Swans Selections for round 1

[Ludwig]

I don't think you can really get away with insisting that "we will need Reg, Melican and Aliir to play rounds 2 and 3 ..." given that Rampe plays tall. And given we went OK (admittedly we conceded 15 marks inside 50, of which 10 were to tall players) against GWS last week without 3 of those 4 "tall" defenders - Rampe, Reg or Aliir. If you put Reg and Rampe into last week's side, I think it would go OK v GWS.

I'm really no clearer at all on the Aliir conundrum. There's been a lot of talk about finding a role for him in the team this year, but it's still not clear where it is. I'm more inclined toward your suggestion of playing AA and Deano in the ruck and leaving out Sinkers that playing him in defence.

After the Freo shellacking I'm probably feeling overconfident of our chances v WCE first up. It's definitely a game we need to win.

We really have to look to cover 4 talls with these 2 teams, so 2 + Rampe is one short. One problem with Sinkers is that he's more a natural forward, albeit a mediocre one. He's not a good defender and would have problems covering a Ryder or Lobb. If Aliir plays in the ruck, and I agree with you that this is preferred, we have a natural defender to go with their ruckman. It also solves the problem of who goes out if Reg plays. But we still need to eventually find room for both Macca and Hanners, but we can wait and see on that one.

PA have some big tough midfielders who also play forward, including Robbie Gray, Boak and Powell-Pepper, who will need physical defenders to keep them in check. I'm not sure Harry C is quite up to the task. There's a lot of talent at Port this year.

[O'Reilly Boy]

This is my round 1 selection using my own categories which doesn't use and interchange bench, but is a 7 x 3 table plus ruckman with new lines for Centre Backs, Midfield, Centre Forwards. I left out Reg in order to give all the other players who had good preseasons a go in round 1 and still have room for Sinclair. This puts off the harder selection decisions for later rounds.

	Player	Player	Player
FB	Melican	Aliir	Rampe
HB	Lloyd	Smith	Newman
CB	Jones	Mills	Harrry-C
MI	Hewett	Kennedy	Parker
CF	Fox	Jack	Heeney
HF	Florent	Papley	Towers
FF	Reid	Rohan	Franklin
Ruck	Sinclair	@

I really like this matrix as a way to understand the possibilities of team structure, and particularly the way in which the CB 'line' reflects a style of play in which run and drive from behind the ball is so important.

I also note the article today on afl.com.au [URL="http://http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-16/swans-set-to-evolve-by-sharing-the-load"] which indirectly quotes Parks claiming that we have "about a dozen players capable of rolling through" the midfield, and which goes on to name Papley, Newman, Jones and Mills as mid-field rotations, as well as Hayward (I'm less convinced).

I'm interested that the article overlooks Hewitt, who I think is destined for an inside mid role. I feel like Hewitt has crept up on us and is now a core member of the team, much as Lloyd a couple of seasons back became a fixture. Thoughts anyone?

[Ludwig]

I'm interested that the article overlooks Hewitt, who I think is destined for an inside mid role. I feel like Hewitt has crept up on us and is now a core member of the team, much as Lloyd a couple of seasons back became a fixture. Thoughts anyone?

Hewett's name was omitted because he's already part of the inside midfield mix. Being 5th in the B&F says he's solidified his position in the team. It's long been my contention that a major factor in the Tom Mitchell trade was to make room for Hewett as an inside midfielder, which has now come to fruition. He's had a strong pre-season and looks to raise his game to another level.

Most of the team plays behind the ball, rolling up and back as dictated by play. Aside from a core 5 or 6 defenders, the rest of the side may find themselves just about anywhere on the ground with the passage of time without a stoppage to reset. Lacking a strong ruck division, it will be in our interest to keep the play going as long as possible without a stoppage, although non centre bounce stoppages have evolved into a simple restart of play without a clear advantage for the ruckman. I think that throw ins now favour a smaller and more agile ruckman.

I noted that Parker flagged the intention of making the stoppages more of a nullification process and 'making it a scrap.' It will be interesting to see how successful this will be when a team specifically goes into the ruck contests expecting to lose the hitout. I believe Luke Beveridge started this a couple of years ago and was picked up by Richmond last year, so we might see the Swans play a bit more like the 2016 Bulldogs, but with nuances that fit the specific talents of team.

Back to Parker's midfield comments, we should see a large group of players prepared to play on the ball, depending on who is closest to a stoppage at the time. I think we have the kind of on field leadership, even from the younger players, that can make this successful.This kind of preparation will also derive benefits from the reduced activity of runners, as it is less dependent on getting positional instructions from the sidelines. Parker's comments are a window to the coaching and preparation going into this season.

I like the trend in the kind of players we are drafting and the evolution of our game style. We've kept the core values of the 2012 premiership team, but are moving toward a more skill and speed based offence. This is the key to being a perennial top 8 side.

