Swans season 2022 - Bring it on! (List, hopes, dreams)

[mcs]

We will find out in the R1 GF rematch. I would like to see the Bulldogs win to help Melbourne finish lower so we get a better draft pick

I never want the fairypuppies to win unless it is an absolute need in terms of our season. Would love them to not win a game ever again and fold and disappear off the face of the earth.

Harsh sure, but fair if you ask me.

[KSAS]

Hawthorn are my tip for the spoon next year. All the ingredients are there: dodgy re-build after unsuccessful attempts to clear out some players during the trade period, replacing legendary coach with a untried favourite son who knifed his mentor in the back doing so, along with how it all badly played out publicly. Expect Norf to improve significantly & GC to win enough games to finish above the Hawks & possibly Crows before the AFL appoint Clarkson as their coach for 2023.

[Auntie.Gerald]

I was just reflecting on what contributed to our 2021, 6th place finish and our 15 wins ........which was probably above all of our expectations

- Buddy on the field more along with Kennedy ie key players in key spots in the oval

- nice blend of goals between Bud, Paps, Hayward, Heeney, Wicks etc

- at least 8 young guys jumping ahead in their ability to not just compete but leave their mark on games ie Warner, Campbo, Gulden, McInerney, McLean, Amartey, Wicks, TMcCartin........that is a huge amount of players in one season to level jump significantly !

- Hickey as our Ruckman quite an impact !

- easier draw very helpful

- But for a slightly higher weighting for me ----the game plan in attack and defence that really works well with our squad. We have some fairly serious kicking ability in this squad. Dangerous some might say and we brought that into our style of attack via short sharp kicking to uncontested positions that gave more opportunity to break down opposition defensive lines.

.......


I wonder where we will see the impact areas for 2022?

- Ladhams if Hickey injured and or needing KP role

- ?

- ?

[Ralph Dawg]

Does anyone know anything about our academy player Lachlan Cabor from Shellharbour? He's the only player linked to us who has been selected in the AFL Academy Squad for 2022.

[liz]

- easier draw very helpful

I don't think our easier draw had much to do with it. We played pretty well against the better teams.

Our three worst performances were against three teams that didn't make the finals - Hawks, Suns and Saints.

Our losses against Port and Melbourne were creditable.

Our loss to Freo wasn't too bad - I think they were the better team over the course of the game but we were in the lead with not long to go. And the first game against the Giants we probably would have won had Hickey not been injured.

I reckon the team got themselves up mentally for games against the good sides, and it showed in the performances. The awful performances against the Suns (in particular) and the Saints were maybe down to not bringing the right attitude into games against sides they thought they "should" beat (even if that was sub-conscious). Who knows what happened against the Hawks. There may have been a bit of that, but fatigue could also have been a factor.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Liz i must admit I dont totally agree re the draw

In any sport I have played when you have to compete against the best in the comp it can take it out of you even if you win

.....and sometimes that doesnt show the next week............sometimes it is against a team lower on the table..........via a loss !

[Scottee]

I don't think our easier draw had much to do with it. We played pretty well against the better teams.

Our three worst performances were against three teams that didn't make the finals - Hawks, Suns and Saints.

Our losses against Port and Melbourne were creditable.

Our loss to Freo wasn't too bad - I think they were the better team over the course of the game but we were in the lead with not long to go. And the first game against the Giants we probably would have won had Hickey not been injured.

I reckon the team got themselves up mentally for games against the good sides, and it showed in the performances. The awful performances against the Suns (in particular) and the Saints were maybe down to not bringing the right attitude into games against sides they thought they "should" beat (even if that was sub-conscious). Who knows what happened against the Hawks. There may have been a bit of that, but fatigue could also have been a factor.

Hi Liz, I just watched the replay of the Hawks loss. I think that as well as fatigue caused by two 6 day breaks and a tough win against the Saints the week before, there was the double factor of the Hawks coming back fresh from a bye, and us going into a bye.I think psychological factors kicked in and deprived the boys of focus.
The Hawks were also playing for pride after only a few wins to that point.

Sent from my SM-T865 using Tapatalk

[liz]

Hi Liz, I just watched the replay of the Hawks loss. I think that as well as fatigue caused by two 6 day breaks and a tough win against the Saints the week before, there was the double factor of the Hawks coming back fresh from a bye, and us going into a bye.I think psychological factors kicked in and deprived the boys of focus.
The Hawks were also playing for pride after only a few wins to that point.

