Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 13 to 24 of 33

Thread: Round 15: Sydney Swans Reserves v Brisbane Lions Reserves

  1. #13
    On the Rookie List Jewels's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Copacabana
    Posts
    3,258
    Quote Originally Posted by Primmy View Post
    I would also like to post a "toldyers" re Doggie. Coaching. OK, under 16 Bulldogs in the local comp, but......hehehe....
    And undefeated as coach if my ears didn't deceive me!

  2. #14
    Veteran Site Admin
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    16,395
    My take on the game...

    One of the most enjoyable reserves games this season, despite the fact that our lads were the second best team out there. It was always going to be a struggle, given we had 12 or 13 (by my count) listed players out there, and fewer of the more seasoned top-ups. (To be fair, I didn't count how many of the Lions players were also listed, but they seemed a much bigger - physically - group than ours.)

    Swans started very brightly and had a handful of goals on the board before the Lions kicked into gear. They were very efficient converting chances early in the game, while the Lions were butchering the ball a bit. But as the first half wore on, the Lions definitely gained the ascendency and looking like running away with it. A couple of our top-ups made very costly errors and heads were starting to hang.

    Second half was where it got really interesting. It seemed like the coaches managed to instill a bit of confidence in the top-ups over the break because they came out with much more purpose. Yes, they still made mistakes but were running to spots to offer an option to team mates, rather than lurking in pockets hoping the ball didn't come their way.

    Meanwhile the senior group -led by Moore - set about crafting some really good passages of play and created goals where it looked like they had no chance of scoring. There was one passage down the O'Reilly wing where Moore and Cunningham found themselves trapped in a pocket but managed to draw their opponents and perfect the timing of their release such that they were able to square the ball to the front of goal and someone converted - can't remember who. Despite the loss, they got a chance to play in a style far more comparable to senior football, and both the coaches and players will have learned far more about who has what it takes to step up to the next level.

    On this note, I continue to be encouraged by Cunningham. He didn't dominate in terms of possession, but he runs to the right spots to be dangerous and knows how and when to use his pace. I have little doubt we'll see more senior football from him over the next year or three.

    I also thought Heath was great, notwithstanding the number of shots at goal the Lions had. We just didn't have anyone with the height to counter some of the Lions forwards, but in terms of organising the troops he is as important to the team in the backline as Moore is in the midfield. He definitely has a bit of Ted in him, in the way he goes about things. Under his direction, Lynch also had one of the best games I've seen him play. Of course it helped that both Heath and Lynch had plenty to do - against many sides they spend all game languishing in defence with the ball at the other end of the ground.

    Mitchell played the whole game, including starting in the centre square at many bounces, and hunted the ball relentlessly. His disposal fluctuated a bit - sometimes he tried to do too much, other times he was brilliant. But you can see he believes he is a senior player in the making (and so he should).

    I thought Parker looked off the pace to start the game. He played mostly in the forward line and did some great stuff (including some overhead contested marks and three goals) but wasn't running around dominating in the way he will probably need to to force his way back into the senior team. First game back, so fair enough. I just think he might need another run in the reserves first. Shame the reserves have a bye next weekend.

    Another excellent game from TDL, making the most of his forward line opportunities but also working up the ground and tackling hard. He is wasted at this level - I want him in the senior team.

    Moore, too, completely wasted at this level but I think it is evident he's not going to get another shot at senior level. Oh for a little more footspeed.

    Walsh took some great contested marks. He, too, might find that a slight lack of pace holds him back but when he gets himself into the right position he is hard to move off the line and his hands are vice like. ROK carved himself out a niche as a slow but hard running HFFer with strong hands. Maybe Walsh can too. I suspect this might be more his natural position than FF.

    Meredith played again off a half-back flank and was effective. The move to this role may have come too late to save his AFL career but it allows him time and space to use the ball well, by far his best attribute.

    Lamb came on at half-time. His first 10 minutes or so were patchy but then he got into things and looked more purposeful (and a little quicker) than he has all year. Kicked one superb goal where he drilled a low skidding ball from the 50m line, taking advantage of an empty goal square.

