If you can't play four quarters you can't win finals. Simple really. Early exit unless we suddenly get some endurance. We should also look at making some hard calls on personnel before this one. Clarke can't be in the side. We need to do something out of left field to win this.
Rob Innes came to the Swans as the fitness guru of the AFL after being Richmond Performance Manager during their premierships. Richmond had huge endurance in those years. But this year the Swans fitness level has been questionable at best. The inability to close out matches being the 4th worst fourth quarter team is a damning testament to our fitness. This is not psychological, it is the inability of the players to compete because they are stuffed. Now, I am not sure if it is all the fitness department's fault. The players started mostly competitive work in the second week all players back on the track. This is unusual in that the fitness requirement is to get some endurance training into the players in the first four weeks. We are way behind all sides in the eight and most outside the eight. On Sunday Melbourne went up another gear in the last and we simply could not go with them. Our mids were five paces behind their opponents, our backs were loose and trailing their opponents and Fritch was allowed to run around without an opponent because his opponent was gassed.
We will not win a final this year due to a lack of endurance unless we gat a 10 goal lead by 3/4 time. If we are under 30 points up at 3/4 time we will lose.
I think next year is a good time to start looking at a realistic look at a premiership. But to do that we really do need to address several problems;
Our Key Defensive players. We need another tall defender
Ruck. Our ruck situation is not good. Hickey is finished, as good as he has been for us. McAndrew is developing nicely and will be a really good tap ruck. But not this year. He must be given a go next year. Do we get Grundy as the quick fix? Freo's Darcy? Or do we pry Dog Darcy out of there?
We need another bull in the mids. I think Sheldrick when fit could fill this role but we need to get him fit. Our young mids are starting to show something but are hamstrung by a lack of endurance this year.
We need to stop bombing the ball long to nobody in particular. This is just playing into the hands of the intercept players. These days of coaches taking them out of the game seem to have been lost on John. Our delivery to the forwards needs to be tweaked. No good just putting the ball on their heads. By the way could somebody teach Harry & Dane how to kick a short pass.
We have had a lucky run and really don't deserve to be here and will probably go out in straight sets which is probably a good thing. we can look to getting endurance fit for next year and give it a real shot
Rob Innes came to the Swans as the fitness guru of the AFL after being Richmond Performance Manager during their premierships. Richmond had huge endurance in those years. But this year the Swans fitness level has been questionable at best. The inability to close out matches being the 4th worst fourth quarter team is a damning testament to our fitness. This is not psychological, it is the inability of the players to compete because they are stuffed. Now, I am not sure if it is all the fitness department's fault. The players started mostly competitive work in the second week all players back on the track. This is unusual in that the fitness requirement is to get some endurance training into the players in the first four weeks. We are way behind all sides in the eight and most outside the eight. On Sunday Melbourne went up another gear in the last and we simply could not go with them. Our mids were five paces behind their opponents, our backs were loose and trailing their opponents and Fritch was allowed to run around without an opponent because his opponent was gassed.
We will not win a final this year due to a lack of endurance unless we gat a 10 goal lead by 3/4 time. If we are under 30 points up at 3/4 time we will lose.
I think next year is a good time to start looking at a realistic look at a premiership. But to do that we really do need to address several problems;
Our Key Defensive players. We need another tall defender
Ruck. Our ruck situation is not good. Hickey is finished, as good as he has been for us. McAndrew is developing nicely and will be a really good tap ruck. But not this year. He must be given a go next year. Do we get Grundy as the quick fix? Freo's Darcy? Or do we pry Dog Darcy out of there?
We need another bull in the mids. I think Sheldrick when fit could fill this role but we need to get him fit. Our young mids are starting to show something but are hamstrung by a lack of endurance this year.
We need to stop bombing the ball long to nobody in particular. This is just playing into the hands of the intercept players. These days of coaches taking them out of the game seem to have been lost on John. Our delivery to the forwards needs to be tweaked. No good just putting the ball on their heads. By the way could somebody teach Harry & Dane how to kick a short pass.
We have had a lucky run and really don't deserve to be here and will probably go out in straight sets which is probably a good thing. we can look to getting endurance fit for next year and give it a real shot
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