Expectations for 2021 season

[Bangalore Swans]

Since it’s the Sunday afternoon 3.20pm game, does that mean that BT will get to call Rowbottom? Hoping there are plenty of “Wow Wees” and “Boy oh Boys” for Rowbottom. If BT came up with some more slogans, he could have his own language taught in high school.

[TheBloods]

At least some of us notice (read: a lot of us).

How Swans young gun James Rowbottom is taking over the midfield mantle

This part is interesting.

'Rowbottom is arguably one of the most underrated talents to come out of the famed 2018 NAB AFL Draft and is already looking like a bargain as pick No.25, but he is sure his best is yet to come.

"I just want to get better, I'm probably never going to be satisfied with how I'm playing," Rowbottom said.'

Who'd have thought that TheBloods and RB would find common ground?

Reckon whoever wrote that should of waited til the game was played this arvo before publishing that headline

Only midfield mantle he'll be taking over is the one in our VFL team

[mcs]

The campaigner campaigning again to his echo chamber. Give it a rest already.

Back on topic, we got a win we really needed to get today, and really should feel confident of winning our next two. Tough run after the bye, but top 8 from here should be a bare minimum.

[Mark26]

The campaigner campaigning again to his echo chamber. Give it a rest already.

Back on topic, we got a win we really needed to get today, and really should feel confident of winning our next two. Tough run after the bye, but top 8 from here should be a bare minimum.

Agree that the quasi-trolling is getting tiresome.

Agreed wholeheartedly about the win. I hope we put away the Saints next week. If the past couple of weeks are anything to go by, we'll give them a little headstart and try to play catch ups.

[dejavoodoo44]

Agree that the quasi-trolling is getting tiresome.

Agreed wholeheartedly about the win. I hope we put away the Saints next week. If the past couple of weeks are anything to go by, we'll give them a little headstart and try to play catch ups.

I wonder where it will be played? I sort of hope that it will remain at Marvel, as we often play well there.

[Thunder Shaker]

The top six is starting to look settled. The teams in the top six have been the same now for a month.

Round 8: Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Brisbane Lions, Sydney.
Round 9: Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Geelong, Brisbane Lions, Port Adelaide, Sydney.
Round 10: Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, Geelong, Brisbane Lions, Port Adelaide, Sydney.
Round 11: Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Brisbane Lions, Geelong, Port Adelaide, Sydney.

Sydney are the only side with seven wins. Sydney are a game and percentage behind fifth and a game and percentage ahead of seventh. Next two games are St Kilda and Hawthorn, then the bye.

The bottom part of the eight is more fluid. West Coast and Richmond are vulnerable with four sides below them only one win behind. Next week's games include Carlton vs West Coast and Richmond vs Essendon - two games that will play a big role shaping the bottom part of the eight.

[MattW]

We look the sixth or seventh best team at the moment - sixth on the ladder and sixth best percentage, but injury ridden Tigers behind us.

Reckon we had 18 of our best 22 out there today, with the following to come back in:
- Hickey (for Sinclair)
- Reid (for McLean)
- Gulden (for Stephens)
- Fox (for Brand).

It is pretty even up the top. We should give a contest against all teams, particularly if Heeney and Franklin can stay fit.

[stevoswan]

Reckon whoever wrote that should of waited til the game was played this arvo before publishing that headline

Only midfield mantle he'll be taking over is the one in our VFL team

You miss a lot.

[TheBloods]

You miss a lot.

Did you see him play ? Were you there ? Because he was atrocious. I have low expectations of him and he failed to even meet them . 14 possessions none of them standouts for a 3rd year onballer is nowhere near good enough and his footy smarts or lackof should be indefensible

Lets say im wrong about him though and he does become a star, hes miles off that at this point , as of rd 11 2021 hes a very very average player who does some nice things from time to time. So its just @@@@@@@ stupid to publish a headline saying hes taking over the midfield mantle ! He hasnt taken over anything yet , not even Chad has ! Our co captains saved his bacon today and spared him being exposed by how not up to the level he currently is ! Thank christ hes not actually taking over the mantle or our midfield would be at an all time low

[Bangalore Swans]

Did you see him play ? Were you there ? Because he was atrocious. I have low expectations of him and he failed to even meet them . 14 possessions none of them standouts for a 3rd year onballer is nowhere near good enough and his footy smarts or lackof should be indefensible

Lets say im wrong about him though and he does become a star, hes miles off that at this point , as of rd 11 2021 hes a very very average player who does some nice things from time to time. So its just @@@@@@@ stupid to publish a headline saying hes taking over the midfield mantle ! He hasnt taken over anything yet , not even Chad has ! Our co captains saved his bacon today and spared him being exposed by how not up to the level he currently is ! Thank christ hes not actually taking over the mantle or our midfield would be at an all time low

I see a roll for Rowbottom in the midfield of the future. It’s obvious that mid age midfield players like Florent and Mills are more talented than Rowbottom. It’s obvious that younger midfielders like J-Mac, Chad, Guldon, Stephens and even Blakey are more talented than Rowbottom.

Rowbottom is ideal for these more talanted players around him. He’ll tackle, pressure do the defensive stuff and will win plenty of hardball. When he does win the hardball he’ll feed it back through handball and short kicks to these more talented players so these talented players can go to work. He is like the Pujara of the Indian batting team. Plays his roll so that the more attacking players can do their thing.

[TheBloods]

I see a roll for Rowbottom in the midfield of the future. It’s obvious that mid age midfield players like Florent and Mills are more talented than Rowbottom. It’s obvious that younger midfielders like J-Mac, Chad, Guldon, Stephens and even Blakey are more talented than Rowbottom.