Sent from my SM-T865 using Tapatalk

Gee, you're a sucker for punishment. I delete most of our losses from my IQ box as soon as I get home (or the game finishes on TV). Sometimes I keep our more honorable losses for a while (eg Port and Melbourne last year) but then delete them - unwatched - a couple of months later, or while doing off-season box spring-cleaning.

I sense you are desperately trying not to use the U word in your description above. As I had to grit my teeth not to (but have now succumbed).

I think the (or my) general point is that there are ups and downs in any team's season, depending all sorts of factors, some identifiable, some mysterious. But there is nothing in the data of last season's results that indicates we earned our ladder position by beating up on lower placed sides (double-ups or otherwise) but were outclassed by the better sides in the competition.

[Mr Magoo]

Does anyone know anything about our academy player Lachlan Cabor from Shellharbour? He's the only player linked to us who has been selected in the AFL Academy Squad for 2022.

Swans academy rate him - very smart footballer who was selected as one of the few underage players in last years NSW Rams U17 team (unfortunately they didnt play a game due to covid). Pacey midfield type and runs the lines well.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Hi Liz, I just watched the replay of the Hawks loss. I think that as well as fatigue caused by two 6 day breaks and a tough win against the Saints the week before, there was the double factor of the Hawks coming back fresh from a bye, and us going into a bye.I think psychological factors kicked in and deprived the boys of focus.
The Hawks were also playing for pride after only a few wins to that point.

Sent from my SM-T865 using Tapatalk

I told a Hawks fan depressed by their performance last year who wasn't going to go to the game that week they should go to the game as we were ripe for the picking that week. He's eternally thankful (unfortunately).

[Scottee]

Gee, you're a sucker for punishment. I delete most of our losses from my IQ box as soon as I get home (or the game finishes on TV). Sometimes I keep our more honorable losses for a while (eg Port and Melbourne last year) but then delete them - unwatched - a couple of months later, or while doing off-season box spring-cleaning.

I sense you are desperately trying not to use the U word in your description above. As I had to grit my teeth not to (but have now succumbed).

I think the (or my) general point is that there are ups and downs in any team's season, depending all sorts of factors, some identifiable, some mysterious. But there is nothing in the data of last season's results that indicates we earned our ladder position by beating up on lower placed sides (double-ups or otherwise) but were outclassed by the better sides in the competition.

No gain without pain Liz. I can't ask the boys to review each loss with the coaching staff if I can't do it myself. I must admit it took me this long to bring myself to watch it after watching all the victories about 4 times : )

I agree on your ups and downs comment and also feel that overall it was a very encouraging season, beating the top sides on a regular basis showed we are no pretenders.

[NeonBible]

I was just reflecting on what contributed to our 2021, 6th place finish and our 15 wins ........which was probably above all of our expectations

- Buddy on the field more along with Kennedy ie key players in key spots in the oval

- nice blend of goals between Bud, Paps, Hayward, Heeney, Wicks etc

- at least 8 young guys jumping ahead in their ability to not just compete but leave their mark on games ie Warner, Campbo, Gulden, McInerney, McLean, Amartey, Wicks, TMcCartin........that is a huge amount of players in one season to level jump significantly !

- Hickey as our Ruckman quite an impact !

- easier draw very helpful

- But for a slightly higher weighting for me ----the game plan in attack and defence that really works well with our squad. We have some fairly serious kicking ability in this squad. Dangerous some might say and we brought that into our style of attack via short sharp kicking to uncontested positions that gave more opportunity to break down opposition defensive lines.

.......


I wonder where we will see the impact areas for 2022?

- Ladhams if Hickey injured and or needing KP role

- ?

- ?

Hi Auntie Gerald,

I had rewatched all of our wins from this season, so went back even further to watch our 2020 season all over again. Tough viewing, i won't lie. We were not anywhere near as cohesive as a team, and the shortened quarters i believe really hurt the young teams chances to get themselves back into the games..

