Rnd 12 Pre-Match Thread, vs Melbourne at MCG, 7:25 PM Saturday 4 June

[TheBloods]

Chad is 4th in the comp for scores from clearances .

[Ludwig]

Something I remarked about several weeks ago was just how quick Chad was to get ball to boot and get off a solid kick. Recently I've been noticing how good his hand balling is. Given a sliver of space, he will break from congestion. In recent weeks I've remarked how he's been dropping back into defence. Every week he seems to bring another trick. I saw that Jai Newcombe was #1 in the score involvements from clearances. He was a great 2021 mid season draft pick by Hawthorne. Somehow I fell that Chad is better than Newcombe, and maybe by some margin. But perhaps this is because I'm not a Hawthorn fan.

I've been saying for years that this was the kind of player our midfield needed, but they are so hard to find. How lucky were we to get such a player like Chad, at pick 40 no less. 40 must be our lucky draft number. How is it possible to get 2 players like Parker and Warner at pick 40?

My hope now is that we will get a 2nd one like Chad in Sheldrick. Just hoping, but with some basis to be positive.

[wolftone57]

Don’t you think we are trying to play too many midfielders in defensive roles. Especially ones who are not defensively minded. And then we laud the amazing plan of sending Mills behind the ball. Surely the solution to the problem in the first place is to play defenders in defensive roles.

We are carrying too many players who have dropped off compared to last year and no wonder we are struggling.
Florent, Wicks, Mcinerney
Add to it that we have lost Dawson.

Atleast Papley has started to get some of his confidence up.

I would drop Florent to the VFL to gain some confidence. He should be the one in midfield killing it and he has been pushed out of there. Wicks is unable to do the damage in F50 and he is damaging to us now with his poor discipline. And Mcinerney has either lost confidence or is playing injured. At the start of the year, he had the confidence of running past opposition but he now just gets the foot to the ball as quickly as he can. I reckon he is injured and if he is he should just be rested.

Wicks is certainly not giving value. He deserves to be dropped for that stupidity of the reversal.

I think Ollie is being used to generate more run out of defence. But if the opposition put a dangerous forward on him he has no time, only to defend. They have been smart on him because opposition coaches know how he can cut thrm up.

Blakey will be handy to have back

J agree about the mids in defence and I think it is ruining the structure of our defence. Campbell, who has come good in the last 2 weeks, is obviously not a defender. He is a naturally attacking player.

Fox would be good in defence too.

I think McInerney's problem is that he gets the best winger. This week it was McIntosh, who is a really good player and tight as a fishes arsehole.

Our mids are coming together bit by bit. Eventually maybe Campbell, Blakey and có might end up in there. Who knows. This is the coaching panel that seems to think leaving an opponent free on their defensive side at stoppages is a good thing.

I think the ins are from Amartey, Hickey, Blakey & Stephens.

Outs: Bud, Wicks, Roberts



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[SwanSand]

are we forgetting blakey

Ohh no ! Absolutely straight walk in

[Faunac8]

Interesting article on Statsinsider highlighting the value that Callum gives us with his ability to fill several roles in particular his defensive abilities.
In summary the author rates him the best all round midfielder in the competition but many of us Swans supporters already thought that anyway.
The coaching panels decision to play him in defence for as long as they did probably helped in his development more than we were willing to accept at the time.

Callum you legend

[Mark26]

Interesting article on Statsinsider highlighting the value that Callum gives us with his ability to fill several roles in particular his defensive abilities.
In summary the author rates him the best all round midfielder in the competition but many of us Swans supporters already thought that anyway.
The coaching panels decision to play him in defence for as long as they did probably helped in his development more than we were willing to accept at the time.

Callum you legend

What a great read. Thanks for sharing Faunac8. I couldn't help but wonder (as I was reading this) if Horse has the same rationale for playing Campbell off halfback too. Make his defensive game robust, then unleash him in the middle.

[Roadrunner]

Wicks is certainly not giving value. He deserves to be dropped for that stupidity of the reversal.

I think Ollie is being used to generate more run out of defence. But if the opposition put a dangerous forward on him he has no time, only to defend. They have been smart on him because opposition coaches know how he can cut thrm up.

Blakey will be handy to have back

J agree about the mids in defence and I think it is ruining the structure of our defence. Campbell, who has come good in the last 2 weeks, is obviously not a defender. He is a naturally attacking player.

