Changes for Round VII Lions

[waswan]

Clarke touted as one of the fittest players all preseason yet playing the least minutes ?
Mills still in defence with a terrible midfield
Lloyd still deep and ineffective

Some real head scratching stuff in that coaches box

[Swanny40519]

I think we also need to look at our game style along with personnel changes.

For sure Ronke, Clarke and maybe one more need to go back to NEAFL. I would add Cameron, COR and possibly Stoddard/Rose to give us more pace (which we desperately need).

We need to move the ball more quickly and yes I know we will make mistakes, but we have to change the style of our game. The Bloods football of the past is gone and now we have a much younger group, our older players are mostly injured or out of form, and all the other AFL teams have changed their game plans and we are being left way behind.

Hopefully Horse is up for the changes, but if not then the club should look elsewhere at the end of the year for a coach that can deliver the required changes.

[waswan]

We were once the club that found gems from other clubs nowadays
Hawks get a Brownlow medallist off us who was lowballed (understandably at the time)
Newman doing well running off the HBF kinda where we suck
Rohan killing it in a team that isolates him deep with quick ball movement

[aardvark]

Out. Ronke, Clarke. Clarke should be banished to the lower depths of the NEAFL never to return.

Ins. COR, Rose, but only if they're going to play him as a mid, or Stoddart.

[waswan]

Longmire should lobby to change the 6 6 6 to 2 3 13
Fwd line us shambles
Midfield is a 5yr apprenticeship
Happy to play everyone as a stationary defender

[707]

Clarke 11 disposals @ 27% "efficiency". There was a reason he wasn't getting games last year at LOLNorf, we are now seeing why. Only possible role would be as an endurance tagger. You cannot possibly leave him in the seniors at the expense of a developing player.

Time to rethink how we line up, if we need a major reshuffle let's do it because the season is gone. Mills into the mids where he trained all summer. COR & Fox to the backline. Ronke has to go back to redevelop his game, why not try Wicks? he has obviously looked good in recent NEAFL games, get him in while he's hot.

Just accept we're gone and start 2020 now! You listening match committee?

[Ludwig]

We are missing the value of having a small defender like Nick Smith. Lloyd is a playmaker, but not a good defender. We don't see Cunningham in the back line regularly, but he seems a better defender than Lloyd.

I think bringing in COR is a must. He brings a bit more defence as well as rebound. I've said before, that I would prefer seeing Lloyd in the midfield (wing); I think we can use a good link man through the middle where things seems to be breaking down for us.

I've been impressed with Stoddart's defensive skill. We haven't seen much, but he seems a good one on one defender and has great closing speed. He's a bit skinny, but doesn't play skinny. I'd bring him in this week as well.

Clarke and Ronke are the most obvious ones to drop. There could be others. I would continue to play Rowbottom.

Clarke 11 disposals @ 27% "efficiency". There was a reason he wasn't getting games last year at LOLNorf, we are now seeing why. Only possible role would be as an endurance tagger. You cannot possibly leave him in the seniors at the expense of a developing player.

The strange thing is that Clarke was getting games at North. He played 19 of 22 games last year, up from 15 in 2017, with close to 20 disposals a game. So why did NM let him go for next to nothing? We can see why. His disposal is terrible. Perhaps it was worth the risk of picking him up, but he has to improve his disposal before he can play senior footy.

[liz]

The strange thing is that Clarke was getting games at North. He played 19 of 22 games last year, up from 15 in 2017, with close to 20 disposals a game. So why did NM let him go for next to nothing? We can see why. His disposal is terrible. Perhaps it was worth the risk of picking him up, but he has to improve his disposal before he can play senior footy.

They seemed to be playing him in mostly an outside role, where disposal skills are a bit more critical. I don't pay that much attention to North, but I thought when he first emerged he was a genuine ball winner, rather than an outside user. They got upgrades over the offseason for those outside roles in Hall, Polec and Pittard (questionable).

I haven't written him off yet. It can't be easy coming into a new side as an emerging but experienced player trying to make your mark, particularly in a team down on confidence and a bit dysfunctional. I do think there's merit in letting him learn a bit more about the Swans style of play in the NEAFL for a few weeks, with no expectation of immediately trying to win a midfield spot back. On the evidence of Saturday, I'd much prefer someone like Fox to get a chance in Clarke's role (whatever that is, exactly).

[waswan]

sounds about right
Like what he did as an inside mid and play him as an outside mid

[Markwebbos]

Firstly, after Horse's press conference, I am prepared to cut him and the team some slack. He finally admitted, in his own words, that we need to lower our expectations with such a young, developing team. So I'm officially writing this year off, and accepting the Swans aren't going to be as competitive as we'd like in 2019.