Your point about where we can see areas of improvement next year, it is hard to gauge where the improvement will come from from our 2021 season, because so many of our players had wonderful seasons already. They will need a few more to jump on board and take that next step. So i went back to the 2020 games to see who could possibly be difference-makers, and i identified three players:

- Oli Florent.. I am a big fan of this young man, but think he still has a level to go to. Early in the piece in 2020 he was spectacular. Not just good.. but spectacular! He's so zippy. Loves to use his feet and weave in and out of traffic. Reminds me of a young Cyril Rioli when he would go into the midfield.. Oli seemed to play really well when in the action, at the feet of a ruckman.. is it possible he doesnt get to show his best assets when he is out on the wing?? Does he need to be able to extract the ball himself rather than wait on the outside for it to come to him?? This is a possibility for him. He might need more inside time. I would be especially interested to see him paired up with The Chad.. two shorter mids with a lower centre of gravity but great speed to do some damage at centre bounces.

- Lewis Melican.. i was thinking the outlook for Melican was grim, but as i got towards the end of the 2020 season, he came into the team from what i think was a hamstring injury?? He was very solid. There was a GWS derby where he was like a brick wall. There was a moment in the game vs Melbourne in Cairns where he completely out-muscled Steven May, who is a fantastic player and a brute who can go with the best of them. There was also a moment in the Port Adelaide game where he did the same to Charlie Dixon, who then rang rings around him just a few minutes later.. I realised the pattern with Melican. In aerial contests when he can out-body his opponent, he is great. A fantastic defender when it comes to body-work. He turns to water when opposed to athletic forwards, who work him over with leading patterns and repeated sprints. Jesse Hogan did this in the EF. If we can find Melican the right match up.. put the big brutes on Melican and let him stifle them, and give the less strong but more athletic opponents to Tommy Mac and Rampe, that could be a defensive set-up that works.

- James Rowbottom.. hopefully i won't open a can of worms here. I did not have him in my 22 for next season and i still don't, but i think if he gets his chance (which he surely will, with injuries always a problem in footy these days!!) i believe he can be a difference maker. In the middle of the 2020 season our midfield was in dire straits. Kennedy was out, Hewett was out, Heeney was out, Blakey and Florent were woefully out of form. To his credit Jimmy Rowbottom was one of only two (Parker the other, but that is no surprise!) who relished that challenge and took on the responsibility. There was a block of six games where his numbers read as follows: avg. 18 disposals, 4 tackles, 19 pressure acts, 12 contested possessions, 6 clearances, 4 inside 50s and 341 metres gained a match. Remembering that these are with shortened quarters.. if he had the same numbers next year with the normal length matches, he would be averaging 24 disposals, 5 tackles a game, 25 pressure acts, 16 contested possessions, 8 clearances, 5 inside 50s and 455 metres gained a match..

in regards to where that would put him with the rest of the mids in the comp, he already improved his tackles to 6.5 a match, so top 6 in the comp, which makes him elite.
His 25 pressure acts would have him top 7 in the comp - elite.
His 16 contested possessions would have him top 2 in the comp (behind Clarry Oliver) - elite.
His 8 clearances would have him 1st in the comp - elite.
His 5 inside 50s would have him top 16 in the comp - elite.
& his 455 metres gained would have him in the top 25 in the comp - above average to elite.

Certainly plenty of potential, it was only 6 games but it was a sign of what he could be capable of.

So with Ollie getting more time on the ball and forming a bit of a mosquito fleet on the inside with The Chad, Melican stepping up to the plate and giving our defence some support with more consistent performances and the right match-ups, and Paddlebum waiting in the wings as more than serviceable depth in the case of an injury crisis - like we had in the elimination final with no Mills, JPK, Blakey - i think those 3 can elevate us right into contention!

As well as the new faces of course.. excited to see what Sheldrick can do, must rate him highly to have used a 1st rounder on him, earlier than expected too. Roberts looks a big boy who can have immediate impact, and Ladhams as you have already pointed to.

Exciting times!

CHEER CHEER

[stevoswan]

Hi Auntie Gerald,

I had rewatched all of our wins from this season, so went back even further to watch our 2020 season all over again. Tough viewing, i won't lie. We were not anywhere near as cohesive as a team, and the shortened quarters i believe really hurt the young teams chances to get themselves back into the games..