[O'Reilly Boy]

Updated injury list on afl.com.au. http://http://www.afl.com.au/news/20...list-preseason

No mention of Dawson or Ling. And thankfully the scare about Lloyd perpetrated on this site earlier in the week appears to be groundless.

[rb4x]

I will believe that Dawson and Ling are not injured when they run out in the NEAFL practice game. Remember Ronke last year did not exist for about two months.

[Ludwig]

I find this quote from Jake Lloyd interesting:

?Hopefully I can help the younger guys like Robbie Fox to take their game to another level.?

.................... considering that Jake is 5 months younger than Robbie.

It comes from a favourable article on McCartin: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/tom...efd61f59e82567

[O'Reilly Boy]

I will believe that Dawson and Ling are not injured when they run out in the NEAFL practice game. Remember Ronke last year did not exist for about two months.

Yes?I didn't write that very well. I have no doubt that they are injured, and am frustrated that the Club doesn't let us know about it. Some players just seem to disappear into the twilight injury zone.

[bloodspirit]

Adam Curley on afl.com.au has Darcy Cameron playing Round 1 ahead of Sinkers: Season preview: Sydney - AFL.com.au. Unless it's due to injury I think they'll give Sinkers first crack. He had some good form late last year and assuming his pre-season has been solid he has his nose in front. But if Cameron does well in the reserves and Sinkers doesn't do so well in the seniors I can see that changing. I do however agree with Curley that Stoddart is more likely to be listed as an emergency than to play round 1. I disagree that they will select Aliir instead of Melican although it would be exciting to be proven wrong. I think Aliir's form, from the little I have seen of it this year, is too inconsistent. His hot patches are great but then he has lapses and I fear his lapses will cost us more than his hot patches will get us. He needs to improve his consistency. While Cunningham may play Round 1, I see him as benchwarming for Hanners. And I'm wondering whether Macca will play this year and, if so, at whose expense.

A propos of nothing in particular, I had the misfortune today of running into a rabid Carlton fan who was bleating about the Swans having an unfair advantage because we effectively have an extra 10% salary cap to everyone else. When I asked him what the *#@! he was talking about he cited COLA (?!) and the Buddy contract (!!!) (which according to him Buddy will not see out and which we won't have to honour). I was so aghast I (literally) called for my partner to save me (annoyingly she "didn't hear" and merely thought I was having a passionate and enthusiastic exchange with a fellow footy fan and I had to extricate myself). Living in Sydney this kind of situation is a rare occurrence for me and I have greater sympathy for those of you in Melbourne and Adelaide (and probably Perth and elsewhere) who have to put up with this sort of stuff more often. What I like about it is that it shows that we are these days regarded as a successful club which is why we inevitably have haters. Just like I hate Hawthorn (especially a significant slice of their fans). Still, at least I respect them.

The irony of this being a Carlton fan when they are the biggest proven salary cap cheats out there wasn't lost on me.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Stoddart could be round 1 bolter - sydneyswans.com.au

[SeanM]

Stoddart could be round 1 bolter - sydneyswans.com.au

It would surprise me.

I think fox, cunningham, newman and florent will probably get selected ahead of him. We have got a tough start to the season. So i assume a mid season debut is more likely.

[Doctor]

Maybe Ling was injured while signing his contract extension.

Sydney?s first-round draft pick, Matt Ling, has committed to the Swans, putting pen to paper on a one-year contract extension.

The 14th overall pick in last year?s AFL Draft will now be a Swan until at least the end of 2020.

Ling extends contract - sydneyswans.com.au

[ernie koala]

I hope the article quoting Horse ..." Hannebery and McVeigh are both possible starters in Perth"....is a smoke screen...

We've been down this, 'half fit players', path before..... with lousy outcomes.

Please Horse play match fit players, you've got plenty to choose from!

[ugg]

Judging on training today McVeigh & Hannebery should be up for selection this week, but don't think both play. Reckon McVeigh plays, Hannebery doesn't. Grundy right to go, Aliir unlikely. Sinclair to ruck @AFLcomau

— Adam Curley (@AdamCurleyMedia) March 20, 2018

[stevoswan]

I hope the article quoting Horse ..." Hannebery and McVeigh are both possible starters in Perth"....is a smoke screen...

We've been down this, 'half fit players', path before..... with lousy outcomes.

Please Horse play match fit players, you've got plenty to choose from!

Another interesting point from that article ( Injured Swans 'putting their case forward' - AFL.com.au ) is the ruck situation, where Horse said this:

"We've got Sinclair who we expect to come back into the team this week and play after rolling his ankle a couple of weeks ago," Longmire said.

"We probably played six or seven games last year with only one ruckman, so we've done that before.

"We were probably thinking of going along those lines anyway, and we'll just have to come up with different ways (to compete in the ruck)."

So, it looks like the Swans coaches have decided the one ruck policy is the way to go.......thankfully!!

[Ludwig]

Jurassic Park Perth - Battle of the Bohemoths

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Ruckasaurus Stretchera

v.

Ruckasaurus Nicnati

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