2021 pre-season training

[i'm-uninformed2]

Let’s hope it’s a good sign for Will H.

I think it’s easy to forget just how promising he was in his first two years. A strong and smart mark, a lovely kick and one of the youngest players in the AFL era to reach 50 goals.

Injuries and form got him for a while but he started to show signs again at the back end of last year.

A mid-sized forward who can kick 25-30 goals a year, apply the defensive pressure he did on the stretch home last year and his natural footy smarts make him a real plus.

A nice complement to Papley, Heeney, Wicks and other smaller to mid players rolling through there.

[MattW]

Thanks all for the reports - much appreciated. (One day we'll get a pre-season Swans game down here in Canberra again.)

A few comments based on early reports:

A small/mid forward brigade of Hayward, Heeney and Papley to rove around Reid and McDonald should be really potent. McDonald seems most likely draftee to play first up, given he plays in a position of need.

Mills into the centre should give us good depth and power there, with the aim being for Florent and Blakey to burst free and deliver the ball into the forward line.

Hickey operating as a specialist ruck will be a real help (and bloody relief) and he should be competent there until Naismith is fit. I found it telling that Longmire commented earlier in the pre-season that Sinclair was recruited as a forward-ruck.

McCartin is going to mark the best tall forward each week, which demonstrates his meteoric rise as a defender. They will show faith in Melican, and use Rampe to rebound the ball out of defence.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

I was glad to see live football, and the Tramway Oval is a good place to be. There were maybe 200 people there watching in sunny conditions.

If at least a good proportion of those people were actual spectators, then wow, the Swans have come a very long way in Sydney.

[dejavoodoo44]

If at least a good proportion of those people were actual spectators, then wow, the Swans have come a very long way in Sydney.

And maybe our seasonal body clocks are saying it should already be footy season? I mean, my personal way of measuring time is: super bowl played; then AFL is just about to start. And last year, the first preseason games were played on February 20th.

[TheBloods]

Sorry, it was Blakey who had the surgery. Regardless, performances in February intra clubs are rarely indicative of a seasons performance. Give the guy a chance, particularly after what he delivered last year.

Indeed isolated performances should not warrant scrutiny. But it begs asking if it was one bad performance, or a pattern? Why would he be in the possibles team and not the probables if he had been impressing over the summer?

[Blood Fever]

Indeed isolated performances should not warrant scrutiny. But it begs asking if it was one bad performance, or a pattern? Why would he be in the possibles team and not the probables if he had been impressing over the summer?

Huge assumptions and massively long bows. Or are you psychic?

[wolftone57]

I like a lot about RB and was watching him carefully throughout the match. A late return from surgery could explain a lot because he did seem to lack real purpose which has been a feature of his game.
That said he certainly looked out of sorts and needs to prove his fitness to compete with others pressing more fiercely for a role on the ball. Stephens, in particular, looked to have stepped up and when Campbell was released from his defensive posture he also looked interesting.
Late in the day Sam Gray showed some of the form that made him a regular at Port.
I did not get to see a lot of Barry O’Conner last year (apart from his pre-season running) due to the lack of a reserve grade schedule, but in a number of contests he was paired against Reid, McDonald and McLean and I must say he seems to have made great strides. His positioning, contested play, disposals under pressure and defensive discipline looked polished. Obviously not ready yet but definitely a slow burn.

Yeah and he's 198cm. A true KPP

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[TheBloods]

Huge assumptions and massively long bows. Or are you psychic?

Ok. Yesterday was a one off and he was left out of the best 18 even though he has been impressive on the track.

[wolftone57]

New year, same old targets it seems...

Yeah some old Bloods just wanna see blood. Sometimes people have an off day or are not early morning people. I know I was never happy with an 9:30am game. Hopefully he will be OK to go by season start. He looked pretty good in Match sim and everybody said he was going really well.

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[Nico]

Huge assumptions and massively long bows. Or are you psychic?

Just doesn't like Rowbottom.

[TheBloods]

Just doesn't like Rowbottom.

That is an unfair characterisation. He seems an impressive young man. I do feel he is over rated on this forum. It doesn't matter who it is , if a player who was top 10 in our best and fairest follows it up with a middling preseason i think that is cause for concern and disappointment. We need players taking forward steps not backwards ones

[wolftone57]

If at least a good proportion of those people were actual spectators, then wow, the Swans have come a very long way in Sydney.

Look every Intraclub gets 200 or more. I can remember going with a friend one year and they ran out of food by half time. I mean nothing not even frozen hotdog or sausage rolls. The crowd was far bigger than 200. Same when we play GWS in the whatever company preseason match it is at Blacktown.

It really isn't at Blacktown it's between Seven Hills and Toongabbie and is in the middle of nowhere. If there were not buses I definitely would not go. But the crowds there are quite good. The facilities are pretty good too and you can get a good feed.

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[wolftone57]

That is an unfair characterisation. He seems an impressive young man. I do feel he is over rated on this forum. It doesn't matter who it is , if a player who was top 10 in our best and fairest follows it up with a middling preseason i think that is cause for concern and disappointment. We need players taking forward steps not backwards ones

The season has not even started yet. I think you are being needlessly pessimistic. Said Hanrahan comes to mind. If you don't know it look it up. He has not trained badly and was in the middle of everything in the match sims. I think he had to take on two of the most professional mids, Parker & Kennedy. They give most opposition coaches headaches let alone virtually a second year player. Opposition players still have nightmares the night before a match against Kennedy or Parker.

So give the boy some slack. He is just learning the caper. He will go away and learn from this experience. I have no doubt he will be just as good this year as he was last. As for him not being fit there has been no indication of this. By the way did you actually see the game? Or are you going on a few minutes of footy to put @@@@ on the kid?

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[Ruck'n'Roll]

If you don't know it look it up

Very sage advice

[Blood Fever]

The season has not even started yet. I think you are being needlessly pessimistic. Said Hanrahan comes to mind. If you don't know it look it up. He has not trained badly and was in the middle of everything in the match sims. I think he had to take on two of the most professional mids, Parker & Kennedy. They give most opposition coaches headaches let alone virtually a second year player. Opposition players still have nightmares the night before a match against Kennedy or Parker.

So give the boy some slack. He is just learning the caper. He will go away and learn from this experience. I have no doubt he will be just as good this year as he was last. As for him not being fit there has been no indication of this. By the way did you actually see the game? Or are you going on a few minutes of footy to put @@@@ on the kid?

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There are a number of Hanrahans on this forum, especially after a loss. Good call Irish Patriot!