Changes for round 16 v Essendon

[Sandrevan]

I'm a bit surprised the MC have brought Harry back in but I guess they know stuff that we don't

umpires are Jeff Dalgleish, Robert O'Gorman and Andrew Mitchell. The last one is new I think.

Let's get a big crowd of Swans supporters at the MCG tomorrow and give the umpires some 'noise of affirmation'. We haven't beaten Essendon at the MCG for years.

[Markwebbos]

That’s surely more significant than any ruck selection. Both our key forwards are 19yo with barely 50 games between them. Unless Papley kicks 10 goals, I can’t see how we can put together a winning score? If Longmire can conjure a win here, we should just pay him the millions and sign him up for life!

Last time we were also without Buddy but not Sinkers of course. The side included Fox, Kizza and Thurlow (but not Clarke which surprises me) who've been replaced by Cunningham, Ronke, Rowbottom and Rose. I those change outside of the ruck, are improvements (and some would argue Aliir is a better ruck option than Sinclair).

Essendon have also lost their ruckman and Devon Smith from last time.

I reckon Sam Reid will play up forward predominantly and Aliir will do most of the ruck work (although I don't know whether his tank is up to a full game in that role). I wonder if they'll try and give Aliir's role to Dawson rather than McCartin, so Tom can play on Hurley...

Last time they never got their running game going, admittedly on the smaller SCG, this side should be as quick as the last one. I'm quietly optimistic.

[caj23]

The ruck call is an interesting one

Its a little confusing given the drafting of Knoll & McClean, but by the same token Allir can certainly provide a contest and is very agile when the ball hits the ground which could be good on the large MCG. Fingers crossed he doesn't get injured!!

[O'Reilly Boy]

Only one player in the selected 22 is a trade from another club—Josh Kennedy. The rest all draftees or drafted rookies or internationals (COR). I think that's remarkable.

[AnnieH]

I thought they were picking me for the ruck!!!

[Ludwig]

I thought they were picking me for the ruck!!!

Hang in there. You're definitely ahead of Michael Knoll.

[Jeynez]

Last time we were also without Buddy but not Sinkers of course. The side included Fox, Kizza and Thurlow (but not Clarke which surprises me) who've been replaced by Cunningham, Ronke, Rowbottom and Rose. I those change outside of the ruck, are improvements (and some would argue Aliir is a better ruck option than Sinclair).

Essendon have also lost their ruckman and Devon Smith from last time.

I reckon Sam Reid will play up forward predominantly and Aliir will do most of the ruck work (although I don't know whether his tank is up to a full game in that role). I wonder if they'll try and give Aliir's role to Dawson rather than McCartin, so Tom can play on Hurley...

Last time they never got their running game going, admittedly on the smaller SCG, this side should be as quick as the last one. I'm quietly optimistic.

Not having a ruckman definitely hurts the Bombers more than us. Bellchambers was good at tapping the ball to the outside which lets Shiel, Merrett, Heppell etc. run onto it where they have an advantage. If we can make sure the hitouts are to contests our bigger midfielders should be favoured.

[barry]

Zac Clarke is going to have a field day.

[liz]

Zac Clarke is going to have a field day.

I reckon the more often Zac Clarke gets his hands on the ball, the better it will be for us.

[Matty10]

I reckon the more often Zac Clarke gets his hands on the ball, the better it will be for us.

In some respects, this game is a test of the value of a mid-to-low range ruckman versus a pinch-hitting utility. We haven’t had one of these in a while (over the course of a game). It will be interesting to see.

I hope Grant Thomas’s reference to crabs plays out.

[Ralph Dawg]

I'm not worried about the ruck contest. I think whoever gets the tap is over rated. What concerns me is weakening either our defence or attack to cover the ruck, which is why I think either Knolls or Amartey should've come in. Bugger the fact that they're not AFL ready. I suspect Clarke never has been and never will be truly AFL ready and was delisted by Freo!

[MattW]

I reckon the more often Zac Clarke gets his hands on the ball, the better it will be for us.

Yes.

[dimelb]

Heppell's out. Should help us over our losses to some extent.

[caj23]

I’m sorry to just pick on this one comment because there have been a few but I find these types comments quite disrespectful to the medical staff. It is impossible for us as supporters to have the intel. Forget the years of training, education, and experience but consider the amount of gps, strength testing, agility testing, player feedback data that they would have. We have none of that yet are willing to suggest that they are being negligent. The Swans are a process-driven team and I don’t see it any differently with this injury management.

Cunningham back out again this week AB with a recurrence of the groin injury, seems all of that experience, data and testing is no match for common sense

[barry]

Cunningham back out again this week AB with a recurrence of the groin injury, seems all of that experience, data and testing is no match for common sense

Our medical staff are putting in a few howlers lately.