Round 10: Swans v Blues @ SCG

[Hotpotato]

Theres time to go off the boil for awhile and then build strongly for the finals campaign.

[Thunder Shaker]

Watching the replay, midfield and the Swans in general got a pretty good and extensive rave on Fox post game coverage. What a rare thrill. Even questioned during the game if there might be a problem with peaking too early. Is it true? I do feel a little nervous that the footy gods may have a sting in the tail somewhere!

Peaking too early can happen. I remember the disappointment of 1987 - running up cricket scores with three consecutive games with 30 goals or more, before falling away and getting hammered late in the season.

It is also possible that we're just getting started.

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Apparently, there’s nothing to learn about the team on top of the ladder giving a bath to everyone they come up against. Flying under the radar is one thing, but this is such myopic crap.

Eight things we learned: Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh need more support from Carlton's midfield

SEN has better coverage here: The big talking points and questions out of Round 10
Topics covered, in order:
* Sydney
* Pendlebury
* GWS
* Geelong

[Kafka's Ghost]

Peaking too early can happen. I remember the disappointment of 1987 - running up cricket scores with three consecutive games with 30 goals or more, before falling away and getting hammered late in the season.

It is also possible that we're just getting started.

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SEN has better coverage here: The big talking points and questions out of Round 10
Topics covered, in order:
* Sydney
* Pendlebury
* GWS
* Geelong

Thanks for that link. It’s a much better summary than the AFL’s own Vic-centred site.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[liz]

Our current form does rely on the form of Warner and Heeney, in particular. Gulden's been good but he has another level to go to if we need him to. So if we lose one or either of Warner or Heeney for a period, or their form is stunted by a niggle, we may drop off a bit. Or it may be that others can/will step up.

We do have the upside (possibly) of fit and fired up versions of Mills and/or Parker coming in in the back third of the season, free of niggles and full of enthusiasm. If some of our existing crew are flagging, they may be valuable reinforcements. If they can't find a spot in the team, that suggests we're still going pretty well.

And we still have upside with our forward triad. The forward line as a unit is functioning exceptionally well, but all three of the talls have scope for individual improvement. It may not come this season. It may never come. But it's certainly possible it does. And even if it doesn't (this season), we're going ok with their current output.

[Auntie.Gerald]

I think there is enough experience vs incredibly talented youth to get through this season well. We have seen enough data to say we are a bloody high probability of being the team to beat.

As always injuries will play a major factor.

The list of experience is strong.

Heeney
Rampe
Grundy
Patch
Parker
Mills
Cunningham
Lloyd
Paps
Florent
Hayward
Blakey
McCartin
Etc

It’s a very good blend in my opinion.

Our main style of play relies upon very high pressure middle to forward of the ball…. which reduces the demands on our backline having to play tall. Which also means on average less time for big leading forward lines when we are attacking. It was helter skelter and kicks round the corner left right and centre with great accuracy.vs Carlton.

We saw the Blues having to shift Curnow (for parts of the game) into the backs to get him involved.

I think Geelong showed how to beat us in GF via locking it into our forward line. Yet we are an entirely different team now in experience, strength, run and consistent skill.

Our inside 50 efficiency at high 50% for most games is just making life very tough for the opposition.

GWS ( from memory ) was the team that we had to find another way to win this season. We got up by 4 goals or so but our inside 50 efficiency was poor - partly because of the backline defensive shape and match ups.

[Nico]

I thought Rowbottom was outstanding. 16 tackles, but also what doesn't seem to be a stat, is when he causes a stoppage by contesting the ball on the ground. He's like a dog with a bone. His goal in the last quarter was a gem. Contested on the ground, managed to get to his feet and shrug off players, got his balance and nailed the goal.

[Ludwig]

And we still have upside with our forward triad. The forward line as a unit is functioning exceptionally well, but all three of the talls have scope for individual improvement. It may not come this season. It may never come. But it's certainly possible it does. And even if it doesn't (this season), we're going ok with their current output.

I was thinking about this after the game, where I felt Amartey and McLean played reasonably well, but MacDonald was a bit off. They are still very much a work in progress and are not likely to reach their peak for another couple of years, especially if you look at the trajectory for their demographic.

As a group, they are giving us more than enough right now and expect a continual improvement over the coming years. There are likely to be some speed humps, as injury is more likely than not at some point in time. If they do stay relatively free of injury this season, it will be interesting to see how much improvement they can make by the end of the season.

One noticeable positive is that all 3 seem to recognise that they just need to do the basics well to perform their roles, and they don't have to be goal kickers to help the team win.

[KSAS]

I've been hearing media analysis questioning our 3 tall forward setup (McDonald, Armatey & MacLean), whether it will stand up comes finals.

Previously, they were (rightly) suggesting were too Buddy focused, but now we're unpredictable with even goal spread from the 3 talls plus Hayward, with each having their moments & games.

So i don't buy into the questioning of our tall forward setup come finals because they currently may not be power forwards like Carlton's. I'm also happy with their collective output plus we have the weapon of having a goal scoring midfield which adds further to our unpredictability & scoring prowess!