Fox would be good in defence too.

I think McInerney's problem is that he gets the best winger. This week it was McIntosh, who is a really good player and tight as a fishes arsehole.

Our mids are coming together bit by bit. Eventually maybe Campbell, Blakey and có might end up in there. Who knows. This is the coaching panel that seems to think leaving an opponent free on their defensive side at stoppages is a good thing.

I think the ins are from Amartey, Hickey, Blakey & Stephens.

Outs: Bud, Wicks, Roberts



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Totally agree Wolfie- I thought JMac’s game was pretty good and as you say he was up against a beast.
Your selections are no brainers: COR deserves his spot and Stephens med sub as Robbie needs a run.

Not sure if we should risk Hickey unless he has recovered 100% and happy to play Amartey up front with Sammy assisting in the ruck and down back.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

J agree about the mids in defence and I think it is ruining the structure of our defence. Campbell, who has come good in the last 2 weeks, is obviously not a defender. He is a naturally attacking player.Fox would

a) The ball distributing half back, is probably the most attacking in the AFL. From Andrew McLeod to Nick Malceski. And going forward I'd prefer to have a second one (Blakey being a lock).

b) Can't help remembering that there were a number of RWOers who were advocating for Chad to be turned into a tagger/back pocket into his scond year.

[wolftone57]

Play Roberts in the mids this week

I find it astounding that we bring in a mid who has been playing really well and play him HF, a position he is not suited to. But then again we have always done this. But Roberts has not got an immature body. He has played against men in the SANFL for South.?

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[wolftone57]

Roberts didn't primarily play as a forward. He started most centre bounces (when on the ground) on the wing. So he was close enough to the midfield to impact in a midfield kind of way. He didn't. The game seemed just too fast for him. That's OK. McInerney, Warner, Dawson, Smith (Nick), Jack etc didn't exactly shine in their debuts either.

Not everyone can be Errol.

There is a vast difference inside mid and the wing. The wing is an outside position for a fast running player. Roberts is definitely not that.

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[Faunac8]

What a great read. Thanks for sharing Faunac8. I couldn't help but wonder (as I was reading this) if Horse has the same rationale for playing Campbell off halfback too. Make his defensive game robust, then unleash him in the middle.

Possibly yes playing in defence can sometimes be looked on as almost a demotion for players who have previously dominated as a forward or a midfielder at underage level but in my opinion it’s a great place to learn and develop other skills.
If this is what we are doing with Braeden then I think in the coming years we will benefit and he will appreciate it.
I think an interview with Callum on how he handled that defensive role and his attitude toward taking it on when he was possibly expected to automatically start in the midfield would be interesting.

[Faunac8]

There is a vast difference inside mid and the wing. The wing is an outside position for a fast running player. Roberts is definitely not that.

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I agree Wolftone57 if you are going to try players in a different role than at least try to place them where their skill set can be utilised.
Roberts will be better for the experience however and will now know what the difference is between the elite level and what he has previously experienced.
No disrespect to the VFL SANFL etc but the AFL is absolutely a level above and a place where even half a second counts.

[TheBloods]

Interesting article on Statsinsider highlighting the value that Callum gives us with his ability to fill several roles in particular his defensive abilities.
In summary the author rates him the best all round midfielder in the competition but many of us Swans supporters already thought that anyway.
The coaching panels decision to play him in defence for as long as they did probably helped in his development more than we were willing to accept at the time.

Callum you legend

He is just fantastic

[stevoswan]

MCG has no aura , its hyped up by media commentary who think the game belongs south of the border only . Its just a big oval with stuff all atmosphere and as quiet as a cemetary as its reserved by dud Victorian sides who can never pack the thing even half full !

Have you ever been to a GF at the 'G? Far from 'no aura'. Ever been to the 'G on Boxing Day? Far from 'no aura'. I do agree that when it's got a small crowd in it, it's weird.....but when it's full, it rocks.

However, I also said the GF needs to be moved around....and never said the SCG has no aura.

[Faunac8]

He is just fantastic

Totally agree and this quote from the article exemplifies why he is such an important player for us and how moving him back when needed is actually not a negative option but a smart move.
Clone him I say ????
He averaged 2 intercept marks per game in just his second season and by 2019, he lost just 18.4% of one-on-ones, rated elite amongst general defenders.