Round 2 v Adelaide at the SCG

[Bexl]

The whole team was amazing last week. Tough to make any changes but I agree that the bud star has to play and horse has indicated that he will.

We can take courage from that win and know that our future without Buddy is in good hands so even if he does another injury at some point then we have the players to come in.


Two changes for me

OUT: McLean, Rowbottom ( let him get his knee right)

IN: Buddy, Stephens

Seems like the obvious change if Rowbottom doesn't come up or they just want to rest him to make sure

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Slightly off topic, but it discusses how Adelaide and Sydney adapted to the 2021 rules better than their opponents.

Adelaide evoke Beatles era as Swans join AFL penthouse party

And it's good to see Buddy's return. I was expecting Franklin to be out for one more week. I really hope Franklin and McDonald both play. As one career starts and another ends, we won't get to see them playing together too often, in much the same way that Kirk and Kelly only played 33 games together.

The way I see it is if Franklin plays. even half fut he takes a good defender and frees up McDonald. I think McDonald has to play

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Slightly off topic, but it discusses how Adelaide and Sydney adapted to the 2021 rules better than their opponents.

Adelaide evoke Beatles era as Swans join AFL penthouse party

And it's good to see Buddy's return. I was expecting Franklin to be out for one more week. I really hope Franklin and McDonald both play. As one career starts and another ends, we won't get to see them playing together too often, in much the same way that Kirk and Kelly only played 33 games together.

The way I see it is if Franklin plays. even half fut he takes a good defender and frees up McDonald. I think McDonald has to play

[707]

Two tall forwards, a frequently rotating mix of two of Buddy, Reid and McDonald, Reid to do ruck chop out and defense late in quarters.

Looking forward to seeing Buddy leading onto some quality passes from the midfield, as I'm sure he is himself. Sounds like Buddy will be managed over the season, long WA trips probably out

Crows not to be taken lightly, were mighty impressive against the Cats. Not sure who their key defenders are, rookie Butts played on Hawkins last week in the absence of Talia. I would be delighted with a solid Swans win however

[bloodspirit]

Interesting to learn that Buddy will NOT be playing every week this season. He's going to be managed: John Longmire Press Conference - 22 March 2021 - YouTube.

[waswan]

Some interesting theories on Buddy

Half game, subbed out, Logan out etc etc

No brainer, he had his half a game run, he plays for Mclean.

Logan up the ground on a lead was awesome, young KPF normally dont have those smarts and stay stagnant and out of position.

Id say he an Bud will rotate that role. Bud will be unstopable 70m out if the man on the mark cant move laterally

Only risk is being Buddy centric but that was normally a symptom of limited options fwd thru poor ball movement. The way we moved last week we shouldnt have those concerns

[Nico]

Get Mcinerney in.

Rowbottom out knee, Mclean dropped

Hayward as sub again maybe use him if Bud cant run the game out

Did Hayward play the practice match on Sunday? If not he should be playing reserves this week, if there is a game. I am not in favour of subs being the same 2 weeks in a row. If we keep our injuries down then the weekly selection will be tough.

[TheBloods]

Did Hayward play the practice match on Sunday? If not he should be playing reserves this week, if there is a game. I am not in favour of subs being the same 2 weeks in a row. If we keep our injuries down then the weekly selection will be tough.

Mclean then. Hes not much but hes a forward, could replace Bud if we need him to

[Nico]

Mclean then. Hes not much but hes a forward, could replace Bud if we need him to

Good call.

[Ludwig]

Lance is not only great goal kicker, but also adds to the laser field kicking brigade. If we see Lance miss some games this year for body management purposes, it could be those games with 6 day breaks, particularly those away.

The Swans will bring to AFL what the 3 point shot brought to basketball. We have so many players who can hammer the ball from 50 out that we never have to bomb it into the goal square again. The field completely opens up for us. We just need to find an opening around 50 out and then get the ball to any number of a slew of players to launch the ball at goal. Opposition defenders will be forced to spread out to cover more space, opening gaps closer to goal. Once we get the knack of doing this, we'll be hard to stop.

[bennyfabulous]

Maybe Bud takes Haywards spot as SUB.

[Ludwig]

Maybe Bud takes Haywards spot as SUB.

LOL. But it may not be a bad idea to have him as the sub a few times this year to reduce his work load. The downside is that it's an unpredictable situation and not one for someone being 'managed.'

[The Great One]

I think that makes a lot of sense. Someone suggested that earlier.

Play him for about 2 quarters when the opposition is getting fatigued.

And use him as a decoy more than we have in the past when as posters on here said we became buddy centric.

[Melbourne_Blood]

It still feels weird that Bud will play. Up until this morning I wasn’t sure he’d play this year, based on what we have or haven’t heard about his progress.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mcs]

Interesting on Bounce last night they showed footage of our pre season training match sim and Papley and Sinclair had a bit of a heated scuffle.

Don't often see this from the Swans but showed that the boys are playing for keeps!

I'm sure its not the first or last time Papley would have been up for a square up in training... little angry ant he is

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I actually wonder if McDonald will make way. He was playing deep due to lack of tank. I suspect Buddy won’t yet be fit enough to roam so will play deep... and therefore Old Logan might miss out?

I can't see it. McDonald may not have the tank yet, but can clearly get up the ground also and is mobile and agile. Surely it is a pretty unlucky McLean tomake way.

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Question: if in the dreadful circumstance that Buddy broke down would we be allowed to use the medical sub? Or would it be said Bud took the injury into the game?

I haven’t read anything on this point so I suppose it isn’t an issue.

Knowing the AFL, probably meeting right now to convene a rule just for Buddy

[Kafka's Ghost]

I don't believe they've made a distinction. But I doubt Buddy will be carrying an injury into this game, assuming he plays. Maybe he'll be light on for match conditioning, but that's not an injury.

However, I think you've highlighted one way for this rule to be exploited, especially in a big final. I imagine a coach might be more inclined to take a star player into a PF or GF, not sure they will be able to play through an injury, but in the knowledge they can be subbed out if it turns out they are not quite right. Whether that's within the spirit of what's intended, who knows.

A test of the "spirit" of the rule - if that matters - might get an early test this week after North acknowledged that they subbed out a player who was probably capable of carrying on, albeit they'd have had to slightly alter his role. My understanding five days ago was that the club doctor had to certify that the player was not capable of continuing.

It would be a very foolish thing to do in a PF, given the player will be out for 12 days. It might be tried in a GF, and be open to abuse in this way, as you state.
In an unrelated aside, that is the best ball movement by a Swans side I’ve ever seen. Even when we were a top team our ball movement and delivery into the forward was not at that level.

[mcs]

It would be a very foolish thing to do in a PF, given the player will be out for 12 days. It might be tried in a GF, and be open to abuse in this way, as you state.
In an unrelated aside, that is the best ball movement by a Swans side I’ve ever seen. Even when we were a top team our ball movement and delivery into the forward was not at that level.

There were moments in 2012 and 2014/16 where it wasn't far off it, but it was a very different team structure and approach in those years compared to where we are headed. Teams that can consistently do what we did in patches on Saturday are going to be awfully hard to beat under the 2021 rules I think - hence why its not unfathomable that some teams could climb the ladder quicker then ever expected, and some others could well drop quickly too.

Buddy must be excited to get back out there, just at the thought that maybe, just maybe more often then not he will get a reasonable number of kicks placed to advantage for once, much like the silver platter service he got at times at the Hawks. Lets hope he can stay fit enough to enjoy it for a little bit.