I would at least be happy if uninformed 'experts' stop referring to the Swans as 'dour' and 'defensive' ad nauseum. Surely we have moved on from that over the last few years? I don't mind people tipping us to miss the 8 - in fact I probably prefer it - but it really sticks in my craw when people think they can describe our current playing style when they obviously don't watch our games...
Hear what you're saying Liz but I take it as a positive that the experts don't talk about our game plan. I think there's a recognition that, unlike many other pretenders, we already have the game plan that would stand up well in finals footy - our issue comes down to execution. In 2011, that was specifically around decision-making under pressure, execution of skills through the midfield and converting forward entries. A lot of that speaks to the individuals charged with executing the game plan, and hence the hope that the youngsters step up and the new blood brings more forward firepower.Originally Posted by liz
A reasonable anyalysis, although like grarmy I think the writer underestimates how important Matt Spangher was to us last year. His appearance up forward seemed to help young Sam enormously.
Lets face it Sam is probably our most important resouce for the future (the length of his new contract is recognition of that). CHF is the most important posi on the ground, and Sam may be our best CHF prospect since Ron Clegg! The question is, will his career is as illustious, or will it be cut short by "issues" like Stewie Gull or Greame John?
While our backline looks good, our small defenders have been great for years but for the first time that I can remember in decades we have sufficient big bodies down back too.
Likewise our midfield: Giant is right we play finals football week in week out, a frequent citicism was a lack of pace out wide, at the time of the 2009 draft the Swans said they were trying to address this. But while we remain a touch slower than other teams, the sub rule appears to have slowed everyone down a bit, so our lack of footspeed is somewhat less obvious. We can only hope that the midfields disposal improves this year.
Which brings us back the forward line: for the last few years it's been horrible, and while there are a lot of options/questions about it this year, at least seems to be the potential that it might actually click. Even after discounting Walsh, I still think YoungSam, FantaPants, Morton, Goodes, Spanky and the reappearance of ROK in the front half will be very exciting.
Liz is correct the Swans as a whole are greater than the sum of there parts. But the question I'd like to see answered is what if our forward line did click? What would the football world make of a hard as nails Swans team that averaged more than 100 points per game, instead of 80 odd? It's possible that it quite literally wouldn't know what hit it.
And as ShockOfHair remarks we do have a pretty friendly draw, at least in the front half of the season. So perhaps if we open the season with 6 strait the press might (to misquote jono) might even stop making us Swans fans nauseous with the endless 'dour' and 'defensive' comments.
Loose translation from the Latin is - I am tall, so I hit out.
In 2005 the swans were 34-1 to win the flag pre season. After they won it I remember Roos saying the success came a little earlier than he thought. To me all this points to the reality that the Swans winning this year is possible but oure list hasn't yet hit it's peak. Sometimes the success can happen a bit earlier than you think. EG Hawks 2008 and maybe even the Pies 2010. So I think there is more upside to come in the next few years but it's not impossible in 2012
It doesn't come down to Reid as much as it comes down to the output of Pyke/Spangher/Walsh/White/Seaby as the other talls up forward in my view. Goodes will play forward at times and always do well (he's a champion after all) and then Morton/Parker/Jetta/Rohan/ROK/McGlynn/Jude should all give enough forward of centre as small and mediums but it's what we can get out of the talls that will make or break our forward line and hence make or break our chances IMO.
1 or 2 of those I've listed have to step up and give a consistent presence next to Sammy and be able to bring down marks and kick goals relatively consistently. At least make a contest all of the time. If 2 of them can average 1.5 goals a game, that will do us and help us go close to top 4 (given Goodes and the small play as they did last year and Reid/Rohan give us improved output which is to be expected). If we can get around 50 goals out of those other talls overall in 2012, that is a win in my eyes.
Last edited by S120; 2nd March 2012 at 11:27 AM.
Crucial is a good first half of the season. We are notoriously slow starters , but the early part of the draw is reasonably kind to us.
I can see us being in with a shout , but not if come July we have a lot of ground to make up.
We have a very good draw for the first half of the season.
GWS in Sydney
Freo in Sydney
Port in Adelaide
North in Sydney
Hawthorn in Tassie
Adelaide in Sydney
Richmond in Melbourne
Melbourne in Sydney
St.Kilda in Melbourne
Bulldogs in Sydney
Essendon in Melbourne
BYE
We really should be on at least 7 after the first half of this year based on what we see above. I would hope it looks more like 8 or 9 (perhaps I'm overrating our list but I don't think I am). Hawthorn in Tasmania is the only game that I see us rightfully being definitive underdogs for.
Well S120 - you are right to be optimistic about those 11 games. We finished above 10 of those teams last year!
"I'll acknowledge there are more talented teams in the competition but I won't acknowledge that there is a better team in the competition" Paul Roos March 2005
Draw wise we are in a better position than we have been in years to get a really good start to the year. The problem is we seem to always have those games we should win comfortably that we tend to drop or just get over the line in ( If we lose to Richmond again this year im going to have a rage induced aneurysm) . If we can become more ruthless like the good teams above us, we should be in a very good position at the mid way point of the season. From there, who knows what could happen. Those who say we are no chance of winning the flag would have something to think about if we are on say 8W and 3L after 11 rounds. Though if that is the case, we still probably wouldnt have beaten much and would have to prove our credentials against the top sides.
Well we have to.......cause the world comes to an end in December 2012
But then again, I think we'll be premiers every year and go undefeated every game......so what do I know?????
In all seriousness though, I think we've finished fifth on the ladder 3 out of the last 4 seasons(the one exception being that 1 onomally(sp??) in 09 when missed the finals....WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!), so I think we have to at least make prelim this year, and the best way to do this is finish top 4!!!!
Pedant alert. "Anomaly" is the correct spelling. For future reference (and a good trivia question), as far as I know anomaly is the only word in the English language that ends in "aly" (i.e. single "l"). Everything else ends in "ally" (i.e. double "l").
Further to previous post:
Anomaly: Noun - An anomalous thing; irregularity
It's a self-fulfilling word. :-)
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks