which is out of date. I think we are looking at a JPK, Parker and Hewett being the core of our on ball group, but supported by lots of others rotating through the midfield. Expect to see not only forwards taking turns in the midfielders, but defenders as well. Newman has already been at several stoppages in the midfield.

I agree that Clarko has been the best coach in the past decade, but he's the one who seems to have lost the plot. He's sold the farm to bring in 2 midfielders who are big possession winners, but not know for speed or precision kicking. He also brought in a lazy error prone forward in Tyrone Vickery. Even coaches with stellar reputations can find that the game has passed them by. Mick Malthouse was one of the most highly decorated coaches when he left Collingwood and went on to ruin Carlton and has probably set them back 10 years.

[Markwebbos]

I agree that Clarko has been the best coach in the past decade, but he's the one who seems to have lost the plot. He's sold the farm to bring in 2 midfielders who are big possession winners, but not know for speed or precision kicking. He also brought in a lazy error prone forward in Tyrone Vickery.

I always wonder how important Chris Fagan was to Clarko's success as a coach OR how much Hawthorn will miss having him around? He left right before they made those highly questionable list management decisions. Would Mitchell and Lewis have left for virtually nothing if he was still there?

[Legs Akimbo]

Watched the game in full on replay. Noticeable was that we were consistently second to the ball. Equally when disposing we were generally under pressure. The team just seems to be not working hard enough on the spread and missing 1 percenters when in possession eg blocking and leading up the ground etc. Allir played way too loose which i think put pressure on reg. I sort of hope he gets demoted yo work on his defensive game with melican coming in.

[MattW]

Watched the game in full on replay. Noticeable was that we were consistently second to the ball. Equally when disposing we were generally under pressure. The team just seems to be not working hard enough on the spread and missing 1 percenters when in possession eg blocking and leading up the ground etc. Allir played way too loose which i think put pressure on reg. I sort of hope he gets demoted yo work on his defensive game with melican coming in.

Yeah, Aliir conceded a fair few marks on leads against Collingwood as well, but intercepted well and was so dynamic with the ball that it was sort of overlooked. I don't remember that being such an issue for him last year. Some ineffective punch attempts too. I don't know a massive amount about Melican, but it feels we need a genuine tall defender, hard to move, with a reliable spoil both in marking contests and on the lead (Rampe almost never concedes marks). I disagree that Aliir should be demoted, though. I feel these defensive issues are solvable and we need his dynamism in attack.

I agree with you about work-rate. Lloyd and Jones are working hard. Not enough others. Suspect part of that is a lack of leadership and youth. We need Hannebery in particular to snap out of his slump and nail a couple of big games, inspire others.

[Billericay]

Yeah, Aliir conceded a fair few marks on leads against Collingwood as well, but intercepted well and was so dynamic with the ball that it was sort of overlooked. I don't remember that being such an issue for him last year. Some ineffective punch attempts too. I don't know a massive amount about Melican, but it feels we need a genuine tall defender, hard to move, with a reliable spoil both in marking contests and on the lead (Rampe almost never concedes marks). I disagree that Aliir should be demoted, though. I feel these defensive issues are solvable and we need his dynamism in attack.

Feels like the ideal role for Aliir is as a spare defender or worst case on the third tall. He does seem to have dropped a lot more marks this year than last.