It's a year of development, to figure out what's what with the list, and I suspect the game plan too.

That doesn't mean chucking every player over 30 out of the team, but I think some older players may be less likely to get a game in this scenario.

I'm all in favour of:

* (as others suggested) playing Cameron for the next 4-6 weeks until Naismith comes along, which would give us a more experienced forward line when Sinkers is in it.
* dropping Clarke, and giving his spot to COR to share with Mills or let Mills move directly to the midfield. I wonder if Mills is frustrated with how he is being played, and its affecting his performance.
* dropping Ronke, not sure who gets his spot, probably Rose.
* sticking with Rowbottom, he looks like he belongs already
* playing Cunningham in defence.

OUT: Ronke, Clarke, Blakey
IN: Rose, COR, Cameron

[MattW]

They seemed to be playing him in mostly an outside role, where disposal skills are a bit more critical. I don't pay that much attention to North, but I thought when he first emerged he was a genuine ball winner, rather than an outside user. They got upgrades over the offseason for those outside roles in Hall, Polec and Pittard (questionable).

I haven't written him off yet. It can't be easy coming into a new side as an emerging but experienced player trying to make your mark, particularly in a team down on confidence and a bit dysfunctional. I do think there's merit in letting him learn a bit more about the Swans style of play in the NEAFL for a few weeks, with no expectation of immediately trying to win a midfield spot back. On the evidence of Saturday, I'd much prefer someone like Fox to get a chance in Clarke's role (whatever that is, exactly).

I understood they were playing him as a rebounding defender.

Clarke rapt to be back - NMFC.com.au
Swans recruit ready to fill vacant Hannebery role - AFL.com.au

[waswan]

Id say with a Disposal eff of less than 30% he is doing perfect in the Hannabery role

[AnsweredPrayers]

Let’s all be honest

2019 is a rebuilding season

Let’s measure progress rather then results if we want to enjoy this season

We can all see how dependant we are on a full squad and experienced players being out on the ground

It appears due to significant injuries we are fast tracking certain players into roles they are growing into massively

We have -

1. Oli learning how to play as a true inside outside mid

2. Jones playing inside more so then outside and letting of his HBF role

3. McCartin learning how to play as a true defender as well as helping up in the forward line

4. Thurlow playing an intercept role off HBF in a new team with a fairly brittle backline right now

5. Papley adapting to playing more midfield minutes

6. Rowbottom definitely learning but like Parker, Mills and Heeney young Rowbottom should be given a decent amount of runs in snrs to help our hunt and aggression on the contested ball

7. Blakey - learning his craft which is bloody hard for a 18yr old skinny tall in ur first season and if we want him good for 2020 we need to perisher with him in snrs I feel / Menzel will put pressure on blakey and or ronke I feel but for now blakey

8. Dawson - definitely progressing and I’m happy he is being given game time in a season that really is about rebuilding in the snrs with new players new roles

9. Melican - finding his feet again with only 20 something games two years ago

10. AA - 30 game player now becoming a key defender and a true voice in the backline

Etc

I truly feel it’s time to give COR the role that Mills plays and let Mills get more midfield minutes now - even if only 50/50

Mills is not that good in the role he plays off HBF - I mean look at the way the gws backline counter attacks. Mills should be a genuine 50/50 midfield / HBF......... not just a HBF

GWS just moved so quickly out of their backline that it puts so much pressure on our defence to reset

We need to create that pressure also on the opposition

That means we need to rotate thru our backline some more exit speed

In : COR
Out : Clarke

I will persist with Blakey given we are rebuilding for 2019 and given buddy carrying a hammy

Maybe give him a rest here and there and or give him some more time off HBF using his field kicking and height and run

I agree this is a rebuilding season. Blakey is averaging a goal a game. If he lifts a bit might finish with 30 goals for the year. Learning on the job with an ok return. I'd only drop him if I felt he was losing confidence.

[Jeynez]

I guess it is good to see that we are trying a different game plan at the very least, which is why we are seeing higher turnover goals by going through the corridor, compared to the boundary line in 2017-18.

This is the best crop of young players we have had in years though, so we only need to rejuvenate our list and work out the best structures and who fits into our best 22 for next year. But Mills really needs to get midfield time this year though, his talent is being wasted in his current role.

[liz]

I understood they were playing him as a rebounding defender.

Clarke rapt to be back - NMFC.com.au
Swans recruit ready to fill vacant Hannebery role - AFL.com.au

Which I would classify as a mostly outside role.