Your point about where we can see areas of improvement next year, it is hard to gauge where the improvement will come from from our 2021 season, because so many of our players had wonderful seasons already. They will need a few more to jump on board and take that next step. So i went back to the 2020 games to see who could possibly be difference-makers, and i identified three players:

- Oli Florent.. I am a big fan of this young man, but think he still has a level to go to. Early in the piece in 2020 he was spectacular. Not just good.. but spectacular! He's so zippy. Loves to use his feet and weave in and out of traffic. Reminds me of a young Cyril Rioli when he would go into the midfield.. Oli seemed to play really well when in the action, at the feet of a ruckman.. is it possible he doesnt get to show his best assets when he is out on the wing?? Does he need to be able to extract the ball himself rather than wait on the outside for it to come to him?? This is a possibility for him. He might need more inside time. I would be especially interested to see him paired up with The Chad.. two shorter mids with a lower centre of gravity but great speed to do some damage at centre bounces.

- Lewis Melican.. i was thinking the outlook for Melican was grim, but as i got towards the end of the 2020 season, he came into the team from what i think was a hamstring injury?? He was very solid. There was a GWS derby where he was like a brick wall. There was a moment in the game vs Melbourne in Cairns where he completely out-muscled Steven May, who is a fantastic player and a brute who can go with the best of them. There was also a moment in the Port Adelaide game where he did the same to Charlie Dixon, who then rang rings around him just a few minutes later.. I realised the pattern with Melican. In aerial contests when he can out-body his opponent, he is great. A fantastic defender when it comes to body-work. He turns to water when opposed to athletic forwards, who work him over with leading patterns and repeated sprints. Jesse Hogan did this in the EF. If we can find Melican the right match up.. put the big brutes on Melican and let him stifle them, and give the less strong but more athletic opponents to Tommy Mac and Rampe, that could be a defensive set-up that works.

- James Rowbottom.. hopefully i won't open a can of worms here. I did not have him in my 22 for next season and i still don't, but i think if he gets his chance (which he surely will, with injuries always a problem in footy these days!!) i believe he can be a difference maker. In the middle of the 2020 season our midfield was in dire straits. Kennedy was out, Hewett was out, Heeney was out, Blakey and Florent were woefully out of form. To his credit Jimmy Rowbottom was one of only two (Parker the other, but that is no surprise!) who relished that challenge and took on the responsibility. There was a block of six games where his numbers read as follows: avg. 18 disposals, 4 tackles, 19 pressure acts, 12 contested possessions, 6 clearances, 4 inside 50s and 341 metres gained a match. Remembering that these are with shortened quarters.. if he had the same numbers next year with the normal length matches, he would be averaging 24 disposals, 5 tackles a game, 25 pressure acts, 16 contested possessions, 8 clearances, 5 inside 50s and 455 metres gained a match..

in regards to where that would put him with the rest of the mids in the comp, he already improved his tackles to 6.5 a match, so top 6 in the comp, which makes him elite.
His 25 pressure acts would have him top 7 in the comp - elite.
His 16 contested possessions would have him top 2 in the comp (behind Clarry Oliver) - elite.
His 8 clearances would have him 1st in the comp - elite.
His 5 inside 50s would have him top 16 in the comp - elite.
& his 455 metres gained would have him in the top 25 in the comp - above average to elite.

Certainly plenty of potential, it was only 6 games but it was a sign of what he could be capable of.

So with Ollie getting more time on the ball and forming a bit of a mosquito fleet on the inside with The Chad, Melican stepping up to the plate and giving our defence some support with more consistent performances and the right match-ups, and Paddlebum waiting in the wings as more than serviceable depth in the case of an injury crisis - like we had in the elimination final with no Mills, JPK, Blakey - i think those 3 can elevate us right into contention!

As well as the new faces of course.. excited to see what Sheldrick can do, must rate him highly to have used a 1st rounder on him, earlier than expected too. Roberts looks a big boy who can have immediate impact, and Ladhams as you have already pointed to.

Exciting times!

CHEER CHEER

Great post! Much to be excited about indeed.

[The Runner]

Lewis Melican takes us on the same arc every season.
He has an interrupted pre season. People don't think he's in the 22. He gets a start, and we deride him. He has some terrible games but somehow holds his spot. Then, he has a 2-3 week window where he's All Australian quality, and we start to remind ourselves why we like him. Then he gets an injury, and misses 6 weeks. And the cycle starts again.

If he can stay on the park for 22 games, he's our best full back. But, it's a rather large if.

[royboy42]

Well done, Neon. A strong , thoughtful post.
It would be lovely to see it all come to pass.
Even parts would be great.