[i'm-uninformed2]

The thing I like about our forwards at the moment is they're still finding ways to contribute. McDonald had 7 score involvements the other night, Hayden had his best game for the year and his contested marking was back (on top of his secondary ruck role), and Amartey made a lot more contests. McDonald's tap down to Heeney and McLean's stellar handball out to Chad in the third quarter were great examples. All three have their limitations still, but as long as they're staying engaged, forcing their opponents to stay accountable, and finding ways to keep the scoreboard ticking, then cool cool.

[liz]

McLean's stellar handball out to Chad in the third quarter

I had to rewind that one to watch over and over. When McLean received the ball it didn't seem that Chad was in his eyeline. There was another player in a bit of space - in less space than Chad and a bit further back but on an easier angle and probably more visible to McLean. And yet he immediately shaped to handball to Chad and executed it perfectly. So he must have had a pretty good idea of the shape of the team around him as the move was unfolding.

[Blood Fever]

I was thinking about this after the game, where I felt Amartey and McLean played reasonably well, but MacDonald was a bit off. They are still very much a work in progress and are not likely to reach their peak for another couple of years, especially if you look at the trajectory for their demographic.

As a group, they are giving us more than enough right now and expect a continual improvement over the coming years. There are likely to be some speed humps, as injury is more likely than not at some point in time. If they do stay relatively free of injury this season, it will be interesting to see how much improvement they can make by the end of the season.

One noticeable positive is that all 3 seem to recognise that they just need to do the basics well to perform their roles, and they don't have to be goal kickers to help the team win.

Spot on. We won it in 2012 with Goodes and Reid up forward but it was our mids and smaller forwards who kicked the goals.

[crackedactor 01]

Peaking too early can happen. I remember the disappointment of 1987 - running up cricket scores with three consecutive games with 30 goals or more, before falling away and getting hammered late in the season.

It is also possible that we're just getting started.

- - - Updated - - -



SEN has better coverage here: The big talking points and questions out of Round 10
Topics covered, in order:
* Sydney
* Pendlebury
* GWS
* Geelong

In 1987 we had no depth and several players played on with injuries. We now have Mills, Parker, Sheldrick and several other promising players playing VFL or injured.

[i'm-uninformed2]

I had to rewind that one to watch over and over. When McLean received the ball it didn't seem that Chad was in his eyeline. There was another player in a bit of space - in less space than Chad and a bit further back but on an easier angle and probably more visible to McLean. And yet he immediately shaped to handball to Chad and executed it perfectly. So he must have had a pretty good idea of the shape of the team around him as the move was unfolding.

It was genuinely brilliant in the vision and execution. As you say, Lloyd was more obvious and easier to get to. Whether it was trust, instinct or out of the corner of the eye stuff, I thought it was superb and sign of a team in synch. I've always thought Hayden has quite good hands, both aerially and in the contest - but that was something else. One of the highlights of the night and as good as Chad's finish.

[dejavoodoo44]

It was genuinely brilliant in the vision and execution. As you say, Lloyd was more obvious and easier to get to. Whether it was trust, instinct or out of the corner of the eye stuff, I thought it was superb and sign of a team in synch. I've always thought Hayden has quite good hands, both aerially and in the contest - but that was something else. One of the highlights of the night and as good as Chad's finish.

I actually rewound it back a bit further and I think the extended sequence emphasises how useful McLean has become. First he makes himself an option to Lloyd (IIRC), who's coming out of the back pocket after a Carlton point. McLean then takes a vaguely contested mark against Marchbank, on the half back flank. After which he hits Grundy in the corridor, with a lovely thirty metre dart. While Grundy is thinking about what to do next, McLean makes his way forward, where he arrives front and centre when Grundy's kick isn't marked. He then intercepts Carlton's attempt to handball out of trouble. Then he fires a rapid handball to the left, which unfortunately doesn't hit a target. However, the loose ball is hack kicked by McDonald and caught by McLean, who then dishes off the aforementioned handball to Warner.

It's actually quite an Errol sequence of play. And when you add stuff like that, to his improved ruck work and the way he gets after the opposition mids, then I think the ruck part of his forward/ruck role, has become really valuable.

[i'm-uninformed2]

I actually rewound it back a bit further and I think the extended sequence emphasises how useful McLean has become. First he makes himself an option to Lloyd (IIRC), who's coming out of the back pocket after a Carlton point. McLean then takes a vaguely contested mark against Marchbank, on the half back flank. After which he hits Grundy in the corridor, with a lovely thirty metre dart. While Grundy is thinking about what to do next, McLean makes his way forward, where he arrives front and centre when Grundy's kick isn't marked. He then intercepts Carlton's attempt to handball out of trouble. Then he fires a rapid handball to the left, which unfortunately doesn't hit a target. However, the loose ball is hack kicked by McDonald and caught by McLean, who then dishes off the aforementioned handball to Warner.

It's actually quite an Errol sequence of play. And when you add stuff like that, to his improved ruck work and the way he gets after the opposition mids, then I think the ruck part of his forward/ruck role, has become really valuable.

With a post like that, my self-appointed title as founder and chair of the Hayden McLean fan club is under threat.

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Coaches votes are in, and not much to argue with:

Chad - 10
Isaac - 8
Grundy - 6
Rowie - 4
Gulden - 1
Jordon - 1


Coaches' votes, R10: Collingwood Magpies star Nick Daicos continues charge, SEVEN perfect 10s