Changes for R8 v North

[Mug Punter]

Happy with an unchanged lineup, happy that Lurch has been given a taste of NEAFL footy

[Auntie.Gerald]

Wow
Watching a bit of the WC vs Dogs game
We are a long way behind in flexible game style like these two teams let alone our execution

There are some seriously good players that are ahead of ours

[bloodspirit]

First, just wanted to say I'm even more pleased to know that Newman is the travelling emergency. He is the one that most deserves to be picked if there is a late out.

He left out a few other comments:

"We could have played with 15 last week and beaten that rabble, so it's hard to judge whether that 22 deserved to go into this week unchanged".

Blunt and candid comments by Horse, especially this one! I am almost stunned he said it. Teams are generally so careful to respect one another these days that you never hear a comment like this. I guess the game is over and we won't have to play them again this year. Still amazing.


*****

Just watched the video. Can't believe I fell for that! Nice one.

[Ludwig]

He left out a few other comments:

"We did name them last night without any intention of playing them - and have left them as emergencies despite feeling strongly all along that they need to play in the reserves".

"We thought it might be clever to try and throw North out a bit by naming them, but on reflection that only lasted 24 hours, and they still have 48 hours before the game knowing the final 22 we've now named, so maybe it wasn't as clever as it seemed at the time".

"We could have played with 15 last week and beaten that rabble, so it's hard to judge whether that 22 deserved to go into this week unchanged".

Good work Steve.

[Hotpotato]

You take two very good players out of any team like Stringer and Murphy and they struggle to get it done.
The Swans will go well v Norf .

[Bloody Hell]

I love Gaz but there's no way in the world that Towers should make way for him this week.

Towers was great on the weekend and deserves an extended run in the seniors. Gazs last half of uninjured football produced 1 kick, and he wasn't much better in the games prior

Rohan give opposition coaches something to worry about. Towers...not so much.

But he definitely needs some touches...

[grarmy]

Yep, I'd trade him. 1 really good game in more than 80 doesn't cut it. Nor does flashes of brilliance.

Like Reid, he's a tease.

2+

[stevoswan]

I'm delighted. I underestimated the match committee. Great outcome!

Let's make all the players returning to the 22 earn their spots (with the possible exception of Rampe if they think he can come straight back in once he has recovered from his broken arm).

Amazing how a win can settle the selectors sense of panic......

[Hotpotato]

This season is shaping as a fair dinkum lottery . No team is a thoroughly convincing contender for the flag .
C'mon Swans , string a few together, you just never know .

[Ludwig]

For those who think that some of my yakety yak about ruckmen is just a lot of nonsense, take a look at the Adelaide Melbourne game. Melbourne went with journeyman forward Cam Pedersen (a Reg Grundy almost look a like) against one of the best ruckmen in the league in Sam Jacobs. Adelaide won the hitouts 76-29 as you might expect, but Melbourne won the clearances 49-38 and the game as well. Obviously Melbourne went into the game expecting not to get first touch on the ball at stoppages. If you plan for that, you can find effective ways to turn what might seem to be a disadvantage to an advantage.

Winning premierships is about staying ahead of the pack, not doing what everyone else is doing.

[Flying South]

This season is shaping as a fair dinkum lottery . No team is a thoroughly convincing contender for the flag .
C'mon Swans , string a few together, you just never know .

If we win tomorrow and the suns win, we will only be 2 games out of the 8. Too early to be giving up.

[stevoswan]

This season is shaping as a fair dinkum lottery . No team is a thoroughly convincing contender for the flag .
C'mon Swans , string a few together, you just never know .

I've been thinking along those same lines.......

[bloodspirit]

For those who think that some of my yakety yak about ruckmen is just a lot of nonsense, take a look at the Adelaide Melbourne game. Melbourne went with journeyman forward Cam Pedersen (a Reg Grundy almost look a like) against one of the best ruckmen in the league in Sam Jacobs. Adelaide won the hitouts 76-29 as you might expect, but Melbourne won the clearances 49-38 and the game as well. Obviously Melbourne went into the game expecting not to get first touch on the ball at stoppages. If you plan for that, you can find effective ways to turn what might seem to be a disadvantage to an advantage.

Winning premierships is about staying ahead of the pack, not doing what everyone else is doing.

You may yet be proven right but this is not an original idea and, despute this, coaches are aware of it but still prefer to use ruckmen. Without exception all the AFL coaches (including Melbourne/Goodwin) prefer not to use a Cam Pederson type in this role. Somehow I trust that their collective footy wisdom surpasses our own.

Taps are not the only thing a ruck is used for. They also provide that extra tall marking option when you're coming out of defence and other things.

Also I fear that if such a strategy did succeed, the AFL would change the rules to defeat it and protect the 'traditional role of rucks'. Since I first raised this argument I have actually seen it used in the context of whether the AFL should change to a last possession of the ball rule instead of the current deliberate out of bounds interpretation.

P.s. I'm impressed that the Dees won that many hit outs. And that many clearances.

[bloodspirit]

If we win tomorrow and the suns win, we will only be 2 games out of the 8. Too early to be giving up.

Certainly mathematically possible but our form hasn't warranted optimism.

However the change of personnel is a cause for optimism as our first string players return. So you never know.

I'm content to forget about finals for now. Let's see if we win against the 16th placed team today.

[Markwebbos]

This season is shaping as a fair dinkum lottery . No team is a thoroughly convincing contender for the flag .
C'mon Swans , string a few together, you just never know .

It's definitely the most even year I can remember. It does feel that anything is possible. First step the Swans need to play better and beat North.