    Jesse was by far the most frustrating player out there. He took a hanger, and then laid the ball off too quickly with a sloppy handpass that missed his target. He burst through traffic and then slipped over at the wrong time. (The early injury to Seaby meant he spent the majority of the game in the ruck and close to no time in the forward line.)

    It was great to see all the injured (and suspended) reserves players out there in the huddles. At quarter time, Crouch and a couple of other coaches spent several minutes with the defensive group closely gathered around. While the mids meandered around chatting, Rohan and Spangher had the forwards gathered together, with Rohan waving his crutch around, presumably telling them what they should be doing. Then Spangher took over for a few moments.
    Last edited by liz; 8th July 2012 at 02:37 PM.

  3. #15
    Great post Liz - thanks.

  4. #16
    Just wild about Harry
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1,833
    Thanks Liz. We really appreciate this down in Melbourne.

  5. #17
    Veterans List
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Crowland :-(
    Posts
    6,098
    Thanks to everyone who does a post game review. As an interstater I really appreciate the update on (hopefully) future Swans players.

  6. #18
    Ego alta, ergo ictus Ruck'n'Roll's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Over here!
    Posts
    3,856
    Agree with your comments Liz especially regarding Parker, at times he looked very scratchy (at other times he looked brilliant) so perhaps another week. Between injuries and scratchy form, I thought the only player that put his hand up for promotion this week was TDL.

    Also I hadn't previously noticed how one-sided Lamb was. He was forced to use his left foot a couple of times against the Lionecubs and to say the results weren't pretty is an understatement, did anyone else notice that? He needs to put in some serious remedial work there.
    Loose translation from the Latin is - I am tall, so I hit out.

  7. #19
    Veterans List aardvark's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Down South
    Posts
    5,676
    Quote Originally Posted by liz View Post
    Lamb came on at half-time. His first 10 minutes or so were patchy but then he got into things and looked more purposeful (and a little quicker) than he has all year. Kicked one superb goal where he drilled a low skidding ball from the 50m line, taking advantage of an empty goal square.
    Liz I know its hard to call at this stage but do you think Jed will make it to senior ranks. I watched him play all his junior career down here including games where he tore Jarryd Blair, McCaffer and Golby apart at different times. Is Senior footy going to be one step too far ?
    Last edited by Frog; 9th July 2012 at 10:20 AM. Reason: Fixed quote

  8. #20
    Proud Tragic Swan Primmy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    On the Move!
    Posts
    5,970
    I'll put in my two cents worth here aaarrr.... Not sure. He has played so little, he has been so injured, and we have seen one recent game where he was on for only a half. He is way behind the teammates he started with. If he has the drive then probably he will get somewhere. But if you judge him NOW against a first year starter such as Harry or Tommy or Tom Mitchell, then its going to be a very big ask.

    We are heading into the back end of the season and he has only just started. Then again so has Alex Brown, with same scenario and I am somewhat more confident that Browny has the goods.

    One thought I had was that perhaps Jed was shocked to find during game time that he was not as far up the totem pole as he thought he would be (being young male in a dream job with talent and....). Wake up call? I guess the ressiewatchers "watch" from here on in. He has a bit of mongrel in him, so it I believe he will start shaking things up a bit. Besides, I would love to have a Senior Swan called Jed.
    If you've never jumped from one couch to the other to save yourself from lava then you didn't have a childhood

  9. #21
    Goes up to 11
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    3,326
    A chat with Mummy at the recent Trivia Night included the words "Jed will be a gun if he can get his body right" so I am happy to be patient with him for some time longer yet...

  10. #22
    Veterans List aardvark's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Down South
    Posts
    5,676
    Quote Originally Posted by Primmy View Post
    Besides, I would love to have a Senior Swan called Jed.
    Thanks Primmy. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the demands of senior AFL footy were a bit of a shock to Jed. He was always the big fish in the small pond.
    I too would like to see a Senior Swan called Jed. I really enjoy seeing kids from my area do well, even if it is with the Pies.

  11. #23
    Veterans List aardvark's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Down South
    Posts
    5,676
    Quote Originally Posted by jono2707 View Post
    A chat with Mummy at the recent Trivia Night included the words "Jed will be a gun if he can get his body right" so I am happy to be patient with him for some time longer yet...
    I'm sure the club will do all it can to get him up and running. I'm just impatient to see him debut.