Rowbottom is ideal for these more talanted players around him. He’ll tackle, pressure do the defensive stuff and will win plenty of hardball. When he does win the hardball he’ll feed it back through handball and short kicks to these more talented players so these talented players can go to work. He is like the Pujara of the Indian batting team. Plays his roll so that the more attacking players can do their thing.

He doesnt win hard ball though Has only had double digits for contested possessions once this year and that was round 1. More concerning is that he doesnt seem to have the footy iq to win those hard balls in the first place , watch him and hes got NFI how to position himself to get the ball he could spend a full rotation usually about 5-6 minutes in and around the stoppages without even getting a touch ! And his tackle numbers are high of course because he is so bloody slow that his opponent gets to the ball before he does - your tackle numbers will always be high if you're always second to every ball !

I wasnt convinced by him last year but i at least thought there might be something to work with there but this year being surrounded by others its just obvious the gulf in talent between him and the rest like Mills, Florent, Jmac, Chad, Gulden etc is too huge. We need to just cut our losses here stop wasting RB's and our time, play Hewett in there for the rest of the year he is no more than a solid player but will do a lot better than RB at winning hard balls . Then end of the year hit the draft hard for a dynamic young mid to work with Mills, Chad, Florent etc in the future

[Bangalore Swans]

He doesnt win hard ball though Has only had double digits for contested possessions once this year and that was round 1. More concerning is that he doesnt seem to have the footy iq to win those hard balls in the first place , watch him and hes got NFI how to position himself to get the ball he could spend a full rotation usually about 5-6 minutes in and around the stoppages without even getting a touch ! And his tackle numbers are high of course because he is so bloody slow that his opponent gets to the ball before he does - your tackle numbers will always be high if you're always second to every ball !

I wasnt convinced by him last year but i at least thought there might be something to work with there but this year being surrounded by others its just obvious the gulf in talent between him and the rest like Mills, Florent, Jmac, Chad, Gulden etc is too huge. We need to just cut our losses here stop wasting RB's and our time, play Hewett in there for the rest of the year he is no more than a solid player but will do a lot better than RB at winning hard balls . Then end of the year hit the draft hard for a dynamic young mid to work with Mills, Chad, Florent etc in the future

I respect your opinion. Can you outline reasons why, despite your considered synopsis, that Rowbottom keeps getting picked in the seniors every week and keeps getting favourable media written about him?

Do you think that BT’s influence helps Rowbottom’s positive media coverage?

[NeonBible]

He doesnt win hard ball though Has only had double digits for contested possessions once this year and that was round 1. More concerning is that he doesnt seem to have the footy iq to win those hard balls in the first place , watch him and hes got NFI how to position himself to get the ball he could spend a full rotation usually about 5-6 minutes in and around the stoppages without even getting a touch ! And his tackle numbers are high of course because he is so bloody slow that his opponent gets to the ball before he does - your tackle numbers will always be high if you're always second to every ball !

I wasnt convinced by him last year but i at least thought there might be something to work with there but this year being surrounded by others its just obvious the gulf in talent between him and the rest like Mills, Florent, Jmac, Chad, Gulden etc is too huge. We need to just cut our losses here stop wasting RB's and our time, play Hewett in there for the rest of the year he is no more than a solid player but will do a lot better than RB at winning hard balls . Then end of the year hit the draft hard for a dynamic young mid to work with Mills, Chad, Florent etc in the future

I do and dont agree with you, TheBloods. You have been frank about your views on Rowbottom and in your defense he has not really shown the kind of recent form that would help his case and change your mind! I dont agree that he should be dropped or delisted as you seem to be implying ?? But he does look off the pace and is not using the ball particularly well!

I mentioned last week his lack of aggression, arrogance whatever you want to call it. There were two examples yesterday where he did and didnt have it and it made all the difference. In one play out of a center bounce he bee-lined the ball and gave his opponent a whopper of a hip and shoulder to win the ball. Sent his opponent flying!! It was a genuine 1v1 win out of the middle and he fired off the handball to Chad and we got an inside 50 on the back of it! He wanted that ball more than anyone and he got it! Great stuff!

But the example of him NOT showing that kind of dare came very early in the piece yesterday. He marked uncontested 55m out and with a paddock of space in front of him! Most players with a bit of ego would take that space, run into it and have a shot at goal from about 45m out. This sort of attacking flair has become a signature of Chad's, if the goal is within range he would have a shot. But Paddlebum instead took a step back, hesitated and then pulled his kick then missed his target by a good metre! Just classic uncertainty, a sure sign of a player second guessing himself and not believing in his ability!! If he learns to believe in himself more he can be a different player I believe, TheBloods.

[TheBloods]

I respect your opinion. Can you outline reasons why, despite your considered synopsis, that Rowbottom keeps getting picked in the seniors every week and keeps getting favourable media written about him?

Do you think that BT’s influence helps Rowbottom’s positive media coverage?

His a popular player the media is doing its job writing about the players the fans love. I dont begrudge them and i dont begrudge him , good on him if hes getting attention but you have to back it up on the field on game day. I'd hate for all these puff pieces about him all being for nothing when hes a depth player or tradebait in a few years

[barry]

Rowbottom has been give run-with roles in the last couple of games against bigger stronger opponents (Fyfe, Cripps). So the question on his performance, is not whether he got lots of stats, but did he reduce the stats of those he was playing against?

Whether Rowbottom is the right build, or right player for a run-with role is the question. Maybe its a question of he's the best we've got at the moment.