Rd 3 vs Melbourne Demons @ MCG, Sunday April 2 3:20PM - Match Thread

[Nico]

Regarding Heeney: I know that photos often lack context and angles can be deceiving, but images 65-68 in this gallery are interesting.

AFL 2023 Round 03 - Melbourne v Sydney

Those photos tell me that Heeney wasn't injured. Clearly JL was not happy with him. One can question the context of what those photos depict but in our game now there is nowhere to hide during a game.

[RogueSwan]

Regarding Heeney: I know that photos often lack context and angles can be deceiving, but images 65-68 in this gallery are interesting.

AFL 2023 Round 03 - Melbourne v Sydney

I believe these photos are a little deceptive. I am guessing they are taken with a long telephoto lens which naturally compresses perspective. Horse and Heeney could actually be metres apart, you can't really tell without a wider shot for context.
Shots 67 and 68, to me, look like Horse is talking to someone else in front of Isaac.

http://beginnersphoto.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/5/5/10557771/9474291_orig.jpg

[Ludwig]

I believe these photos are a little deceptive. I am guessing they are taken with a long telephoto lens which naturally compresses perspective. Horse and Heeney could actually be metres apart, you can't really tell without a wider shot for context.
Shots 67 and 68, to me, look like Horse is talking to someone else in front of Isaac.
http://beginnersphoto.weebly.com/upl...74291_orig.jpg

Before I express an opinion on this, I would like to see the same photos with The Cookie Monster in the background.

[Jimitron5000]

We really need to start using other forwards, rather than just Buddy when he is in the team. We are less predictable and better for it.

As mentioned in plenty of posts, Heeney really needs to lift. Easy to tell someone to play better, but we need to be able to setup so he can play his best. Perhaps him playing as the deepest forward and having Buddy, McDonald and Amartey play further up the ground, hopefully leaving Heeney one out on most occasions.

[Ludwig]

We really need to start using other forwards, rather than just Buddy when he is in the team. We are less predictable and better for it.

As mentioned in plenty of posts, Heeney really needs to lift. Easy to tell someone to play better, but we need to be able to setup so he can play his best. Perhaps him playing as the deepest forward and having Buddy, McDonald and Amartey play further up the ground, hopefully leaving Heeney one out on most occasions.

The solution, as I have mentioned before, is to play Buddy as our #1 ruckman, in place of PL. There's no point of saving him for his long term future. This is it. Let's get the most out of him for his 600k. It takes him out of the forward line and adds another kicking weapon to our midfield. He's an imposing physical presence as well.

Imagine the problems Buddy would cause dragging the opposing ruckman into our forward line. I know who I'm betting on to win that contest.

[AB Swannie]

You’re an ideas man Ludwig. What evidence do you have to suggest that Buddy can ruck? I suspect that it’s the same amount of evidence to suggest that Hickey can play FF.

[Ludwig]

You’re an ideas man Ludwig. What evidence do you have to suggest that Buddy can ruck? I suspect that it’s the same amount of evidence to suggest that Hickey can play FF.

Buddy does occasionally take forward zone ruck contests and looks fine when he does. He has the size and strength. Rucking is not that much different than a marking contest. He should break even with most ruckmen, but after the tap, he would be much stronger as another midfield player than your typical ruckman.

Buddy is 199 cm and 106 kgs, about the same as Toby Nankervis. I would put my money on Buddy to get the better of Toby across the 4 quarters.

Why don't we try it for a quarter and see what happens?

[Roadrunner]

Buddy does occasionally take forward zone ruck contests and looks fine when he does. He has the size and strength. Rucking is not that much different than a marking contest. He should break even with most ruckmen, but after the tap, he would be much stronger as another midfield player than your typical ruckman.

Buddy is 199 cm and 106 kgs, about the same as Toby Nankervis. I would put my money on Buddy to get the better of Toby across the 4 quarters.

Why don't we try it for a quarter and see what happens?

I’m all for it- we have nothing to lose. He will hold his own and intimidate opposition midfielders. Horse, give it a go!