  12. #24
    Can you feel it? Site Admin ugg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Chucked into the ruck
    Posts
    15,929
    • The team fought well with a lesser number of listed players than the Lions. There were 14 named, but Seaby went off very early in the first quarter and Lamb only played the second half so there were long patches where we only had 12. The Lions on the other hand had 19, reduced to 18 when Claye Beams was withdrawn at half time to be their senior emergency (luckily for them). Even the Lions topups seemed to be bigger than ours. The Lions missed a lot of set shots, not totally straightforward but quite kickable which kept us in the game.
    • Seaby went off really early but it was notable that he didn't take the first bounce of the game - that honour belonged to White - so perhaps it was a case of testing the calf and pulling the pin when he didn't feel right after the first 5 minutes.
    • Mitchell did finish the game on the bench with ice on his knee, it continues to be an issue for him. Hope it was just a precautionary measure by the medicos.
    • Meredith did well in defence considering the trouble the Swans had containing the Lions' transition but his forward tag in Newell did kick 2 goals and finished in their best players.
    • TDL started centre bounces in the midifeld but also covered ground in the forward line. Two of his goals were a case of Trent being too good for his defender, beating them in one-on-one battles to win the loose ball and having the composure and skill to finish off. He's in great form at the moment and looks to be doing all the defensive things they've harped on about in the past 18 months, and while he deserves a place in the seniors I'm not sure they can squeeze him in.
    • Lamb's best game of the year, of half a game to be technically correct. Perhaps it was an adjustment to the higher standard, but he seemed a lot more switched on today played with more instinct rather than being hesitant and second-guessing himself.
    • Walsh played an important role as the lone tall in attack and reveled in the added responsibility. He was too good for his opponent Justin Clarke on the lead, his outstretched hands strong enough to repel any attempted spoil. He started coming further up the ground when the Lions began to pin the Swans in their defensive half.
    • White has a pair of "anti-Reid" hands. Where the ball seems to stick to Sammy's hands, in Jesse's case it invariably bounces off his hands. Took a nice speccy but then failed to heed his ex-coach's advice to not handball after you take one. He did take on the majority of the ruckwork against the bigger Longer and Lisle, with Walsh only relieving him in very short spells, a testament to his improved fitness levels.
    • Parker was rusty as noted, surprised he played as a forward given his role in the seniors has been in the midfield. It might be a sign that they're not ready to bring him back in just yet. He displayed some speed in a 3 bounce run down the Brewongle side of the stadium before a unleashing a long centering kick that found Lewis Broome who marks and goaled.
    • Heath/Lynch had the unenviable task of marking Cornelius/Lisle with the Lions forwards having plenty of space and getting good delivery from their midfield. Heath was the preferred option on the bigger Lisle but would swap over to Cornelius when the Lisle was utilised as the second ruckman. Overall I think the defence did a solid job in the circumstances although it was disappointing that Cornelius managed to grab a few contested marks thanks to some smart blocking by his teammates
    • Didn't see much of Brown again, wasn't sitting near the bench this time so I couldn't note whether he spent a lot of time on it.
    • Broome looked lively in the first quarter and was troubling his marker Sheldon but only had one on the board. He had fewer opportunities as the Lions midfield took control of the game but did manage to convert the few other chances he had. I had him down for 4 goals but the official scores gave him 3.



    Sydney 4.3 7.4 13.4 16.7 (103)
    Brisbane 1.6 8.6 12.12 17.20 (122)



    Sydney Swans

    Goal Kickers: L. Broome 3, L. PARKER 3, T. DENNIS-LANE 3, T. WALSH 3, J. MOORE , M. Krochmal , T. MITCHELL , J. LAMB
    Best Players: T. WALSH, B. MEREDITH, T. DENNIS-LANE, C. HEATH, B. Plug, L. PARKER
    Brisbane Lions

    Goal Kickers: A. Cornelius 6, J. HAWKSLEY 3, R. Newell 2, J. Fox 2, S. Docherty , J. Lisle , W. Pendlebury , J. O''Brien
    Best Players: J. HAWKSLEY, S. Wrigley, J. Lisle, R. Newell, A. Cornelius, J. Clarke



Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO