8 games to go

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  • Auntie.Gerald
    Veterans List
    • Oct 2009
    • 6474

    Swans chat 8 games to go

    So we are two wins ahead of last season at round 15

    We have 8 games to go

    We have seen strong improvements in very young players emerging like Hayward, ronke, Florent, McCartin etc not to forget hewitt has gone to a whole new level and was fantastic vs tigers and has shut down elite players this season

    Hannes
    Rohan
    Jack are all well below where they could be and I do believe they will rise up in season 2018 - only 8 games left

    Reid and Melican to come back ASAP and are very very important players for our structure and flexibility of game plan.........Melican and Reid are not in the same class as Grimes and JR for the tigers but they play a similar important role for us and have been sorely missed

    Not to forget a fit and firing Papley was missed on the weekend

    Tippett, Naismith and Mills gone for season are big outs but we have adjusted well

    But our depth in Newman, marsh, AA, Cameron, Towers, Rose is very good compared to a lot of teams ie they have a little AFL experience and can play a role

    We have just had a touch up from the no1 team Tigers and have had a master class on pressure and capitalising on forced errors

    So how will we respond?

    what?s ur prediction ?

    Where will finish?

    I say we can win 7/8 on the way home........17wins total and playing against only teams below us on the table


    Rd16 Home vs cats?
    Rd 17 away vs North?
    Rd 18 away vs Suns?
    Rd 19 away vs bombers?
    Rd 20 Home vs magpies?
    Rd 21 away vs Melbourne?
    Rd 22 away vs Giants?
    Rd 23 Home vs Hawks?
    Last edited by Auntie.Gerald; 30 June 2018, 06:32 AM.
    "be tough, only when it gets tough"

  • AB Swannie
    Senior Player
    • Mar 2017
    • 1579

    #2
    That is a tough draw and will be a mighty effort to win all 8. We will probably be favourite in all of those games but with the Suns the only pushovers, I think 6 wins is par which gives us a 16-6 record and finishing top 4. The positive is that we will be battle hardened and ready for finals.

    Comment

    • Mountain Man
      Regular in the Side
      • Feb 2008
      • 907

      #3
      What an excellent thought for a thread - taking a longer view than "one game at a time".

      It seems to me we do need to plan this journey (as well as win enough games to qualify). Top 2 gives some advantages, as does top 4, but the introduced 'bye' before the finals has somewhat reduced those advantages.

      Then there is perhaps player management for 8 games.
      1. I agree Reid and Melican need to get good game time, and re-familiarization with the team. How many games in NEAFL and when to the Ones? Are McCartin and Allir played in the meantime as the best potentials for injury cover if a key forward or back are injured?
      2. I think I detect some disappointment with Jack/Rohan/Hannaberry - but that is forever, or a program needed to have them back at time X?
      3. Elsewhere I saw the distances run by McCartin and Florent were in the top 5 of all players Richmond and Sydney. Do they, Haywood and Ronke need some rest or a game with a changed role? Hewitt has been fantastic this year - how is he managing?

      So, we were beaten by Richmond - and I thought beaten by the better team. June form is not conclusive, so there is time to manage the next 8 games to be as prepared as possible to march through September.

      Comment

      • Blood Fever
        Veterans List
        • Apr 2007
        • 4044

        #4
        Originally posted by Mountain Man
        What an excellent thought for a thread - taking a longer view than "one game at a time".

        It seems to me we do need to plan this journey (as well as win enough games to qualify). Top 2 gives some advantages, as does top 4, but the introduced 'bye' before the finals has somewhat reduced those advantages.

        Then there is perhaps player management for 8 games.
        1. I agree Reid and Melican need to get good game time, and re-familiarization with the team. How many games in NEAFL and when to the Ones? Are McCartin and Allir played in the meantime as the best potentials for injury cover if a key forward or back are injured?
        2. I think I detect some disappointment with Jack/Rohan/Hannaberry - but that is forever, or a program needed to have them back at time X?
        3. Elsewhere I saw the distances run by McCartin and Florent were in the top 5 of all players Richmond and Sydney. Do they, Haywood and Ronke need some rest or a game with a changed role? Hewitt has been fantastic this year - how is he managing?

        So, we were beaten by Richmond - and I thought beaten by the better team. June form is not conclusive, so there is time to manage the next 8 games to be as prepared as possible to march through September.

        Reckon we have done really well with a number of young players in the team. It will be a fine line between top 4, top 8 and even just missing out on finals.

        Comment

        • Mountain Man
          Regular in the Side
          • Feb 2008
          • 907

          #5
          I forgot to mention Sinclair?s load over the next 8 weeks. He has done so well but how can we ?manage? him to best effect for September.
          Bringing Cameron in to share the load seems sensible but that would alter the one ruck structure that has served us well and would seemingly be the September option.
          I see match committee selection options as important over the 8 weeks

          Comment

          • neilfws
            Senior Player
            • Aug 2009
            • 1822

            #6
            Just for fun: one tipster has us winning just 2 more to finish 7th!

            Gigs on Twitter: "MY PROJECTED LADDER: GWS will be unlucky to finish 14th with the best percentage in the league, the Saints will be unlucky to miss top spot by half a game and finish 15th, and Port, Collingwood Freo, Essendon and North will be very unlucky to miss the top 8.… https://t.co/L781pwkIYE"

            I wouldn't take the numbers too seriously (and don't knock him, he's a nice guy).

