2006 Depth

[originalswan]

"Had a lot of friends comment that swans lack depth and will struggle in 2006."

I'd tell your friends that they'll be in the same boat as all the experts at the start of this year that said we couldn't even make the Finals this year!!!!

[Lucky Knickers]

Of course I told THEM that....

I do, however, respect their footballing opinions, which is why I posed the question on RWO.

[graystar]

Everyone thought we were a team full of nevilles last year playing crap footy....we showed them, and will havve to show them again. I like the idea we might already be underdogs even before our defence begins.

[penga]

Originally posted by singaporeswan
Re Jolly, our second tier are all unknown/untried/unreliable - if we don't have him playing 60-70% of the game it will expose us significantly.

Before last season, Jolly was an unknown quantity. He'd played a few games for the Dees without making too much of an impact. In the Wizard Cup game he looked way out of sorts. He was put on our list as backup, thankfully he became a key component. If it wasn't for Doyle's injury you may not have seen him too much throughout the season. We were no better off at the beginning of last season than what we are now. One decent ruckman, an injury-prone one and a recently recruited unknown quantity.

If you look at our lineup and make two changes from the Grand Final team, a forced one being Doyle for Ball and Richards for Bevan, it sounds like Richards is destined for our starting 22, it will look similar to this:

B: Bolton Barry Crouch
HB: Mathews LRT Kennelly
C: Goodes Kirk Dempster
HF: Bolton Richards* O'keefe
FF: O'loughlin Hall Davis
Fol: Jolly Williams Buchanan
Int: Doyle Fosdike Ablett Schneider

* - (Often on paper, Goodes would be named at CHF and Hall at FF. The lineup above would push Goodes to the wing. Hall would still play between FF and HF.)

Talls depth: Vogels, Chambers, Grundy, Shaw
Mids depth: Malceski, McVeigh, Moore, Bevan

Once again we have rookie depth. Same as last year. When someone goes down, we just have to cover.

Meanwhile, my preferred and ultimate 22 would be:

B: Crouch Grundy Bolton
HB: Barry LRT Kennelly
C: Goodes Kirk Dempster
HF: Davis Richards O'keefe
FF: O'loughlin Hall Williams
Fol: Jolly Bolton Buchanan
Int from: Doyle Mathews Fosdike Malceski Schneider McVeigh Ablett

Then there is still Chambers and Vogels. This is what people were trying to demonstrate when saying it is hard to fit Mathews into our best 22. Not a slight on him by any means, it is simply hard.

An argument could be made that our defencive KPP are too young and inexperienced. Adelaide had the best defence in the league last year with two relatively young KP backs.

[NMWBloods]

I still think Goodes should play in the centre during bounces - he's very good at reading the ball and getting it to someone.

[penga]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I still think Goodes should play in the centre during bounces - he's very good at reading the ball and getting it to someone.

Sure. Rotation would have Goodes through there but I would suggest that Bolton, Buchanan and Kirk would be our best clearance division.

[Nico]

Originally posted by singaporeswan
Tell me about Bevan. What role should/could he play. Seems a little too defensive and doesn't find the ball. Gives away a few too many frees IMO also. What are your thoughts?

Thought he was lucky to get a recall during the finals.

Just answered your own question.

Canberra sounds like a good spot for him.

[hammo]

Injuries will be the key. Basically our midfield stocks are well covered but if our talls goes down, especially down back, we will struggle.

Personally, I am looking forward to some of our younger players getting a good run in the seniors.

I am sure Roosy would like to give Willoughby, Schmidt and Moore some solid game time in 2006. If it turns out they are potential guns then talk about our 'lack of depth' won't be an issue.

[Lucky Knickers]

I still feel ruck is the potential big black hole. Penga's right - Jolly was unknown quantity but our other option (Ball) wasn't.

Jolly had a good-ish season in 2005. He's a little undisciplined for mine. If he goes down, the young-uns need to deliver week in week out. Goodes struggled and he was an experienced player in 2003 and look at what it did to his knees.

It's the only "specialist" position on the ground, and so much of our 2005 game centred on breaking quickly and moving the ball quickly out and into the forward line from a stoppage, in addition excellent set plays based around the stoppage won us into the grand final and contributed significantly to our win in the GF (2 roving goals from stoppage - Goodes/Buchanan).

I don't see a dramatic change in the look of our list for 2006, and also based on observations here and other opinions, so expect the game style will continue with heavy emphasis on the ruck roll.

I still feel very confident, injuries aside, that we can definitely give back to back a good crack in 2006. Cheer cheer!

[Bleed Red Blood]

FB:...Mathews...Barry...CBolton
HB:...Crouch...LRT...Kennelly
CE:...Buchanen...JBolton...Davis
HF:...Richards..Hall..O'Keefe
FF:...Williams...O'Loughlin...Schneider
RU:..Jolly...Kirk...Goodes
BE:..Fosdike..Ablett..Dempster..Doyle

Emergency:
Luke Vogels - can and has played Key Forward and wing. Could probably play CHB/FB.
Paul Chambers - Ruckman. Played FB for Geelong reserves though? I know it's a bit of a stretch to AFL.
Nick Malkeski - Onballer or forward flanker. Superb ball skills. My first choice if any of the midfield are injured/suspended.

Others:

Earl Shaw, Andrew Erikson - Ruckman.
David Spriggs, Jared Moore, Tim Schmidt, Joshua Willoughby, Matthew Davis (Could be a KP with time), Jarred McVeigh, Paul Bevan - Midfielders. (Plus Stefan Garubba, Rookie List) Plus all this years national draftees.
Heath Grundy - Key position player.

Pros of that line up -
Both ruckmen can play forward.
Best forward line in comp.
All very experienced players who have proven quality. (Expect Richards to some extent)
Four (Count em, four - O'Keefe, Richards, Hall and O'Loughlin (Plus Jolly/Doyle resting) players can play as tall forwards.
More or less all but four/five players can rotate through the midfield.
Pretty youthful - Micky O, Leo, Barry, Kirky all will be 29 next season I think. Other than them I don't think there is anyone over 26 (Fossie, Davis, Jude and CBolton 25, I think)

Negatives -
Probably light on for key defenders. If Richards proves he can play there that problem is solved.

Most important players
Leo Barry
Barry Hall
Brett Kirk
Michael O'Loughlin
You can't replace champions.
Darren Jolly; Doyle and Chambers not top liners at this point.

[Lucky Knickers]

Crouch and Matthews turn 27 next season.

Crouch has been incredibly lucky with injuries and you can also tell that shoulder is a bit dodgy. Surprised to not see him listed as having surgery in the off season.