[Velour&Ruffles]

Heath Grundy also kicked three on debut. Sure, he eventually turned into a good player. In defence. After another couple of seasons alternating between NEAFL and the senior team, trying not to get in the way of Barry Hall.

Or Ben Ronke, who kicked seven in his third game.

I do like the look of Van Rooyen, not just based on Sunday's game but also on his performances against us at VFL level (albeit in a dominant side). But I agree that it's far too soon to declare anyone a hit or a miss (by other clubs) in the draft.

We have a history of such debuts.

David Brown (4), Shane Fell (5) and Ryan Fitzgerald (5) all come to mind too. Glorious debuts - particularly Fell, who tore (alleged) Fullback of the Century Stephen Silvagni a new one in one of the best against the odds Swans wins I've still ever seen (a young skinny kid called Paul Kelly debuted on the same day). All three succumbed quickly to knee injuries I think. I know Fitzgerald went back to Adelaide (and kicked a bag against us) but his body never allowed him to fulfil his incredible potential (200+ cm and could run like a rabbit).
It's also often forgotten that Ben Ronke kicked 5 in another game later that year. He wasn't a one-game supernova.

[AB Swannie]

Buddy does occasionally take forward zone ruck contests and looks fine when he does. He has the size and strength. Rucking is not that much different than a marking contest. He should break even with most ruckmen, but after the tap, he would be much stronger as another midfield player than your typical ruckman.

Buddy is 199 cm and 106 kgs, about the same as Toby Nankervis. I would put my money on Buddy to get the better of Toby across the 4 quarters.

Why don't we try it for a quarter and see what happens?

In the entire 2022 season Buddy attended a grand total of ONE ruck contest (Ruck Contests - DFS Australia). It’s a specialist position - not only in the ruck but in running patterns and defensive positions. You are held in such high regard around here and write eloquently so that it sounds right but in this case, I cannot agree.

Edit: He has a total of 4 hitouts in his time as a Swan. He’s attended 17 total ruck contests in this time. The last time he won a hitout was in 2018.

[Jimitron5000]

Not taken with the idea of Buddy in the ruck. Just up the field a bit. Half forward flank, or even the wing, like Richmond did with Richo in his last couple of seasons.

[RogueSwan]

Not taken with the idea of Buddy in the ruck. Just up the field a bit. Half forward flank, or even the wing, like Richmond did with Richo in his last couple of seasons.

Nah, not the wing. Maybe a few years ago when he was quicker but he would be found out defensively these days

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

[mcs]

In the entire 2022 season Buddy attended a grand total of ONE ruck contest (Ruck Contests - DFS Australia). It’s a specialist position - not only in the ruck but in running patterns and defensive positions. You are held in such high regard around here and write eloquently so that it sounds right but in this case, I cannot agree.

Edit: He has a total of 4 hitouts in his time as a Swan. He’s attended 17 total ruck contests in this time. The last time he won a hitout was in 2018.

Ludwig is our resident ruck whisperer, but I sense there was a fair bit of tongue in cheek involved.

[Ludwig]

In the entire 2022 season Buddy attended a grand total of ONE ruck contest (Ruck Contests - DFS Australia). It’s a specialist position - not only in the ruck but in running patterns and defensive positions. You are held in such high regard around here and write eloquently so that it sounds right but in this case, I cannot agree.

Edit: He has a total of 4 hitouts in his time as a Swan. He’s attended 17 total ruck contests in this time. The last time he won a hitout was in 2018.

Some very good points, but with so much experience, I think Buddy could handle the job. As I said, we could try it fore quarter and see how it goes. I'm more attached to the idea of taking Buddy out of the starting forward line than having him play in the ruck. I'm just trying to find a job for him so he doesn't have to be the sub.



PS: You might appreciate that I got this replay during a conversation with ChatGPT

I’m sorry but I prefer not to continue this conversation. I’m still learning so I appreciate your understanding and patience.????

I've even become an annoyance to OpenAI.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Let's throw Paps into the ruck also

Nice G up Ludwig ????