            Comment

            • Go Swannies
              Veterans List
              • Sep 2003
              • 5697

              #7
              Interesting that last week the Swans were playing for top spot and this week it's as if they have been delisted for all the media interest.

              Comment

              • YvonneH
                Senior Player
                • Sep 2011
                • 1141

                #8
                Originally posted by Go Swannies
                Interesting that last week the Swans were playing for top spot and this week it's as if they have been delisted for all the media interest.
                Fine by me.

                Comment

                • barry
                  Veterans List
                  • Jan 2003
                  • 8499

                  #9
                  Its going to be hard to fall out of the top 5 from here, with the break between 5th and 6th 2 games.

                  Just got to try and jockey for as high a finish as possible, and hope MCG tenant clubs dont finish top 2.

                  Comment

                  • mcs
                    Travelling Swannie!!
                    • Jul 2007
                    • 8161

                    #10
                    Originally posted by barry
                    Its going to be hard to fall out of the top 5 from here, with the break between 5th and 6th 2 games.

                    Just got to try and jockey for as high a finish as possible, and hope MCG tenant clubs dont finish top 2.
                    Richmond barring some disaster are nailed on top 2. To be frank I would prefer Collingwood to finish 2nd than any of Port/Wet Toast/Giants , as while they are doing much better this season of course, I'm yet to be convinced they are genuine contenders. Interstate trips to AO or Optus Stadium would be tougher in my opinion.
                    "You get the feeling that like Monty Python's Black Knight, the Swans would regard amputation as merely a flesh wound."

                    Comment

                    • barry
                      Veterans List
                      • Jan 2003
                      • 8499

                      #11
                      Giants are no chance for top 2. They would be very lucky to make top 4.sundays game will determine if they have a chance. Even top 8 is a few hard yards away still.

                      Comment

                      • chammond
                        • Jan 2003
                        • 1368

                        #12
                        Originally posted by mcs
                        Richmond barring some disaster are nailed on top 2. To be frank I would prefer Collingwood to finish 2nd than any of Port/Wet Toast/Giants , as while they are doing much better this season of course, I'm yet to be convinced they are genuine contenders. Interstate trips to AO or Optus Stadium would be tougher in my opinion.
                        Collingwood should beat Brisbane and Fremantle, but the rest of their season looks tough. They'll finish 7th or 8th at best.

                        I took the even money about GWS making the eight, and I think that 50:50 is still about right. Cameron should come back just in time to get them into the finals.

                        Richmond are man-for-man the toughest team in the comp. They intimidated our blokes, especially the youngsters. The two hits that Rohan took were horrific; it felt like the ground shook - how he got up so quickly I'll never know. If it'd been me on the receiving end, they wouldn't have needed a stretcher - they'd have needed a bucket and a wheelbarrow to get me off the ground.

                        The Swans will comfortably make the final 4. We've got a top four team now, plus we've got Mellican, Reid and Papley to come in for the run home. $1.50 is about right.

                        Comment

                        • Mountain Man
                          Regular in the Side
                          • Feb 2008
                          • 907

                          #13
                          I've revived this thread because it seemed so sensible to be thinking further than "one game at a time". Sure, we have to keep winning, but winning into September is also an objective.

                          I would give McCartin a rest for a couple of games. As a young player, he has far exceeded expectations, and he might be crucial for September now Reid is no option. But, a couple of games for Cameron with he and Sinclair sharing the ruck and forward (McCartin) roles seems sensible with the longer viewpoint.

                          Similarly, I would try and rest one or both of Florent and Haywood for a week or two. Robinson and Cunningham are both in the 22 and can step up; COR and Newman are doing OK (or better) and we can win without them

                          Finally, I almost hope Kennedy does not come up this week, and Dawson gets to play a bit in the midfield and a bit forward.

                          6 games to go before the R23 break.

                          Comment

                          • barry
                            Veterans List
                            • Jan 2003
                            • 8499

                            #14
                            No rest. This is the time to cement the finals 22. If u ain't got a game by now, it's next year for you (eg. Cameron)

                            I hope the Irish guy stays in.

                            Comment

                            • Ludwig
                              Veterans List
                              • Apr 2007
                              • 9359

                              #15
                              Originally posted by barry
                              No rest. This is the time to cement the finals 22. If u ain't got a game by now, it's next year for you (eg. Cameron)

                              I hope the Irish guy stays in.
                              Last year Richmond brought in Jacob Townsend and Jack Graham very late in the season and they made a huge impact in the finals.

                              We, on the other hand, omitted to try Dawson and Aliir when they were in form in the reserves and got caught short. When Melican went down with injury we didn't have a replacement with much AFL game time to take his place. We also looked very tired, while Richmond were full of energy.

                              Bringing in a fresh player to spell a tired player late in the season can have its benefits and doesn't mean we are going to sacrifice on the scoreboard.

                              With 6 weeks left, there is still plenty of time to find the best team to take into finals as well as prepare for contingencies, like losing players for the finals due to injury.

                              Right now, we are probably still looking at going into the finals with Hanners, Jack and McVeigh, but I'm not sure they represent the best options given their form so far and our emerging change in playing style.

                              Comment

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